Lowest to Highest

Keep in mind
Telescope Peak ridge can be extremely windy, cold, and visibility is sometimes low. There is a register at the summit. Once at top, you've achieved one of the largest elevation gains that can be obtained up a single summit!

Visitor Center
You need permits if you are traveling overnight in Death Valley National park or camping overnight in the Inyos. Whitney Zone permits are available at the Interagency Center just south of Lone Pine.

The Car
Old Mine Site

Peace Sign
Carved into ground; visible from satellite.

Use trail
Believe it or not, there is a use trail below tree line on BOTH sides of Telescope Peak. If you want to test your backcountry hiking skills, keep your eyes peeled and try to stick to it!

History
If you're curious, the NPS has collected a fairly detailed history of recent activity in Hanuapah Canyon.
"Hiking Death Valley" by Michel Digonnet is a great resource as well.

Outpost Camp
When setting up permits, rangers will be familiar with this basecamp site, should you be needing to use one.

Warming Hut
Sleeps up to 5. Must have overnight permits to sleep atop Whitney. Don't gamble on having the cabin, but it is possible. To sleep up top, you will probably need a FULL set of layers, and an emergency blanket and stove are recommended. After October 1, this is less patrolled, also meaning SAR moves much more slowly. Be aware, the rangers consider the summit season closed and expect you to be prepared for the worst.

Use trail
Alternate route up to Trail Crest via an obvious couloir in heavy snow/ice conditions. Ice axe and crampons recommended. Not at all recommended in dry conditions.

Bridge over LA aquaduct
The LADWP (some locals call the DWP "Dirty Water Pirates") have been stealing water from the Owens Valley since 1913. DO NOT trespass here... or even look at the aquaduct funny. They're watching.

Post Office

Grocery

Long term parking
Ask nicely at the Dow Villa Hotel and they will allow you to park your car here in this lot for free while you hike.

Hostel
Bunks, private rooms, $7 showers. Affiliated with the Whitney Portal restaurant.

Chinese Buffet

Jakes Saloon
Beer on tap (no liquor), $0.50 pool, free shuffleboard and ping pong. Worth checking out!

Milkshakes, espresso...
...sandwiches, donuts, local "flavor"

Tram operators cabin
Old 4-room cedar cabin, doors open. Porch has great views of the Sierra range if you choose to just sleep there under awning.

Warning!
Telescope from Shorty's Well (or Badwater for that matter) is an EXTREMELY difficult hike. Carry plenty of water, electrolytes, snacks, and keep cool under long sleeves and a large-billed hat, or even better, an umbrella. Heat stroke is highly possible. Have a backup plan.

Wildlife
Keep an eye out for sheep and burro near this water source!

Game/use trail
Head up on the south wall and enjoy the easy sailing and views on the burro tracks above the wash. Their tracks are easy to find and intuitive, as are most game trails.

Leave No Trace (LNT)
Badwater has a boardwalk that extends out about 1000 yards; the L2H continues past then into very unique, foreign, and precious terrain.
Per the National Park System, "When the playa is wet, avoid walking in muddy areas and leaving ugly footprints. This prevents others from enjoying this unique area."
YOU ARE NOT AN EXCEPTION.
Avoid also breaking salt cups and especially avoid falling or cutting your shoes or shins with them - they are exceedingly sharp!

-282 feet

-277 feet

Sea Level sign
Look up at the Valley wall for the sign!

Cairns marking turn ahead!
If heading downhill, make sure to watch for route to leave wash on your left. It should be marked with two large cairns. You will need to leave the wash and stay on the ridge to avoid a large pour-off.
If you haven't already noticed, Long John canyon has a use trail all the way down it. Keep your eyes peeled for the trail and cairns, especially when headed down the steep embankment towards the marked spring. There are switchbacks.

Whitney Portal Road
The road can be walked all the way up but the way is longer, and MUCH more dangerous. The trail is enjoyable and in fact, the historic way up to Whitney (from before the road was built).

