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I am planning on going to the top of Mt. Muir for the first time this summer. Is it safe to assume that since I would be going up the main trail I would have to apply for a permit - via the lottery system? I did this last summer and climbed Mt. Whitney via the main trail, and I also went up the MR and down the main trail in the fall - (no permit required as a one day trip for the second option). Is there any kind of a loophole to get on the main trail if I want to go only as far as Mt. Muir? How about sneaking up? I know some of you fellas have gone up more than a few dozen times. I'm sure you didn't get a permit every time right? Is it possible to get past ******s if you do most of the climbing before the sun comes up? I've done many, many night hikes so I feel comfortable in the dark. I welcome any advice on this subject. Including from those who sneak/trespass.
Rafael...
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I don't know why the word R a n g e r s was blocked by the ****** I've never considered it to be a bad word, in most cases anyways ;D
Rafael...
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I discussed this with the folks at Mt. Whitney ****** Station in Lone Pine. They don't care what peak you are headed to. They only care what trail you are on.
If you are on the Mt. Whitney trail past Lone Pine Lake you need a day hiking permit or backpacking permit.
What is less clear is if you go up the MR. Last year you could do Mt. Muir on the way down since you didn't need a permit to return on the Main Mt. Whitney trail. This year that may or may not be the same. I suspect they may change this loophole before long.
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Some info on MR day hikes. Last week I called the Inyo wilderness permit office in Bishop and asked about day hike permits for the MR. They said that no changes had been made yet, so the same loophole that has been in effect for the last two years still applies until further notice. So we can go up the MR and descend the main trail without a permit legally. Muir can be climbed on the descent.
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Hi Just out of kindness I should touch on this topic , The mountaineers route ,for most hikers is very hard most not able to do in one day, get lost, too steep on the lower section burns many out before the last 2000 feet vertical .So if one fails to get a permit for the main trail the mountaineers route is not really a quick fix to the summit.
Every year we get the "I have been up the main trail 10 times I'm going to do the mountaineers route this time" after a few questions most times they do not do crosscountry travel, no climbing experience and not much for route details or now with the ton of beta on the north fork they will have that all PATCHED together in some fashion that most times is wrong plus gps coords, pictures and My friend did it several years ago and said it was easy.
Of the few times I have gone this route it changes every time ,snow ,ice ,loose rock,waterflows where other times dry, windy ,extreme cold in the chute due to lack of sun and constant wind and these are some of the things that add to the Mountaineering .
So maybe try a trip to Lower Boyscout Lake first then maybe a trip to Iceberg Lake to look at the chute and the face and see how you feel and if any trouble with route finding.Then do a one day trip up and down, We always use the going up The view is arms length in front going down it is 2000 feet between your legs.Thanks Doug
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"Going up the view is arms length in front; going down it is 2000 feet between your legs."
good point, Doug!
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The Mountaineer's Route is a long way to go around getting the required permit to get to the summit of Muir. Even if you're familiar with navigating the MR. From the turn-off of the Main Whitney Trail to the summit of Muir it will take an hour or more depending on how fast you can find the route. Adding Muir to a day that includes going up the Mountaineer's Route and down the Main Trail will be a very long day. You might consider checking in at Lone Pine for cancelations and getting a permit the day before.
-Rick F.
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"Going up the view is arms length in front going down it is 2000 feet between your legs"...
Good lord, Doug, visions of Hotlam Bolam ridge on Shasta just flashed through my memory. That really puts the MR in perspective for me!
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Doug, you say "...just out of kindness...."
THANK YOU for your kindness. Please keep it up. Your years of Whitney lore and experience are much appreciated, and we want and need it here.
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The first time up the Mtr route I swore I would not go down the same route. Ended up doing it safely, but like Doug says the view is 2000' between your legs. Here is a pic http://community.webshots.com/scripts/ed...security=ROwGNi
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Dave, couldn't see the picture, as the URL appears to be that for the "page owner" and it won't let me access it. I'd love to see it--could you please repost with an address all can access? Thanks!
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The coments about the MR are worth listening too. Although I have been up the MR a few times, that is not an easy way to get to Mt. Muir. While at home I have often had dreams of cruising up the MR to Mt. Whitney and then adding one of the Needles or Mt. Muir.
Usually it takes so much effort to get up the MR. to Mt. Whitney that I don't have any emotional/physical strength to go over to Mt. Muir or one of the needles.
It seems easier to get a day hike permit up the regular trail. Go to Mt. Muir first (with some pictures of the route the last 80 feet up the headwall). Do that first and then if you have the strength, go to Whitney also. But know that once you have been to Mt. Muir, Mt. Whitney is easily another 2+ hours round trip.
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Ultimately, Rafael, the choice is yours. You've been up both routes (trail and MR), so you know your abilities and the challenges of going either way. I've only climbed Whitney via the MR (occasionally descended via the trail) and have summited Muir this way on the descent. It is a very taxing undertaking but doable if you're up to the challenge, and in my mind is much more fulfilling mountaineering experience. Figure on adding an extra hour or so to your "day", depending on how much time you wish to linger at Muir's summit.
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In the old days you could hike at night when all the ******s were asleep and never see them. Now I think they venture out early and later. You just never know. Last time I ran into a ****** it was on the trail below Lone Pine lake. I personally don't like going up the MR and coming down the trail.. It is just so much longer and it seems you walk and walk and walk before you finally get down. If you don't care abour Mt. Whitney a day hiking permit on the regular trail seems the easiest to get to Mt. Muir. But once you are that close it is hard not to do Whitney also. SPC has some good photos of the route up Mt. Muir http://members16.clubphoto.com/steve744076/1607612/guest.phtml
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