Mount Whitney

Check before choosing this trip

Rules can change across jurisdictions. Each fact below belongs to the named place; a connected place is not automatically part of your itinerary. This is recorded evidence; recheck current rules and conditions before travel.

Selected place

Pretrip current conditions recheck

Required

Yes

Topics

trail and road access
snow and ice
water
closures
weather and exposure

Evidence and sources (1)

No claim effective interval recorded.

Spatial scope IDs: scope-peak-mount-whitney

Evidence stance: supports · Evidence details
The NPS trail-conditions page is a current operational source for Mount Whitney Trail and High Sierra Trail snow, water, closures, access, and field reports; update frequency varies outside the staffed season.
Publisher
National Park Service
Observer / attribution
Not recorded
Observed at
Unknown
Retrieved at
2026-09-23T01:00:00+00:00
Retrieval time does not establish when an event occurred.
Observation details · Source details · Original source: National Park Service

Source: National Park Service. Retrieved: 2026-09-23.

Still unresolved

What trail, road, snow, water, closure, and weather conditions apply near departure? These conditions are volatile and require current NPS, Forest Service, road, and weather checks near departure.

At a glance

Geographic identity

County boundary

Inyo County
Tulare County

Highest point of

California
Sierra Nevada
contiguous United States

Land boundary

Sequoia National Park
Inyo National Forest

Published summit elevation

Feet: 14505
Meters: 4421
Publisher: National Park Service
Vertical datum: NAVD88

Published summit elevation

Feet: 14494
Publication context: state high-point table
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey

Plan a visit

Requirements and current conditions

Pretrip current conditions recheck

Recorded for: Mount Whitney

Required

Yes

Topics

trail and road access
snow and ice
water
closures
weather and exposure

Evidence and sources (1)

No claim effective interval recorded.

Spatial scope IDs: scope-peak-mount-whitney

Evidence stance: supports · Evidence details
The NPS trail-conditions page is a current operational source for Mount Whitney Trail and High Sierra Trail snow, water, closures, access, and field reports; update frequency varies outside the staffed season.
Publisher
National Park Service
Observer / attribution
Not recorded
Observed at
Unknown
Retrieved at
2026-09-23T01:00:00+00:00
Retrieval time does not establish when an event occurred.
Observation details · Source details · Original source: National Park Service

Routes and geography

Community route catalog

Recorded for: Mount Whitney

Operational guidance authoritative

Planning use

route discovery only

Routes

Whitney Trail
Mountaineer's Route
East Face
East Buttress
North Slope

Evidence and sources (1)

No claim effective interval recorded.

Spatial scope IDs: scope-peak-mount-whitney

Evidence stance: supports · Evidence details
The community-authored SummitPost page catalogs the Whitney Trail, Mountaineer's Route, East Face, East Buttress, North Slope, and additional technical routes. Its operational permit prose includes historical and superseded instructions, so this observation supports route discovery only.
Publisher
SummitPost
Observer / attribution
Not recorded
Observed at
Unknown
Retrieved at
2026-09-23T01:00:00+00:00
Retrieval time does not establish when an event occurred.
Observation details · Source details · Original source: SummitPost

East side approach summary

Recorded for: Mount Whitney

Mid july early october: technical climbing equipment usually not necessary
One way miles: 10.7
Route: Classic Mount Whitney Trail
Spring early summer: ice axe and crampons needed
Starts at: Whitney Portal
Trailhead elevation ft: 8360

Evidence and sources (1)

No claim effective interval recorded.

Spatial scope IDs: scope-peak-mount-whitney

Evidence stance: supports · Evidence details
NPS identifies Mount Whitney as the tallest peak in the lower 48, on the Sequoia National Park–Inyo National Forest boundary. It publishes a 14,505-foot NAVD88 summit elevation, the 10.7-mile Whitney Portal approach, seasonal equipment qualification, and a roughly 60-mile west-side High Sierra Trail approach.
Publisher
National Park Service
Observer / attribution
Not recorded
Observed at
Unknown
Retrieved at
2026-09-23T01:00:00+00:00
Retrieval time does not establish when an event occurred.
Observation details · Source details · Original source: National Park Service

Geographic identity

Recorded for: Mount Whitney

County boundary

Inyo County
Tulare County

Highest point of

California
Sierra Nevada
contiguous United States

Land boundary

Sequoia National Park
Inyo National Forest

Evidence and sources (2)

No claim effective interval recorded.

