high sierra trail permits

a complete trail description, including a trail elevation profile; custom maps showing trails, natural features, mileages, and the best campsite locations; photographs of the trail and the countryside; trailhead information, parking, how to obtain necessary permits; applicable wilderness rules, including special regulations governing campfires, bear canisters, … With John Awe-Shum, Chris Smead, William Tweed. The elevation gain/loss is +15,531/-13,866 feet according to Paul Richins, Jr., author of Mount Whitney (2ndEd., The Mountaineers Books). At Lodgepole Village facilities include a Visitor Center, … What should I pick if I wanted to start from there? Here is an official ov… Some of the crossings and passes will be very difficult and dangerous during these months (and possibly into early July). March 2, 2019; I’d been wanting to do the High Sierra Trail for a number of years now and after hiking the Rae Lakes Loop last year, I decided that this year it was going to happen. Whitney before exiting at the Portal. His answer was that the JMT and HST were considered one trail system during … Then the trail would start from Crescent Meadows and finish on Whitney. Self-issue wilderness permits are available at the nearest permit-issuing station. Well-known destinations such as Mount Whitney and popular itineraries such as the John Muir Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, High Sierra Trail, and Rae Lakes Loop are heavily traveled and there is high demand for limited entry. The views … On the PDF application, you would put High Sierra. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The Pacific Crest Trail's North-South route along the Sierra Crestline travels across Highway 108 at Sonora Pass. A long hike to Hamilton Lakes on the High Sierra Trail. You will pay the fee of $15 per permit plus $5 per person at the issuing station. The National Forests and Parks administering the High Sierra are subdivided into Ranger Districts. Step 3: Go to the designated issuing station to get oriented, have your permit issued and pay the fee. The shorter, 72-mile High Sierra Trail runs west to east across the Sierras and can be done in six to ten days. So when I wasn’t awarded permits from the … Emailed applications are no longer accepted; go to Recreation.gov to make a reservation. Frontcountry camping is also limited and camping outside of established campgrounds such as trailhead parking lots is not permitted. Permits are only issued during Permitting Desk Operating Hours by trailhead rangers who provide important area information. Day 7: Guitar Lake to Mt.Whitney Summit to Whitney Port. email your PDF application on or after March 1 at 12:01 am – Is that PST? Email communications about trail closures, advisories and important information through Recreation.gov. With John Awe-Shum, Chris Smead, William Tweed. Step 2: Create a Recreation.gov account (optional). Thank you for this post it has been very helpful to my wife and I as we plan our trip this summer. Great post! Carefully choose your entry point and entry date – these cannot be modified later without creating a new reservation. Days will be warm, sometimes humid. Welcome to Campsite Vibes! It evokes the very ghost of John Muir with its soaring peaks, highly varied terrain, grand vistas and spectacular ending at the top of Mt. The best conditions! How often did you wear either of these items at your early/mid September trip?– both layers of your Columbia jacket together– snowboarding pants– snow gloves. I created Campsite Vibes as a place to share my story and my adventures to inspire and empower you to go on the adventures you’ve been dreaming of! Super helpful stuff. Before (Saturday): Drive to Sequoia NP (approx. Make sure your itinerary conforms to rules and regulations. It’s available in both paperback and a Kindle version. From deep river canyons to high alpine peaks, lakes, and meadows, this hike has it all. After running up the bottom of the Kern Canyon, it turns east, climbing parallel to Wallace Creek u… It crosses the great Western Divide, climbs the Kern Canyon, and summits Mt. Integrated payment and the ability to pay entry fees and make campground reservations at the same time you make a permit reservation on the recreation.gov website. For a 12 person van, the Eastern Sierra Shuttle Service charged us $1,200. The quota season runs during the summer months usually from May/June through the middle of September. Crescent Meadow. If you mail them your key, they will also drive your vehicle from the start of the trailhead to the end for roughly the same price. There is no fee for self-issue permits. First off, permits are absolutely required for the High Sierra Trail and although they’re said to be easier to obtain than permits for the John Muir Trail, they’re still tough to get and done through a lottery. If you do not make arrangements for a late pickup, your reservation will be canceled at 9:00 am and your spot(s) may be given to people waiting for walk-up permits. Stretching approximately 195 miles (314 km) north to south through the Sierra Nevada, it is a largely off-trail affair that stays between 9,000 ft (2,743 m) and 12,000 ft (3658 m) for most of its rugged course. You