Sierra Nevada
Mt Whitney - in the California Sierra Nevada is the highest peak in the continental United States. Reaching an elevation of 14,497 ft, it towers more than 10,000 vertical feet above the Owens Valley, and because of it's lofty position, it is the most sought after peak in all of North America. This fact sends over 30,000 people each year to it's slopes, however, only 10,000 are able to complete the journey on the trail. With over 6,000 vertical feet to gain, I figure that lack of conditioning and/or altitude must be the underlying reason for this somewhat high failure rate.
Mt Whitney was first climbed by Charles Begole, Albert Johnson, and John Lucus. The so called "Fisherman." They completed the summit on August 17, 1873. The first woman to climb Mt Whitney was Mrs. Anna Mills. She completed her summit of Mt Whitney on August 3, 1878.
Today, the Mt Whitney Trail is the easiest way to get to the summit. Below is a summary of mileages and altitudes taken from key points along the trail. Also below, is a map that is located at the trail-head. It shows the location of each of these key points. Another quick way to get a feel for Mt Whitney and all it has to offer is to watch our Mt Whitney Aeriel Slideshow. It will give you a quick overview of the entire trail and surrounding areas from both the ground and the air.
Permits are required for both day hikes beyond Lone Pine Lake and for all overnight camping on Mt Whitney. Demand is high during the summer months and the best way to secure a position on the mountain is to participate in the lottery that takes place in the month in February each year.
Forest Rangers patrol the Whitney Trail on a regular basis and you can be sure that there will be a very good chance that you will be asked to produce your permit at some point on your journey. Inyo Forest Ranger Dave Kirk (at right), checks our permit at Trail Camp on our recent June 9th, 2007 trip up Mt Whitney.
I remember sleeping in the back of my pickup truck at Whitney Portal waiting for our permit entry date to become valid, and being awoke at about 3AM by a group of individuals being escorted off the mountain by a Ranger for not having a permit.