* Complete descriptions of 17 routes to the summit of Mount Whitney * Three new hiking routes: Bishop Pass Trail, Taboose Pass Trail, and Avalanche Pass Trail * A Trip Planning Guide that ranks the routes by difficulty, elevation gain, and total mileage Are you up to the challenge of ascending Mount Whitney? This guidebook contains everything you need to summit the highest point in the contiguous United States. This new edition includes a thorough examination of the planning, preparation, and physical training/conditioning necessary for a safe and successful climb, as well as an updated discussion of wilderness permit requirements of both the National Park Service and the US Forest Service. With the increasing popularity of winter ascents on Mount Whitney, a new snow and ice chapter was included in this edition. Author Paul Richins identifies the best places to camp on multi-day backpacking routes, and the most interesting exploratory side trips to take, as well as presents route variations that either reduce the length of a given route, avoid difficult terrain, or add additional "must-see" areas.