I could search them if you need them. You still need a Whitney zone exit permit to walk down the main trail, but when i was exploring this a couple years back, they were still available on some dates at this time, and the rangers were very promising about getting them walk-in at Onion Valley. Whitney permit lottery process? The shortest and most popular route to climb Mt. An alternate backpacking route to Mt Whitney is the southern ridge line from the Cottonwood Lakes trailhead, but you still must verify with local authorities for permits & Wilderness passes. The Mt. Put any food in the bear boxes around the campsite. DIFFICULT 9.9 mi. Dates 2021. If you have 2-5 days (depending on your speed), you can enter north of Whitney at the Onion Valley trailhead, crossing over the famed Kearsarge area, then heading south on the John Muir Trail to Whitney. The rock is superb white Sierra granite. No hard feelings, though, :rolleyes: Since our flights are already booked, and there's dozens of other fabulous big mountains out west, we are all wondering what your recommendations are for an amazing first 14er for us. A few of the most popular routes are as follows: The Mount Whitney Trail is the shortest and most popular hiking route. The lottery will run some time between March 16 and April 1. Whitney Mountaineers Route Overview. Viewing: 1-14 of 14. If it’s chilly, you will need the extra layers when you hit Trail Crest. Only the leader or alternate named on lottery application can pick up or use the permit. The East Face of Mt. This may sound obvious, but if you have an acute fear of heights, this hike will be challenging. ... JMT and alternate backcountry routes. It is the highest peak in the Sierra, & indeed in all of California. Snow, Alpine 3rd 1-1 I 1 M 1a Mod. Whitney. Whitney Zone, with Mt. Mt. If you have issues with heights, just keep your eyes on the trail. Only the group leader on the permit can pick up the permit. Give them the number of the Inyo County Sheriff’s Office (. Base of hike -- Whitney Portal. High Sierra Trail. Any ideas here, I want it legal, no sneaking and the possibility of being charged or cited. Whitney Mountaineers Route! The difficulty rating is 5.7. Alpine weather is volatile and changeable. Mount Whitney is the highest mountain in the lower 48 states at 14,505 feet. Viewing: 1-14 of 14. The website for permit availability is below: OK, so if I'm in CA, and I'm determined to summit Whitney (the mountain, not the singer...); and I can't get a d**ned CA permit to walk on lands that my federal tax dollars maintain...don't get me started on the injustice of THAT! 4 days before Whitney hike – travel to and overnight in, 2 days before – rest, nap, hydrate, do lunch and hang out a bit at Whitney Portal (7850 feet), overnight in Lone Pine, 1 days before – easy 10-15 mile hike at Cottonwood, sleep in Lone Pine. Whitney Rock Climbing Routes. It’s important that you pace yourself and give yourself some rest breaks. Since you will be alone, you will be trying to break trail through miles of soft snow -- pretty much impossible for a lone hiker. Mt. Kennedy Meadows Campground via Pacific Crest Trail. Whitney, the pyramidal potentate of the Sierra Nevada, is the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States. Trips sponsored by organizations or commercial groups must contact the permit office before applying for a Mt. Mt. Alternate Routes. Join TSX for this one hour interactive info session where we'll cover the Main Whitney Trail from the east, and three alternate routes from the south, north, and west. The most popular route to the summit is by way of the Mount Whitney Trail, which starts at Whitney Portal, at an elevation of 8,360 ft (2,548 m), 13 mi (21 km) west of the town of Lone Pine. Mt. Various pictures of Mt. Whitney has two fantastic and classic alpine rock climbs up its East Face. * DAY USE of Mt. Start Here! Whitney Trail. Whitney Permit for Six Overnight Hikers = DENIED! Have you been shut out or confused by the Mt. I plan on staying at a hotel/motel on the 1st.What are my options if I do not win the lottery for May 2-3. The East Face and East Buttress routes are two of the finest alpine climbs in the United States. We live in SC so it is a long way to travel and we want to fill up the vacation if possible. Add Route to Mount Whitney: Create New Attach Existing. I am looking for a route that "escapes" the quota requirement even if it is a longer hike. I know I just told you to bring a bunch of gear, but try to lighten your pack as much as you can without sacrificing safety and health. DIFFICULT 111.8 mi. The track on our map here shows both routes. PCT permit does not allow use of the Mt Whitney trail. Revised 5/8/20 Everything was falling into place. 1. In the summer months between July and early September, The Mt. Whitney via the Mountaineers Route. Some people don’t filter the water, some people do. It’s a Class 1 (non-technical) 22 mile roundtrip hike that can be done in 1 or 2days depending on how much time you have and how quickly y… You need a valid ID and a printout of your permit confirmation email to get your permit. Mt Whitney Trail permit is not valid for the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek approach to climbing routes like Mountaineers Route, East Face, East Buttress, or Mt Russell. 