Mt Whitney To Death Valley

The Lowest to Highest Route is a 135 mi / 217 km hike beginning at Badwater Basin in California's Decease Valley National Park and catastrophe at the acme of Mountain Whitney – the highest point in the Continental U.s.a. (but technically you'll end back down at the trailhead since you'll need to go back out of the mountains).

Before continuing, know that this is a route, not an established trail. This ways that much of the Lowest to Highest Route (Depression to High/L2H) requires road-finding, cross-state travel, and being able to wait at a map and understand where you are on that map (or device). Yes, some of Low to High follows established trails or roads, but equally a whole, information technology requires that yous find your own way – you will not be mindlessly following signs down a well-worn path.

This route should not be confused with the Badwater Ultramarathon which is a 135-mile (217 km) long race from Badwater Basin (the same starting place as Low to High) to Whitney Portal; the race takes place on roads and takes a dissimilar route than Lowest to Highest despite their starting and catastrophe points existence (almost) the aforementioned.

Trails? Where nosotros're going, we don't demand trails.

Lowest to Highest Route Basics

Location: Death Valley National Park / Inyo National Forest, California, United states
Length: 135 mi / 217 km
Type: I-style
Recommended Time: vi to 8 days
Possible Fourth dimension: three days
Near Popular Months: Oct/Nov?
Max Group Size: 12
Allow Required: Yes
Permit Cost: $21*
Start: – Badwater Basin 36.229700, -116.767172
End: Mountain Whitney Meridian 36.578552, -118.292271
Low Point: Badwater Bowl (-278.9 ft / -85 m)
High Signal: Mount Whitney (fourteen,505 ft / 4,421 m)
Peak Gain: 33,000 ft / 10,058 m
Difficulty: Strenuous

Lowest to Highest Route Map — An overview of the Lowest to Highest Road

*Outside the dates of May 1 to November 1, this permit is gratuitous. More than on permits below.

The route y'all'll take to Badwater (from Highway 395).

How to get to the Lowest to Highest Route

The only style to reach Badwater Basin, the start of the Lowest to Highest Route is by auto. There are no public transportation options for getting to Expiry Valley National Park. The closest city is Lone Pino in the Eastern Sierra (a terminate on Low to High). The closest major city (and the closest airdrome is actually Las Vegas; withal, if you're planning on hitchhiking, yous'll probably have improve luck coming from the Eastern Sierra (there is an airport in Mammoth Lakes – north of Lone Pine on Highway 395).

That said, you are probably going to want to be caching water for yourself in at least one spot – a car (or a friend with a car) makes this a lot easier a task.

Attainable via public transportation: No
Trailhead parking: No

BY CAR

To become to Death Valley National Park via car, you will demand to pay an entry fee of $25 (per vehicle, not person). If you've got your own car and frequent the national parks, you should probably get an America the Beautiful National Parks Laissez passer if you lot don't already have one (unlimited entry to all national parks for a year). Y'all need to get dropped off since in that location's no overnight parking at Badwater Basin (fifty-fifty if there was, getting back to your car here would be a huge pain in the ass).

Past PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Unfortunately, this is not an choice. This is America, people here don't believe in public transportation. That said, if you need assist getting around the Eastern Sierra and aren't a fan of hitchhiking, you can use Eastern Sierra Transit. Getting into Death Valley National Park is another thing.

BY PRIVATE Send

It'south a $120 Uber ride from the Strip in Las Vegas to Badwater Basin and ~$200 from Mammoth Lakes. Just saying.

HITCHHIKING

From anywhere on Highway 395 betwixt Lone Pino and Mammoth Lakes, it shouldn't be terribly difficult to get a ride into Death Valley National Park. All the way to Badwater, yous may observe more than difficult.

