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Mount Whitney via Crabtree Meadow is a 16.8-mile out-and-back in the Sierra Nevada that climbs to the top of Mount Whitney (14,505’), the tallest peak in the contiguous United States.
- Trip Specs
- Planning
- Itinerary
- Notes, Tips, etc.
- Final Thoughts
Location:Inyo National Forest (Golden Trout Wilderness, John Muir Wilderness) ➡️ Sequoia National Park ➡️ Inyo National Forest (the Whitney Zone)Route:One-way from Cottonwood Lakes trailhead to Whitney Portal, via Old Army Pass, Mount Langley, Upper Soldier Lake, Miter Basin, Crabtree Pass/Lakes, the John Muir Trail, and the Whitney TrailStats:40 miles, ~14.5k total elevation gain, ~16k elevation loss, two 14ers, entire trip above 10k elevation (except exit at Whitney Portal)Dates:Aug. 21–26, 2020 (6 days and 5 nights, although we’d planned for 7 days/6 nights)This year’s trip was considerably less remote than last year’s trip to Alaska. Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the Lower 48 (sorry, Colorado), is a bucket-list summit for any altitude-inclined hiker. Our route, however, is considerably less-frequented than the typical out-and-back summit from Whitney Portal or even the three-week John Muir Trail...
Day 0
Drove from the Bay Area to Whitney Portal, dropped my car, hopped in with my companions to drive to Cottonwood Lakes trailhead, where we camped at the (very busy — and noisy) hiker campground. Enjoyed some easy takeout for dinner and the last cold beer for several days.
Day 1
Into the wilderness. From Cottonwood Lakes trailhead, we hiked to Cottonwood Lake #5. This is the perfect Day 1 of a high-altitude backpacking trip: distance and elevation gain are modest, allowing for flexibility and slow acclimation if anyone’s not feeling well. The Cottonwood Lakes area is quite busy — it seems to be a popular launching point for the southernmost 14er in the U.S. and for fisherfolks who want to try for golden trout but stick to a one-day out-and-back. We found a lovely but...
Day 2
We’d been warned about Army Pass from a fellow hiker: It’s unmaintained, a “bit of a scramble” compared to New Army Pass. And it looks pretty ugly from below. But there’s really no reason to worry — the trail is fine (as long as all the snow has melted). It’s a steep but short 1k up to the pass with just a couple of short rock-slide sections to navigate. After gaining Army Pass more quickly and easily than we anticipated, we made a game-time decision to summit Langley. The standard plan here...
I wouldn’t want to do this route in reverse, but you certainly could. Camp at Trail Camp on night 1, Guitar Lake for 2, and onward. Getting up to Trail Crest with a full pack sounds like hell (but Crabtree Pass might be slightly better coming in the opposite direction). Water is abundant throughout this route (lots of clean lakes and streams) excep...
One of my favorite backpacking trips ever. Doubled my 14er count, ✔️ Mount Whitney, and experienced one of my all-time favorite backcountry locations. The stats on this trip are eye-popping but honestly it didn’t feel as hard as it looks. I was encouraged by my fitness and ability to handle elevation, but again humbled by how quickly nature can tur...
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21.5 miles - Very Hard Effort. 12-16 Hours (Total) 6,960 Total Feet of Climbing. Max Elevation of 14,505 feet. No Dogs Allowed. The Mt Whitney hike is on every hiker's bucket list. At 14,505 feet, it's the highest point in the lower 48 and is one of those rare high peaks that you can hike to without any mountaineering skills.
May 1, 2024 · Mt. Whitney Trailhead Campground. Area Status: Open. Located in the "Ravine" on the east side of the overflow parking lot at Whitney Portal, all campsites are walk-in . Camping is not allowed in the parking lot. Sites have flat tent pads and bear proof food lockers. Restrooms are located at the parking lot.
The campground in the Whitney Portal Recreation Area provides a base for those acclimating to hike or climb Mount Whitney or to simply relax in the cool mountain air above the hot summer desert of Alabama Hills in the Owens River Valley. The main area is centered around the Whitney Portal Store in a pine forest at 8,000 feet along Lone Pine Creek.
Feb 27, 2024 · Whitney Portal Campground is the main campground at the trailhead, and reservations are required. Individual sites are released 6 months ahead of time on a rolling basis. Whitney Portal Campground has 43 sites and costs $26/night. Reservations can be made through Recreation.gov.
