Enjoy this 58.9-mile out-and-back trail near Lone Pine, California. Generally considered a challenging route. This is a popular trail for backpacking, birding, and camping, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. The best times to visit this trail are July through November. You'll need to leave pups at home — dogs aren't allowed on this trail.
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Awesome hike. I did this hike clockwise which I believe is the way to go especially for Crabtree pass. Definitely bring a map or download it on the app because the Crabtree pass trail is hard to track sometimes as well getting down to Miter Basin from the pass. There was times I winged it and had to turn around due to terrain. 10/06-10/09
Did a truncated variation of this route mid-September. Went up New Army Pass and instead of hiking back down the JMT from Mt. Whitney and following the PCT to Cottonwood Pass, we exited via Trail Crest and down the Mt. Whitney Trail. Hiking back out via the JMT/PCT to Cottonwood Pass isn’t worth the time or effort, hiking out through Shepherd Pass or down the Mt. Whitney Trail is much more scenic and worthwhile. Contrary to what some other reviewers claim, there are use trails in Miter Basin and along Crabtree Lakes. Navigation and route-finding skills are necessary, but as the majority of this hike is above treeline, finding the correct route isn’t difficult. Carry a good paper map (Trails Unlimited, Tom Harrison) and you’ll be fine. Crabtree Pass is Class 2 on both sides with either cairns or a distinct use trail to guide you. The hike through Crabtree Lakes is spectacular; you’ll likely be the only people in that canyon. I can only guess that the reviewers who want this route removed were unaware that hiking in the High Sierra will involve scrambling on talus and scree to access the most scenic areas. Maybe they didn’t read the appropriate sections of Secor’s The High Sierra? Other than Crabtree Pass, the route is straightforward and easy to follow. Other than the section from Mt. Whitney back to Cottonwood Pass, this is a great route.
Friends. This is NOT the way to go. Unless you have mountaineering skills and a peace with where you are in life do not try this. Thank God my husband has climbing skills and a healthy sense of patience and is a fantastic teacher. I feared for our lives at multiple times. Heights, storms, exposure. Go the YouTube trail. Do not go this way. We survived. We summited…I could hardly walk the day after. We did this in 5 days. Crabtree pass was almost as terrifying as Old Army Pass but absolutely no trail from Miter Basin to Lower Crabtree Lake. We saw beauty I will never forget but I absolutely do not recommend this at all. 3 stars just for the scenery and solitude. Honestly I am afraid someone less fit will take this route and get hurt or worse. I feel like it may need to be taken down from this site just because of the sheer insanity. Even the part to Whitney was off trail. At that point we just gave up on this persons path and followed signs. We earned some street cred with the locals who thought we were pretty bad Azz. To the Dude who made this, whoever you are, you are nuts and seriously I hope you’re still alive. :)
The trail up through the Miter Basin is beautiful, but speaking to fellow I met just below Sky Blue Lake about the pass into the Crabtree Lakes Basin, he told me it was doable but the descent down into the Crabtree Basin includes some class 3 sections, which normally wouldn’t deter me, but when he said “that’s class 3 with exposure”, I turned back at Sky Blue Lake as it appeared there’d be weather, and being in the rain on a class 3 pitch sounded too dangerous. As the rain and thunder that started 30 minutes later went on for almost 2 hours, I was thinking that was the best outdoor decision I ever made. Lol. Note that once you get to the top of the beautiful valley below Sky Blue Lake there is no trail and you need to use your route finding skills with map and GPS. I thought this was a doable route researching it on line, but in retrospect it appears all of the YouTube videos saying how doable it is are by very fit guys in their 20s who were either there in good weather or (IMHO as an older guy with a family) haven’t developed a proper fear of death. The fellow I spoke too told me there is also no trail between the upper Crabtree Lake and the pass.
We took a slightly different route. After camping at Cottonwood Lake #2 on day 1, we took the New Army Pass to camp at Soldier Lake on day 2. On day 3 we camped at Guyot Creek, then we camped near Guitar Lake on day 4. Day 5, we summited Mt. Whitney and camped near Consultation Lake. Day 6, we hiked down to Whitney Portal and ate like kings at the trailhead shop/restaurant. Brutal but beautiful hike.
As of October 19, 2020, this area is closed although there is no indication of that as you drive up the access road. Maybe not other trails at the trailhead but after some research into other hikes across the Sierras, I’m led to believe everything is shut down either to out of season or the wildfires. Very annoying that you can’t find hikes that are open. Terrible year...