Spatial scope IDs: scope-peak-mount-whitney

Evidence stance: supports · Evidence details
NPS identifies Mount Whitney as the tallest peak in the lower 48, on the Sequoia National Park–Inyo National Forest boundary. It publishes a 14,505-foot NAVD88 summit elevation, the 10.7-mile Whitney Portal approach, seasonal equipment qualification, and a roughly 60-mile west-side High Sierra Trail approach.
Publisher
National Park Service
Observer / attribution
Not recorded
Observed at
Unknown
Retrieved at
2026-09-23T01:00:00+00:00
Retrieval time does not establish when an event occurred.
Observation details · Source details · Original source: National Park Service
Evidence stance: supports · Evidence details
The USGS state high-point table identifies Mount Whitney in Inyo–Tulare as California's highest point and publishes an elevation of 14,494 feet.
Publisher
U.S. Geological Survey
Observer / attribution
Not recorded
Observed at
Unknown
Retrieved at
2026-09-23T01:00:00+00:00
Retrieval time does not establish when an event occurred.
Observation details · Source details · Original source: U.S. Geological Survey

Published summit elevation

Recorded for: Mount Whitney

Feet: 14505
Meters: 4421
Publisher: National Park Service
Vertical datum: NAVD88

Evidence and sources (1)

No claim effective interval recorded.

Spatial scope IDs: scope-peak-mount-whitney

Evidence stance: supports · Evidence details
NPS identifies Mount Whitney as the tallest peak in the lower 48, on the Sequoia National Park–Inyo National Forest boundary. It publishes a 14,505-foot NAVD88 summit elevation, the 10.7-mile Whitney Portal approach, seasonal equipment qualification, and a roughly 60-mile west-side High Sierra Trail approach.
Publisher
National Park Service
Observer / attribution
Not recorded
Observed at
Unknown
Retrieved at
2026-09-23T01:00:00+00:00
Retrieval time does not establish when an event occurred.
Observation details · Source details · Original source: National Park Service

Published summit elevation

Recorded for: Mount Whitney

Feet: 14494
Publication context: state high-point table
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey

Evidence and sources (1)

No claim effective interval recorded.

Spatial scope IDs: scope-peak-mount-whitney

Evidence stance: supports · Evidence details
The USGS state high-point table identifies Mount Whitney in Inyo–Tulare as California's highest point and publishes an elevation of 14,494 feet.
Publisher
U.S. Geological Survey
Observer / attribution
Not recorded
Observed at
Unknown
Retrieved at
2026-09-23T01:00:00+00:00
Retrieval time does not establish when an event occurred.
Observation details · Source details · Original source: U.S. Geological Survey

Reported topographic profile

Recorded for: Mount Whitney

Alternate name

Fishermans Peak

Coordinates wgs84

Latitude: 36.57861
Longitude: -118.291999

Isolation miles

1646.42

Prominence ft

10081

Publisher

Peakbagger.com

Evidence and sources (1)

No claim effective interval recorded.

Spatial scope IDs: scope-peak-mount-whitney

Evidence stance: supports · Evidence details
Peakbagger reports 14,500.7 feet NAVD88 from a May 9, 2026 differential-GNSS observation, WGS84 coordinates 36.57861, -118.291999, prominence 10,081 feet, isolation 1,646.42 miles, and the historical alternate name Fishermans Peak.
Publisher
Peakbagger.com
Observer / attribution
Not recorded
Observed at
2026-05-09T00:00:00+00:00
Retrieved at
2026-09-23T01:00:00+00:00
Retrieval time does not establish when an event occurred.
Observation details · Source details · Original source: Peakbagger.com

West side approach summary

Recorded for: Mount Whitney

Approximate one way miles: 60
Minimum days one way: 6
Permit: Sequoia and Kings Canyon wilderness permit
Route: High Sierra Trail
Starts at: Crescent Meadow

Evidence and sources (2)

No claim effective interval recorded.