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. The Mount Whitney Trail is the most popular way to ascend and is a long circuitous eleven mile non technical hike up a well graded trail to the summit. This approach is much more difficult than taking the Mt Whitney Trail because it can get a little sketchy to follow in places, it has a lot of areas where you will end up doing a bit of rock scrambling, and there are the infamous Ebersbacher Ledges to contend with. An excellent question—maybe today we'll find an answer. royanderson. Its elevation seems to be continu… Mt Whitney Quest Pages. The standard approach to Mt Whitney's East Face Routes is the Class 2 approach via the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek. I’ve seen many folks struggle on the way down after blowing through all their energy on the way up, finishing at Whitney Portal long after sunset. If you have 2-5 days (depending on your speed), you can enter north of Whitney at the Onion Valley trailhead, crossing over the famed Kearsarge area, then heading south on the John Muir Trail to Whitney. I’ve crawled plenty of times, there’s no shame when it comes to being safe. Mount Whitney is the highest mountain in … Mount Whitney (Paiute: Too-man-i-goo-yah) is the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States and the Sierra Nevada, with an elevation of 14,505 feet (4,421 m). The classic East Face route (5.7) and the sustained East Buttress Route (5.7). Lead photo: Dawn view of Mt. Whitney Mountaineers Route winter/spring is a spectacular way to reach the highest peak in the lower 48 states! If you did the lottery, you have the california links to such places...i don't have them at hand. Whitney Portal Trailhead via Mount Whitney Trail. It was named after. You can enter up to 15 choices in the lottery. If you’re hiking Whitney, there can be snow on the trail. Drinking frequently is an easy way to put the odds in your favor. Mt. Trips sponsored by organizations or commercial groups must contact the Inyo National Forest wilderness permit office before applying for a Mt. If it’s windy and you’re scared, crawl. If you wish to do alternate routes in … The permit lottery lets you choose 1 main day, and 15 alternates. I go through about 6 liters of water on a day hike to the summit. Whitney Trail The most popular path to the summit is aptly called the Mt. In our descent, I noted some distinctions between the two routes, the biggest being how LONG Mt Whitney Trail is compared to the Mountaineers Route. If you opt for the higher, non-JMT alternate route (SECTION 2: Option B) you’ll enter the beautiful Woods Lake Basin. (Yeah, word of the day.). The first thing you need to do is pick 16 dates that you would like to hike Mt Whitney on. There are plenty of places to refill on water. Mount Whitney, of the California Sierra Nevada, holds numerous distinctions. Whitney is the tallest peak in the “lower 48,” but ranks 11th in the United States (the top ten are all in Alaska) and 24th in North America.It’s 65 feet taller than Mt. Let someone at home know your plan, and have them expect a call on the evening after your hike. The route also includes an ascent of the Mountaineer’s Route up Mt. Mount Whitney O36118e3 1:24,000: First Ascent: August 18, 1873 Begole, Charles (United States) Johnson, Albert Lucas, John: Route #1 : Maintained Hiking Trail: Mt. Ask the ranger about the trail condition when you get your permit. Lone Pine Lake via Mount Whitney Trail. Guess I had a brief bout of highpointcentrism. Here's everything you need to know and do for the Mt Whitney hike, including getting your Mt Whitney permit and training for the hike. I have a narrow window at the end of June that I would like to use, but missed out on the lottery. Whitney. Nobody will be trying the Main Trail in April. You still have an 11 mile hike back down to Whitney Portal. Whitney Trailhead, Whitney Portal, CA, 93545, USA, some hikers slide down that on their butt, hiking tricks and tips that I’ve learned over the years, what hiking gear works and what gear doesn’t, Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument Hikes, please erase and block them using your web browser. Whitney is a 10.7 mile (17.1 km) trail from Whitney Portal, 13 miles (21 km) west of the town of Lone Pine on the east side of the Sierra. Onion Valley to Mt. 2. Whitney Trail Trailhead: Whiney Portal Campground (Paved Road) 8350 ft/2545 m Vertical Gain: 6148 ft/1874 m Distance (one way): 10.75 mi/17.3 km: Data Source Whitney? No camping east of the PCT, at Guitar Lake or on the mountain. … EASY 1.6 mi. Whitney Trail and the Mountaineer’s Route. SMI offers Mt. The total round trip distance is 22 miles. We are going to try this around the end of June and will have several days, ten I believe, but would like to hit Boundry Peak and Humphreys Peak on this trip