Hike to the summit of Mount Whitney
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
The trail from Whitney Portal gains more than 6,200 feet to a summit that is also the southern end of the John Muir Trail. When it is free of snow the Forest Service describes it as non-technical but strenuous, so it is a walk rather than a climb.
Demanding£100 to £500 / $130 to $650A year or moreOutdoorsAlone or with othersCaliforniaJuly to late September, when the trail is usually free of snow
How to start
- Read the Inyo National Forest page for Mount Whitney and its permit rules.
- Enter the permit lottery on Recreation.gov, choosing day use or an overnight trip.
- Spend time walking at altitude beforehand and build up to very long days.
Where to go
We opened this link on 6 October 2026 and found it to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. The hard part of a day out is the timing: the right season, tickets and getting there. The plan watches the calendar for you.
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