2021-12-18, 07:43 PM
(2021-12-17, 04:32 PM)DAW89446 Wrote: I haven’t followed up on it, but in the mid 2000s, when I was still living in Big Pine, I remember a newspaper article stating that there was some evidence that White Mountain Peak (14,252’) was higher than Mount Whitney, as measured with new technology. But they left it open ended, as in no actual claim. I checked with my contacts at both Inyo National Forest and the White Mountain Research stations in Bishop and I got no answers. No denials, no confirmations. I got the impression that they were purposely being mum about it.
I am sure no one wanted to come out publicly if true, as that would definitely hurt the Lone Pine economy as well as the potential to impact traffic over the Pacific Crest Trail.
One can get a reasonably close elevation reading with a consumer GPS. Certainly better than 250 feet of accuracy. If White Mt Peak were higher, we'd know it by now, given the amount of traffic on both.
I personally didn't check the elevation when I was on either. But I didn't carry a GPS on either since they're trail/road hikes.
Anyway, why would the USFS care if a few less people came to Lone Pine, LOL. Even if Whitney were lower, it would still be a popular climb as it's a class one 14er that can be reasonably done as a day hike. The PCT is a "bucket list" attraction in itself, regardless of Whitney.