Notes on the route

The Lowest to Highest Route is a ane-way route hiked from Badwater Basin to Mount Whitney.
The route finishes at the summit of Whitney, but you lot'll withal need to hike 11 mi / 17.7 km back to Whitney Portal if yous don't have a permit to camp overnight in the Whitney Zone (more on permits below).
It is suggested that you cache h2o for yourself earlier starting Low to High, due to the lack of reliable water sources along the route (remember to pack out your bottles!). More on water caching.
Panamint Springs is located along the route and is home to a gas station, convenience store, restaurant, motel, and campground (more on Panamint Springs below).
Whitney Zone permits are controlled via a quota system betwixt May 1 and November 1.
There are a number of alternate routes on Low to High, and at that place'south no right or wrong fashion to hike it (hike your own hike, friend). More on alternates below.
simBLISSity has a Low to High Navigation Bundle available that I would highly encourage you to take a look at.

Did I mention that this route is incredibly dry?

Everyman to Highest Route Weather

The weather, more than specifically the temperature, is a major factor to consider when deciding when to attempt the Lowest to Highest Route. Badwater Basin is 282 ft / 86 yard below sea level and is literally ane of the hottest places on World (Furnace Creek, but upwards the road, holds the electric current record for "hottest temperature always recorded" at 134.1 °F / 56.7 °C). It's no joke.

Unless you want to do some serious winter mountaineering, Lowest to Highest is pretty much off-limits during the wintertime due to the ending terminus being the highest indicate in the Continental United states of america. Depending on the snowpack, it may exist possible to summit Mount Whitney in April, just if you don't want to compete with snow and water ice, I recommend a late-fall hike. Why non summer or early on fall? Because of the whole "hottest place on Globe" thing, remember?

From May to September, the average daily loftier in Badwater Basin is over 100 °F / 37.8 °C (that'south just the boilerplate). In October, this drops to 92.8 °F / 33.viii °C, and in November it slides down to 77.1 °F / 25.1 °C.

The sweet spot for hiking Lowest to Highest is probably during the kickoff ii weeks of Nov – you don't demand to worry (too much) near the oestrus, you won't demand a paid, quota-subject field permit for the Whitney Zone, and you will (hopefully) be early enough to beat the first big snowfall of the twelvemonth.

That said, if it's an early winter, skilful luck.

Everyman to Highest Route Allow

Equally the Lowest to Highest Road is not an officially established trail, at that place is no "Lowest to Highest Road Permit". However, you are required to have a permit to enter (and/or stay overnight in) the Whitney Zone once y'all enter Inyo National Forest.

You are not required to have a allow for Death Valley National Park, but complimentary and voluntary backcountry permits are bachelor at the visitor eye or whatsoever ranger station. Probably a good idea if you're going solo (so they know where to wait for your body). For rules and regulations governing overnight camping in Decease Valley, check hither.

Applying Online

If you plan to enter the Whitney Zone between May i and November 1, you will be subject to the area quota and it is advised you obtain your permit in advance. This applies to both overnight stays and solar day apply. Permits can be obtained via Recreation.gov. From February i to March 15 you can enter a lottery for permits during the quota season. The nearly in-demand dates will exist during July and August (i.e. the hottest months), and at that place should be some permits available at the beginning and finish of the season in case you miss the lottery.

Walk-upward Permits

The only identify you can obtain a Whitney Zone permit in-person is at the Eastern Sierra Company Center (map/website) only south of Lone Pine. You can walk (or hitch) hither in one case you reach Lone Pine if you're unsure of when you'll be inbound the Whitney Zone or you lot can stop here before heading to Badwater to begin your hike.

Lowest to Highest Road H2o Caches

It's possible to complete Lowest to Highest without caching any water, but if I were to hike it again, I would leave at to the lowest degree one cache (at Highway 190 x Saline Valley Road). The following is not an exhaustive list of places where you lot could cache h2o, but these are probably the most reasonable locations. Here is where I left myself water caches and where I would cache water if I were to hike again:

Low to High Water Enshroud Locations

Shortys Well Rd 10 W Side Road (map): this junction is at approximately mile vii (11.iii km) of Depression to High and is directly west of where yous begin in Badwater Basin. It tin be accessed via a 10.7 mi / 17.ii km bumpy dirt road from the paved Badwater Road. I would not enshroud h2o hither again since Hanaupah Spring is under x mi / xvi km away (simply more on the potential hazards of this spring h2o beneath).

