Distance
7.3 km to summit
17.0 km total
Elevation
1,744 m start
2,988 m max
Vertical
1,428 m gain
Time
5 hr 40 min to summit
9 hr 55 min total
I don't recommend the optional descent route from Mt. Whyte to Plain of Six Glaciers Trail. It took me forever. The descent involves lots of zigzagging on coarse rock to avoid cliff bands and steep slabs, and further down lots of precarious balancing on downsloping slabs. At the end, I got cliffed out literally 10m from the Trail and spent perhaps half an hour to find a safe way down.
Route name
loop
Obstacles
road/access issues, routefinding, rockfall/loose rock
Key gear
helmet
BertB
Ahh, You did the same thing I did. I guess that the correct gully was further over. My feelings exactly, It looks promising, you zigzag and get close to the point where you are right above the tourists and then that last bit... Putting the fun back in the alternate descent.