Alternative to Whitney Portal CG?

[Willythedog]

Got permits to do Whitney middle of July and planning on doing 1 day Mountaineers route. Arrive friday super late, saturday hang around and scope out the ledges, sunday super early climb, leaving monday morning.

So i've been procrastinating and now all the Whitney Portal campgrounds are full. What other options do i have? Try to bum a parking space from someone? Sleep in the car? I have a god awful 7-8 hour drive to get there and would like to stay somewhere close to the trailhead for the sake of convenience.

Ive heard about the ravine first come-first serve campground- 1 night limit? I dont really even know where it is.

[markskor]

Better to ask this at -
WhitneyPortalStore forum -
http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum ... p/ubb/cfrm

[maverick]

Ive heard about the ravine first come-first serve campground- 1 night limit? I dont really even know where it is.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/re ... ecid=20704

[bobby49]

I suggest that the Ravine Campground is your best bet. Also, keep checking on the status of the Whitney Portal Family Campground. Even when it is full, sometimes people cancel. If you are quick enough, you might be able to grab one online.

[Willythedog]

thanks all. I wonder how strict they are about the 1 night limit?

Will ask around on the Whitney forum too.

Bobby49, actually that’s how I came across these permits. Randomly decided to look and found 3 so yeah I’ll keep an eye on recreation.gov for campground opening for sure

[bobby49]

I've never actually stayed in the Ravine Campground, so I can't say how strict the rules are. I stayed at the Whitney Portal Family Campground for almost 40 years. I stayed at the Trailhead Campground one year. It wasn't great. Now I do Whitney from a different direction.

[longri]

There are other campgrounds down the hill a little ways, not that far of a drive.

If it were me I'd keep trying to find an opening at one of the reservable campgrounds. If that doesn't work then try to find a spot at the walk-in campground at the Portal. Depending on how many of you are in your party you might even be able to convince someone to let you squeeze in on their site. If all else fails wait until it's really late and then sleep in your car.

Another option is to stay in a hotel in Lone Pine. You'll probably sleep better so getting up a little earlier won't be so big of a deal.

[Mtbski]

Boondocking in the Alabama Hills has worked out great for me in the past.

[bobby49]

The problem with campgrounds lower than Whitney Portal is that they are much lower in elevation. You really want to get as much sleeping elevation under your belt before you head up the Whitney Trail.

[Wandering Daisy]

Sounds like you are taking an easy day to the base of the climb day after you arrive ? Are you camping at Iceberg Lake before you climb? Perhaps if you just camped down at Lower Boy Scout Lake the first day would be even easier for an acclimation day. Just throwing out that idea. Getting a good night's sleep, regardless of elevation the day you drive there is also important. If you can score a higher elevation campsite, so much the better, but how much time do you want to spend hunting for a campsite, particulary if it is dark? Probably the only for-sure plan is a motel reservation. The Lone Pine campground at about 6,000 feet and 7 miles up the Portal road, is nice- they have some walk-in sites that never fill up. 6000 feet is at least higher than sea level and would do some good, if not optimum. I do not know much about it, but I also thought there was a hostel up at the portal.

Since I do not have altitude problems, I cannot say from personal experience, but I do know some people who sleep very poorly the first night at 10,000 feet, so prefer NOT to camp that high the day they drive. It would be another thing if you were arriving mid-day and could lounge around, but if you are arriving late at night, not sure of the benefit if that messes with your sleep.