also. royanderson. Viewing Routes attached to Mountain/Rock: Mount Whitney View All Routes. Lottery; Training "Dirty Dozen" Saturday, April 18, 2020. (we are all 14er newbies) FYI - this trip is in late July. Whitney. Snow 23 The Mount Whitney Trail. Hiking Mt Whitney in the Winter Lone Pine, California. However, two stand out as the most popular: the Mt. I ditched my binoculars and some other non-essential gear for the hike. Hiking Mt Whitney in the Winter Lone Pine, California. If you’re susceptible to altitude sickness, the Mt Whitney Trail hovers above 12,000ft for multiple miles. Plan for bad conditions at the summit, even if the forecast looks okay. Search Routes near: Washington, United States. In the event of a lapse in federal government funding the Recreation.gov website may freeze. Description Are you planning a trip to Mt. You can make arrangements for the ranger to leave your Whitney permit in a night box if you are arriving late. I fly in on May 1st and will be in Lone Pine by ~12 noon. Even if you’re in great shape and you’ve done all your prep correctly, this is still a hard hike. While different in character both are excellent climbs that end right on the summit of Mount Whitney. So why bother at all with trying to ski this mountain? Whitney and surrounding peaks. Whitney is unmistakable from Highway 395, Whitney ... on July 10, 1913 (134℉/56.7℃) and, while that record has been challenged, the “alternate” record is also held by Death Valley (2013 in a tie with Mitribah, Kuwait in 2016 at 129.2℉/54.0℃). There are some sections past Trail Crest with sheer drops on either side. During the winter and spring months the Mountaineers Route is full of snow creating a classic mountaineering experience. Keeping lightly active when you arrive at camp will help alleviate altitude sickness. The climbing line takes you up a steep couloir that separates the northeast ridge from the east buttress of Mt Whitney. Search Routes near: Washington, United States. Mt. Hike 10 miles, 3000 feet of elevation gain, Hike 12 miles, 4000 feet of elevation gain, Hike 14 miles, 5000 feet of elevation gain, Hike 16 miles, 5500 feet of elevation gain, Hike 18 miles, 6000 feet of elevation gain, Hike Whitney, 22 miles, 6200 feet of elevation gain. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from May until September. Mt. Finally, it rises higher than any piece of land in the United States outside of Alaska.Mount Whitney's elevation stature continues to intrigue the human psyche, both from a civilian as well as a governmental perspective. Whitney sits only 84 miles away from the lowest point in North America — Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park.It is situated on the Sierra Crest, running north-south and is surrounded b… Whitney lets you experience one of America's most beautiful alpine settings, with high lakes, meadows, and superb granite. Why is it named Whitney? Nearby Hiking Trails . There's plenty of stuff to check out in the area. At 14,505, Mt. Whitney presents the super unique opportunity to hike your way up to the highest point in the contiguous United States on a well-maintained trail that’s accessible to many people. Mod. 1. Remember to pace yourself, stay fueled and hydrated, and don’t go beyond your limits. The trail is very well-graded and we’ll quickly gain final summit ridge. Here due to the long closure for bighorn sheep, and now low-use as an “unmaintained” trail, we found an abundance of wildlife in this basin. At 14,495 feet Mount Whitney is the high point of the lower forty eight states and the goal of many a mountaineer. I make sure I’m well hydrated before I start too, again, to prevent the onset of AMS. The trail is at least 4 feet wide in these places, and very doable. April 1-4 May 6-9, 21-23, 28-30 June 4-6, 11-13, 25-27 July 3-5, 16-18, 23-25, 30-Aug 1 August 6-8, 20-22 September 3-5, 10-12, 17-19 October 1-3, 8-10. The elevation at the trailhead is 8360' (2550 meters). Permits are required year-round, and to prevent overuse the The Mountaineers Route is a more direct, steep, and technical route to the summit of Mt Whitney. However, the mountain has three other alpine climbs on the east side (ranging from moderate to inter… Whitney 14,505′ (4,421 m) and a traverse across its summit, before continuing on to exit the high peaks near the shoulder of Mt. The East Buttress is a bit more direct and sustained at the grade. Back to albums list Mt. Whitney's north face does fill in with snow, on occasion. The shortest and most popular route to climb Mt. It winds over 6100ft in just five miles, less than half the distance of the main Mt Whitney Trail. You still need a Whitney zone exit permit to walk down the main trail, but when i was exploring this a couple years back, they were still available on some dates at this time, and the rangers were very … And while there are indeed true mountaineering routes up Mt. The summit of Mt Whitney can be side hiked as a day hike, however you must camp on the west side of the PCT at Crabtree. The visitor center is open from 8am to 5pm daily. In fact the race route ends