Overview

We were incredibly fortunate with our timing and the fires burning in the surrounding areas. Day one started off pretty smoky, but as we climbed higher and neared the Great Western Divide, we left most of it behind and below us. Smoke settled around us at camp on night two, but when we woke up the next morning it had all cleared out. We wouldn't hike through any more smoke until descending to Whitney Portal on day five. The day after we finished the hike, all of the National Forests closed due to the fires. You are still required to carry a bear can, even if you are camping where there are bear boxes. You also need to carry and use a WAG bag for any poops in the Mt. Whitney Zone (begins at Crabtree Meadow and extends up and over Whitney til you near the Portal). We purchased ours from REI.

Logistics

The day before our hike, we drove two cars (our own + a one-way rental) to Whitney Portal and dropped off our car there. We then drove the rental to Visalia, dropped it off, and stayed the night. We went into Sequoia early the following morning to begin the hike.

Conditions

Clear skies. Highs in the 70s, lows in the 40s. No bugs. Some smoke beginning of day one, end of day two, and end of day five.

Day 1

Crescent Meadow to Hamilton Lake

The trail started with a bang, seeing a rattlesnake and four bears within the first two hours of hiking. Filled up our water and stopped for lunch at Mehrten Creek. We had to step off trail for a line of pack mules to pass as they headed back from where we came. With the High Sierra Camps closed, I'm not sure where they coming from. We crossed Buck Creek, and the first big climb of the day took us up to Bearpaw Meadow. We rested briefly before pressing on. The day was warm and smoky, but the skies began to clear up as the winds pushed the smoke and ash back down into the Central Valley below us. After crossing the bridge over Lone Pine Creek, we faced the toughest climb of the day up through the aptly named Valhalla. One of the toughest days of the trip with a lot of climbing, warm temps, and heavy packs, but we were rewarded with a pristine campsite at Hamilton Lake. There is a rudimentary pit toilet here as well as bear lockers. We set our alarm for an early start on day two - another big climb ahead of us.