Seeking Whitney Advice: Lottery Winner

[Hiker_Sweeney]

HI All,

I was so pleasantly surprised to receive an email this week that I have WON an overnight permit to summit Mt. Whitney in early September.

I am seeking recommendations on routes...our permit begins on Friday, so was thinking an itinerary as such:
1) Thursday night - camp at Whitney Portal
2) Friday night - camp mid-way (or more) up Whitney. Wake up super early to summit Saturday morning.

From there on, I'm not sure what else to do. I am definitely interested in spending Saturday, and maybe even Sunday, out on the trail, but would love to loop back to Whitney portal at the end (so don't have to shuttle cars).

Any and all advice appreciated!

Yours truly,

One lucky lottery winner.

[bobby49]

This is a strange question. Most people would plan this out and know what they are stepping into before entering the lottery. Obviously you must be going up the main trail on the east side starting from Whitney Portal. The most typical place to camp is at 12,000 feet, Trail Camp. That is also a likely place to develop high altitude problems if you haven't been high like that before. There is another place, lower at Outpost Camp. It makes some sense if you know that Trail Camp will be a problem. Too much of this depends on what you as an individual are capable of doing safely.

Now, I don't know which direction you are coming from before you pick up your permit. However, it would be excellent if you can spend a night or two or three at some intermediate camping spot right before you get to Lone Pine. Personally, I used to camp for two or three nights high in the White Mountains, and then head for Lone Pine. That would include a dayhike on White Mountain Peak. Part of the problem here is that we really do not know what places will be open by September due to the pandemic. Also note that September is a little late in the season, and often snow storms will be hitting the high country by then. Personally, I did forty consecutive annual dayhikes on the Whitney Trail. The earliest that I ever went was around July 1, and the latest was around August 15, so I am not a complete fool about conditions on that trail. Keep in mind that trying to dayhike up and down over 6000 feet of trail elevation will kick your butt, so it isn't for everybody. I recommend that you spend as much time as possible at moderately high elevation between June and September. Always take it easy for the first day, and then keep increasing how much you push after that. Good luck.

[Wandering Daisy]

This has nothing to do with altitude adjustment. But, personally, I think Outpost is a much nicer campsite then Trail Camp and still quite scenic (with trees so preferable if weather is poor) and a nice little stream for water, as well as a waterfall. Trail Camp is very exposed, limited good campsites, dirty, and with a poorer quality water source and very crowded; but is very scenic. Either camp, be sure to bring your ear-plugs! I have also camped at Lone Pine Lake (it is NOT in the Whitney Zone, so you do not need a Whitney Zone permit to camp there. You would need to ask, because I did that years ago, and they may not allow that now. If you fish, after your climb, camp at Consultation Lake; they stock it with rainbow trout. Nobody camps down there. I have camped there twice with only one other tent. It is a bit tricky to get to (no trail; either down a gully that can be snow filled or class 2-3 rock scrambling) from the trail and is very scenic with nice grassy or flat sandy campsites, but no trees.

If you have a Whitney Permit for Friday-Saturday only, and want to wander around more and return to Whitney Portal, you need another Whitney Exit Permit, unless the permit you now have includes those days. I am really not sure what you mean by spending Saturday and Sunday "out on the trial".

[bobby49]

Nobody camps down there.

Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded.

Years ago, the famous Grandma Whitney used to do the main Whitney Trail every year with her family. However, due to her advanced age (she summited at age 89), her family had to carry everything and do everything to make her trip easier. So, they would start from Whitney Portal and spend a night at Outpost Camp. Then spend a second night at Trail Camp. Then they would make the dash to the summit and back to Trail Camp. Then the last day was going to Whitney Portal. Some people will hold a permit allowing that. Others won't.

Incidentally, I met her in the flesh one year. I was coming down from the summit and she and her family were going up near the top of the Switchbacks. She was inspiration to us all.

[mort]

I was so pleasantly surprised to receive an email this week that I have WON an overnight permit to summit Mt. Whitney in early September.

Hi Hiker_Sweeney,
Yea! Hope you have a great time. September seems like a long way off now, and I'm assuming what you have is a reservation to get a permit. Possibly to be picked up in Lone Pine? I hope this is back to normal by then:

Inyo National Forest Offers Virtual Services in Response to COVID-19

Inyo National Forest is closing offices and implementing virtual services to protect the health and safety of employees and members of the public during the COVID-19 outbreak in accordance with guidance from federal and state authorities.

Customers needing information, permits and maps are encouraged to call during regular business hours for customer service:

Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center:760-924-5500
White Mountain Ranger Station and Bishop Supervisor’s Office: 760-873-2400
Eastern Sierra Visitor Center, Lone Pine: 760-876-6200
...

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/new ... EPRD712871

-mort