Another try at Mt Whitney in the Fall

View of Sequoia National Park from the East - yes, this is all National Park as far as you can see

Fall is usually a good time to go in the mountains. It is easy to get permits on short notice that usually require participation in a lottery - like Mt. Whitney. Crowds and mosquitoes have thinned out, days are no longer hot, but nights are not yet too cold. Usually.... Last year around this time, I had one fail and that was at Whitney. It started and ended beautifully, but the time in between was rough after an unexpected storm destroyed my tent.  Maybe the most miserable night I had on any trip.  

Whitney is the slightly rounder peak

So now there was a reason to make it to the top of Whitney. Until last year, I never tried because it has little appeal to me: The Mt. Whitney area itself is congested because it is the highest mountain in the contiguous 48 states at 4400m/14500 feet. Entering the Whitney area requires permits even for day hikes. Those are so oversubscribed that they are awarded through a lottery at the beginning of the year. There is nothing difficult about it and more than 100 years ago (and long before trails received maintenance), John Muir wrote that

"...in summer no extraordinary danger need be encountered Almost any one able to cross a cobblestoned street in a crowd may climb Mt. Whitney."

Muir, John. The Complete Works of John Muir: Travel Memoirs, Wilderness Essays, Environmental Studies & Letters (p. 1801). Madison & Adams Press.

 No kidding, this is the trail after Mirror Lake, well above 3000m (or 10000 feet for those that count with their extremities) capturing a moment without people on it. 

And the trail surely was rougher during John Muir's days

So Whitney may not exactly be my thing, but that freak snow storm last year that destroyed my tent put Whitney high on my agenda. Not high enough to plan in advance, but then this isn't necessary in the fall. I checked recreation.gov one morning, saw an overnight permit for that day, packed up and was on the trail before 4pm. 

Permits are by a lottery with low chances - or easy to get in October as long as you are flexible (same day or next!)  

Going up the main Whitney trail, now almost at the treeline. 

It was lovely afternoon, not too hot (cloudy and a bit drizzly), but forecast was above freezing (well, last year unexpectedly turned out to be much different in the end).  

Thor Peak (3750m) looms over much of the hike and it is a more impressive mountain than the picture shows

my tent at Consultation Lake

Dawdling too much taking pictures, so time to speed up because I was about to run out of daylight before getting to Consultation Lake (ok, I DID run out of daylight). But now I know a hiking route (no scrambling required) to descend to Consultation Lake. No light needed for that. I was the only camper at Consultation Lake, like last year. Few people seem to make the detour to the lake, maybe because there is an official camping location, Trail Camp, just a bit further on the trail. But Consultation Lake is SO much nicer!

Night was a bit restless, at least initially, but that is not unexpected at 3600m without acclimatization. Tent wasn't needed this time and I actually stayed outside until the moon became too noisy (it was close to full moon). I didn't wake up until after 7.30 and by then the temperature was already pleasant. Very different from last year. 

Trail Camp is just up the road from Consultation Lake, 15-20 mins, but what a different scene. Dozens of people crowded along the trail around a muddy pond. I go into the mountains to avoid this, but some seem to seek it out. The infamous 99 switchback section starts right after Trail Camp. Halfway up I took a picture to show you the difference between Consultation Lake and Trail Camp. On the right, Consultation Lake, I was the only person there. See the small greenish pond on the left? That is Trail Camp, dozens of people and tents every day. 

Consultation Lake on the right. Small greenish pond on the left is the crowded Trail Camp

99 switchbacks is a fairly tedious slog. Takes about 1 1/2 hours, 500-600 m or so elevation gain. Nothing difficult or hard, just tedious. A very well developed trail. 

But at the top comes Trail Crest and the connector with the John Muir Trail and that is an impressive view of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks as far as one can see. 

Looking East from Trailcrest

Trail Crest

It is pretty rocky around Trail Crest, but what truly astonished me is the effort that went into trail building. Big rocks on a steep slope, yet rearranged to make almost a staircase:

Another hour or so from there to the top. Yes, highest mountain I've been on. Not the most rewarding one, though. And too crowded.