Onion Valley to Horseshoe Meadow $140 first passenger, $40 each additional. Our trips originate trips primarily from Horseshoe Meadows. I left my car at Onion Valley Campground below Kearsarge Pass and was driven by my good friends, Jonathan and Brendan, to Horseshoe Meadow. Hikers ready to start the John Muir Trail! The Cottonwood Lakes Trail gives you easy access to Mt Langley. We have both driven these roads several times on trips to climb Mt Langley, Mt. We need to get a wilderness permit at the ranger station in Lone Pine for whatever trail head we plan to use. Backpacking Routes. Chicken Springs Lake 15mi. Share. Our mules will transport your personal gear, camping equipment and supplies.You carry only aday pack for water and essentials. Whitney, the highest point in the lower 48 states. In Lone Pine a local bumped into us and gave us a “blessing” to send us safely on our way, this was followed shortly afterwards by a gift of $100 to help us as well. Horseshoe Meadow has two major trailheads (Cottonwood Lakes and Cottonwood Pass) providing access to areas such as the Golden Trout Wilderness, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park, and the John Muir Wilderness. The area is south of Lone Pine, CA and an hour drive from Mt. I didn’t sleep well due to a mix of excitement and anxiety, but still woke up feeling energized. The paved road is usually open from May to late October. We're in fine shape by this time and Cottonwood pass is easy. Whitney, so Whitney Portal is a zoo. Call the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center to confirm if in doubt. You will enter immediately the Alabama Hills Recreation Area. Read more. Nice overnight camping at the trailhead, and it's free. Hitchcock Lake (Climb Whitney 14mi.) It's well worth the drive to get to 10,000 feet in altitude very quickly but it is has … Suggested hikes: Mt… Fees are $35 per vehicle or $30 per motorcycle. My son and I are going to do Horseshoe Meadows to Mt Whitney and back. She has seen the photos of me in Sequoia as a young boy and canoeing down the Colorado with the Boy Scouts. This time we wanted to bike the to hellaciously long and steep roads. 6 ½ hour riding time Day 2: Lower Rock … By then the wind had shifted and we were smoke free in Lone Pine. I would definitely recommend staying at the campgrounds in Horseshoe Meadows instead of Whitney Portal, much quieter, and 1600+ feet higher! You can also purchase Close. View fullsize. They attempted Mt. I have only entered the Whitney zone from the John Muir Trail, so this will be an exploratory trip and is recommended for experienced independent backpackers. The route is about 129 miles of the PCT, plus a 12 mile resupply side trip and a hike to the top of Whitney. Hike your heart out. Lone Pine (Horseshoe Meadow) to Whitney Portal. Archived. Starting off again after a good break. Whitney Restaurant. Absolutely lovely staying with Judy again but time to go further into the snowy High Sierras. Coming soon - Zero Carbon Shuttle! After breakfast and orientation, riders travel to Cottonwood Pass and continue on the PCT to camp alongside of Rock Creek. Mt Whitney Zone Forums Trip Reports Horseshoe Meadows to Whitney Portal: Forums Active Threads: Mt Whitney Webcam Mt Williamson Webcam Feature Topics Mt Whitney Lottery Info 2020 ; Wilderness Permit Options; Message posting tips; Orientation notes for Whitney first timers; Links: Safe Mountaineering; Mt Whitney Weather; Disclaimer; Donate to the WHA; Who's Online Now: 0 … Here the trail runs level for a while and then climbs out of the basin to the Cottonwood Lakes area. Progress was slow at first because of my knees, but we managed to travel 9.5 beautiful miles to Vidette Meadow … Sequoia National Park charges a fee to enter. Horseshoe Meadow Road is generally closed for the winter (May-October). Whitney, which offers a great view of the surrounding area, and it sees far less hikers and permit can be picked up last minute. Helpful. Horseshoe Meadow. At 4.7 miles the road crosses Tuttle Creek and at 5.3 miles Lubken Creek (you can take narrow, paved Lubken Road to bypass Lone Pine from or to Highway 395). We arrived and started out in the afternoon. It's definitely classic Sierra topography and vegetation by this time. Onion Valley to South Lake or North Lake $260 first 2 passengers, $50 each additional. Permits question for Horseshoe Meadows to Mt Whitney and back. This is a 3 days backpacking trip starting from Horseshoe Meadows in Inyo National Forest. Turn south onto Horseshoe Meadow Road and continue 20.5 miles to Horseshoe Meadow and the Cottonwood Pass trailhead (not to be confused with the Cottonwood Lakes and New Army Pass trailhead). Whitney, but should make for a great backpacking trip. From the signal light in Lone Pine on US 395, drive 3.5 miles west on the Whitney Portal Road. Then turn south onto Horseshoe Meadow Road. From center of Lone Pine, turn west at the stoplight and follow Whitney Portal Road for 3 miles. Located at the end of Horseshoe Meadow Road, 24 miles southwest of the town of Lone Pine, California. Driving up Horseshoe Meadows Road is a white knuckle ride for sure! She has seen my more recent adventures … Hiking on the west side of Mount Whitney gives an entirely different perspective on a popular region dominated by the lower 48’s highest mountain. Background. Route: Horseshoe Meadow to Mount Whitney via Cottonwood Pass Nights on Trail: 4 Miles: ~33 Shuttle: East Side Sierra Shuttle (Great!) This one has fewer crowds than either the JMT or the Kearsarge approach, and the car shuttle is by far the shortest/easiest. California 25 contributions 19 helpful votes. Horseshoe Meadows 14mi. Experience the subalpine beauty of Sequoia National Park with camps at Tyndal Creek, Wallace Creek, Crabtree Meadows and Rock Creek. Posted by 1 year ago. Besides, you're right there at the trailhead when you wake up so you're ready to get on the trail right away. Langley and then camped for two nights at Upper Soldier Lake. Top #65063 - 07/14/09 06:13 PM Re: Cottonwood Lakes to Whitney Itinerary Suggestions [Re: mchiker] mchiker Member Registered: … Class of 2015, Northbound, Thru-hiker. You get a nice high start, and the trail is excellent. Whitney Pack Trains. Jagged 14,000 foot peaks, crystal clear lakes, sprawling alpine meadows, and beautiful mountain basins dot a vast landscape that is seldom visited by hikers outside of the narrow confines of the JMT. Everyone wants to "bag" Mt. Day 1 -- Horseshoe Meadow to Soldier Lake via Cottonwood Pass 10.49 miles 1899’ elevation gain 7:35 hiking time Starting Pack weight ~47lbs (2L water) The night before starting the backpack we headed up to the Horseshoe Meadows trailhead, at 9940’ it's a nice spot to get acclimated to the high elevation campsites we'd stay at on this trip. Lone Pine to Horseshoe Meadow $85 first passenger, $30 each additional. Similar in distance to the Kearsarge start. Whitney on day 3 (and gives them some time to acclimate). Horseshoe Meadows to Horseshoe Meadows Pack your tackle for the ultimate Golden trout fishing adventure. Whitney Portal. Horseshoe Meadows to Horseshoe Meadows Pack your tackle for the ultimate Golden trout fishing adventure. On June 11, 2019 June 11, 2019 By René Duindam. Horseshoe Meadow Trail: Hike - See 11 traveller reviews, 17 candid photos, and great deals for Lone Pine, CA, at Tripadvisor. At about 3 miles make a left turn onto paved Horseshoe Meadows Road. Day 47: Horseshoe Meadow to Crabtree Meadows / Ranger Station (base of Mt. MT. We stopped in between for lunch at Lone Pine’s Mt. Whitney and is about a 45 min drive to the Whitney Portal. 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