Really well maintained trail. I saw them doing a lot of work on it in summer 2012, on the switchbacks nonetheless. Also hiked it again in 2013. If you're coming from sea level you may want a Rx for Diamox to take at lunch (with food, always) and at 1 am (with a light snack) before you hike. But I am no doctor. I would always recommend starting early, 1-2 am, as it will decrease your odds of disappointing weather later. Get your permits ready! read more

Great hike but leave it up to CA to ruin everything with its red tape. I was able to apply (lottery), pay and confirm my permit online but they WILL NOT let you print it online. Instead you get to wait till 8am along with 50 other people to pick it up. Most hikers want to get started at the trailhead WAY before 8am. I didn't get out of there till 9, on the mountain and hiking at 915 the earliest. A very frustrating experience. Here's a thought, allow people to print their passes online!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is not what hiking should be like. read more

Got there 7pm, beginning of August, and it was an amazing night hiking experience. I was trying to get to Trail camp as quick as I could, but I had to keep stopping to stare at the sky. Only in this kind of wilderness can you get this kind of view. I'm talking google images 4K HD type stuff. Everyone should try a night hike here. read more

Amazing. Coolest experience of my life (and I've fallen from planes and experienced the rapids...) We began our hike close to 1am in August (we got the lottery for a perfect time of year!) We finished around 6pm. We hiked with headlamps and absolute darkness and beauty. I just can't quite describe the serenity and mystery there was in the hike. We reached the "99 switchbacks" -- not the fun part--- just around sunrise and filled up our camelbacks (we didn't filter, just iodine). We reached summit around 10 a.m. and found many people along the way. There were birds and marmots at the peak and an EASY button (you know, the one from Staples!) at the top. Out of the 4 of us, one was minorly altitude sick. The rest of us were great... well... as great as you can be at the peak of the continental U.S. As we were about 1 mile from the bottom on our way back, it began to rain. I just hoped the people at the summit weren't being struck by lightning. Recommendations: 1. Begin super early. 2. You have to pick up your permit for after hours in this random lock-box. That was a little scary. 3. Bring lots of trail mix, clif bars (still haven't eaten one since and it's been 2 years...), and an orange. Just trust me on the orange. There's something about fresh fruit when you hike for that long eating only stale protein bars...it was my reward after coming back down from the 99 switchbacks... 4. Optional: I brought my crocs and hooked them to the outside of my camelback. Feet get super hot and sometimes it's nice to take a breather. 5. Wear thick socks. I wore ski socks and they were great. 6. Choose the water wisely. We definitely drank algae water because we couldn't see clearly at dawn. 7. Take photos and nothing else (cliche... but I don't care. I think others should also experience the glory) 8. Take your trash and unmentionable other items you bring. No one thinks it's cool to see garbage in nature. 9. DRINK lots of water and don't fear running out... you can always fill up with the fresh water sources. 10. Do it in one day. Camping may be great, but it's such an experience to do it in one day. Have a great time! read more

Needed a little get away and this place was perfect ! It's so beautiful oh and it's always windy too so be prepared for the wind. Can't wait to go back and take the fam bam !:) read more

We took a great road trip last week. Saw a lot of interesting things.Stone ridge state park.Mt.Whiteney.Bishop.And Ridges Crest.It was a n excited trip.We ended up on Dayton Reno.It was a beautiful ride.We went up 395 all the way.We need to go back and spend more time on this route. read more

