I am doing a same day Mt. Whitney summit in mid-August. Any past experiences or tips/suggestions for this trip would be helpful. We'll be camping at base camp the night before and setting out on the trail early AM for the trek. Thanks much in advance.

Base camp, or are you referring to Outpost camp. If so, once you leave in the morning to summit, you need proper clothing, food, etc. You can leave your tent up with other gear inside. Make sure that it is weighted down, the wind is quite strong. I did the hike just like you are going to do, and I have to say, after we got back to the Whitney Portal, we were tanked. Got in around 7pm and then drove back to the Bay Area which took around 7-8 hours. Long, long day indeed. There is a backpackers campground that you can use instead of being crazy like me and driving home. It is a fun hike and well worth doing. I would also try to get to Outpost Camp as early as possible. It is a zoo there. Maybe try camping at Consulation Lake to avoid crowds. The Whitney Portal also has a forum with a wealth of information there.

Edited by kennyhel77 on 06/28/2008 17:51:27 MDT.

Hi Jeffrey,
Get a real early start, the earlier the better. The sun on the east slopes of Whitney in August is brutal. A midnight start wouldn't be out of line, IMO, but in any case no later than 3 AM. The trail is very well defined and eminently suitable for headlamping. Also, the full moon is somewhere around the 14-15th of August, so you may be able to take advantage of moonlight as well-it doesn't have to be completely full to make hiking at night easier. Not to mention hiking on Sierra granite in the moonlight is a spiritual experience. Also, take plenty of electrolytes, easily digested(high glycemic index) carbs and stay well hydrated. Best of luck! BTW, my advice is based on the assumption that you are leaving from Whitney Portal.
Tom

Edited by ouzel on 06/28/2008 18:00:02 MDT.

We are leaving out of the Portal, thank you for the comments and ideas.