Mount Whitney
Standing at 14,505 feet, Mount Whitney is the tallest mountain in the lower 48. One of my good friends and I decided to hike it for the 4th of July. We began our journey from Lone Pine, California.
Day 1: We spent the first day camping at Tuttle Creek Campground which is located in Alabama Hills. For those who are laser focused on climbing Mount Whitney, I highly recommend taking a day enjoying Alabama Hills. Plan to get to the campground early as there are no reservations. The price is more than reasonable (around $8 a night, cash only). The views at the campground are amazing and the snowcapped Sierra Nevada Mountains provide a picturesque backdrop. The creek also runs through the campground and adds to the tranquility of staying there. After setting up camp we explored Alabama Hills and checked out Mobius Arch, Heart Rock (also adeptly referred to as Jabba the Hutt rock by me and my hiking partner), and the Eye of the Alabama Hills. I also recommend getting your permit for Mount Whitney well in advance. I was able to get a one day permit in advance and luckily enough went to Ranger Station/Visitor Center in Lone Pine twice to enter the lottery for an overnight permit. I luckily got one in the last lottery drawing. Hiking Mount Whitney in one day, while doable, is incredibly difficult and only I would recommend it for the very few who are not just in great shape but also are experienced hikers at high and long elevation.
Day 2: Started at Whitney Portal and hiked to Trail Camp. We started approximately at 8:00 am and did not reach Trail Camp until around 3/3:30 pm. We made friends with the workers at the campground snack and gear shop who showed us a short cut to avoid a river crossing early on in our hike. Highly recommend following the same trail as keeping boots and socks dry on the trail is always a plus. Because of the shortcut we covered a little over 5.8 miles on the first day. For those looking to take a more leisurely approach or want to take some time acclimating I recommend staying the first night at Outpost Camp. The elevation of Trail Camp is approximately 12,000 feet which, at best, can cause a rough night’s sleep for those who are not used to that sort of elevation. Outpost Camp is at about 10,400 feet which is still high up there but allows for more opportunity to acclimate. Make sure to pause and take in the views at Mirror Lake during your hike. The Sierra Nevada range experienced record snowfalls the year I hiked. Even before coming within site of Consultation Lake, there was deep and slushy snow that I had to battle. Make sure to bring WAG bags to pack out your waste. Waste does not breakdown at the high elevation and a downside of staying at Trail Camp is the smell of the human waste from people who left behind their WAG bags. Please do not contribute to the problem.
Day 3: I woke up at around 3:00 am with the goal to begin our climb at 4:00 am. I packed lightly and only brought the essentials I needed for the day. The idea was that I would break camp after my return from the summit. The route up was full of snow and in order to make the summit the approach I had to take was the chute next to the 99 Switchbacks. Because of the snow and ice, I needed an ice axe and crampons to climb the chute which took me approximately 2 hours to complete (the distance was less than a mile). I recommend the 99 Switchback route up instead. As long as there is no snow, the 99 Switchbacks is an option and does not require any mountaineering techniques or specialized gear. Once getting through the chute there is still more hiking before getting to the summit as you navigate through the granite walls of the mountain. After enjoying the summit, I returned to my site at Trail Camp at approximately noon. I quickly ate lunch, broke camp and continued my descent. I was hiking very quickly and it took me quite some time to still get back to my car.
Mount Whitney is an amazing hike. The journey up is a great experience and as long as a hiker understands his or her limits, it is a safe and rewarding hike.
Almost at the top of the Mountaineer’s route at sunrise. Photo courtesy of Ryan Szarowicz (@ryszar18).
I woke up at 3:00 am. It was cold. I had a hard time believing how cold it was considering it was July 3rd. Sitting at 12,000 feet at Trail Camp, the snow re-froze over night. Temperatures must were below freezing. I lace up my boots and go to grab my bear canister. There are no bears at 12,000 feet but there are plenty of marmots who would be thrilled to get whatever food was not protected by a bear canister. I begin to quickly eat a cold breakfast. I know there is not much time to spare. I need to get up the chute before the snow and ice begin to thaw which would render my crampons useless.
A little before 4:00 am I grab my backpack with just enough supplies for the summit. Guided by the light of my headlamp my hiking partner and I are the first to begin that day. The snow was firm and my crampons and ice axe aided me up the route. My heart was pounding and I feared one false step would result in me sliding into the large boulders that surrounded me. Little did I know that the climb up would be safer than the descent.
I get to the top of the chute a little after sunrise. Glad to have that behind me, I start hiking through the winding granite walls before reaching the summit of Mount Whitney. After enjoying the views of the summit, and nursing some high altitude sickness, my hiking partner and I begin our descent. I get to the top of the chute around noon. At this point in the day the sun turned all the snow to slush. The route was no longer covered with firm snow that my crampons could grip but now a mixture of wet, slushy snow. I had no traction.
Within a few steps of my descent I learn how treacherous the slushy snow can be as I lose my footing and begin to slide towards the boulders. I quickly execute a self arrest and I come to a stop. My first self arrest, without much prior practice, was luckily a success. I execute numerous self arrests as I continue my descent. My heart stops each time, worried that I could slide into the giant boulders. I still have a ways to go but once I clear the boulders I start the best and quickest way down, which is to glissade. Feeling like a little kid again, I slide down in the snow using my ice axe to steer and slow down.
I get back to my tent at Trail Camp. I begin to break camp and pack my gear. I am not thinking about the miles I need to cover in order to get back to my car before nightfall. Instead, I am enthralled with the rush of summitting Mount Whitney, glissading down Mountaineer’s Route, and the giant burger I was going to eat once I got back into Lone Pine.