Spatial scope IDs: scope-peak-mount-whitney

Evidence stance: supports · Evidence details
NPS identifies Mount Whitney as the tallest peak in the lower 48, on the Sequoia National Park–Inyo National Forest boundary. It publishes a 14,505-foot NAVD88 summit elevation, the 10.7-mile Whitney Portal approach, seasonal equipment qualification, and a roughly 60-mile west-side High Sierra Trail approach.
Publisher
National Park Service
Observer / attribution
Not recorded
Observed at
Unknown
Retrieved at
2026-09-23T01:00:00+00:00
Retrieval time does not establish when an event occurred.
Observation details · Source details · Original source: National Park Service
Evidence stance: supports · Evidence details
NPS publishes the High Sierra Trail as a west-side Mount Whitney approach: 49 miles to the JMT junction plus about 13 miles to the summit, with a High Sierra Trail wilderness permit required and a detailed sequence including Guitar Lake, the summit, Trail Camp, Outpost Camp, and Whitney Portal.
Publisher
National Park Service
Observer / attribution
Not recorded
Observed at
Unknown
Retrieved at
2026-09-23T01:00:00+00:00
Retrieval time does not establish when an event occurred.
Observation details · Source details · Original source: National Park Service

More planning facts

Reported summit measurement

Recorded for: Mount Whitney

Feet: 14500.7
Measured on: 2026-05-09
Meters: 4419.8
Method: differential GNSS
Reported error ft: 0.04
Vertical datum: NAVD88

Evidence and sources (1)

No claim effective interval recorded.

Spatial scope IDs: scope-peak-mount-whitney

Evidence stance: supports · Evidence details
Peakbagger reports 14,500.7 feet NAVD88 from a May 9, 2026 differential-GNSS observation, WGS84 coordinates 36.57861, -118.291999, prominence 10,081 feet, isolation 1,646.42 miles, and the historical alternate name Fishermans Peak.
Publisher
Peakbagger.com
Observer / attribution
Not recorded
Observed at
2026-05-09T00:00:00+00:00
Retrieved at
2026-09-23T01:00:00+00:00
Retrieval time does not establish when an event occurred.
Observation details · Source details · Original source: Peakbagger.com

Explore related places

Access and approaches (6)

Land and management (2)

Before you go

These open questions need confirmation; Wayproof does not fill them with guesses.

What exact sourced traversal, grade, seasonal condition, and permit scope applies to each technical Whitney route?

SummitPost establishes a useful community route catalog, but current authoritative topology and operational guidance for the technical routes have not yet been ingested.

Open question. Linked evidence does not resolve this gap.

Community route catalog

Operational guidance authoritative

Planning use

route discovery only

Routes

Whitney Trail
Mountaineer's Route
East Face
East Buttress
North Slope

Evidence and sources (1)

No claim effective interval recorded.

Spatial scope IDs: scope-peak-mount-whitney

Evidence stance: supports · Evidence details
The community-authored SummitPost page catalogs the Whitney Trail, Mountaineer's Route, East Face, East Buttress, North Slope, and additional technical routes. Its operational permit prose includes historical and superseded instructions, so this observation supports route discovery only.
Publisher
SummitPost
Observer / attribution
Not recorded
Observed at
Unknown
Retrieved at
2026-09-23T01:00:00+00:00
Retrieval time does not establish when an event occurred.
Observation details · Source details · Original source: SummitPost

What trail, road, snow, water, closure, and weather conditions apply near departure?

These conditions are volatile and require current NPS, Forest Service, road, and weather checks near departure.

Open question. Linked evidence does not resolve this gap.

Pretrip current conditions recheck

Required

Yes

Topics

trail and road access
snow and ice
water
closures
weather and exposure

Evidence and sources (1)

No claim effective interval recorded.

Spatial scope IDs: scope-peak-mount-whitney

Evidence stance: supports · Evidence details
The NPS trail-conditions page is a current operational source for Mount Whitney Trail and High Sierra Trail snow, water, closures, access, and field reports; update frequency varies outside the staffed season.
Publisher
National Park Service
Observer / attribution
Not recorded
Observed at
Unknown
Retrieved at
2026-09-23T01:00:00+00:00
Retrieval time does not establish when an event occurred.
Observation details · Source details · Original source: National Park Service

Which published Mount Whitney elevation should a consumer display?

Current NPS, USGS, and a 2026 Peakbagger-reported GNSS measurement publish materially different elevations with different methods and contexts; preserve each value and its provenance rather than silently selecting one.

Open question. Linked evidence does not resolve this gap.

