You guys should do more videos like this. Talking through the prep and the landmarks would be really helpful for people that want to reproduce your hikes. Great info.
For inexperienced hikers the best time to hike Whitney is late summer/early fall after the snow has melted, and the weather is more stable - ideally September. Anyone in reasonable fitness can day-hike it with some physical preparation - preferably similar hikes at high altitude. On a good day you don't need all that equipment and clothing - just some long pants and a waterproof windbreaker jacket. Take lots of food and a water filter and you're set. Leave the trailhead at 4:00 am and be back at sun-down around 8pm. 16 hrs. is a decent average round-trip time. You reach the peak at 12:30 - 1 pm, just before the afternoon thunderstorms roll in, though they are not on a schedule and can appear anytime. Have lots of electrolytes, and don't chug your Gatorade - it will make you sick.
Each time Ive done it I get the 1 day pass and get into the permit zone at midnight - summit around dawn and hike down. This video is more geared to prep for transecting the equator or something. If youre a decent hiker and on the Whitney Trail, its just a long hike.
I've done Mt. Whitney many, many times over the last 3 or so decades. The advice here is extraordinarily helpful, either for a first-timer or someone like me, who can always use friendly reminders. Well done!
I did the hike in one day in early August circa 1978 when I was in my early thirties. I was a regular runner, and, back then, as I recall, I also did a little training going up and down flights of stairs (I'm a flatlander from Louisiana). I arrived in Lone Pine the morning before the hike to pick up a permit at the ranger station. The weather was beautiful. A few sections of the trail still had snow, but nothing along the trail was difficult to traverse. It just took some stamina. By late afternoon, I was back in Lone Pine eating steak at a cafe and ready to hit the sack in my motel room.
Better to go back together and try another time, than to keep going and stay on the mountain forever. Words to live by. This video should be required viewing for anyone going there and has value that goes with many outdoor activities.
Great video. Love the part about wag bags. I am local to the area, and we get really tired of people coming up from LA or wherever and $hiting all over everything. These guys have a positive, respectful frame of mind, and are the type of visitors we enjoy. Keep up the great work bros!!😁👍🏽💪🏽🤘🏽
I learnt that down products involve extreme animal cruelty and so I would not recommend that. I have been using synthetic for 4 years and it has so far worked out for me.
Nice video. My brother and I were on the summit just over a month ago. Horseshoe Meadows to the summit and out Portal. Great weather and no major problems. 👍
Did this hike in August 2005 at age 57 with my wife at age 51. Did it as a day hike starting at 3:30 AM from Whitney Portal, and returning at 7:30 PM after spending an hour at the summit. Our conditioning consisted of mostly high elevation hikes of approximately 8 to 10 miles per hike. No snow to contend with, and trail was well marked. Made sure we had plenty of water (3 liter Camelback, along with 3-4 extra bottles of water for me), my wife had 1.5 liter Camelback. We returned with almost half our water remaining. Sunscreen and lip balm is essential. Food was our regular sandwiches, veggies and cookies along with trail mix. No potty issues, no wag bags needed, and no altitude sickness. Most of this video is for travel in snow conditions, with a plan to stay overnight. Most of this gear is not needed for a long day hike with no snow. Yes we were very tired. Yes we were glad we did it. A day hike is very doable if you are in good shape, have done some hiking at elevation or otherwise trained for constant uphill hiking at elevation. Sunrise on the trail should not be missed; spectacular!
Great advice for people looking to summit in a day! Thanks for your comment :) Thomas actually attempted to summit in a single day, but the person he went with wasn't able to keep going. We ended up spreading it out over a few nights because of the added difficulty of filming, but of course that adds it's own challenges like needing more food and gear. Either way, it's a beautiful place! Cheers :) -Andrew
Thank you for all the great information. Another tip: Be sure to eat regularly and drink plenty of fluids, especially the night before you hike. Cramping at altitude can be severe.
Altitude is the vertical distance between an object and the earth's surface. Elevation is the term we (in Colorado) use. People who say altitude, we considered beginners. (This post is just a friendly tip)
This video is GOLD! In addition to helping people get in shape and prepared its really helping park services avoid unnecessary rescues due to exhaustion and completely avoidable lack of prep related issues.
Climbing Mt Whitney with my friend when we were in HS is a cherished memory. We planned all our trips well ahead of time, mostly for food and equipment lists, not itinerary. My dad dropped us off and we spent the first night at Whitney Portal, the trail head. The next night we stayed at Mirror Lake, a few miles up the trail. After a couple days at Mirror Lake, we packed our day bags and headed up to the summit. It was indescribably beautiful. We ascended the 97 switchbacks, and the view from the saddle was breathtaking. We looked across the Owens Valley to the White Mountains, and in the other direction are the Sierras, with row upon row of ranges, and dotted with lakes that look like blue ink. The sky was deep blue, due to the altitude. The weather was mild, maybe low 70's, but the sunlight was intense. We hiked to the peak and stayed too long. We did not get back to our camp at Mirror Lake until 1 AM. Good thing we had flashlights. This was in 1970, and was a great adventure. If you can do it, I highly recommend it. There is something to seeing sights that can only be reached by extreme effort that is deeply satisfying.
