Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board White Mountain Advice Please

I'll be on my way to Lone Pine in about 2 weeks with a Whitney dayhike permit, with 3 days in the area prior to my entry and two days following. Acclimatization is my biggest concern since I live in Atlanta - I've had plenty of opportunity to train on rugged ups and downs in the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains, but 4,700 ft is about the limit I can reach within a dayhike of the metro area.

I've read a number of posts here over the preceeding months, as well as several Whitney books, including Doug's, and they all recommend White Mountain as a good warm-up to Whitney. My concern is that a 14-mile, 14K hike may not be the best thing to do just prior to the Whitney-thon. I have 3 days to acclimate, and I certainly don't want to shoot up to 14K the day after I arrive from a 1K lifestyle, nor is the day prior to attempting Whitney a sound plan. That leaves my only opportunity two days prior to Whitney. That's still a serious hike about 40 hours out from heading up the MMWT.

I'm wondering if it may not be wiser to just kind of take it easy - relatively speaking - in the 10K to 12K range for the 3 days prior to Whitney. It appears the Cottonwood Pass/Lakes trails would keep me in the 11K-plus range for the better part of those 3 days without too much effort expended before my Whitney permit day. Eight or nine easy miles a day at 11K without a ton of elevation gain - that sounds more like a warm-up for an energetic but 51 YO hiker like myself. Recovery comes less quickly than it did when I was younger . . .

I'd love to bag White Peak - and I'd still have two days post-Whitney to give it a shot - but the more I think about it, the less sense it makes two days before Whitney. I'd appreciate any feedback from people who have done both or are familiar with these hikes.

For the record, I've been above 14K several times in Colorado without any ill effects, but every time it was the easy way by car (Pikes, Evans). I've spent a fair amount of time hiking hard between 8K and 10K but have never really exerted myself above 10K, which is my real concern.

Also, any info re the current conditions on White Mountain Road? I've read conflicting info - high clearance strongly recommended, but also that's it's rated for passenger cars. I can rent either in Vegas, but would hate to spend the extra $200-$300 on an SUV if a mid-size sedan will get me up to the gate.

Thanks to all who participate in this forum. It's a HUGE help to people like me who are doing this for the first time and are coming quite a distance to try it.


Gary

Why not drive to the white mountains and spend a few hours at Schulman Grove? (you can get there in a regular car)You could walk the Methuselah Trail. I think its about 4.5 miles. Its at about 10,000'. That way you can see the bristlecone pines, get some time at altitude and not burn yourself out before your Whitney hike.

Or you could do White on one of the days after your Whitney hike?

Cottonwood pass/lakes is an excellent option. Why not visit the White Mountains and Cottonwood lakes/pass? You have plenty of time.

Have fun!

I did White Mt 3 weeks ago for the first time - took about 1 hour to get there on a good gravel road from Grandview Campground. The hike was about 7 hours r/t on a good trail/road. The last section was the steepest, but you can get to 13k at about 5 or 5.5 miles in and would be a easy out & back without reaching the summit. Good luck on Whitney and enjoy your trip.

Gary,

I climbed White Mt, took one day off, then climbed Whitney (overnighting at Trail Camp). These were my first two 14'ers and it wasn't too much for me. All my prior training was at sea level and I was 58. I did spend the prior week acclimatizing in the 10-12,000 range.

But I suggest there is no advantage of day-hiking White Mt as a warm up for Whitney ... it is only 300' lower. Coming from Atlanta, your body will not know which peak you are attempting. I would suggest spending time at the intermediate altitudes. Day hiking Schulman Grove (10,000) and camping at Barcroft gate (11,700) is what the body needs to acclimatize. You have already accomplished your fitness training ... your pre-Whitney goal should be gradual exposure to the higher altitudes.

