Day Hiking Mount Whitney

Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the contiguous United States at 14,505 feet, has been a bucket-list summit for me ever since I started hiking 14’ers last year.

While many people choose to camp overnight at Trail Camp, I completed Whitney as a day hike in October 2025, and it was one of the most beautiful (and longest) trails I’ve ever done.

Overview

Date: October 4, 2025.
Start: 2:15am.
Finish: 4:45pm.
Total time: ~14.5 hours, including lots of breaks to snack, rest, de-layer, and enjoy the summit.
Route: Non-technical day hike (Whitney Portal – Summit – Return).
Distance: ~22.3 miles roundtrip (per AllTrails), ~21.2 miles roundtrip (per Garmin).
Elevation gain: ~6,700 feet (per AllTrails), ~7,700 feet (per Garmin).

Whitney is not a technical hike, but it’s a very long day. The trail is beautiful pretty much the entire way, with lakes, waterfalls, granite peaks, and alpine meadows. The incline felt very manageable, but the distance and extended time spent at elevation were a challenge.

The Ascent

The first few miles up to Trail Camp were pretty chill, with a mix of dirt paths and rocks and a gradual incline. The trail is also wide open, providing great views of the stars. Because of recent snowfall, the trail was a bit icy and had a thin layer of snow at first, but microspikes weren’t required up to Trail Camp.

We reached Trail Camp around sunrise and got our first view of Mount Whitney.

The infamous “99 Switchbacks” section starts right after Trail Camp. It’s steep but very manageable, and not as bad as it looks and sounds on paper. Poles and spikes were very helpful here, as the snow had accumulated and there were slippery areas.

At the top of the switchbacks, we passed a sign for Sequoia National Park, marking the start of the spectacular ridge section leading to the summit. Along this ridge, the trail gets rockier and moves up and down alongside the mountains. There are constant views of the mountains, Guitar Lake, etc.

The final stretch leading up to the summit was the toughest as you’re significantly above 14,000 feet by then, although thankfully it wasn’t terribly steep.

The Summit

I summitted around 10:30am, and it wasn’t too crowded.

At the top, there was:

A metal Mount Whitney summit sign
A stone hut with a visitor logbook outside
Incredible 360° views across the Sierra Nevada
An official, worn down elevation marker

The views are incredible in every direction, 10/10 worth it.

The Descent

The Trail Crest portion on the way back feels long and a bit demoralizing, with a few short but uphill sections.

Going down the switchbacks after descending from Trail Crest was much faster than going up, and having the snow and slush actually helped cushion my knees.

Right past Trail Camp was the worst part of the descent. The trail gets very rocky, hard on the knees, and difficult to find for a few miles before switching back to an easy dirt path for the last few miles. There were also some beautiful lakes and streams to refill water from and hang out if you’re not in a rush to get down.

Gear, Food, and Water

Pack weight: ~19 lbs.
Water: Drank about ~3 liters, started with ~3.5 liters (brought electrolytes but didn’t use).
- Water in my hydration valve froze on the ascent so it was necessary to have a water bottle as backup.
Food: Six peanut butter sandwiches and a handful of sour patch kids.
Post-hike meal: Grilled chicken sandwich at Whitney Portal Store, expensive not super enjoyable despite the long hike, I’d hold out on food until returning to Lone Pine.
Clothing:
- Base layer, merino wool mid-layer, fleece, thin puffer, Columbia shell. Two layers of pants. Had poncho in case of rain.
- Beanie and gaiter.
- Two pairs of gloves (thin and ski gloves).
- Wore all layers most of the day – Temps were freezing nearly the entire time, but I had to de-layer during the ascent before Trail Camp.

Training and Acclimation

I spent the month before the hike in Denver (~5,000 ft) and did several 14’ers and high-altitude hikes to prepare:

14’ers:

Mount Bierstadt (7.25 miles, 2,850 ft gain, 14,066 ft summit): A great first 14’er or warm-up 14’er, as it’s relatively short and has relatively less gain. Starts relatively flat, makes a lot of gain towards the end, some scrambling near the summit.
Mount Elbert (9.75 miles, 4,500 ft gain, 14,438 ft summit): 2nd tallest peak in the contiguous U.S., known for being a great Whitney training hike, as it mimics the non-technical slog of Whitney and spends significant time above 14,000 feet.

Other training hikes:

Chief Mountain (3 miles, 950 ft gain, 11,712 ft summit): Short, decently steep hike, fantastic for early training. Only an hour away from Denver so easy to reach for a hike after work.
Square Top Lakes (5 miles, 950 ft gain, 12,266 ft summit): Nice but muddy hike, pretty exposed, great way to get to elevation without hiking for long. Can add Square Top Mountain for a more difficult hike that reaches 13,000+ ft.
Silver Dollar & Murray Lakes (4 miles, 1,000 ft gain, 12,212 ft summit): Another short but steep hike heading to high elevation, great views of a few lakes throughout, windy and exposed.
Chasm Lake (8.5 miles, 2,500 ft gain, 11,795 ft summit): Longer hike with relatively gradual gain, good for spending extended time at a decently high elevation, leads to a beautiful lake under the iconic Longs Peak (Colorado 14’er).
Herman Gulch to Herman Lake (6.5 miles, 1,800 ft gain, 12,011 ft summit): Hike an hour away from Denver, with a couple of very extended steep sections which are great for training. Great mountain views throughout. I twisted my ankle on some tree roots.

Before Whitney, I spent two nights in Mammoth Lakes (~8,000 ft) to acclimate further (“sleep high”), and did a short bonus hike at around 10,000 ft.

Logistics & Travel

Flew into: Reno, Nevada
Acclimation: Mammoth Lakes, California (2 nights)
Day before the hike, drove to Lone Pine, California (town next to Whitney Portal trailhead area)

Permit:

I entered the Mount Whitney Lottery (for July–October weekends). My permit was never checked by a ranger, but I did see a ranger hiking the trail.

Overall Thoughts

Mount Whitney is incredibly beautiful and surprisingly gradual for a 14’er, but it’s still a slog of a day. It’s tough but 100% worth it.

The uphill was long but steady and manageable and went faster than expected.
The downhill was brutal – rocky, neverending, tough on the knees.
The views were incredible from start to finish.

I’d love to come back to explore the Alabama Hills, spend more time in Mammoth Lakes and Yosemite, or hike other Sierra Nevada 14’ers once I gain more mountaineering experience.