Where To Register New Route On Whitney

Mt Whitney Hike

In This Guide	Choosing the Correct Road Up Mt Whitney Getting Your Mt Whitney Hike Permit Planning Your Stay Training for Mt Whitney Gear For Your Hike Dealing With Altitude and Weather Mt Whitney Trail Maps Turn past Turn Mt Whitney Hike Directions & Video
Total Distance (?)	22 miles (35.iv km)
Hike Time	12-16 Hours (Total)
Difficulty (?)	Very Hard
Total Ascension (?)	vi,960 feet (2121m)
Highest Elevation	fourteen,505 anxiety (4421m)
Fees & Permits	Quota Permit & Fee
Dogs Allowed	No
Alerts & Closures (?)	Eastern Sierra Visitor Center
Park Telephone	760-876-6200
Weather condition & Forecast	Latest Conditions
Stay Safety	Copy this webpage link to the clipobard and share with a friend before you lot hike. Allow them know when to expect you dorsum.
Follow HikingGuy	Monthly Newsletter YouTube Instagram More Options

The Mt Whitney hike is on every hiker's bucket list. At 14,505 feet, information technology's the highest point in the lower 48 and is 1 of those rare high peaks that you lot can hike to without any mountaineering skills. At that place is some prep piece of work you lot need to do, similar getting your Mt Whitney permit and dealing with the altitude. This hiking guide has everything y'all demand to know to successfully climb Mt Whitney. Go along reading for all the info.

Choosing the Correct Route Up Mt Whitney

Play your cards right and this could be you.

Before y'all employ for your Mt Whitney permit, you lot need to make up one's mind on your route to the summit. This hiking guide focuses on the popular Mountain Whitney Trail from Whitney Portal (by Solitary Pine), which allows you to do the hike in a day or overnight camping trip. I highly recommend taking this road every bit it'southward the best selection for get-go-timers. But there are other options likewise, all of which require specific permits.

Mt Whitney Trail Day Hike

Most people tackle Mt Whitney as a 22 mile round-trip day hike. It sounds long but is very doable with the proper training. Your chances for getting a allow on the 24-hour interval hike are also generally the all-time. There's also a peachy sense of accomplishment in hiking Mt Whitney in a day. It'll take yous somewhere between 12-sixteen hours, and y'all'll probably leave earlier dawn. It'southward a great take chances, and I highly recommend going for the summit this manner, at least on your starting time endeavor.

Mt Whitney Trail Overnight (2-Days)

You lot don't have to tackle all 22 miles of the Mount Whitney Trail in one mean solar day; yous can besides do the hike over two (or more than) days and campsite on the trail. There are pros and cons to camping. Big on the pro side is that y'all tin can split the hike upward into smaller chunks, you can acclimatize, and get a beautiful night nether the stars. On the con side, permits are tougher to go, and yous take to booty a much heavier pack upwards the mountain. In fact for me, doing a longer day hike with a lighter pack is easier than conveying camping gear to Trail Camp, which might seem a trivial counterintuitive.

The most popular place to camp is Trail Camp (12000 feet), six miles up the trail. It's pretty rocky and barren, and doesn't offer much shelter from the elements. Yous can besides army camp at Consultation Lake (most Trail Camp), Outpost Camp (iii.8 miles on the trail, 10400 feet), or Lone Pine Lake* (2.8 miles, 9900 feet). If you do camp at these spots, pick an established campsite, don't damage the landscape by creating a new one. All of these sites offer h2o and are kickoff-come up, first-serve.

* Technically Lone Pine Lake is outside of the Mt Whitney allow zone, but you yet demand a Mt Whitney overnight let to camp here.

There are enough of established sites to put your tent upward. Don't ruin the surround past creating a new ane. When you're searching for a site, don't forget to walk back through the site to notice spots hidden by walking in just one direction.

Some tips if you're camping:

• Information technology typically gets very cold at night, so set accordingly.
• You need to keep your nutrient in a bear canister. There aren't bears at the higher camps, but there are rodents and birds who will chew through your pack and tent (actually). You tin can hire conduct canisters at the ranger station and shops in Alone Pine, merely phone call ahead to double-check. I highly recommend reading my guide to behave rubber if you oasis't spent a lot of time in bear state.
• Keeping lightly active when you make it at camp will help alleviate distance sickness.
• No wood fires are allowed.
• You need to pack out all your waste (yes, that ways poop) in a WAG bag. There are no porta-potties. You tin can pee 100 feet away from water on the rocks (avert the plants). When you lot pick up your let, a WAG bag is included with your permit fee, or you lot can pick i up at REI for a few bucks (recommended). The WAG bag is essentially a large plastic trash pocketbook. To use it, open it upwards wide, do your business, shut information technology with a bunch of twists, and carry information technology out.

If you used your WAG Purse, you should put it in the waste disposal boxes to the left of the bath at the trailhead when you render to Whitney Portal. Unless you lot'd like to save information technology or ready it on fire in front of someone's house.

Instead of lugging all your gear to the height, you lot can leave your main pack at the camp and do the pinnacle with a smaller daypack. Brand sure all your food and scented items (similar toothpaste) are in the bear canister. Go out your backpack loosely packed and tent flaps open so that critters can easily look around. Otherwise they'll chew through your pack or tent. Likewise, secure your gear against rain and loftier winds. If a storm blows through, you don't want your gear scattered all over the place, moisture. Information technology happens.

Through-hikers leave their packs at the JMT junction to lighten the load to the summit. You lot can also leave your pack at your military camp and selection it up on the way back down, merely yous need to protect your nutrient against critters.

Technical Approaches To Whitney Summit

Unless y'all are experienced and feel swell doing climbs like this, get out the mountaineering routes to those who know what they're doing. Photo Erik De Leon

At that place are over a dozen routes to the summit that involve mountaineering, the most pop of which is the (Class 3) Mountaineers Route which John Muir took to the summit. Leave these routes to those with climbing and mountaineering experience. Routes in the Sierra are graded according to the Yosemite Decimal Arrangement, with Class ane being a hike, Grade 5+ being a very technical climb. You want to stick to the Class 1 hikes (like the Mt Whitney Trail), which tin can be done with hiking boots. Class 2 and above can crave climbing feel and climbing gear. You likewise even so need a let for the Mountaineers Route.