Westside
If you are thinking of driving this road to place a cache, think twice! Unless you have a car with great tires and suspension, this unpaved road could be murder.

Keep an eye out
Occasionally on the way down Tuber (and Long John as well), the route will leave the wash and stay higher on the canyon walls. Keep your eyes peeled for the trail leading all the way down, and for the Desert Trumpet and (if you're lucky) burros you'll see! Imagine how well into the 1940s, silver, gold, and lead mines were very active here. The problem was always getting the ores exported from this remote area, and not dying of the heat! (More info here

Cliff Climb
There is some hand-over-hand climbing and places where lifting your backpack with rope (or having a helper) might help here. Follow the path of least resistance to the top, where the route becomes clearly cairned all the way back into Toll Road wash.

Shelter
Shade or in case of foul weather

Darwin Falls
Reliable water year 'round

Alabama Hills Café
Arguably the best breakfast in town, pastries, local "flavor"

Suggested cache location
Otherwise, it can be a long, dry, and exposed day from Tuber to Panamint Springs Resort!
Please hide caches as well as possible, and carry empties to Panamint Springs Resort.

Free hiker camping, water fountain
Lone Pine requests you sleep in the baseball field dugout (watch out for sprinkler heads) if you wish to camp for free in its parks.

Lone Pine

Panamint Resort
Several employees are aware of the L2H route, namely the manager and his assistant Sarah; however in 2016 they were not willing to hold caches. There are bathrooms, and a spigot out front at the north end of the restaurant under a tall palm tree. They serve a breakfast buffet (7-11), lunch, and dinner, and rent rooms and campsites. More here: http://www.panamintsprings.com/ 1(775)482-7680

Telescope Ridge
Well-used trail. Don't be surprised to see many other folks on this trail, summiting Telescope from campgrounds to the north. This could be a resource if you are in trouble.

Salt Tram
The first load of salt carried by the Saline Valley salt tram was delivered at Tramway on July 2, 1913. By February 1914, the Saline Valley Salt Company was shipping 9 to 15 railroad carloads of processed salt per week. But it couldn?t turn a profit, so it was taken over by U.S. Steel, the company that built the tram. Between 1924 and 1926, a road to Saline Valley via San Lucas Canyon was constructed. The County of Inyo contributed $20,000 toward the cost of building the road, but the use of trucks to transport salt also proved unprofitable. In 1928, the Sierra Salt Company refurbished the tram after purchasing it from U.S. Steel, and was soon transporting salt to Tramway at a rate of 60 to 100 tons per day. The Sierra Salt Company also experienced financial difficulties and ceased operations in 1933. Although Saline Valley salt is exceptionally pure, its monetary value was never high enough to offset the cost of transporting it to market.
(via virtualtransportationmuseum.com)

hwy190 Crossing

BLM to the west

Alternate suggested cache
Anywhere along these roads is fairly easy to access by paved Panamint Springs Road. Also, it is BLM, so if this will be your second (or even third) night, you can get a shorter DVNP permit. This side road is washboard and unpaved and it is up to you how far you wish to drive down it. Please hide caches as well as possible, and carry empties to Panamint Springs Resort.

Possible cache location
Probably not necessary unless you are worried or doing shorter miles. This road has some traffic.

Suggested cache location
Another possible cache location, closer to midpoint between China Garden and Cerro Gordo.

Suggested cache location
Somewhere along Saline Valley road, preferably on the west side of the road (BLM). Hide them well amidst the Joshua trees, label them with your name and date, and either pack out empties or return immediately after your hike for them.

Badwater
Pit toilets. No trash cans, no public water, loads of tourists.

CYOA
Backcountry hiking using GPS: in areas like this where you do not see a trail, *use your wits* to make your way in the necessary general direction. You do not need to follow the GPS track exactly, especially when it seems to make no sense! Use trail picks up below tree line on the south side of Tuber Canyon. When looking for water, LOOK for GREEN foliage! LISTEN for trickles!

