Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Day hike - 2nd Nov

Hi all- first time poster here, from the UK. I'm in the US for work at the end of the month, and have a few free days up until the 4th Nov.

I was hoping to fit in a day hike of Mt Whitney on the 2nd Nov (I'm pressed for time, otherwise I'd make it a 2-day hike).

How busy will the trail be at this time? What's the likelihood of managing to get a next day permit of I get to the office on the 1st? Also- if anyone else from this board was planning day hike on the same day fancied buddying up, let me know. I'll (hopefully) be starting out from Lone Pine between midnight / 2am on the 2nd

Final Q... what kind of kit would be needed for this time of year? I've seen from pics that there's a good deal of snow higher up, but the potential for warmer weather to come. I'll be coming to Whitney after taking a trekking group through the grand canyon (I work for a travel company here in the UK). I'll have trekking boots (got a good pair of mountain-standard Salomons), poles etc. Will crampons / ice ax be required, as I'll need to pack these when setting off.

Apologies for the mammoth first post - currently unsure whether the climb will be possible, but very keen to to get out there and give it a try.!

The trail will not be busy at all. There will probably be only a handful of people on the mountain if any at all. Your chances of getting a permit is 100%. There is only a quota from May 1 until November 1. Even with no quota, you won't have any issues this time of the year.

You will need full winter mountaineering gear. Not sure how much the axe would help as snow will probably not be consolidated. I don't want to give advice though because I have no clue what the weather condition would be in a month. I can tell you that the last time I went up in November, I was waist deep in snow at times. Gaiters, poles, crampons, etc would all be necessary as well as icy weather clothing...

Not sure what your experience level is but don't underestimate this one. Winds could be be +100 mph, subzero temps, etc. My November trip took +20 hours, basically doubling what it would usually take, and that was with a clear weather window.

Hi Jan, welcome.

Nov 2 is the first day of winter season, so permits are free on a walk-in basis. You can walk into the Visitor Center just south of Lone Pine and ask for one the day prior to hiking.

Watch the weather CLOSELY! See the Weather page link to the left. I like the NOAA weather site the best. If weather is anything but sunny and dry, don't go, or only climb until you hit foul conditions and turn around. People have been rescued the past several days because they ignored that advice.

You won't need ice axe. Crampons only if there is lots of snow. Micro spikes will be good.

There will be almost nobody else on the trail Nov 2, since it is Monday, and summer hiking is really over. Thinking about it, you will be lucky if you see anyone else at all.

Good luck, and please do report back your experiences!!

Thanks for tips guys. Sounds like I can expect some tough conditions. good news on the ice ax etc - trying to balance out weight for the flight over.

I guess another question would be - is it even worth the hike at this time of year? I should be back in the US next summer, so could pencil in a day hike then during down time. I don't mind a bit of snow and winds - but you gotta have the pay off!

Will keep you posted though - may check weather conditions on the 1st and make a decision on whether to get a permit then and there.

The two most exciting and memorable climbs of my life by a very wide margin saw me short of the summit on two Sierra peaks by less than 200 ft. I think about them at least once a month not because I want to go back and "finish" the job, but because of the adventure from start to finish. I am definitely the journey and not the destination type of person.

So...define worth the hike. You will have less of a chance of a successful summit, but the scenery will be much more beautiful...Like I said, the soft snow and postholing doubled my time in the dry.

Too bad the Portal Store will be closed...

Hi Jan,

You may see us hiking on the Mt Whitney main trail on Nov 2. If weather allows, we'll start hiking on Nov 1st at around 1:30 PM to the Trail Camp, stay a night at Trail Camp and give it a try to summit on Nov 2. I did a day hike on June 1st 2014.This time I prepare for a tougher condition.

-
Zhongtian