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Hike Advice
#32730 08/14/13 10:55 AM
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Hello all,

I've got a trip to Whitney coming up on August 28 (permit date is August 30) and I'm trying to put together an itinerary for my trip. I'm a regular reader of this board, but need some advice in putting it all together.

First, I'm thinking about (and this is very tentative) putting together a trip over Cottonwood Pass and coming up the back side of the mountain and exiting on the 30th. Is this something I'd be able to do with my current permit? I know I'd need to get a wilderness permit to enter Cottonwood Pass on Wednesday, I'm just wondering if my current permit would allow exit, or whether I could consult with the FS about switching it over or somesuch. Also, is there a better and/or route? My goal is to try to get some acclimation in the back country before hitting the mountain. I know it's a long hike; I'm in very good shape and not terribly worried about the distance. My itinerary would be something like Cottonwood Pass to Rock Creek on Day 1 (Wednesday), hitting Rock Creek to Guitar Lake on Day 2 (Thursday) and summiting/exiting on Friday. Does this sound feasible, or am I way off?

If that's not possible though, where are some good places to acclimate? I know about Horseshoe Meadows, but everything I've seen about it doesn't look too spectacular -- or accomodating (given the number of campsites and the fact that it's one night only). Since my WZ permit is only a day permit (and not overnight) I can't stay in Trail Camp. But it is an option.

Does anyone have any example itineraries for a trip of this length, assuming mine won't work out?

Thanks for all you guys do here. Feedback/criticism/comments/etc are very welcome.

Re: Hike Advice
sentinel #32733 08/14/13 01:07 PM
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Permits are trailhead and date oriented. If you have a Cottonwood Pass Trailhead permit plus a Trail Crest Permit...you would be good to go that way. However, if you have a MMWT permit you would not be.

If you can get the permits for this trip...and they cost you nada if you do it at the ESIAVC, I would suggest going over either Army Pass or New Army Pass. The Cottonwood Pass route to Lower Rock Creek Crossing Trail Camp is an undulating, sandy and sun exposed most of the way. Just because is the lowest does not mean it is the easiest journey. Personally, I'd go over Army Pass.

If you are in good but not necessarily great shape this trip can be done in three days.

Horseshoe Meadows is a great place. We always stay at the New Army Pass/Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead camping area because it is nicer.

Re: Hike Advice
sentinel #32734 08/14/13 01:48 PM
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Hi Sentinel, welcome!

You won't have any trouble getting a Cottonwood Lakes or Cottonwood Pass permit to enter on the 28th. There are some still available online on the recreation.gov site. And on those trails, 40% of the quota are held back for walk-in requests, so even if they show full, I am sure you can get a walk-in (they become available at 11 AM the day before the entry date).

You also need the Trailcrest Exit permit (trail "JM35" on the website). Those are all reserved for Aug 30, but again, 40% (10 permits) of the quota of 25 are held back for walk-ins. So you should be able to get one if you go in on the 27th, although you would be competing with other walk-ins who may go in earlier for starts at Onion Valley.

Since the exit permit is not a sure thing, I'd go with the idea of being flexible. Plan A would be the above with the exit permit. Plan B might be to trade your dayhike permit for an overnight entering the 27th or 28th on the MMWT (Main Mt Whitney Trail). If you got one to enter the 27th, you could just hike up to Lone Pine Lake and camp the first night, then on to Trail Camp the second. There are lots of cancellations and no-shows on the MMWT, so it is likely you could get one of those permits.

If neither plans above work, Plan C: Keep your current dayhike permit, spend the night at Cottonwood one night (and sometimes two works, since it seems to never be full). Hike to Trail Peak or Cottonwood Lakes two days before your big hike. Move to Whitney Portal, use a walk-in hiker site (between the day-use and overnight parking lots) the night before your hike. Get up at 3 or 4 AM and go for it.

After you go, please report back what works out.

Re: Hike Advice
Steve C #32735 08/14/13 02:28 PM
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Thanks for the good advice guys. I appreciate it. The only difficulty I forsee is making it up there on the 27th. Could be challenging given my current schedule. Definitely want to get to the permit office early, but I'm not certain I can do it. I'll see what I can pull off. Re-reading when permits are up for grabs, it sounds like I might be able to score a few permits on the 27th for the 28th, and the rest of the no shows are up for grabs on the 28th at 11 (if I'm understanding this correctly). A pretty late start to make it over Cottonwood.

If I can't get there on the 27th, it sounds like Plan C is still a viable option. I wasn't aware there were walk-in hiker sites; good to know for sure. I wasn't looking forward to a potentially long drive that morning.

Re: Hike Advice
sentinel #32736 08/14/13 03:29 PM
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That's a long drive from San Jose, pretty much kills a whole day, unless you are a night owl and can do it the night before a hike. That weekend IS the Labor Day holiday; can you not extend your trip and hike out a day later? Overnight permits are good for unlimited nights, so that is not an issue; it is only the entry date that matters.

Do understand: walk-in permits FIRST become available at 11 AM they day BEFORE you can start a hike. But there may still be some available the next morning, ON the start date. So on any given day, a walk-in permit may be available for current day OR next day entry.

Re: Hike Advice
Steve C #32737 08/14/13 04:25 PM
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Yeah, it's a long drive. I could extend my trip; I was trying to avoid getting any permits for Saturday -- since I figured if people were going to get there for labor day weekend, they'd do it on Saturday. At least I have the day use permits if all else fails.

Re: Hike Advice
sentinel #32738 08/14/13 05:27 PM
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> I was trying to avoid getting any permits for Saturday

When you get an overnight permit, if you get it for say Wednesday the 28th, it is good for the entire time, including Saturday (unless you exit the backcountry more than 24 hours.) You do NOT need to get permits for the following days.

The exit permit is the odd one: like a dayhike permit, good to exit via Trailcrest on that one particular day.

Last edited by Steve C; 08/14/13 05:30 PM.

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