Mt Whitney Zone Forums Trip Reports Onion Valley-Whitney Portal, June 30-July 5, 2012 (w/photos)

Yeah, I'm a talker when it comes to gear. Always looking for new tips, sharing what I learn from others.

No problems so far with freezer bag integrity using this method. Been doing it this way for three years, after finding that helpful website.

I may play around with one of Steve's favorite ultralight devices ( Esbit Pocket Stove ) on some trip since all I do now is heat water when backpacking. Not there yet...but getting there. (Car camping, well, there, I go completely gourmet, which means double-burner stove!)

Everything sounds great! Thanks for the info on how to heat and store bags also!

Hello Akichow,
couple more questions.....

Clothing
What kind of jacket did you bring? I have a nice Columbia fleece jacket and Columbia shell. The fleece jacket seems like it will be a bit too bulky for this trip. Pondering a down shirt or down sweater.

The only extra clothing that I am planning on bringing are socks and chonies and a tee shirt for sleeping. I'm thinking a change of socks and chonies for every day is a bit much. Did you take a day to wash clothes?

What is the highest elevation reached on the first day?

Are there any stream crossings where you get your feet wet? Asking this basically to see if I need water shoes.

thanks,
Tom

I'll answer the easiest ones first.

1. Stream crossings.

There was nothing to cross that needed watershoes when I did the hike. I kept my boots on and easily rockhopped the creeks, as did my friends. I used my watershoes/sandals strictly as camp shoes, and was glad I had them for that purpose (only).

2. Highest elevation on first day.

The highest elevation on the first day, going from Onion Valley to Whitney Portal, is Kearsarge Pass, at about 11,800 if memory serves. You might find this graphic representation of the hike that someone else prepared helpful -- I found it helpful on my trip: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brucelemons/5258918105/.

3. I don't know what chonies are.

4. Clothing

Here is a list of what I took. I did bring a Patagonia down sweater, and loved having it in the evenings and early mornings(used it as a pillow, too).

Top
1 Patagonia (capilene) t-shirt
1 Ex Officio long-sleeved, lightweight shirt (wind/sun protection, alternative to the t-shirt for hiking, ended up using this ALOT, sometimes over the t-shirt, sometimes by itself)
1 Icebreaker 200 long-sleeved shirt for sleeping in (too warm, though I did have a 10-degree bag which was serious overkill)
1 very light Mountain Hardware lightweight synthetic pullover, similar to this one (for evenings)worn over the t-shirt or the Icebreaker
1 Patagonia down sweater
1 waterproof/wind-resistant lightweight outer shell
1 Buff (rather than a hat) for evenings and sleeping in
1 Sun hat (critical)

Bottom
1 pair convertible pants
1 pair lightweight long underwear bottoms (for sleeping in, and also for wearing when my pants got wet in the rain/hail storm!)
1 pair shorts -- wasted weight, should not have brought
Underwear

Socks
I brought two pairs of socks and alternated. I hiked in one pair the first three days, and wore the other pair at night while the first pair dried out. I hiked in the second pair the next three days. Truth is, a third pair would have been nice. Better choice than the extra shorts.

Note, I am female and tend to run cold, and overdid it slightly. The only changes I would make on clothing is that I would not have brought the Icebreaker 200 long-sleeved shirt to sleep in, and I would ditch the extra shorts. As for a shirt to sleep in, I would have been more comfortable in a lighter layer or a t-shirt.

I did not take a day to wash my clothes, but I did wash my t-shirt 2-3 times, and wore the ex officio shirt while the t-shirt was drying. With the modern fabrics, things dry quickly.

thanks!

(chonies = underwear)

Looking forward to hearing about your trip! Perhaps no lions this time.

I'm expecting a very routine trip with no excitement. I am going to take a very relaxed pace considering that my whitney exit permit is on August 23rd and I start on August 15th. Hopefully I'll get to see a bear like you did. And a cougar off in the distances isn't such a bad thing either. I'll probably get some fishing in as well.

