Whitney lies on the boundary of sequoia national park and inyo national forest. In 2019, 84,000 hikers wanted to hike or backpack to the summit from whitney portal between may and november. You start at around midnight and finish around 6pm. Its a very long day, and you need to start before sunrise to make it down before dark. Cottonwood to shepherd hike sierra mountain center. Amazingly terrifying mt whitney pacific crest trail.
Summiting mt whitney is on every hikers bucket list. The mount whitney trail is an eleven mile hiking path that takes you to the summit of the tallest mountain in the continental united states. Because it is the most frequently climbed mountain peak in the sierra nevada, a permit system is in place to minimize the impact of. Whitney is the highest peak in the lower 48 states and as such is the goal of many a hiker and mountaineer. Hike up 3000ft, and hike back down to the portal on the same day. Be sure to check the red tape section on the main mount whitney page. Whitney is no everest, it does take preparation and planning to summit the tallest mountain in the continental united states. If youre a hiker who doesnt want to encounter snow or ice on the route, peak times to hike mt. I would not personally want to go this route, but many people do it. At whitney portal, find the trailhead for the mount whitney trail located below the whitney portal store. Mt whitney, in california, is the highest peak in the lower 48 states at 14,505 feet.
Original mountain gangstas top mt whitney jason jblyth was in san diego on business and assembled a solid crew to hike whitney with him. My friends dad has done various physical feats, such as running marathons and going through spartan training, but my friend and i havent done anything of this scale before. Overwhelmed by the high altitude as i attempt to summit the highest mountain in the lower 48 states of america at 14505 feet 4421 meters. Soon after leaving the trailhead hikers will reach the colorado trail ct. Beautiful, difficult, awesome hike that i swore i would never do again.
Whitney is a 22 miles round trip hike, has an elevation climb of over 6000 feet, and is one of the most famous. Whitney s elevation is 4421 meters or 4418 meters or 14, 505 ft. The peak rises more than 10,770 feet, or just over two miles, above the town of lone pine, california located in owens valley to the east. Whitney by chris marks philip werner chris marks, destinations make no mistake about it, while the 22 mile trail to the top of mt. Whitney start from the east side of the sierra and remain in inyo national forest throughout their hike. With some careful planning, some conditioning, and the right mental attitude this can be a successful day and an unforgettable experience. Overwhelmed by the stunning view during the long climb up mount whitney. Whitney lottery, wilderness permit office inyo national forest. It is much easier to obtain a permit for this route. The hike to get there on the main whitney trail is 22 miles with 6,000 feet of elevation gain.
This is as far as hikers can go without a day or overnight permit. The hike is about 22 mi 35 km round trip, with an elevation gain of over 6,100 feet 1,860 m. From the trailhead at whitney portal to the summit, hikers gain more than 6,000 feet of elevation and cross through multiple climatic zones. If youre from socal, there are a few over 10,000, baldy, gorgornio and san jacinto.
Ice axes and crampons are needed in spring and early summer, but technical climbing equipment is not usually necessary between midjuly and early october. Our itinerary includes tuolumne meadows in yosemite, hike to cathedral lakes or beyond, backpack over clouds rest, camp near junction with john muir trail. Named after state geologist of california, josiah whitney. The mount whitney trail is a trail that climbs mount whitney. Mount whitney via mount whitney trail hiking trail, lone pine. A video journal of our 3day hike to the summit of mount whitney.
The best things you can do to train for whitney are to hike steep trails preferably with your backpacking weight on and to spend as much time above 8000 feet as possible. The hike is 22 miles round trip gaining just over 6700 feet of elevation beginning of the mt whitney trail at whitney portal, 8,374 feet above sea level. Mt whitney trail permit is not valid for the north fork of lone pine creek approach to. With the most permits, we guide all of the california 14ers. But in a snowcovered may or june, certain sections. Get doug thompsons book, mountain lore from the whitney store.
In july or august, a strongwilled person with solid fitness and no altitude sickness could pull off the long hike up the mount whitney trail. Mount whitney trail lone pine 2020 all you need to. Another day hike 3000ft up or so from the new base camp. Note that its nearly 2,000 meters elevation gain which is nearly twice what you did at half dome. I have climbed both mount shasta and mount whitney. At an elevation of 14,501 feet, mount whitney is the tallest mountain in california and the tallest peak in the lower 48. Hiking up mount whitney one good thing is that you cant really climb it before july climbing in snow not recommended for beginners so you have some time to do training. Its 22 miles round trip from the parking lot at whitney portal to the summit and back.