Unlike probably most people here, I hiked up Mount Whitney from the western side. (It was the end of a John Muir Trail thru-hike.) I stopped to camp on the western side of Whitney around 19:00 on September 24 this last year. I ate dinner, watched the sunset and moonrise (absolute imperative: be there near a full moon!), and headed to sleep. At 03:00 I woke for breakfast before hiking to the summit for sunrise. Thanks to moonlight, it was so bright I didn't even turn on my flashlight for the hike up -- heavenly. The shelter at top was a nice quick windscreen, then I pulled out a sleeping bag, set it on the far side, and sat to watch sunrise while eating a candy bar. I met a handful of people at the summit when I arrived, and several more arrived while I lay watching the sunrise. By the time I left around 07:00 I'd seen maybe ten people total on or near the summit. Thus far all was perfect: relative but not complete solitude, unparalleled scenery, natural grandeur. But then...the descent down the well-traveled east side. In the two miles to Trail Junction I saw probably as many people again as I saw at the summit. On the next ten-odd miles down, I probably passed 100-150 people heading up. After the relative solitude of the JMT this was a real downer -- and the base camp halfway down was perhaps the most depressing "campsite" I've ever seen. I don't mind people while backpacking, but that much crowd is just too much. And frankly, having seen that, I'm not sure whether I'd ever want to ascend Whitney from the east as most people do. Whitney's pretty awesome if you get to the top early. The sunset from just near it was the best I've ever seen at a backpacking campsite. The moonrise just after was beyond anything I'd have expected, had I been planning to see one when I chose to stop where I did. Sunrise from the summit was epic. All that easily warrants five stars. But what goes up must come down. And odds are, unless you're killing a fair amount of time on the Pacific Crest Trail, you'll take the western approach trail at some point. That's enough of a downer to easily warrant loss of a star. If you have the time, do an out-and-back from the west to conquer Whitney. It's so much quieter, less crowded, and less of a zoo than the eastern trail. And really: isn't it that much more awesome to say you carried a legitimately full backpack when you did it? read more

Epic climb! Prepare for it, and be sure to acclimatize first (2-3 days at altitude minimum)! Life list item! read more

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Reviewing this hike is like reviewing childbirth. There are so many variables. Prior to doing the hike I read every single Yelp review and it's all really a matter of personal opinion. What cannot be disputed is the preparation that should be done as well as the stuff that's needed to have a successful day hike (at the very basic - water, food, layers of clothing, hat/sunglasses, a permit, wag bags, toilet paper, bug spray). In preparation for this hike, our group of three did around six training hikes over the course of a couple of months - Mt. Woodson several times, El Capitan and San Gorgonio. I also pushed my five year old in a stroller up very steep hills for 4 - 5 mile walks and ran on the treadmill. Even if you're in excellent shape you can still succumb to altitude sickness - but for certain - being in good cardio shape will help you better deal with exertion in thinner air. We arrived the day prior to our hike and did a mile of the Whitney trail to help acclimate. Our group of three were all taking Diamox. I really hated the side effects (tingly hands and a fuzzy head) but I would rather deal with that than altitude sickness. We attempted to go to bed at 7 pm that night but in the end, I got around two hours of sleep prior to waking at 2 am to get ready. We were on the trail by 3:15 am with headlamps and 20 lb packs. We carried all of our liquids - 5L each - which I am thankful for. Did not want to be messing with water filtration. Unlike San Gorgonio, I felt fairly safe doing this hike in the dark, knowing there are plenty of other people on the trail (and knowing that the wildlife should be fairly accustomed to seeing people on this trail through the summer months!) The trail is very well maintained and it was an obvious ascent to the summit. I felt very good all the way through the switchbacks but slowed things down for the last 1.9 miles, which I found to be challenging. The terrain is sketchy (lots of rocks) and at some points the trail is fairly narrow. Being fuzzy in the head and a little tired at that point had me taking each and every step very carefully. Again, it's all a matter of personal opinion. One of our group members thought the switchbacks were the worst part and the last 1.9 miles the easiest. It took us eight hours to reach the summit. Obviously, beautiful views from the top. The descent took almost as long, which we were not expecting. We encountered a lot of people on the trail - I wasn't really expecting this but they do issue 100 day hike permits per day and everyone starts around the same time. There were also a lot of hikers originating from the various campgrounds. Was not easy to find places to go the bathroom! Anyway, fantastic hike and I would do it again. read more

