Pets allowed
Not Allowed
Elevation Gain
6,100.00 ft (1,859.28 m)
Trail type
There-and-back
Distance
22.00 mi (35.41 km)
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

First called Fisherman’s Peak after the group of fishermen that reached the summit in 1873, California's Mount Whitney stands at 14,505 feet and is the highest summit in the contiguous United States. Thousands enjoy hiking Mount Whitney each year for premiere Serra Nevada views, whether on the lower trails on the mountain’s flanks or on one of the major approaches to the summit. Of these approaches, hiking on the Mount Whitney Trail that leaves from Whitney Portal is the most popular and accessible choice (for examples of alternative hikes, see the Cottonwood Pack Station and Mountaineers Route articles).

The 22-mile round-trip Mount Whitney Trail is often a hiker’s first experience with high-altitudes, which is certainly a factor to consider when planning the pace of an ascent. Strong and experienced hikers can complete the Mount Whitney Trail in one long day, but for most, a two-day approach provides much needed time for rest and acclimatization. Many hikers on this two-day schedule will camp at Trail Camp, which sits at 12,039 feet and a little over 6 miles from the trailhead. Outpost Camp, at 10,360 feet, is another good option.

The 4-hour hike from the Whitney Portal Trailhead to Trail Camp includes stream crossings, bridges, a variety of alpine flowers in the summer, a potential side-hike to Lone Pine Lake, and a constant view of the extraordinary ridges and mountains that surround the trail. The camp has plenty of dedicated sites, and a small lake nearby for a summer water source (filtering is essential). If you do camp in the area, keep in mind that marmot activity is very high; protect your food and your belongings in bear-proof containers and make sure your trash is neatly packed away.

An alpine start around 2 a.m. is not unusual on summit day. Light trails from the headlamps of fellow hikers are visible toward the trail crest in the early morning. A grueling section of ascent known as the 99 switchbacks awaits, though you can console yourself that it is really only 97 switchbacks to Trail Crest, where the John Muir Trail intersects with the Mount Whitney Trail. If you reach Trail Crest by sunrise, you will have incredible views of Mount Hitchcock and Hitchcock Lakes west of the trail. From Trail Crest, you’ll have another 2 miles or so to the summit. A lonely shelter sits atop the peak, and you’ll find a summit book to record your achievement in a box on an outside wall. Once you’ve appreciated the summit views, the daylight descent provides new views of Sequoia National Park. While retracing the 99 switchbacks to camp and then continuing on to the trailhead can feel grueling, the sense of accomplishment and the splendid views are palpable.

This particular trail and camp approach is very popular, and any effort to minimize trail and camping impact is essential. Practice a Leave No Trace ethic, which includes packing out all waste once on the trail. Also, the Forest Service has prepared some helpful planning materials. Finally, be sure to prepare yourself for the trip by understanding the terrain, the weather, the area wildlife, and the tricky lottery permitting system. The Whitney Portal hike to Mount Whitney's summit is one of the most rewarding hikes in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, so be sure to take the endeavor seriously to ensure a successful and enjoyable trip.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

High

Parking Pass

Not Required

Pros

Amazing views. Wildflowers. Alpine lakes.

Cons

Crowded. Permits are difficlut to obtain. Bear and marmot country.

Trailhead Elevation

8,360.00 ft (2,548.13 m)

Features

Backcountry camping
Mountaineering
Rock climbing
Big vistas
Wildflowers
Fishing

Location

Nearby Lodging + Camping

Comments

07/08/2017
I've done this hike 3 times. First as a three day trip (up to the last lake for the first day, lake to summit and back for second day, Lake to trailhead the third day), Then two day trip (up to the last lake for the first day, then summit and back down to trailhead the next day). And, as a one day hike starting out at O'dark 30 in the morning. The three day trip was the most comfortable.

On one of the trips, we passed by a boulder, right around the Trail Crest area, that had a large bronze plaque attached to it. The plaque detailed the dangers of electrical storms on the summit. We laughed it off.

As someone mentioned above, mountains create their own weather. On the summit, I was posing for a photo, when my buddy said 'dude, why is your hair standing on end?' I had shoulder length hair at the time, and it was all standing straight up. It was a perfectly clear blue sky, but there were clouds rolling in from the West. I shouted 'we've got to take cover!'.

We ran for the stone hut, but it was already pretty crowded, and a bit rank, so, we opted to stand outside. Soon, there was rain, hail and lightning all around. I learned an important lesson that day... people, if they bothered to cast a warning in bronze, you should read it carefully and take heed!
03/05/2017
This is a breathtakingly beautiful hike -and gratifyingly so upon reaching the summit. One of the great hikes!
02/17/2017
Summiting Mt. Whitney a couple summers ago was a proud achievement for me. I grew up visiting Mammoth Lakes on ski trips passing through Lone Pine while en route along US 395, a town which serves as a staging area of sorts for most Whitney visitors. For years I would longingly gaze up at the peak, starting at a young age when my dad told me how to spot it. Climbing to a summit like that seemed like an exhilarating prospect, and tantalizingly doable for a "normal" person (though few have ever given me that title). Having started hiking the year before, gradually working up to longer and more strenuous routes in the San Diego area and throughout southern California, and working on getting into reasonably good shape, the timing seemed right to tackle Mt Whitney in June 2015. Living at 400 ft elevation doesn't offer much acclimatization benefit, so I stayed in Lone Pine the first night, camped at Whitney Portal the next, and finally at Trail Camp the night before my summit day. It was during my stay there that I had sufficient contemplation time to come to the conclusion that Outpost Camp and Trail Camp are named backwards, but it shouldn't affect your trip any more than it did mine. Camping at 12,000 ft, seeing the stars at night, and the sunrise on the rocky Sierra crags in the morning answers any question as to whether one should do this hike in a day. They should not. My acclimatization and training efforts paid off, and I will never forget the feeling of seeing the summit hut roof peak into view over the horizon approaching the summit. I was exhausted but almost running towards it with excitement. The accomplishment set in while looking down at the town of Lone Pine nearly 11,000 ft below, the place from which all those years I looked to the point I now stood, wondering what it would be like, or if I would ever experience it. A feeling like that has for me, only been something I've known while standing on top of a mountain after an arduous hike, during which it's hard not to wonder if the effort makes much sense. Looking back on that day, I hardly remember those struggles, only that feeling on the summit.
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