Things You'll Need:
- Hiking boots, a backpack, water bottles or a Camelbak type water container, hiking poles, a hat, sunscreen, layered clothing, a waterproof jacket, food.
- Lip balm with sunscreen, a first aid kit, a map of where you'll be hiking, a flashlight, matches and fire starter material.
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Step 1
Purchase sturdy hiking boots. Boots are your most important piece of equipment because this is such a long hike. Go to a reputable outdoor store and be properly fitted. Wear the socks you will hike in. Make sure your toes have enough wiggle room–-your feet might swell during such a long trek. Ask if you can return the boots if they don’t work out after a hike or two. If the store says no, seriously consider going elsewhere.
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Step 2
Break in your boots–-on actual hiking trails, not just around your home or office. You should not have to put up with spots that rub, blisters or tightness.
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Step 3
Get your permit for Mt. Whitney (see “How To Get a Mt. Whitney Permit” or the Inyo National Forest site). Because the best time to hike Whitney is in the summer, it’s also the most popular time, and as such, permits are required. As of 2007, the U.S.D.A. Forest Service accepts applications for the permit lottery by mail only and the postmark window opens February 1. Coincidentally, this is also a great time to begin your training.
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Step 4
Map out a weekly training schedule. If you already exercise, then starting to train five to six months ahead of time should be sufficient. If you’re starting from scratch, give yourself a year to get ready.
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Step 5
Add distance each week. Start by hiking easy five mile jaunts twice a week. Progress by adding a few miles each outing so that in month two, you’re doing 10-milers, by month three, you’re up to 15-milers, by month four, you’re able to hike 15 to 18 miles at a clip, and by the final month of training and a week or two from summiting Whitney, you’re topping out with an 18 to 20 mile trek.
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Step 6
As you add distance, add elevation gain and altitude–-if you live near a mountain range. In southern California, the Santa Monica Mountains and Verdugos are 2,000 to 3,000 feet tall and the San Gabriel Mountains go from 4,000 to 10,000 feet. Each weekend, find hikes that are steeper and take you higher into the mountains. The final Whitney training hikes in Southern California include Mt. Baldy (10,064 feet), San Jacinto (10,804 feet) and San Gorgonio (11,502 feet).
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Step 7
If you don’t live near a mountain range (and even if you do), add an aerobic activity to get your heart really pumping a couple or three days a week. Jogging, fast bicycling and swimming all count and will help simulate the labored breathing you’ll experience on top of the mountain.