As others have mentioned, Schulman Grove at 10,000' is a great day hike. There is a good paved road all the way. Beyond Schulman is a gravel road to the Barcroft gate. Ground clearance isn't as important as the need to miss the numerous jagged rocks that stick out. I rented a Dodge Charger at Reno and had no trouble, although I only averaged about 10mph on the gravel. For more road info check this thread. Personally, I enjoyed the Bristlecones as much as the Whitney trip.

If time permitted, a good schedule would be to spend a day or two at 10k, rest, a day at 12K, more rest, then a 14K attempt. But it all boils down to how you personally react to altitude and recover from fatigue.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Hal

Thank you all for the input. The clarification on White Mountain Road was an eye-opener - I had assumed the difficulty was gullies and uneveness, not tire-shredding rocks. That puts a different spin on what I'll do with a rental. Maybe Schulman Grove is exactly the right place to stop and smell the roses. I'll take a look at the road once I get there and make a judgement call.

White and/or Schulman will probably be post-Whitney. I feel pretty confident that what I need is as much time as possible at 11K or so for my 3 acclimatization days before Whitney - without burning out on elevation gain or distance - so I'll most likely spend at least two of those days wandering in the Cottonwood Pass/Lakes area. I do plan to take one of those 3 days to hike Mono Pass at Yosemite - looks to be a sweet, easy 8-mile RT at over 10K with only about 1000 ft of elevation gain.

I'm also curious to see how my body reacts to the change in both temp and humidity as well. Most of my training has been in miserable conditions - 90-95 degree heat with 75-90% humidity - basically a steam sauna. I just got back from a 14-mile training hike this evening in the mountains north of Atlanta, and I lost 7 pounds during the hike - all liquid. Went through 3 shirts, 2 sweatbands, 5 bandanas and a gallon of Cytomax-charged H2O. I'm REALLY looking forward to hiking in much more comfortable humi-temps. I did some light hiking in Sequoia a few years ago, and I swear it was the best overall weather I've ever been in.

Thanks again for the advice. 18 days and counting . . .

Top Secret: the Tehipite Chapter of the Sierra Club has the very best playground of any Chapter (YOSE, SEKI). Now that we've told you, we need to kill you, or run you through a TSDH.

Wagga, I understand why you feel that way. I've vsisted and/or hiked in most every major National Park in the lower 48 over the past 10 years, and the 3 Sierra parks are top notch.

I try to spend a week camping and hiking in Death Valley every couple of years (Feb/Mar), and I usually swing over to Lone Pine on my way out and just stare at the Whitney and think, "some day . . ."

Well, it's now someday! In fact, after maybe half a dozen trips up the Portal Road over the years, this will be the first time I actually get past the snow-closure sign and get to the Portal. That cheeseburger - and probably a pancake before all is done - has been a long time coming.

To those who have camped at White Mountain recently.
I see there are 25 first come-first serve sights available at Grandview Campground. Does anyone have an opinion on how hard or easy it is to get a camp sight for our group on an August weekend. Some will be coming in late Friday night and some on Saturday.

Thanks in advance -Tom

You probably know this but what about camping at the trailhead. Even though you have an hour drive on a dirt road it is worth a visit, even if you only walk up to the observation center. Plenty of camp sites and you spend the night at 12,000. It's a beautiful place and you camp out of your car. We BBQ'd steaks after our hike.

L

Tom,
I doubt you will have a problem getting sites at Grandview if some are arriving on Friday night. I've rolled in there on a Saturday afternoon and got a site.

Hi Larry -

Thanks for the advise. But this group size will probably be 10-15 persons - a little large for camping at a trail head - especially when some probably have limited "camp" experience. I am pretty simpleton myself when it comes to where I plant my head and what I need to get me through the night.

Thanks Scott -

That is what I was hoping to hear - I just get nervous during summer months trying to coordinate for a group. Should be up on White Mountain on Sunday - if anyone else is up there - say hi and encouarge our newbies along.

Isn't Grandview Campground rather popular with the astronomy crowd? I believe the Perseid shower peaks this week, maybe on the 12th or 13th, so the campground may be more crowded than usual this weekend.

Good point - now you have me worrying again.