|
0 members (),
56
guests, and
19
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
 Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 40
|
OP
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 40 |
In the time between applying for the Whitney Lottery and now, i have been thinking of a good back-up trip if the Lottery doesn't swing in my way. I was wondering if anyone here had suggestions of a fun, multi-day hike to the top of a tall mountain around the same location?
I live in southern california, but anywhere in this state is probably good. So i am open to any and all suggestions!
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,529 Likes: 107
|
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,529 Likes: 107 |
Mt Langley -- just to the south. Not as difficult as Whitney, since you start at 10k elevation (Horseshoe Meadows). But its last section is off trail, so it is a good intro to non-trail hiking.
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,253
|
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,253 |
Lot'sa good sized mountains in the general vicinity; such as, Mallory and Lone Pine Peak out of Whitney Portal. From Horseshoe Meadow, the low hanging fruit 14er...Mt. Langley, which can be done along with Cirque Peak...or Trailmaster, Trail and Cirque while basing at Chicken Spring Lake. Also, the Miter Basin Peaks like Pickering and Joe Devel. Everything depends on your skill level.
Just fire up TOPO! California and fashion a trip for yourself.
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,037 Likes: 6
|
|
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,037 Likes: 6 |
little bit further north
Banner Peak with spectacular views of the Minarets/Ritter range and Ansel Adams Wilderness
day 1 Agnew Meadow to west end of Thousand Island Lake
day 2 up to North Glacier Pass/Lake Catherine/west glacier (with and without crampons) to Ritter-Banner col, then turn left final 900 feet to Banner summit. Back to camp. glacier is slushy in warmer afternoon and fun to swoosh down even with the suncups.
day 3 - return to Agnew via High trail/PCT, or JMT
not long enough? add Mt Ritter, but you go from class 2 to 3.
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,256 Likes: 2
|
|
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,256 Likes: 2 |
Sublatum, if you don't hit the lottery, it doesn't mean you can't still do Whitney. Lots of permits go unclaimed each week throughout the summer - some considerate souls even call to cancel to ensure someone has a chance to use the permit they can't. Regularly calling the Bishop Inyo NFS office to seek cancellations is one way to go about it.
Another is to show up at the Inter-Agency Center in Lone Pine the day before you want to do Whitney and take part in the "mini-lottery" for the no-shows for the following day. Dayhike reserved permits must be picked up or claimed by phone the morning before the hike - each day the INFS releases permits for the next day that have not yet been claimed. They then have the people waiting to snag those released permits draw numbers, and take them in order till the permits are gone or there is no more demand.
There's a reason the locals who bag Whitney regularly never enter the lottery - permits come available almost every day in the summer. People from all over the country (and world) hit lottery reservations, but then can't make the trip work or change their plans. It's astonishing how many Whitney permits go completely unused each "high demand" summer day - even after the above process. There are 160 available permits each day for people heading up the mountain (100 day, 60 overnight), but it is a rare occassion when that is actually the case.
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 453 Likes: 1
|
|
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 453 Likes: 1 |
The first time I went up Whitney, it wasn't even planned. The reason being, it was the Labor Day weekend, and I thought it would be full. I was going to do Langley, but stopped by to check the day before just for the heck of it. Turns out, I was the third name drawn in the "raffle" at the visitors' center, and the rest is history.
You should have a good chance if I can get something on the Labor Day weekend. As others have said, Langley is another 14er with +20 miles of hiking and should give you a good challenge as well.
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,529 Likes: 107
|
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 8,529 Likes: 107 |
BD34 wrote about the unused permits. Here are the numbers: Unused Whitney Permits for 2010And if you are looking for more options, you can go climb White Mountain for a great view of the Sierra from the east. Split Mountain is also a worthy but non-technical fourteener. Harvey L wrote about Banner Pk... I hope to make that climb on Aug. 12 or 13. (Permits are reserved, deposit is paid)
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 49
|
|
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 49 |
Not as easy in 2010 to score a Saturday or Sundaay permit. Word os out how easy they were to pickup. Also lumping MT & MR quotas together has contributed to added demand. I would hope to see an adjustment to this policy.
