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Re: Sleeping in your car at Whitney Portal
gmaki #38899 07/23/14 05:05 PM
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Originally Posted by gmaki
Here is a Google map view I tagged up to make it a bit easier to envision. I hope.

The blue squares that represent campsites are not exact campsite locations, just more of an idea of how the sites are arrayed in each campground.

"Ravine" campground labelled on the map is the "secret" one most talked about here that I camped in.
[Linked Image]

Excellent work, gmaki! So very helpful. If you don't mind...

Could you add to the map:

Whitney Portal Store

Mt Whitney Trailhead

An arrow on the left end of the green road with something like "From/To Lone Pine")

Is your right-most red line a walking trail or ?

Last edited by Steve C; 06/28/20 02:34 PM. Reason: new map
Re: Sleeping in your car at Whitney Portal
Steve C #38902 07/23/14 05:33 PM
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Originally Posted By: Steve C


Excellent work, gmaki! So very helpful. If you don't mind...

Could you add to the map:

Whitney Portal Store

Mt Whitney Trailhead

An arrow on the left end of the green road with something like "From/To Lone Pine")

Is your right-most red line a walking trail or ?


Edited my original post to replace the image with these updates.

The red line is actually a paved road and the walk in campsites are situated along it (although only in the areas I put the blue squares. my guess is there is room for expansion but the campground is so little used there is probably no reason for it). However it is blocked at both ends so is inaccessible by car. It accommodates a rolling cooler quite nicely though.

Re: Sleeping in your car at Whitney Portal
gmaki #38903 07/23/14 05:45 PM
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Since we're exposing secret areas around the Portal, there's almost enough room on the map to designate the double-secret "old" trailhead that bypasses the North Fork . . .

Re: Sleeping in your car at Whitney Portal
Bulldog34 #38905 07/23/14 05:56 PM
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Originally Posted By: Bulldog34
Since we're exposing secret areas around the Portal, there's almost enough room on the map to designate the double-secret "old" trailhead that bypasses the North Fork . . .


is that the route rangers take when they're in a hurry to get up the mountain?

Re: Sleeping in your car at Whitney Portal
63ChevyII.com #38906 07/23/14 06:02 PM
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Originally Posted By: 63ChevyII.com
is that the route rangers take when they're in a hurry to get up the mountain?


Yep. It's what used to be the MWMT hiking trailhead years ago, before the FS re-routed it. What is now the current trailhead used to be a stock trail (roughly) - gentler grade, less sharp switchers. It starts behind a BIG boulder near the Portal Road bridge and sharply switches up to re-join the trail just to the south of the North Fork, bypassing it. That is it's biggest benefit, especially during a heavy creek flow that may inundate the rock hops. It's not maintained and is a bit gnarly. May cut 15 minutes off from the normal route. Maybe.

It's also the first of the Bob Rockwell Shortcuts that draw as straight a C2 line as possible between the Portal and Trail Camp.

Last edited by Bulldog34; 07/23/14 06:22 PM. Reason: Added Rockwell Shortcut detail
Re: Sleeping in your car at Whitney Portal
Bulldog34 #38915 07/23/14 08:45 PM
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Here's the thread with pictures and maps: Old Trail - Trailhead

Re: Sleeping in your car at Whitney Portal
Steve C #38927 07/23/14 11:09 PM
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When looking at where to camp I also came across this map from the FS:

http://a123.g.akamai.net/7/123/11558/abc...PLT2_105958.pdf

Frankly, the one posted earlier is better, but you can never have too many maps :-)

Re: Sleeping in your car at Whitney Portal
britonwhit(ney) #39169 07/29/14 03:31 PM
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Steve C- thanks for your good work. I've got reservations for the car campground for Friday night, but we're free agents Saturday and the Ravine Backpacker's Camp sounds like the ticket!

Re: Sleeping in your car at Whitney Portal
Sewellymon #39408 08/03/14 04:24 PM
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Checked out "Ravine" Walk In Campground. Not aesthetic IMO.

Far prefer enhanced vibe being close to river in backpacker's campground, even though other folks were around.

Re: Sleeping in your car at Whitney Portal
Sewellymon #39505 08/07/14 12:22 PM
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Not incredibly aesthetic, and some of the bear lockers are broken already. Ravine CG was built Sep 2012 according to the notice-board, and it still looks very rough-hewn with the possibility for adding more sites. But it's great to be able to count on it if there are no other sites available (I could only reserve 1 night out of 4 ahead of time in the main CG).

On my recent trip (7/28 summit) some campers were walking downhill towards the group CG for water etc. But I believe the best access is actually via the use trail next to the paybox, which leads uphill to the toilets & spigot just above the overflow parking lot.

Re: Sleeping in your car at Whitney Portal
cantare #50960 07/17/17 11:19 AM
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Originally Posted By: cantare
Not incredibly aesthetic, and some of the bear lockers are broken already. Ravine CG was built Sep 2012 according to the notice-board, and it still looks very rough-hewn with the possibility for adding more sites. But it's great to be able to count on it if there are no other sites available (I could only reserve 1 night out of 4 ahead of time in the main CG).

On my recent trip (7/28 summit) some campers were walking downhill towards the group CG for water etc. But I believe the best access is actually via the use trail next to the paybox, which leads uphill to the toilets & spigot just above the overflow parking lot.


Are these locations still available 3 years later? I would assume but 'Murphy's Law'. I am trying to decide when to arrive here, less than 4 hour drive away.

Re: Sleeping in your car at Whitney Portal
Ruslvmusl #51064 07/21/17 01:01 PM
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I summited Mon 7/17 and stayed at the main family CG. I looked from the road and saw the bear boxes & sites are still there. There was only one in use. I didn't go check the sign-in board for current policies, but I believe unaesthetic, haul-your-gear-in-from-the-road Ravine CG continues to be a useful, off-the-radar option for walk-ins.

Re: Sleeping in your car at Whitney Portal
cantare #52114 09/08/17 09:05 AM
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So good news, our plans have changed and it look we are able to get to WP this evening around 10p to begin acclimatizing.

Is ravine still the place to go for last minute camping and somewhat away from all the noise of people getting ready for their hike?

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