Mt. Whitney?

[[old] nkoffler]

Obviously off topic.....<br><br>My brother in law is organizing a summer climb of Mt. Whitney. For those who don't know about Whitney, it is the highest peak in the continental U.S. at 14,500 ft. This is not a technical climb. The round-trip from the drive-in portal is 22 miles.<br><br>My basic question is has anyone on the forum done this climb. If so, any helpful hints would be appreciates covering topics from training (using the C2 and otherwise), outfitting, planning, etc.<br><br>Thank you,<br><br>Neil<br>M/LW/US/38

[[old] DavidA]

Neil,<br> I have done it a few times, camped out on the peak the last time. Where does your brother-in-law live? I ask because the biggest issue is the altitude, and you need to become aclimatized to the lower oxygen levels. It is a very popular climb, but many people just go do it without any real preparation, and come from the not too far away coastal area - they walk a few hundred meters, with just a knapsack, sit a rest a couple of minutes to catch their breath, repeat. This takes a loooong time. <br>If you prepare by doing some medium altitude hikes the weekends before that will help. If he has the time, another good way is to not start at the, relatively, near parking lot. That is just a day trip up and down. Rather start more in the foothills and aclimatize as you gradually get higher through a few days.<br>He should have a lot of fun.

[[old] nkoffler]

David-<br><br>Thanks. I'm thinking of joing him. He lives in El Dorado Hills (1200 ft.). I live in NYC (12 ft.) Neither of us are acclimated. He is in terrific shape. I erg a decent amount and can train for this. The plan would be to drive up to the portal and camp out until starting at 3:00 a.m. for a 12-15 hour roundtrip.<br><br>Clearly acclimation is our big concern. Any training tips?<br><br>Thanks,<br><br>Neil

[[old] rjdement]

Good for you, its a great trip and usually not hard at all, if you are fit enough to be on your feet for a moderate, but 12-hour, fitness test. I did it 4 times about 10 years ago when I lived in Pasadena, CA. I have a 3 page FAQ I can fax you that gives good info on a lot of stuff about the trail itself.<br><br><br>Twice we camped overnight at 12,000ft and twice I did it in one day, in about 12 hours each. (They sell a t-shirt that says "The Big-One in One Day") The one-day trips took about 12 hours (5am-5pm). It is a very good trail, and well marked, but can be hard on the feet. There can be some snow on the switchbacks between the 6 and 8mi marks at 12K to 14K elevatiion, but after you get to the trail crest at 14K it is pretty level along a spectacular 2.5 mile ridge to the top of Mt Whitney. That part gets sun and wind and is usually clear of snow, as is the top. But this is the tiring part since its all above 14K. In total, it is 11 miles (22 roundtrip) and starts at 8500 feet, so acclimatization is an issue. The Eastern Sierra town at the base of the mountain is Lone Pine at about 3000ft, but you can camp at the trail portal at 8500 ft. <br><br>Biggest challenges were:<br><br>Altitude - this can be a big deal. We would camp one day at the trail portal and go for an easy run that day up the first 2.5 miles of the trail to Lone Pine Lake at 10,000ft. Back down and sleep at 8500 and we had no altitude problems the next day. Headaches or worse otherwise, you may want to ask your Doc for a prescription for ????? (he'll know).<br><br>Footwear - You see lots of people in running shoes, sandals and even barefoot. But most don't make it except the runners. Trail is hard dirt at first, then rock, then fractured rock. We wore boots in case of snow, pinches, stone bruises, etc. (even for the run) If you wear boots break them in, including running in them. One friend wore new boots and lost all his toenails. The pounding downhill for 11 miles is what kills you. Take tape for blisters.<br><br>Distance - It is a long day. The last 3 miles on the return is maddeningly long since you can see the trail portal and the feet are tired from the pounding. A slow jog is good for this part if you can take it.<br><br>Weather - Might rain/snow but in late summer lightning is the big worry. Mostly in the afternoon so an early start gets you off the top by noon. It can be blazing hot, but gets really cold fast if rain/snow come in. Weather comes from the west and you are going up from the east, so you never know whats coming. But usually whatever happened yesterday, happens today. Don't forget sun block, there is no shade after Mirror Lake at 10,600.<br><br>Water - Take lots if it is hot the day before. Else take water purification tablets for the green stuff you will refill with at the lakes. <br><br>Food - You'll be sick of whatever you take along by the end of the day, so variety helps. When you get back have a huge steak at the store at the trailhead, or go into town for an even better one at the restaurant at the stop-light. (with the wagon wheel on the outside wall)<br><br>Frustration - You never see the mountain until the last 2.5 miles. You can see it from the road about 1/2 mile below the trail portal before you start, but then not again until you get to 14K. But there is lots of other spectacular stuff along the way, you just never see the damned mountain you're aiming for. Just remember that the answer to "Is that it?" is "No, not yet." But as you climb, you can almost see New York to the east, so it is worth it. Also, do not make the mistake of counting out-loud the 99 switchbacks between 12K and 14K to motivate your hiking buddies.<br><br>Have fun and don't forget to report back about it upon return. It been a while, so I wonder if anything has changed.

[[old] giniajim]

I did it some years ago, in 1971. Its not a technical climb, although there was a spot where there seemed to be year-round ice present, so some care was required. I camped out on the way up and on the way back, which made a nice weekend, but folks commonly do it in one or two days. Not sure what the camping regulations are now, but probably different than they were 30+ years ago. Might be worth checking before starting out. The hike from Whitney Portal is in a national forest if memory holds, and I seem to remember hearing something about reservations or checking in somewhere. Write about it when you get back to update us old timers.