After the snow melts the Backwoodsman'southward Route is basically a long hike followed by one,500 feet of groveling upwardly a steep, loose gully, and so another 500 feet of class three scrambling. Piece of cake. So why do then many people get into trouble on this road? Poor planning, inadequate gear and wearable, weather, inexperience, altitude, bad judgment–the usual suspects. – Steve Larson on SummitPost

High Sierra Trail (HST)

Switchbacks climb above Hamilton Lake on the High Sierra Trail. Photo Jane Due south. Richardson

If y'all want to do a week-long backpacking trip, you can get-go in Sequoia National Park and do the Loftier Sierra Trail.  The hike is 72 miles, and requires a shuttle dorsum to the showtime from Whitney Portal if going one way. This high Sierras website gives a proficient overview of the hike, HikingGeek has a very detailed guide that is great for logistics, and in that location's a skillful book / trail guide if you want to dig deeper.

There are hiker shuttle services if you desire to do a signal-to-bespeak hike to Mt Whitney. The Eastern Sierra Visitors Center has all the info.

John Muir Trail (JMT)

A log bridge on the John Muir trail crossing part of Thousand Island Lake. Mount Davis is visible in the background. Photo Kaitymh

For a truly ballsy experience, consider hiking the John Muir Trail from Yosemite National Park to Mt Whitney. It's 211 miles and will have you about a calendar month. SoCal hiker has keen guides on the John Muir Trail.

Non-Traditional Longer Hikes

You lot aren't required to follow a trail like the JMT or HST to get to the Mt Whitney peak. Yous can also expect at a map and programme your own backpacking trip the includes Mt Whitney. Peradventure it will be on a section of the Pacific Crest Trail with a side trip to the top, or maybe a point-to-point from Cottonwood Campground, the options are many. If it'due south your get-go time hiking in the region, I'd recommend a traditional selection before you lot go the "choose-your-own-run a risk" road. You still need a backcountry overnight permit, and there are quotas based on where you're starting, merely you don't a special Mt Whitney zone permit.

How To Go a Mt Whitney Let

The hike to Mt Whitney is pop. I mean actually popular. Generally 70,000 to 100,000 hikers apply to hike or haversack to the peak from Whitney Portal betwixt May and November. And then the parks service enforces a quota system. Only 100 day-hikers and threescore backpackers are immune on the Mt Whitney Trail from Whitney Portal per solar day, from May 1st to November 1st. These quota-controlled slots are awarded in a lottery. Getting 1 of these slots will exist your first challenge, and it starts months before the hike.

There will be about 160 other hikers with yous on the trail, plus those hiking the Loftier Sierra Trail, JMT and alternating backcountry routes.

The first thing you need to do is choice 16 dates that you would like to hike Mt Whitney on. The permit lottery lets you choose ane master day, and 15 alternates. When picking a appointment, ideally you desire a full moon in late July, August, or early September. These months are the best option to avoid snowfall and ice on the trail. The full moon will be nice for the pre-dawn portion of the hike. These dates are, of grade, the hardest to get.

Even in belatedly Baronial, you'll likely see some snowfall on the hike.

And then you demand to decide on your grouping size. You can take betwixt 1 and 15 people (for the main Mount Whitney Trail). The more people you accept in your grouping, the tougher your chances for a permit. It's also tougher to continue a big group together. A group size of four is ideal – if there's a problem, 2 people can go for help and 2 people tin can stay together. You'll also need to name a grouping leader. Usually it'south the person who'southward picking up the permit.

You are merely allowed to submit one awarding per person, and are simply immune i lottery permit per flavor. You tin can however buy more permits after the lottery if you lot desire to hike multiple times in a flavor.

Mt Whitney Permit Lottery Process

Here'south the general process for the Mt Whitney permit lottery (the dates and times may be a little different every yr, but this is more often than not how it rolls, and how information technology will be in 2022).

• Feb 1 – Lottery Opens.
  You lot visit the Whitney allow lottery website, selection your day(south), pay a small fee, and expect.

  

  The choices are pretty simple on the new website – camping or day hike. Don't forget to choose alternate dates.

• March xv – Lottery Closes
• March 24 – Lottery Winners Announced

You will go an email that lets you know whether yous got your permit or not.

Or… WOMP WOMP – this is it what it looks like if you don't get a lottery permit. Don't despair; there are other options!

• April 1st – Unclaimed Dates Proceed Sale & Lottery Winners Tin Buy Permit
  If there happens to be slots dates that were not filled, they will continue sale.  If you won the lottery, you at present need to go to the website and buy your allow. It's usually about $15.

You have a month to purchase your permit, or else it volition exist forfeited.

You purchase your let on recreation.gov, the same site used to book campgrounds, etc. at the National Parks.

• May 1st, 7am PST – Unclaimed Permits Keep Sale
  If you didn't win your permit in the lottery, y'all have another hazard at hiking Mt Whitney! The parks service releases all of the unclaimed permits for auction. Go to the website and cheque your engagement for availability. I've been successful using this method (in addition to winning the lottery! whoo hooo!).

Once you purchase your permit, you'll go a confirmation with the bodily permit info on information technology. Print this out and bring it to the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center to get your actual permit the solar day before your hike. Yep, there is another piece of paper. More on that afterwards.

Hither's a permit scored on May 1st. This is the confirmation electronic mail you get with the newer website.

Visit the Whitney let lottery page for up to date information on the awarding dates, process, and links.

Hiking Mt Whitney Without Winning the Permit Lottery

If you lot were unsuccessful getting your let, in that location are some other ways yous might be able to do the hike.

First off, only check recreation.gov website. I've had reports of people finding availability later on the lottery period. Why? People cancelled, or maybe there were slots that just didn't get claimed. Either way, it's worth a endeavour. You can check the website up to the mean solar day before your hike to try and score a allow.

If you are not going to use your permit, please abolish information technology so that others may take a crack at the slot.

Often group permits have someone who bails out at the last minute. Bring together a hiking group on Facebook or Reddit and let everyone know that you're looking for a grouping to hike with. I've seen this work numerous times.

There are no more walk-upwardly permits during quota season. It's all done through the website now.

If you take the time, you tin besides endeavor a longer backpacking trip from Cottonwood Lakes or another close trailhead which doesn't require a special Mt Whitney quota let. Once again, choice is best left for those with experience.

Lastly, you can hike Mt Whitney in the wintertime (between November 2nd and April 30th). There is no quota, and you can simply walk up to the park part and get a permit. If yous are not experienced in winter hiking and/or mountaineering, don't hike Whitney in the winter. In fact, don't hike Whitney until the snowfall is gone, which commonly happens by July or August.  Jump weather when the snow and water ice are melting tin can exist about treacherous. People dice when there is snow and ice.

