Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Whitney view from Portal Area

I will be at the Portal in about three weeks, and would like to know where the best place to view Mt. Whitney would be, within a couple miles hike from the trailhead, in any direction. I do not have any day hike or overnight permits, so that is not an option (at least until we arrive in Lone Pine). Any advice is appreciated.
James G

Once you get to the trailhead, you can't see the summit till you're miles up the trail. Best place to see it from the Portal area is just past the Whitney Portal campground. There's a big hairpin turn in the road, & a good view of the summit & both needles just after you come around the turn. Aside from that, there are lots of places down in the Alabama Hills with great views of all the surrounding peaks.

If I remember correctly,you can simply hike up to Lone Pine lake without any kind of permit. Beyond that you will need day hike permit that you will be able to get at Ranger Station on the prior day or in the morning of your hiking day. The overnight permit will be a lot tougher to get on daily basis depending on the no-shows on that day.
But again there're good views from Alabama hills even if it'll be kind of far, but you can see it through the famous rock hole there!

As noted earlier, the best place for you to see the summit near Whitney Portal is just after the dual hairpin turns in the road located just beyond the campgrounds.

As far as views, there is a great one from the road as you round the corner on the last "straight" away to the campground (just past the switch back turn in the road). I got a <a href="http://file.internetonastick.net/mlk2005/mlk2005-Pages/Image5.html">decent shot</a> of the summit in January when I hiked the road and then some. Then again in March. You can get a slightly obstructed but still <a href="http://file.internetonastick.net/wmr2005/wmr2005-Pages/Image13.html">good view</a> if you go up to Lower Boy Scout lake on the north fork trail. This is day hikeable albiet a bit strenuous if you're just looking for a walk but no permit is required. You get an <a href="http://file.internetonastick.net/wmr2004/wmr2004-Pages/Image7.html">obstructed view</a> about a mile in on the main trail, past the switch back above the main parking lot.