Wildrose Route (map): Information technology's a xix.v mi / 31.iv km detour (i-way) to get to, but if I were to hike L2H again, I would cache water hither. The route is paved the entire fashion from where y'all plough off Highway 190. THAT SAID, if I were to hike again, I would take the alternate via Wildrose Campground which would eliminate the need for a cache hither (there should be h2o at the campground). Merely if you're not planning on taking the Wildrose Alternate, I would suggest a enshroud here.

Highway 190 10 Saline Valley Route (map): This is the easiest cache location to access every bit you literally laissez passer information technology on your mode into the park from Highway 395 (I'm assuming yous're coming from California and not Nevada here). I would definitely cache water here if I were to hike once again (yous could even do it whilst hitchhiking).

Cerro Gordo Ghost Town (map): There is no water available at Cerro Gordo, but Robert, the man who maintains it, caches water for hikers who asking it. Y'all can reach him via the Cerro Gordo website or at +i (760) 876-5030. It's attainable via car then you could fifty-fifty (potentially) adapt to cache your own food or water here.

Lowest to Highest H2o Sources

There are very few water sources on the Lowest to Highest Route and you volition (likely) exist conveying a lot of water for nearly of it (all-time to err on the side of caution). Here is a listing of the reliable (and 1 not-then-reliable) h2o sources along the route.

Hanaupah Bound* (Mile xvi): an incredible bound in Hanaupah Coulee just before starting time a huge climb up toward Telescope Peak. Generally flows year-round but more electric current data may be available from the Furnace Creek Visitor Eye +i (760) 786-3200 (map).
*The "illegal activities" referred to on the signs budgeted Hanaupah Jump (y'all'll run across them, I hope) are illegal cannabis grows that were discovered in the canyon in 2018. The signs advise yous to non potable from the spring, simply hikers take drunk from the bound (and lived) since these notices were posted. I ended up drinking well-nigh a liter of water filtered from the spring and am still here. Basically, drink at your ain take a chance and check with the Visitor Heart should you have any doubts.

If yous want to be cautious and eliminate the need to drinkable h2o from Hanaupah Spring, cache extra water at Westward Side Road.

Tuber Spring (Mile 30ish): after descending from the ridgeline below Telescope Peak in that location is a seasonal leap with a number of pools to be found in Tuber Canyon (I found ii, but they took some searching to find). I wouldn't rely on this as a water source unless you know for sure at that place's h2o to be plant here (map).

Wildrose Campground: Yous can take an alternate via Wildrose Campground instead of heading down Tuber Canyon and in that location should be water available here. Check with the Death Valley Company Center to confirm (map).

Panamint Springs (Mile 50): Water is available at the Panamint Springs restaurant/store/campground (map).

Darwin Falls: Just after Panamint Springs, you have the choice of taking an alternate via Darwin Falls (highly recommended). There'due south plenty of water in the canyon leading up to the falls and at the falls itself (map). DO Non SWIM HERE.

China Garden Spring: If you take the alternating via Darwin Falls, you'll also pass China Garden Spring a few miles after the climb up from Darwin Coulee. It'southward an awesome year-circular water source filled with fishies, shade, and graffiti (map). Adept camping, as well.

Lone Pine (Mile 110): Lonely Pine is a proper boondocks with everything yous'll need to refresh yourself before making the push up to Whitney – water included (map).

There are a few other unreliable water sources sprinkled effectually Low to High, merely these are going to be your major stops (besides any caches y'all put out for yourself). Information technology's worth taking a await at the water summary provided by simBLISSity.net for more than on L2H water options.

Lowest to Highest Road Itinerary

How many days does it take to hike the Lowest to Highest Road? Depending on where you terminate and how long you lot want your days to be, you tin can probably count on somewhere between six and eight days.

