48 min
Overview
At an elevation of 14,501 feet, Mount Whitney is the tallest mountain in California AND the tallest peak in the Lower 48. Beyond the physical superlatives, hiking the Mount Whitney Trail is a beautiful experience in and of itself, and it’s very do-able for Southern Californians. It’s only a few hour drive to get to the trailhead, and you don’t need any technical expertise if you tackle the main trail during the summer months. However, those willing to give this mountain a significant amount of planning, research, and effort will be greatly rewarded – whether or not they summit. *** RED TAPE *** Hoo boy is there a lot of red tape for this trail. Late January / Early February usually marks the beginning of “Permit Season,” which is when the US Forest Service begins accepting applications to enter the lottery for Wilderness Permits for the Mount Whitney Zone. If you are hiking this trail between May 1st and November 1st, you’ll need to get one of these permits. You will have to get your group together and pick several potential days you’d like to try to hike Mount Whitney – August and September are usually the best times in terms of weather, and weekends in those months book up very quickly. If you can manage time away from whatever you do to pay rent, I highly recommend asking for weekdays on your permit application as they tend to be less popular, giving you a better chance at snagging a permit. As of 2010, only 195 hikers are allowed on the trail on any given day during this season – 60 backpackers, 100 day-hikers, and 25 hikers coming in from other routes or ending their long-distance treks on the John Muir Trail. After you’ve secured your permit, you’ve got to pick it up at the Eastern Sierra Inter-Agency Visitor Center, 2 miles south of Lone Pine. If you haven’t snagged a permit, this is also where you’ll have to go in the morning to be entered into their day-of lottery (in case anyone cancels or doesn’t show up to pick up their paperwork). For more information, visit this site for the Inyo National Forest.
Trail Stats
34.6 km
1868 m
4396 m
2572 m
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