[pct-l] Mt. Whitney Expedition

[Hiker97 at aol.com (Hiker97@aol.com)]

_reinholdmetzger@cox.net_ (mailto:reinholdmetzger@cox.net)   writes:

You  could consider another much easier option.  Instead of doing a 24  HR.
Whitney loop from Whitney Portal to Whitney and back.  You could  do a 24 HR.
loop from Guitar Lake to Whitney and back to Guitar  Lake.


I have done the Cottonwood Pass to  Whitney Portal hike.  I have also done 
the Kearsarge Pass to Whitney  portal.  These are neat hikes and I would 
recommend them to anyone wanting  to do a short summer hike and get out on the PCT.  
 
But I am fixated on the Whitney  Trail.  I will figure something out.  If I 
go on a weekday and get an  overnight or 2-3 day hike permit and then do my 
24-hour hike, that will work  fine.  There is no law that says you cannot come 
out early on your  permit.  There is no law that says you cannot walk at night 
to the top for  the sunrise.
 
There did not use to be a big  problem in getting a walk-in permit at the 
Lone Pine Ranger station.  There  are always cancellations, etc.  I will have to 
check the time I have to be  at the Ranger Station the day before to get a 
permit.  It used to be 11  A.M. Plus, there will probably only be me on the 
permit, unless Rattlesnake  comes too.
 
I will leave my bear canister  cashed at Trail Camp when I go for the top.  I 
will need the goodies inside  on my return after my trip up into the Zone of 
Death (at least for us low  elevation city folks).  :-)
 
Anyway, if I do a 24-hour loop from  Guitar Lake, where do I park my car 
there, so I can drive over to the hot tub at  the Dow Motel?  Unless there is a 
parking lot at Guitar Lake, forget  it.   :-)
 
Cheers,  Switchback