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 16
|
|
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 16 |
Sublatum- If you end up deciding Langley and want a hiking partner, I'm game! I'm considering trying for a Whitney permit the day of later in the year (aka summer)
_m
*just a friendly southern cali girl with a monkey on her back where ever life takes her*
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,253
|
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,253 |
Sublatum, if you don't hit the lottery, it doesn't mean you can't still do Whitney. Lots of permits go unclaimed each week throughout the summer - some considerate souls even call to cancel to ensure someone has a chance to use the permit they can't. Regularly calling the Bishop Inyo NFS office to seek cancellations is one way to go about it.
Another is to show up at the Inter-Agency Center in Lone Pine the day before you want to do Whitney and take part in the "mini-lottery" for the no-shows for the following day. Dayhike reserved permits must be picked up or claimed by phone the morning before the hike - each day the INFS releases permits for the next day that have not yet been claimed. They then have the people waiting to snag those released permits draw numbers, and take them in order till the permits are gone or there is no more demand.
There's a reason the locals who bag Whitney regularly never enter the lottery - permits come available almost every day in the summer. People from all over the country (and world) hit lottery reservations, but then can't make the trip work or change their plans. It's astonishing how many Whitney permits go completely unused each "high demand" summer day - even after the above process. There are 160 available permits each day for people heading up the mountain (100 day, 60 overnight), but it is a rare occassion when that is actually the case. Spoken like a true Whitney veteran. Best regards, Someone who has never participated in the permit lottery
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 660
|
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 660 |
We learned from you wbtravis.
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,034
|
|
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,034 |
Another is to show up at the Inter-Agency Center in Lone Pine the day before you want to do Whitney and take part in the "mini-lottery" for the no-shows for the following day. proud winner of each mini lottery I entered so far  actually, I scored a same day overnight last time I was there at 11am on a Monday in early September.
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 40
|
|
OP
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 40 |
Thanks Everyone! I know I have choices! I will check out the suggestions, but I really think i like the plan of going to Whitney and picking up a pass even if i don't get in the lottery.
If that still fails, I'll have a back up in the area anyways.
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,256 Likes: 2
|
|
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,256 Likes: 2 |
We learned from you wbtravis. Amen. His resources and Versatile Fred's here on the Zone should be required reading before every 1st Mt. Whitney attempt.
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,253
|
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,253 |
actually, I scored a same day overnight last time I was there at 11am on a Monday in early September.
Screw the mini-lottery, show up at opening and snag permits for the same day, I've done this a few times, 7/08 being the last. Obviously, this only works for overnight trips. The time I have been skunked for an Inyo permit was for the Big Pine Lakes Trail on the 4th of July. The consolation prize was Bishop Pass Trail. Some will say, I got the better deal. Both are pretty awesome trailheads.
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 660
|
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 660 |
Totally agree with you Gary.
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2
|
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2 |
If you want to avoid crowds, go up into the Coyote flats area and approach either BP Lakes or Bishop pass over the Incosolable Range. Last I recall a regular pick-up truck is fine for those roads. Cloudripper is eaily accessible from Baker Creek, and you can roam from there.
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,253
|
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,253 |
Cloudripper is a more than a walk and has a few small class 3 sections near the top.
It is a fun trip, we did it last year basing at BP Lake #4.
|
|
|
Re: Fighting Permit angst.. alternate trip suggestions?
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2
|
|
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2 |
True enough. I recall taking my fairly newly married wife there in '92. She was not much into anything more challenging than walking and made it OK. It was her intro to the Sierra. The views are just superb from there. The advantage of Baker Creek is a fairly high starting elev.
Now for those that don't mind cl.2 and easy 3 with packs, what about dropping into BP lakes from there (pass south from Thunder and Lighting Lake)? Does the permit system permit such manouvers?
Now if you want strenuous and little redtape and class-2 or less, how about White Mtn Pk from Milner Creek? Went there a couple of times in the late 70's (youth is an advantage for such endeavors) A camp at say around 11,000 ft on the ridge is spectactular at sunset. For those looking for conditioning, the packing up those slopes will fix you up. So forget the light bivvy take about 50lbs with you (will have to melt snow for H2O).
|
|
|
|
|