at Whitney Portal, 8 miles and several thousand feet below Mt. An early “alpine” start, we’ll leave our basecamp and extra gear behind for our summit attempt of Mt Whitney (14,495’). Mt Whitney in the Time of Coronavirus. Besides the 99 switchbacks, most of the trail is a gradual increase and even descends in certain areas. Whitney Zone- Day Use All Routes JM34.5MWZ Enter a date range and group size, then click Search. Elbert — the tallest of the Rocky Mountains located in Colorado. Using Iceberg Lake for a high camp will give you a great start in the morning and will greatly increase your chances for success on making the summit. Long pants, gloves, a winter hat, a good shell, and light down jacket are usually enough for the summer. Rest breaks will help you acclimatize, and are great times to fuel and hydrate. Snow 181 The Mountaineer's Route. Camp Lake via Lake Meysan Trail. It was 116 °F (confirmed at Furnace Creek). DIFFICULT 11.0 mi. Climbing Mt Whitney, training tips and programs, Mount Whitney permit / lottery information, inspiration, facts and figures, logistics and geography. There are at least a dozen different routesup the mountain, varying in difficulty and technical skills required. Snow, Alpine 4th 1 2 I 2 M 1b. Whitney permit. You will be notified when results are available. Mt. Whitney is the highest peak in the lower 48 states and the crown jewel of California's Sierra Nevada. All Rights Reserved, This high Sierras website gives a good overview of the hike, there’s a good book / trail guide if you want to dig deeper, SoCal hiker has great guides on the John Muir Trail, Here are some tips on checking for snow on the trail, people who are inexperienced and unprepared die more often, Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, interesting account of a lost hiker who spent two days on Mt Whitney, an emergency beacon and/or satellite communication device, watch this video on a failed attempt to summit Kilimanjaro because of altitude, Stamford study (that took place in the Eastern Sierra) found that popping 600mg of Ibuprofen, Mt. Ice axes and crampons are needed in spring and early summer, but technical climbing equipment is not usually necessary between mid-July and early October. It typically gets very cold at night, so prepare accordingly. Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area. Guided groups are about the only ones ascending Mt Whitney in April. Two main routes have been used for FKTs, both from Whitney Portal at 8374'. Our Mt. The snow will be deep and soft at that time, especially if this El Nino weather pattern we are having continues. Mount Whitney O36118e3 1:24,000: First Ascent: August 18, 1873 Begole, Charles (United States) Johnson, Albert Lucas, John: Route #1 : Maintained Hiking Trail: Mt. Carefully planting one foot in front of the other, breathing heavily and climbing in snow with my ice axe, I push on to summit California’s highest mountain — Mt Whitney. It is the highpoint of both Tulare & Inyo counties. Ok, "waste a plane ticket" was probably a bad choice of words. The main Mt Whitney Trail runs a meandering 11 miles to the summit, while the Mountaineer's Route is a much shorter, more technical (Class 4) way to the top. Ice axes and crampons are needed in spring and early summer, but technical climbing equipment is not usually necessary between mid-July and early October. Whitney is a 10.7 mile (17.1 km) trail from Whitney Portal, 13 miles (21 km) west of the town of Lone Pine on the east side of the Sierra. Iceberg Lake is used as the traditional high camp for climbers doing East Face Routes on Mt Whitney. Whitney Trail Trailhead: Whiney Portal Campground (Paved Road) 8350 ft/2545 m Vertical Gain: 6148 ft/1874 m Distance (one way): 10.75 mi/17.3 km: Data Source The sheer height of the bare granite summit, combined with its dramatic appearance — rising more than 10,000 feet from the town of Lone Pine, Calif. in the Owens River Valley — means bagging the summit is on the list of every serious mountaineer. Whitney Change: Type: to Trad Sport Toprope Quality: Pitches: Sort by: then: Classic Climbing Routes at Mt. Don’t leave food in your car at Whitney Portal, there are bears active. Mt Whitney's Mountaineer's Route is the second most popular route up Mt Whitney. Mt. Getting to the top is only half the battle. Whitney's summit, so the "peakbagging" L2H - which goes straight to the top - is comparatively more efficient overall, at least by the mileage figures. Whitney as well, Mt. There are several hiking routes that you can take when you hike Mount Whitney. Climbing Mt. Can anyone help with an alternate route to Mt. The lighter your pack, the easier the effort, the more you will enjoy the hike. Whitney permit, a special use permit may be needed. This website uses cookies for functionality, analytics and advertising purposes as described in our, http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/recreation ... vail.shtml, http://webpages.charter.net/mtwhitneyhiking/dayhike.htm, http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/recreation ... .shtml>