North Fork Lone Pine Creek Trail

Dogs No Dogs

Features Lake · River/Creek · Spring · Views · Waterfall · Wildflowers · Wildlife

This is a great route approaching Mt Whitney and giving access to the Mountaineer's Route. The trail is usually done in about three days, though more time can be taken to acclimate to the elevation. This trail skirts the crowds of the Mt. Whitney Trail in favor of a more technical, but more rewarding approach.

The trail begins sharing the Mt. Whitney Trail, then cuts off to the north at the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek. This is where the steep terrain begins. The first technical challenge is the Ebersbacher Ledges. I recommend helmets for falling rock, as well as time spent studying a guide book as to where you first climb on to the ledges. Continue on along the trail, and camp at either Upper Boy Scout, or Iceberg Lake. The further you make it the first day the smaller your task on summit day, if you summit, or the more you'll get to enjoy before your way back down.

Along the trail, you'll find conifer trees like ponderosa pine, Jeffrey pine, and lodgepole pine, as well as wildflowers such as lupine, Indian paintbrush, and columbine in the summer. Aspen trees appear at higher elevations. The area is home to mammals like mule deer, black bears, marmots, and squirrels. Birds such as mountain bluebirds, American kestrels, and golden eagles can be spotted, and dragonflies and butterflies are often seen in the warmer months.