Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board 2024

Richard,

A visit to 60 Lakes Basin is likely to impede your Quest to Hike the JMT. I was last in 60 Lakes Basin 11 years ago and its signed trail leaving the outlet of the Upper Rae Lake still rapidly deteriorated into a maze of use trails headed in all directions. Interestingly, the only hikers I saw there were two fellows who were lost. They could not decipher what their "electronics" were telling them. As they had no paper map, I showed them mine and pointed to the Fin Dome for orientation. This got them back on track. Also, determining where Basin Notch actually lies is not a slam dunk, as it does not amount to much elevation gain before dropping to Arrowhead Lake.

Now back to the Topic (JMT Quest):

Intersection of JMT and Kearsarge Pass Trail to Intersection JMT and Piute Pass Trail = 67 miles.

Intersection of JMT and Piute Pass Trail to Reds Meadow = 49 miles.

Intersection JMT and Piute Pass Trail to exit at North Lake (via Piute Pass) = 36 miles RT (assuming later return to JMT that way).

Therefore, consider hiking from Onion Valley to Reds Meadow without exiting the JMT to get "biggest bang for your buck." This would alleviate any further hunt for permits. Pick good weather and return (after you get out of the hospital!) to day hike Reds Meadow to TM and then, subsequently day hike TM to Happy Isles. Unfortunately, now it is likely too late to resupply at the Muir Trail Ranch, as you leave Onion Valley in a few days.,

Piece of cake.

Jim

I was actually thinking that I'd end my JMT by re-doing my failed Duck Pass to Happy Isle from last Summer...I'm not a purist, so altermates and skips don't bother me...The Piute Pass/Canyon idea came from my Buds from WI...I've been over Piute Pass for climbs in the past, but have never continued all the way to the PCT/JMT.

(I asked Johnny to come back to CA so he could be my Mule...he and his brother carried most of the load for the 2 older guys (40's))

I met a couple older than me about halfway to Kearsarge Pass last week...when asked what they were finishing (a typical question from me) they said Sixty Lakes Basin...which reminded me that I've never done that detour inspite of being to Rae Lakes numerous times...

I'll take your advice and skip it...adding frustration at the beginning of a Long Trek is illogical...Even at my advanced age, I think getting in to Rae Lakes / Sixty Lakes basin in a day is something I can do independently in the future...

I do appreciate the advice.

Thanks for choosing Red’s Meadow Resort & Pack Station for your rest stop!

Mule House Café: Mon-Thurs 8-10 breakfast, 12-2 lunch, 4-6 dinner, Fri-Sun 8-10 breakfast, 12-6 lunch/dinner

General Store: Mon-Thurs 9-5 Fri-Sun 8-7

Looking forward to seeing you at Red’s!


I was cleaning out my Gregory pack...no way I'm going 6 days with the GoLite...the permit for Duck Pass wsa from '22...

Richard, when do you start your hike? Just took a look at your SPOT site...

MAIN TRAIL- AUGUST 28, 2024

Day hiked the Main Trail yesterday. The day before I was considering other day hike options in the area., Visited the Store to gather some info and a local conditions report from Doug Sr (thanks, Doug!) and tanked up on a great double cheeseburger (thanks, Cayden!).

Glad I selected the Mt Whitney Main Trail to hike. Had the unexpected pleasure to encounter Betsy, Jack (whitneyn1), and Tom (hightinerary) as they were storming up the Trail just below Trail Crest. Stopped there a few minutes to catch up on our activities: Betsy's recent trip to Europe, Jack's adding to an impressive number of Whitney summits, and Tom's trip out from the East Coast and unexpected encounter with a Giant Pancake (No Joke!).

The weather was superb. Met a 77 yo hiker finishing up his seventh JMT (20 days with rest days at the Red's Meadow Resort and the Muir Trail Ranch). He said he had never experienced such great weather as he did this August. Yesterday from the Mt Whitney summit the air quality was pristine. There was extreme visibility in all directions with a mild temperature and no wind. There was no evidence of the Coffee Pot fire across the Range to the west.

Among the many hikers on the Mountain yesterday, there seemed to be an unusually good Vibe. In addition to the current excellent Trail conditions and weather, maybe hikers are better prepared and in better physical condition (with several months of summer training finished) as the season approaches its final stages.