will also need to bring proof of your identity. Bring you entire party to the orientation. Every night during peak backpacking season Guitar Lake is surrounded by tents of hikers spending their last night on one of these two iconic trails. Step 5: Finalize your reservation and pay fees. Rent or buy an appropriate food storage container before arriving in the park. Permits for the HST are easier to obtain compared to the famous John Muir Trail out of Yosemite Valley, but the High Sierra Trail can still be difficult to snag on peak summer weekend starts. There is no limit to how many days your car can be there, but don’t leave anything scented in your car. We secured permits departing from the Alta trailhead on Sept 1, 2019. the Inyo, Sierra, or Sequoia national forests, or Yosemite National Park). The HST is a 72.2 mile long trail crossing the Sierra Nevada mountain range from west to east, culminating at the top of Mt Whitney, the highest summit in the … Now the ins and outs of planning the trail and the day by day breakdown of my itinerary: Day 1: Crescent Meadows to Panther Creek (half day), Day 3: Hamilton Lake to Big Arroyo Junction, Day 4: Big Arroyo Junction to Kern Hot Spring, Day 5: Kern Hot Spring to Junction Meadow, Day 7: Guitar Lake to Mt.Whitney Summit to Whitney Portal. The High Sierra Trail is a fully developed trail in Sequoia National Park. The high passes on the High Sierra Trail hold snow sometimes even year round. Then they will email you which dates you were awarded and a link to submit payment and you’re done with that! It is 49 miles long and many people add on the extra 12.6 miles of the John Muir Trail to summit Mt Whitney. You may start before sunrise and you are limited to a 24-hour period on the trail. Now, this is probably the hardest part of planning the hike since the trail runs West to East (or vice versa). Did the JMT last August (Cottonwood Pass to Yosemite including summiting Whitney). The High Sierra Trail also ended up being my first thru-hike, my longest backpacking trip by miles and by days, and honestly the hardest hike that I have ever done both physically and mentally. Rangers are not available to answer questions at the trailhead. Trail Summary. For more permit information check out the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Mark website. For more on what to bring backpacking, look through my current backpacking pack list. Permits. Trail Crest permits (entering elsewhere; exiting at Whitney Portal) have a separate application process. Important Changes in 2021 DAY 1 on the High Sierra Trail. You should assume it is a six to eight day hike, from start to finish, not including any transportation time, for most average hikers. If you will be accessing the park through the Jennie Lakes wilderness (Sequoia National Forest), obtain a permit following the steps above for the JO Pass, Belle Canyon, or Sugarloaf entry points. At Crescent Meadow there is long-term parking and restrooms, but no fresh water. High Sierra Camp Lottery Process. Zebulon Wallace’s book, Plan & Go: High Sierra Trail (Sandiburg Press, £9.95), is a comprehensive guide. It is 49 miles long and many people add on the extra 12.6 miles of the John Muir Trail to summit Mt Whitney. Reservations for the 2021 quota season will open in late winter or early spring. Whitney. So since I don’t know anything about this … If you will be accessing the park through the Jennie Lakes wilderness (Sequoia National Forest), obtain a permit following the steps above for the JO Pass, Belle Canyon, or Sugarloaf entry points. Permit quota season: May 22 - roughly mid September When you can book: Mar 1, 2020 at 12:01am Wilderness permit instructions. Days are mild, the nights will be cold, some of the water sources may be dried up but the crossings will be easier! The reservation fee base price has increased from $10 to $15, and the per-person fee will stay at $5. I had all kinds of questions about this, the first of which is the 1930 completion date for the "John Muir Trail/High Sierra Trail." Honestly, this part was actually super easy for me because I didn’t actually have any part in obtaining permits at all… Our trails offer possibilities for hiking, photography, peak bagging, fishing, or simply … Animal-resistant food storage containers (bear canisters) are still required in most of the park, but may not be available for rental. Have someone drop you off at the start and pick you up at the end. 5 hours), Lodgepole Visitors Center to pick up permits. So you still need to go to the wilderness office before your trip and get a permit but you can have a group of 2 or 12 join you. Decide where you want to go by looking at the Trail Descriptions, the Park Atlas and Trail Conditions web pages or by visiting Recreation.gov. The journey begins amidst giant redwoods in Sequoia National Park and ends at Mt. (Entries are required.) Whitney, the … This hike was created by the National Park Service and was completed in 1930. To hike the trail during the quota season, you email your PDF application on or after March 1 at 12:01 am to the SEKI wilderness office (seki_wilderness_reservations@nps.gov). The climb out of Hamilton Lake is … It descends into Big Arroyo, then climbs up to the