I was totally on-board with prepping for a hike up Mt. Whitney until the whole wag bag thing came up. I haven't had to consider poop packaging that extensively since my kids were infants and I'm not particularly fond of re-visiting that time. However, that hike is tempting...
We've gone up 4 times in the last 12 years. I never got a permit ahead of time. If you go to the station Monday through mid-week there are usually a half dozen or more cancellations that are made available. Only once did we need to wait a day to get a permit.
This is useful. I'm not sure if I'll do Mt Whitney though... I'm not one to seek heights. But you've given me a lot to think about with this. especially with the training for a incline intensive trip which is something I've been struggling with. Especially since I'm out of shape, and been trying to get back into shape.
Congrats. Also one of my best experiences. But kids weight 50% less than adults, and have twice the energy. Try it again in your mid 50's and get back to us.
Highly recommend "Mediocre Amateur" a smaller vlog hiking channel. Absolute beasts summited in a day and regularly run routes that are more than a marathon.
Great video my outdoors friend. Greetings from Sacramento. Thank you for sharing. Way back Oct. 1971 my neighbor and I summited Mt. WHITNEY. It is a miracle that we made to the top. Altitude sickness is a great pointer. There was no internet then and no permits were required. This is an awesome video presentation. I do hope that those considering climbing Mt. WHITNEY will take your information to heart. Take care out there and have fun. 🤗
Don't show up to this hike out of shape. Plan on taking at least 16 hours to complete this. Going down is very hard on the legs and feet because it isn't a dirt path until the last 3 miles. Most people start at 230am to 3am. Plan on finishing after sunset and around 9pm. Bring ibuprofen to combat altitude sickness. I also advise you take acclimation breaks at Mirror Lake, Trail Camp, during the 99 switchbacks, Trail Crest and about a mile before the summit. This hike can be VERY windy the last 2 miles after you reach Trail Crest (40mph and higher winds) and the drop off is 2000ft to your death. Best of all bring layers and change accordingly at each milestone of the hike. Expect to have a very hard time breathing because the air is so thin. Lots of people end up having to bail at the 99 switchbacks and Trail Crest because the body can't handle it anymore. No shame in that, just expect that it could be you
LEAVE NO TRACE !!! I've had to pack out other hiker's wag bags on Whitney twice in the past couple years, which is rather unpleasant. Mostly all great info guys! I only had minor gripes with some of your recommendations or lackthereof. It will be good to do a follow up video in the next couple of years as you grow your audience and get more mountain experience under your belt. Happy trails to you four!
Hulda Crooks hiked Whitney 23 times. She hiked it for the first time at 66 years old and for the last time at 91. She holds the record as the oldest person to hike Whitney. When I learned this I felt that I could hike Whitney. After this video, im now terrified, lol. Just joking, great video, helpful info.
Did it back in 1972. No fancy nothing. Had cheap Kmart work boots on a backpack, tent and gear. Went up and over into kings canyon. No idea what I was doing.I keep going for six months. Grand Canyon twice in 3 days .hit one national park after the next what a summer. Walked so much wore hole threw boots .stuffed it with cardboard till I got home.a priceless memory.
What a great video! Easy to watch and full of helpful information. My husband and I summited in 2002, after altitude sickness at Trail Camp took us out the year before. Loved your pictures and scenery. Just breathtaking! Your video should be recommended by the park service and required watching for most people. The best advice was being prepared and being willing to turn around if circumstances call for it. As you said, no one wants to stay there forever. Thank you gentlemen! 👏👏👏👍👍👍
Haha, when people leave them behind it's usually hidden out of sight. Still unfortunate, but it wasn't so out there that it detracted from the experience too much.
@@AdventureArchives I've been up several times, and I have a particular place at Trail Camp where I go to poop. I've seen bags left there. Its lame and pathetic. What is equally bad is when people leave empty plastic water bottles on the trail. Like they have the strength to hike the bottle up when its full, but its too heavy to take down when its empty?
I climbed the mountain last year in one day at 13 years old and it was pretty gnarly . We had to go through 4 snowfields with ice axes and micro spikes. On our way down we got stuck in a really bad rain and hail storm and I was really close to getting struck by lightning. I uploaded a video on my channel of anyone wants to check it out.
ha! this is great reference for me because going on the dates of your permit, I'm only a day later this year so weather and conditions might be as similar as possible!
Thanks for convincing me to not do what I wasn't planning to do in the first place. I need to know how many (linear) miles, how many (vertical) feet. Nah, hiking ain't for me. There's a 107 mile all-day day-ride I do from Government Camp to PDX OR I call it "Around Mt Hood" It's pretty good, maybe 1500 feet of climbing and 6000 feet downhill Sure, it will be the first upload I do for my soon-to-open new YooToob channel I claim expertise, in that I've done that ride... I'm going to estimate about 250 times Really. Best stretch was August 2015 when I did it 16 times in 31 days... all the odd number dates That was also my best total miles for a month: 2055 miles
I hiked up and down Whitney several times in my 20's in a day. Nothing more than slight headache, course I was still in Marine Corps, best shape of my life. 40 years later might do it again. Apparently I was very lucky, no preparation, permits, lottery, and the weather was excellent. This time I would slow way down ( naturally) spend several days. I have got most of my light weight equipment and an going to start ordering light HAM Radio for Morse code. At dawn, should be able to get into Asia as long as I don't get electrocuted. I am thinking maybe bamboo poles for hiking, light weight hopefully durable enough to last a few days and double as an antenna mast. Just downloaded Mt Whitney app appears to be excellent for offline use. Would consider mountaineering route if with group, definitely not solo for me.
