Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Horseshoe meadows to Whitney portal trail question

Regarding hiking in Santa Barbara: Check out this site http://www.santabarbarahikes.com/index.shtml or get the book by Ray Ford called "Day Hikes of the Santa Barbara Foothills". You'll find in local bookstores. Try Chaucers uptown.
We are doing the Cottonwood Lakes route (New Army pass)to Whitney in July. Don't confuse it with the Horseshoe meadow/Cottonwood pass route which it has been suggested on this board should be avoided.

Thanks for the clarification and the Santa Barbara info. Yes, I'm planning on the Cottonwood Lakes/New Army Pass route. Do you think I should clarify that for the permit if on the form I wrote Horseshoe Meadows as the entry trail?

Jeff

What form are you talking about? For your request no paperwork is necessary. The permit can be made with a phone call to the number I referenced in my previous post. Just call first thing in the morning 6 months in advance and you will be fine. I don't remember if it's 6 months from your exit date or 6 months from your start date but call and find out. I've never had a problem with permits when using the 6 month rule. You've got a few days before your window so put it on your calendar. I always end up with a couple extra permits since 6 months later friends always back out but I call and release them for others to enjoy or you can use them for shuttle bartering.

You are now less than 6 months from September (six months is October 1), so you should make your reservation over the phone with the Wilderness Permit Office. The form does not buy you anything.

Right, but they aren't accepting calls until Monday because everyone keeps pestering them about the status of the Whitney lottery permits. So, I faxed in a wilderness permit form because I wanted to ensure that I get that date reserved. I called yesterday to check dates and then called today to reserve but now I can get in touch with them. So, I guess I'm stuck waiting till next week. Hopefully the date will still be available.

I don't agree. I like this route. I would not classify it as a bad route compared to NAP, only different. Definitely easier.

Jeff81: In Santa Barbara, we have several of what is known as "Front County" hikes, these are hikes that originate somewhere in Santa Barbara. I have done them all multiple times, but two of my favorites are La Cumbre Peak, an 11-mile round trip hike that goes to La Cumbre Peak, the highest point on the front mountain range at 3,996 feet. Then there is Montecito Peak, which is about an 8-mile rond trip. The tricky part here is to get to Montecito Peak, you have to leave the main trail about 1/4 mile from the summit, then up a steep ridge. If you don't know exactly where to turn, since it is not marked, you'll emd up on East Camino Cielo Road.

Whitney Mike

Well, I was able to get my permits and just wanted to thank everyone for their help. I'll be going the 6-10 of September and using the 5th to acclimate. Is spending the day at Whitney Portal a good way to acclimate? I'll also be day hiking Whitney in late August (got lucky in the lottery). Thanks again for all the helpful advice!

Great idea...that just slipped my mind. On another note, how safe is it to spend the night up at the summit? I know there can be lightning storms. Would it be better/safer to camp at Lone Pine Lake or some other location? I think spending a night at the summit would be fun as long as its safe.

how safe depends on the weather, obviously. Storms at night are rare in summer. The more dangerous time is the afternoon usually. In '89 we walked up from guitar lake under a full moon following a late afternoon storm - turned out to be the best Whitney trip ever

On a busy day, don't expect to find room in the small open part of the shelter on the summit, nor is that a safe place to be during a storm.

view west just after sunrise, with the full moon still up high