Day 3: Mt. Whitney, overnight Crabtree Meadows
12.8 miles; 3,268 ft elevation gain; 4,126 ft elevation loss

Mt. Whitney day! Not only is this the highest point on the JMT, it’s the highest point in the mainland US at 14,505 feet. We’ve been here before - once in 2017 when Norah was nine, and again when Steve hiked the JMT during the epic snow year of 2023 - and were eager to do it again. We’d heard conflicting reports about trail conditions, so I was a little wary of what we would encounter on the mountain. We decided to set out on the hike and, if it started feeling too dicey, we’d turn around (or at least I would - Steve is part mountain goat).

I was very relieved that it didn’t rain overnight (i.e., snow on Whitney), and I felt pretty good about our chances for a successful hike. It was also a crystal clear morning when we woke up. The stars were twinkling and we could already see a trail of headlights winding up the mountain. It was a beautiful sight - the headlamps and stars blending together in the night sky above the towering peak.

It was quite cold when we set out, but thankfully not windy. We maintained a steady pace and I was constantly grateful we live at 7,000 feet - the altitude didn’t bother us at all. It was lovely to watch the day come alive as the stars faded and the first rays of light brushed the tops of the peaks.

By the time we reached the junction with the Mt. Whitney Trail from the east, we had climbed three miles and 2000 feet and it was starting to warm up. The remaining two miles to the summit climbed another 1,000 feet along the ridgeline. This section was where others had reported encountering ice and snow in recent days. We did find a few snow patches, but they were either easy to walk through or avoid - and none were in places where the trail felt dangerous. The final stretch to the summit was covered in snow, but it passed through a broad boulder field with no risk of a big fall. All in all, the trail conditions were fine and we had a smooth hike up to the summit.

Conditions at the summit were excellent - sunny and no wind - so we were able to stay up there for nearly an hour. We took pictures with the summit sign and enjoyed the 360-degree views from the highest point in the lower 48. Eventually we tore ourselves away and descended back to Guitar Lake. Along the way, I was amused by a small patch of green grass occupied by seven marmots happily munching away. The marmots in the Guitar Lake Basin were pretty entertaining!

We packed up our campsite and hiked back down to Crabtree Meadows (~2.6 miles). We’d considered hiking farther to set up camp, but decided to stay at Crabtree, which had ample campsites in a pretty meadow and a pit toilet. No marmots here - the ground squirrels provided that afternoon’s entertainment. It was another quiet evening and an early bedtime - the next day would be a big one with a long approach and climb up Forester Pass.