How To...Use the 10 Essentials to Hike Mt. Whitney and Avoid Calling SAR

Mt. Whitney and the adjacent Needles as viewed from just above Upper Boy Scout Lake

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Summiting Mt. Whitney—the tallest peak in the contiguous U.S.—is a major accomplishment for any hiker and a bucket-list goal for many outdoor enthusiasts. It's even popular with locals like our co-owners who recently made another trip up last week (see their recent trip/conditions report here). But every year, Inyo County Search and Rescue (SAR) is called out—sometimes multiple times a week—to assist hikers who underestimated the mountain or came unprepared. At Eastside Sports, backcountry safety is in our DNA. We opened in 1977 as a boot repair and resoling shop, and we’ve grown into a trusted outfitter thanks in part to the experience of our staff. In fact, several of our staff are active members of Inyo SAR, with dozens of missions on Whitney alone—ranging from simple evacuations to complex technical rescues and, sadly, even some body recoveries. That firsthand experience drives home this truth: proper preparation saves lives. No one plans on having an emergency, but you can plan to prevent one or at least prepare for it.

One of the best ways to prepare for any wilderness outing—especially one as demanding and full-value as Whitney no matter which route you take—is to always carry your Ten Essentials (and also read the latest conditions here). Carrying the Ten Essentials isn’t just a checklist; it could turn into a matter of life and death. Based on recommendations from our staff members, here’s our version of a Whitney-ready Ten Essentials kit, featuring gear that can help prevent common emergencies, and what might happen if you skip a step.* All of it is real gear available at Eastside Sports both in the store and online! If you know someone planning a summer adventure or you are in need of gift ideas for birthdays, graduations, or for no reason at all, use these ideas as a starting point.

1. Navigation

Why it Matters on Mount Whitney: Trail junctions, snowfields, trails that aren't well-defined, and poor visibility can cause even experienced hikers to lose their way—especially in the darkness of early morning, the evening, or even during intense storms. Believe it or not, people routinely get off trail and stuck on cliff ledges along the Mt. Whitney Main Trail, yes, even though there is a trail. If you get off-route along the Mountaineer’s Route which is not a marked trail, or lose the Main Trail near Trail Crest, rescue could take hours and might require you to wait overnight.

How to Avoid Having to Make the Call: Bring a paper map—like the National Geographic or Tom Harrison Whitney Zone maps—and know how to read it. Pair it with a compass and pre-downloaded GPS maps on your phone. A Goal Zero Flip36 battery pack ensures your phone or other GPS devices stay powered for the whole hike. Countless calls for help have been made with phones at 10% or less battery, and it complicates rescues when the SAR team can no longer communicate with the party who called. 

2. Sun Protection

Why it matters on Whitney: At over 14,000 feet, solar radiation is intense—even on cloudy days. UV exposure can lead to painful sunburns, high body temperatures, or snow blindness, which can derail your summit attempt or require evacuation, particularly if you lose your fine motor control and fall down a slope.

How to Avoid Having to Make the Call: Apply ThinkSport SPF 50 sunscreen regularly (yes, once per day is not enough). Use polarized Suncloud sunglasses (in store only) to protect your eyes on bright granite or snow. The Patagonia Capilene Cool Daily Hoody offers UPF coverage without overheating—perfect for long stretches above treeline. Even at altitude in colder weather, you generate a ton of body heat by moving and your body needs to regulate this temperature by sweating and regulating airflow through layering. You want to be able to sweat without your layers becoming drenched, which requires having a modular layering and proactive adjustment throughout your trip. The next category will show why it's important to stay as dry as possible.

3. Insulation

Why it matters on Whitney: Temperature swings of 40°F or more in a single day are common. Afternoon thunderstorms, hail, or snow can roll in fast. Hypothermia is a real risk—even in July—if you have to spend an unplanned night out.

How to Avoid Having to Make the Call: Carry multiple layers that are ready to serve three main purposes: protection against wind, rain, and cold. The Patagonia Houdini is a thin jacket that blocks wind and packs down into a self-containing pouch the size of a soda can (read: frickin' awesome layer); the Patagonia Nano Puff Hoody retains warmth even when damp and has a DWR coating on the shell to help resist moisture absorption; and, the Patagonia Torrentshell Jacket gives you a waterproof barrier. Don't leave Whitney Portal without these three layers with you. Together, they form a triple-layered system that can handle almost all high-elevation weather surprises. Staying dry decreases the risk of hypothermia dramatically.

4. Illumination

Why it Matters on Whitney: Most hikers start before dawn, and many finish after dark. A twisted ankle, slow pace, or summit delays can stretch your day unexpectedly. Without light, even easy terrain becomes dangerous. If Inyo SAR had a dollar for every rolled/broken ankle call on Mt. Whitney right around sunset or just after dark—they’d be millionaires by now.

How to Avoid Having to Make the Call: Use a headlamp like the Black Diamond Spot 400 or Petzl Actik. Both are powerful and water-resistant. Bring extra AAA batteries—your phone flashlight won’t last long or help much in rain or fog (also, using the flashlight on your phone kills your phone battery unnecessarily because you will want its battery life used for other things such as the maps or GPS).

5. First Aid Supplies

Why it Matters on Whitney: Blisters, rolled ankles, dehydration headaches, and altitude nausea are common. Without basic supplies, minor injuries can escalate into trip-ending (or life-threatening) problems.

How to Avoid Having to Make the Call: Carry an Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight .7 kit at least and personalize it with meds you know you might need. Include moleskin or blister pads and know how to use everything in the kit. Treat issues early. This kit is designed to support 2 people for 2 days so be sure to do the math if your hiking group is larger than that or if you are intending to execute a multi-day itinerary. Don't forget to bring medications you are currently taking or epinephrine if you have a significant allergy.

