Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Whitney Portal Road in Winter

What are the road conditions of the portal road until the end of the year. Until when is it normally possible to drive all the way to the portal? Any chance that it's still clear on Thanksgiving? Any (snow)plowing service?
M

The situation is that there is no snow plowing service on this road. When the snow accumulation is sufficient to make it covered to some degree, the county puts up a "road closed" sign on the valley floor, perhaps about 1/2 way up. One can drive around the sign without difficulty, but one assumes their own risk for getting trapped, have an avalanche come down on them, getting themselves out. I don't believe AAA will go onto any closed road to pull someone out. So...you take your chances when you go past the sign.

Is it possible that it is open on Thanksgiving? Sure. Totally subject to the snowfall to that point.

G'luck!

The sign announcing road closure is the most ignored sign in North America.

Getting to the Portal in the winter is wholly dependent on the how much snow and how much debris is on the the road. I've made to the Portal every month of the fall, winter and spring...and not gotten there in the same months because of the conditions mentioned above.

Just check in toward the time you are heading up. Most of the times I've failed to reach the Portal I've made it to the Meysan Trailhead parking area.