I just completed my hike of Mt. Whitney on August 29th, 2012. I arrived two days before my hike to get acclimated (Portal Campground) to the altitude. On one of my two days before my hike I did the short 2.8 mile hike to Lone Pine Lake to take pictures and look at the trail I would be hiking at night. Before my hike I did a lot of research and read many reviews to try to gain any advantage possible in getting to the top. Many of the reviews I read described the difficulty encountered without preparing physically for this hike. So, I decided to look up the most difficult hikes on line in Northern California and hike them. Also, during the week (2-3 days) I would run up and down stadium bleachers 100-120 times. If anyone is interested the Ohlone Wilderness Trail located in Livermore (Del Valle Park) is one of the best hikes for training. What makes this hike difficult if you do the 20 mike hike round trip is the elevation gain and loss during the hike. If you hike this trail please let me know how you feel at the top of Rocky Ridge, at the bottom of Williams Gulch, at the top of Big Burn Ridge, and at Rose Peak and then having to come back. Back to my Whitney hike: I arrived at the portal at 1:45am to get started by 2:00am because of the reviews I have read (they were correct). I took a couple of pictures before starting my hike with a filter and two liters of water. There is plenty of water along the trail to filter water so that is not an issue at all. Don't carry to much weight because it will make your hike that much more difficult. My starting weight in my pack was 13 pounds which was mostly water and food. The hike is beautiful in the morning because how quite it is and how you are able to see others hiking by the headlamps they wear along the trail. The first 6.3 miles to Trail Camp were uneventful and easy because of the beautiful morning and the hiking partner (Julie) I met on the trail. The 97 switchbacks are easily overcome by music which made the time pass by quickly. We reached the Trail Crest at 8.2 miles and then I noticed that something was not right but could not put my finger on it. We continued our hike until the point where many backpacks were left on the ground; we also left our packs and only carried water. We could see the top of the summit and I started to loose my balance due to altitude sickness. I started to fall down several times and it became a concern to Julie and others who I had met on the trail. I stopped for awhile and tried to slow my breathing down and to see if that would help. With my hiking partners help I made it too the top and was able to take her picture before heading down. It took us 10 hours to reach the top and we were lucky because the clouds arrived just after we reached the summit. It started raining when we were on the switchbacks and it rained all the way back to the portal. Julie was exhausted so I carried her pack the last 3.5 miles so that we could get back together. We met another couple from Sacramento that we hiked back with from Trail Camp. It took us 19.5 hours to complete the hike and it was the most difficult hike I have ever completed. Yet, the feeling of accomplishment is incredible. After this hike my recommendations would be: 1) Start early...thunderstorms really do arrive around 1:00pm 2) A good headlamp is all that you need hiking in the dark (easily see the trail). 3) Filter or use iodine tablets because there is plenty of water along the trail. 4) Do not carry too much water weight...see above. 5) Do carry enough food because you will need the energy to make it back after a long day on the trail. Very important!!! 6) Take a very lightweight rain jacket & garbage bag to cover your backpack. 7) Peeing will be a part of you adventure above trail camp and everyone will be doing it so try to give women a little modesty by not staring. It is difficult enough for them already so be considerate. 8) If you can hike with someone do it because altitude sickness is a reality and you will need someone to watch over you. 9) Remember that reaching the summit is a wonderful accomplishment but you will still have 11 miles to return to the portal. The return back will be very painful and very long. Be strong mentally and you will accomplish this hike. 10) Finally, there is something magical about the common bond that exists among all hikers trying to accomplish the goal of reaching the summit. Be sure to be one of those hikers who share encouragement to others because you made need it when you least expect it. Happy Hiking...Robert read more

