How to Hike Mount Whitney

Mount Whitney offers hiking and climbing opportunities for nature lovers with a hearty spirit. The hike along the Mount Whitney Trail involves an upward ascent of more than 6,000 feet along an 11 mile trip in one direction. The obvious physical challenges of Mount Whitney are rivaled by the breathtaking view of this formidable mountain.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Sleeping bag
• Rain coat
• Water purification kit

1. Lock in reservations for the trails surrounding Mount Whitney several months ahead of your trip at the Inyo National Forest website (see Resources below). Hikers need to obtain a permit from the United States Forestry Service, which has created the system to negate trail maintenance costs.
2. Initiate your hike to Mount Whitney on the High Sierra Trail. This trail begins in Sequoia National Park and heads eastward until it reaches a junction with the Mount Whitney Trail.
3. Walk to Mount Whitney along the same path as a famed environmental advocate. The John Muir trail starts in Yosemite National Park and jots north to the entrance to Mount Whitney.
4. Beat fellow hikers to an evening's rest on the Mount Whitney Trail by setting up camp early. Novices on the trail wait until the sun begins setting only to find no vacancies at local campgrounds.
5. Exhibit proper etiquette in dealing with fellow hikers along the narrow trails leading to Mount Whitney. You need to announce your presence to lone hikers and avoid hitting other trail users with your backpack to create a harmonious atmosphere for exercise.
6. Leave non-essential items out of your backpack to carry a light load until the Whitney Portal Campground. This second campground has a supply store open during the summer season to help hikers find groceries and emergency goods.
7. Adjust to the higher elevations of Mount Whitney by arriving at least 24 hours ahead of your hike. Reserve a spot at a local campground to help you stave off breathing and circulation problems associated with thinner mountain air.
8. Eliminate the notion of a warm California hike as you dress for a hike to Mount Whitney. A rain coat and a thermal layer is ideal during spring and fall to deal with snow at the top of the Mount Whitney Trail.

Tips & Warnings

• Run fresh water found on the trails around Mount Whitney through a purification process before drinking. There are a number of streams near Mount Whitney carrying cool water filled with sediment and debris. You should boil the water to kill microscopic viruses and place the water in a filtered water bottle for clean water.