Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board July Precipitation on Mt. Whitney

Our hike is scheduled for July 5th. Can someone give me an idea of typical conditions near the summit? Temperature readings are available. But I more concerned about rain/snowfall this time of year. Also wondering about the likelihood of lightning strikes if it's cold enough to snow.

Thanks, Bluefrog

kashcraft, are you saying that it's best to leave early enough to get up there by 10am? for most people would that be 3am or so?

kashcraft, i hike/walk/run 7 days/week and it took me 9 hrs to do an 18.5 mile hike with about 4k elevation, and only 3300 ft elevation was in a row. it took me 2 hrs 20 min to get up the 3300 ft elevation, but i wouldn't slowed way down if i would have had to continue 7 more miles uphill. it seems hard to figure, especially with altitude, but i'm wondering if i might take us even 15 or more hrs to finish the hike and possibly 6-8 hrs to go up? (we were dragging at the end of the 18.5 miles, but also weren't eating as often as we should, my knees and feet hurt, and my husband's back hurt). there's part of me that wonders if we'll even make it, but i think we will with a lot of determination. any good guesses how long it will take us?

KIM: it sounds like you are in shape and ready to go. We almost always take 6 1/2 to 8 hours up and 5 or so hours down....say about 13 hours total. Sometimes we are faster, sometimes we are slower, but that has been true for us lowlanders from LA on many trips with many groups. The big deciding factor is the altitude.. It tends to slow us down the last 2000 feet. It always seems to be a little slower then what I plan at home, but if it takes a little longer that is ok. Enjoy the peak and the time you spend there. You look forward to your hike for so long, you shouldn't be dissappointed if it takes 13-16 hours.

But you sound ready to go. Take it to the mountain! The experience will be a memorable one, and likely only your first. It gets in your blood and you want to go back again.