Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Plan B Suggestions or Thoughts

Sorry in advance for the long post.

June 17-20 I'm taking a small group of Boy Scouts on a backpacking trip. (probably 4 boys, 3 adults).

Here's my Plan A. (Weather and Permits Pending)
Day 1: See if there are any unused permits for Whitney.
Start Hiking about 1:00 pm hike to Lone Pine Lake.
Day 2: hike to trail camp.
Day 3: Dayhike the Summit.
Day 4: hike out.

Plan B: (if no permits are available or too much snow)
Day 1: Hike from Horseshoe meadow to Long Lake, Camp there whole time.
Day 2: Cirque Peak
Day 3: MT Langley
Day 4: Hike out go home.

Please share any other options or thoughts.

I've been up Whitney twice, once up the MR and the other the main trail. This will be the first for these guys.

Last year our Scout troop hiked to Gem Lake up the Rush creek trail from June Lake, spent a couple days there.

We will be traveling from San Bernardino, I'm looking for possible options closer than June Lake.

Thanks

Your Council will not issue a tour permit without a specific plan. Going on a trip such as this requires sufficient planning that going on "permits pending" status does not meet BSA requirements.

If you want to do this as a non-BSA sanctioned activity, I think you have a good plan.

Thanks. Non-Sanctioned it will most likely be. It's really a father-son trip, with one other friend.

You may need a plan C. The Cottonwood Lakes TH has a quota too. It's not booked up for your dates as of 5/25 but there's no guarantee there will be 7 spots left by 6/17. I think you have a pretty good chance of landing a permit since that's a weekday, just no guarantee.

Both of the Army passes may still require axe/crampons by then. Be sure to check conditions before you leave if you're dead set on Langley and Cirque.

If you end up at Long Lake be prepared for the mossies.

The Boy Scout Permit is more of a "travel permit"----they have never been too specific on what trails you are hiking. I have been a Scoutmaster for 6+ years, and mostly the Scout Office is looking for car insurance, trained adults, seatbelts for the scouts while traveling, etc. I have never had any pushback on the "exact" trail we are hiking. Just simply put "hiking trailhead in Whitney area, either Whitney Portal or Cottonwood", etc., and you will be fine.
Have fun---I did this hike 2 years ago with our scouts, and they had a great time. We went from Horseshoe Meadows around the West side and summited Whitney, and then out through the MMWT. It was a great trip, and the scouts still talk about it today. We had 2 12 year olds and 1 13 year old. We hike quite a bit as a troop, and they had no problems whatsoever.

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Thanks for the input.

I like the ideas of Plan C or D. Those may take the place of my plan B.

RE: Fishing. I understand the Cottonwood lakes are not open for fishing until July 1st because of the Golden Trout. What about Long Lake and the other lakes and steams mentioned, Are they open for fishing in June ?

I plan to be at the ranger station at 11:00. (that's my understanding of when walk-in permits are issued).

For Plan C or D: There's no quota south of Horseshoe Meadow. You could head south on the PCT. It's a gorgeous area back there. Past Mt. Muah the PCT winds along the Sierra crest making for awesome views.

That's what people were led to believe about the MMWT too.....before another storm came in. Conditions can change rapidly.

Yea, I will be watching trip reports closely. I'm now trying to find lower altitude options.

Thanks

Cottonwood Pass will be open for sure. You could go down to Soldier Lake base there, summit Cirque one day, or the way in, and explore the Miter Basin the following day.

I love the Miter Basin.