If you're looking to get the near out of Depression to High, I suggest you plan your days around where you would like to campsite. I were to hike L2H again, this would (probably) be my ideal itinerary:

Day i: Badwater Bowl to the ridge above Hanaupah Spring (~18 mi / 29 km)
Day 2: Ridge above Hanaupah Spring to Panamint Valley (somewhere before Panamint Springs) optional detour up Telescope Acme (~22 mi / 35 km)
24-hour interval 3: Panamint Valley to China Garden Spring (via Darwin Falls Alternating) – resupply at Panamint Springs (~15 mi / 24 km)
Mean solar day iv: China Garden Bound to Lee Flat (~20 mi / 32 km)
Twenty-four hours 5: Lee Flat to Saline Valley Table salt Tram (~21 mi / 33.8 km)
Day 6: Saline Valley Salt Tram to Whitney Portal Campground (or Alabama Hills) – resupply in Alone Pine (~25 mi / 40.ii km)
Twenty-four hours vii: Whitney Portal Campground to Whitney Acme (~22 mi / 35.4 km return)

If you want to spend a night at Panamint Springs (and perhaps even shower), you lot could hands alter this to get in at that place subsequently putting in ii long days or 3 short days depending on weather condition and how you're feeling. Y'all could fifty-fifty do a lazy morning out of Panamint and then take a leisurely hike through Darwin Canyon up to China Garden Leap and stay the night in that location, as well.

That said, you're free to make up your own adventure. I haven't actually hiked the above itinerary so I don't know if information technology would play out as well as I am imagining, simply I'yard certain it's better than what I did. What did I practice? Funny you should inquire.

MY HIKE

Note: I do Non recommend this itinerary.

Day 1: Badwater Basin to West End Road (I started at dark which is why this was such a short 24-hour interval – information technology takes a while to get to Badwater Bowl).
Day 2: West End Road to Telescope Pinnacle Ridgeline
Day 3: Telescope Peak Ridgeline to Panamint Springs
Day four: Panamint Springs to Mile 75
Day five: Mile 75 to a terrible campsite 11 mi / 17.7 km outside of Lone Pino
24-hour interval half dozen: Same terrible camp to Whitney Portal
Day 7: Whitney Portal > Whitney Summit > Whitney Portal

Lowest to Highest Route Gear & Packing Listing

You lot'll need a consummate multi-day overnight backpacking kit for this hike (except maybe a rain jacket), only there are a few noteworthy pieces of gear to pay extra attending to when planning for Lowest to Highest.

SHELTER: The likelihood that you'll have to deal with pelting on Depression to Loftier is very low (Death Valley averages 2.36 in / 60 mm of rain per year). For my shelter, I packed a SlingFin SplitWing UL Tarp and information technology served me well on the trail. I mostly cowboy camped.

WATER Float: If yous're not big on or take the capacity for carrying large water bottles (and yous don't want to carry a gallon of water in your manus), I would suggest a collapsible water bladder similar the HydraPak Seeker 2L (also available in a 3L model) that y'all tin strap to the meridian of your pack. H2o is not to be trifled with on Low to High.

UMBRELLA: I'm non a huge fan of using an umbrella whilst hiking, just if I were doing Low to High during the warmer months, I would probably consider bringing a Six Moon Designs Silver Shadow Carbon or a Montbell Sun Blocker Umbrella.

MAPS: Maps are great (even when y'all're not hiking). For Low to Loftier, I recommend that y'all invest in the L2H map set from simBLISSity. For a detailed map for the road up Mount Whitney, I recommend the (free) Mount Whitney Guide from Atlas Guides.

Downwards JACKET: I did this route in mid-November and the mornings were common cold enough to warrant hiking in a puffy. I brought along a Patagonia Micro Puff Jacket which worked merely fine.

WIND JACKET: I was very happy to accept my Montbell Tachyon Wind Jacket with me. It got very windy up on some of the ridges and this thing did a swell chore of keeping the cold out. Y'all can read my detailed review of it here.

WATER FILTER: My Sawyer Squeeze did merely fine as a h2o filter. If you program on filtering from some of the less-reliable sources you may find yourself with a lot of sediment, so I would recommend a Squeeze over chemicals or UV purification.

