I noticed you mentioned you did not have a permit, keep in mind the loop you are considering requires 2 permits. One for the MR and one for the MT. The MT is a lottery permit (but some are available still) and the MR is reserved 6 months in advance in most cases through www.recreation.gov. The MT permit does not allow you to take the MR and vica versa.
Just a heads up in case you did not know.
I appreciate your writing, scuba, but some of the above is incorrect.
To make it clear, the two-permit requirement is ONLY if you backpack and spend the night on the Mountaineers Route (North Fork Lone Pine Creek), and then want to exit via the Main Trail. (The second Exit Permit is also required for backpackers entering any other Inyo N.F. trail and exiting the Whitney Main Trail.)
If you are day hiking, you only need the "Day Use Whitney Zone" permit, which permits people to go up EITHER the Main Trail or the North Fork (non-trail) route. With the Day Use permit, one can descend either way, as well.
Both the Day Use and Main Trail Overnight permits are within the lottery. The North Fork backpacking overnight permits are not in the lottery, but are like all other non-Whitney-Main-Trail permits: Available online up to 6 months in advance.
