this is exactly the kind of video i was looking for. Thank you for posting it

For those wanting to go up Whitney, there's a lot more to be learned  here.  I've been on the top of this mountain over thirty times and each time up I still learn something new, sometimes the hard way.

1) She's spot on about the backpackers.  * Get an Overnight Permit. *   Enjoy it like a good steak, there's two different campsites (10k, 12k) to sleep at prior to attempting the summit, allowing your body the time to acclimate to the altitude.  There's no badge of honor in doing "Whitney in a day", you missed out on the journey as you did a fair amount of it in the dark.

2) Guzzle your first drink(s) in the parking slot before you start, over hydrate.  You need to carry very little fluid to reach the first water source.  Pop an electrolyte pill right when you start.   I go up empty, water is plentiful.  Each liter is 2.2 pounds.

3) Bring the battery power not just for your headlamp, but for your emergency SOS device, Phone, etc - any of these could (rarely) suffer unexpected massive drain.  I also carry a cheap lightweight spare Nitcore headlamp simply because you just never know.  Put phone in airplane mode, turn on low power mode, turn off Bluetooth, even just connected to your BT watch you're eating battery up faster.

4) Check the moon cycle when you're going to be up there, a full moon hike is pretty magical at night.  Also, while you're there, CHECK THE WEATHER.  Don't rely on one weather source, check multiple organizations.  A great site that aggregates multiple weather models for a spot forecast is windy{dot}com.  

5) Prepare for the unexpected.   Snow and hail storms can happen during ANY month.  You don't need bear spray or weapons but you do need to be mindful of bears at the start.

6) Learn signs of altitude sickness.  Don't let the difficulty of getting the permit push you beyond what your body says doing, you can always go back.   On any trip, over half the people I encounter at 12k and above are talking about AMS symptoms, usually just a slight headache but don't assume you'll be immune.

A few things. First of all, don’t fret not winning the permit lottery. This doesn’t mean you have to wait until next year. Unclaimed permits go up in late April, which gives you a chance to get a permit. Also, cancellations pop up throughout the summer season. Both of these options present LOTS of opportunities to score permits if you didn’t win the lottery. The only downsides are that you can’t always plan ahead (with cancellations) and it becomes MUCH harder to score several permits for the same date (if hiking with a group). But a spontaneous solo hiker (or maybe someone hiking with one other person) can ALWAYS get a permit.

As far as backpacking vs day hiking, this is not a clear ‘one way is better than the other’ thing. Yes, backpackers may seem to ‘party’ more. But they are also in larger groups and tend to be younger. Dayhikers tend more toward older and solo hikers (or those hiking with one other person). Also, remember that backpacking is NOT a ‘free ride’ that gets you an easier trip to the summit with more quality time in the wilderness. Backpacking up to Trail Camp means hiking six miles and gaining close to 4000ft of elevation with 30-40 pounds on your back. Not everybody can do this or will have a fun time with it. For many, the hike to Trail Camp with a full pack will take longer and be more effortful than a straight shot to the summit with a daypack. Sleep may not be restful at 12000ft. And you may find yourself waking after a brief and. not so restful sleep with sore, stiff legs after a hard previous day.

The key here is what you enjoy and what you are trained at. If backpacking is already in your wheelhouse and you are trained for the experience, go for it. You will probably have a GREAT time. But if you have never strapped an overnight pack to your back (let alone hiked any distance with one) and dealt with the additional logistical complexities of backpacking vs dayhiking, a dayhike will likely be easier and more enjoyable. I myself enjoy a very stress-free dayhike where I feel good and don’t have to worry about stuff. This feels MUCH better to me than spending longer but more effortful hours in the wilderness. Quality over quantity. If you feel this way, a dayhike will be MUCH more enjoyable than a backpack.

Get some uv rays

Use a water filter - don’t drink the stream or lake water straight.   The water is not clean and neither is the snow.

I’ve backpacked it.  Trail camp is not an enjoyable place to spend the night.  It is exposed, cold, and always trafficked.  You also need to carry a lot more gear, thus a much heavier pack.  If backpacking it, I would suggest camping at Outpost camp instead of Trail camp. This would give you a slight head-start on summit day, without having to lug your gear all the way to Trail camp.

Her ultra-nasally voice just drove me nuts… Great information, no doubt, but I had to turn the volume to zero, and read the subtitles instead. 😢 Oh well, you can’t win them all. It was helpful to learn from her mistakes, I must agree.