About
Length (round trip)22 mi
ShapeOut-and-Back
DifficultyStrenuous
Elevation gain6,100 ft up
Typical time14 hr
TrailheadWhitney Portal, Inyo National Forest (summit is in Sequoia National Park)
SurfaceRock trail, 99 switchbacks, exposed summit ridge
Best seasonGiant Forest is best June to October. Mineral King road opens late May and closes in November; the high country holds snow into July.
DogsNot allowed
PermitRequired
What you'll see ⛰️ Summit🌄 Big views🏞️ Lake🎒 Backpacking

Twenty-two miles and 6,100 feet from Whitney Portal, over the 99 switchbacks to Trail Crest at 13,600 feet, then two miles of exposed ridge to the summit hut. The trailhead is in Inyo National Forest but everything west of Trail Crest is Sequoia National Park.

Tips
A quota permit from the Inyo lottery is required for both day hikes and overnights, and demand vastly exceeds supply. Altitude, not fitness, is what turns most people back. Start between midnight and 3am. Bear canisters required for overnights.
Location

Whitney Portal, Inyo National Forest (summit is in Sequoia National Park)

Other Hikers
No one has logged this trail yet.
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