Greetings Everyone! I've long used your info and insight for climbs and appreciate all the guidance. I have a specific question though....

I'm an intermediate winter climber (comfy with cat 3s in winter accents) and have done Shasta (2 days) and Whitney (2 days) last winter and a few 14ers in CO the year before. Anyway, a summer hiker friend wants to accompany me this month on a 14er. I've been reading around and have got the impression that Split, White, or maybe even Middle Palisade would appropriate. We would arrive a friday and depart monday at the latest. I'm leaving enough time to go slow with my friend.

Suggestions on which mountain has the best access? Easy or best winter routes? Not too technical so that I can show a beginner how to properly use gear (will be renting for him)? Any other mountain suggestions? Known current conditions of eastern sierras?

Thanks in advance.

-JC

Langley would be a better choice than Middle Palisade. Route finding can be a little tricky on Middle. Middle probably has enough snow to make the rock climbing a problem for a “summer hiker friend.”

Access-wise, I would suggest Split or Langley (via Tuttle Creek). Depending upon where the high road is gated, you might have to come at White via the West Ridge. Middle Pal could be fairly serious with snow, and the east-facing route is likely avalanche-prone.

Of course, I have no idea what conditions are like now in the Eastern Sierra, and November is kind of a transition month.

Right now the southern Sierra; e.g. Langley and Whitney, has a light dusting of snow while the central Sierra including Humphreys and the Palisades has a good bit. Mammoth will open for skiing on the 10th and is claiming 6-36 inches of snow, having set a record for October precipitation. 2 weeks ago before the latest storm the roads into the White Mountain bristlecone area and above were open but the visitor center had just closed for the season (we did a mellow hike in the bristlecones), and there was no visible snow. Check with the Lone Pine visitor center for road status into the Cottonwood basin for Langley, and the Bishop ranger station for White Mountain. Doing either of these from low down in the Owens Valley is rather brutal. I agree that these are a good choice for a first November 14er. I don't have a clue what the mountaineer's route on Whitney is like now but I have seen water ice on it and on the trail down from Trail Crest this time of year.

- Having hiked all of three mountains you speak off, I'd suggest to do Split. White Mountain would not help your novice friend learn anything about snow hiking since that hike is just a wide (street like) trail, all the way to the top. If you are lucky enough to be able to drive to the gate, than you will have 14 miles of hiking on snow. The only equipment you might need is snow-shoes and/or some snow crampons.
- As for the Middle Palisade, that would be for an advance and experienced party. Climbing MP in the summer is a tough one. It the winter I think would be a very time consuming and exhausting experience. With days being so short now, you might need a 3 night trip.
- On the other hand, Split will offer a good hike to Red Lake (providing there is not too much snow to make that part of the hike miserable.) From Red Lake to the summit you have a slope, a glacier, a scree hill which would be nothing but snow, and a notch. All of these will present the opportunity for using various snow hiking gear. A summer roundtrip hike from Red Lake to Split takes about 6 hours. Also I think you will need at leas 2 if not 3 nights for this hike.
- I see other people suggesting Langley. Jut like White, I don't think that will require much of snow gear except crampons and show shoes. And that if you could actually be able to drive to the trailhead.
Good luck and be safe.

Thank you all for the suggestions and insight. I've decided on Split Mountain. The diverse conditions of the hike to the summit will be a good start for my friend.

From what I've read, we likely won't be able to drive to the trailhead without at 4-wheel drive...is that correct? We will be in a rental car and it seems to me I'll only be able to make it to about 2 linear miles from the trailhead before the road will require 4-wheel vehicle.

JC23 wrote:From what I've read, we likely won't be able to drive to the trailhead without at 4-wheel drive...is that correct?

Not exactly -- clearance and patience are more important than 4WD. With some careful driving, I made it to the trailhead via the Tinemaha Campground route in a Honda Element (7" clearance). However, with a cheap rental like a Geo Metro, you will probably have to park at McMurray Meadows and hike a couple of miles cross-country.

Drove a 2WD Nissan Frontier pickup all the way to the trailhead. Not a big deal. Make sure you start at the correct trial head, which is to the right (north) as you approach.

Thanks for the input. I think I'll have to park at McMurray Meadows as my Nissan Altima only has 5.4" clearance. I head up tomorrow. I'll let everyone know the conditions once I get back. Thanks again!

In 2013 I drove a Nissan Sentra to the trailhead. I followed Fuller Rd to go and McMurray to come back. It was a mean drive and it took 1 1/2 hours from asphalt to TH. No issues with the car but a few times I had to stop and rearange rocks so I can drive over. At that time I thought Fuller Rd was better than McMurray. I drove Fuller Rd to the TH 3 times, however the last two times in an SUV. You definitely don't need 4x4. This year I drove to Birtch Mt on McMurray. It looked in much better shape. I think they worked on it a bit. You will come to a cattle gate. Don't worry, just open in and close it after you go through.