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This winter-only descent offers a better way down than the painful switchbacks you climbed on the way up.


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Map Key

0.6

Miles

1.0

KM

Point to Point

13,532' 4,124 m

High

12,335' 3,760 m

Low

0' 0 m

Up

1,197' 365 m

Down

37%

Avg Grade (21°)

80%

Max Grade (39°)

Dogs No Dogs

Features -none-

Rocks should not be showing, as they could quite easily spell trouble on your descent. This trail is for winter use only when snow covered.

Description

This is the infamous chute that skips the 99 switchbacks. While it's extremely steep and difficult to get up, it can be a fantastic, easy way to glissade down if the snow is soft.

Starting from the Trail Crest, glissade the obvious snowfield, trying to trend right as best you can. When you run out of enough slope to slide near the bottom, make your way right to rejoin the switchbacks and the rest of your descent.

Shared By:

Jeff Lee

Trail Ratings

  5.0 from 4 votes

#1

in Mt. Whitney

#589

Overall
  5.0 from 4 votes
5 Star
100%
4 Star
0%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
Trail Rankings

#1

in Mt. Whitney

#67

in California

#589

Overall
18 Views Last Month
8,207 Since May 21, 2017
Difficult Difficult

0%
0%
33%
0%
0%
67%

Photos

Daybreak looking down on Trail Camp from the middle of the 99 switchbacks. Can you find the tents?
May 2, 2017 near Lone Pine, CA
09/11/2018 Trail Crest looking west towards Hitchcock Lakes and Sequoia.  Cloudless day and only a breeze.
Sep 28, 2018 near Lone Pine, CA
Halfway down the chute looking up, you get a better sense of just how steep this terrain is.
May 21, 2017 near Lone Pine, CA
9/11/28 @"The Cables", Mt. Whitney Trail
Sep 28, 2018 near Lone Pine, CA
Halfway down the chute, looking right.
May 21, 2017 near Lone Pine, CA
Stop and enjoy the awesome views from the chute.
May 21, 2017 near Lone Pine, CA

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Check-Ins

Sep 12, 2020
Eric Ingman
Jun 14, 2018
Mickael Williams
9 am start, slushy on first half but got better. Finished to the right, bad idea. Had to climb thru a rocky/snowy hallway? Dangerous with my min exp 0.6mi — 2h 00m
May 24, 2018
Francisco Alejandro
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