Stream levels are running very low, but the Spring at the 23rd SB is running fairly strong. For me the 23rd SB Spring provides the final water stop on the way up and the first on the way down, a truly welcome sight.

Jim

I started last Sunday and finished yesterday...

Like Jim mentioned, the weather couldn't have been better...only a few clouds on Day 1, Day 5 and Day 6...

I smelled smoke on the way up Muir Pass (confirmed by a late-seaaon PCT'er at the Hut) and the view of the Evolution Basin was spoiled...

It was bittersweet...the scenery is awesome, but 15+ miles a day (14, 15, 18, 16, 18, 17 (probably a bad number...more like 14+)) was painful...and less mileage would mean shorter trips, or MORE WEIGHT, which I don't know that I want to do...

I did spend time talking with some older folks (I started calling it the Old Geezer Trail...seriously, there were more Seniors than any other age group) and one lady (5 days from TM to Red's) at least got me out of the funk I was in on Day 3...

I'll probably do a Best Of photos in another thread...


I think I'm also done with SPOT...I took a quick glace at the map and considering I'm paying for 5 minutes reporting, it's rediulous how low the number of trackig points are...

I was supposed to be heading for Red's over Duck Pass this morning, but life gets in the way of enjoyment again...maybe next week...

Anyway, the plan is now:
-Duck Pass to red's as a day hike with an overnight pack stashed in a box at the campground...
-2 days to TM...
-TM to HI as a dayhike...another stash the pack in a box...

I'm listening if anyone wants to comment on how unpleasant this may be for me...

On another subject...finally heading to OV to pick up my truck that's been there for over a month...thinking I'll stop at the Portal for a burger on the way home...Is Sr. around, or down south?

Will be at the store today and down south Tuesday turn around and back

On the trip Suggest TM to Reds not sure with the road closed week days.Yarts bus to TM hike to HI
.

Richard,

I was in TM yesterday (Sept 8). Store and Visitors Center open, but Grill closed, as well as campground and backpacker's campground. Many people/ parked cars at Wilderness Office.

Backpackers Shuttle between HI and TM runs until Sept 15.

Car pass still needed to enter Yosemite NP on weekends through Oct 27.

Red's Meadow Road closed 11 PM Sun until 5 AM Fri.

Yesterday in TM it was quite warm and windy with clear skies. Great weather is in the forecast in this part of the Sierras for the next week. Some hints Fall is coming. Excellent window of opportunity to continue your hike!

Jim

Kearsarge Pass - 09.09.2024
========================

Although there are still a lot of people heading into the backcountry, you CAN find a parking spot at the Trailhead (vs. parking down the road a few weeks ago)...

It was still shorts and a t-shirt weather, but you can feel the change of seasons in the air (no, it wasn't just the smoke smell and the hazy skies)...

Here's the classic KP photo:





Thanks for the info Jim...kind of bunned to hear that the TM Grill is closed, but I'd imagine business drops like a rock after Labor Day Weekend...

I did have a Pass to get into the Park on Sunday...I was planning on dropping off a bike at HI and then heading to Mammoth. I was hoping that I'd find the kiosk closed, so I could drive down towards Red's to stash the pack...

Jr and Sr put a bunch of ideas in my head...SR says it's "Almost all down hill..." and Jr suggested TM to Agnew Meadows as an altenate day hike...(so, 2 day hikes -skipping Duck Pass and Red's - that would require 3 vehicles)...

We'll see what I end up doing...




I had fun at the Portal BS'ing with The Crew...

Richard I hope you can get it all in.
I did not get anywhere near done as much as I hoped to do on my SOBO Upper Basin trip. No problem in 2009, 2012 and 2013 going through there but age, slowness and heavy pack turned me around this time.
However, stopping by the store it was good to see Doug Sr, Doug Jr and daughter at the store.
Harvey

Watching a CA Weather Forecast yesterday...Winter Storm Warning for the Sierra this week...so no trip...

Days are getting so short now...don't know that I'll even bother to reschedule...

Maybe refocues on gettting to 200 on Whit...assuming the new snow will melt off...

Sorry to hear it didn't go as planned...but those visits to the WPS tend to tame down the disappointment...

Hi Everyone hope you all had a great day. Will be doing Horeshoe Meadow to Witney Portal over 4 days. Are there any parking permits needed or restrictions to leaving a car at the portal parking lot for four days possibly 5. Planning on meeting a shuttle at the portal leaving car there then being dropped off at horseshoe. Thanks for the info in advance.

