Date(s) September 28th, 2023 - Sep 30th, 2023
Number of people
Reaching the iconic summit is mostly done via the famed Mt Whitney Trail Route, but for the real alpine adventure, most people choose the Mountaineer’s Route. Not only does it grant some of the best views of the East Face and other Sierra Nevada peaks, but it also allows for a crowdless ascent. This classic mountaineering route will take you three days to complete and will involve exciting activities such as rock scrambling, cross-country hiking, and even a bit of roped climbing.
Your tour begins at 7 am in the town of Lone Pine in the heart of Sierra Nevada. Here you will meet your guide at a predetermined location followed by a gear check. Afterwards you will take a 30-min drive to the Whitney Portal Trailhead. Hiking into the backcountry, you will later establish a camp at an altitude of around 11,000 feet/3,350 meters. During the hike, your guide will hold informal lectures in order to prepare you for the next day’s climb.
Your second day in the mountains starts early. You will start climbing the Mountaineer’s Route at around 4 am, approaching Mt Whitney from its northeast side. The route is almost 15 km (9.3 miles) long and will involve rock scrambling, cross-country hiking, and some roped-climbing sections. It will take you up to 8 or more hours to reach the summit where you’ll be able to take in the sprawling views of the incredible alpine scenery. Afterwards, you will descend back to your basecamp, arriving in the late afternoon. Please note, this is a best-case scenario. This itinerary is subject to change at the guide’s discretion and is dependent on mountain conditions, group experience/expectations, and other factors that cannot be anticipated.
Get the last taste of the mountains in the morning, pack up and start your hike back. You will have returned to the trailhead at 2 pm. Say goodbye to your guide and Sierra Nevada or continue touring on your own.
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
For all three adventures listed above, you need to be in excellent physical shape.
For the Technical Alpine Climb, you need to have previous mountaineering experience and experience of multi-pitch rock climbing and climbing at high altitudes.
For the Summer Climb, you need to have strong previous hiking and backpacking experience, but no mountaineering experience is necessary.
For the Winter Alpine Climb, you need to be a seasoned mountaineer with previous ice axe, crampon, and rope handling skills.
For the Technical Alpine Climb, you need to have some alpine climbing experience—more precisely, you need to have previous multi-pitch climbing experience and experience of rock climbing at high altitudes.
For the Summer Climb via Mountaineer’s Route, you need to be an avid hiker/backpacker, but no mountaineering experience is required.
For the Winter Alpine Climb via Mountaineer’s Route, you need to be a seasoned mountaineer ready for the challenges of alpine climbing. You also need to have basic ice axe, crampon, and rope-handling skills.
Here’s a list of equipment that you will need for the Technical Climb:
Technical climbing equipment:
Camping equipment:
Clothing:
Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season.
Here’s a list of the equipment you will need for the Mt Whitney Summer Ascent:
Here’s a list of the equipment equipment you will need for the Winter Ascent:
Group sizes and prices:
Alpine climbing on Mt Whitney can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has climbers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
For regular dates, a 50% deposit to secure your place is due upon booking. The remaining amount is paid 3 months (90 days) prior to departure. Once the trip is confirmed by the guide, the cancellation policy stated below applies.
To get to Lone Pine,where your adventure starts, most people fly into Los Angeles International Airport, just over 3 hours away. From there, you can rent a car or take a shuttle service.
Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet, usually at the guide shop in Lone Pine, CA. Once you meet, you can discuss transportation to the trailhead. The guide will choose the appropriate terrain dependent on conditions and the ability of the group.
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, please refer to the official website of the Government of California.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
