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MOUNT
WHITNEY BACKGROUND INFORMATION |
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Many
visitors to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are interested
in seeing Mt. Whitney, the tallest mountain in the "lower 48"
states. However, Mt. Whitney is on the east side of the Great Western
Divide, a chain of mountains that runs north/south through the center
of Sequoia National Park, "dividing" the watersheds of
the Kaweah River to the west and the Kern River to the east. The
best place from which to see Mt. Whitney is the Interagency Visitor
Center on Highway 395, just south of the town of Lone Pine on the
east side of the Sierra. Highway 395 can be reached via Tioga Pass
in Yosemite National Park (open summer only), or by going around
the southern end of the Sierra from the town of Bakersfield. There
are no roads across the Sierra in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National
Parks. |
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0.0
miles |
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Trailhead
(8,360 feet) |
0.85
miles |
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Enter
John Muir Wilderness (permit required beyond) |
2.7
miles |
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Cross
Lone Pine Creek. Shortly after crossing, trail forks to Lone
Pine Lake on left, right continues towards summit. (9,980
feet) |
3.8
miles |
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Outpost
Camp with Thor Peak dominating the view. Use solar latrine.
(10,360 feet) |
4.3
miles |
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Mirror
Lake (10,640 feet) |
4.9
miles |
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50
yards past Whitebark Stump, a dwarf whitebark pine is the last
tree on trail |
5.3
miles |
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Trailside
Meadow (11,395 feet) |
6.3
miles |
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Trail
Camp, a good place to rest before the grueling 96 switchbacks
to Trail Crest. Use solar latrine. (12,039 feet) |
8.5
miles |
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Cross
Trail Crest and enter Sequoia National Park. (13,777 feet) |
9.0
miles |
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John
Muir Trail joins from the west. Altitude sickness common. (13,480
feet ) |
9.3
miles |
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Cutoff
to Mount Muir. |
10.5
miles |
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Keeler
Needle, just a short climb to the summit from here. (14,003
feet) |
11.0
miles |
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Mt.
Whitney summit. No water. Camping permitted. (14, 495 feet)
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