Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Water availability between guitar lake and whitney

After three successful annual Main Trail summits,this year we are coming via Cottonwood lakes trail. Our "Big Push Day" will start early from Guitar lake up to Trailcrest, side-trip to Whitney summit then back down to Trailcamp. We will leave full packs at the junction JMT and MWMT before the summit side-trip to be retrieved on our return. Question is are there any water sources available on the West side after we leave Guitar lake? I realize there are none between the summit and the twenty fourth (?) switchback on the east side. Thanks.

There is water available at the small tarns just above Guitar Lake, and, except for the end of the summer (especially in dry years) there is a small flowing stream a little above the tarns. But that stream is small enough (shallow) that you may have to get creative. When I went through there at the end of July 2007 it was dry, but in early August 2006 it was flowing. Once you start on the main slope, there is no more water.

The distances between Guitar Lake and Trail Camp and Trail Camp to summit are similar so, you can use that as a guide on how much water to bring. I've taken 4 L each time, I like to error on the side if I'm stuck up there for any reason I got water.

There is water in a couple of spots between the Tarns and start of the west side switchbacks, where exactly. I could not tell you it was around 2 AM each time I passed them.

Thanks for the words of wisdom folks. Last year, as we descended the MT, we were passed by a couple of guys running down the mountain. When I commented on their speed to the second guy, he just gave me a blank stare and said "We're HUNGRY!" Apparently they had run short of food on a multi-day hike. Not a good feeling to run out of either food or water. Makes you think...