In late July of 2016, I summited Whitney via the main trail with my 26 year old son. A hike to trail camp with that same son in June of 2016 and a solo hike to mirror lake by myself in November 2016 are the total of my hiking experience.
I have a trip planned to hike White Mountain in early August 2017 with 6 of my kids (ages 14-26). My 26 year old son who summited Whitney is the only one going that has any hiking experience.
For acclimation and because I wanted the group to see the Mt. Whitney portal area, I have several nights reserved at the Whitney portal campground prior to the White Mountain visit.
Amazingly, I got lucky and was able to find 7 Whitney Zone day hike passes for a couple days prior to the White Mountain hike. (What a bonus)
I was originally planning to just take the group up to outpost camp and then turnaround but I just read that the Whitney Zone passes are also good for the mountaineers route.
Now there is NO WAY we are going to hike across
the E-ledges but I'm considering taking the group up the North Fork to the base of the E-ledges because I'd really like to look up and just see the E-ledges.
My questions are: 1) Do we even need a permit to just go to the base of the E-ledges because it doesn't look like the Whitney zone starts until around lower boy scout lake? If no permits are needed, then I might just release the 7 permits so someone else can use them?? 2.) Other than the stream crossings with higher than usual water run off (from high snow)and the small possibility of losing the trail from the north fork sign to the base of the ledges, are there any major dangers to turning up the North Fork and hiking to the base of the E-ledges and then turning right around and heading straight back to the main trail?
