Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Recommend an acclimatization hike near Whitney?

I have a permit for Whitney in late June and am pretty psyched about it. Can anyone recommend a good acclimatization hike in the immediate area? I'm crashing at Whitney Portal and just want to stretch the lungs a bit before the Whitney climb? Thanks!

Onion Valley-Kearsearge Pass
WP-Lone Pine Lake
WP- Meysan Lake
Horseshoe Meadow-Trail Pass or Cottonwood Lakes or Trail Peak or Cirque Peak

Dryfly,
Whenever I'm doing a day hike of Whitney, I'll hike to Lone Pine Lake (round trip 5 miles and 9,900 feet elevation). I'll stay there for 3 hours and fish, sunbathe, and enjoy the scenery. I've done this the past two times and have reached the summit both times.
If you don't feel like hiking that day you can drive up to or spend the night in the campgrounds at Onion Valley or Horshoe Meadows, both are almost at 10,000 feet elevation. But, staying at WP is fine too. Good luck. I'll be doing a day hike of Whitney on July 1. Acclimating my above schedule on June 29 and a rest day June 30, then up to bag two 14ers (Muir and Whitney). Best of luck to you. Hope this helps.
Greg Lukenbill a.k.a. GLuke

You can drive up to the Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White Mtns, right across from the Sierras, and take an easy, interesting walk on a nature trail at about 12,000 elevation the day before. Or go further on a very rough road to the locked gate at White Mountain and walk up a dirt road to the summit, 14,250. If you do White Mtn I think you might want a couple days for your legs to recover before Whitney.