Climbing Mt. Whitney
Log of Ascent:
The following is an account of the ascent of Mt. Whitney by Charlie
Farrell and Dexter Robinson, September 8-13, 1998.
Mt. Whitney (14,496'), is the highest point in the continental
US. Until Alaska joined the union, it was the highest point in the US.
We arrived in Las Vegas on a Tuesday, drove through Mojave desert and then north to Lone
Pine which is just east of the mountain. Mt. Whitney is nestled in with several other high
Sierra mountains that can been seen for many miles. For a couple mornings we watched
the sun rise on the mountains while eating breakfast - breathtaking!
On Wednesday we
drove up to the trailhead, Whitney Portal, to hike a short section of the main trail
to Lone Pine lake just to acclimatize a little. Wow, even at 8500 feet we felt the lack of
oxygen. We did only 5 miles that day.The
scenery was fantastic.
On Thursday, we drove 23 miles, to the next canyon south of Mt.
Whitney. The road switchbacked from 3700 feet to over 10,000 feet. It leveled off
and then led to a nice campground area. From here we headed off on foot to New Army pass,
elevation 12,000 feet. The trail was gorgeous with red pines, meadows, wildflowers, lakes
(with golden trout), and deer. We wanted to stay there longer and even joked about just
skipping Mt. Whitney and exploring this area some more. Thursday night we tanked up on
carbos (lasagna) for Friday's marathon hike.
On Friday we were up at 3 am, started hiking at 4:15 a.m.,
summitted Mt. Whitney at 12:45 p.m. and returned to the trailhead and car at 7:30 p.m.,
just before being "benighted". We started in darkness but the moon was so bright
against the white granite mountains that we did not have to use our headlamps
much. We stopped at Trail Camp, elevation 12,000 feet, to use the
restroom and fill up our water containers. The animals there enjoyed watching us.
The climb, so far, was easy. But after Trail Camp we encountered the steep
section with its infamous 97 switchbacks. Then, towards the top, a
snow field covered a switchback confusing everyone who just followed footprints that
led straight up the mountain to a ridgeline. We did not realize until our return trip that
we were off the trail and had cut out about 20 switchbacks! This section was real
tough with the lack of oxygen, steeper grade, and footing in the snow. From the
ridge, the last 2 miles and 1000 feet to the summit was hard and slow with another snow
field near the summit. On top we signed a register next to a stone
building/shelter, enjoyed the views,
and took a variety of pictures.
The trip down was pretty fast. We avoided one snow field by
following the real trail and then just skipped the one switchback with the snow. On
Saturday we headed back for Las Vegas via Death Valley (that is quite a place!). We
stopped at the historic Harmony Borax Works (remember 20 mule Borax?) We did not see
the mules but did see the ruins of the plant and huge "wagons" used to haul out
the stuff. We also stopped briefly at Badwater, -282 feet. The temperature
must have been 120 F. It was frightfully hot in the shade - all my left over
candy melted in the food bag. Returned to Las Vegas and flew home.
If you are thinking about
going:
Mt. Whitney lies in a restricted area of the Inyo National
Forest. You must have a "Wilderness Permit" to hike the main trail
from Lone Pine Lake to the summit between May 22 and October 15. There are several
places along the way to camp, however if you stay overnight you must have an additional
overnight permit. Although these can be requested 6 months in advance, they can be
difficult to obtain. For additional information, contact the Inyo National
Forest Wilderness Reservation Service, P.O. Box 430, Big Pine, CA 93513 (619) 938-1136, or
toll free, (888) 374-3773. Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., seven days a week. I
recommend using fax or snail mail to obtain permits. Phone lines are usually jammed
for the first few hours each morning.
When to go:
Unless you are looking for a more technical winter hike, June
through September are generally clear and dry. September, after Labor Day, was
recommended since students are back in school. We were pleasantly surprised at how few
people were on the trail. The nights in September are cooler, if not cold. Be
prepared for a big temperature difference between Lone Pine and the trail head.
Backpacking:
There are pros and cons to backpacking and staying at Trail Camp
(12,000 feet) and traveling light to the summit.
Pros - you can spread the trip out over 3 days rather than a one
day marathon. This also allows your body to better acclimatize.
Cons - the overnight permits can be difficult to obtain. Some people develop Acute
Mountain Sickness (AMS) while sleeping above 10,000 feet. There are no tent
platforms. You just find a flat rock area. You may have to wait to use
the restrooms - there are only two stalls (on the day we went there was only one in use).