H2o BOTTLES: I used collapsible 1-gallon water jugs for my caches, merely I brought with me a one-gallon jug with an attached plastic handle (see photos below) for carrying water. I plant the handle to be comfortable to comport once the excess plastic on the inside of the handle wore down. Carrying a whole gallon got tiring which I suppose but encouraged me to drink more.

If yous want more recommendations on backpacking gear, bank check out my current gear list or gear reviews.

Lowest to Highest Route Resupply (Food Caches)

You accept two options for resupply on Lowest to Highest. Of grade, you could just acquit all of your food for the entirety of the hike from the starting time, only you literally walk by ii places where resupplying is quite like shooting fish in a barrel – make things easy on yourself and take advantage.

The two resupply points you pass are Panamint Springs Resort and Lone Pine.

Panamint Springs Resort (map/website)

Located on Highway 190 in Death Valley National Park, Panamint Springs is 50 mi / 80.5 km into Depression to High and has a gas station, convenience shop, eating place/bar (I found the burger to be disappointing), campground, and a motel. Collectively, this place is known every bit Panamint Springs Resort (or simply Panamint Springs – or, I approximate, but Panamint).

You could resupply out of the store if you wanted to, but it 1) has the option you would expect at a remote gas station convenience store in the center of the desert, and 2) has the prices you lot would expect at a remote gas station convenience shop in the center of the desert. I bought myself a resupply ahead of time and left it at the gas station convenience store; I suggest you do the same.

I called alee of fourth dimension to ostend this would exist okay; their telephone number is +1 (775) 482-7680. Since yous literally pass Panamint Springs on your mode to Badwater Bowl (coming from Highway 395), it actually isn't much problem to stop and leave your food (even if you're hitchhiking). The shop is open every day from 7:00 AM to 9:xxx PM (just, over again, call to confirm).

You can also ship post to the resort if for some reason this works amend for you. Contact them straight for aircraft information via email [e-mail protected] or phone +1 (775) 482-7680.

The last thing of annotation – they have wifi simply information technology'due south pretty garbage. No cell reception. I was able to get my letters and emails but not able to send annihilation out.

Alone Pine

Lonely Pine is 110 mi / 177 km into Low to High on Highway 395 and is where you can get a walk-upwardly permit for the Whitney Zone if you haven't gotten one ahead of fourth dimension. Lone Pine is a proper town with multiple restaurants, motels, and a modest grocery store. It's a nice stop to recharge and refill on whatever you might need earlier making the push up Mountain Whitney.

Route Description

It's not terribly hard to break the Lowest to Highest Route into sections. Hither's what you can expect to find on your L2H journey.

Badwater Bowl: The road begins with a 7 mi / eleven.three km walk across the (completely flat) salt plains of Badwater Basin. There is no trail, no shelter, and no water to exist found here.

Hanaupah Canyon (Panamint Range): Later crossing West Side Road, the trail enters Hanaupah Canyon and heads up to Hanaupah Jump (more on this in h2o sources). The route follows a 4WD road as information technology begins to gradually climb into the Panamint Range. The road slowly becomes less of a route and more of a clearing through the castor. Y'all follow the bottom of the canyon as it continues to rise and y'all option your way through via the path of least resistance.

Telescope Superlative (Panamint Range): After Hanaupah Spring, the route takes a hard plough northward and heads straight up the hillside to gain the ridge to a higher place. There'southward non much of a trail as you lot gain over 1,500 ft / 457 grand in the adjacent i mi / ane.6 km. Yous pick your own gamble to the top through the patchwork sand, scree and talus before you. Lots of fun. You then follow the ridge west as you now aim for the ridge below Telescope Peak. At that place were times I felt similar I was on an established trail here, times I thought I was on more of a game trail and times when I was certain I was on absolutely no trail whatsoever. This climb is no joke and I would suggest getting it washed before sunset.

