Lone Pine Area Mt. Whitney Mt. Whitney is the most frequently climbed peak in the Sierra Nevada. This has resulted in Forest Service implementing a permit system to minimize the impact of day hikers on the backcountry. All hikers entering the Mt. Whitney zone, including day-hikers, are required to obtain a permit.

Mt. Whitney can be reached by a 10.7 mile trail from Whitney Portal, 13 miles west of the town of Lone Pine. Ice axes and crampons are needed in spring and early summer, but technical climbing equipment is not usually necessary between mid-July and early October. The elevation at the trailhead is 8360'. The elevation at the summit is 14,491'. Permits for this trailhead must be obtained through the Inyo National Forest. Please read the reservation information provided by the Forest Service if you are interested in going to Mt. Whitney from Whitney Portal.
Contact the Mt. Whitney Ranger District:
PO Box 8
Lone Pine, CA 93545
(760) 876-6200

There are other routes besides Whitney Portal from which to reach Mt. Whitney. These leave from less heavily used trailheads to the north or south, but require a longer hike to reach the summit.