Hither are some tips on checking for snow on the trail.

Fifty-fifty late in the flavour, in that location tin can be snowfall on the trail. This is belatedly August after a wintertime with record snowfall. I'd say the sweet spot between melted snow and new snow is the final week in August, first week in September.

Even people who are prepared die on Whitney sometimes, people who are inexperienced and unprepared dice more oftentimes.The summit is 100% achievable without risking your life when you lot've prepared and the weather and altitude sickness cooperate.

If in uncertainty, plow around. I've turned around many times on many trails. And I'm however live.

A friend of mine who hiked Mt. Whitney afterwards a snow. Notice the drib on the right-hand side. Not my idea of a fun day.

Oh, and if you lot are considering doing the hike without the permit, beware. In that location are rangers on the trail who check for permits, and I take heard stories of hikers without permits being walked off the mountain and fined.

Mt Whitney Permit Pickup

Update: Because of the COVID-19 state of affairs, the allow pickup is different. Yous tin can read virtually the process here.

The email that you get is not your actual permit; in that location'southward another slice of paper for that. Before you exercise your hike, y'all need to visit the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, simply s of Lone Pino on 395, and pick up your actual permit. Some important points:

• The company center is open from 8am to 5pm daily.
• You tin choice up your permit up to 2 days earlier your entry date.
• Y'all can make arrangements for the ranger to leave your Whitney permit in a night box if you are arriving late.
• Only the group leader on the permit tin pick up the permit.
• You need a valid ID and a printout of your allow confirmation e-mail to get your let.
• Please visit the Whitney allow pickup page to confirm all these details.

The Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Eye is right outside of Alone Pino.

The Visitor Center services the whole area, not only Whitney, and gets a lot of traffic.

Check the board outside the entrance for the latest conditions and whatever bulletins.

The permit desk is immediately to the right as y'all enter. The rangers here are super-friendly and tin answer any questions you might take.

The company's centre has exhibits on the history and geology of the area. The center covers Inyo, Sequoia, and Decease Valley.

In that location's likewise a gift shop that has some basic gear and a ton of great books.

At the terminate of the permit procedure, y'all normally get a few pieces of newspaper. Here's what to do with them.

Put you lot bodily permit in your pack. You don't necessarily have to take this handy. This is just for when yous really get in trouble.

You will probably become a allow tag. Rangers do a quick visual scan of hikers to see if they have this tag, so put it somewhere prominent on your pack. The top handle is usually a good choice.

Y'all might get a parking allow for Whitney Portal. Leave this on your dash while you do the hike. There are designated parking areas for hikers (see directions below). If you don't get a parking permit, use your National Parks Pass.

Planning Your Stay

Unless you live close to Mt Whitney, y'all'll probably end upwards staying in Alone Pine, CA. If you lot stay in Lone Pine, it'due south a thirteen mile drive (with 4000 feet of uphill roads) to the trailhead at Whitney Portal.

There are a few options: off-brand hotels, concatenation hotels, AirBnB, campgrounds, and the Whitney Portal campground.  My goto hotel has been the Best Western, which tends to fill up up far in advance. The rooms are big and clean, the staff friendly, it has free (early) breakfast, and you lot tin can park right in forepart of your room to unload your gear. Otherwise I'd plough to TripAdvisor for other options. If y'all tin't find anything in Lone Pine, check out nearby Independence, CA, only 15 minutes up Rt 395.

The view from the breakfast room at the Best Western in Lone Pine.

I've besides stayed at the Whitney Portal campground and it's an bonny option, since information technology's right at the trailhead. At that place's a general store that has food, drinks, beers, gifts, and limited gear. On the downside, it tin can get busy and loud with kids running around. The Whitney Portal campground doesn't just have hikers. It'due south full of folks just enjoying the scenery. Lots of hikers also sleep in their cars at Whitney Portal before an early departure.

If you desire to campsite at altitude, try the Cottonwood Lakes Walk-In Campsite at 10,000 feet. You can drive in and spend the nighttime, and there are toilets and running h2o. You can likewise hit a number of good warmup hikes from the Cottonwood Lakes camp.

If you are camping and need to take hold of a shower, yous can pay a few bucks for i at the Mount Whitney Portal Hostel.

Wherever you stay, I recommend booking every bit far in advance as possible. Information technology's not uncommon for Whitney Portal to be booked total 6 months out. Solitary Pino is a pop spot for tourists doing the 395/Sequoia/Yosemite/Decease Valley road, and gets a lot of through traffic.

Lone Pine is a small town. If you're coming from a major metropolitan expanse, gear up your expectations accordingly.   I recommend checking out TripAdvisor and Yelp beforehand to get an idea of the eating options. There's a small supermarket, and a couple of gas station convenience stores. If you need hiking gear, your choices are limited to a few small shops and the Eastern Sierra Company Center gift store, then make sure you have what you need before you exit abode. At that place are some interesting attractions in the area and it's worth a day of exploring and relaxing.

I take some hikes yous tin can do effectually Lone Pine and on the way to Alone Pine on my hikes around Mt Whitney page.

Preparation for the Mt Whitney Hike

To start, the Mt Whitney hike is very doable. It can also kick your butt. Many of the hikers who attempt the hike do not make the summit. Preparation and preparing properly can mean the difference between misery and fun. You have a few challenges to fix for.

Showtime, yous need to be used to the distance and effort. If you're lucky enough to live in an expanse with lots of mountainous climbs, yous should have lots of options. If not, you'll have to improvise. Sometimes this ways doing loops of the same hikes to get the numbers in. I've even heard of people getting on a treadmill, setting the course to 15%, and hiking until they had the height and altitude (which sounds soul crushing to me). Also, you could use a stair climber.

There's no better training than hiking. So even if you lot don't have mountains like San Jacinto to climb, try and at least get x-11 hours on the trail at some point. Here I am halfway on a 19 mile hike to 10000+ anxiety.

A good weekend progression for a hiker who tin can do 10 miles comfortably would be something like this:

• Hike 10 miles, 3000 anxiety of elevation gain
• Hike 12 miles, 4000 anxiety of elevation gain
• Hike 14 miles, 5000 feet of height gain
• Hike 16 miles, 5500 feet of height proceeds
• Hike 18 miles, 6000 feet of tiptop gain
• Rest weekend
• Hike Whitney, 22 miles, 6200 feet of elevation gain

Ideally, these hikes would be washed at distance. Simply not everyone has that luxury, so practise them the best you can. We will bargain with distance afterwards.