[[old] rjdement]

If I recall the portal area and campgrounds are in a CA State Park, but about 2 miles up the trail you enter U.S. National Park for the rest of the way.<br><br>It been 10 years, but in 1993 you had 7 choices:<br><br>1. Up and back in one day (most popular for 1st timers, but most stressfull)<br><br>2. Overnite on the trail in one of 2 camps, one at 10,600 just below the timberline, or one at 12,000 in a granite bowl at the base of the 99 switchbacks. Back then, the limit for trail passes was 50 per night. They issue them by lottery in January, so you need to get working on it if you want one. You have a good chance to get one if you are not picky about what night. You have a slim chance to get one if you specify your three top choices.<br><br>3. Stay in one of 30 drive-in campsites at the portal. They were first-come-first- serve, and the strategy was to stay at a cheap motel down in Lone Pine, get up at dawn and drive up to wait for someone to leave. But you still then had to either do the up-and-back in one day or have a trail camp pass.<br><br>4. Stay in a climbers campground at the base of the trail across from the parking lot. Very crowded and noisy since it was full of people who didn't have trail passes nor a drive-in camp site, but who were still determined to give it a shot in one day. Basically it was just an accommodation for people who were willing to sleep next to the parking lot after driving all the way to get there and being shut out.<br><br>5. Reserve one of the 2 group campsites they set aside for groups of about 10-15. These also have to be booked early, but of course you need to know if and when you have a trail camp pass, and you need to have a group.<br><br>6. Stay in a campground at the base of the canyon (I think it is called Lone Pine Creek at about 3500 ft) which was suggested in an earlier post. Then either hike the long but beautiful trout filled creek up the canyon all the way to the portal at 8500, and deal with the above. Or drive up in the am (about 30-45min) to go for either a campsite or to begin your early morning one day sprint.<br><br>7. Enter the range from one of the other nearby passes which are not nearly as crowded, and have fewer restrictions on overnite stays. One to consider is Cottonwood Meadows just south of Lone Pine. It is a drive-in horse packing campground (each site actually has a coral and room for a horse trailer) at over 10,000 feet right at the timberline on the edge of the Golden Trout Wlderness. It is worth the drive just to look around. From there it is not too far to the John Muir trial which intersects the trail to the top of Mt Whitney.<br><br><br>I've done all but #4, #6, and the Whitney part of #7. They are all great. Just depends on the weather, the company, and the time pressures you face.<br><br>Have a great trip!

[[old] SimonB]

Hi<br><br>All of the posts have offered good advice. I'm not a climber, but have done many many miles of long distances walking when I lived in the UK (+30 miles).<br><br>The one thing that really helps those tired muscles on the return trips is Asprin. <br>Believe it or not, it breathes new life into tired aching muscles. I am not sure why this is, maybe it's just the pain killing effects, but I suspect it's more of the anti-inflammatory benefits. <br><br>I have been able to get another 10 miles out of my legs by taking two 325mg Asprin. You really do feel like someone has given you a spare set of legs.<br><br>Anyway, good luck, let us know how it goes and and post some pictures !!! <br><br>

[[old] rjdement]

By the way, if you really want a challenge, there is a race run from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney. It is about 50-75mi I think, and the idea is to go from the lowest spot in the continental U.S. to the highest. That's from -36ft (below sea level) to 14,494ft above. Fortunately, its not an out-and-back. Sounds kinda hard though...

[[old] grandslam]

The lowest point, and the start of the 135 mile race in the summer is at Badwater. The race course officially ends at the Whitney portals (trailhead). Some folks continue up the last 11 miles to the summit with a permit.<br><br>I attempted the 11 mile climb last summer, (after completing the 135 mile course, unaided, solo, carrying all my own supplies-water,food,etc, in a fabricated cart, 125-130F much of the way} but failed to reach the summit after going into hypothermia as it got dark on the mountain. <br><br>Good luck,<br><br>Jeff Sauter

[[old] rjdement]

Holy Cow! That's truly amazing. Way to go.

[[old] CAROLE MAC]

Although I have never done Mt Whitney and being a brit not likely to either , last year I did the Three Yorkshire peaks. This is a walk of 26 miles which takes you up and down three mountains and again is not technical but is a hell of a hike <a href='http://www.walkingontheweb.co.uk/Define ... kshire.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.walkingontheweb.co.uk/Define ... ire.htm</a> a hike . <br><br>I did the walk in 9 and half hours including a stop for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed it . I did it on the longest day of the year and the weather was glorious praps a tad too hot but the views were fantastic and the company twenty of us from work but we split up into groups of three or four my group being three loopy ladies and I don't think we stopped talking much apart from the rocky outcrops at the top which were very steep we changed the world that day lol . <br><br>The advice I would give is have plenty of water before and during and snacky things you can eat as you walk .. wear two pairs of socks to avoid any blisters and a pair of walking boots that are worn in .Make sure you have a map and compass to and familarise yourself with the route (I was gobsmacked how many people set off without a map it can be so dangerous if the weather turns ) . <br><br><br>Hope some of that ramble helps .. (hee hee)

[[old] Franko]

Hey, I've done this hike/climb too. Quite a few years ago, but in terms of the effort; nothing has changed. My main memory is of the amazing high altitude headache I had. I actually don't remember much of the top. Only the pounding in my head. Drink lots of water. More than you think you need. There is a place on the trail when you come around a corner and there before you is the real Whitney wall. 2000+ feet straight to the top of the ridge. It sure impressed me.<br>The view into the King river drainage is pretty impressive too. Good climbing to you! Franko