Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Determined to stay at Whitney Portal 7/24-7/27!

Hello!

I have a permit to hike Mt. Whitney on July 26. I am driving up REALLY REALLY late Wed the July 23 and am hoping to get a FCFS campground at Whitney Portal Thurs July 24. I know it will be busy and I am afraid there won't be any sites available. It will be my first hike up the mountain and I really want to be at the highest altitude possible for my first few nights before the hike. IF for whatever reason I can't get a site, what is the possibility of just "sharing" a site with someone who is already camping (of course, if they don't have the 6 person limit yet).

Is anyone have a reserved campground at Whitney Portal for July 23-27 that would be willing to share their site with me? I would pay for the entire site charge!!! If that is allowed, of course!

Cheers and thanks for your advice in advance!

Stay at Horseshoe Meadows. It's higher and mellower and easy to find a spot. You'll have to make your own pancakes, but there's great dayhiking to help you acclimate, and it's more open, so you'll see more stars.

The family campsites at Whitney Portal are only up around 8000 feet. As noted earlier, Horseshoe Meadow is higher up at 10,000 feet, but all the sites are "backpacker" sites. Onion Valley is also above Whitney Portal and has less demand for FCFS (as well as reserved) sites. See Whitney Portal Alternatives and Acclimation Plan.

If $$$ is not a factor, see what several people did last year to Acclimatize without camping .