December 11 marks International Mountain Day and a chance to get to know California’s tallest peak, Mt. Whitney. This majestic mountain, sitting between Inyo and Tulare counties, also boasts the highest elevation in the contiguous United States at 14,505 feet!
Part of the Sierra Nevada and the highest point of the Great Basin Divide, it’s recognizable jagged ridges can be best viewed easterly from Owens Valley, especially in the town of Lone Pine. The western slope is part of Sequoia National Park, with the summit marking the terminus of the famous John Muir Trail.
The peak is named after Josiah Whitney, a state geologist and benefactor of the 1864 California Geological Survey. But it wasn’t until 1873 that three Lone Pine residents, Charles Begole, A. H. Johnson, and John Lucas, successful ascended the summit during a fishing trip. They named it “Fisherman’s Mountain,” which stuck in the area until the United States Geological Survey‘s Board on Geographic Names officially declared it Mount Whitney in 1891.
For Native Americans, the mountain held spiritual significance. In 1881, another climber, Judge William B. Wallace of Visalia wrote, “The Pi Ute [Paiute] Indians called Mount Whitney Too-man-i-goo-yah, which means ‘the very old man.’ They believe that the Great Spirit who presides over the destiny of their people once had his home in that mountain.”
Surprisingly, the first death on Mt. Whitney didn’t occur from a fall or exposure. Four days after a first trail to the summit was completed in 1904, U.S. Bureau of Fisheries employee Byrd Surby was struck and killed by lightning while eating lunch on the summit. That death led to the completion of stone Smithsonian Institution Shelter five years later.
During World War II there was interest in renaming the peak to Winston Churchill, but the Mt. Whiney has held on to this day.
Little flora and fauna exist on the mountain, including the sky pilot and it’s low to the ground purple blooms, and transient butterflies.
How to Hike Mt. Whitney
You do not need mountaineering skill to hike Mt. Whitney, just some training, endurance, a permit and tolerance for altitude. Beginners might want to consider the popular Mount Whitney Trail from Whitney Portal, by Lone Pine. Most people tackle the summit on a 21.5-mile roundtrip day hike, which can take from 12-16 hours. Those who want to stretch it out to two days can find camping spots along the way.
Before planning your adventure, visit check out these helpful tips HERE. Happy hiking!
