We'll backpack up the rugged North Fork of Lone Pine Creek and establish a camp from which we can climb classic 3rd-class routes up Whitney and Russell.

Although the daytime weather is usually perfect around October, there will be an extra element of adventure here due to the late season, shorter days (~12 hours sunlight), and cold nights. There could be some new snow on the ground, but the first big winter storms don't usually arrive until late October or November...

Itinerary

Sat October 4: Carpool to Lone Pine, Pickup wilderness permits, car-camp @ Whitney Portal, acclimatize

Sun October 5: Leisurely backpack to Upper Boy Scout Lake (~11,300'), setup camp, acclimatize

Mon October 6: Mt. Whitney Mountaineer's route

Tue October 7: Mt. Russell East Ridge, break camp, hike down, drive back late

Prerequisites for this trip

Prior high altitude or cold weather backpacking experience.
Prior experience with 3rd-class scrambling on rock.

Permits, reservations, and fees

A 6-person camp site has been reserved at the Whitney Portal campground for the night of October 4th ($4 per person).

Wilderness permits have been reserved for 6 people entering the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek on October 5th ($15 per person).