Afterward gaining the ridge from Hanaupah Bound

Tuber Canyon (Panamint Range): If you take the official L2H route instead of the Wildrose Alternate (more than on that here), you'll turn west off the ridgeline well-nigh Rogers Peak and begin a steep, cross-country descent into Tuber Canyon. At the lesser of the canyon, yous'll (eventually) find an old road to follow the rest of the style out. I institute a couple of modest pools of water here, just I would non suggest counting on them as a water source. There were a couple of tricky bits in the canyon where I got cliffed out or turned around because of dense vegetation, simply I eventually made it out.

The ridge below Telescope Peak (behind the camera)

Panamint Valley: Leaving the Panamint Range you are on a proper 4WD route (as in you could really drive a 4WD vehicle on information technology considering information technology'south not hugely rutted out or covered in dense brush). You're now following clay roads with a little chip of cross-state travel in the center all the way to Panamint Springs. There are no h2o sources and no shelter for the entirety of this section.

Random concrete platforms in the desert. Campsites?

Darwin Canyon: This is an alternate and I go into more detail in a higher place, only I recommend that you take this road if you're a fan of h2o, scrambles, and random ponds of fish in the middle of the desert. You follow a route and then a trail to Darwin Falls before scrambling up and effectually it for a fun scramble through the canyon earlier popping out onto a 4WD road and rejoining the official route later on hiking through and out of a wash. Brand sure non to stay in the launder once you lot rejoin the official route – climb upwards to the correct!

Darwin Falls trailhead sign (the waterfall looks larger hither than it actually is).

Santa Rosa Flat / Lee Apartment: The route descends to Highway 190 (where I suggest you cache water) and then follows Saline Valley Road through Santa Rosa Flat and Lee Apartment. Y'all're on a maintained and rolling dirt road this unabridged section.

At the junction of Highway 190 and Saline Valley Road

Cerro Gordo (Inyo Mountains): The Cerro Gordo Alternate follows well-maintained dirt roads (although they become less well maintained as you climb) toward Cerro Gordo Summit before giving yous an splendid view of the Sierra Nevada across the valley and so descending to Cerro Gordo Ghost Boondocks below. More on the Cerro Gordo Alternate here.

Views of the Sierra equally you caput boondocks the road toward Cerro Gordo Ghost Town

Inyo Mountains: Later leaving Cerro Gordo Ghost Boondocks, the route follows a 4WD road north through the Inyo Mountains. The road turns into a narrow trail for a bit earlier rejoining a 4WD route and gaining the ridge. Y'all laissez passer some old abandoned mining buildings on the manner. Once you're upward on the ridge you lot continue following 4WD tracks before passing a cabin (that's just half falling autonomously) at the ruins of the Saline Valley Salt Tram. The route passes a series of dirt road junctions earlier heading cantankerous-land downwardly and out of the Inyo Mountains. Navigation in this last department got a bit tricky again (I did a lot of it in the night), but you volition find the occasional cairn as you lot work your style out of the launder and to a 4WD track leading you toward Highway 395.

Don't just go wandering around Cerro Gordo without getting in touch with them first

Lowest to Highest Route tiptop contour from Badwater Basin to Lonely Pine

Lone Pine/Mount Whitney: There's a ton of data on climbing Mount Whitney out in that location, but if yous want the simplest and nigh straightforward solution, I suggest you simply download the (free) Mount Whitney app from Atlas/Guthook Guides. If y'all're taking the main trail up Mountain Whitney it is well-defined and heavily trafficked. If you fabricated it this far, you shouldn't take any trouble finding your way to the superlative.

Lowest to Highest Road Alternates

Despite the Everyman to Highest Road not being an officially established trail, there is an official route that L2H follows. However, in that location are a number of detours and alternates available to you. Most of them (I think) make the hike a lot more than interesting and enjoyable, but you exist the judge.

Badwater Bowl Alternating Route

There's an alternate route you tin take in Badwater Bowl that avoids the terminate of the salt flat. This route is just slightly longer (less than 1 mi / 1.vi km), but y'all may brand up for it if you detect the ground more than suitable for walking. I stumbled through Badwater Basin in the nighttime and was stuck in salty goodness the entire fourth dimension. The seven-mile (11.three km) crossing took me just over two hours. Ultimately, this alternate probably won't brand much of a difference on your hike one way or the other.

