Hiking the PCT to Mt. Whitney.

I'd like to do the PCT in a couple of years, but want to do a couple of smaller trips first.

I'm going to be honest. I've never done any kind of overnight thru hikes at all, but it is something I really want to get in to. The most I've done are day hikes.

What I'm trying to do is hike a portion of the PCT from East of Los Angeles all the way to the top of Mt. Whitney. How long would this take if I did an average of about 15-20 miles a day? I looked on the PCT's website, but Mt. Whitney wasn't even on their map. This is a big undertaking, but I'd like any and all advice.

Thanks in advance for all the help.

1. 15-20 miles a day is a long day in the saddle, especially if you are going to start south of Whitney and head north. This puts you in Death Valley, then over the White Mts, and then to Whitney--and that's a lot of elevation gain.

2. If you hike 15 miles a day, it will take you ten days to hike 150 miles. That's somewhere near Barstow--which isn't exactly the most scenic part of the PCT!

Why not start with something that's a little more fun and more scenic? You could start at any one of the High Sierra Highway passes and throughhike to the next one on the PCT. Each trip would take you through a great wilderness area, and would give you much more experience as well.

Wow. No offense, Balzaccom, but there is some serious mis-information in your post. The PCT goes nowhere near Death Valley, Barstow or the White Mountains. Anyway, a good long-distance hike might be from the trailhead at Walker Pass on Hwy. 178 to Mt. Whitney and out at Whitney Portal. This hike would be about 130 miles and, at 15 miles per day, about nine days.

As a new hiker, though, 15 to 20 miles a day seems overly ambitious. I'd figure on 10 to 15 miles per day. A better hike might be the John Muir Trail, maybe starting at Tuolumne Meadows and ending at Whitney Portal. At about 13 miles per day you could do this trek in two weeks, with a re-supply at Vermillion Resort or Muir Trail Ranch.

You're right Haiwee....I was just shooting from the hip about the trail, and didn't bother to research it. My bad.

At the same time, I think we agree that the OP is biting off way more than most beginners can chew with 15-20 miles a day in that area...and maybe any other area. And glad you suggest the JMT--although I still think you've suggested a pretty ambitious hike for someone who has never done an overnight before...

There is a guide book published by Wilderness Press titled "Pacific Crest Trail - From the Mexican Border to Tuolumne Meadows" that covers the section of the PCT you plan to hike. It covers the section from San Gorgonio Pass to Crabtree Meadows in reasonable detail. Mt. Whitney is not on the PCT, it is the end of the John Muir Trail which joins the PCT at Crabtree Meadows.

The hike you propose sounds like a good one to me although you would want to time things fairly carefully. You will want to plan your start so that it is not too terribly hot on the southern end and so that you arrive in the high country after most of the snow has melted off.

If you are fit, 15 to 20 mile days are do-able but personally, I would look more to 10 to 15 mile days.

The distance between I-10 at San Gorgonio Pass and the John Muir Trail Jct. at Crabtree Meadows is a bit over 550 miles. That is 55 days hiking at 10 mi./day and 37 days at 15 mi./day. Add an extra day or two for the hike to the summit of Mt. Whitney and then out to Whitney Portal and you are looking at 39 to 57 days not counting zero days and days for hikes out to resupply.

The important thing for a hike of this nature is planning. You will need to arrange to get supplies en route and you will want to have your equipment distilled down to a light load. There is also the issue of meal planning. And, you have to make plans for transportation to and from the trail heads.

There is a section in the book I recommend on planning your trip; read that before you start buying stuff. Then, read the gear lists on this and other forums to get an idea of what experienced hikers carry. Remember, safety is more important than comfort but you need enough comfort for a good nights sleep.