Campground, pit toilets
No water unless yogied from tourists/campers

CLICKING ON ANY MARKER WILL GIVE MORE INFO

Cross to road/trail here if needed

Mountaineer's Route
For some more type II fun, turn off here, just to the east of a creek crossing. Make sure you have correct permits. Though generally patrolled less starting October, rangers are still watching for permits, bear canisters, and WAG bags.

Hanuapah Spring
Get water sooner than later while headed west; vegetation gets VERY thick the further you go. As always on the L2H be VERY cautious when approaching water sources because ILLEGAL MARIJUANA GROWS are popping up, even in the National Parks.

No camping
No camping to the southwest of this marker. LADWP land extends clear into the Alabama Hills from here.

Large cairn

3 pitch rappel; anchors in wall

Possible cache location
You could place a cache here, but be aware this is a very long and tedious drive down an extremely bumpy road. If you drive it make sure you have at least one spare tire.
Suggested: carry enough water from Badwater to get you to Hanuapah.

Use Trail
Believe it or not, there is a use trail below tree line on BOTH sides of Telescope Peak. If you want to test your backcountry hiking skills, keep your eyes peeled and try to stick to it! Ignore cairns, because sometimes they are placed by people who are lost.

There are several use trails up here. If you're off trail, you're doing it wrong.

Entering BLM (to west)

FYI
There is trail leading all the way to the falls, and it is well-frequented. There are also many (sheep + human) trails leading into and over the hills to the north of Darwin Falls and China Garden.

Darwin
An interesting little town

Game trail fizzles west/nw of here.

Great local trail
Take it for the great views and for your safety!

Trail Camp, last water
Another popular Whitney basecamp, **last chance for water** during late season. No camping on the lake side of the trail. Shit in a bag and carry it out -- them's the rules. There will be rangers here during the season, until October.

JMT intersection
You will likely meet John Muir Trail (JMT, 210 miles long) hikers finishing their trek on Whitney. Make sure to congratulate them on their accomplishment! They will likely have no idea what you are doing, so don't bother telling them unless they press for info. Bragging could dilute their big moment. Also make sure to NOT turn the wrong way here. It happens.

You will find cell phone signal in some of the "windows" between needles, when there is a clear view to Lone Pine.

Shame John Muir only had this just-barely 14er named for him and not something more grand. But if you want to bag an easy 14er on your way up or down from Whitney, watch for use trail (obvious erosion) at the base and follow up to the southeast side of the summit block, where a few big 3-4 class moves will bring you to the vertiginous top. There is a summit register. Be very careful coming down.

Whitney Summit
14,505 feet. You will have views of Telescope Peak from here, and cell signal (standing at east-most point of peak) to share your accomplishment!

Cooperating with rangers and trail crew, this area was cut back and cairned fall 2019. Be very careful on the E-ledges, even experienced hikers fall here. Some rope in.

reliable water
Owens river is very clean water polluted with cow dung, fertilizer, and all sorts of other things. Definitely filter.

Water fountain, bathrooms, electricity
At the Spainhower County Park near the tennis courts. Do not camp in the park without permission.

Long term parking, shuttles
Ask Kathleen New at the Chamber of Commerce nicely and she will charge you for long term parking and shuttles.

reliable water, FILTER IT

Spigot and bathrooms
Camp host is Don (2014-2019, no plans to quit); he is a reasonable fellow.

Spigot outside pit toilets
Also, trash, recycling, and biohazard bin for wag bags

Unreliable water
Likely flowing if Inyos still have snow pack or after significant rain. Flow 2/16, trickle 10/16.

NOT RELIABLE
DRY in 2018.

Unreliable water
Cerro Gordo Spring has a cute old mine site, and is worth checking out, but on a good day the spring drips once per second and the water tastes heavily of iron.
The unnamed spring to the north was not locatable in 2/16 after heavy rains.

Cerro Gordo
Ghost Town. Stepping off the roads going through the town is trespassing unless you have prior permission from Robert D., the caretaker. Get his contact information from the Lone Pine Interagency Center. (760) 876-6222 NEVER ASSUME that Robert will have water ready for you. He has to truck it all in up the mountain. Call head, leave a cache with him, and give him cash money for his trouble.

