Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Distance Between Water Sources on Whitney

I know this is probably on a post somewhere... sorry to ask this redundant question, but I want to know how many miles it is to each water source on Whitney. I am going to try to make my pack as light as possible and I am carrying a water filter. HOWEVER, I drink a lot of water. I am talking ridiculas amounts, therefore I am trying to gage how much I should bring to the first water source...second..etc.

Can anyone give me a rough estimate (mile/time) from the start of the hike, to the first water source, from there to the second, then to the summit,etc.

(How many water sources are there total?)

I will be doing a one day hike at a moderate pace.

Thanks so much.

Water is so plentiful along this trail that you need not worry. You are hardly out of the trailhead before crossing Carillion Creek and the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek. Lone Pine Creek itself is crossed just before reaching Lone Pine Lake at about 2.5 miles in. It's just around the corner to Bighorn Park, Outpost Camp, and Mirror Lake - all sources of flowing water. Up a few switchbacks and you're along side Trailside Meadows - more flowing water. A few more switchbacks to Trail Camp and the pond. This is the last reliable water source before the summit. The seep that is about 1/3 up the switchbacks may be frozen in the morning. Leave Trail Camp with at least 3 and better 4 liters for your summit push. Good luck!

Water: You will cross a small stream and then the river going up into the North Fork MR canyon (1 mile in). Next water is a small stream in front of Thor peak, then a river crossing before Lone Pine Lake. There is another river crossing near Bighorn park. Mirror lake has water of course and then another river or two between there and trail camp, which has water. One last stream up on the bottom part of the switchbacks, and then dry to the top. I think it is reasonable to carry 1/2 to 1 quart water and stop and filter water more often. If you stop, take a drink and filter some water when you see it, you will not have problems with water. Take enough above the switchback stream to make it all the way to the top and back.

Sweet.

I am planning on starting with a full Camelback Bladder (3 liters) and 2 Nalgine bottles (32 oz each.)

Then I can keep filling them up along the way.

That should be good, right?

It's about 6.25 miles from the Portal to the last lake before the 97 switchbacks. If you're carrying 5 liters of water, I find it hard to believe that you're going to have to fill up more than once before that. There are some obvious opportunities on the way up from the Portal, as mentioned by the other posters.

Once you hit the switchbacks, you'll need to carry enough water for 9+ miles of hiking to the summit and back. It sounds like you'll be fine.

current7 - Please do not leave the Portal carrying 5 liters of water. This is 11 pounds of unnecessary weight. The two Nalgine bottles will be plenty to start with. You will not drink these empty before reaching the next water source. Yes, stopping to refill will take a few minutes, but periodic rest stops are good for muscle recovery. Fill your Camelback and one bottle at Trail Camp for the summit.

My wife and I have dayhiked Whitney three times with the following water strategy. Leave the trailhead with 2 full liter bottles plus 2 empties each. Just before reaching Mirror Lake there is a big flat rock on the right side of the trail with a creek flowing next to it. This is a great spot to rest, eat, and refill the 2 bottles. We don't need to refill again until Trail Camp. There we fill all 4 bottles for the summit. Good luck!

I made a one day hike up to the summit and back, and had no problems carrying five liters of water. The five liters seemed to be about the correct amount of water for a hike of this distance (22 miles) and a person of my size. (6' 4", 210 lbs). The reason I carried five liters is because I had no filter with me.

I've always found 1 liter of water sufficient for the 6 miles up to Trail Camp. Just stop at every significant water source, drink what's left, and refill. Then as above, 3 to 4 liters for the summit hike.