Hiking High Sierra Trail late September 2024!!!

[SarahK]

I am hiking from crescent meadow to whitney portal… Hoping someone is doing the opposite route and we can swap keys and save everyone a big hassle… or at the minimum pitch on a shuttle company together if you are doing the same route, because im solo and I think the cost is like $800 for the main shuttle group out there!!

[bobby49]

I guess you know that there is public transportation for most of this.

Several years ago, I went eastbound on the HST starting from Crescent Meadow, did Whitney, and then made my exit out to Cottonwood Pass. I hitched a ride to Lone Pine, stayed one night in the hostel, and then caught the southbound ESTA bus to Mojave Junction. There I caught a Kern Transit bus to Bakersfield. Then there was one bus to Visalia. I stayed one night in Visalia, and then caught the bus to Sequoia Park. Then there is one shuttle from Giant Forest out to Crescent Meadow.

[SarahK]

Thanks for answering!!

If im going to do the public transit route, i want to leave my car by whitney so i can end the trek with my car there, also going to death valley right after so it makes sense. Then after dropping off car, take transit back to crescent meadow and start my trek, would just be so much easier with two cars….

I have to think about it a lot!!! I really want to make this work. how long did it take u, crescent meadow to summit to whitney portal?

[Jim F]

Sarah,

Be aware that in 2024 the Sequoia Shuttle ($10) from Visalia to Giant Forest stops service after September 2. SEKI has not yet announced the Summer 2024 schedule of operation for the free shuttle within the Park.

Enjoy your hike from the Biggest Trees to the Highest Peak!

Jim

[bobby49]

Thanks for answering!!

If im going to do the public transit route, i want to leave my car by whitney so i can end the trek with my car there, also going to death valley right after so it makes sense. Then after dropping off car, take transit back to crescent meadow and start my trek, would just be so much easier with two cars….

I have to think about it a lot!!! I really want to make this work. how long did it take u, crescent meadow to summit to whitney portal?

Day 1, I left Crescent Meadow before dawn and stopped that afternoon at Hamilton Lake. Day 2, I left before dawn, went over Kaweah Gap and down the Big Arroyo to Moraine Lake. Day 3, I left before dawn, got down to the Kern River, and went straight north to Junction Meadow (on the Kern). Day 4, I left before dawn, got up to the JMT, and went south to Crabtree Camp. Day 5, I left before dawn, went up and down Whitney on the west side, and back to my camp at Crabtree. Day 6, I left before dawn and made it over Cottonwood Pass and out to Horseshoe Meadow before sunset. I hitched a ride to Lone Pine that night. Day 7, I caught the public bus to Mojave Junction, then to Bakersfield, and then to Visalia where I stayed in a motel. Day 8, I caught the bus to Giant Forest, and then the shuttle out to Crescent Meadow. I was back to my car before noon.

Note that I did not go to Whitney Portal. Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded for people and for cars. I did not need to hike the (east side) main Mount Whitney Trail again, since I've been up and down it forty times. The trail from Crabtree is much shorter and has less elevation gain. The east side trail tends to have more snow and ice problems on some years, which requires extra time.

Also note that I was leaving my camp very early each day while it was still cool so I could maintain a brisk speed. It helped that my pack weight at the start was only 30 pounds. By the finish, it was getting close to 20 pounds.

[SarahK]

Amazing info!! I am aiming for an absolute max of 30 lbs too. I think i may do exactly this route. May have to skip Mt whitney entirely and do it a different time but its all good. lots of time to figure out the logistics.

Thanks a bunch!!

[bobby49]

Also, spend a lot of time studying the trail map so that you have it burned into your brain. As you cover miles on the trail, sometimes you have to make decisions to detour or camp early. You don't want to have to stop, sit down, pull out your paper map, and make mileage calculations in order to make your decision.

I think that I carried only one ounce of paper maps to cover the entire trail.

[Gogd]

Also note that I was leaving my camp very early each day while it was still cool so I could maintain a brisk speed. It helped that my pack weight at the start was only 30 pounds. By the finish, it was getting close to 20 pounds.

Sorry to digress but...
Ten pounds of food (or less) for eight days? I've been with dudes that provision accordingly. They got weaker as the trip progressed and ended up supplementing their meals from what I packed for the trip. Just saying.

Ed

[bobby49]

I made it to Lone Pine at the end of Day 6, and did not have much food left. The McDonalds of Lone Pine then got my business, that evening and also the next morning before I caught the bus.

[Harlen]

Alternative method we once used: Traded cars with our friends; they dropped ours below Shepherd Pass, we left theirs at Crescent Meadow. We planned to meet and spend a couple days together in Kaweah Basin. We all used Pyra-Queen Col to get in and out Kaweah Basin. We then carried on to our own cars, and off we went.

I've always wanted to do that again. The HST Meetup this summer could afford folks a chance like that. For example, meet and trade cars in the valley below; one drives the friend's car to say-- Florence Lake, and the others drive to a TH at Lake Edison. Could be cool. Good Luck to you SarahK, we hope you pull off a great trip.