Mount Whitney Hiking Trails Pictures Maps
Mount Whitney
Many visitors to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are interested
in seeing Mt. Whitney, the tallest mountain in the "lower
48" states. However, Mt. Whitney is on the east side
of the Great Western Divide, a chain of mountains that runs north/south
through the center of Sequoia National Park, "dividing"
the watersheds of the Kaweah River to the west and the Kern River
to the east.
There are several routes up Mt. Whitney, the most popular of which is the Mt. Whitney Trail.
When it is free of snow, the Mt. Whitney Trail is suitable for less experienced hikers. However,
when snow is present safely traveling the trail may require additional experience, special skills,
helmets, ice axes, crampons, and skis.
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Because many of the snowcapped peaks in the Great
Western Divide reach altitudes of 12,000' (3657 meters) or higher,
it is impossible to see over them to view Mt. Whitney from any
of the roads on the west side of the Sierra. The best place from
which to see Mt. Whitney is the Interagency Visitor Center on
Highway 395, just south of the town of Lone Pine on the east side
of the Sierra. Highway 395 can be reached via Tioga Pass in Yosemite
National Park (open summer only), or by going around the southern end
of the Sierra from the town of Bakersfield. There are no
roads across the Sierra in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National
Parks.
Mt. Whitney is the most frequently climbed peak in the Sierra
Nevada, if not in the US. Because of this, the National Park Service
and the US Forest Service, who manage the Whitney Portal Trailhead,
have implemented a permit system to minimize the impact of day-hikers
on the Mt. Whitney backcountry. All hikers entering the
Mt. Whitney zone, including
day-hikers, are required to obtain a permit.
Mt. Whitney can be most directly reached by a 10.7 mile (17.1
km) trail from Whitney Portal, 13 miles (21 km) west of the town
of Lone Pine on the east side of the Sierra. Ice axes and crampons
are needed in spring and early summer, but technical climbing
equipment is not usually necessary between mid-July and early
October. The elevation at the trailhead is 8360' (2550 meters).
The elevation at the summit is 14,491' (4417 meters). Permits
for this trailhead must be obtained through the Inyo National
Forest. Please read the reservation information
provided by the Forest Service if you are interested in going
to Mt. Whitney from Whitney Portal. Contact the Mt. Whitney Ranger
District, PO Box 8, Lone Pine, CA 93545, 760-876-6200, for additional
information about this trailhead.
There are other routes besides Whitney Portal from which
to reach Mt. Whitney. These leave from less heavily-used trailheads,
but require a longer hike to reach the summit. The High Sierra Trail
leaves from Giant Forest on the west side of Sequoia National
Park, and takes a minimum of 6 days (shuttle trip) or
10 days (round trip) to complete. The Sequoia Natural History
Association's offers books and
maps for planning hikes to Mt. Whitney and elsewhere in the Sequoia
and Kings Canyon areas. Remember, backcountry permits are required
for all overnight travel in Sequoia and Kings
Canyon National Parks.
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Visit website
hikingohioparks.com for more information about many other Ohio hiking trails in Ohio and surrounding states.
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