In Southern California, a good training progression for Mt Whitney is:

• Mt Baden Powel Hike (viii.5 miles, 2600 feet of elevation gain)
• Mt Baldy via the Devil's Backbone (11 miles, 3800 anxiety of elevation gain)
• Mt Wilson from Chantry Flat (14 miles, 4100 feet of elevation proceeds)
• San Bernardino Peak Hike (16 miles, 4600 feet of elevation gain)
• San Gorgonio Hike (18.5 miles, 5400 feet of superlative gain) – you can also try San Jacinto from Idyllwild (19 miles, 5000 feet of elevation gain)

(This is just a recommendation, in that location are literally 100'due south of hikes you can do in SoCal that would work. Adapt your plan based on your needs.)

There are a fair number of stairs on the trail, and they can be tough for some folks. A reader told me that she counted about 2500. Then instead of climbing up a steep slope, you use your quads to step up. Add together the distance and distance, and it can add some other dimension of toughness to the hike.  If you call up you'll have problems here, make sure you railroad train on some stairs with your pack.

In addition to your hikes, I'd strongly recommend doing some other do regularly during the week. Just 30 minutes a twenty-four hours of vigorous biking, running, excursion weight training, or exercise classes will piece of work. HIIT training is effective and doesn't accept long. The fitter you are in general, the more pleasant the hike will be. Practice will also increase your body's ability to use oxygen, something that will be crucial when you're above 10,000 feet.

If you exercise a lot, you probably know most active recovery. The thought is that a very piece of cake session will become the blood flowing and assist you recover faster than just sitting around. Here I am doing a very like shooting fish in a barrel recovery ride the day before hiking Mt Whitney. I went through 40oz of water on my lx infinitesimal ride on the road to Death Valley.

If you're biking, running, and exercising, check out Strava, which is kind of like Facebook for fettle. Y'all can also utilize it with hikes.

Gear For the Hike

Weigh your pack at the offset of the Mt Whitney hike to encounter how much you volition lug upwardly the mountain. My pack rarely goes over 20lbs with water, clothes, and emergency gear.

This is a long hike and you need to call back carefully virtually your gear, and also do with it. Here are my gear tips.

• Yous need a good headlamp. If you are going to leave earlier dawn (run into the weather section below), you should do a few hikes with your headlamp earlier the Mt Whitney hike. Hiking with a headlamp is very different than hiking in daylight, and the solar day you hike Mt Whitney is not the time to test it out for the get-go time. Take extra batteries fix in a convenient identify in your pack. You lot don't want to bollix for them if your headlamp dies.
• Plan for bad conditions at the summit, even if the forecast looks okay. Alpine weather is volatile and changeable. At the very to the lowest degree, it should be much cooler and windy up there. Long pants, gloves, a winter hat, a good trounce, and light down jacket are usually plenty for the summer. If it'due south dank, you lot will need the extra layers when you hit Trail Crest.
• Likewise, have enough gear in a practiced daypack to stay the night. That doesn't mean pinnacle with a tent, but a lightweight tarp, plenty of water, food, a space blanket, and a winter hat will be much welcomed if caught overnight. If you want to know what that could be similar, here's an interesting account of a lost hiker who spent two days on Mt Whitney before beingness rescued.
• Bring an emergency beacon and/or satellite communication device in case you need to signal for an emergency.You may have to help another hiker in distress, and a communicator comes in handy.
• Bring plenty of nutrient. I endeavor to down a ProBar every one.v-2 hours, even though the altitude unremarkably saps my appetite. I also bring some energy gels that become down easier at higher altitudes. If you lot don't eat, hunger can cause some AMS-like symptoms, such as dizziness and fatigue. And then just force yourself to swallow regularly and take hunger out of the AMS equation.
• I go through well-nigh 6 liters of water on a solar day hike to the superlative. I make sure I'grand well hydrated before I beginning as well, once more, to prevent the onset of AMS. Drinking frequently is an easy mode to put the odds in your favor. There are enough of places to refill on water. Some people don't filter the h2o, some people do. Filter it to be safety. I bring a 3 liter bladder in my daypack and refill it a couple of times on my hike.
• If yous're hiking Whitney, there tin exist snow on the trail. Ask the rangers what the conditions are and if you need micro-spikes. Trekking poles come in handy when in that location's snow as well.
• Get a practiced paper map of Mt Whitney and written report it in the weeks earlier the hike.
• I know I only told you to bring a bunch of gear, but endeavour to lighten your pack as much as you lot can without sacrificing condom and health. The lighter your pack, the easier the effort, the more you volition enjoy the hike. I ditched my binoculars and some other non-essential gear for the hike.

Go used to hiking with a headlamp. When you hike with the headlamp, you tend to focus on the ground right in front end of yous, missing the scenery. You lot'll be able to enjoy it on the way down.

Dealing With Distance

I'd say altitude is what stops almost people who endeavor to hike Mt Whitney and fail. There are 2 main challenges with altitude, getting enough oxygen to proceed and avoiding altitude sickness (as well known as acute mount sickness, or AMS), which can occur in hikers when they go in a higher place 8000 feet. If you lot already live or train at altitude, AMS should exist much less of a trouble for yous than most.

To start, air always contains 20.9% oxygen, at all altitudes, no affair what. Only lower air pressure at high distance makes information technology feel like in that location is a lower per centum of oxygen. On the summit of Mt Whitney, your effective oxygen percent is non 20.9%, but about 12%, because of the low air pressure. If you do the math, that means your getting almost 57% of normal oxygen levels with each breath. Call back of it as exercising with i nostril plugged.

Enjoying a rest on the hike to Mt Whitney. A prudent strategy is to pace yourself and take lots of breaks to permit your body accommodate to the distance. It's also a good alibi to grab your jiff.

Every bit mentioned before, existence fit will be a big help when hiking Whitney. In very crude terms, exercising increases your body's ability to use oxygen effectively. So you can do more with each breath yous take. Your body will likewise exercise much better if yous're hydrated, and then take actress water during the hike, and drink tons of water the day before. We're ofttimes dehydrated when we wake, so hydrating before volition help offset that. And lay off the alcohol until subsequently the hike.

To increase your chances of dealing with altitude effectively, you should plan to acclimatize. Acclimatization is simply the procedure of getting your trunk used to extracting the oxygen from the lower air force per unit area. In an platonic world, yous would spend ane week acclimatizing for every 2000 feet of difference in altitude. But you don't need to go to those extremes to hike Mt Whitney. Hither's an acclimatization plan that has worked well for me, based on the old climber's adage of "climb high, sleep low."

