[pct-l] Whitney Portal to PCT

[JPayne at standardsteel.com (James Payne)]

Other options to consider:

Entry:  Instead of Whitney Portal, go to Horseshoe Meadows (off the
Whitney Portal road out of Lone Pine) and hike up over Cottonwood Pass
to the PCT - and then take the PCT to Crabtree Meadow...  and if you
want to bag Mt. Whitney, it might be easier to get a Whitney summit day
permit coming up from the West (Crabtree), also (check with Inyo NF -
previous good advice from Ken...  You will need the Whitney permit
before starting your hike - you CANNOT get one at Crabtree!).  Before
starting your hike, take a day (afternoon and overnight at least) to get
acclimated at Horseshoe Meadow (it's 10,000' elevation)...

Exit (option 1):  When you get to Mono Creek, instead of going left to
VVR/Lake Edison, continue on the PCT then follow the Mono Creek Trail
over Mono Pass to Rock Creek Lake on the East side of the Sierra, also
off of Hwy. 395...  Rock Creek Lake is a very easy drive in from 395...

Exit (option 2):  After coming down Bear Creek on the PCT, continue
down the Bear Creek Trail (don't go over Bear Ridge to Mono Creek on the
PCT) and come out just above Mono Hot Springs on the road to Lake
Edison...  drive out over the Kaiser Pass road...

Exit (option 3):  After leaving Kings Canyon NP on the PCT, following
the South Fork San Joaquin, continue following the S Fork past Muir
Trail Ranch to Florence Lake - but must still go out over the Kaiser
Pass road, and the Florence Lake road is narrow most of the way...

The road from Huntington Lake over Kaiser Pass to Lake Edison (or to
Florence Lake) is very narrow most of the way and some people find it
somewhat 'scary', but I grew up in far northern CA and traveled many
narrow logging roads (while the logging trucks were very active) so I
consider the Kaiser Pass road as being very acceptable to me
personally...  but YMMV!

Happy trails!