Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Anyone hiking HST this summer (2009)

Hello Everyone,

I have been bitten by the HST bug. But being a newbie and untrained in the skills required for this, I would like to tag along with any of you experienced folks that may be planning to do this. I have done Whitney couple of years back. But need to get back in shape. I am desperate to learn and acquire the skills that will permit me to be out in this type of gorgeous outdoors for days.
Anyone planning to do this, please let me know. I will be greatly indebted...

Regards ...

As soon as the snow is gone I'm planning on doing it in 3 days. If you feel the pace won't be too much, you are more than welcome to tag along.

3 Days???? I am afraid that pace will be too much for me. You are one of those hiking super humans that I hope I will become someday

I was planning this trip in 2007 and posted a note looking for advice. As usual many people chimmed in with lots of awesome info. Here's the thread:
http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/39163/page/0/fpart/1

I shutter at thinking about doing it in 3 days, crescent meadows all the way to the top of the kaweah gap??? crazy lol

My work is talking about shutting the plant down for a week or two sometime this summer. If that happens I will definitely do this but 3 days is nuts. I would do it at a more leisurely pace and spend a day soaking in the hot tub.....

Folks,
I also want to add that this is the first time I am backpacking. Only day hikes till now - though I have carried my son who wieghs about 25 pounds a few times to the summit of mission peak. Is this a realistic goal for me?
Thanks and Regards ...

It's a beautiful hike that shouldn't be rushed if you have the time.

I did it in 8 days last June.

I heard a story last week of a woman who did the John Muir Trail in its entirety as the first backpack of her entire life. What is realistic varies rather widely!

I would not tell a fit person that they could not do the HST. However, on the HST, one finds oneself in some very remote country with uphill walking required to get out in any direction. I would definitely recommend a shorted backpacking trip -- or a few trips -- before taking it on.

I'll second this. Whenever I have someone of unknown ability wanting to join me on weeklong trips, I take them on an overnight trip to see if they are up to it. My favorite place to do this is Mineral King because it is close, and you have the ability to put in some good vertical and get up high on a relatively short trip. A shakedown overnight to Monarch Lake with a summit of Sawtooth, or to Franklin Lake with a summit of Florence, will give you a feel for what you would have to do every day to finish the HST in a week. I personally like to take my time to enjoy it, and eight days for the HST would suit me just fine.

I agree with the other two, it is doable, however, I've taken hundreds of people out for their first backpacking trip, and although all had significant hiking experience, virtually all found it challenging in several ways. Most backpackers would describe 8 days as the longest of their lives, so it is not a trivial thing. The remoteness actually makes it a serious proposition. Dealing with something as trivial as blisters on a day hike is a whole 'nuther thing on a multi-day trip when you have to walk on the blisters.

Where in Ca do you reside?

Thanks to all for the advice. I agree that practice is required before attempting this. I definitely planned to do a few before the actual HST trip - to help asses my abilities and also to sort gear and stuff.
Yes .. It should be an enjoyable trip and not a constant struggle.

Ken ... I live in San Jose.

Thanks to all for the advice. I agree that practice is required before attempting this. I definitely planned to do a few smaller trips before the actual HST trip - to help assess my abilities and also to sort out the gear.
Yes .. It should be an enjoyable trip and not a constant struggle.

Ken ... I live in San Jose.

There are different options in different parts of the State. For example, the WTC (Wilderness Travel Course) program in LA/Orange Co is an excellent introduction to backpacking. Moosetracks is a recent grad, so that should tell you it's quality.

In your neck of the woods, you might take a look at this:

http://lomaprieta.sierraclub.org/BPS/bbcourse.html

Certainly can't beat the price.

This link is really useful Ken. Thanks a lot....

It's a cool feeling to me anyway when you get way out there and think that at this point it's at least 30 miles to any trail head.

Day hikes you can always say I can't make it and turn around but out there you have to make it!

That's why I insist on a warmup hike with someone who is new at it. I once was on an 8-day trip from Horse Corral to Whitney over Colby Pass, and one of the guys (who said he had considerable experience, and lives at elevation) was invited along by a friend of mine who comes with me all the time. I trusted this guy, but on the third day it became painfully obvious that he just wasn't up for it. He and the friend who invited him turned around just before we got to the more challenging part of the trip, below Colby Lake.

You bring up a good point that is often overlooked. If a person goes on a longer, committed trip...unless they are going alone....if they can't cut it, their companions will inevitably pay a significant price, one way or another.

I remember a beginner trip a couple years back, starting at Huntington Lake, and going over Potter Pass to twin lakes, for a two niter. Although I'd exhaustively oriented people to what they needed to do in prep, it became obvious within a half-hour, that one person had no possibility of getting over the pass, much less to the lakes. I had the others go ahead to climb the pass, while I stayed back with the person. In spite of a lot of coaching, I finally had to take her pack, and strap it to the back of mine (luckily, I was not ultralighting it), and carted the 60-lb load to the top, 1 hour behind the group, who wondered what the heck had happened to us. Ugh!

John, speaking of your "warmup" hikes, let me know when you plan on doing one. I would love to go.

The first one will be a quick trip with Stan to Weaver Lake in June. I would like to do a couple trips out of Mineral King this year. And I'll send you the details of a weeklong trip that Stan and I are planning for the last week of July.