• (optional) five days before – take the tram to San Jacinto in Palm Springs (eight,500 feet), do a light hike, hang out, eat, come back down
• iv days before Whitney hike – travel to and overnight in Solitary Pine, CA (3700 feet)
• 3 days earlier – hike White Mountain Summit (14250 anxiety), turning effectually if AMS symptoms set in, stay the night at Lonely Pine, CA
• 2 days before – rest, nap, hydrate, do lunch and hang out a bit at Whitney Portal (7850 feet), overnight in Lone Pine
• hike (or camp) Mt Whitney (14505 feet)

I've also been successful with this more accelerated progression:

• 2 days earlier – pick up permit, army camp at Cottonwood
• ane days before – like shooting fish in a barrel 10-15 mile hike at Cottonwood, slumber in Lone Pine
• hike Mt Whitney

If y'all do the White Mount Superlative hike to prep for Whitney, information technology's a totally different experience. There's a hut at the top besides, simply otherwise it feels totally unlike than the Eastern Sierras in a wild, beautiful mode. I highly recommend it.

AMS tin strike anytime, regardless of your perpetration.  It'south different for anybody, and you need to stay flexible and alert for the symptoms. Which brings us to our next bespeak…

To put information technology bluntly, distance sickness (AMS) can impale you. But you'd be surprised at the number of hikers you'll see trying to push through it, treating AMS like information technology was a sore foot or cicatrice. When hikers practice that, they not just put their own lives in danger, but as well endanger whatever other hiker or ranger who would potentially have to be involved in a rescue. Whenever I hike Mt Whitney, I always see at least a few hikers 'grinding information technology out' through severe AMS symptoms. Not smart; not worth it.

Here's a story from a HikingGuy reader, Rossa Southward:

The first time that I climbed Mt Whitney, nosotros were approached by a guy whose girlfriend was having major problems in their tent. Nosotros checked information technology out, and she was suffering from late-stage AMS, with bloody diarrhea and other astringent symptoms. A helicopter had landed nearby to evacuate someone else suffering a middle assail. Nosotros decided that if we didn't get this girl on that helicopter, she was dead. We carried her the quarter-mile, and every bit we got to the chopper, the boyfriend keeled over with no pulse. The rescue crew squeezed both of them onto the helicopter, and off they went. I have no thought what happened to them.

If you take well-nigh 24 minutes, watch this video on a failed attempt to summit Kilimanjaro because of altitude. It volition give you an idea of what can happen, even if you lot are an experienced hiker.

How practise you know if y'all have AMS? The symptoms are usually subtle to start, and progress in intensity as you climb. They include headache, nausea, lack of appetite, swelling, diarrhea, and lightheadedness. For example, a low-cal, tedious headache is adequately common, a abrupt, intense headache ways you lot're in the danger zone. AMS can progress to swelling of the brain or fluid in the lungs, both acute, life threatening conditions.

If you start getting symptoms of AMS, stop climbing, have a break, and see if they subside. Mild symptoms tin can exist manageable, simply if they intensify, you must descend immediately. It'south the only way to get ameliorate quickly. Don't expect a helicopter rescue, plan on walking off the mountain yourself. If you've climbed to the point where you're vomiting or lost your balance, you've gone way too far. Believe information technology or non, I've seen people with these symptoms trying to superlative.

Even though I didn't have any AMS symptoms, my easily still swelled up like sausages. In retrospect, I should have as well put sunscreen on my hands.

Some folks also take luck with a medication called Diamox. If you lot want to go that road, run into you doctor and have them prescribe information technology for y'all. Another option is simple Ibuprofen. A Stamford report (that took place in the Eastern Sierra) found that popping 600mg of Ibuprofen can help with AMS as well. I've personally had success with Ibuprofen to alleviate AMS symptoms.

Weather and Timing

Hopefully, the weather will cooperate with you lot on your hike to the summit. If the atmospheric condition is bad, y'all need to play it condom and do the hike another 24-hour interval. Wintertime storms can still hit on the fringes of the summer flavour. If the conditions is okay, y'all still run the risk of a pop-up thunderstorm and lightning on the summit. These storms generally bubble upwards later apex. You're in an alpine climate and the weather tin can modify quickly.

A sign warning of the dangers of lightening at the JMT trail junction.

To avoid thunderstorms, nigh hikers leave in the early on hours of the morn. 3am is a popular showtime fourth dimension from Whitney Portal. That should get you on and off the peak before noon, unless your pace is very slow. The only downside is that there will be a lot of folks hiking at the same time. You can try and leave a little earlier to avoid the big rush. Alternatively, if the take a chance of pelting is low to none, and you lot have the daylight, you can leave at dawn and maximize your daylight hiking time. Of course, you run the take chances of having the weather plough, which would finish your summit attempt.

Every bit you climb towards the tiptop, always go on your eye to the sky. Building clouds are not a good sign. When you reach Trail Crest (see directions), scan the horizon toward Sequoia National Park. If it looks bad there, that atmospheric condition volition probably be bad at Mt Whitney presently.

Here'south a little puff of a cloud over Sequoia as seen from the Trail Crest area. If you meet pocket-size clouds like this quickly appearing, information technology's time to turn effectually. If you simply see ane or two and they seem stable, you should exist okay.

When you do the final stretch of the Mount Whitney Trail (past the JMT junction to the acme), y'all'll run into a lightning warning sign. In that location accept been some much publicized deaths on the top from lightning, including the decease of a hiker in the stone hut at the height. The all-time way to avoid getting struck is to turn effectually the 2d you lot hear thunder. It'due south a bummer, merely hey, you're nonetheless alive.

If you're caught on the height in lightning, your best bet is to have refuge in the stone hut.  There's some controversy around this, and the official park signage indicates that it isn't prophylactic in the hut, just this word was good enough for me to experience good almost that option.

Confirmation that the Mt Whitney hut roof and window frames are now bonded and grounded. Caput in the hut to play it safe.

To throw a wrench into this whole lightening event, military jets ofttimes wing by the superlative. They're loud and sometimes break the sound barrier, and that sound can hands be confused with lightening.

Other Notes Earlier You Hike

If you're scared of heights, there are some challenging sections. Here's an case of some of the cliffside trail on the hike to Mt. Whitney. The picture looks worse that it actually is. The narrow parts are 3-4 feet wide at the worst.