Site of proposed mine (on and off the table)
Canadian company, SSR Mining Inc., wants to drill seven exploratory sites to locate – and then mine - gold deposits in the heart of the roadless area. This is habitat rare plants like the Inyo rock daisy, as well as bobcats, Mojave Ground Squirrels, Townsend’s Western Big-eared bats, Golden Eagles, Mule deer and mountain lions.

China Garden Spring
This reliable pond has had numerous koi fish swimming in it... since the 1940s.

LNT
Walk gently on this fragile surface. Out of courtesy for others behind you also wishing to see this valley as unmolested as possible, and per National Park guidelines, do not walk on the playa if it is muddy. Footprints once dry can last decades. Use the roads.

Flowing Water
36.21318, -117.1073 Tuber Spring is pretty reliable, especially In anything near an average snow year. You will be wasting your time trying to get beta on this spring from the Nat'l park headquarters. Best try asking at Panamint. To find it, watch for GREEN foliage, use trails leading down to it, and LISTEN for trickling water. You will see evidence of many people come before you. This should be flowing well enough to catch in a pot. Lower springs in the canyon you may need a MSR Hyperflow-type filter to catch ground water with. If you are concerned, place a cache in Panamint valley on Panamint Springs or Wildrose Road.

THESE MAPS ARE PRINTABLE TO PDF USING CALTOPO!
Click the "Print" button at the top of the screen (between "Measure" and "Config") and draw red rectangles on the map to represent pages. Export to JPG or PDF.

AVOID ROAD WALKING
This road is EXTREMELY dangerous to walk along as it goes up.

Interagency Center (permits)
(ranger station) Whitney permit lotteries are held at 8am (for same day) and 11am and 2pm (for next day). Only one person from your party needs to be present to obtain a permit. Drawing a low number in the lottery is favorable, e.g. if five permits are available and you draw the number 5 or lower, you've won a permit for your party. Note: rangers will expect bear vaults to be used.

Hanuapah Spring Detour

BLM
BLM extending north along Panamint Springs road to its west. Handy if you don't have DVNP permits.

BLM
Small pocket of BLM extends to west of Saline Valley Road here only. Otherwise BLM is to west of road only.

Private (State) Land
No Camping!

No Camping

Telescope Peak detour
Worthwhile especially if visibility is good.

Pleasant Point Alt
Maintains elevation, avoids huge drop/climb, and passes some old mine ruins. Route of old water pipeline. Revived by Matthew Pless.

CYOA
There is no trail up and it is very steep.

L2H Adventures Route

Darwin Falls / China Garden

Whitney Winter Alt
Take if weather is calm but switchbacks covered in ice. Have crampons & ice axe and know how to use them. Steep but quick. DO NOT EVER GLISSADE DOWN THIS.

Mountaineers
If you have heard of this route, but have no mountaineering experience, and especially if it has snowed or is still snowy, forget about it. Besides being technical and dangerous, it is also not part of this map because it is not part of the route.

Cerro Gordo Alt

Private Land
ABSOLUTELY NO CAMPING unless with permission from Robert, the caretaker of Cerro Gordo. He will shoot. Highly suggested: call Robert, and give him and ETA of your passing through. He is a very pleasant man, struggling to preserve the ghost town by himself. Donate some money to his cause (suggested $10-20 per person) and he will be likely to share his water - and perhaps a tour of the INCREDIBLE hotel - with you. Please keep it friendly with him so future hikers can also enjoy his hospitality. If he says no, back down. If you do not call first, it is recommended you STAY ON THE ROAD and just walk through. No snooping. Absolutely do not explore the mine shafts!! Cerro Gordo information, including Robert's telephone number, is available through the Lone Pine Interagency Center (760) 876-6222

Alabamas Exploratory
A ramble like this through the monzonite marbles could be really cool... if you know what you're looking for, there's a lot to see (and do) out here.

BLM