Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Start Times

I have been reading some of the older threads about start times, and am a bit confused. Everyone mentions 2-3am start times, but nobody seems to mention start from where.

Now before you flame me. My plan for next week is to leave the portal camp around 7am, but we plan to leave Trail Camp for the summit, the next morning at 3ish am.

So am I on the right track with the summit start? trailhead start?

That's PLENTY early for what you're planning. Make sure you have at least ONE chance to taste Doug's pancakes! TOTALLY worth the wait ... especially since you have the time.

Peace,
...tg...

What you're reading about is day hikes vs. overnight trips.

The dayhikers (seems from what I've read, I don't know from personal experience 'cause I haven't done that), leave anywhere from 10:00pm the night before to late starters through 5:30am and I suppose even later, but that's pushing it. They're leaving from the Portal with the intention of going all the way to the top and back in one day, hence so early.

Overnighters have the luxury of time since all you're doing is going to Trail Camp or thereabouts, and actually doing the summit the next day. If that's what you're doing, you can leave later and go at whatever pace suits you. (I won't dare suggest you take your time and enjoy the scenery lest I start that old debate up again!!!)

7am is a good time to leave portal and plenty of time to get to trail camp. We left trail camp at 8am and got to the summit at 2pm. So leaving at 3am would be early...but whatever you feel most comfortable with is most important.

BV, read through my 2001 trip report under "highpointing" on my <a href="http://www.mtritter.org">WWW site</a>.

We followed the same basic itinerary you're planning. Portal to Trail Camp, we had driven down from Mammoth, picked up our permits and then gotten on the trail about 11:00 or so. Even having to wait nearly an hour at Outpost Camp for a t-storm to clear out, we were at Trail Camp by dinnertime, so an early start your first day isn't required.

Summit day, we got up about 4:30 a.m., ate breakfast and were on the trail at first light about 5:30 a.m. (this was July, not September). This time of year, that'd be more like 6:00 a.m. and still early enough. We summitted about 10:45 and were still an hour ahead of the early t-storms that blew up just before noon.

We're not fast hikers...my son was 12 and I was 50 at the time. I figured 30 minutes per mile plus 30 minutes per 1,000' of gain, and then add a personal fudge once you're above 12,000'.

(Now that he's 14 and taller than I am, we can better that pace by a bit, at least with just daypacks...we did 4.5 miles and 4,500' gain on Mt. Elbert this summer in 4 hours flat.)

As others have noted, the oh-dark-thirty start times are for the dayhikers starting at Portal. No need to start from Trail Camp by headlamp unless you seriously want to see the sunrise from the summit.

Both fit how I would do this trip. You can leave later from the Portal if the weather is cool and partake in breakfast at the Portal Store. The trip up from the Portal is almost totally exposed to the sun.

I agree completely with your start time from Trail Camp. The experience of a sunrise on the Sierra Crest or the summit is well worth the early wake up call.

Bill

I think you can start whenever you want to. I have done the day hike twice with my son, who is now 13, and both times we left the Portal around 6 AM. We've started other, harder hikes earlier than that and enjoy hiking in the dark as much as the next folks, but I tend not to go out of my way to do that.

For the day hike, one has to allow sufficinent time to complete the thing, and that affects starting time. If I were doing the two day hike up Whitney, I'd leave both days at 9 or so, but it is strictly preference. For example, it *is* worth losing sleep to experience a sunrise from the Sierra Crest.

I'm with AlanK, 9am starts both mornings, but then again, I'm not much of a morning person

If i were you I'd try leaving a bit earlier say 1 or 2 am. I did this in August and left camp at 1:30 so i'd get back before dark.

My only suggestion is that it's still good to get an early start because (1) the weather's cooler (maybe not an issue this late in the season), and (2) you'll get a better choice of camp sites and a longer rest at TC. I like to be on the trail between 5 and 6 and take my time getting to TC.

BV,
Go from Trailcamp at 3 A.M. for the following reasons: a) A shot at having the summit to yourself before the crowd arrives. b) The tunnel vision that darkness provides makes the switchbacks go so much easier, and seemingly quicker. If you leave at 3 though, remember that the windchill factor at Trailcrest and beyond can be brutal. Dress and pack accordingly. Hope it goes well!

I'd sleep in, have a good satisfying breakfast (none of that instant oatmeal either, make yourself some pancakes or haul in eggs, cheese, bell peppers, tortillas and some O.J.), and then start up after the sun has warmed up your body and mind. You'll enjoy the views much more, feel better, and have a great time. I'd shoot for about 8:30 or even 9:30 A.M. If you're going to camp at TC again, wait until 10:00.

This does assume you can cover the distance and elevation in the required time. You didn't spell that part out for us. It's essential for properly answering your question, you know.

...and if you don't know how long it will take you to hike, then you'd better just plan to get up as early as you can stand it.

BV: Day hikers like to give themselves an early start from the portal and be higher on the mountain when it gets light. They do this for a few reasons: One is to avoid the heat of the sun in the summer. Second is it is emotionally easier to not "come down in the dark" Third is the moonsoonal storms which are more common up on top in the afternoon...mostly July early August. Certainly 3-4 am is a popular time to start dayhiking.

Backpackers do not start as early from the portal, since their goal is to get to Outpost camp or Trail camp. Often they have to pick up permits and it takes longer to pack up a big backpack early in the morning in the dark. Certainly a good start would be 7:00 - 9:00 am
for backpacking.
I think sometimes the reason people get an early start is that they are so excited the don't sleep well and they just want to get going.

I did it as a 3 day trip. Portal to Trail Camp. Trail Camp to summit and then back to Trail Camp. Then 3rd day, Trail Camp to Portal.

I left the Portal as a backpack at around 7:30am and got to Trail Camp around noonish - I don't wear a watch.

I arose naturally at Trail Camp around 5:30am and was hiking to the summit around 6:30am. I was on the summit around 10:30am (times are based on the time stamps on my digital photos). I spent a leisurely and fun two hours atop the summit. Back down to Trail Camp where I spent a more sleepful night.

Started back down to the Portal around 6:30 and arrived around 10:30am, just in time for the last call for breakfast - YES! I had the ham (real ham steak with bone and eggs..... Terrific.

I am a steady, not too many breaks type of hiker. I stopped for "lunch" at Outpost Camp and stopped to talk with a dayhiker I had met the day before as they were heading down just below Trail Camp. That second/talk stop was longer than the Outpost stop.

Have a great hike (no matter what zone Whitney is in (g))