Peak Seasons

High Sierras Activities:  Mid May - Mid October
Down in the Valley:  Early April - Early November
Skiing/Snowboarding:  Late November - Late April
Mountain Biking:  Mid June - Mid October

Incredible Night Skies

On a moonless night, the protected eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas provides one of the most vivid and jaw-dropping night skies in the state of California.  You can thank the mountain range for blocking out light pollution from California's big cities in the west.

Use this site below to time your trip out with a clear night sky:

• TimeAndDate.com - Moon Phases for Joshua Tree, CA

• American Meteor Society - Annual Meteor Shower Calendar

• PhotoPills - A Guide to the Best Meteor Showers in 2018: When, Where and How to Shoot Them
  

New Moon vs. Full Moon

New Moon - The most brilliant Milky Way sky I've ever seen was on a moonless night in Alabama Hills.  If you're visiting on this end of the lunar calendar, bring a DSLR camera capable of shooting at night (trust me).

Full Moon - On a full moon night, these light colored granite rocks illuminate in a really erie and fascinating way, which makes for a fantastic midnight hiking adventure or cave party.  Music, glow sticks and howling at the moon are required.  

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Where & When are Permits Required?

Any overnight backpacking trip in the Inyo National Forest, Ansel Adams Wilderness and John Muir Wilderness areas. Accessing the Mt. Whitney Zone above Lone Pine Lake also requires a permit (see instructions below).

Car camping at designated campgrounds and day hiking in these areas do not require permits

Overnight Wilderness Permits - Inyo National Forest

Inyo National Forest is home to any & all backpacking trips in the John Muir Wilderness area, the Mt. Whitney Zone, Mt. Langley and just about all surrounding areas that take off westward from the Lone Pine area.

Even if you're doing a thru hike that takes you westward through Sequoia National Park or Kings Canyon, you'll probably be applying for overnight wilderness permits through the Inyo National Forest system.

Wilderness Camping

Any form of wilderness camping outside of a designated campground (basically backpacking) in Inyo National Forest requires an overnight permit.  See instructions below:

• USForestService - For Information on Inyo National Forest Wilderness Permits

• Reservation.gov - Apply Here for for Inyo National Forest Wilderness Permits

Reserving your Permits through Reservation.gov

1. On the landing page for Inyo National Forest Wilderness Permits, select your desired trailhead or starting point, either on the Permit Area Map or the Trail List. You'll see a long list of options to select from, so if you're confused on which location to pick, you may need to do a quick Google search of your hike to confirm.

2. Select your desired permit type and trip date while referring to the legend at the bottom of the page to find open permits (dates marked with an "A" are available). Reservations are on a first-come-first-serve basis up to six months (168 days) in advance of any given trip date.

3. Remember that your online reservation is not the permit itself. You still need to pick up the physical permit in-person at the nearest ranger station on the day of (or day prior to) your trip.

Note: If your desired location is not listed, it most likely has a separate permit application process.

The Mt. Whitney Permit Lottery

Due to its insane popularity, Mt. Whitney has its own application process for both day use and overnight trips.  See our section on Mt. Whitney Mountaineering for detailed instructions on applying for the Mt. Whitney Permit Lottery.

Sierra Nevada Trip Planning Resources

National Park Service (nps.gov)  - Your best resource hub & information center for all national parks and monuments in the Sierra Nevada mountains, including Yosemite, Sequioa & Kings Canyon, Devil's Postpile and Death Valley.  Use this as a starting point for wilderness permits, maps and updated safety alerts.  Some reservations for campsites and permits are handled directly through this website; other times it will send you to Reservation.gov.

USDA Forest Service: Inyo National Forest  - Your best resource hub & information center for all non national park wilderness areas in the Sierra Nevada mountains, including the surrounding areas of Lone Pine, Big Pine, Ansel Adams, etc.  Use this as a starting point for wilderness permits, maps and updated safety alerts.

Reservation.gov - Reservation website for campgrounds and wilderness permits in the Sierra Nevada area.  Start your search using the two websites above, and look up the area you're interested in.  When necessary they will direct you to Reservation.gov to select and book your campsite.

SierraWild.gov - General information on trip planning, specifically geared for the Sierra Nevadas.

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ITEMIZED ACTIVITIES

Baseline Essentials

Food
$30 per day

Gas
Calculation: (total miles round trip / vehicle MPG) * price of gas
Example trip from Los Angeles: (446 / 25) * $3.60 = $64.22

Firewood
$36 per day

Climbing

Here is the company I've always used for mountaineering and all things technical in the Sierras.  I couldn't recommend them more highly, and their rates are very reasonable.  Expect roughly $120 per person for a full day with a minimum of three people (beginner to advanced).

Sierra Mountaineering International - Rock Climbing School

Mt. Whitney Mountaineering

Mt. Whitney Guide Services
Upfront:

• 2-day - $500-600

• 3-day - $700-800

• 4-day - $1000

Gear Rentals:

• Avalanche Transceiver ($10), mountaineering boots ($20), crampons ($10), thick down jacket ($20), helmet ($10), ice axe ($10), sleeping bag rated for mountain temperatures ($20), trecking poles ($10) = $110 total

Additional Mandatory Gear:

• Waterproof gaiters, waterproof/synthetic climbing pants (can't be a slick material like a common ski pant, which would facilitate sliding), synthetic or waterproof t-shirts/jackets/thermals, waterproofing spray, climbing harness, webbing & carabiners

• As you may have already guessed, you won't want to have a single item of cotton in your pack, which gets cold, wet, spacious and heavy.

Optional but Recommended:

• World Nomads Trip insurance - covers you in high altitudes with extreme activities, all medical and evacuation costs up to $1 mil (some insurance carriers don't cover) - $80

 Total Expenses for a Mt. Whitney Guided Trip

• 2-day trip - $540 ; Gear Rentals - $110 ; Additional Gear - $350-400 ; Food & Gas - $150 ; Guide Tip (20%) - $100 = $1,200-1,300

EXAMPLE BUDGET FOR A RECENT Alabama Hills TRIP (3 PEOPLE)

Trip Parameters
Budget is based on 2.5 days of adventure including travel time.  The trip starts from Los Angeles (446 mi., including driving time in the park), using one car with three people.  Departure time starts Friday afternoon (Day 0) through Sunday night (Day 2). 

Baseline Expenses
Individual Expenses: Food - 2.5 days ($75)
Group Expenses: Gas ($64.22) / 3 people = $21.40 per person
Total: $96.40 per person

Days 0-2:  Alabama Hills - 2 Nights Car Camping, Hiking & Climbing
Group Expenses: Camping Fees ($0 - BLM Camping) + Firewood ($72) / 3 people = $24 per person

Trip Total
$120.40 per person

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