High Sierra Topix

Hi, can someone verify that the Whitney Portal Trailhead is open?
Looking into hiking to Lone Pine Lake.
Thanks!

Bash,

My understanding is that currently the Mt Whitney TH is open. However, about a mile up the Main Trail (just after crossing the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek) one enters the John Muir Wilderness which is closed. Lone Pine Lake is further up the Main Trail and is in the John Muir Wilderness.

My source of info is the Inyo NF website.

Jim

Thanks!
I had read somewhere that south Inyo National Forest had opened about a week ago, just wasn’t sure if Whitney Portal was open. It would be odd if they closed the trail a mile up the trailhead.
So now, I’m not sure if I should risk driving 3 1/2-4 hrs to get up there to fish lone Pine Lake then see that it’s closed.

Why not just call the INYO information office and ask them? Too late now---but you could have done that yesterday...

Bash wrote: ↑Fri Oct 30, 2020 10:14 pm Thanks!
I had read somewhere that south Inyo National Forest had opened about a week ago, just wasn’t sure if Whitney Portal was open. It would be odd if they closed the trail a mile up the trailhead.
So now, I’m not sure if I should risk driving 3 1/2-4 hrs to get up there to fish lone Pine Lake then see that it’s closed.

I was at the Portal on the afternoon of Oct 10 and the trailhead was roped off and lots of closure signs were posted around the entry “structure”. Not sure if that is still the case.

Like Jim said, the wilderness areas are closed. Inyo re-opened some of the more frontcountry parts to allow people to see the fall colors. But you can't hike into the John Muir Wilderness, so you can't visit Lone Pine Lake. Here's the order: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 833158.pdf and here's the map referenced: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 833159.pdf

Whitney Trail just opened up! Including Onion Valley Trailhead.