The address I gave is for the Interagency, where you pick up your Wilderness Pass. On Sunday Aug 30, 2009 four of my friends and myself successfully hiked to the summit of Mt Whitney and returned safely back in one day. It was a memorable and exhausting hike which took us about 19 hrs to complete. They say the average time for the first time successful hiker is 16 hrs but as you see we are not your average hiker, our abilities are far below those of the average hiker. However, in the end it doesn't matter because we accomplished what many could not. We became gods among our friends. I've always wanted to hike Mt Whitney since I was in High School but remained apprehensive about my conditioning. Even when I was running marathons there was always some doubt in the back of my mind. Several years ago my friend Joe asked me if I would join him and his wife and friends to make an attempt. The hike was never realized but it re-kindled my long forgotten ambition thirty six years later. Around Thanksgiving 2008, I started asking friends and eventually nine friends said they were interested. Once we obtained hiking reservations through the lottery system in Feb/Mar we started our hiking regimen in June. A total of 5 practice hikes were eventually executed, more was scheduled but due to conflicts due to family obligations, injuries, and loss of interest, that was all we could manage, during this time 4 people dropped out,. I was the only person that managed to complete all five. There was a friend that completed only 2 hikes and took a four week break prior to the a main event. Although he was successful, his lack of conditioning presented a real problem for all of us and in my opinion he should have not been on this trip. Here is a synopsis of our practice hikes in the local Los Angeles mountains: Mt Inspiration 9 mi. An eye opener on my lack of conditioning Mt Wilson 14 mi. Start from Chantry Flat. Realized the need for electrolytes, another eye opener Mt Baldy 8 mi. Ski Hut return via Devils Backbone. Incredibly steep Mt Baldy 12 mi. Bear Flat return via Devils Backbone Mt Wilson 14 mi. Start from Chantry Flat One of the reasons for hiking Whitney was to see what it felt like at an altitude of 14,496 ft. I was curious to see if my body could handle this challenge. I've been up to 13,000 ft in Hawaii with little problems but read blogs saying people who take extra precautions and prepare themselves for altitude acclimation still have problems and are unable to make it to the summit. I was determined to make it or bust. The starting point is the Whitney Portal, located 8,365 ft above the barren Owens Valley desert. The place is gorgeous, a virtual paradise. It looks like a great place to vacation but everybody there has the same agenda, there is no in betweens. The night before, we acclimatized ourselves at nearby Cottonwood Meadows, located at 10,000 ft. We hung out during the day, feeding our faces and drinking beer. I believe the time spent here, even though it was just 12 hrs helped out a lot. We started our hike at 3:30 AM, I wanted to start at midnight for safety concerns because there are usually thunder storms that occur around noon and wanted to make sure we had enough buffer time to make the summit safely. Although the weather reports showed one high pressure system moving out and another one moving in, I knew we were going to have good weather but you never know the situation at high altitude. The hike itself was no harder than our practice hikes, in fact I found much of the hike easier. The trails in the San Gabriel mountains, located east of LA are more steeper than Whitney. The x-factor was the altitude and it slows everybody down to a crawl. The infamous 97 switchbacks weren't particularly difficult but more monotonous than anything else, however around 13,000 ft the altitude kicked in. My friend was waiting by the Trail Crest sign, he wanted me to take a picture of him posing by it. He was walking slow, I told him to hurry up, he replied, "I can't, I might faint" ha ha. Trail Crest to the summit is only 1.9 mi and in my opinion the hardest part of the hike due to rugged trail conditions and the altitude. My average speed was 1/2 mi per hr. I didn't want to push it. I made the summit around 2:40 PM where most of my buddies were waiting for me, rested for 20 min before descending. The return trip was no problem, usually on the descent my legs may get a little wobbly but not this time, I paced myself well and had a lot of gas in the tank for the return trip. We arrived at the trail head about 10PM. It was a very long and satisfying journey, thirty six years in the making. I want to thank all my friends and others that participated in the practice hikes and especially those that came to Mt Whitney for a very special day because without them I wouldn't have never made the summit. read more

This is a long overdue review from my July 2011 hike up one of the most grueling hikes ever traversed in the history of all there ever was-- or maybe it was just tough for me, a quasi-intermediate hiker, at best. The first time I tackled Whitney (2008), everything went wrong. The altitude caused my sunscreen bottle to explode all over my camera, I only got 2 hours sleep prior to the hike, a chipmunk attacked me (in hindsight, don't even start feeding them Mac n' Cheese, let alone stop after a couple noodles. Yeah, it was funny though.), I got a headache (Thanks, Ryan, for the aspirin), my friend's memory card went "fritz" (no pictures there either), an hour into our 3:15am start my iPod went "fritz" so no tunes and after the hike I kinda took the wrong turn somewhere past the Whitney Portal in my truck and it took me an hour later to reach the Dow Villa Motel ( has a nice sauna for post-hike soaking). Despite taking a half hour nap leaned up against the Summit House (Yes, I did summit!), I could tell how bad I looked by the way the base camp hikers asked me "Dude, are you okay?" on my way back down. Despite signing the Summit House book, the lack of photographic evidence encouraged me to tackle Whitney again. This time, I had to do it in the snow in the middle of frickin' July, which got a bit precarious between the end of the switchbacks through the narrow trails up to the Trail Crest, then up the last hump to the Summit House, just snow everywhere, the trail barely visible until you're right on top of it. I bought a pair of cheap spring-type cramp-ons in Lone Pine, which broke by hike's end, but they got me through without me dying, so $20 well spent. Everyone else will advise you on the amount of water and food to bring versus the amount of weight you should carry; so I'll just suggest that you get plenty of sleep prior to your ascent and invest in a pair of inner lining socks to wear between your feet and your regular hiking socks. 1st hike: no inner lining socks, a couple toes blistered very badly. 2nd hike: with them and some powder, my feet survived unscathed. The altitude affects everyone differently (I just get an annoying headache, nothing major), so any advice on that would be useless, just read up on the subject from better sources and take precautions. I did take my time, beat my lame previous time of 17 hours by an hour, took a lot of pictures switching out multiple memory cards and finally was able to witness what the start of the hike looked like in the daylight, since I got back after dark the first time. Yes, everyone I encountered was friendly and encouraging, but a lot of them are unintentional liars. Once past the Trail Crest, traveling around the 24 (Yes, I counted them on the way back. Nothing much else to do.) pillars or columns or whatever you want to call them, returning hikers will cheerily tell you "You're almost there!" Don't believe them! They are wrong. You still have 2-3 hours until you can even glimpse the Summit House, especially if your vision gets somewhat blurred due to the altitude or fatigue. Yes, these people mean well, but false hope is discouraging when just around the corner is ANOTHER pillar or column or whatever you want to call them! Just smile at these people and don't throw your last water bottle at them (You'll need it) and be on your way. All in all, I'm glad I took on this challenge. The destination was cool and the view was unbelievable, but both journeys were experiences of a lifetime! Oh, my optometrist recommended curved aviator-type sunglasses because high altitudes can cause some blindness. Great safety tip, Egon! read more

