Picked the lesser-used alpine route over the standard trail on Mount Whitney last July and it was the best call

I was debating between the Mountaineers Route and the normal Whitney Trail. Everyone said go regular for the views but I chose the scramble route instead. Way fewer people, like maybe 10 total on the whole thing compared to hundreds on the main trail. Only issue was route finding above Iceberg Lake but I used my GPS after nearly going off course. The summit at sunrise was quiet and amazing. Has anyone else tried an alternate route on a popular peak and regretted it or loved it?

2 comments

2 Comments

hugo_ellis17d ago

My buddy tried the East Ridge on Half Dome instead of going up the cables last August. He said it was only like 4 other people up there all day compared to the zoo on the regular route. But he got sketched out on one section and had to do a pretty exposed move with loose rock. He made it fine but said his hands were shaking for a good 10 minutes after. He still says it was worth it though, just to have the summit to himself for a while.

aarons3617d ago

Man that feeling of your hands shaking after a close call really sticks with you. I've had that same thing happen a couple times on some exposed ridges out in the Sierra and it's like your brain just keeps replaying that one move over and over. It takes a solid minute to calm down and realize you're actually safe. Your buddy's right though, having the summit mostly to yourself changes the whole experience. Makes the sketchy parts kind of worth it in the end even if they're not fun at the moment.