Route
Onion Valley → Whitney Portal
Distance
30 mi
Elevation gain
11,635 ft
Highlights
Forester Pass, the summit
The final section is the highest and, for me, the hardest-won. It crosses Forester Pass — at over 13,000 feet, the highest point on the John Muir Trail — then runs south past Wallace Creek and Crabtree Meadows to the foot of Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States and the terminus of the trail.
It took me four tries to finish it. One year the snow was still deep on Forester into late July. Another year, Hurricane Hilary made landfall days before my permit and drove me off the mountain. In 2024 I went in from Kearsarge toward Cottonwood, and thunderstorms rolled in for the week — the ranger at Lone Pine told us to be below tree line before 11 a.m. every day, which meant getting over Forester and down early. I had just finished Ethan Gallogly's The Trail, in which two hikers get caught in a snowstorm going over Forester, and it was fresh in my mind. We watched dark clouds build over Kearsarge Pass and sprinted the mile and a half down to Kearsarge Lakes; I had my Tarptent up and was dry inside within a minute.
The fourth time, I was lucky enough to complete it — the last miles of an eight-year trail, closing the loop at the summit of Whitney and the long descent to Whitney Portal.
Mt Whitney during sunrise
Mt. Whitney is the highest peak in the contiguous United States, at 14,505' elevation. It is also the terminus for both the John Muir Trail, which runs North South from Yosemite National Park, for 230 miles and the High Sierra Trail, that runs East West, for 80 miles. This photograph was taken from Trail Camp, at an elevation of 12,039 feet, on the seventh night of hiking the High Sierra Trail. We had summitted Mt. Whitney that day, by walking along the trail along the ridge from left to right on that photograph. It is 1.8 miles and you are hiking from 13,645 feet at Trail Crest (left edge of this photo) to Mt. Whitney at 14,505 feet to the right (second from the right most peak). As anyone who has done this walk would attest, it is the longest 1.8 miles for a typical hiker. The infamous 99 switchbacks are to the left of the screen here. The 99 switchbacks take you from Trail Camp to Trail Crest. We had started at Crescent Meadow at Sequoia National Park and hiking East. This photograph was taken during sunrise.
Mount Russell Golden Hour Peaks
The setting sun casts a golden glow on the majestic peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains. A dense forest of pine trees sits at the base of the mountains. Mt Russell and Mt Whitney range is seen.
Bullfrog Lake, Sierra Nevada Peaks
A calm mountain lake reflects a distant range of granite peaks under a dramatic, cloudy sky, with pine trees and boulders lining the near shore. This is Bullfrog lake.
Whitney range during a storm
Mount Whitney and range are seen with Alabama hills in the foreground on a cloudy day.
Lone Pine Peak and Alabama Hills
Lone Pine Peak is a 12,944 ft alpine climb in the Sierra Nevada range in eastern California. It's located west of the town of Lone Pine, and its summit marks the eastern boundary of the John Muir Wilderness in the Inyo National Forest. The peak is a prominent "shark's tooth" shape and is a popular climb. This photograph was taken from Alabama Hills area. Alabama Hills has been the location of various movies including Iron Man, Django Unchained and many westerns.
Forester Pass Mountain Ascent
Two hikers ascend a steep, rocky mountain trail. The challenging terrain requires careful footing. This is Forester Pass
Sunrise falls over Mt. Whitney
Mt. Whitney is the highest peak in the contiguous United States, at 14,505' elevation. It is also the terminus for both the John Muir Trail, which runs North South from Yosemite National Park, for 230 miles and the High Sierra Trail, that runs East West, for 80 miles. This photograph was taken from Trail Camp, at an elevation of 12,039 feet, on the seventh night of hiking the High Sierra Trail. We had summitted Mt. Whitney that day, by walking along the trail along the ridge from left to right on that photograph. It is 1.8 miles and you are hiking from 13,645 feet at Trail Crest (left edge of this photo) to Mt. Whitney at 14,505 feet to the right (second from the right most peak). As anyone who has done this walk would attest, it is the longest 1.8 miles for a typical hiker. The infamous 99 switchbacks are to the left of the screen here. The 99 switchbacks take you from Trail Camp to Trail Crest. We had started at Crescent Meadow at Sequoia National Park and hiking East. This photograph was taken during sunrise.
Mt. Whitney lit by moonlight
Mt. Whitney is the highest peak in the contiguous United States, at 14,505' elevation. It is also the terminus for both the John Muir Trail, which runs North South from Yosemite National Park, for 230 miles and the High Sierra Trail, that runs East West, for 80 miles. This photograph was taken from Trail Camp, at an elevation of 12,039 feet, on the seventh night of hiking the High Sierra Trail. We had summitted Mt. Whitney that day, by walking along the trail along the ridge from left to right on that photograph. It is 1.8 miles and you are hiking from 13,645 feet at Trail Crest (left edge of this photo) to Mt. Whitney at 14,505 feet to the right (second from the right most peak). As anyone who has done this walk would attest, it is the longest 1.8 miles for a typical hiker. The infamous 99 switchbacks are to the left of the screen here. The 99 switchbacks take you from Trail Camp to Trail Crest. We had started at Crescent Meadow at Sequoia National Park and hiking East. We had come down the switchbacks and on that full moon night, Mt. Whitney range was lit by the moon almost as it was daylight. The stars tell the story otherwise. It was a very pleasant night to spend at that high altitude, it was not very cold and being there brought a sense of calm that I have not experienced a lot.
Golden Hour Granite - Whitney Range
The setting sun casts a warm glow on the rugged peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains, illuminating the granite cliffs and highlighting the contrast with the dark pine forest below.
Vidette Meadows
A breathtaking view of the majestic mountains under a dramatic sky. The clouds add depth and contrast to the landscape. This is Vidette Meadows as we get down Forester Pass.
View from Glen Pass looking South
Standing at 11,957 feet, Glen Pass is a hard pass along the JMT. From the top of the Glen Pass, this is the view on the South side of the pass.
Big Pothole Lake
Big Pothole lake is a lake just before the Kearsarge pass. This photograph shows big pothole lake on a overcast day.
Kearsarge Lakes Sunset
A high Sierra lake reflects a granite mountain slope covered in pine trees, illuminated by golden morning light under a blue sky with faint clouds and a visible moon.