Fresh from sea level and running on about 6.5 hours of sleep, the beastly David Wherry and I set off with a friend on a Friday morning to acclimatize for our Whitney hike back in September. Our destination was Meysan Lake at approximately 11,500′. The trail begins at the Whitney Portal Family Campground by the summer homes, a short walk across Lone Pine Creek from our campsite. Starting elevation is 8360′, so if you’re not used to the altitude, expect to be huffing and puffing.
At some point last year, I decided that I wanted to tackle Mt. Whitney as a day hike. I applied for permits in February, got one, and assembled a crew of crazy folks: David Wherry of Hiker Adventures & Christopher Sunnen the Last Adventurer.