Mount Whitney
Sierra Nevada • California, USA
Mount Whitney in the Sierra Nevada (California, USA) rises to an elevation of 14,505 feet (4,421 m) with +10,080 ft of prominence. Ranked as #1 in Contiguous United States, the standard route is Mount Whitney Trail (Class 1 / Trail Hike) & Mountaineer's Route (Class 3) (Class 1). Best climbed during July to September, the ascent requires an official wilderness permit (Inyo National Forest Mt. Whitney Zone quota lottery strictly enforced May 1 through November 1.).
Peak Geography & History
Mount Whitney is the apex of the Sierra Nevada batholith, an enormous block of granite uplifted millions of years ago. First climbed in 1873 by fishermen from Lone Pine, the peak features a sheer vertical eastern face dropped thousands of feet down to Lone Pine Creek, contrasted with a gently sloping western granite plateau. The standard 22-mile round-trip trail from Whitney Portal requires massive physical stamina but zero technical climbing skills, while the Mountaineer's Route provides an exhilarating Class 3 scramble up the couloir to the north of the main summit.
Required Gear Checklist
Afternoon convective thunderstorms with lightning are common in July and August. Temperatures regularly dip below freezing at the summit year-round.
Nearby Climbing Routes & Trails
Expedition Information
July to September
Inyo National Forest Mt. Whitney Zone quota lottery strictly enforced May 1 through November 1.