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

First off, hello.

I will hopefully be doing a day hike of Whitney in early August (1st timer), unless my group strikes out with the permits. However, I really want to backpack Whitney and so I'm thinking about doing it with a different group via Horseshoe Meadows in early September as well. I chose this route because from what I've read its easier to get a permit for this route since you're starting outside the Whitney Zone - please correct me if I'm wrong.

I've done a lot of searching (read this thread: http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/57360/page/12#Post57360)and it seems there are multiple trails you can take to the summit. Is there a good online resource or book that describes the different trails that one can take? Also, do any of you have recommendations on which trail to take? And it appears that you need to leave a car at the Whitney portal and then either get a ride to the trail or take an additional car there. What's the best way of dealing with the transportation situation?

This book has a complete description of each trail to Mt. Whitney, including the ones that start at Horseshoe Meadows.

"Mount Whitney Complete trailhead to Summit Hiking guide by Paul Richens Jr."

http://pweb.jps.net/~prichins/mwguide.htm

Thanks! Also, if anyone who has done the hike could include input on different trails that would be appreciated. I'm thinking of doing it in 4 days.

Hey Jeff

I did the Horseshoe Meadows to the portal hike last summer. My first time up Whitney and after doing it I wondered why would anyone want to torture themselves going up the main trail and also miss so much beautiful backcountry. Of course time is a factor for many.

Permits: Trailhead permits are very easy to get. Trail crest exit permits are your problem. I think you can reserve them 6 months in advance so your window is fast approaching. Get your ducks in a row and call exactly 6 months in advance and you should have no problem. There isn't a lottery for these and they can be reserved over the phone.

There are multiple routes and 3 passes to chose from. New army pass (which I did), Old army pass (not maintained), or cottonwood pass. 3 nights - 4 days will be no problem if you are in decent shape. Altitude sickness is always something to worry about. Try to spend at least 1 night camping up high before you depart. If you don't have time then take it easy the 1st day. If you take new army pass I would suggest camping at Long Lake, Rock Creek and Guitar lake and then summit and out. Might be a lot more fun to add at least 1 extra day. I'm doing it again this year from Onion Valley and we added 2 extra days to enjoy the scenery and outrageous fishing.

Hitchhiking is really easy in this area. What we did was take bikes and left the car at the portal. It's all downhill back to the junction up to cottonwood/horseshoe for your trailhead. It was fun but be careful. I had a blowout from overheated brakes. We chucked the bikes in the bushes near the junction and thumbed it to the trailhead. Took less than 15 minutes for 2 of us to get a ride. I would think the traffic would be heavier in the morning and there was plenty at 11am when we were there.

Anyway it's a great hike and actually pretty uncrowded until Guitar lake. Have fun which is hard not to do on this hike.

Hey Kevin Bacon, my Footloose brethren! I'm doing great. Apparently doing the same as you - daydreaming of summer in the high Sierra.

thanks for all the helpful responses! Question: so for August, do you think I will have a problem getting Trail crest exit permits?

See Notes 3 through 6 at the bottom of Wilderness Permit Options. Exit quotas are considered before a permit is issued at the Visitors Center, and there is exit quota space reserved for walk-ins.

Since August is only about 4 months away (you are within the 6 month window), your best approach would be to call the Permit Reservation office directly. Anything else is only speculation at this point.

I called for my exit permits for this July about a week after the 6 month window. I was surprised that there were only a few "reservable" dates available for the entire month. I had to change my original dates and let my 5 other hiking partners know if they want to go, these are the new dates. I just like to have all the unknowns out of the way. You can probably get a walk up but it's much nicer to enjoy a couple of beers at the trailhead the night before, rather than camp out in the gravel parking lot at the visitors center in Lone Pine hoping you might get a permit. Last year I called 6 months to the day before my trip and there was plenty of exit permits available.

Just a heads up - the exit permit is for the day you exit at the portal. It's actually pretty easy to get a trailhead permit. Last year I couldn't wait to hit the trail so instead of camping at the trailhead we changed our trailhead permit a day earlier at the visitors center at noon. Did an easy first day which gave us more time in the backcountry and took off some miles for the next day. You still have to exit on the day of your exit permit but you have flexibility in between. I seem to recall my good buddy Kevin Bacon was behind a day when he reached the portal last year. The Crabtree Ranger was cool about it and even passed a message for him to his wife waiting at the trailhead.

I hate this advanced planning but the trail quota is necessary. Just jump through the hoops and enjoy.

