Skip to content
Wild10
Planning the right season for Mount Whitney

Inyo National Forest, California

When To Go: Mount Whitney

The Mount Whitney lottery runs February 1 to March 15 for the quota season; late July through September gives the most reliable snow-free Main Trail conditions.

Apply

February 1 – March 15

Results: Late March, with unclaimed spaces released in April

Best months

Late July through September

Permit type

lottery — Mount Whitney Zone day-use and overnight permit

Recreation.gov — Mount Whitney Zone

Month by month at Mount Whitney

  • JanuaryClosed

    Winter mountaineering conditions.

  • FebruaryClosed

    Lottery opens; the mountain is in full winter.

  • MarchClosed

    Snow and avalanche terrain.

  • AprilTough

    Snow travel with ice axe and crampons.

  • MayTough

    Quota season opens but the chute is usually snow-filled.

  • JuneShoulder

    Melting out; microspikes often needed high.

  • JulyPrime

    Usually clear by late July; thunderstorms build early.

  • AugustPrime

    Warmest and most reliable, with monsoon afternoons.

  • SeptemberPrime

    Best month — stable, cool, and clear.

  • OctoberShoulder

    Cold nights and early storms; quota season ends November 1.

  • NovemberTough

    Winter arriving; no quota but serious conditions.

  • DecemberClosed

    Full winter.

Crowds

The quota season runs May 1 to November 1. Weekend day-use dates are the hardest draws; midweek overnight dates open up in the April release.

Weather

Snow and ice on the 97 switchbacks into July in heavy years. Afternoon thunderstorms are routine in July and August. Nights at Trail Camp drop into the 20s.

What actually decides the trip

  • 14,505 feet: acclimatize for at least two nights at altitude before the summit day.
  • WAG bags are mandatory — human waste must be packed out of the entire zone.
  • Overnight permits are far easier to draw than day-use, and they make the climb safer.
  • Check the ice conditions report before choosing between the Main Trail and the Mountaineer's Route.

Activities: Backpacking · Day hiking · Climbing & scrambling

Size it yourself

Free Wild10 calculators for this kit — no signup, formulas published.