Trans Sierra Trail to Mount Whitney
Fresno, CA
Trip Highlights
- Remote Wilderness
- Summit Mount Whitney
- Breathtaking Views
- Pristine Lakes & Rivers
- Unique Flora and Fauna
- 2 Nights of Lodging
Description
This backpacking adventure is the ultimate traverse of Sequoia National Park through many of the most remote and wild areas of the High Sierra, culminating in an ascent of the tallest peak in the continental United States; Mt Whitney (14,500’). This trip is rugged and remote and specially designed for those who are up to the approximately 75-mile challenge. Guests will be rewarded with an adventurous journey like few others. Highlights include crossing the Great Western Divide via Colby Pass (12,000’), the dramatic Kern River Canyon, Foxtail Pine forests, and of course jaw-dropping vistas from the summit of Mount Whitney.
This trip is operated in partnership with Southern Yosemite Mountain Guides: a permitted outfitter on the Sierra and Inyo National Forests, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
$4185 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 5
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
This trip features long daily hiking distances with moderate to severe elevation gains and losses for multiple days in a row. Backpack weight is 45+ pounds, and elevations go up to over 14,000 feet. All of these details combined make this trip a clear Level 5 difficulty expedition. Be prepared for long, challenging days of hiking through absolutely gorgeous country day after day for 10 days.
Hiking Distances:
Up to 14 miles
Backpack Weight:
45+ pounds
Terrain:
Extremely Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
Up to 4500 feet
Heights Exposure:
Significant
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 45+ lb backpack for 8-10 hours for multiple days in a row, at elevations of 8,000 to over 14,000 feet.
- Maintaining balance and footing on terrain that can be uneven, steep, rocky, snowy, or muddy
- Hiking with significant heights exposure
SOLITUDE LEVEL 4
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
Solitude on this backpacking trip will vary significantly based on location, day of the week, weather conditions and more. We rate it Level 4 solitude: although there will be times when we are around other hikers, there will be days when we see almost no one.
PRIVATE TRIPS
Travel in perfect company by booking a private trip exclusively for your group!
Our sliding scale for private trips is based on the final number of guests in your group. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax, national park fees or guide gratuity. The final rate is based on the actual number of guests on the trip and may adjust based on cancellations or additions.
Please Note: you can also enjoy a private trip at our normal scheduled rates by filling any empty tour to capacity. However, if group members drop from the tour those spots will automatically become available on our website for instant booking. By purchasing a private trip at the rates listed below, your trip will remain exclusive to your group regardless of cancellations.
PRIVATE RATES FOR THIS TRIP
- 2 People: Rate x 2.5
- 3 People: Rate x 1.75
- 4 People: Rate x 1.25
- 5+ People: Rate x 1.15
*all rates are per person
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ITINERARY
Day 1
This trip begins in Fresno, CA at the Fairfield Inn and Suites Fresno Airport Hotel, located across from the Fresno Airport (it includes a free airport shuttle). You can check in any time after 4:00. At 6:00 PM you will meet your guides and group for a pre-trip orientation meeting, where we’ll perform a final gear check, review the route, talk about safety and answer any questions you have. Afterwards we will enjoy a welcome dinner as a group.
Day 2
- Drive Time: 2 hours
- Hiking Distance: 10 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1835 feet
- Elevation Loss: 3076 feet
We’ll start the day with breakfast at the hotel, then begin our drive to the trailhead at Horse Corral Meadow (8200’). After a final gear check and pack fitting, we will hit the trail! Our hike starts with an ascent of the gentle Marvin Pass (8900’) and then Kanawyer Gap, before we descend to our campsite along Ferguson Creek (7200’).
Day 3
- Hiking Distance: 9.5 miles
- Elevation Gain: 2534 feet
- Elevation Loss: 640 feet
From Ferguson Creek we’ll continue our hike past a ranger station at Roaring River and then enter the beautiful Cloud Canyon. We’ll set up camp with views of the imposing Whaleback, a massive granite ridge that dominates the mountain landscape.
Day 4
- Hiking Distance: 6.7 miles
- Elevation Gain: 3268 feet
- Elevation Loss: 2257 feet
This morning we’ll start with a delicious hot breakfast, after which we’ll break camp and follow Colby Creek up to the crest of the Great Western Divide. The stunning views from Colby Pass (12,000’) welcome us to the eastern side of the ridge. This area is considered by many to be the most remote spot in the High Sierra. After soaking up the views, we’ll descend to Gallats Lake (10,200’) where we’ll settle into camp for the night.
