Climbing Mt.Whitney

Mt. Whitney is a very special hike, but also an extremely challenging one. It’s the tallest mountain in the continental US and hikeable without special gear, and considered a must-do hike to those who are able. Here’s my experience on the hiker-friendly Mt. Whitney Trail!

Highlights

• Beautiful Scenery: There are stunning views all the way up to the summit.
• Entering Sequoia National Park: Gaining access to the park after a challenging climb felt like a significant achievement.

Lowlights

• Physical Strain: The climb, especially the 99 switchbacks, was physically demanding and demoralizing at times.
• Rocky Trails: The rocky terrain on the descent proved to be uncomfortable and tiring.
• Altitude Effects: Some members of the group experienced lightheadedness, highlighting the challenges of altitude acclimatization.

Logistics and Planning

Permits

A Whitney permit is required to day-hike or to backpack the trail. It is competitive and is given by lottery by the Forest Service in the Spring.

Camping

There is a handful of camping areas along the trail. Most people camp at Trail Camp about halfway to the summit, but there exists Outpost Camp (where we camped), Consultation Lake, and Lone Pine Lake. You may not camp in many other areas along the trail, or at the summit (not that you will want to!)

Safety

We encountered a lot of hikers that did not seem prepared for the grueling hike.

There were groups that were hiking out very late at night, or had to turn around because they did not bring enough water to summit or means to filter.

It is important to have a map, and know where to find reliable water sources and filtering them.

Know your limits.

Photo Essay

We started the big day like any great journey — with a chaotic flight and little sleep. Our flight to Ontario Airport was scheduled for early morning, about three hours from the trailhead. Even if everything went smoothly, we wouldn’t be able to start hiking from Whitney Portal until the afternoon.

Since it wasn’t feasible to reach the more popular Trail Camp, about seven miles in, we aimed to hike to Outpost Camp by sunset. This would allow us to acclimatize to the thinner air and compensate for the longer day by starting earlier.

We stopped by the ranger station in Lone Pine to inquire about conditions. A friendly and surprisingly relaxed ranger informed us that we could expect great weather, despite the heat and several afternoon thunderstorms earlier in the week. We also took the opportunity to pick up a few wag bags. This would be my first time packing out all of my waste, and I wasn’t exactly looking forward to the experience.

As we drove up to Whitney Portal, I was struck by the beauty of the landscape. The summit of Mt. Whitney seemed to rise majestically before us, though still far above our view, and the scorching heat of the desert floor quickly gave way to more tolerable temperatures suitable for hiking. After weighting our packs at the trailhead (there are more wag bags to take here!) and checking supplies, we set off. It wasn’t long before we entered the Whitney Zone!

We reached our campsite with some time to spare before sunset, quickly made dinner and set up camp. Outpost Camp was a beautiful spot to rest, with abundant water in little streams, and tons of trees to shelter from the wind.

With an alpine start ahead of us, I did not get good sleep, and I wonder if it was due to altitude, or worrying about the difficult day ahead.

The next morning, we broke up camp before sunrise, and started the long climb. We left most of our gear in the tent as we will be returning later in the day, and only needed to bring what is needed for a dayhike.

Along the way, we encountered many other hikers who shared their stories with us. We met an elderly couple who had hiked the mountain many times and were still attempting it despite some knee injuries. We also met first-timers who had started their day hike at midnight, well before us, and were still on high spirits.

As we climbed the granite rocky cliffs above Outpost Camp, the biome changed from a verdant pine forest to barren alpine rock fields. The worst was yet to come, but reaching Trail Camp was a good enough excuse to stop for breakfast. Some folks in my group started feeling a little light headed, but some meds and food helped. It was also a good spot to fil up on filtered stream water, as the water sources ahead are not always dependable.

Next, we faced the famous 99 switchbacks of the Mt. Whitney Trail. The trail was in excellent condition this late in the season, with snow being a non-issue. Climbing all those switchbacks was demoralizing, and we moved very slowly, but eventually, we made it up to the crest. As we ascended, we began to spot various alpine creatures, including hungry marmots and the loud squawks of pikas, though they all kept a good distance from us, unlike the aggressive marmots I have encountered in the Grand Tetons.

After gaining the crest ridge, we entered Sequoia National Park. This must have been the most effort I’ve ever put into reaching a national park. Maybe one day I’ll hike into Gates of the Arctic to beat this record. Still, we had a long two miles to the summit, which required hiking through the next section known as the Windows—a flat but grueling trail across exposed rock fields. We even heard loud rumbling a rockfall far in the distance.

Eventually, by 2 PM, we made it to the summit! Tired, we took a lunch break, snapped plenty of photos, signed the logbook, and then began our descent. We were only halfway through the day!

Heading back to camp was a real slog. The sun beat down harshly, and I discovered that I really don’t enjoy walking on rocky trails for hours. I returned to camp by sunset, moving at a slower pace than my usual downhill speed. Many other hikers were still making their way back to the parking lot, and groups passed our camp well into the night.

On our last day, we quickly packed up in the morning, went down back to the trailhead in record time and good spirits, and enjoyed a well-deserved burger and shower at Lone Pine!