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EspañolMOUNT WHITNEY TRAIL
(Redirected from Whitney Portal)
The 'Mount Whitney Trail' is a trail that ascends Mount Whitney. It starts at 'Whitney Portal' at 8,360' (2,548 m), 13 miles (21 km) west of the town of Lone Pine, California. The hike is about 22 miles (35.4 km) round trip with an elevation gain of over 6,100 ft (1,859 m). This trail is extremely popular and its access is restricted between May 1st and November 1st, permitting 60 backpackers and 100 day hikers daily for the MWT.
Camping is allowed along most of the trail, more than 100 feet (30 m) from water, but level ground that meets that description is extremely limited, so most backpackers congregate in two camps. Outpost Camp, the lower of the two camps, is 3.8 miles (6.1 km) west of the trailhead at 10,365' (3,159 m), near a waterfall in a forested area just above Bighorn Meadow. Trail Camp, where most will base camp prior to their summit ascent, is 6.3 miles (10.1 km) from the trailhead at 12,000' (3,658 m), in a rocky (and often windy) basin above treeline. This is also the last place where there is a reliable water source. The lake at the trail camp has algae from the human waste deposits and needs to be purified before drinking. If streams on the switchbacks have water, it would be preferable to the water from the lake. A water pump or purifying+neutralizing tablets work well. Most hikers will take between 2 and 4 days to complete this trip, although many people attempt to summit as part of a very long dayhike.
Backpackers are required to carry a bear-resistant canister; these can be rented at the Interagency Visitors Center south of Lone Pine or the Whitney Portal Store for a nominal fee. Although the grizzly bear has been hunted out of California, black bears are still very common on the MWT slope from the portal up through the land overlooking Outpost Camp. Night sightings of these bears are not unusual. When traveling at night, hikers are advised to wield a bright headlight and a shrill whistle; making many strange, loud noises will alert the bears to human presence. If possible, hikers should travel in a larger group as bears are much less likely to approach a group than a single person.
Human waste management was a major problem at Mount Whitney, and in 2007 the Inyo National Forest instituted a mandatory "pack it out" program. The Forest Service removed the solar latrines at Outpost Camp in 2006, and the final one at Trail Camp in 2007. Hikers are given a "WAG Bag" intended for human waste products at no charge.[1]
A one day trip up the MWT usually starts between 2 and 4 AM. Most successful hikers will complete the trip in between 10 and 20 hours.
The main Mount Whitney trail is very easy to follow and is generally well maintained, and usually requires no climbing or winter gear once the mountain clears of snow and ice, usually by mid-July.
The Mount Whitney area is notorious for its unpredictable weather. Common advice is to be off of the peak by noon during the summer monsoon season. This weather pattern is usually seen between June and mid-September.
The 1941 film ''High Sierra'' is set in part at Whitney Portal and features a car chase up the Whitney Portal Road. The 1954 film, ''The Long, Long Trailer'' is also set in part along the Whitney Portal Road.
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1. Managing Your Human Waste While Visiting Mt. Whitney
The 'Mount Whitney Trail' is a trail that ascends Mount Whitney. It starts at 'Whitney Portal' at 8,360' (2,548 m), 13 miles (21 km) west of the town of Lone Pine, California. The hike is about 22 miles (35.4 km) round trip with an elevation gain of over 6,100 ft (1,859 m). This trail is extremely popular and its access is restricted between May 1st and November 1st, permitting 60 backpackers and 100 day hikers daily for the MWT.
Camping is allowed along most of the trail, more than 100 feet (30 m) from water, but level ground that meets that description is extremely limited, so most backpackers congregate in two camps. Outpost Camp, the lower of the two camps, is 3.8 miles (6.1 km) west of the trailhead at 10,365' (3,159 m), near a waterfall in a forested area just above Bighorn Meadow. Trail Camp, where most will base camp prior to their summit ascent, is 6.3 miles (10.1 km) from the trailhead at 12,000' (3,658 m), in a rocky (and often windy) basin above treeline. This is also the last place where there is a reliable water source. The lake at the trail camp has algae from the human waste deposits and needs to be purified before drinking. If streams on the switchbacks have water, it would be preferable to the water from the lake. A water pump or purifying+neutralizing tablets work well. Most hikers will take between 2 and 4 days to complete this trip, although many people attempt to summit as part of a very long dayhike.
Backpackers are required to carry a bear-resistant canister; these can be rented at the Interagency Visitors Center south of Lone Pine or the Whitney Portal Store for a nominal fee. Although the grizzly bear has been hunted out of California, black bears are still very common on the MWT slope from the portal up through the land overlooking Outpost Camp. Night sightings of these bears are not unusual. When traveling at night, hikers are advised to wield a bright headlight and a shrill whistle; making many strange, loud noises will alert the bears to human presence. If possible, hikers should travel in a larger group as bears are much less likely to approach a group than a single person.
Human waste management was a major problem at Mount Whitney, and in 2007 the Inyo National Forest instituted a mandatory "pack it out" program. The Forest Service removed the solar latrines at Outpost Camp in 2006, and the final one at Trail Camp in 2007. Hikers are given a "WAG Bag" intended for human waste products at no charge.[1]
A one day trip up the MWT usually starts between 2 and 4 AM. Most successful hikers will complete the trip in between 10 and 20 hours.
The main Mount Whitney trail is very easy to follow and is generally well maintained, and usually requires no climbing or winter gear once the mountain clears of snow and ice, usually by mid-July.
The Mount Whitney area is notorious for its unpredictable weather. Common advice is to be off of the peak by noon during the summer monsoon season. This weather pattern is usually seen between June and mid-September.
| Contents |
| Whitney Portal and trail in popular culture |
| References |
| Notes |
Whitney Portal and trail in popular culture
The start of the switchbacks near Trail Camp.
Mount Whitney from the Alabama Hills
The 1941 film ''High Sierra'' is set in part at Whitney Portal and features a car chase up the Whitney Portal Road. The 1954 film, ''The Long, Long Trailer'' is also set in part along the Whitney Portal Road.
References
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Notes
1. Managing Your Human Waste While Visiting Mt. Whitney
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