Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Dayhike in Late September?

Hey everyone...
I did a mid Sept. dayhike in 2003 and had a great time. Now it's time to go back again. This time I'd like to try a bit later in the month when the campground thins out and the trail isn't so busy. How's the weather typically in late Sept...23rd-24th.
I don't mind cold, but don't want to hike through too much snow. I know it varies year to year, but in general is this a bad time to go?
Thanks

The trail isn't all that thinned out. We made it to the summit from the Guitar Lake area around 9/25/2004 and from time we left the summit until we cleared the 97 Switchbacks it was like the 405 at rush hour.

Be prepared for colder and shorter days; however, the chance of snow is slight. Check back a week or so before you go for the current conditions.

I undertook a September 23 day hike three or four years ago. The weather was ideal from start to finish, and the sky was cloudless.

Finishing the hike, I took a shower at the WP Store, then went to Lone Pine for a meal. When I stepped out of the eatery and looked west, it was snowing hard all the way down to the Portal.

I read the next day that people who were dressed only in shorts and t-shirts stumbled down from the summit and begged use of tents at Trail Camp. They couldn't go further because the trail was obliterated, snow was blowing, and they didn't have enough clothing. A bit surprisingly, no one seems to have died from exposure.

We did our last day hike on Sep. 23, 2007. Unfortunately for us, a strong winter storm pushed through on the 22nd and we had a decent amount (1-2 feet) of snow to struggle through. We made it to the cables and turned back as we had left home a few days prior without crampons and necessary snow gear. We only saw 7 people on trail that day, so at least the campgrounds had thinned down. I believe only one very experienced trail veteran made it to the summit that day. I'd suggest pushing things a week or two earlier or being prepared (i.e. having car packed with) for snow if you are intent on making it to the top.