Where can I get information on how to hike to the top of Mt. Whitney?
Climbing Mt. Whitney Text and Photos by A.R. Royo Mt. Whitney, the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states, rises like the phoenix from the western rim of the Great Basin Desert of California. At an elevation of 14, 495 feet, Whitney looms high above Death Valley, the lowest point in North America at 262 feet below sea level, less than 100 miles to the east. Located within the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range of Sequoia National Park, Mt. Whitney is situated on the east side of the Great Western Divide, a chain of mountains that runs north/south through the center of the park, and is therefore not visible from any of the roads to the west. But Mt. Whitney can be easily viewed from nearby Lone Pine, California (hotels) on U.S. Highway 395, which runs north/south along the eastern foot of the Sierras. Highway 395 can be reached via Interstate 15 near Victorville, California, over Tioga Pass in Yosemite National Park (summer only) or by coming south from Reno, Nevada. There are no roads acros
Mt. Whitney is the most frequently climbed peak in the Sierra Nevadas, and perhaps the entire U.S. The summit can be most directly reached via a 10.7-mile trail from Whitney Portal, 13 miles west of of Lone Pine. Ice axes and crampons are needed in spring and early summer, but technical climbing equipment is not usually necessary between mid-July and early October. During snow-free summer months, some individuals in excellent physical condition, can climb to the summit and return the same day. There are other routes besides Whitney Portal which can be taken to reach Mt. Whitney. These routes start from less heavily-used trailheads, but require a longer hike to reach the summit. The High Sierra Trail begins in Giant Forest on the west side of Sequoia National Park, and takes a minimum of 10 days (round trip) to complete. John Muir Trail, which runs south from Yosemite National Park, and the Pacific Crest Trail, also provide access to the summit. The peak hiking seasons are July and Augu
