Mount Whitney Trail

Mount Whitney Trail
Trail Crest, at 13,600 ft (4,150 m)
Length	22 mi (35 km)
Location	Inyo National Forest, Inyo County, California, USA
Trailheads	Whitney Portal
Use	Hiking
Elevation
Elevation change	6,145 ft (1,873 m)
Highest point	Mount Whitney, 14,505 ft (4,421 m)
Lowest point	Whitney Portal, 8,360 ft (2,550 m)
Hiking details
Trail difficulty	Strenuous
Months	Peak season is May to November

The Mount Whitney Trail is a trail that climbs Mount Whitney. It starts at Whitney Portal, 13 miles (21 km) west of the town of Lone Pine, California. The hike is about 22 mi (35 km) round trip, with an elevation gain of over 6,100 feet (1,860 m). It is an extremely popular trail, and its access is restricted by quotas from May to October.

The original pack trail from Lone Pine to the summit of Mount Whitney was designed by local engineer Gustave Marsh. This original trail, opened on July 22, 1904, was the basis for most of today's Mount Whitney Trail.

The Mount Whitney Trail starts at Whitney Portal. Almost anyone in good physical shape has a good chance of hiking to the summit. The trail does not head up the direct route to the summit by the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek, as this is a very steep route used by mountaineers. Instead, it follows the gentler main branch of Lone Pine Creek to its source, and then climbs by 97 switchbacks to the Sierra crest about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of the summit. The trail then travels very close to the crest of the range until reaching the summit plateau. This longer "dogleg" route makes possible a standard hiking trail. During peak season the trail is well-maintained and easy to follow. When the mountain clears of snow and ice, usually in early to mid summer, it requires no mountaineering or winter gear. Beyond Trail Crest pass the trail loses a small amount of elevation that is gained on the return. In this final stretch of the trail, on the west side of Whitney's needle-like south ridge, some sections of the trail must be rebuilt after each winter. The views here of the interior High Sierra can be extraordinary, due in part to the precipitous exposure. The crowning views are had on the summit of Whitney, where the trail ends at the Smithsonian Institution Shelter.

A single day hike of the trail usually starts between 2 and 4 AM. Most day hikers will complete the trip in between 10 and 20 hours. Because of the length, distance and high altitude of the trail, hiking it in a single day requires some fitness and endurance.

The Mount Whitney Trail, from above Lone Pine Lake to Trail Crest, lies within the special Mount Whitney Zone of the Inyo National Forest. Due to the high volume of trail users, the Forest Service enforces special regulations here to preserve Whitney's wild character. Wilderness permits are always required to use the trail, and between May 1 and November 1, a quota permits only 60 overnight users and 100 day users per day.