Mt Whitney (training) Camping at Whitney Portal. Lone Pine Lake, Meysan Lake

First of all . . . it's a holiday weekend at a FAB FAB place!

Up to Three nights Fri, Sat, Sun night. Your choice!!

Whitney portal is a stunning and beautiful place. Sadly many do not appreciate it as they merely use it as a drop spot before going up towards summit.

For this we will head out in the AM and you will see the trail in the light. We will go only as far as Lone Pine Lake. This is normally a 5 mile round trip. On the way down (so about 4 miles) we will turn and have the option of going up to Lower Boy Scout Lake (about 2 miles up). Then back to camp.
This is intended to get you to feel and see the area and there is not the pressure of summiting, or starting at a crazy time of night. Many do not appreciate Whitney Portal as they are looking only at the top. Many pass by the stunning-ness of Lone Pine Lake looking only at the top.

We are going on this to either train for summit or to take it slow and appreciate the stunning area as it is.

What's great about Whitney Portal is you go from 3700 ft elevation of Lone Pine to 8300 of Whintey Portal with very little winding roads. So you have alpine delight with little road time.

There is the rushing snowmelt river/creek.
The tall shady pines.
Cute campground with moderate and difficult day hikes.
AND
Right below at the base of the hill is The Alabama Hills. With Mansanar just to the north and Fossil Falls to the south.

The Plan:
Arrive Friday in the evening. Get there when you can. No set arrival time. The earliest we can be in the campsite is 4PM.

Sat: Hike Whitney Trail up to Lone Pine Lake. Then optional to Lower Boy Scout Lake.
Sunday has two options:
If you want to train . . . Meysan Lake Trail (google it)
OR
Sun: 20 min drive to Alabama Hills
THEN
Go to Mansanar (better google that too)
THEN
On the way home . . . go to Fossil Falls (yep . . . better google that)

This is intended as Whitney for everybody trip.

No matter who you are, . .you can come. We will go slow and easy. Nobody is left behind. This is for fun and community. Not for bragging rights.
Kids are OK. But super young is not ideal. Dogs are fine too.
You do not need a permit to make it up to Lone Pine Lake.

Whitney is a place that is on everybody's bucket list. We are going on this one not to Summit, . . but for fun.

Hence the title: Whitney for Fun!!

Add in Alabama Hills and add in Mansaar and Fossil Falls, . . . this is a getaway.

Whitney: The tallest location in the Continental US. Our campsite will be at about 8,400 feet. Whitney is over 14,000 (we are not going up that for this meetup).

Alabama Hills once you see this place you will never camp at Joshua Tree again. AND every movie you can imagine filmed there. Tremors, Django, Ganga Din. Lone Ranger, Galaxy Quest, And on and on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCCMs9tx2yM or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK-JeZ-99sY or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2x2tSP3beM

Mansanar: One of the internment camps. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYTvbo238Sc

Fossil Falls is the former drainage of the Owens Lake. It slinked out thru a recent Lava Flow. . . . and the falls sculpted and carved the area. The river course changed and now you have a Waterfall that is frozen in time or Fossil Falls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_eYJDUWlhg

I have some tents to loan (but you will share). If you have extra bring those to loan out. This trip is meant for beginners.

Dogs ok at campsite and on trail
Cats: that's your call.

You are responsible for food and drinks (with people having so many food needs it only makes sense)

FULL Covid protocols in force at all times.

This is a great beginner or first-timer trip.

Cost is $112 per person for 4 days, 3 nights camping and trail fun.
Payment link https://py.pl/6osey7fkEe7