Not sure the road into Lone Pine Campground is open but you could park above the campground and join the NRT , I have hiked the NRT a few times during the winter and each year I think it might be unsafe during the winter season , things go well until about the Meysan creek area , you are in the shadow and as Richard said ice is more of a problem , also one trip I made I counted 10 small slides from the Meysan Bridge to the Main Campground . These were small slides started by rocks coming down . The area is about 200'-300' long and you are clear again , but if we have had a recent storm the trail will be gone and the slope is very steep and you may sink in waist deep, but steeper than will allow snowshoes. again this section is short and near the Family campground , most often I take the road from the campground to the store. Now from the main campground up the NRT is closed because of the Earthquake last June.
The Portal road is in the sun and has a lot less risk , short section of rockfall but the area allows you to walk away from the fall area , still could happen but it would be a house size rock that would travel across the road, and they have so ...
