Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Time to get from Trail Camp to Summit

We will be camping at Trail Camp Tuesday night and hiking to Mt. Whitney summit Wednesday morning. How long does it take to hike up and back to Trail Camp. I'm trying to estimate how much water to carry.
Thank you,
Brooks

Trail Camp to Trail Crest is about 1700 feet. It can easily take 2-3 hours. The walk along the back side is at least another hour....so I would guess 3-4 hours...moving at a consistent if slow pace. Some take up to 5 hours I am sure.

Down is a little faster....like 1 hour to trail crest and 1.5 hours to Trail Camp.

I would leave Trail Camp well hydrated and carry at least 3 quarts. If you start running low you can mix with some clean snow. But don't overdo it. It is hard to drink if you get more snow then water.

Time is but one factor in determining what you will need on your trip to the summit, ambient temperature and your normal consumption rate is the other.

The most water I used to do this trip is 5 L on a day where the temperature did not get above 40* F. I most cases I take four and am into the 4th liter when I reach the water on the lower Switchbacks.

How fast any of us go is irrelevant. Its how hard you work and how much you normally consume.

Thanks for the info. Our group is 45-50 year olds that don't hike much, but all in decent shape. We are not interested in making great time, just planning on enjoying the trip, making the summit... and a safe return to the portal.

Hey Brooks I can really relate to your hike. I hiked to the summitt this time last year just before my 48th b-day. I thought I was in good shape and trained hard for this hike. Our group camp at Trail Camp and departed around 8AM.( I wished we had started sooner) We were at the summit by 130PM and back at camp by 4PM. The biggest factor for me was the air. Even with a good cardio workout I could not get enough air. My pace was alot slower, but I took my time and made it. I used 3 liters of water and wished I had more.Good luck and hike strong.

Thanks JungleJim! Your comments are very valuable to us. We feel good about everything except not being able to get enough air.

For whatever they are worth, let me share the following links that I have been circulating to 2 others planning to summit with me on 6/21. Perhaps the more experienced members can comment:


High Altitude Techniques:

1. Pressure breathing
http://www.ultrunr.com/alt_ld.html

http://www.digitalmediaminute.com/zine/article/94/


2. Rest stepping:

http://www.well.com/~woodman/hike.html

http://books.google.com/books?id=NwPo92u...3&ct=result

Thank you Neel. Terrific information.

You're welcome... just post a trip report!

I am over 50 and going with my teenage son --was planning to camp at Outpost 2 nights (6/22-6/23)- and day hike in between to the summit..also trying to decide on crampon rental-- suggestions for departure time from Outpost..and crampon need?

This 14 miles round trip starting at ~10,400', +4,100'. Have you done a similar trip at lower elevation? If so, factor in more time for elevation and conditions. No one knows your group better than you do.

Thanks for input---I have done Whitney this way before-- been a while though (10+ years)... I guess I prefer camping at 10,000 feet and dayhiking longer..than lugging a pack to 12000 for Trail Camp...we'll plan an early start from Outpost..

You also skip the rocky sections of the trail between Mirror Lake and Trail Camp.

Last October I did a day hike to Trail Camp and passed some people going up with what looked like heavy packs around Outpost Camp. Later, I ran into them on my way down around Trailside Meadow and it looked like they were struggling.

Again, it is a matter of personal preference.

Last June, at age 50, I finally made it to the summit of Whitney. After camping out at Outpost then Trail, we started for the summit at 6 am and reached the top at 11 am. We each carried 4 liters of water and I consumed about 3 liters by the time we returned to Trail Camp, about a 3 hour descent from the summit. This, of course, was under ideal conditions without snow or foul weather and going up the switchbacks. The going was slow above Trail Crest and I eventually mastered the technique of pressure breathing. Take it slow and steady, stay hydrated and pick appetizing snacks. Hope this helps.

My general rule is 30 minutes per mile plus 30 minutes per 1,000' gained. Trail Camp to summit is about 5 miles plus 2,500', so my rule of thumb would say about 3-1/2 to 4 hours. Trouble is, my thumbs slow down above 12,000', so it took Nathan and me a shade over 5 hours (0530 - 1045) when we hiked up Whitney in '01. The weather was closing in as we came down and we had to stop to put on rain gear, so it took us close to 4 hours on the way down, as well, but that was counting some weather-related delays. (Nathan was 12, I was 50)

A few years later, we did Elbert over in CO as a dayhike. Same 5 miles but closer to 5,000' gained and that one we did in a similar 5-plus hours up. By then, of course, he was taller than I but even now (he's 6'2", I'm 5'8") I'll walk away from him above 12,000'. He hasn't learned to pace himself (yet) at altitude. Once he does, I'll be eating his dust the whole way up...

As they say, your mileage may vary...

I would suggest practicing pressure breathing before you try to use it on Whitney. I found it to add to my fatigue factor the first few times I tried it, could have been mental but I think it's similar to any other technique, practice makes perfect.