Drove the motorcycle up to Whitney Portal. Very nice. Beautiful waterfall. Took many pictures. It is Mother Nature in her glory. read more

Mt. Whitney - Hiking Near Me - Lone Pine, California

As tired as I was, I was still amazed at how pretty it was on the way up. I'd highly recommend doing the trail in two days for the altitude, and it also gives you more time to enjoy the hike instead of being too focused on just getting to the top. While it's not a technically difficult hike, you NEED to train for this. Not just working out at the gym, but to psychologically train yourself to get used to long hikes. We went rather early in the season, but that helped our permit chances a lot. Also made the trail less crowded, and there was plenty of space at Trail Camp. There was snow--the cables weren't too bad, but some kind of shoe spikes are highly recommended, since there were quite a few slippery areas. I also really admired some people who were very close to the summit, but weren't doing so well and decided that they wanted to be safe and turn back. It's not just about getting to the summit, it's about enjoying the total experience! read more

A friend of mine was able to get some permits so we decided to attempt to summit in one day. We set up some practice hikes (ie. Mt. Baldy), but those eventually fell through due to schedule conflicts/laziness. Given that we were all "in shape", we thought nothing of it. I'm definitely not an avid hiker, nor do I enjoy walking and for that, we paid dearly. We drove up to Whitney Portal and were lucky enough to find one last spot to camp. There's a small general store/café that serves up some pretty good burgers and beer (which would have tasted even better after the hike, so be sure to start early to make it back in time). End up sleeping around 11pm and wake up around 3am to start hiking at 4am (Tip: Start earlier). Headlamps required. It's good to familiarize yourself with the landmarks along to way to keep yourself motivated and to keep on pace. Lone Pine Lake, Mirror Lake, Trailhead Camp, 97 Switchbacks, Trail Crest, etc... Just keep trying to reach the next one. Be sure to pack smart. Water purification is essential, so that you don't need to carry so much (I like Aquamira) and be sure to fill up whenever you have the chance. We all ran out of water by the time we got to the summit and the last thing you want is to be dehydrated AND delirious from the altitude sickness. Through some miracle/barely escaping death , we made it down at roughly 10pm. Knees shaking, feet blistered, and hands swollen, we got in the car and drove back for another 4 hours. I would suggest that anyone hiking Mt. Whitney should do so over the course of 2-days, so that you don't kill yourself and so that you can enjoy the scenery. But if you're dead set on doing the day hike: - You MUST practice for this. - Leave your pack at the sign approximately 2 miles before the summit. Cuts out a bunch of weight that you don't need to summit. - Start between 1am - 3am - Drugs for altitude sickness. Someone said that ibuprofen helped. I ended up taking about 1800 mg over the course of the hike and not sure if it even did anything except destroy my liver and turn my pee neon green. - Try to make yourself constipated or bring baby wipes/TP in case you need to use the WAG bag. They give you enough for like 1 1/2 wipes. Either way, it's no fun taking a dump on the ground. - Bring trekking poles if you can. They look nerdy, but it's the nerds that eventually end up at the summit. - Try to enjoy it. It's a huge accomplishment. read more

