Whitney is no everest, it does take preparation and planning to summit the tallest mountain in the continental united states. Climb mount whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 states, via the more scenic and less crowded route. Whitneyhas sold more copies than any other guide to the peak, standing on its own merits as the best whitney trail guide of all time. Mount whitney is the tallest mountain in the contiguous united states and the sierra nevada, with an elevation of 14,505 feet 4,421 m. Hiking and climbing thats great for families, couples, and kids. Whitney is the highest peak in the lower 48 states and as such is a great introduction to summer alpine climbing.
Pack stock will ease our burden as we travel between camps along scenic highcoutry sections of the famous john muir trail and pacific crest national scenic trail enroute to the highest summit in the lower 48. Whitney has all the usual tidbits youll need to know, including how best to secure a permit, what to bring, and what to expect. This is the trailhead for both the mount whitney trail and the mountaineers route as well as many other mountaineering and climbing routes on mount whitney, mount russell, and mount carillon. This is a good, thorough book to prepare for hiking mt. Whitney has sold more copies than any other guide to the peak, standing on its own merits as the best whitney trail guide of all time. Everything you need to know to successfully hike californias highest peak wenk, elizabeth on. As a premier fastnlight climber, croft naturally includes a section on how to climb mount whitney in a day, making the case that the unburdened day hiker enjoys a freer, more spontaneous experience. You can climb all the way to the top of mount whitney and back in one day if youre in good shape and prepared properly for the journey. A valid overnight permit or day use permit is required. Although mount whitney is a very challenging climb, it need not be a technical one. Whitney is the highest peak in the lower 48 states and as such is the goal of many a hiker and mountaineer. Whitney by chris marks philip werner chris marks, destinations make no mistake about it, while the 22 mile trail to the top of mt. Circumnavigating mount shasta far better than climbing is going around its warm fertile base, enjoying its bounties like a bee circling around a bank of flowers.
This is an excellent book for the older hiker who does not have a background in the sport or a history of exercising. Bolam trailhead while this trail leads to summit routes headed up the whitney glacier, it also provides access to whitney falls, one of mount shastas better albeit fickle waterfalls. Whitney summit climb with international mountain guides. Things nobody tells you about hiking mt whitney upon 2020. You can then mouse over and click on the right side of the full image to go to the next one. Whitney lies on the boundary of sequoia national park and inyo national forest. Over the years, many have contributed to climbing mt. The start of the hike, the mt whitney portal has everything from campsites and waterfalls to a restaurant and fishing lake. Whitney can expect to view picturesque sunrises, giant granite peaks and. Climbing the lower 48s tallest mountain mt whitney in 3 minutes.
It was my first time on the mountain and the first time camping at whitney portal. Tom condon, andy zdon, marty lewis, andy selters, john moynier, dee molenaar, ruth daly and coauthor, wynne benti. When hiking the trail i felt like i knew the way and what mile marker would be next just from reading this book. Russell are wellknown and popular objectives to the alpine rock climber. Permits are required year round for entry into the mt. Written and published in the eastern sierra, and printed in the usa, climbing mt. Very fit hikers can walk the trail to the top, even without ropes and carabiners. Written and published in the eastern sierra, since its first publication a halfcentury ago, climbing mt.
Climb mt whitney mountain climbers will appreciate the steep eastern side of the mountain, while backpackers and hikers undertaking the challenging hike on the western side of mt. I managed to summit mount whitney in a day this week. Mt whitney is hands down one of the top 5 best mountains i have personally ever climbed. Climbing mount whitney by peter croft, paperback barnes. Climb mt whitney and the remote backcountry wilderness of sequoia national park. People travel from all over the world to stand on the summit of mt. It is located in eastcentral california, on the boundary between californias inyo and tulare counties, 84. Summit fever, a lack of mountaineering skills, and the influence of social media are leading to serious accidents on mount whitney. Things nobody tells you about hiking mt whitney johannes ernst august 5, 2016 personal. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Beyond the physical superlatives, hiking the mount whitney trail is a beautiful experience in and of itself, and its very doable for southern californians. Climbing mt whitney in northern california moon travel. It is not a training manual, but rather a brief summation of training and it gives excellent advice on acclimating before tackling whitney.