6. Fire

Why it Matters on Whitney: Getting caught overnight, even in summer, can be cold and dangerous. Hot food or hot drink might make the difference between shivering all night and surviving comfortably.

How to Avoid Having to Make the Call: Bring an MSR PocketRocket 2 stove with Isopro fuel (in store only) to melt snow, boil water, or make food. For ignition, a windproof lighter like the MK Grip Pro (in store only) is far more reliable than a disposable one. Never assume you'll be able to get matches to work if the weather has truly turned awful.

7. Repair Kit & Tools

Why it Matters on Whitney: A snapped trekking pole, torn pack strap, blown out shoelace, etc. can slow you down, make descent unsafe, or stop you altogether. Small gear failures (and not knowing how to repair your gear or how to make do without) have led to SAR calls before. If it is something critical for you to move safely with the gear you need, then you need to be ready to patch it up on the spot.

How to Avoid Having to Make the Call: Pack a Gerber Dime multi-tool, Tenacious Tape by Gear Aid, and a few feet of thin cordalette. This weight may "seem" unnecessary, but it is invaluable. You can patch jackets, tents, packs, sleeping pads, shoelaces—or even shoes themselves (using Aquaseal+SR or Aquaseal+NEO which kept my boots functional for two weeks in the southern Talkeetnas last year in Alaska after they suddenly fell apart while guiding)—in minutes and keep going safely.

8. Nutrition

Why it Matters on Whitney: Hiking at high altitude is harder than average and thus burns calories more quickly. Fatigue, nausea, and poor decision-making can all stem from not eating enough. Low energy is one of the top reasons hikers bail or bonk above Trail Camp. You want to be carrying at least 200 calories or more for each hour you will be out, and focus on having tons of calorie dense, no-cook foods so that you can eat while moving. Smooth, timely movement in the mountains often equals safety.

How to Avoid Having to Make the Call: Bring easy, dense foods like ProBars, Luna Bars, and Huma Chia Gels. For full meals if going overnight or as an emergency meal in case of being overnighted, Peak Refuel, Mountain House, and Backpacker's Pantry offer lightweight freeze-dried entrees in tons of varieties. Don’t forget electrolyte mixes like Tailwind or Nuun—they help prevent cramping and hyponatremia, the latter being crucial as you need to intake a lot of fluids at altitude to help prevent onset of AMS and that water volume may dilute your sodium levels.

9. Hydration

Why it Matters on Whitney: Altitude and exertion dehydrate you quickly. Dehydration worsens Altitude Mountain Sickness (AMS) symptoms, clouds your judgment, and increases your risk of injury. Many SAR calls start because someone got behind on fluids and then other problems started to develop. One of your body's natural ways to try and prevent AMS is via urination to maintain the proper pH level of your blood.

How to Avoid Having to Make the Call: Use a 2L hydration bladder (Camelbak makes excellent ones) for continuous on-the-go sipping, but don't plan to carry much more volume than that to save weight or space. Instead, look to filter water while on route. Refill with filtered water from creeks using the Platypus QuickDraw (the most popular filter on the Pacific Crest Trail this year by far) or treat it with Aquamira drops.(the go-to choice of major outdoor schools such as the National Outdoor Leadership School). Whatever your choice, never drink untreated water—it can contain giardia or worse. While it may not catch up in the day or two following your drinking it, you will definitely regret the choice when the contaminant strikes a week or two afterwards.

10. Emergency Shelter

Why it Matters on Whitney: Weather can trap you on the summit or force an unexpected overnight. Wind, snow, and exposure at 14,000 feet can quickly become deadly at any time of year (even in July and August!). It is crucial to have the right gear to allow you to shelter in place where you are safe rather than being forced to move in dangerous conditions (weather, lack of light, etc.) to reach shelter at the trailhead or your basecamp.

How to Avoid Having to Make the Call: Carry a lightweight emergency bivy of some kind such as SOL Heavy Duty Emergency Blanket as well as a foam pad such as the Nemo Chipper sitting pad or a larger one (see here) that insulates you from the ground. You should always look to never be sitting on snow, bare rock, or dirt as they will all steal your body heat via thermal conductivity, in turn raising the chances of hypothermia. It could keep you warm long enough for help to arrive—or for the weather to clear so you can walk out safely.

Final Thoughts

The Ten Essentials aren’t just a checklist—they’re your backup plan when things don’t go according to plan. Every year, hikers get into trouble on Mt. Whitney for simple reasons: a forgotten layer, a missed turn, a dead phone. Many of these situations could have been prevented with better gear, better preparation, and better decisions (because they weren't forced into bad ones out of not having the proper gear). If you are going to make a mistake, then make the mistake of being over-prepared rather than under-prepared.

At Eastside Sports, we stock every item listed here and are always happy to help you build the right kit. If you're still unsure what to pack, visit the shop, give us a call at 760-873-7520, or send us a message. We’ve helped hundreds of hikers summit safely—and we want you to be one of them.

If you're interested in supporting or learning more about the Inyo SAR team (which includes some of our own staff), check out @inyosar on Instagram and Facebook.

If interested in hiring a guide to learn some skills or have a trip facilitated, check out our affiliated guide service, Sierra Mountain Center, the only guide service in the Eastern Sierra accredited by the American Mountain Guide Association.

Prepare well. Hike smart. Hope to see you in the store soon. Let’s keep Mount Whitney adventures epic—not emergency-filled!

Extra Tip: Although we do not carry satellite communication devices at Eastside Sports, it is invaluable to have a two-way satellite communication device such as a Garmin InReach so that you are able to call for help no matter your location.

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