I've hiked in Yosemite (half dome) and Sequoia as well as many local trails in the mountains and beaches. This trail to Mt. Whitney is so diverse as it traversed the mountain range at so many levels. I got lucky to get picked on the lottery for my first time. I made sure to select mid-week dates, and during less popular times in the summer. It doesn't get incredibly hot there. There are many small creeks and water sources along the way to the high camp, where you can collect and treat water. This helps so you don't have to carry the weight of too much water on your back. There are two camping locations designated on the way up. The sights of the trail are beautiful, sometimes lush and green with makeshift rock paths and logs to take you across streams. Other times, it is course and rough as you scramble across rock stair ways. Drink plenty of water and eat appropriate carbs to sustain you, nothing heavy and avoid heavy food the day before. The sunrise on Mt Whitney is absolutely beautiful! Make sure you layer clothing, because even in late July it rained and even got hail and snow flurries this year. read more

We've never made it to the top. Tried twice. it's just a hike. In theory. Until Mother Nature at 14,000 kicks in. She got me with altitude sickness. We were a bit confident, overshot base camp at 10,000 and tried to sleep at 12,000. STUPID. Rule #1: Do it in 1 day or acclimate at the base camp. My sister turned back due to sudden rain and wind. The first part of the hike is steep steep steep. Makes the Dipsea stairs look like a moving walkway at Chicago O'Hare. Rule #2: Get those quads geared up before you try it. Rule #3: What the heck! Did you work for McKinsey? Why does there always need to be a 3? read more

Kind of a zoo on Whitney if you're a real wilderness fan, but as the highest spot in the lower 48 it kind of goes on the list if you're any kind of a peak bagger. It's possible to go in at Cottonwood and cut across country-- very navigable-- and avoid most of the people for most of the trip, then come out on the trail. That keeps you out of the lottery. But you have to be confident doing cross country travel in the High Sierra. That makes it a multi-day trip, but with an easy side trip up Langley, the southernmost fourteener in the Sierra. read more

It was not well-proclaimed that the backside of Whitney is a near death trap with all the impossibly angled rocks that are very difficult to manage as one jumps from rock to rock in an effort to make the last two miles from the crest. One stumble away from a great fall at nearly every point for the last three miles. Everyone wants to love this place and it was an accomplishment to climb but... could they shoot for a little less danger... and where is the decent signage coming down as evening comes on? The lakeside trail looks like the main trail. Many people got frustrated with this. A Torrance, CA resident fell to their death three weeks ago while slightly hypoxic. I can see the danger. Hope this trail gets better. A challenge is good. A less than necessary death-risking experience? Not good. You should acclimate for a day before climb if possible. Cheers. read more

I hiked Mt. Whitney over Labor Day as a day hike. It was my third time summiting and the one that I prepared for the least. I really can't say why it all worked out, I did everything wrong for this one. I did zero acclimation and got no sleep the night before the hike. I typically try to climb at least 5K elevation gain a week or two prior to a Whitney hike and didn't do that either. The only thing I can say in my defense is that I do moderate work outs frequently during the week. On reaching Trail Crest I did start to suffer from the lack of acclimation and suffered from a dull headache through much of the hike despite popping aspirin every four hours. The big negative for me was in full force over the weekend, TOO many hikers. My suggestion is hike this after Labor Day prior to October and on a weekday, you'll get much fewer crowds and the weather is typically fine. This is for many a rite of passage and of fitness. I would say it is as good a goal as you can find for getting yourself in shape. If you don't hike a lot, you really need to prepare and give yourself lots of time to hike this one. The elevation gets to most people who haven't spent a long time acclimating and your pace will slow sizeably as you head up the 99 switchbacks. The time it takes to hike Mt. Whitney varies tremendously if you're doing this as a day hike. My first time it took 12 hours and the last two were between 10 and 11 hours. These are "fast" times and the hike can take some people 20 hours. This is a hike of endurance more then anything else so pace yourself and enjoy the scenery as you knock off a milestone that most people only dream of doing. read more

