I'm coming from out of state to hike Mount Whitney. The road construction/parking situation is making it hard to plan. I have an overnight permit to be on the mountain Friday 8/26 - Sunday 8/28. It's my understanding that IF the road is open I can park my car at the Portal for that length of time. I reserved a campsite at Whitney Portal Campground on Thursday 8/25, the day before I start. I want to do some acclimation hikes nearby in the days preceding my Whitney attempt, but once again the road work/parking situation is making it hard to plan.
Is parking at Lone Pine Campground and tacking an additional 4 miles onto the hike (each way) a viable option? Will my overnight hiking permit be valid to walk the trail from the Lone Pine Campground on Thursday 8/25 up to my reserved spot at Whitney Portal Campground on that same date OR is it only good on the Mount Whitney Trail from 8/26 - 8-29? Will I have to pay per day to park my car there? How likely is vehicle damage from bears (or vandals) at Lone Pine campground?