Sws mountain guides is californias premier mountain guide service. There are several hiking routes that you can take when you hike mount whitney. I just did the high sierra trail and exited through whitney. Getting a permit for mt whitney this is your first concern and the most difficult step when it comes to dealing with the required red tape for getting a permit for mt whitney. These routes very greatly in length, time, and level of difficulty, so it is important that you map out which hiking route you decide to take. In southern california, a good training progression for mt whitney is. Ill be a solo hiker this july 23wednesday on mt whitney. This path requires basic mountaineering skills and isnt for beginners. As the highest point in the contiguous united states, mt. The trail is primarily used for hiking, nature trips, and backpacking and is best used from march until september.
Too many inexperienced people are climbing whitney outside. No walkup day use permits for the whitney zone including the north fork. Im just anxious and curious how does it compare with mt whitney. I did a half dome hike last year and did it for 12 hours hiking leisurely. Whitney was significantly harder, because its longer and you spend more time at higher altitude than at shasta. Me m 20, a friend of mine m 20 and his dad m 48 are going to be hiking mt.
The mount whitney trail is the shortest and most popular hiking route. The lottery enter the lottery to reserve a backpacking trip on the mt. At 14,505 feet, its the highest point in the lower 48. And lucky for you, there are a number of excellent local hikes you can do to help get yourself ready for whitney. A more common common scenario is to make a trip of a few days to mt whitney, maybe acclimatize, and enjoy the area. Sws mountain guides professional guides since 1981. You can day hike it or backpack it, but you will need a permit lottery.
Youll be climbing from around 8,300 feet at the portal to 14,505 feet at the summit. The difficulty is due to the high demand for reservations. It is an extremely popular trail, and its access is restricted by quotas from may to october. When the trail is free of snow in the summer months to early fall, you can follow a well maintained trail up to the summit. Things nobody tells you about hiking mt whitney upon 2020. Since the entire climb is a class 1 trail, it is fully detailed in the route description section. Mt whitney trail hiking and backpacking timberline trails. It starts at whitney portal, miles 21 km west of the town of lone pine, california. Wilderness information line 760 8732485 and reservation line 760 8732483. Easy class 1 hiking, but a lot of it and at high elevations. Just drive to whitney portal, miles west of lone pine, ca. The trail is primarily used for hiking, camping, ice climbing, and backpacking and is best used from april until october. With offices in mt shasta, mt whitney, and bear valley california sws offers the best guides for skiing, rock and alpine climbing in the state.
Beyond the physical superlatives, hiking the mount whitney trail is a beautiful experience in and of itself, and its very doable for southern californians. All day use permits for the whitney zone are now only reservable online, at the url listed above. How to get a permit for mt whitney timberline trails. Includes beautiful images of all the key features of the eastern approach to mt whitney. To entertain, inspire and capture the beauty of this amazing place. Only 100 dayhikers and 60 backpackers are allowed on the mt whitney trail from whitney portal per day, from may 1st to november 1st. Easy accessibility makes it a prime destination for hikers and climbers from around the world. A wellmaintained trail on the south side takes the vast majority of these people to the top and back. Two, due to the grade of the trail and accessibility of the peak, people underestimate the overall difficulty of executing a strenuous hike at high.
Travel the path with us and we will show you just what to expect along this world famous 11 mile trail to the top of the highest peak in the continental united states. Even for those not hiking mt whitney, a trip through the i395 and eastern sierra area is a. I scored permits to overnight on mount whitney june 89. And the three days spent approaching whitney by this route not only treat you to some marvellous scenery but also allow acclimatization so that the ascent of whitney will be made in. If you do it as an overnight, plan on leaving as much stuff as you can at trail camp. One are technically difficult peaks, like rainier, denali, grand teton, where. There are at least a dozen different routes up the mountain, varying in difficulty and technical skills required. This was a very difficult hike, like walking up steep stairs most of the way. One of the keys to a successful summit is to make sure that youre properly acclimated. Mount whitney trail hiking trail, lone pine, california. And of course, only if you have no symptoms whatsoever of altitude problems. Mount whitney via mount whitney trail hiking trail, lone. This hike avoids all that by accessing the high country using the shepherd pass trail north of mount whitney.