Even if you are not planning to hike it, there is a plethora of information about history, terrain and what to expect. Our objective was mount muir but i had fun summitting whitney twice in one day. Wanting to bypass the annoyance of getting an overnight permit we decided to climb the east face of whitney in one long day. Ice axes and crampons are needed in spring and early summer, but technical climbing equipment is not usually necessary between midjuly and early october. Join sws mountain guides on one of our most popular trips a guided climb of mt. Reaching the summit was exhilarating but only a portion of the fun. Whitney is a gem that every californian should experience. Whitney s east face is but one of dozens of prominent alpine features in the area. How to get a permit for mt whitney timberline trails. Show all routes trad sport toprope boulder ice aid mixed alpine l r r l a z. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. A wellmaintained trail on the south side takes the vast majority of these people to the top and back. Too many inexperienced people are climbing whitney.
Take us395 to lone pine and then turn west on whitney portal road. So its no wonder that the climbing routes on whitney, and its neighbor to the north, mt. Hike mt whitney guided mount whitney hiking pack trips. A simple slip claimed the life of 25year seattle climbing veteran lee adams in 2010 when he slid into a crevasse while guiding three others on a descent of the emmons route on the same sunny. Whitney, which at 14,494 feet is californias highest point and the highest peak in. Acute mountain sickness does not work like this, which so many books and blog posts make you believe. Please wait for all thumbnail images below to load, then click on any one to see the full photo.
Jenny says her first trip climbing mount whitney was accidental. We had fun climbing the ledges in the center of the gully that leads to the crapper on the summit plateau. After only about 5 minutes on the summit, a summit shot for the records, and a signature in the book, i made my way down and started feeling way better with each step. We take a leasurely five days to hike to the top of whitney via the spectacular cottonwood pass route, passing through the golden trout wilderness and entering deep into sequoia national park. Also includes other legal requirements and vital information that you will need to know for planning a successful trip up mount whitney. She took a trip with her boyfriend to get away and she discovered a love for hiking. Whitney is the interagency visitor center on highway 395, just south of the town of lone pine on the east side of the sierra.
Use the wire affixed to the permit to attach your permit to your gear. There is some prep work you need to do, like getting your mt whitney permit and dealing with the altitude. It encourages a one day ascent and gives an outline of what you should be doing on the days before a one day attempt. Whitney can expect to view picturesque sunrises, giant granite peaks and even encounter strange little animals called marmots. Information about getting a permit for climbing, hiking, and backpacking on mount whitney. Jenny kotlyar talks about climbing mount whitney and how it forever changed her. Learn all about the lottery process for obtaining a permit in advance. Its the perfect way to enjoy lone pine while on vacation, teambuilding or just trying to get a great work out. A 29yearold forest ranger from bishop claimed a 2hour, 8 12minute speed record tuesday for climbing mt.
Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Everything you need to know to successfully hike californias highest peak. Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with reallife experiences and advice from fellow climbers. Although the hike is nontechnical, wouldbe hikers need to be prepared for the altitude, long distance, elevation gain, mountain weather, and other potential dangers. The mt whitney hike is on every hikers bucket list. How to climb mount whitney in one day by sharon bakersalony. Whitney used to be reserved for the daring or adventurous climber, now it seems everyone and their uncle is attempting it, often with disastrous results. At an elevation of 14,501 feet, mount whitney is the tallest mountain in california and the tallest peak in the lower 48. Where this book stands out is the training and acclimatization advice. At 14,505 feet, its the highest point in the lower 48 and is one of those rare high peaks that you can hike to without any mountaineering skills. You could spend a lot of time just camping here and taking in the sites without even going on the mt.