Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Planning on hiking Mt Whitney in summer... a few questions

Hi, after doing Mt Fuji last summer, I decided to tackle Mt Whitney this year. But I have a few questions and this seemed a good place to ask them.


1) Where can you camp along the Mt. Whitney trail?

2) Is it okay to sleep in the hut at the summit? And is there usually any room in it?

(basically, I'd kind of like to see the sunset/sunrise from the summit if possible, so staying near the summit would be ideal, but it does look pretty exposed up there all the way back to the John Muir trail junction)

3) Is the trail out to the peak safe to hike out during darkness with a headlamp to catch the sunrise? This is how I did Fuji, but that trail was pretty well laid out and had lots of company on the trail to light the way.

4) Are the human waste pack out bags they provide at Lone Pine free and single use? (i.e. do I need to guess how many times I'll have to go during the hike ).

5) Are the entry and exit dates for the permit strict? i.e. could I get a permit with an Aug 1st entry date and an Aug 4th exit date and enter the Mt Whitney zone any day along that range of dates? Or do they have to be exact?

I think the rest of the lottery info is pretty straight forward, so hopefully I'll get a permit.

Thanks in advance.

Good questions...
Some answers:
1) Where can you camp:
Lone Pine Lake
Outpost Camp/Bighorn Park
NOT at Mirror Lake
NOT at Trailside Meadow
Consultation Lake (recommended due to lack of people)
Trail Camp (lots of people there, but look around and find secluded spots)
Near the junction with the JMT
At the summit

2) Ok to sleep in the hut?
Yes. There is room for 4. People hardly ever camp at the summit. Sleep outside if the weather is calm, and enjoy the stars. Use the hut if it is too cold or windy.

Yeah you can camp on the summit or in the hut. I cowboy camped it in the rock shelters on the summit, it was great!

Two things about camping on the summit:

1. You have to carry enough water to make the climb, spend the night, and then some to get back down. Each time I have done it, I've started out with 5 or 6 liters of water. (I have used Zip Lock bags, quarts bagged inside gallon bags. They work ok, but can leak a little at the zipper seam ends.)

2. Altitude: Unless you have spent at least two days at significant altitude, a night on the summit can bring on some AMS. One time, I had to get down before I could eat any breakfast.

Lots of JMT finishers like to come up from Guitar Lake to watch the sunrise, so there is often a group arriving just before sunrise. One time, I was in the hut, and a hiker made some Starbucks instant and shared with me.

More answers:

3) Trail condition: People hike it at night. If you get off the trail, you are in un-navigable boulders, so you would realize it in about 2 steps. It's only a problem in a snow storm.

4) WAG bags are multi-use. I recall a scout leader telling of one scout claiming a record on a trip by using the same bag 5 times. Take a spare gallon zip lock bag or better, an odor-proof bag to stuff it in.

5) Strict entry/exit dates: Entry dates are extremely strict. Exit dates do not matter. You state the exit date on the permit, but you can linger, or leave early -- nobody cares. (If you start from another trail head, then the Trail Crest exit permit is required, and you need to try to exit on that date.)

Thanks to all on all the good answers.

Just submitted my lottery form, so hopefully I get something from my 15 choices.

Are the non-reservable campground spots usually full in August? If I can't get a reservation at the family campground, I'll need to crash somewhere to acclimatize up at the portal area.

Actually, I probably should have asked... are the sunsets/sunrises from the Mt Whitney summit great? Although by the look of the trail, anywhere along the rim might be spectacular.

What kind of treatment do you recommend for lake water? I'll take what I think I'll need for the whole trip up and down, but just in case I can take some treatment tablets/filters.

I use nada in the Sierra except the Mt. Whitney area in the summer. There I use a Steripen...which is probably not necessary.

Are the non-reservable campground spots usually full in August?

People don't report that info here, but I think if you aren't particular, campsites are available if you arrive early in the day, especially days besides Friday or Saturday.

There are ample walk-in campsites, new ones added in 2012:
See this thread for a map

I probably should have asked... are the sunsets/sunrises from the Mt Whitney summit great?

I think they're worth the extra effort. Where else will you experience sunrise or sunset from a mountain peak. Yes, the crest at Trail Crest, or from any of the Windows along the crest are good places to see it, too. But other than the summit, the other places don't have convenient sleeping spots.


What kind of treatment do you recommend for lake water? I'll take what I think I'll need for the whole trip up and down, but just in case I can take some treatment tablets/filters.

Carrying all you need for a day hike is a recipe for failure. You probably need at least 6 liters, maybe more. Old regulars don't even treat the water -- I dip and drink from every stream, and just walk to the inlet stream at Trail Camp rather than use the little pond. If you would rather filter or treat, then do that. But DON'T try to carry all you need. (By the way, you need at least 3 liters from the last water, pond at Trail Camp, or until it dries up, the trickle at switchback 22 above Trail Camp.)

I agree with Steve that if you carry 12 lbs. of water plus container, you are driving stakes into the heart of your trip.

I carry 4 L from Trailside Meadow up. This is the midway point to the summit and where I stop to eat before going higher...I have a tendency to lose my appetite above 12,000' when I am stressing out my body. If you have no experience above this level, I would suggest you stop Trailside Meadow and eat.

I was there twice last August. I found the walk-in campsites convenient. I was there early week both times and only a few of the dozen or so sites were in use.The Ravine area also had many vacant sites and was further from the the trail head. My tent was within 30 yards of my vehicle, bear-proof storage vaults, and garbage containers. And it was a short walk to the Portal Store (and the toilets).

Okay, now that I have my permit, a quick question:

What is the lowest temperature that I should plan for on Mt Whitney in late August?

What is the chance of rain in late August?

I just want to make sure my current equipment can handle it or if I have to get some new gear.

Last year around Aug 28 it was about 25 at Guitar Lake when I started for the summit at around 3 AM, and didn't get any warmer till the sun poked through the windows.

You should prepare for rain. Snow higher up. I have hit it 2 out of four August trips.

I'm planning to hike from Crabtree Meadow to the summit on the JMT. Is Guitar Lake the last water on the way to the summit? Thanks.

Generally, yes. There are a couple of tarns within the first mile above Guitar that are usually reliable even in dry years (2013) but it would not be worth it to count on them and then have to retreat to Guitar to fill up. Plan on topping up at Guitar.

Thanks, Salty Dog. I'll plan on filling up at Guitar Lake.

The tarns are my favorite jumping off point to climb Whitney from the backside. I would say that I have climbed Whitney two dozen times using this location.

There are rock walled campsites, and the views are tremendous, especially at sunset.

Normally, from the tarns, I am at the junction of the trail from the east side in an hour and half.

When I camp there, I leave around 3 to 3:30am and reach the junction by 5am and the top by 7am...... from there I hike out the same day, meaning I reach the trailhead around 2pm or earlier.

I know the point of this is that yes, water can be an issue. What I tell people, and I have done this in dry years, is that I have dinner at Guitar, or the small pond just beyond Guitar, and fill up all my water bottles and hydration bladder and head for the tarns after a nice dinner and set up camp.

It's nice to get the 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile out of the way. And it puts you closer to your destination.

Guitar can be crowded (not like Trail camp crowded). Also, depending on where you camp at Guitar, hikers are usually up by 2am and start leaving by 3 to 4 am.

I always find it fun to get on the trail by the tarns, and look back to a long line of headlamps coming up the trail behind me.

paul