Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion Mt Whitney Overnight Group Hike advice

Steve, all reservable campsites online are booked.

I'll forego Horseshoe Meadows and show up Wednesday morning to see if I can get a first-come first-serve car-camping site. Are they available for multi-day?

The group is hiking on a single permit. I need to help problem solving for the logistics for following:

If I do not get a car camping site: Where to stay? How do we get up to the trailhead from Lone Pine?

I am pretty sure the first-come-first-serve car-camping sites are good for multi-day. I would figure out which sites they are, then walk around to each one and check the tag on the post (At least the overnight walk-in sites have tags like that). The tag should have the exit date on it, so you can determine when the site becomes available. Since you are going there a day or two before the others, this should work. You could maybe even find one vacating the next day, talk to the people to find when they are leaving, then you could spend a night at Horseshoe Meadows, returning in time to claim the site.

If you don't get a car-camping site:
Your single permit is good to park the night before, so you can use the walk-in sites (just below the trail head). There are always walk-in sites available. There are additional ones below the overflow parking lot.

Here's what I would do with multiple cars: Either the evening before, or the morning you start the hike... All cars drive to the Portal, and unload people and gear. If spending the night before, use the walk-in camping sites. Drive all cars down to the Lone Pine Creek campground and park the extra cars in the long-term spot there. If none available, use the paid spots in town. Or just park along the Horseshoe Meadows road. Then with the one car that can park at the trail head, drive back up to the Portal.

Thanks Steve and everyone else... this is invaluable information you're providing our group!

The one car I park at the trailhead... can I park there for multiple days Friday,10/30, thru Sunday,10/2? I wasn't clear if parking at the trailhead was only for a day.

Everything's good now. Thank you Steve.

Im sure I'll have more questions....

Since we are overnighting a couple nights on Whitney, how many WagBags are issued per person? Is it just one per person, or is one per day per person?

Just one per person per trip.

They can be used multiple times.

You can also buy extras at the little gift shop at the visitor's center.

I heard one boy scout troop kept track. On kid used his wag bag FIVE times!

So, we'll be at Trail Camp two nights. Friday and Saturday night.

Any handy tips for orienting and placement of our tents to help stem potential high winds? Are there locations better than others to pitch a tent at Trail Camp?

Do winds typically blow a certain direction? I'd like to setup the entrance to my tent opposite the direction of the wind. I'll know direction when the wind is blowing but when things are calm this will be good to know.

Are there pre-built wind (rock) shelters?

I havent anchored down my tent with rocks before. Are stakes useless/useful up there?

Just want to be as prepared as possible. Any information is good information.

Thanks...

Ron

We always skip trail camp and go to consultation lake. It's about a third of a mile before trail camp if ascending. Less windy, pleasant (if cold) swimming, no people, lots of space, no head torches waking you at 3am.

If you do go to Trail camp there's a fair number of rock walls (although these can just create turbulence which may be worse than a smoother airflow). Stakes are still useful. To me, the most sheltered sites look like the ones at the East end of trail camp, ascending they are some of the first you meet on the right and are slightly hidden from the trail. Descending they are more obvious.

Are there any rock shelters at Consultation lake, or does the area offer natural protection from higher winds?
How far is Consultation Lake off the main trail, or is it along the main trail?

Any ideal camping spots to pitch a tent at Consultation?

Thanks...

There are rock shelters on the cliffs above, and at my preferred spot (which is pretty obvious when you get down there...) there is very good natural shelter.

Consultation lake is just off the trail. leave at the cross in the center of this map https://mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php?ll=36.564649,-118.273224&z=19&t=s scramble down the gentle cliffs to the SE and you're there. Or alternatively, leave the trail at trailside meadow, cross the stream, scramble up to the left of the waterfall as you look at it, then cross above the waterfall and up the obvious gully and slab above, following the stream.

Hi Brit, can you mark on the satellite view maps approximately where the good spot(s) are by the lake? It looks like near the outlet is best.

For a good visual reference, the spot britonwhit(ney) marks for leaving the trail appears to be about the 2:40 point in this Hikealong Pete video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpeQyXGfWs8.

BW, you might take a look and see if you agree.

Dave F - yes, looks about right. Scramble down the cliffs has many routes from there but never particularly problematic. The low rocks beside the trail obscure the view of consultation lake but once you're over them the routes are clear.

Steve C - on iPad so not easy, however the areas NW and S of the outlet stream are good. There is a sign warning against camping too close to the water, and there's lots of sensitive vegetation around the outlet to avoid, but sandy areas before and after. Once down there the best spots are blindingly obvious!