Chagoopa Plateau, and drops down again into the Kern River Canyon. You Can … Lottery entries can be submitted between October 1, 2020 and October 31, 2020. The High Sierra Trail is a fully developed trail in Sequoia National Park. My first attempt at Mt. You will be able to pay for your permit directly on Recreation.gov. Sawyer Water Filter Adapter to fill up Camelbak, Sea to Summit Compressible Pot ( Sea to Summit X-Pot Kettle – 1.3 Liters), 1 Backpacker’s Pantry Kung Pao Rice with Chicken, 2 Pairs of Injinji Trail Midweight Crew Toe Socks, 1 Pair of Columbia Silver Ridge Stretch II Pant. Lesser-known destinations such as the Monarch Divide, Roaring … There is no quota to backpack the wilderness for the fall, winter and spring months. Whitney on the High Sierra Trail The High Sierra Trail leads from Crescent Meadow up the canyon of the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River, crossing the Great Western Divide by the 10,700' (3261 meters) pass known as Kaweah Gap. For more permit information check out the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Mark website. If you’re going in the summer months, it’ll still be cold, but you won’t need snow gear. Whitney Visitors Center in Lone Pine. Directed by Chris Smead. Getting Permits for the HST Your post is v insuring! The opening segment of the High Sierra Trail is perhaps one of the most beautiful footpaths in the western half of Sequoia. Thinking about doing this as my first thru hike next year. Bear Canisters Required: Yes in the spring and summer months until Nov 1. The High Sierra Trail begins with a trailhead in Crescent Meadow of Sequoia National Park and ends up 72.2 miles later at Whitney Portal. At this time, we are also planning to resume in-person, “walk-up” permit issuance for the 2021 quota season. We weren't able to get any permits until the very end of the season, September 17-24th. The hiking season for the High Sierra Trail is similar to the John Muir Trail. Step 2: Create a Recreation.gov account. You will have to pick it up at the Road’s End Permit Station, … If you’re going East to West, get your permits from the Mt. Creating a recreation.gov account will make reservations, payment and issuance a streamlined process. You can also e-mail at seki_wilderness_office@nps.gov ahead of time. The kids came over at 5 am on a Monday with their packs, and we drove the four and a half … In addition to the giant sequoias, which served as the original inspiration for creating a national park, the park now included the highest el… The High Sierra Trail goes over the Great Western Divide, down to the Big Arroyo and Kern River Valley, then up again to where it connects to the John Muir Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail, and finally finishing on Mt. The trail gains over 6,200 feet of elevation 22-mile round-trip hike Expect to hike 12 to 14 hours to the summit and back A wilderness permit for hiking or backpacking … Permits to hike the High Sierra Trail generally need to be reserved a head of time online. Outside of the quota season, you can self-register for your wilderness permits at the nearest permit-issuing station and no fee is charged. You may pick up your wilderness permit as early as 1:00 pm the day prior to your entry date or no later than 9:00 am on the morning of your entry date. . The shorter, 72-mile High Sierra Trail runs west to east across the Sierras and can be done in six to ten days. There is perhaps no better way to laterally cross the immense Sierra Nevada mountain range on foot. There is also a possibility of snow storms. When Should I Hike the High Sierra Trail. Permits: Backcountry permit (reservation/walk-up) Trail Summary. The High Sierra Trail begins at Crescent Meadow in Sequoia National Park, on the West side of the Sierra Nevada range, and ends at Whitney Portal on the East, traversing the highest and most beautiful part of the Sierras. Permit Pick Up: Pick up the permit from the High Sierra Ranger District office in Prather up to 48 hours before or by 12 noon on the day of your hike. Hamilton Lake to Big Arroyo Junction – 7.9 miles, 2,570′ ascent. 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Call: if you ’ re done with that September when you can come day! Provide information about your group and itinerary locations through Recreation.gov destinations such as the Monarch,. Are $ 35 per vehicle or $ 30 per motorcycle about Trail,... Per vehicle or $ 30 per motorcycle of Mount Whitney ( 2ndEd., the Mountaineers Books ) 24-hour period the! Hike next year self-issued permit may be helpful in a search and rescue incident accepted... Pao Rice with Chicken day 2 – Panther Creek to Hamilton Lake is … High Sierra Trail for a person... Wife and I was so happy to have all of those layers up there even if they did weight! The Inyo, Sierra, or Sequoia National Forests and Parks administering the High Sierra is... To return reservation/walk-up ) Trail Summary are working on safety measures to make a reservation possibly into July!, this is to help protect the wilderness for the HST and want return. Group and itinerary locations through Recreation.gov helpful in a tent or even hiked more than mile.

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