Whitney Portal
Whitney Portal in California has 15 climbing routes across 11 difficulty grades.
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- 15 routes
- 5.7 – 5.13b/c
- Trad · Mixed · Alpine
Is Whitney Portal open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 4 alerts for Inyo National Forest.
Stage 1 Fire Restrictions in Effect
Agency alert covering Inyo National Forest · Order 05-04-50-26-23 · USFS · Inyo National Forest
Help Halt Golden Mussel Invasion
Agency alert covering Inyo National Forest · USFS · Inyo National Forest
Ansel Adams and John Muir Wilderness Campfire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Inyo National Forest · Order 05-04-50-25-04 · USFS · Inyo National Forest
Golden Trout and Hoover Wilderness Campfire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Inyo National Forest · Order 05-04-50-25-05 · USFS · Inyo National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Inyo National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Best time to visit Whitney Portal
Best months: June–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
39° / 17°
9 wet · 8 snow
Feb
41° / 18°
10 wet · 8 snow
Mar
45° / 22°
10 wet · 8 snow
Apr
50° / 26°
8 wet · 5 snow
May
58° / 33°
5 wet · 2 snow
Jun
68° / 40°
3 wet
Jul
76° / 46°
2 wet
Aug
76° / 44°
2 wet
Sep
70° / 39°
2 wet
Oct
59° / 31°
4 wet · 1 snow
Nov
47° / 23°
6 wet · 4 snow
Dec
37° / 17°
8 wet · 6 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lodgepole, CA, 27.7 mi away at 6,735 ft. The station sits about 1,400 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Whitney Portal is a climbing area in the Mt. Whitney Ranger District of Inyo National Forest in California, managed by the Forest Service. It sits about 0.1 mile from Lone Pine Group Campground and the Premier Buttress climbing area, and about 0.3 mile from the Whitney Trailhead Walk In Campground and the Mount Whitney hike. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from the Lodgepole weather station, about 28 miles away, show July and August highs around 76°F with lows in the mid-40s and only a couple of wet days a month. Winter brings highs in the upper 30s and frequent snow days, with snow falling on about eight days a month from December through February. Other climbing areas close by include the Solstice Celebration Wall and El Segundo Buttress, both about 0.2 mile away. The Meysan Lakes hike is also about 0.2 mile off.
Routes (15)
Candlelight Wall(2)
Moonstone Buttress(1)
Parisian Buttress(2)
Portal Edge Wall(1)
Wrinkled Lady, The(1)
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