No restrictions on parking as long as you're not in front of the WPS, or over in the Day Use area...noticed that a bunch of people have been abusing the Day Use Parking area this sumner...

In the unkikely evernt that you have to park along the road, make sure you get off the road completely...another of those things that bugs me when I' driving up, or down, the road.

thanks for the info have great day.

Morning everyone wanted to get some input. Going to start at Horseshoe Meadow was going to do new army pass but looks like cottonwood pass will be a little easier as I want to get to rock creek lake to camp. Wont get started until 9:30-10:00 so will be a late start but want at least 10 miles. Will take the Siberian trail to cut up to Army pass trail from the pct to get to rock creek lake. Also looks like there is a bear locker there to make things easy. Water sources on this route are chicken spring lake? Is there a good water resource at rock springs lake where I want to camp first nite. Day 2 Rock Creek Lake to Crabtree Ranger Station. Any water sources along the pct on this route? Is there water at Crabtree Ranger Station? Want to have at least 3.5 liters for Witney summit and down to Consultation Lake. Anyone know if the Spring is still running at Switchback 23-24 on the trail camp side of Witney? Day 3 summit Witney and either stay at Consultation lake or push out the Portal. Thanks in advance for any info and if anyone has any better suggestions please let me know. thanks.

Hi wannabe hiker,

I have difficulty in following your plan for this wonderful 4 day outing. My interpretation is:

Day 1-Go over Cottonwood Pass from Horseshoe Meadow and continue on to Soldier Lake.

Day 2- Soldier Lake to Crabtree Meadow (where a RS is located).

Day 3- Crabtree Meadow to Mt Whitney and then descend to Consultation Lake.

Day 4- Hike out to Whitney Portal.

This plan sounds reasonable.

Some notes:

(1) When I hiked from Crabtree Meadow to Horseshoe Meadow on the PCT on June 24, 2021, I was impressed by the lack of water sources on this stretch. There was only water in Rock Creek and (of course) Chicken Spring Lake. It was so dry that no water was flowing across the trail from the outlet of Chicken Spring Lake.

(2) Soldier Lake is a fine water source.

(3) Whitney Creek is the water source at Crabtree Meadow/RS. It might be running quite low now. Guitar Lake is a couple of miles farther up, if Crabtree meadow seems deficient and you still have energy and daylight to hike..

(4) I usually take 1 liter when I depart from the Guitar Lake area fully hydrated.

(5) When I last passed the Spring at the 23rd SB on August 28, it was flowing well, but the flow was much less than on earlier visits during the Summer. Often it will vanish in late season.

(6) Getting to Consultation Lake can be a bit of a navigation problem. So plan your approach in advance, in case it is getting dark when you have finished descending the SBs.

Enjoy!

Jim

Hi Jim thanks so much for the reply/info. About a mile down the trial from Soldier lake on the Map it shows Rock Creek lake, bear box RS01 and camping. Do you know if this a viable spot for camping and is there a viable water source w bear box. Wondering if this a good spot to camp. I can also camp at soldier Lake but further is always better if time. Soldier lake shows bear box RS03. Can you if possible please confirm there is a bear box at soldier Lake. Will fill up at Soldier lake or when I cross Rock Creek if I can't stay at Rock Creek lake. Crabtree or guitar lake will work as well. If its getting dark or to tired will just stay at trail camp. If there is light and not to tired any tips on descending to consolation lake from the switchbacks. Thanks for the reply and any info in advance.. Super Appreciated.

Regarding your planned trip from Horseshoe Meadows:
You can get water from Chicken Springs Lake - but make sure you treat/filter it
As you proceed north on the PCT there will be a large meadow on your left before the trail curves west. Alison Steiner, a former backcountry ranger, assured me that there was a year-long spring on the west side of that meadow. I never searched for it.
Once you hit Rock Creek and get below the short very steep section before the lake, there are literally hundreds of potential camp sites along the creek before the creek crossing below the ranger station. I don't understand the focus on bear boxes when you must have a bear container.
After climbing out of Rock Creek Guyot Creek may be flowing - but probably not this late in the season.
I've been doing parts of this section for 35 years and have never seen Crabtree Meadow dry.
Doesn't matter how far you get each day - just being there is the magic.