Telescope Peak Alternating

Not an alternate as much as it is a detour, a round trip journey to the summit of Telescope Superlative (11,049 ft / 3,368 thou) volition add 2.half dozen mi / 4.18 km and one,235 ft / 376 m of elevation gain. The route leading up to the elevation (from Badwater Basin) is the quaternary greatest valley-to-summit tiptop gain in the Us (number three is Mount Rainier in Washington). It takes a serious effort to want to climb to the summit of Telescope Acme afterward scrambling upwardly to the ridge. More on Telescope Peak from Death Valley National Park.

Wildrose Alternate

This alternating is after gaining the ridge where you lot tin can detour to Telescope Tiptop. Instead of heading down Tuber Canyon, you can follow the Telescope Peak (day) hiking trail to Mahogany Flat Campground. Then, y'all follow a series of clay and paved roads until meeting back up with the official route on Wildrose Road. This alternating should take reliable water at Wildrose Campground (cheque with the park beforehand) which eliminates the need for a huge carry, an additional cache, or relying on a potentially unreliable water source (Tuber Spring). If I were to hike again, I would take this alternating. That said, information technology was quite the risk dropping into Tuber Canyon. This alternate is about ii mi / 3.2 km longer than the official L2H route.

Darwin Canyon Alternating

Afterwards passing Panamint Springs, you tin take the Darwin Canyon Alternate – and I highly recommend that you exercise. Not only practice y'all get to laissez passer Darwin Falls and People's republic of china Garden Spring (a great place to spend the night), but you lot likewise get to do some very fun scrambling (that said, some people may classify this every bit "terrifying" instead of "fun"). This route is about one mi / ane.six km longer than the official road (and will probably accept longer due to the more than technical terrain), merely it's well worth the endeavour.

For this alternate, climb up to the left of Darwin Falls and follow the water until yous see some other set of falls to your left. From the water, climb the scree slope to the correct and wait for a path leading left (to the correct of the upper falls). Make certain yous make the left and stay in the slot with the waterfalls. Do not continue high up the scree slope (it gets sketchy and it's the incorrect way – I made this mistake). One time you're above the upper falls you'll have to cross the water once more than and scramble upwardly the left-mitt side of the canyon. From at that place, information technology'due south not too complicated to work out a path tracing the canyon rim. Before long you'll hit a proper (clay) route that you follow to China Garden Leap before linking support with the official L2H route.

Cerro Gordo Alternate

At around Mile 77.five (Kilometer 125), you lot have the option to plough off the chief route and take a slightly shorter, more breathtaking road via Cerro Gordo Peak (you pass adjacent to it, not over it). In that location's a scrap more elevation gain heading this style, just it's all on old mining roads and paths and so information technology's nothing compared to the slog up from Hanaupah Spring. This route takes yous by old mining shafts and infrastructure before giving y'all a neat view of the Sierra Nevada (and Whitney) earlier dropping down to Cerro Gordo Ghost Town to rejoin the official road (you pass Cerro Gordo Ghost Boondocks regardless of which route you take).

Lowest to Highest Route Map

The following is an overview of the Lowest to Highest Road with alternates, water sources, landmarks, and resupply points highlighted.

simBLISSity has a Low to High Navigation Packet available that I would highly encourage y'all to take a look at.

Conclusion

The Lowest to Highest Route is an crawly trip and I would definitely recommend it. That said, it can exist extremely challenging at times (and monotonous at others), so be sure yous know what y'all're getting yourself into. If you're feeling specially cool and/or ambitious, you could fifty-fifty apply Low to High as a forerunner to a hike into the Sierra Nevada.

I'g always looking to improve upon the information and resource provided in these guides so if you have whatever questions, suggestions, or updates, please leave a annotate below or arrive impact.

Resources

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Mt Whitney To Death Valley,

Source: https://www.halfwayanywhere.com/trails/lowest-to-highest-route/low-to-high-route-hiking-guide/

Posted by: joynerandutimmose.blogspot.com

Mt Whitney To Death Valley

Lowest to Highest Route Basics