Vegas, Whitney and the High Sierra, Part 2

[bcborder]

Mount Whitney

The Ranger Station at Lone Pine releases unclaimed Mount Whitney permits at 11:00 AM every morning. I got there at 10:30 AM Monday August 3. I thought I might get a day hike permit or maybe the Mountaineers Route (which was free of snow). At 11:00, all parties waiting for permits draw a number to order the permit line. There were 11 parties, I drew number 1. My first choice was an overnight permit on the Mt. Whitney trail which I got and I had the option of starting that same day (normally you enter the next day). I don't think being first mattered much. I saw two day hikers the next day that had got to the ranger station at 4:30 PM and got the last two unclaimed day hiker permits.

I was well acclimated and would have been ready to do the Mount Whitney trail as a day hike. It's a long day though at 22 miles, 6600' elevation gain and I was glad to be able to camp out and really enjoy the trail. I camped out near Consultation Lake, which was beautiful. I did have a cold night though with wind and temps in the low 30's, big change from Death Valley.

Campsite at Consultation Lake

The Mount Whitney Trail is a little bit like the Tucks trail, except everyone has to have a permit, and you can mostly camp where you want.

I had a windy summit day and decided to camp out at Lone Pine Lake instead of hiking all the way out at paying for a hotel.

Photos:

http://picasaweb.google.com/bcborder/MountWhitney#

To be continued...

 

[Craig]

Great photos of Whitney. Glad you had good weather for what looks like a fun trip.
Congrats.

 

[giggy]

great report - never been to the high seirra, though always planning too..

cascades, high seirra, rockies, tetons, etc.. where next? I don't know...

 

[bcborder]

Sierra weather couldn't be better

great report - never been to the high seirra, though always planning too..

cascades, high seirra, rockies, tetons, etc.. where next? I don't know...

I'm going to have agree with a previous post by Kevin Rooney in Part 3 of this TR. For hiking, scrambling and rock climbing, I'd say the Sierras are #1.

I have never gotten bad weather on any of my trips (although forest fire smoke one year wasn't great). I love Colorado, the Cascades, and the Tetons but I've always gotten at least some thunderstorms in the summer.

The Sawtooths, Wind River Range, and Banff area (in the summer) are on the top of my places not yet visited list.