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Camping at junction of MWT and JMT?
#44495 10/08/15 06:13 PM
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Hello. I understand there is space to pitch a tent at the junction at the Mt. Whitney Trail and the John Muir Trail?

How exposed is this area? Is it difficult to find a spot? I would deeply appreciate any input, thanks.

Also, I rarely hear of anyone camping on the summit of Mt. Whitney. Is it just totally exposed or not suitable place to pitch a tent? Thanks again.

Re: Camping at junction of MWT and JMT?
Aragon #44496 10/08/15 06:44 PM
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yes, Just carry some water up.

This picture is taken after coming down from summit, approaching the junction where the people are standing and guarding their packs from very aggressive marmots.

At lower right is the JMT trail ascending from Guitar Lake and a campsite, and some smaller ones cut off in that picture. You cannot see the campsite from that trail. If there is a use trail to it from below I have never seen it.

Maybe someone else can clarify the access.

There is also a precarious campsite in one of the "windows," above and not seen from the trail.

And some people do camp on the summit, often next to the hut, Thee may be others, I don't know.



Re: Camping at junction of MWT and JMT?
Harvey Lankford #44498 10/08/15 10:32 PM
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I have camped on the summit at least 4 times. Sometimes outside, some inside the hut. If the weather is calm (summertime and no wind), it is pleasant outside without a tent.

To camp on the summit, you have to start out with at least 4 liters of water, using some as you go, saving one for the morning. Last time I did that, I carried the water in quart zip-lock freezer bags inside several gallon zip locks. I used the zip locks because I did not need that volume of water storage anywhere else, and the zip locks are good single-use bags. You just have to lay them gently on top of everything else in your pack.

Re: Camping at junction of MWT and JMT?
Aragon #44499 10/08/15 11:29 PM
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I've camped at the junction there a couple of times, its a great spot - really big, flat and fairly sheltered by rock walls. You can comfortably fit 5 2-3 man tents there, and there are further spots if you scramble uphill through the boulders above heading towards Whitney. You get an amazing view of sunset across the Sierra, and the next morning can feel smug as you see the line of torches winding up from Guitar lake, knowing you're an hour ahead of them.

There is a short use trail (about 10 ft) - as you come up the final switchback just below the sites - look up to the left and you'll see the rock walls sheltering the camping spots; just after them is a use trail. If you miss this then as you're approaching the junction with the MWT, turn round and look back down, the sites are blindingly obvious.

Google satellite
gmap4 link
This link also shows the 3 alternate sites a bit north of the main area. Note that google maps makes the old extra zigzags up to the MWT more obvious than they are on the ground; the current trail is the one with fewer switchbacks below the junction.

For water, there is guitar lake, then the tarns, but best of all a little way after the tarns, at exactly 3700m altitude, there is a nice creek on the left and a spring on the right, coming out of the ground by a rock. These were both flowing really well in late August 2014 (a dry year). For some reason no guidebook/website ever seems to mention them. If you cook here, it saves carrying so much water up to the high camp. If its not flowing, its only a few hundred feet back to the tarns.

Last edited by britonwhit(ney); 10/08/15 11:34 PM. Reason: added in gmap
Re: Camping at junction of MWT and JMT?
Aragon #44520 10/09/15 01:25 PM
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Thank you all for the wonderful responses. It would seem like this junction would be a highly preferred place to camp? Lots of competition for space?

I really like the idea of a long grind followed by an overnight and then a fairly short push to the summit.

The input on the water is especially appreciated. I can imagine sucking down a lot of coffee or coco while relaxing before bedtime.

Any other insights or "tricks" for planning an overnight hike and camping in this location would be appreciated. Has anyone camped here with a sleeping bag and a bivy sack?

Re: Camping at junction of MWT and JMT?
Aragon #44523 10/09/15 03:07 PM
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Aragon, not many people camp there, due to the need to carry so much water, and due to the difficulty of hauling overnight gear that high. If you are thinking about starting at Whitney Portal and making it that far, understand that you would be carrying the gear a full vertical mile in elevation. Most people are pretty well exhausted by the time they reach Trail Camp.

Second problem is the altitude. Unless you are acclimated, either by sleeping a couple of nights above 8000', (and 10k is better), you can find yourself feeling pretty foul, and "sucking down a lot of" anything is not high on the list when you feel that way.

Re: Camping at junction of MWT and JMT?
Steve C #44535 10/10/15 01:31 AM
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Steve makes a good point - I was thinking about this from the perspective of someone approaching from the West (the direction I've always hiked from). My water sources are from the West (i.e. the JMT) not the east; if you're coming up on the MMWT then ignore my water, your last possible water is the seep at the cables which is sometimes frozen solid so unless descending hikers have confirmed the flow, you'll probably end up carrying from trail camp.

The acclimatisation point is also therefore important. Going straight to 4000m is, at best, going to give you a poor night's sleep and at worst is going to involve someone carrying you down. Coming from the West you tend to be acclimatised already.

Re: Camping at junction of MWT and JMT?
britonwhit(ney) #45300 02/17/16 12:34 AM
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It looks like the "tarns" are next to the trail past Guitar Lake as the JMT heads up towards Trailcrest, correct? I am considering either camping at a tarn or up near the junction of JMT and MWMT. I too am concerned about carrying extra water (for cooking) up there and also about the quality of sleep expected. I would be coming from Onion Valley.

I was concerned about finding the tarns but on your gmap4 link it seems I can't miss them if I am on the JMT.

Re: Camping at junction of MWT and JMT?
RenoFrank #45302 02/17/16 09:58 AM
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Yes, the tarns are right beside the trail. If you want better privacy, there are several more due south, and and slightly up-slope, about a quarter mile.

Don't worry about sleeping high, since you will be pretty well acclimatized after those days hiking from Onion Valley. When I did it, I had a hard time eating at the end of the first two days, but by the third, I was hungry!

If you want to camp near the trail junction on those pads, I would have a main meal down below at Guitar Lake, then start up late for the 2000' climb to the junction, and only eat snacks the rest of the day. That way, you could spend time relaxing by the lake, arriving at the camp site just in time to set up camp and climb into the sleeping bags.

By eating down low, you don't need to carry quite as much water up to your camping location. You would need a minimum of 2 quarts of water to camp at the trail junction -- for breakfast and the climb up to the summit and back. 2.5 might be more realistic.


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