Planning an itinerary for a day hike on Tuesday, July 7th...one year to the day from my first-time day hike in 2014...was hoping to get some feedback from the board to fine tune it! Here is the current plan:
Sunday:
-Leave L.A. before 6:00
-Pick up permit at visitor center
-Late breakfast in Lone Pine
-Mosquito Flat by noon
-Acclimation hike to Mono Pass
-Spend the night at Rock Creek Lodge
Monday:
-Relax at Rock Creek Lodge until noon check out
-Hang out somewhere at elevation in the afternoon: where?
-Drive to Whitney Portal late afternoon/early evening
-Camp at the Portal family camp (I have a reservation), or secret ravine campground
Tuesday:
-Wake up at 2, on the trail by 3
What I'm perseverating about is what to do on Monday afternoon, and where to spend Monday night. I want to maximize my time at elevation before the hike and am open to spending another night at Rock Creek Lodge or Onion Valley (where I camped 2 nights before my hike last year). Sleeping in a bed at Rock Creek Lodge would be nice, but a 2 hour drive to the Portal early Tuesday morning would kind of suck. Onion Valley is at 9200 feet, but is there a benefit that would justify camping there over Whitney Portal at 8000 feet? A 45-60 minute drive from Onion Valley to the trailhead would be more doable, but ideally I'd like to avoid any driving at all the morning of the hike!
Anyway, let me know what you think and if you have any tips on where to eat, etc. No burgers, pizza or beer the night before the hike haha.
