Do I require a permit to hike up to Mt Whitney while thru hiking the PCT? I expect to spend at least one night on the trail to Whitney, either on the way up or on the way down.
Miguel
Whitney Permit?
system
#2
No permit is required if you hike it from the PCT side. It’s strange they even have the option of buying one when you get the PCT permit.
The only time you need a whitney permit is if you decide to hike up Whitney from the east side, Whitney Portal.
Guino
system
#3
Whitney from the west is best. Great views. Climb in the morning shade. Less people.
rambler
system
#4
Thanks Guino and Rambler,
No permit needed, that’s what I thought. Morning shade is the plan.
Thanks Again
Miguel
system
#5
I’m planning to thru hike the PCT in 2011 and I was planning to ask the same question as Miguel. I was looking at the PCT permit application, and I also thought it was odd that there’s a place on the form for the option of climbing Whitney from the east (Whitney Portal) side although the PCT is west of Whitney. I would definitely want to climb Whitney from the west and maybe Mt. Muir, too. I understand Muir has a bit of a third class scramble at the top.
Thanks for the info, Guino and Rambler.
Thought Criminal
system
#6
Make sure to check out the summitpost.org page on Mt. Muir. There are some very useful pictures to help pick out the route you’ll want to take after leaving the trail. I found it to be a fairly tough 3rd class scramble, albeit extremely short.
markv