Whitney Portal Road Damage

[maverick]

Inyo NF/Inyo SAR:

You might have heard that Whitney Portal Road is closed on the last stretch since there was severe rockfall. But do you know what exactly that means for a summit attempt?
Normally, the Mt. Whitney Trail has a length of 20.8 miles with 6,690 feet elevation gain (round trip - please don't nickle and dime us, everyone has slightly different measurements).
With the current closure however, you are looking at about 28.1 miles and 8,480 feet of elevation gain.
That's an extra 7.3 miles and 1,790 feet of elevation gain.
That is, if you don't turn around earlier due to snow/ conditions/ fatigue/ etc.
Keep in mind that creek crossings will be high, snow and avalanche conditions are less than ideal and overall, even the "Main Trail" is currently not a hike but a winter mountaineering route - and will be well into the summer.
You MUST have the energy to make it all the way back to the car. Whitney Portal currently has no camp host, no open store, no anything - see it as a temporary extension of wilderness.
Inyo SAR is an all-volunteer and unpaid, professional non-profit 501(c)3 organization in cooperation with and under the authority of the Inyo County Sheriff's Office. Providing search and rescue services to Inyo County and its visitors is only possible thanks to donations.

[bobby49]

That is pretty much the standard place for rockfall to end up, year after year.