Day 5
- Hiking Distance: 8.5 miles
- Elevation Gain: 2656 feet
- Elevation Loss: 2317 feet
We begin today hiking through the Kern-Kaweah River valley downhill into Kern Canyon. We’ll hike through Jeffrey Pine forests at Junction Meadow and ascend to Wallace Creek at 10,400, where we meet the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails! We’ll set up camp for the night and settle in for a hearty dinner and good night’s sleep.
Day 6
- Hiking Distance: 7 miles
- Elevation Gain: 2034 feet
- Elevation Loss: 951 feet
Today’s hike is significant, in that it will get us within striking distance of Mount Whitney. We’ll hike on a moderate trail through beautiful Foxtail Pine Forests, unique to Sequoia National Park. We’ll then set up camp at Crabtree Meadows under the Whitney massif at 11,500’. Tonight we’ll enjoy an early dinner and retire to our tents early in preparation for our summit attempt of Mount Whitney in the morning.
Day 7
- Hiking Distance: 14 miles
- Elevation Gain: 4500 feet
- Elevation Loss: 4500 feet
Today is an early “alpine” start. We’ll fuel up with a quick breakfast, tea and coffee. Then we’ll leave camp with light day packs for our summit attempt of Mount Whitney (14,495’). The trail is well established, and we’ll quickly gain the final summit ridge. Bathed in early morning light, we’ll soak up stunning views of the Sierra high country and the eastern deserts far below. After a snack and snapping photos from the summit, we’ll descend past Guitar Lake back to our cozy camp at Crabtree Meadows (10,400’). Tonight we’ll celebrate our Mount Whitney summit attempt with a delicious dinner.
Day 8
- Hiking Distance: 10 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1976 feet
- Elevation Loss: 2045 feet
From Upper Crabtree Meadows we’ll follow a moderate section of the Pacific Crest Trail before a short ascent in the afternoon to Rock Creek Lake at 10,400’, where we’ll set up camp. Tonight’s campsite is ideal for our final night as it is genuinely one of the most breathtaking of the trip.
Day 9
- Hiking Distance: 10 miles
- Elevation Gain: 1690 feet
- Elevation Loss: 2175 feet
This is the final day in the backcountry. We’ll complete our grand trans-sierra crossing by hiking eastward over Cottonwood Pass (11,200) to our ending trailhead. A relaxing, scenic drive takes us to our hotel in the charming desert town of Lone Pine for well-deserved showers and dinner “out on the town.”
Day 10
We’ll enjoy our final meal together – continental breakfast at the hotel and depart for Fresno in the early morning. We’ll arrive around 1pm and can drop you off at either the Fresno Airport or the Fairfield Inn and Suites Fresno Airport Hotel. We suggest not planning flights before 3:00 PM.
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- Top-of-the-line tent, backcountry sleeping pad and multi-day backpack
- High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use) – or bring your own.
- Use of trekking poles
- All meals are included from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on the final day
- First night’s lodging at the Fairfield Inn and Suites Fresno Airport Hotel in Fresno, CA
- Final night’s lodging at the Best Western Frontier Inn in Lone Pine, CA
- Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
- Transportation originating and ending in Fresno, CA
- Bear cannisters for food storage
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device (InReach Explorer or satellite phone)
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear and footwear (see recommendations)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.
Meals: What to Expect
All of our hiking and backpacking tours include a diversity of tasty meals packed full of critical carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We carry foods that travel well in the backcountry – rice, pastas, lentils, beans, couscous, packaged meats, nuts, breads, oatmeal, granola, and more.
For optimal taste and energy, we supplement all our meals with spices, herbs, oils, cheeses, butter, sugar, and fruits and vegetables (fresh and dried). In addition, we provide you with with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
Gear We Provide
We provide all group gear which includes the following:
- Deuter or Osprey backpacks
- Sierra Designs, Kelty or Big Agnes tents
- Sierra Designs, Big Agnes and Mountain Hardware synthetic-fill sleeping bags (or bring your own)
- Thermarest or Big Agnes sleeping pads
- Leki trekking poles
- Cooking stoves and cookware
- Bear cannisters
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device(s)
Guest Packing List
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with a detailed packing list specific to this trip (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, a recommended clothing system, a headlamp or flashlight, a hydration system (water bottles and/or bladder) and other items specific to each trip.
Additionally, some guests choose to bring their own sleeping bag. We supply high quality, synthetic fill bags that are professionally laundered after every trip. Synthetic fill is non-allergenic, insulates when damp and stands up well to repeated washings, but is heavier and bulkier than down. If you’re able to bring your own down sleeping bag, there are multiple benefits. If not, we’ve got you covered!
Trip Logistics
How Do I Register?