I did this hike two years ago with a coworker of mine. Day one had us start at Horseshoe Meadows, hike to Cottonwood Lakes, and head up and over New Army Pass, then down the other side where we camped the first night at Solder Lake. Day two took us from Solder Lake, up and over Guyot Pass, then down to Crabtree Meadows for our second night. Day three was an easy hike from Crabtree Meadows past Timberline Lake to our camp at Guitar Lake. Day four went up to the main Whitney Trail, where I headed to the summit and spent the fourth night on Whitney summit. I pitched my tent behind the cabin in one of the rock protected walls made for tents. My coworker realized that she did not have a sleeping bag that would keep her warm enough on the summit, so she went to the summit, then all the way down to Whitney Portal. My fifth day was a relaxing 11-mile hike to Whitney Portal, where I was rewarded with a nice hot shower, some cold beers, and the awesome Mooseburger with cheese and bacon (thank you Laura, aka MooseTracks).

I highly recommend this hike, and will probably do it again soon, including another night atop Whitney. I have spent the night on the summit twice now, and really enjoy it. The aspenglow in the morning on the Eastern face has to be seen to be fully appreciated. Pictures just do not do it justice.

Whitney Mike

I finished a Muir Trail hike via Horseshoe Meadows in 1990, after walking out over Whitney the two years before. Wanted to see something different. Well, I don't have fond memories of the trail, especially close to Horseshoe Meadows. It was like walking on the beach for miles, all ground up granite dust, pulverized by all the horse traffic you get over there.

At least you'll be heading away from it towards Whitney where the trail will get better and better as you get closer. Bring a lot of water over that first pass, too - it's pretty darn dry in that area.

I'm not sure how much more difficult it is to get a permit for Kearsarge Pass entry, but I'd recommend that route highly over Horseshoe Meadows, but it would add a day to the trip.

A hike via Shepherd Pass to the back side of Whitney would be my prime choice, though - closer to Whitney than Kearsarge Pass but you pay for it with the altitude gain you need to deal with on the first day. The main reason I'd pick this route is that I haven't been on Shepherd Pass yet, making the initial ascent more interesting to me. Those eastern slope passes without high access roads can be a real challenge when you start at 6000 feet or lower, but it's like climbing Whitney for real. Start early before the sun, make early camp on day 1, cross the pass the next morning - this helps with adjusting to the the altitude, too.

found this report of a Whintey hike via Shepherd Pass

http://www.dankat.com/swhikes/whitny.htm

Shephard's pass sounds like an interesting hike. Let me know if you stumble upon any more information on it.

Thanks Mike. A little off topic, but what hikes do you like in the Santa Barbara area. I like to visit there with my wife and was interested in possibly doing some short hikes.

So I know its pretty impossible to predict, but generally, what are weather conditions like in early September? It looks like I'm going to have to push the trip back to memorial day weekend in order to secure a trail crest exit permit. I'm an experienced camper/hiker but I have not done any snow camping/hiking and I don't want to do Whitney for the first time in the snow.

Early September? Typically warm days and cool nights. Always a change of a snow shower, but the odds are usually low in early September. Days will be a bit shorter, though.

I love September in the Sierra. There are generally fewer people, the Main Mt. Whitney Trail being an exception.

What can you expect generally, nice windy days and near freezing nights. If your plans include Mt. Whitney at sunrise I'd bring some extra warmies and an extra pair of gloves.

My trip this year is in Mid-September. I plan to bring normal Sierra summer set up plus an extra mid to heavy weight baselayer top because I plan to be on the summit at dawn. My final closing list will be based on forecast for the period we will be on the trail.

Excellent. I'm planning on going over Labor Day weekend. From the 6th - 10th and acclimating on the 5th. One more question about the permits. As I understand it, you need a trail head permit and a trail crest exit permit. I called the Ranger's office and exiting Whitney on the 10th should be fine. Now, does the Inyo National Forest Reservation Form cover me for both permits or do I need to apply for the trail head permit through a different agency?

It will be a single permit for both. It will be easier in September and remember you can always change your trailhead entry date but you will most likely be locked into your exit dates, the one they get you for 15 bucks a pop. Sounds like you have the interagency visitor # but here it is in case you don't (760)876-6200. They should be able to answer any questions.

IMHO September is the best time in the Sierra. Bugs are dead, kiddies are back in school and the mountains become less crowded. Whitney had a dusting of snow the day before our group summitted last September. Be prepared and check the weather but you should be fine. I was doubting the need for thermals and my gortex shell, and light gloves but they made me comfy on top and I was glad I had them. I did not bring pants nor did I need them. Just wear shorts over your thermals. Do bring waterproof rain shell pants, I did need those.

Jeff81,

Please submit a TR to this board ASAP on your return. My group is taking this same route beginning on 6/17 and we will look forward to reading about your excursion. Best wishes !

Whoops, sorry. I thought you were heading out in June, Memorial Day? Did you mean Labor Day?

Yeah, got that confused. Labor day...so I guess I'll read your report.

As Apeman indicated, you only need one permit form. You just have to meet the quota for the start date and the exit date that you specify on the form. As noted in Notes 5 and 6 of Wilderness Permit Options, you can change your entry when you reach the Visitors Center since your permit/agreement is not printed out until you arrive.