Great tips. I have taught at summer camps wilderness training certificates. Conditioning, preparing is so important. Equipment, proper clothing layers, understanding how to use emergency equipment such as first aid, Personal locator beacons or emergency satellite messengers etc. As mentioned in the video knowing before you go helps along with their other tips. Thanks for sharing.
Mount Whitney is the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States and the Sierra Nevada, with an elevation of 14,505 feet (4,421 m). It is located in East-Central California, on the boundary between California's Inyo and Tulare counties, 84.6 miles (136.2 km) west-northwest of the lowest point in North America at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park at 282 ft (86 m) below sea level. The west slope of the mountain is in Sequoia National Park and the summit is the southern terminus of the John Muir Trail which runs 211.9 mi (341.0 km) from Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley. The east slope is in the Inyo National Forest in Inyo County.
I also live in Columbus Ohio and don't have access to mountains nearby to train, is the gym the best way to get in shape to climb a mountain such as Whitney, or Andrew did you rely on other hikes to get you in shape to climb?
Hiking other mountains is the best way to train for hiking Whitney. You can't know how your body will react to altitude unless you subject yourself to high altitude under physical stress. Running and hiking are not the same activity. I could hike all day at altitude, but can't run for squat. Also, you need to condition your knees and joints for the trail. Hiking downhill stresses your knees in different ways and can be very painful and debilitating. It took me several years to condition my knees to the downhill trip.
Great, concise video. One thing that I'm sure has been mentioned in the comments but was not mentioned [or filmed] in the video is that for overnight trips you are required to carry your food in a bear-proof canister such as a Garcia Bear Canister, Bear Vault, Counter Assault, or the fancy Bearikade. They can be rented from the outdoor shop in town for not very much. They do ask you when you pick up your permit and if a ranger finds you overnighting without one you will be asked to leave and, likely, cited.
Consider Diamox anti-altitude sickness medication. You take this 24 hours before ascent. Ask you Doc for a prescription. It is dirt cheap. 1st camp should be below 9000 feet to acclimate.
The complaining about wag bags has become the #1 trend in recent years, especially in the high population (and toxic) Facebook groups. If someone leaves a wag bag sitting around, I'd rather see that than someone just deciding to go defecate on the ground somewhere. At least the bag can be retrieved (and it is, by rangers). Far too often now people see a bag, stop to take a photo of it and race home to post it on social media because people ain't happy unless they're complaining.
Summited Whitney the first week of April 2016 by the Mountaineers Route. Fun climb! Training was a winter of hiking and ice climbing in the White Mountains of NH.
2 of us went in Oct. 1996. No permit. We just took off and spent the night in my truck. Had the correct gear and food. Freezing cold. Got to Trail Camp, tent went up. Then.......a huge snow storm came. Had to retreat. Beautiful area. Never went back.
I have done Whitney twice. The first time we backpacked in, and that’s what I would recommend. The second time was in one day and it really wasn’t as much fun. I am from Colorado and do lots of hiking so I was in good shape, but the route is just so long and ruthless that there really isn’t much time to take it all in. In contrast, with packing in there was some extra time to really immerse oneself in the moments, look, take photos, etc. I have to say, though, there was a huge sense of relief and accomplishment when we returned to Whitney Portal after the one-day blitzkrieg.
Yeah, I agree it was a crazy winter/spring that year. Mammoth didn't close until first week of August in 2017. So while you guys were climbing Whitney, people were still riding at Mammoth.
Your making people to worried ... just bring water and be prepared to stair up and down for hours over 10 hours. Eat enough food pack no more than 25 lbs
We got our permit for a Oct. 10, 2000 summit. Acclimated for 3 days prior with increased elevations each day. We were in great shape and it paid off big time. Portal to summit in13 hours
Hi! I am wondering for a day hike for Mt. Whitney at the end of July and wondering if I can use a 22 L Backpack. I think the 45 L backpack is a bit much and not planning to camp with sleeping materials. Do you still recommend the 45 L backpack? or even then 65 L Backpack? Thanks!
Can you elaborate on the weather? What if you get the date you want but if it rains? I assume there are no refunds or exchanges due to weather conditions. What time of year is best? Also I wonder if other fourteeners are better for a first time 14Kft summit day hike? Like Colorado has a lot (Elbert etc). Either way Thanks for the great info (whether or not I ever climb Whitney)
Love it! I've been a huge fan of you guys since the beginning of this channel. I was inspired to hike the JMT years ago and I have my own video. You guys should check it out on my channel!! Thanks for all you do.