Breathtaking views and the hike is too! Need to this again soon!!! June 2015 I am booked already for Denali and Mt McKinley AK...It is my first trip there...I am sure I will love it as much as I love Whitney!!! read more

Nothing like Whitney in a day. Mid October was a great time to do it since it was not very crowded and the weather was cool. If you are in good shape and do lots of hiking, there is no need to hit the trail before dawn for a day hike. I started a little before 7am and hit the summit just after noon. Conditions were perfect that day, so I could imagine it taking longer when ice is a big problem. The only tricky part of the hike was after cresting the ridge there is an area where the trail works horizontally and slightly down. Since it was still morning and that faced to the west, it was icy. The drop-offs in that area are--something you don't want to think about. I spent about an hour around the summit and really enjoyed the experience. In hindsight, an hour was too long at the summit since I started to get a headache from the altitude. I had slept in a cheesy motel in Lone Pine, so I really had no aclimation. The slope down the mountain is very conducive to jogging once you get back down past the switch-back section. So, getting back to the parking lot by 5pm was easy. That said, this probably only works when hiking alone. If you have a companion who wants to chat, share the view, or anything else, then it could probably take a lot longer. I think people tend to over-burden themselves for this hike rather than taking the fast in and out approach. The only thing I had in my backpack were six bottles of Gatorade and a few energy bars. I passed people shuffling along with poles, crampons, etc. So, yes, if you go to Whitney but have yourself prepared for Everest, it will be hard and take a long time. So, know thine enemy or mountain as the case may be!! read more

I hiked Mt. Whitney twice and summit once. We had to turn around the first time in September 2011 due to thunderstorm and hail. On June 4, 2012, my friends and I summit Whitney. I was shocked how dirty the trail is! There were at least 30-35 used swag bags containing human waste on the trail! Gross! People were supposed to take their shit back with them. The top is not as beautiful as I expect. The view is a 3 star compared to other trails I have been on. read more

Even if you don't have a permit and won't be camping, Mount Whitney is worth visiting for the scenery. There are several flat or downhill trails adjacent to the parking lot, along with the lake and waterfall. Be sure to take Whitney Portal Road instead of Moffat Ranch to enter, otherwise you will most likely get stuck in a half lane dirt road with no phone connection. read more

I am not sayin' yall are a bunch of sissy's but let's see my Grandfather and I went 2 years in a row because we tried to do it with out getting adjusted to the altitude and he turned back at the switchbacks and I made it half way up the switchbacks with some other hikers we met on the way but with out him there I had no one making me push and I was just 11!!!!! The next year we made it. it was right in the middle of the Los Angeles Summer Olympics 1984, I was born 1-22-1972. At the summit they have the sign in book. and it asks for your age No one else was even close to my age. Rest in peace Grand Pa, That was one of his last great Adventures in a life full of them. We had one more before he died. The 10 day Yosmite High Sierra Camps guided Hike. It was cool too. read more

The lower part of the trail is very well maintained. once you get passed the tree line it can be a little sketchy to find. My full review is at Desert-Fit.com at the link below: http://desert-fit.com/blog/2015/7/11/hiking-and-amateur-mountain-climbing-mistakes read more

great stop from Mammoth Lakes, but could not go all the way to the top, it was closed that day. still fun just taking a break with nice huge boulders- background on your pics. read more

We hiked to Lone Pine Lake, very enjoyable views along the way with some moderately strenuous parts along the trail. We went with a family of 5, teens and adults, it was about 2 hours to reach the lake, with many stops in between and 1+ hours back down. Enjoyed a hearty burger and well deserved beer at the café at the Mt Whitney Portal parking area. read more

Classic American mountaineering, great way to get away and enjoy life. I have been up three times taking the Mountaineers route so I cannot speak as to the other route. On this route there is plenty of water to keep your canteens full and cool off by. Several camp spots by high alpine ponds with spectacular views. The crowds are non-existent other than a few other climbers here and there but appear to largely keep to themselves and not bother you. read more

