High Sierra Trail
Sierra Nevada, CA
Elevation Profile
Current Conditions
Bottom Line
Good conditions window for the High Sierra Trail — clear skies, dry snowpack, no fires. The stream flow gauges flagged are geographically distant from your route and not representative of HST crossings; treat crossing difficulty as unknown and probe accordingly. Daylight is tight at 10h 23m with sunset at 4:50 PM — plan your camp arrivals before 3:30 PM.
50°/32°F · Mostly Clear
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0" depth
Elevated flows · 5 gauges
No active fires within 50 miles
10h 23m daylight · Sunrise 6:27 AM · Sunset 4:50 PM
Full Briefing
The stream crossing caution flag is the main thing to unpack here, and the honest answer is: the five gauges in the data are nowhere near the High Sierra Trail watershed. Llagas Creek near Gilroy (146% of median, rising) and Salinas River near Bradley (88% of median) are Central Coast drainages with no bearing on Kern River tributaries or the crossings you'll hit on the HST. With zero snowpack at both SNOTEL stations and overnight lows staying just at or above freezing (31–33°F through Thursday), snowmelt contribution to any HST crossings is negligible right now. Early November flows on the HST are typically very low. That said, you won't have gauge data to verify — wade cautiously on any crossing above knee depth and scout before committing.
Weather is as clean as it gets for November in the Sierra. Sunny all three days, highs around 50°F, overnight lows 31–33°F, winds 5–10 mph out of the northwest. No precipitation in the forecast window. No fires within 50 miles, so air quality should be excellent with that dry northwest flow. The snowpack stations at Long Lake (840 ft) and McNeil Canyon (1,348 ft) show zero depth — the high route is snow-free at these lower reference elevations, though if your route tops out above 10,000 ft expect patchy early-season snow on shaded terrain, particularly north-facing slopes and gullies. It won't be a travel problem, but it can make trail finding trickier in spots.
Daylight is the real logistics driver this trip. Sunset hits at 4:50 PM and you lose usable light fast in canyon terrain. With 10h 23m of daylight and trail that often runs in deep drainage shadows, effective hiking light is probably closer to 9 hours. Plan your day to be at camp or within 30 minutes of it by 3:30 PM. Launch early — you have sunrise at 6:27 AM and those sunny mornings will be cold but beautiful. Carry a headlamp accessible, not buried, in case you miscalculate a mileage segment.
Bottom line on planning: aim for 8–10 mile days max given the daylight window, start by 7 AM each morning, and don't count on any late-day buffer. Conditions are genuinely favorable — enjoy it.
Waypoints
Crescent Meadow Trailhead
Start near the giant sequoias of the Giant Forest. Stunning beginning to the route.
6,299 ft
Hamilton Lakes
Beautiful alpine lakes with dramatic views of Kaweah Peaks Ridge.
9,603 ft
Kern Hot Spring
Natural hot spring in the Kern River canyon. Rest day destination.
6,299 ft
Guitar Lake
Alpine base camp for Whitney summit. Named for its shape.
11,447 ft
Mount Whitney Summit
Eastern terminus. Summit of the highest peak in the contiguous US.
14,505 ft
Route Details
Distance
72.0 mi
Elevation Gain
17,999 ft
Elevation Loss
10,000 ft
Max Elevation
14,505 ft
Estimated Days
10
Trailhead
Crescent Meadow (Sequoia NP)
Best Season
July through September. Stream crossings high in June. Permits from Sequoia NP.
Permit Required
Sequoia NP wilderness permit from Lodgepole Visitor Center. recreation.gov advance reservations.
About This Route
The High Sierra Trail is one of the finest trans-Sierra routes, traversing 72 miles from Crescent Meadow in Sequoia National Park to the summit of Mount Whitney. The trail offers a complete Sierra experience—giant sequoias, deep river canyons, high alpine terrain, and the highest peak in the lower 48. Unlike the more crowded JMT, the HST sees a fraction of the foot traffic despite comparable scenery. The trail begins in the Giant Forest near Crescent Meadow, drops into the Kern River canyon (one of the deepest in the US), and climbs back up to Whitney through the Guitar Lake basin. The trail crosses several streams that can be challenging in early season snowmelt—particularly in June. Rattlesnakes are common in the lower canyon sections. The final approach to Whitney involves the same summit plateau as the main Whitney trail. Most hikers complete the HST in 8-12 days. Permits are required from both the Sequoia and Inyo National Forest sides. The route is well-maintained but gets minimal maintenance compared to the JMT, so expect some blowdowns after winter storms.
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