Mount Whitney is the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states of the USA. Hiking to California’s state high point of 14,505 ft is a bucket-list hike for most hikers. However; you can’t just go whenever you want —There is an advanced permit system in place which I will walk you through.
I’ve been lucky to win a Mt. Whitney permit at least 5 times since I’ve started hiking and will share tips to help you with the Whitney lotto application, along with tricks to legally hike Mt. Whitney when you don’t win a Whitney permit during the lotto.
Updated for 2024 Mount Whitney Permit Season
*bookmark this for later*
This post is just information about how to obtain a Mount Whitney permit — if you are interested in reading about the hiking trail or mountaineering route, here is an archive of my many experiences on Mt Whitney.
Do you need a permit to hike Mt. Whitney?
A permit is required all year round to day hike and overnight camp to the summit of Mount Whitney. Quota season is in place from May 1 – Nov 1 and you can apply for your permits through the Mt. Whitney Lotto here.
However, you can hike the first 3 miles of the Mt. Whitney trail to Lone Pine Lake without a permit which is a beautiful hike on its own. Some people use this as a training hike the day before their Mt Whitney attempt. Once you reach the Whitney Zone just beyond Lone Pine Lake, a Mt. Whitney permit is required and rangers do check.
How do you apply for a Whitney permit?
Here is everything you need to know about the Mt. Whitney permit lotto.
You can apply for a Mount Whitney permit for the 2024 season from February 1 – March 1 at www.recreation.gov. Because this permit utilizes a lotto system, it does not matter how quickly you apply for your permit; as long as you apply within the month of February, your odds of winning a permit are the same as all other applicants.
Important dates and fees to remember:
- February 1 – March 1: Applications accepted
- One application per group
- Can have up to 10 trip choices and alternate leaders – this cannot be changed later. This means you can select multiple dates and permit types when submitting your application. Fill out all choices for a higher chance of winning permits! Only the permit holder or alternate leaders can pick up the permit.
- March 15: Results posted
- April 21: Deadline to accept and pay permit fees (it costs $6 for each permit reservation and $15 per person)
- Max group size is 15 people
- April 22: Unclaimed permits are released on recreation.gov at 7am PT
- If you do not win a permit from the Mt Whitney lotto, set an alarm to check for open permits at this time!!
- May 1 – Nov 1: Quota season
- Nov 2 – April 30: Non-quota season but permits are still required
Types of Mt Whitney permits you can apply for during lotto season:
There are two types of permits that you can apply for. If you’re unsure if you should day hike or backpack Mount Whitney, read my blog post comparing both for my pros and cons list, as well as my personal experience of each.
- Day Use Permit (Mt Whitney Zone Permit): For all the hardcore people who want to day hike 22 miles, this is for you. This permit is valid for your permit date only, midnight to midnight, although it is common for people to start before midnight of their permit date to allow for more time to reach the summit which technically your permit does not cover.
- Quota season allows 100 people per day
- Overnight – Mt Whitney Trail: For those looking to backpack and overnight camp along the Mt Whitney trail, this is for you. This permit is valid for multi-night camping trips along the Mt Whitney trail and allows you to exit at a different trailhead; it is commonly used for North-bound JMT hikers. There are a few camp areas that you can read about in my other Mt Whitney blog posts.
- Quota season allows 60 people per entry day
Is it hard to get a Mt. Whitney?
Tips to increase your chances of winning a permit.
For the Whitney pre-season lotto, it’s pure luck, but there are ways to improve your chances.
- July-August is the busy season so I’d aim for Sept-Oct. The daylight is shorter and it gets a lot cooler once the sun goes down but daytime temps are still comfortable with the proper layers. June could be good too with fewer applicants depending on the snow year but 2023 was one of the snowiest seasons in Sierra Nevada history, leaving snow and icy patches all year round. We’ll see how 2024 snow shapes up!
- The nice thing about a Fall Whitney permit is you don’t have to worry about the infamous afternoon thunderstorms, so an afternoon summit is more ok. In the summer, you want to make sure you are off the summit before those thunderstorms roll in!
- Apply for weekdays and prepare to take that time off if you win permits.
- If you have experience hiking in the snow with crampons and an ice axe, consider applying for a May permit. The weather will be chilly and there could be snow on the trail still.
Can beginners hike Mount Whitney?
While the Mt Whitney trail is long and strenuous, beginners can definitely hike it. This may be an unpopular opinion, but I hiked Mount Whitney as a beginner hiker and backpacker and found that with the proper training, anyone can aim for it as well. Also, I’ve met people on the mountain who said this was their first hike ever.
Take that all with a grain of salt though — everyone starts at a different fitness foundation level. I live a fit and active lifestyle year-round and work out several times a week at the gym which gave me a good base.
Mt. Whitney was the first “big” mountain I set my eyes to — I was one of those hikers that thought 5 miles was long, so when I won the permit, I trained with one “big” peak locally per month, and by the time I got to Whitney, it was a piece of cake.
How can I climb Mt Whitney if I don’t win a permit?
Mount Whitney requires a permit all year round, but half of the year is non-quota season. What does that mean? It means there is no limit to how many permits are available so you can grab one anytime before you go, but you still need one.
- Hike in early November before the snow season starts. It will be freezing temps when the sun is not up but with the right layers, it’s a way for you to hike Mt Whitney without an advanced permit. You also won’t need to start hiking at midnight (which is common for peak season) since you can summit at any time really, just note you will be hiking down in a lot of darkness.
- Are you experienced with mountaineering? If so, April is a great time to climb up the mountaineer’s route. The typical Spring season should offer drier conditions during the first couple of miles before needing to put your mountaineering gear on. However, 2023 was not a normal season and received an insane amount of snow which may linger into Spring 2024. You will still need a permit but it’s non-quota so anyone (experienced or with a guide) can go.
- Looking to go during May – October still? You can get a permit to enter from a different trail that exits on Mount Whitney! This will require multiday backpacking trips unless you’re a hardcore ultra runner with a car shuttle. The shortest and most common routes would be from
- Mt. Langley to Mt. Whitney: about 5 days starting South of Lone Pine, CA
- Kearsarge Pass to Mount Whitney: about 5 days starting North of Lone Pine, CA
- High Sierra Trail: about 5-7 days starting on the Western side of the Sierra Nevada in Sequoia
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