High Sierra Trail

Imported from public data — waypoints may be unnamed

The classic west-to-east Sierra crossing from Crescent Meadow over Kaweah Gap and the Great Western Divide to the base of Mount Whitney. Route geometry from OpenStreetMap (relation 1714300); © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

How we rate difficulty

This trip iseasy

Difficulty score: 0

Trip difficulty reflects the whole undertaking, not just the hardest day. We combine total distance and elevation gain (about 1,000 ft of climbing ≈ 1 mile of effort), then add weight for each night out — because carrying more food and stacking consecutive days makes a long trip harder than its individual days suggest. High passes and off-trail travel push it up. That's why a short trip with one steep climb can still be moderate, while an easy-paced week in the mountains rates hard.

The trip scale

easy
A short trip with modest daily miles and gain — a great first outing or a relaxed weekend.
moderate
A solid multi-day route with real climbing and full days; comfortable for a fit hiker with some experience.
hard
Demanding: big miles, significant elevation, or several days of sustained effort. Come trained and prepared.
strenuous
A serious undertaking — long duration, heavy gain, high passes, or remote terrain. For experienced backpackers.

This rates physical load only — it doesn't account for exposure, technical passes, water availability, or weather. Pair it with route notes.

How we rate each day

Day iseasy

A day's rating measures its acute load — how hard that single push is — from its miles plus elevation gain (about 1,000 ft of climbing ≈ 1 mile of effort). This is a different scale from the whole-trip rating: a trip of easy days can still be a big undertaking, and a short trip can have one hard day.

The per-day scale

easy
A short day — up to ~6 mi and ~1,000 ft. Camp by early afternoon.
moderate
A standard day — roughly 7–10 mi and 1,000–2,000 ft. Most days live here.
hard
A big day — around 10–14 mi or a real pass (~2,500–3,500 ft). Tired at camp.
strenuous
14+ mi or 4,000+ ft — a dawn-to-dusk push. Spending tomorrow’s energy.

This rates physical load only — it doesn't account for exposure, technical passes, water availability, or weather. Pair it with route notes.

Waypoints

1Point 1
2Point 2
3Point 3
4Point 4
5Point 5
6Point 6
7Bearpaw Meadowcamp
8Point 8
9Point 9
10Point 10
11Point 11
12Point 12
13Point 13
14Big Arroyocamp
15Point 15
16Point 16
17Point 17
18Point 18
19Point 19
20Kern Hot Springcamp
21Point 21
22Point 22
23Point 23
24Point 24
25Point 25
26Point 26
27Junction Meadowcamp
28Point 28
29Point 29
30Point 30
31Point 31
32Point 32
33Point 33

High Sierra Trail

Waypoints

Permits & Alerts

High Sierra Trail

Itinerary