Reserve your spot today! In the Trip Dates & Booking section of this page, the green and red dates are bookable online by simply clicking on the date, and blue dates must be booked through our customer service team for a variety of possible reasons. To email our customer service team, you can click here to get the ball rolling. Our adventure consultants will confirm availability, and if you’re ready to register we’ll email you a link to a registration profile. You’ll have 72 hours to complete your profile (and that of any dependents) and pay the deposit.
Feel free to call us for more info – we’re here 7 days a week!
Where Do We Meet?
This trip meets in Fresno, CA at 6:00 pm the evening of Day 1 for a pre-trip orientation meeting. The meeting location is the Fairfield Inn and Suites Hotel near the Fresno International Airport. Your guide will be in contact approximately 10 days prior to coordinate the rendezvous.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Travel to Fresno, CA
Fresno International Airport is a convenient airport to fly into, and the starting and ending point of the trip (Fairfield Inn and Suites Fresno Airport Hotel) is located near the airport. Please arrive in Fresno well before 10:00 AM on Day 1 and don’t plan any departing flights on the final day before 3:00 PM.
Start/End Times
This tour begins at 6:00 PM at the Fairfield Inn and Suites Fresno Airport Hotel with an orientation meeting and welcome dinner. On the final day we will be back into Fresno normally around 2:00 PM (this time is not guaranteed, as a variety of circumstances can influence our exact return time.)
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Essential Eligibility Criteria
Essential Eligibility Criteria (“EEC”) have been specifically identified to help you understand the skills and abilities necessary to participate on each Wildland trip, and they apply uniformly to all potential trip participants, irrespective of the presence or absence of any disability.
Once you identify a trip in which you may be interested, please carefully review the EEC and itinerary details. If after reviewing the EEC that apply to your desired trip, you determine you need an accommodation in order to meet the EEC, please contact us prior to registering to discuss your requested accommodation.
The EEC exist for your own safety and the safety and enjoyment of all participants. If you are unable to meet the EEC for the trip, with or without an accommodation, you are not eligible for that trip. If you register and arrive for a trip for which you do not meet the EEC, you will be disqualified from participation on the trip and will be dismissed or evacuated from the trip without a refund.
Guide Shifts
High Sierra guides work daily shifts from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. During off hours (9 p.m. to 5 a.m.) the guides’ time is their own, and they are free to sleep, rest, take personal time, postpone guest requests until the next morning, and any other legal, reasonable activity people engage in when not working. We ask all guests to respect the guides’ off-duty hours by not waking or asking anything of them unless there is a true emergency. Also, state law requires that employees receive an uninterrupted 10 minute break every four working hours, so guides are required to take four 10 minute breaks between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 10 and older to join private tours, with final approval on a case by case basis
- specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
Weather in the Sierras
Being a high mountain environment, the Sierra Nevada Mountains are prone to sudden temperature and weather shifts. This is an exciting aspect of being in the mountains. On trips in June, snow is a possibility, and the rest of the summer rain is always a possibility on your trip. To be fully prepared, please follow the recommended clothing list closely (this list comes as part of your trip packet when you register). See below for average summer temperatures:
| Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit) | ||||||
|
Month
|
Valleys
|
Alpine
|
||||
|
hi
|
low
|
hi
|
low
|
|||
|
January
|
49°
|
26°
|
45°
|
25°
|
||
|
February
|
55°
|
28°
|
46°
|
26°
|
||
|
March
|
59°
|
31°
|
48°
|
27°
|
||
|
April
|
65°
|
35°
|
54°
|
30°
|
||
|
May
|
73°
|
42°
|
62°
|
37°
|
||
|
June
|
81°
|
51°
|
71°
|
46°
|
||
|
July
|
89°
|
57°
|
77°
|
50°
|
||
|
August
|
89°
|
56°
|
81°
|
53°
|
||
|
September
|
82°
|
51°
|
71°
|
46°
|
||
|
October
|
74°
|
39°
|
62°
|
37°
|
||
|
November
|
58°
|
31°
|
51°
|
29°
|
||
|
December
|
48°
|
26°
|
46°
|
25°
|
||
Accommodations
Fairfield Inn & Suites Fresno Airport
1 NIGHT
Fairfield Inn and Suites Fresno Airport is an ideal location to start and end this trip. Located across the street from the airport, it is convenient and easy to access after flying into Fresno. In addition to its ideal location, this hotel offers free airport shuttles, onsite dining, wifi, continental breakfast, fitness center and pool.
Backcountry Sleeping
7 Nights TENT CAMPING
Sleeping on llama treks is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and synthetic-fill sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
Best Western Frontier Motel
1 Night
The Best Western Frontier Motel in Lone Pine, California is a perfect place to refresh and rest before your flight home the next day. This hotel has all of the modern amenities, is clean and comfortable. Enjoy their wifi, swimming pool, beautiful grounds and continental breakfast.
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