Classic hike. I day-hiked Mt. Whitney in early July 2014. Weather was mild on the way up (warm enough for shorts and tee shirt), and I wore a light wind jacket on the summit. On the way down it rained steadily from the switchbacks back to the portal, Gore Tex kept me dry. Two things I did before the hike that I think helped a lot were spending two nights at altitude before the hike (camping at Onion Valley), and drinking 4-6 liters of water the 2-3 days prior to the hike. The altitude can dry you out quickly so you've got to keep hydrated! Make sure you're well trained...go hard on your training hikes, and then go easier when you're hiking Mt. Whitney. In the month before the hike try to spend as much time hiking at altitude as you can so you're used to how it feels. read more

Way AWESOME!!! Group of 8 did a day hike. Departed in two groups at 2am and 4am. Did not expect the beautiful views/scenary including moon rise, sun rise (pink cliffs), the granite cliffs surrounding the valley, the ridge views both east and west. If you prepare well you are in for a wonderful treat. If not, it can bite. Beers at portal were great, hamburger tasted great only because we would have eaten anything. Alabama Cafe was fabulous for breakfast. read more

Arrived Friday morning of Labor Day w/e hoping to score a day permit. Scored one at the 2 pm lottery--over 40 unclaimed day passes were available for the following day. The 22 mile hike was spectacular. Next time I'll try the shorter mountaineering route. read more

my girlfriend and i did the hike on july 31, 2012...we had trained diligently for 4 months, alternating between mountain hikes (mt. baldy, mt. san gorgonio, mt. san jacinto) and long beach walks, anywhere between 10-22 miles, just to get used to the distance. try just walking 22 miles (the length of the hike) and see how you feel the next day as a gauge to see if you REALLY want to do this hike!! if you do, getting the permit is quite a task, so read up on getting one! we are no spring chickens at 48 years old, so we knew we had to be in shape...it still took us 17 hours total to get to the top and back! well, i made it, but my poor gf ran out of gas at trails crest, just 1.9 miles short of the summit. someone else here said to mind your mileage; i totally agree...know where you're going and what's coming up!!! slept in the car at the portal, on the trail at 4:00 a.m., off the trail at 8:45 p.m...way long, but awesome day! don't overpack!!! i carried less than 3L of water and a 20 oz gatorade, and came back with extras (no filter, either)...i ate an energy bar every 2 hours and a single jolly rancher candy every hour...drank water as necessary and still peed a couple of times on the trail! bring extra toilet paper if you even THINK you're going to use the wag bag... my jacket went back into my pack at sunup, my beanie and gloves never saw the light of day...wore just a hat, my columbia hiking pants and a long sleeve columbia dry-wick shirt... take trekking poles and wear REAL hiking shoes/boots..my trail runners were too slippery on the descent... have fun! read more

Love and HATE this place. Beautiful scenery and amazing to just get out of the city. Hate it because the altitude kicked my A%&. Though you need permits, you can apply via the lottery system and choose 15 dates. Every time I applied I received permits. Otherwise, you can show up early and obtain permits at the Interagency Center. Most people cancel. The downside - you need poop bags. That's right. You read that CORRECTLY. For those not familiar with the Whitney hiking policy, you will be given a poop bag per person when you pick up your permits and have to carry it around for you for however long you stay. Pack in Pack Out! When we hiked the first time, a bunch of Boy Scouts came in from Guitar Lake heading to the Portal. They had GLAD bags tied to their packs that were swaying back and forth while hiking down. One hit me on my arm and about died from the scent. They were out hiking/camping about 10 days. You can do this hike in a day RT, or if you're a super human, about 7-8 hours RT. We saw a guy running this mountain like he was taking a leisurely stroll. Every time we go, we do overnighters or 2. My pack is about 25 lbs. Have to buy or rent a bear tin. You can buy one online or rent at the Portal store for $2 a day. If you do the latter, be careful. Some of them smell like crap or vomit. If you do go, you have to check out the monstrous pancakes they offer at the portal store. If you do get permits, reserve a camping site at the Portal well in advanced. They fill up quickly. You can always show up early and try to get the walk-in sites. Everyone that's hiking Whitney is very friendly, so you can always find someone to share a site with or sleep in your car. I love coming here just to meet all the nice people. Everyone there has one goal and we all help each other to reach it. People share food, equipment, tips, sleeping sites, etc. So if you come unprepared, which I don't advise, but if you do, just ask someone for help. read more