Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Lost Lottery- ALTERNATE HIKE SUGGESTIONS?

I can't complain.I have been lucky the past 2 years, but not this year. Anyone have alternate suggestions? How about the White Mountains?

If your looking for another 14'er, try Mt. Langley to the south. Cottonwood lakes is a nice area to hike through.

check out middle Palisade... no technical climbing and you will see very few people

Lucas,you thought about calling the site and seeing if they were correct.I found out last year they made a few mistakes on my request. i had to show my original paper work to them but after that I had my spot.( Just a thought )

What about day hiking up the Mountaineer's Route?

Get into tip top shape, have a light pack and start at either Cottonwood or New Army Pass and still make to back to Whitney Portal in 3 days. If done in mid September you'll most likely see more deer than people until get to Lower Trail Crest.

I've done this as a walk-in with no reservation.

I think you can still climb the mountaineers route in one day without a permit

please correst me if i am wrong

I hiked White Mountain last summer. It is not a wilderness experience but it was quite interesting in its own way, particularly, taking time to visit and hike the Bristlecone Pine reserve on the way there.

I managed to luck out and the day I picked was also the day that the Research Station was open for visitors allowing one to drive an additional mile or so and 1,000 feet or so further up.

The "trail" is actually a jeep road that leads all the way to the summit hut. The road up to the gate or the station is quite terrible, washboard, potholes, erosion runnels and sharp rocks and LONG. Did I mention L O N G! I noticed a few folks actually did carry extra spare tires. I did not get a flat but it is possible to gash the sidewall if not the tread.

If that doesn't let that scare you off - the LIGHTNING and hail storm at 14,000 feet might. It was absolutely one of the most terrifying events I've ever hiked in BUT survived as did the other tons of folks out there that day.

But it was also a wonderful vantage point, quite unlike the Sierra. Pretty views and you do earn a 14,000+ peak buut it is also desolate.

Camped at the gate - no formal anything there except an outhouse. Bring your food/stove/water and sleeping gear. I decided not to deal with a tent in the wind and slept uncomfortably in the car.

Hope I have not made it sound uninviting - it was yet another adventure and I'm glad that I did it.

Again, if you go, do NOT miss the Bristlecone Pines. ASTOUNDING. Somewhere on the board, I've posted a picture of White Mountain. In that thread there was a lot of discussion of the lightning storm.

I went 0-2 over the last two years and finally got in this year. Depends on where you live Lucas, we did 9 Peaks in the San Gorgonio
Wilderness- San Bernardino National Forest,
save ya a drive if your a So Cali.??? Got to figure gas will be well over $3.00 a gallon come summer time, food for thought.

Lucas, I would suggest the Meysan Lake trail. It is easy to get a permit and the lakes are amazing. It is tough to get to Meysan Lake with a full pack because the trail ends at a lake just before Meysan Lake. There are huge trout in Meysan Lake and you can climb the couloirs up to two fourteeners, Mallory and another one (sorry, I forgot). I have stunning pics of this trip from last year because we missed out on the lottery as well. Good luck!