• Check out recent trip reports for the latest weather and possible changes.
• Ask the ranger nigh the trail condition when you go your permit.
• Fifty-fifty if you're in great shape and you've washed all your prep correctly, this is still a hard hike. It'southward important that you lot stride yourself and give yourself some rest breaks. Rest breaks will assist you acclimatize, and are great times to fuel and hydrate.
• This may audio obvious, but if you have an astute fright of heights, this hike will be challenging. There are some sections by Trail Crest with sheer drops on either side. The trail is at least 4 anxiety wide in these places, and very doable. If you take issues with heights, just go along your eyes on the trail. If it'south windy and you're scared, clamber. I've crawled enough of times, there's no shame when information technology comes to being safe.
• Getting to the top is only half the battle. You withal have an 11 mile hike back down to Whitney Portal. I've seen many folks struggle on the way down later blowing through all their free energy on the way up, finishing at Whitney Portal long afterward sunset. Remember to pace yourself, stay fueled and hydrated, and don't become beyond your limits. People have died on the descent afterward taking a incorrect turn.
• Let someone at home know your plan, and have them expect a call on the evening later on your hike. Give them the number of the Inyo County Sheriff's Office (760-878-0383) and tell them to report you missing if you lot are 24 hours overdue on your bank check-in. And assume your hike will take longer than you lot think, and that you might not have cell service at Whitney Portal.
• Don't get out nutrient in your car at Whitney Portal, there are bears agile. Put any food in the bear boxes around the campsite.
• Why is it named Whitney? It was named after Josiah Whitney, the state geologist of California who sponsored the first survey in 1864. It was start climbed by gringos in 1873. John Muir was i of the first to summit as well, doing it in 1873.

Reader Q&A

Play your cards right and yous could be reading this plaque on the acme of Mt Whitney.

• Can I utilise an altitude mask to railroad train for Whitney if I tin can't train at altitude? The general consensus is that altitude masks don't piece of work, but I can't testify or disprove that myself. If you demand to travel to Whitney, yous're investing a lot in the hike already. I would strongly recommend investing another day or 2 so you can stay at altitude and hike White Mountain Peak.
• Will a StairMaster assistance me train for the hike? Information technology tin can't hurt. If you lot tin do 11 miles on a stair primary, I'd say it'southward going to be decent training, but probably pretty boring.
• If I climbed a x,000 human foot mount without problems, should I be fine on Mt Whitney? 10,000 feet and 14,500 can exist very unlike. I wouldn't assume that you lot should be fine. Become through the steps in this article to best acclimatize.
• Is information technology safe to hike in the dark with a headlamp? Yep, and many people do.
• Do cell phones work on the hike? Generally, no. There are isolated spots on the summit that have reception, but don't count on it. Carry something similar a Garmin InReach if you lot demand to communicate with the outside globe.
• Can I rent a guide to take me upwardly Mt Whitney? No, guides are non allowed. I'd recommend joining a Facebook or Reddit hiking group and looking for partners. You tin can likewise do an overnight camp at Trail Camp and hitch along with another hikers.
• Do I need a deport canister for a day hike?Nope.
• What does "Inyo" mean? It's a Native American word pregnant "dwelling house place of the bully spirit" used by local Native Americans to draw the mountains here.
• What about the shortcuts that I've heard about? Save them for the fourth dimension that you lot've done this hike many times. They're not piece of cake, non well marked, and often unsafe, especially if you lot don't know the mountain. The chief trail is cute and fun, and later on many hikes information technology is still my goto route.
• I can't get a permit, can I do the Mountaineers Road instead? Nope, you need a permit.
• I'one thousand a hiker, can I practise the Mountaineers Route? Leave it for folks who have mountaineering feel. If you want to try information technology, I recommend finding a grouping to do information technology with offset and training appropriately.

How to Get to the Mt Whitney Trailhead

Here's the trailhead GPS address: Mt. Whitney Trailhead, Whitney Portal, CA, 93545, USA.

If you're arriving at Whitney Portal for the first time, early on in the morning, finding the right place to park and trailhead can be your first challenge.

The parking spots on the left (green) as y'all first pull into Whitney Portal are your all-time bet. If there are no free spots and you pass the Portal Store, continue around the loop and park in the bigger lots.

Here's another view. When y'all first pull in, there are bathrooms on your left. The trailhead is directly beyond from the bathrooms. If yous've driven to the store, you've gone too far. The parking and trailhead is just earlier information technology.

The trailhead is right before you go to the Portal Store. Information technology can be hard to spot in the centre of the night, simply the shop is a good landmark to find amidst the cars.

There's a decent amount of parking past the trailhead. If there are no spots across from the trailhead, endeavor the lower lot.

If yous want to utilise a real bath, the toilets across from the trailhead are your only choice on this hike, so take intendance of business organization before y'all start.

There's also a faucet where you tin can do any last-minute water fills.

Don't forget to leave your parking permit in the window. Rangers Do give tickets if your permit doesn't match your stay.

Mt Whitney Trail Maps

Explore Map on CalTopoView a Printable PDF Hike MapDownload the Hike GPX File

I'll go into detail later about the specific sections of the hike. In general, you ascend along Lonely Pine Creek to Trail Camp, then do a steep section to Trail Crest, so ascend forth the ridge, behind the needles, up to the height.

You lot can plan on nigh xi miles of straight climbing, with some modest portions of level and downhill. The niggling sections of uphill on the way back to trail crest tin can really hurt after all the climbing to the summit.

Mt Whitney Hike Directions

Video Directions

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Plow Past Turn Directions

The trailhead is right across from the outset bathrooms that you see at Whitney Portal.

A nice big sign marks the beginning of the trail. Good for a photo op when you finish.

Yous'll pass through a framed expanse with some info and warnings for the trail.

Check out the hiker notice board for any terminal infinitesimal updates.

There's also a cool little scale to weigh your pack in the framed area.

It helps to break the hike into sections, both for navigation and mental consumption. Don't await upwardly to the Whitney summit and recollect about how long it will take to become at that place. Just focus on the current department and the side by side landmark, it will help mentally pause the hike upwards into digestible chunks.

The get-go section takes you from the trailhead to Lone Pine Lake. The trail is a steady uphill with some level sections. Easy to follow and comparable to a mountain trail in Southern California.

The first few minutes of the trail pick their fashion around a little boulder field.

Then the trail becomes more than defined and starts to climb up toward your destination, almost 6200 feet above you.

Continue left on the main trail at the Carillon Creek crossing.

Stay straight on the Mountain Whitney trail and avoid the Northward Fork of the Lone Pine Creek Trail, which takes you to the Mountaineers Route. In that location's as well a minor stream crossing here.