Published summit elevation

Feet: 14505
Meters: 4421
Publisher: National Park Service
Vertical datum: NAVD88

Evidence and sources (1)

No claim effective interval recorded.

Spatial scope IDs: scope-peak-mount-whitney

Evidence stance: supports · Evidence details
NPS identifies Mount Whitney as the tallest peak in the lower 48, on the Sequoia National Park–Inyo National Forest boundary. It publishes a 14,505-foot NAVD88 summit elevation, the 10.7-mile Whitney Portal approach, seasonal equipment qualification, and a roughly 60-mile west-side High Sierra Trail approach.
Publisher
National Park Service
Observer / attribution
Not recorded
Observed at
Unknown
Retrieved at
2026-09-23T01:00:00+00:00
Retrieval time does not establish when an event occurred.
Observation details · Source details · Original source: National Park Service

Reported summit measurement

Feet: 14500.7
Measured on: 2026-05-09
Meters: 4419.8
Method: differential GNSS
Reported error ft: 0.04
Vertical datum: NAVD88

Evidence and sources (1)

No claim effective interval recorded.

Spatial scope IDs: scope-peak-mount-whitney

Evidence stance: supports · Evidence details
Peakbagger reports 14,500.7 feet NAVD88 from a May 9, 2026 differential-GNSS observation, WGS84 coordinates 36.57861, -118.291999, prominence 10,081 feet, isolation 1,646.42 miles, and the historical alternate name Fishermans Peak.
Publisher
Peakbagger.com
Observer / attribution
Not recorded
Observed at
2026-05-09T00:00:00+00:00
Retrieved at
2026-09-23T01:00:00+00:00
Retrieval time does not establish when an event occurred.
Observation details · Source details · Original source: Peakbagger.com

Published summit elevation

Feet: 14494
Publication context: state high-point table
Publisher: U.S. Geological Survey

Evidence and sources (1)

No claim effective interval recorded.

Spatial scope IDs: scope-peak-mount-whitney

Evidence stance: supports · Evidence details
The USGS state high-point table identifies Mount Whitney in Inyo–Tulare as California's highest point and publishes an elevation of 14,494 feet.
Publisher
U.S. Geological Survey
Observer / attribution
Not recorded
Observed at
Unknown
Retrieved at
2026-09-23T01:00:00+00:00
Retrieval time does not establish when an event occurred.
Observation details · Source details · Original source: U.S. Geological Survey

Sources, evidence, and history

Planning facts above are readable first. Open these records when you need to audit a source or see when knowledge changed.

Published ChangeSet history

wp-20260920-sierra-reference-fixtures — ADD peak-mount-whitney: Publish the official-source Williamson/Tyndall and Whitney reference fixtures with route- and activity-specific permit semantics.
wp-20260923-whitney-human-planning-foundation — ADD claim-whitney-community-route-catalog: Publish a human-useful Mount Whitney identity, approach, source-conflict, and recheck foundation.
wp-20260923-whitney-human-planning-foundation — ADD claim-whitney-east-approach: Publish a human-useful Mount Whitney identity, approach, source-conflict, and recheck foundation.
wp-20260923-whitney-human-planning-foundation — ADD claim-whitney-geographic-identity: Publish a human-useful Mount Whitney identity, approach, source-conflict, and recheck foundation.
wp-20260923-whitney-human-planning-foundation — ADD claim-whitney-current-conditions-recheck: Publish a human-useful Mount Whitney identity, approach, source-conflict, and recheck foundation.
wp-20260923-whitney-human-planning-foundation — ADD claim-whitney-nps-elevation: Publish a human-useful Mount Whitney identity, approach, source-conflict, and recheck foundation.
wp-20260923-whitney-human-planning-foundation — ADD claim-whitney-usgs-elevation: Publish a human-useful Mount Whitney identity, approach, source-conflict, and recheck foundation.
wp-20260923-whitney-human-planning-foundation — ADD claim-whitney-peakbagger-measurement: Publish a human-useful Mount Whitney identity, approach, source-conflict, and recheck foundation.
wp-20260923-whitney-human-planning-foundation — ADD claim-whitney-topographic-profile: Publish a human-useful Mount Whitney identity, approach, source-conflict, and recheck foundation.
wp-20260923-whitney-human-planning-foundation — ADD claim-whitney-west-approach: Publish a human-useful Mount Whitney identity, approach, source-conflict, and recheck foundation.