That Bruce Lemons graphic is very helpful.

Great trip report! We were up at Kearsarge Pass in May looking longlingly into the southwest at the route towards Whitney. Good job!

Hello Akichow,

Great trip report and excellent pictures. I also liked some of your food suggestions.

We are planning a hike in the area in late August. We are starting the Onion Valley road TH and go till Tyndall creek. Since we couldnt get Whitney zone exit permits, we will be exploring Mt Tyndall area before heading out via Shepherd pass.

My question is about bear cannisters. We are planning to stay near the JMT junction for first night and near the Tyndall creek on the next two nights. I know there are bear boxes at these spots. If we are planning on using these boxes, do we still *have* to carry a bear cannister? We are trying to reduce our pack weight, and would certainly like to reduce the 2lb cannister.

Any ideas?

thanks

Hello. My understanding is that, for trips in Sequoia NP or Kings Canyon NP, if you are able to use bear boxes, you technically do not have to carry a canister, though they are highly recommended. But I would confirm that directly with the national parks -- their webpages have maps that explain the food storage requirements in the different jurisdictions. Here are some links: http://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/bear_bc.htm, http://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/upload/2012-SEKI-Allowed-Food-Storage-Containers-7-12-12.pdf.

This discusses the location of the boxes. http://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/bear_box.htm

At Tyndall Creek, once you go toward the ranger station, there is only one bear box, and it is located in a yucky campsite after the ranger station, a long way from the JMT. If you do not take the Tydanll Creek trail at all, you'll do better for bear boxes -- there are more boxes right off the JMT near the intersection with the Tyndall Creek trail and Frog Pond. (If you do have your own canister, then camping along the Creek on the trail that goes to the ranger station is pleasant -- easy water, lots of sandy spots, not many people.)

I don't recall where the boxes are that are near the JMT/Kearsarge intersections. There certainly were a ton of boxes, and well-established campsites with firecircles, after the intersection, when you drop down to 9300' or so and start hiking south along Bubbs Creek. (BUT SEE LINK ABOVE: AS TO THIS AREA, NPS SAYS "CANISTERS REQUIRED, FOOD-STORAGE LOCKERS FOR PCT & JMT THRU-HIKERS").

pintcal wrote:
> Since we couldnt get Whitney zone exit permits,

pintcal, 40% of the exit permits are held back for walk-in people, so when you walk-in to pick up your permit, ASK if any are available. It is quite possible you can get one. Also, ask about exit permits the day before and after your planned exit. You might be able to adjust the trip and go out via Whitney Portal. You can pick up your permit 2 days before your entry date, so arriving early will increase your chances of getting the EP.

Akichow,

Excellent Trip Report. Thanks for sharing the experience and the home work you had done in preparation of this hike. This goes into my TODO list for next year.

Quick question, how does the permit work here? Did you get permit for passing via Kings Canyon and one for entering Whitney? Should we enter into regular lottery to get permits for this type hike routes, in advance?

Thanks,
Stalin

Stalin, the lottery is only for entering and hiking the Main Mt Whitney trail. ...if you do this hike starting at Whitney Portal, then you would enter the lottery.

However, most people start at Onion Valley. Those permits are available online (at 7 AM I think) six months before the date of your hike. Quota for the trail is 60 hikers per day, most head to Charlotte Lake. 60% of the quota (36 slots) are reservable online, 40% (24) become available to walk-ins at 11 AM the day before the date of the hike.

In addition, you ALSO need a Trail Crest exit permit to exit via Whitney Portal. Those are also reservable 6 months in advance, and the quota is 25 per day.

Yes, I got my permits online about about two months before the trip. I was able to reserve the whole thing at the same time -- Onion Valley/Kearsarge Trail permit with Whitney Portal exit permit.

I did so on www.recreation.gov.

Thanks Steve, Akichow. Glad to hear it is not part of the lottery system.

Stalin