The stream crossing has rocks y'all can hop across. Early in the season there can be a lot of water here. In drought years information technology can exist a gentle trickle.

Shortly subsequently that, you'll pass the John Muir Wilderness sign.The John Muir Wilderness extends almost 100 miles, in the north past Mammoth Mount, and to just due south of Mt Whitney.

What exactly is a Wilderness Expanse?

In that location's as well a hiker notice lath once within the John Muir Wilderness.

The trail is very easy to follow, but in instance you go lost, the Mountain Whitney Trail is marked with cut-out notches in the trees. You tin can see ii of them hither.

If you're not doing this at nighttime, you'll be treated to some impressive views on this stretch.

And don't forget to look behind for great views into Lone Pine, which you lot will also be able to enjoy on the descent.

Keep your eyes open for animals, there are lots of mule deer that don't get too scared of hikers.

As you approach Solitary Pine Lake, the trail starts to level off.

There are a couple of log crossings of Lone Pine Creek.

Proceed your eyes open for trout. The Department of Fish and Game stocks Solitary Pine Lake with rainbow trout, and there are too allegedly beck trout hither too. If you lot're into fishing and are camping, y'all can bring a rod with you lot and fish. I've heard to folks landing trout at both Consultation Lake and Mirror Lake. Word has information technology the fish are biggest at Consultation Lake.

At around 2.viii miles, you reach the turn off for Lone Pine Lake. You've climbed about 1500 anxiety. Y'all can hike to Lone Pine Lake without a permit, and information technology could exist used for a nice acclimatization hike. Y'all can besides army camp at the lake. Keep going correct on the Mt Whitney Trail to continue (avoiding the plough-off to Lone Pino Lake).

The next stretch of the hike goes from Lone Pine Lake to Mirror Lake, and is probably the easiest stretch of the hike.

There'due south a squeamish level section after Lone Pine Lake. Enjoy it, there are not many on the hike. Y'all'll also discover that the landscape gets more than arid and rocky.

Shortly after the Solitary Pino Lake turnoff, you lot'll encounter the permit sign. Yous need a Whitney Zone permit to hike past this indicate.

The trail climbs gradually, and is very easy to follow.

I virtually always spot blue grouse on this section of the hike.

The trail descends a chip after climbing. This will hurt a little on the way back.

There'south a cute meadow only before you reach Outpost Camp. The trail follows the edge of the meadow.

Keep your eyes peeled for wild animals in the meadow.

There are some stream crossings on this stretch of trail.

At virtually three.8 miles, you'll reach Outpost Camp. You altitude here is 10400 anxiety.

Outpost Camp is apartment and has lots of tent spots. There's water here likewise.

In the dorsum of Outpost Army camp there's a squeamish waterfall. Outpost Camp has a stream that runs through it where yous can fill up upwardly.

As the trail continues through some brush, there are some secluded campsites off the trail in the upper role of Outpost Camp.

The trail winds through Outpost Camp and and so back out the other side, marked by a sign for the Mt Whitney Trail. At that place are some side trails to campsites, so have care to stay on the chief trail, especially at night. This is a good place to cross-cheque your GPS position with the track.

Every bit you lot climb you'll meet Mirror Lake downwardly to your correct. At that place's no camping at Mirror Lake, but you can fish at that place. If you lot're staying at Outpost Camp, information technology's a nice identify to hangout.

The next stretch from Outpost Camp to Trail Military camp are where they hike starts to really go uphill. Yous'll follow Alone Pine Creek for a good portion of this stretch.

After Mirror Lake, the trail climbs at a tough class.

Go on your eye's open for Clark's Nutcrackers, establish in the Sierras. They employ their neb to interruption through pinecones and get at the seeds, which they stash in a pouch under their tongue.

The trail climbs forth Lonely Pine Creek (where the green is).

At that place are some small-scale crossings of Lone Pine Creek on this stretch of trail.

Equally you climb here, yous'll notice that you pass the tree-line.

This section of the trail is rocky and steep, with some stone stair sections.

You might start seeing marmots hither. Trail Camp is crawling with them, but information technology's still fun to spot them.

At that place are some sections of trail that get over sheer rock. Scan the permitter of the rock for the correct continuation of the trail. It's not always straight.

Look for the most worn trail to know the correct manner to get. Information technology not always obvious, but generally piece of cake to spot after pausing.

At about 5 miles in, you lot come up to Trailside Meadows.

Trailside Meadows is the final patch of greenish you'll see for a while. It's a beautiful expanse and a nice identify for a break, merely don't damage any of the delicate ecosystem hither. You're at 11400 anxiety, and yous might accept started to experience the effects of altitude past this signal. At that place is piece of cake access to water here.

After Trailside Meadows, you climb again on the rocky trail.

A view dorsum to Trailside Meadows as the Mount Whitney Trail climbs past it.

Soon Consultation Lake volition come up into view off to the left. The trail continues west toward Trail Campsite.

One last rocky, steep, half-mile stretch after Consultation Lake to Trail Camp.

Welcome to Trail Camp! It'due south almost 6 miles into the hike, 12000 feet, v miles to go. Depending on what time you lot go hither, Trail Camp tin can be crowded. If you're camping, come early for a adept spot. And remember that you tin also camp at Consultation Lake, which is much quieter.

You might notice gear at Trail Camp from campers who are summiting. Hither's a bear canister. In that location are a ton of marmots and rodents here that will come up up to you lot and sniff effectually looking for food. Beware of leaving your pack unattended. If Caddyshack was near hiking, Bill Murray would exist going later Marmots here. There are coyotes upward here too, merely chances are that you'll never come across one.

If you need h2o, this is your place to refill before you hike to the summit. In that location'southward a walkway to Trail Camp Swimming where you can fill up.

Trail Camp is a good identify to take a break, consume, hydrate, and rest before your next stretch of trail to the Mt Whitney tiptop. Information technology's besides a good place to check the weather.

Here's a map of the next part of the hike, which many folks consider the hardest section. From Trail Camp, you lot climb up the 99 switchbacks (also known as the 100 switchbacks or 97 switchbacks). This section is completely exposed and basically goes direct up the mountain for 2 miles. See the snow to the correct of the trail? On the way downward, some hikers slide downwardly that on their butt (chosen glissading), slowing their speed with water ice axes. Information technology's a risky endeavor best left for those who have a ton of experience and a slight death wish.

Follow the trail out of Trail Campsite and toward the mountain. The trees are long gone, but he trail is well marked with rocks and thousands of boot prints.

