Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Santa Maria to Mount Whitney

Does anyone have an opinion on the best way to get from Santa Maria to Mt. Whitney? Via Hwy 166 or down through Ventura and across to 14?

Thanks.

Try this way.

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=santa%....2722&hl=en

Adriana,

I use 166 to Lone Pine.
166 to Old River Road or 99, 223 thru Arvin to 58, 58 to the 395.

This is usually a quiet and fast way with few distractions or traffic. Tehachapi or Mohave are usually a pit stop for gas/food.

It's a personal preference of wanting to travel 166, the isolated route and the trucks can bother some people. But then it can be a joy driving the SB/Ventura traffic in the morning/afternoon.

Joe (in SM)

Thank you for responding. 166 East seems like the best choice.
Adriana

I live in Santa Barbara and I alway go down to the 126 in Ventura and over to the 5 and 14. It looks much shorter for you to go the northern route mileage wise but maybe not time wise. I don't know. I will say though that the traffic pattern between SB and Ventura is light going south in the morning and north in the evening and very heavy the other way. So if you're heading out in the morning you'll have smooth sailing. I've actually found that for me to get to the south entrance to Yosemite it's longer but faster for me to go down this same way and up the 5 to the 99 then 41 into Oakhurst than it is to go up to Paso and over the two lane hwy's. Maybe it would be the same for you.

Having lived here in N. SB co. and SLO co. all my life there are no fast ways to drive to the East Sierra's. Even Yosemite/Sequoia take a few hours to drive.

In SM we have the 166 to get East and some guys I know swing down via the 126 as WhitRat prefers. SM to SB takes 45-1:15 depending on which part of SB one is going. So. of SB is definitely patterned on time of day and weekend traffic.

I would also like to avoid the 41, but going down to go up does take a little more effort than the 166 to the I5/99 route. One can obviously travel faster on the two and four lanes the 126/5/99 offers.

But it's just a long way no matter, with long stretches of "Are we there yet?"

I’m more or less set in my driving choices, but it’s always good to try reasonable alternatives, they may appeal to you more.

Adriana, when do you plan on going?

There are a lot of ifs in my plans right now. I actually live in San Diego, but would like some friends who live in Santa Maria to hike with me if I go. I'm thinking of going up a day before in late August and see if there are any one-day permits for the next day available. If so, I would hope the Santa Maria people might join me. This also all depends on if I feel I'm in good enough shape by then. I've climbed Whitney twice before -- in 2003 as a one-day hike and 2005 camping halfway up -- so I know how grueling it is (for me). If I can't do it this year, I'll try the lottery for next year.

From Santa Maria, I would take 58. That western portion of 58 is ignored by most because it is a little longer since it is windy but it is prettier than 166 and it takes you thorough the Carrizo Plain which is another beautiful and commonly ignored area.

Rafael...

Santa Maria to Santa Margarita then east on 58 adds at least an hour to the drive. The Corizzo Plains are nicer in the spring with the bird migrations around the lake and especially the wildflowers. Not in triple digit weather.