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Inyo National Forest
351 Pacu Lane
Suite 200
Bishop, CA 93514

760-873-2400
TTY: 760-873-2538

United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service.

Recreational Activities - Mt. Whitney Trail Reservation Availability

All dates for 2010 are avalible. Applications must be mailed in February for the lottery to reserve a trip during the quota season of May 1st to November 1st. The 2010 Mt. Whitney lottery application and updated lottery information is now avalible. Send only one lottery application for your group. Submission of an application indicates your agreement to permit and reservation terms and conditions. You are responsible to ensure that your application is accurate and complete before you send it.
~Please call with lottery questions before Feburary 15th. Staff is available for calls 8 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday, closed on holidays. ~Wilderness Permit Reservation Office extended hours begin on May 15, we will be open everyday through October 15.
Phone 760-873-2483 ~Fax 760-873-2484 ~ updated December 1, 2009~~~

Permits are required during all seasons. Self issue permits are avalible for trips that begin before May 1st. Winter snow and ice may remain on the trail until early July and will form again in late September or early October.

~~ Please note the calendar below was rolled back to show results of 2009 Mt Whitney Lottery. We hope this is helpfull as you prepare for the 2010 lottery. Numbers in the calendar below are how many people space was still available for on that date, after the lottery was completed.

May 2009 Availability for Overnight / multi-night

Expect winter conditions to last into May and June. Climbing on snow and ice is serious business. If you are not an experienced winter mountaineer, and are not proficient with the use of winter mountaineering equipment, early spring may not be a good time for you to visit Mt. Whitney.

 Sunday   Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday   Friday  Saturday
         
1
29
2
51
3
56
4 60
5
51
6
60
7
57
8
48
9
52
10
55
11
58
12
56
13
56
14
54
15
43
16
17
17
58
18
56
19
56
20
39
21
59
22
0
23
1
24
29
25
50
26
58
27
55
28
18
29
0
30
1
31
28
           

May 2009 Day Use Availability

 Sunday   Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday   Friday  Saturday
         
1 100
2 100
3
960
4
98
5
100
6
100
7
100
8 96
9
89
10
100
11
100
12
100
13
100
14
96
15
98
16
100
17
97
18
100
19
100
20
100
21
100
22
95
23
50
24
85
25
98
26
99
27
100
28
98
29
100
30
69
31
100
           

May and June expect below freezing nights, possible winter storms and a slowly receding snow pack that melts and refreezes.

June 2009 Availability for Overnight / multi-night

 Sunday   Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday   Friday  Saturday
1
1
2
43
3
41
4
2
5
0
6
0
7
0
8
0
9
0
10
0
11
0
12
0
13
0
14
0
15
0
16
0
17
0
18
0
19
0
20
0
21
0
22
0
23
0
24
0
25
0
26
0
27
0
28
0
29
0
30
0

June 2009 Day Use Availability

 Sunday   Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday   Friday  Saturday
1
0
2
0
3
0
4
0
5
0
6
0
7
0
8
0
9
0
10
0
11
0
12
0
13
0
14
0
15
0
16
0
17
0
18
0
19
0
20
0
21
0
22
0
23
0
24
0
25
0
26
0
27
0
28
0
29
0
30
0

The most requested entry dates are Friday and Saturday in July and August. A smaller group size will help your chances if the date you request is almost full when your application is drawn.

July 2009 Availability for Overnight / multi-night

 Sunday   Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday   Friday  Saturday
     
1
0
2
0
3
0
4
0
5
0
6
0
7
0
8
0
9
0
10
0
11
0
12
0
13
0
14
0
15
0
16
0
17
0
18
0
19
0
20
0
21
0
22
0
23
0
24
0
25
0
26
0
27
0
28
0
29
0
30
0
31
0

July 2008 Day Use Availability

 Sunday   Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday   Friday  Saturday
   
1
20
2
90
3
87
4
15
5
0
6
1
7
39
8
74
9
84
10
45
11
0
12
0
13
0
14
11
15
23
16
0
17
0
18
0
19
0
20
0
21
0
22
22
23
50
24
33
25
0
26
0
27
0
28
0
29
49
30
54
31
40
 

Lottery applications are stirred into random order. When your application is drawn, a reservation will be made if there is still space left on any of the dates you requested. Providing alternate choices for the entry date will improve your chances.

