The Struggle To Ski The Lower 48's Tallest Peak In June

Ian Greenwood
·2 min read
3

Mount Whitney, standing tall at 14,505 ft., is the highest mountain in the Lower 48. It's also skiable, provided you're willing to schlep yourself topside in high-altitude conditions.

This video, from Mediocre Amateur, covers a recent ski descent of the imposing Mount Whitney.

Mount Whitney is located in California's Sierra Nevada mountain range.

Here's a little more detail about the trip from Mediocre Amateur:

"The first time I climbed Mount Whitney I saw some people dragging their skis up the Couloir towards the summit. I made a mental note to come back with skis. It took a couple years but I’ve returned to Inyo National Forest just outside Lone Pine, California. I’ve got Skis and there’s no shortage of snow. Just 5 miles and 6,200ft of uphill stands between me and a sunny, windless Mount Whitney summit."

While the skier featured in this video might make the trip to the top of Mount Whitney look relatively casual, rest assured, it's not. Sure, it doesn't require any technical skills like rock or ice climbing, but climbing to a height of 14,000 ft. is immensely taxing physically.

AllTrails, a trail database, states that climbing Mount Whitney is "strenuous and the effects of the high altitude can become intense. Many hikers suffer from altitude sickness and are forced to turn around."

Altitude acclimation, then, is a necessary part of the Mount Whitney summit process, which makes sense given the peak's impressive height.

If this video from Mediocre Amateur intrigued you, their channel is loaded with similar trip recaps ideal for spring skiing mission inspiration. Follow this link to check them out.

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