So, I'm planning my treks for the summer and have a couple questions for the group. I have a set-in-stone week off on the July 4th week to work with, plus other flexible time I can take off during the summer.

The first question is how likely it is that the west switchbacks up to Mt Whitney will be climbable in mid July (say between July 12th and 14th)?
I figure with the average snow year we just had, the west side should be have melted out enough to reach the summit from that side. I’d be coming up from the PCT.

If the east side isn’t clear enough to descend directly to the portal, I would go down via Shepherds Pass or Kearsarge Pass. My plan is to leave a resupply package at Horseshoe Meadows with enough food to get to any of those exit points based on conditions mid-July.

BUT that got me thinking: I could just keep going NOBO on the JMT since I found the area between Glen Pass and Muir Trail Ranch one of the most scenic parts of the JMT when I did it SOBO in 2020 (of course, the other parts are great too).

The South Fork San Joaquin River Bridge being out is a complication. ?How likely is the river to be low enough in mid to late July to ford the river near the missing bridge? The detour skips some of my favorite parts of the JMT, so probably wouldn’t bother continuing if I couldn’t get to MTR directly.

So, approximately 2 weeks ?along PCT section G from Walker Pass to Whitney (add 5 days or so to exit via Kearsarge), or 4-5 weeks to Yosemite Valley.

I could also exit from Kearsarge Pass, take 2-3 weeks back in civilization (my boss would appreciate that), and then restart JMT NOBO from there in mid August. Better chance of fordable rivers then. Getting a permit may be an issue for a restart.

So, really the final question is: Split the trek in two to be more likely to be able to do Kearsarge to Happy Isles with better chances in August or tempt fate by trying for a full 5 week uninterrupted trek (except for maybe some zero days in Independence and/or Reds Meadow during resupplies there)?

Thoughts?