August 2008 Availability for Overnight / multi-night

 Sunday   Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday   Friday  Saturday
1
0
2
0
3
0
4
0
5
0
6
0
7
0
8
0
9
0
10
0
11
0
12
0
13
0
14
0
15
0
16
0
17
0
18
0
19
0
20
0
21
0
22
0
23
0
24
0
25
0
26
0
27
0
28
0
29
0
30
0
31
0
 

 

August 2008 Day Use Availability

 Sunday   Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday   Friday  Saturday
1
0
2
0
3
0
4
0
5
0
6
23
7
18
8
0
9
0
10
0
11
0
12
5
13
54
14
0
15
0
16
0
17
0
18
0
19
0
20
18
21
0
22
0
23
0
24
0
25
0
26
31
27
88
28
33
29
0
30
0
31
0
 

Late September and October expect shorter days, cold temperatures and possible winter storms bringing snow.

September 2008 Availability for Overnight / multi-night

 Sunday   Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday   Friday  Saturday
1
0
2
0
3
0
4
0
5
0
6
0
7
0
8
0
9
0
10
0
11
0
12
0
13
0
14
0
15
0
16
0
17
0
18
0
19
0
20
0
21
0
22
0
23
0
24
25
25
5
26
1
27
0
28
20
29
34
30
56
 

 

September 2008 Day Use Availability

 Sunday   Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday   Friday  Saturday
1
0
2
59
3
73
4
77
5
13
6
0
7
0
8
49
9
79
10
72
11
49
12
11
13
0
14
0
15
12
16
73
17
87
18
93
19
63
20
0
21
10
22
80
23
94
24
95
25
98
26
90
27
11
28
88
29
96
30
100
 

~#~ 2009 Snow on October 13 ~#~2008 Snow on October 4 ~#~ 2007 Snow on Septmember 20 ~#~
~#~ 2006 Snow on October 3 ~#~

October 2008 Availability for Overnight / multi-night

 Sunday   Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday   Friday  Saturday
   
1
54
2
60
3
1
4
1
5
54
6
56
7
60
8
58
9
54
10
5
11
6
12
56
13
60
14
51
15
60
16
60
17
49
18
60
19
60
20
60
21
60
22
54
23
60
24
60
25
60
19
100
20
100
21
100
22
100
23
100
24
100
25
100
26
60
27
60
28
60
29
57
30
60
31
60
Nov. 1
60

October 2008 Day Use Availability

 Sunday   Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday   Friday  Saturday
   
1
54
2
97
3
100
4
91
5
100
6
96
7
100
8
100
9
94
10
95
11
96
12
100
13
100
14
100
15
100
16
100
17
100
18
96
19
100
20
100
21
100
22
100
23
100
24
100
25
100
19
100
20
100
21
100
22
100
23
100
24
100
25
100
26
100
27
100
28
100
29
100
30
100
31
100
Nov. 1
100

Winter mountaineering skills, experience and equipment are essential for a safe excursion when ice and snow are on the Mt.Whitney Trail. Expect the switchbacks above Trail Camp to be covered by snow and ice through the end of June and again in late September or October. During early spring, late fall and winter, trails will be partially or entirely covered with snow. Expect to navigate entirely with map and compass. Whenever snow is present, climbers should be equipped with ice axes, crampons and helmets. Be prepared for extreme temperatures, wind, rain, sleet, snow, intense sun, drifting snow and slick icy slopes. Location, sun, wind, weather and time of day all affect snow and ice conditions. Avalanches and rockslides are naturally occurring processes that are present throughout the winter.

Permits are required for all seasons for Mt.Whitney. Self issue permit forms are avalible for winter mountaineering trips. Reservations are not needed for winter trips with entry dated in the non quota season of November 2 until the end of April..
Permits for the quota season, May 1st to November 1st, can be reserved by the February lottery or up until 2 days before the trip entry date. Any remaining un reserved permits are made avalible for free, one day before the entry date.
All permits begining from Whitney Portal are issued at the Eastern Sierra InterAgency Visitor Center, at the junction of Highway 395 and SR 136. Visitor Center phone (760) 876-6200.

US Forest Service - Inyo National Forest
Last Modified: Tuesday, 08 December 2009 at 11:59:53 EST
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