I’m not an introvert. I don’t suffer from Anthropophobia. In fact, I’m quite the social person. I just don’t like people.
As a hiker, I’m hardly the perfect specimen. So I clearly don’t hike for any of the physical benefits.
As an off-roader, I’m not a technical rockcrawler nor a long distance overlander.
We’re all getting ready to go back outside. This year I’m planning on writing a couple of books about Jeeping, so I probably won’t be hiking as much as I’d like (much to my bathroom scale’s distress). I’ll still be out there – I’ve got a Mount Whitney hike planned for later this year, and I’ll be hitting some old favorites (Mounts Wilson (14 miles, 5,710’ elevation), Baldy (10 miles, 10,064’ elevation), San Jacinto (11 miles, 10,834’ elevation), as well as Cucamonga Peak (11 miles. 8,859’ elevation), San Bernardino Peak (16 miles, 10,649’ elevation), and San Gorgonio (17 miles, 11,503’ elevation)).
If the holidays treated you right this season, you’ve got a few extra holiday calories you can safely let go of. What better way to do that than with a First Day Hike in the most beautiful state in the nation: California, the Golden State! This year marks the 10th year California State Parks has participated in the America’s State Parks First Day Hikes program with docents, volunteers, and staff hosting hikes at state parks throughout California on January 1st, 2020.
Press Release (USDA) – If you do plan to visit Whitney in the summer of 2016, please pack your patience and carefully plan your trip to avoid the construction delays and the parking problems.
Significant Impacts to Access, Parking
Press Release (USDA) – The Whitney Portal Road Reconstruction is planned for the 2016 season under a funding request from Inyo County. The road will be re-paved and needs significant repairs for safety. The project begins just west of Lone Pine and ends just east of Whitney Portal.
Whitney Portal is the most popular trailhead on the forest; with hikers applying, by lottery, to ascend the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States. Mt Whitney is also the southern terminus of the John Muir Trail (JMT).
