Mt. Whitney  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Elevation:  14,496' Lat, Long:  36.5784, -118.293 Map Page Views:  134,122. Good page? (5 likes)    Administrators:  Chris Owen, M.Morley, Sam Vanderhyden, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Nick Wilder on Jan 23, 2006 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event

Whitney and Keeler from the drive to Whitney Porta...

Description 

Want to climb the highest peak in the lower 48? You're not alone. While the permit process is a major hassle, the crowds are thin (until you summit), and the granite is as fine as it gets.

Most climbs are about 1000 feet tall on the east face that gets shady by afternoon. Storms can brew over on the west side and give you quite a surprise.

There are two non-technical ways to the summit: the Whitney trail, a long slog up an easy walking trail, and the Mountaineers Route, a steep gully filled with loose rock, which is the usual descent route for climbers.

There's a decent campground at the end of the road, near the trailhead. You must have a permit to camp anywhere beyond that, and they're not easy to get. Call 760-873-2483 or go to the forest service's website. Unless you're doing the Whitney Trail, you want a permit for the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek.

Getting There 

Drive up the Whitney portal at about 8,300 feet. Lots of parking and bear boxes, where you need to leave anything with an odor that you're not bringing, including toiletries.

Most people spend the night at either Upper Boy Scout Lake (11,300 feet) or Iceberg Lake (12,600 feet). Iceberg is the way to go if you have the time. Incredible views of the mountain (and most routes), clear water right in front of you, and the climbing starts just a little ways up the scree slope from your campsite.

Getting there is tough and it's quite easy to get off route. I recommend buying the supertopo and follow the excellent instructions there.

The hike can get really hot. Start early (dawn) and you'll get to a campsite by lunch, have time to rest up and scope the route.

The Classics

Featured Route For Mt. Whitney

East Face 5.6  CA : High Sierra : Mt. Whitney

From Iceberg Lake, scramble up to the notch just above the First Tower. Gear up. Make the Tower Traverse across the south face of the Second Tower, and climb a short chimney (5.4-5.5) to the first belay.Scramble or simul climb up three pitches of 4th - easy 5th to the top of the Washboard. Climb left up and over a tower/chimney (5.2-5.5) to a large ledge, and traverse to the base of the Fresh Air Traverse. The Fresh Air Traverse pitch (5.5) climbs easy ground up then left to three fixed piton...[more]   Browse More Classics in CA

Photos of Mt. Whitney Slideshow

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Mt. Whitney at sunrise. Mountaineer's route goes ...	BETA PHOTO: Camp at Iceberg Lake. Moutaineers route is up the...	Dawn at Iceberg Lake
BETA PHOTO: East Face of Whitney	Good photo of the East Face and East Buttress rout...	Looking up toward the Peewee boulder on Whitney's ...
Not much further to the top, Mt. Whitney	BETA PHOTO: Looking back at the approach up the N. Fork of Lon...	Your first glimpse of Mt. Whitney on the North For...
Early morning at Upper Boy Scout Lake, Mt. Whitney...	Joe O'Connor at the end of the Ebersbacher Ledges....	Looking down the mountaineer's route. June 05
Looking toward Lonepine	BETA PHOTO: Fresh Air Traverse	Mt. Whitney from Alabama Hills. Photo by Blitzo.
Mt. Whitney area	Mt. Whitney area	Mt. Whitney area
Mt. Whitney area	Mt Whitney area	Looking at Mt Whitney from the backside (just past...
Outpost Camp	Approaching Whitney/Russell	What more can you ask for?
Proverbial summit shot after scaring the bejesus o...	Dustin views Whitney from the Alabama hills	Mt. Whitney from the Russell-Carillon saddle - lat...
On the upper snowfield near the summit. January 2...	Whitney from the Alabama Hills	Camp at Iceberg Lake
BETA PHOTO: The notch at the top of the Mountaineer's Route gu...	Looking down the Mountaineer's Route at Iceberg La...	The view up the N. Fork of Lone Pine Creek to Mt. ...
Duke on the approach nearing Iceberg Lake with Kee...	Mt. Whitney and Keeler in the alpine glow. August ...	Sun setting behind Mt. Whitney from the approach t...
Whitney Massif	Diego Navarro stands just below the notch, during ...	Mt Whitney Backcountry
Above Iceberg Lake	Jodi Levine and Arin Trook descend from Iceberg La...	Mt. Whitney view of the East Face
Mt. Whitney. Photo by Blitzo.	The Ebersbacher Ledges on the North Fork approach,...	The view back down from Upper Boyscout Lake, Mt. W...
View south from the summit.	Evening at Upper Boyscout Lake	Another shot of morning light on the Whitney Crest
coming down the mountaineer's route	Whitney in the morning glory.	Approaching Mt Whitney
Whitney massif	Another water run at Iceberg Lake	Looking north from near the top, Mt. Whitney