i am planning a trip to Whitney in early August. i plan to backpack in by way of Cottonwood Pass and summit from the west side, then hike down the main Whitney trail to the portal.
1) i want to camp at Rock Creek my first night. i plan to take the Cottonwood Pass route. i've seen recommendations for taking the Army Pass route through Cottonwood Lakes, but this route seems to add extra mileage/vertical ascent that would probably make Rock Creek unrealistic for me the first night. other than scenery, is there any other reason that this route would be recommended?
2) i have the permit including the Trail Crest Exit permit to exit at the portal. i would like to camp on the main trail after summitting (preferable at Lone Pine Lake). does the date on the exit permit indicate the date you need to be off the MWT trail by?
3) i plan to leave my vehicle at Whitney Portal, shuttle to Horseshoe Meadows to camp the night before i leave, and then pick up my car on return to the Portal. is this a viable option parking-wise? how easy is it to get a shuttle to Horseshoe Meadow campground from Whitney Portal? How is cell phone service at the Portal? (i use Verizon)
4) should i expect that it will still be buggy at this time of year?
thanks in advance.
