How to Hike the Main Mount Whitney Trail
14,496-ft. Mount Whitney is the tallest mountain the lower 48 states, and yet it sees more hikers than almost any other. The attraction is a straightforward trail to the top, which requires no special skills or equipment during the summer. Unfortunately, some hikers never reach the summit due to poor planning or altitude sickness, with the latter often a result of the former. Although it may require a little more time and effort, taking a few days to climb Mount Whitney is a smart and safe way to tackle the 22-mile main trail. After all, with vibrant green meadows, crystal clear lakes and towering granite all around you, why rush it?
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Things You'll Need
- Permit and WAG bag 10 Essentials Backpack Tent Sleeping bag Rain gear Water purification system Sunblock Warm jacket Boots or trail runners Bear canister (may be rented) Food Ibuprofen or Diamox for altitude sickness
Instructions
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It's A Long Way Up---Make Sure You Get There
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Reserve your permit for the Main Mount Whitney Trail via a highly competitive lottery. Apply online beginning February 1st with the Inyo National Forest Service. The lottery is first-come, first-served and the fee is $15. Pick up your permit and waste bag in person at the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center in Lone Pine.
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Arrange transportation to and from the trailhead. Most hikers fly to Los Angeles or Reno, then rent a car. Bus transportation to Lone Pine is limited but possible. Many choose to hitchhike or carpool from there. Explore your options.
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You'll hike the trail in segments, but you should train for the cumulative distance involved. Do some strenuous practice hikes, or use the stair-machine to simulate hiking hills. Sierra terrain is notoriously rocky and steep.
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Do your research. Visit http://www.whitneyportalstore.com for a wealth of information on everything from transportation to bear canisters, as well as message boards where the friendly crew of Whitney enthusiasts will answer all your questions.
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Plan to camp two or three nights. Consider camping at the nearby 10,000-ft. Horseshoe Meadows before your hike. This extra time at high elevation will help speed your acclimatization process. The following night, camp at the Whitney Portal backpackers' campground next to the trailhead. Finally, plan to spend an additional night at the 12,000-ft. Trail Camp the night before your summit push. None of these options require advance reservations.
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Hit the trail. The initial two miles switchback steeply through forest, with expansive views of the Panamint Range to the east. You will then continue through verdant Bighorn Park and climb challenging granite staircases until the six mile-mark at Trail Camp. This spectacular rock basin beneath the looming summit will serve as your high-altitude base camp and a place where you may safely leave your tent and heavy items.
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Leave Trail Camp by dawn to give yourself plenty of time to hike the next five miles. Ascend the infamous Cables, and then follow the 99 Switchbacks to Trail Crest, where you'll have an exposed western view of Sequoia National Park and Guitar Lake far below. Carefully navigate the narrow ridge to the hut on top of the summit. Sign the register and descend all the way to Whitney Portal, picking up your gear from Trail Camp on the way down. Treat yourself to a burger at the Whitney Portal Store, and grab a much-needed shower at the Mount Whitney Hostel in Lone Pine.
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Tips & Warnings
The Whitney Portal Store sells sundries and last-minute camping needs. They also rent the required bear canisters cheaply. Crystal-clear Lone Pine Lake is well worth a short side-trip from the main trail.
Be off the summit and well below the ridge before noon, when dangerous Sierra Nevada thunderstorms typically roll in. If you leave a car at the trailhead, remove all scented items, and store everything else in the trunk. Black bears prowl the area and have learned to break into cars for even a tissue. Drink plenty of water to ward off altitude sickness, a potentially deadly syndrome. The last reliable water source is at Trail Camp, though it must be filtered due to heavy use.
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