Mount Whitney via Mount Whitney Trail

At Whitney Portal, find the trailhead for the Mount Whitney Trail located below the Whitney Portal Store. Climb along the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek along several long switchbacks. Pass Lone Pine Lake at 2.8 miles. At 3.5 miles you'll reach Bighorn Park, a scenic meadow with granite cliffs on both sides. A short while later is Outpost Camp at 3.8 miles. Continue climbing through the increasingly rocky landscape to Trail Camp at 6.3 miles. Trail Camp is popular with Whitney climbers doing overnight trips. Past Trail Camp are the infamous 99 switchbacks that climb the granite slope to Trail Crest, at 8.5 miles and 13,645 feet -- the highest trail pass in the United States. You'll get your first views west of the mountains, and they are spectacular. Make the short jaunt to the junction with the John Muir Trail. From there it's a relatively level but high-elevation 2 miles to the summit along granite slabs. The "windows" between granite spires on your right provide dramatic views toward Owens Valley. Near the top you'll pass the stone cabin, which is not for camping but for emergency use only. Just beyond is the true summit of Whitney, where large and reasonably flat boulders provide plenty of room to spread out. The views are absolutely mind-blowing, and if the weather is decent you'll want to spend plenty of time to enjoy it. When ready to return, retrace everything you just climbed all the way back to the trailhead. Expect a round-trip day on the trail to take anywhere from 10 to 20 hours.