The Mt. Whitney Trail:
The main trail from Whitney Portal to the summit is 21.4 miles
round trip. This may sound formidable but if you have hiked in the New Hampshire
White Mountains doing 8-15 mile hikes, this is not as bad as it sounds. The trail
conditions and grading are vastly different on the Mt. Whitney trail than most trails I
have hiked in the Whites. The trail is smooth (you can walk it carrying a
video camera) free of rocks and roots. The vertical rise averages 300 feet per mile
overall with numerous flat sections. The steepest ascent is the trail section
above Trail Camp which rises 1000 feet in 2.2 miles and contains 97 switchbacks.
*** Warning*** Last winters snows
lasted right through the summer. One or more switchbacks in the upper section were
covered by a snow field. No effort has been made to mark the correct
trail. Unless you are familiar with the trail or following those who are, you
may find yourself traversing the snow field by following someone else's footprints.
A ski pole and in-step crampons are recommended for crossing the snow. To skip this
snow field you must go off trail side-ways up the hill, effectively cutting off the
snow-covered switchback (this is the way we came down).
Following the Mt. Whitney trail is, for the most part, easy.
A trail map is not of much use or needed. However, a word of caution to folks
accustom to the trail markers of New England trails. Painted markers are
not used on the Mt. Whitney trail. Occasionally you will see a tree with a
rectangular hatchet mark through the bark. At Outpost Camp where there are few
trees, it is even possible to loose the trail unless you follow the line of carefully
placed rocks. Trail signs are few and far between, generally only at forks or side
trails. Mileages are not posted. Cairns, as we know them, are non-existent.
Allow yourself plenty of time if you plan to do it all in one
day. We started at 4 a.m. and finished just before dark at 7:30 p.m. Due
to a nearly full moon we did not have to use our headlamps much.
Acclimatization:
Although this is mentioned in many books about Mt. Whitney and
other 14,000 footers there is not much discussion about it. For those living at sea
level and/or hiking only to 6000 feet or so, this is the biggest challenge; not the trail
or length of hike. The Mt. Whitney trail is easy on your feet and legs in either
direction. Even at the trailhead, you will notice a big difference in your breathing
and effort required to walk uphill. Therefore, acclimatization is essential for a
comfortable and enjoyable hike.
We spent two days prior to the marathon hike trying to get adjusted
to the altitude. On the first day we hiked from Whitney Portal up to Lone Pine lake,
the trail section that does not require any permit. On the second day we hiked out
towards New Army Pass between 10,000 and 11,000 feet. Although these
conditioning hikes helped they did not prepare us for the difficulty we would encounter
above 12,000 feet. Not only was the trail steeper, but the air was thinner.
The last 2.5 miles to the summit was especially difficult and slow. It was
obvious that we should have spent more time hiking and sleeping at high elevation to
properly prepare for this hike.
Lone Pine and getting to
Mt. Whitney:
Unless you are hiking in from another trail in the Trans-Sierra
trail system, you will need to drive to Lone Pine. A post on the backcountry
Internet newsgroup asking whether it was better to fly to Las Vegas or to Los Angeles
resulted in a hands-down vote to fly to Las Vegas. Most people felt that Vegas,
although slightly farther away, was easier to get out of than Los Angeles. The ride
from Las Vegas to Lone Pine is about 4 1/2 - 5 hours on fast roads. On the
return to Las Vegas we visited Death Valley and completed our trip by stopping at
Badwater, the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere (-282 feet).
Lone Pine is a one main drag, one traffic light town with great
views of Mt. Whitney and the surrounding high Sierras. Sunrises are
breathtaking. The town contains about a half a dozen motels and restaurants.
The road from Lone Pine to Whitney Portal leaves from the center of town and passes
through the Alabama Hills, the countryside used for many Hop-a-Long Cassidy and Roy Rogers
shows as well as countless movies.
We stayed at the Portal Motel which turned out to be strategically
located near the center of town, across the street from an always-open restaurant and gas
station and just a block down from other restaurants and post office. The motel room
included a shower, microwave, small fridge, and TV - perfect accommodations for day hikers
($75/day). The restaurants are varied in price and venue. We
visited the "Pizza Factory", a regional chain, often. We ordered takeout
deli sandwiches for our day hikes.
Whitney Portal:
This is where the Mt. Whitney trail begins. It is a
wooded area with a nearby campground. Several parking lots offer parking to day and
overnight hikers. There is NO Forest Service Information center here, only the
Portal store which sells everything from postcards to clothing to lunch. Store
personnel can provide some information about the area. You cannot obtain a
permit here. You must go to the Forest service office in Lone Pine or Big Pine.
Books:
Climbing Mt. Whitney by Walt Wheelock & Wynne
Benti. The classic guide for hiking and backpacking the mountain.
Mt. Whitney: Hiker's and Climber's Guide by Helleg
& McDonald
Both can be ordered from the Adventurous
Traveler Bookstore
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