The trail is rocky and steep, just like shooting fish in a barrel to follow.

Look upwardly at the hikers (in the upper left). This will give you an idea of the gradient here. The switchbacks go one forever, but are doable.

I of the prissy things about this stretch is that y'all can see down to Trail Army camp Pond and Consultation Lake as you climb. I frequently find a nice overlook and accept a break. Retrieve, you lot accept less oxygen here, and you're well served by climbing slow and steady to minimize AMS.

About halfway up the switchbacks, you will reach a section called "the cables" considering of the cable paw railing installed to help hikers. This section of the trail doesn't see much direct sunlight, and so information technology can be covered in ice and snow. After July it's less of a problem. Either way, take your time and apply the hand concord if you lot demand to. This shot was in August and there was still some minor spots of ice.

The cables are kind of gnarly in places. This section is only about 50 anxiety. You can become an idea of the steepness in this shot.

Lookout your basis on this stretch through the cables. Hither'southward some ice in late August.

Passing another marmot at the end of the cables section.

In one case the cables are cleared, it'southward back to the switchbacks, which offer not bad views down into Alone Pino.

Hither's a view down on the switchbacks.

Toward the meridian the switchbacks become longer. You'll still be able to look upwardly and meet other hikers.

At around eight miles the trail mercifully evens out and climbs at a gentle course toward Trail Crest. You go a view of the ridge that you will hike behind after Trail Crest.

At about 8.5 miles you reach Trail Crest. Getting here will almost feel as good as getting to the tiptop. To your left yous'll see the beautiful peaks in Sequoia National Park.

Here'south the Trail Crest sign. This is a good place to residual, eat, and hydrate earlier the last few miles to the summit. If you're suffering from AMS at present, you should residue or turn around. It'southward not going to get any ameliorate as yous climb another k feet.

Views into Sequoia National Park from Trail Crest, including Hitchcock Lake. Trail Crest is a expert place to do a gut check on the weather. If y'all encounter storms approaching here, you lot should probably caput back downwards.

The final stretch to Whitney summit doesn't have a lot of climbing, only volition feel tough because of the altitude. The only junction y'all have to lookout out for is the intersection with the JMT. But hike to the right and caput to the superlative.

Check out the fat marmot on the trail welcoming me into Sequoia National Park. You enter Sequoia NP a few minutes after Trail Crest.

Okay, onto the pinnacle. The adjacent stretch of trail hugs the side of the cliff. If you're scared of heights, this role will be tough. Just go boring and you should be fine. The good news is that there are some downhill sections on this stretch.

Shortly after the stretch of trail forth the cliff, you'll come to the junction with the John Muir Trail (JMT). Detect the sign in the lesser of the motion-picture show. Keep right hither to caput toward the summit. The trail also turns very rocky from here on out.

Here'southward the junction with the JMT up close. Hike to the right toward Whitney. Through-hikers sometimes leave their backpacks here to pinnacle. If you're a 24-hour interval hiker or left your pack at Trail Military camp, I don't recommend leaving your gear here. The summit is probably where you need your gear the most. This is besides a good bespeak to practice a gut cheque on AMS. If you're feeling bad, residual and/or turn effectually.

The trail climbs up through the rocks to the acme.

Here'due south a view of the trail looking dorsum toward the JMT junction. You can see the trail is well defined, even on the rocky terrain.

These sections are very rocky. Some hikers like trekking poles, but I detect it easier to apply my easily to climb and balance on these sections.

The trail has been carved through some college ridges, creating stunning framing for the trail.

Before long y'all'll be able to grab a glimpse of the Whitney Hut on the summit, up to the right.

The windows are sections of trail (about 4 feet broad) where you can see thousands of feet down to the east and west. This motion picture gives you lot an idea of the width of this section. It'due south very achievable and looks worse than information technology is.

Here's a view down to Lone Pine through one of the windows.

Another stretch that crosses ane of the windows.

After the windows, the trail ascends gradually through the stone field.

Here's a view of the Needles looking astern from the trail. These are the jagged peaks you see from downward below.

The very final section has some short and steep switchbacks upward to the peak. The hut will come into view as you lot climb. Notice the hikers at the pinnacle making their way to the top.

You fabricated information technology! The hut comes into view and you lot're at the elevation of Mt Whitney!

Caput over to the hut. There'south usually a paper sign in there that you lot can take your Mt Whitney pinnacle shots with. The hut, officially called the Smithsonian Found Shelter, was congenital in 1909.

Don't forget to sign the trail annals at the hut likewise!

If you need to accept refuge, this is what it looks like within the hut.

Make sure you grab your obligatory summit shot with the sign.

The actual summit is a short distance up from the hut. Surprisingly, well-nigh folks have cell reception at the summit and are able to call a loved one and share the news. I've fifty-fifty gotten Chinese robo-calls when I turned my phone on here. Expert times.

Your 360 views will be great. In addition to Sequoia and Kings Canyon, you'll be able to look east to Lone Pine, the White Mountains, and Death Valley.

One time you're done exploring the summit, take some time to eat and hydrate (weather permitting). You're only halfway done your hike. There are rosy finches at the superlative that volition be looking for you to drop a crumb or two also.

After I summited hither, clouds started to build in Sequoia. You tin see them dumping pelting in the altitude. Time to boogie and caput back down.

After the height, head back the mode you came. You however accept 11 miles of hiking, and yous should still be trying to swallow and hydrate. If you lot're feeling the effects of AMS, I'd recommend taking it slowly and making sure your footing is solid every bit y'all descend. Most of the times that I've rolled an talocrural joint or slipped, information technology'due south because I was cruising back down a descent from a big climb, tired, and non paying full attending to my footing. If it'due south dark, take actress care. People have died descending in the dark.

Heading back down from Whitney is a banquet for the eyes. Now that you lot're going downhill, you can fully bask the incredible views.

Back at Whitney Portal! No matter how fit you are, or how little AMS you suffered, the Mt Whitney hike is a tough day any style you slice it.

When y'all go back to Whitney Portal, head to the Portal shop. It'southward a tradition to get a burger and beer after the Mt Whitney hike. I tin't always breadbasket a burger subsequently this hike, only I exercise usually observe room in my gullet for a cold beer.

What's next on your hiking hit list? How near Cactus to Clouds? Or Half Dome?

This guide final updated on Dec 27, 2021. Did something alter on this hike? If so, please contact me and let me know. I'll update the guide.

Have an idea on how to make these guides better? Leave me your thoughts here..

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