Although Mt. Whitney is the highest mountain in the fourteen contiguous states it is also the most popular ascent for climbers of all ages and abilities. The most important thing to know about climbing Mt. Whitney with your canine best friend is that while the hiking, scenery and lakes are spectacular and your dog is most welcome on the trails, he or she cannot accompany you on the final ascent to the summit from Trail Crest because that portion is within Sequoia National Park, where pets are not permitted on trails. Thus, if you plan to climb the entire mountain you'll have to have your dog wait with a human buddy at the Outpost campground while you make the ascent solo. Do not under any circumstances leave your dog unattended in a tent or tied up anywhere! This is wilderness, and also bear country.

Secondly, be aware that permits are required, and for overnight trips must be reserved well in advance. Permits are required for day hikes as well, and may be obtained at the ranger station in Lone Pine, which closes at 4:30 PM daily. However, if you wish to take a wonderful day hike or short conditioning hike a permit is not required to hike as far as Lone Pine Lake on the main trail starting from Whitney Portal. This portion is 2.8 miles and can be fairly strenuous but extremely rewarding as a first hike of the season. We usually camp at the Whitney Portal campground and begin this hike the following morning, the earlier the better, as it can be very warm in summer. The waterfall shown is just past the pond near the Whitney Portal Store, and refreshing to visit before or after a hike.

Arriving in the authentic Western town of Lone Pine you'll turn toward the mountains at the town's only stoplight and wind uphill for nine miles, passing first through the much filmed and geologically unique Alabama Hills. There are several campgrounds, of which I enjoy the Lone Pine campground in cooler weather and the Whitney Portal campground in summer. It's best to have reservations, since there are only 16 first-come first-serve sites in this extraordinary high-altitude campground. There is also backpackers' camping available just before the Whitney trailhead within walking distance of the store and pond. Wherever you camp, be sure to store food in the storage lockers provided, not in your car, since bears do break into cars for food. Also, please heed the signs to keep your dog(s) leashed or otherwise restrained at all times. My neighbors in the adjacent campsite had a Golden Retriever and Yellow Labrador leashed to a long cord stretched between two trees, giving the dogs a lot of mobility and freedom to play. Buddy and Pal became friends of Genevieve, and because Genevieve wandered off after dinner I became friends with their humans. Although Genevieve was on-lead lying next to me while I was eating in our campsite, she managed to sneak off to the roaring brook below our site. The moment I missed her I began calling and searching for her, and walked first to Buddy and Pal's site. Fortunately I was aided by Tony Kay, who had a much stronger torch than I, and immediately spotted Genevieve, immobilized on the far side of the brook. It seemed that the leash had gotten tangled among the rocks and branches, so I waded in to extricate her... I recently received e-mail from Tony telling me that as he and his family were packing up they spotted a bear just where we had found Genevieve!

Parking at the Whitney trailhead fills up very early with hikers attempting the full ascent in one day. If you arrive after 8 AM and are down before 8 PM you may park in the day and picnic area near the pond, where recreational fishermen begin arriving around 9. The general store at Whitney Portal serves hearty breakfasts from 7 AM and great chicken sandwiches and other items until about 8 or 9 at night. For $5 you can have a long hot shower after your hike. You can even buy most things that you might need for hiking or backpacking, including bear-proof food barrels.

Although Genevieve and I usually meet other dogs on the trail, this time we didn't. The main Whitney trail is very well-marked, graded, and maintained. While there is water available near the trail in many areas it is advisable to have your dog carry extra water for those dry sections where he or she may become overheated. I take a camelback and an extra liter for the dayhike to Lone Pine Lake. In the mornings the sun can be very intense as it reflects on the nearly white granite of the Owens Valley below. Although much of this portion of the trail offers shade from trees there is a fairly long section of switchbacks without any tree coverage. Here Genevieve found rocky outcroppings to rest under. This is definitely not a hike for human or canine couch potatoes, but it is possible for anyone who is moderately fit and acclimated to the altitude. I have ascended as far as Consultation Lake and the Outpost campground with Genevieve on several other occasions, and once made it as far as Trail Crest (14,000 feet) alone. A woman who died recently at the age of 104 regularly climbed Mt. Whitney well into her 90's, and she only took up mountain climbing at the age of 65.

In the intense heat of late-August this hike was rather arduous for us both, and Genevieve arrived exhausted at Lone Pine Lake. But after retrieving her Kool Kong from the lake, swimming nearly halfway across each time she was refreshed and ready for a tug of war. Because of the sun I remained completely covered in white garments, since the UV at this altitude is much stronger.

The hike was made infinitely more pleasurable by the fact that we met a pottery instructor from Esalen Institute, Noel Mapstead, who was hiking with his lovely daughter Barbara. We photographed one another with my Olympus digital camera, in use for the first time in the wilderness. The terrain seen to the right is typical of the remainder of the Mt. Whitney trail. For the most part it is not hard on a dog's feet except in the upper elevations. On Genevieve's first trip as a young dog she experienced some difficulty with climbing on the rocks, but as far as Mirror Lake (one mile past Lone Pine Lake) there should not be any problems for most well-conditioned dogs.

Other outstanding hikes in the Eastern Sierra with a dog reviewed by us are: Duck Pass, Crystal Lake, Rock Creek, Saddlebag Lake

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