cottonwood lakes to mt langley

Every step of this must-do hike … Beautiful! Even if you aren't interested in summiting Mount Langley, just hiking to the Cottonwood Lakes is a worthwhile trip all on its own. I slept in the car by trailhead. Langley Trailhead Name: Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead. Going that way means you have to go up and over and down from a ridge, which means on your way back down from the peak, you have a substantial uphill once again. Season is from July 1st through November 15th. by Andy Lewicky | SierraDescents.com. Cottonwood Lakes is located in the Eastern Sierras at the southern end of the John Muir Wilderness. Trailhead Elevation: 10,066 feet. This has always been a problem when I tackle hikes on the Eastern Slope of the Sierras. We decided to camp at Lake 3 and attempt Old Army Pass, which is a shorter unmaintained Trail that leads to Mt Langley. In the above photo to the right, you see the remnants of snow left over from the winter months, causing the hikers to skirt along the edge of the trail. Mount Langley via Horseshoe Meadows is an excellent choice. I would highly recommend this hike. At first glance it doesn’t look like there’s even a trail but it’s well marked, just hard to see until you’re on it. The paved Horseshoe Meadows road winds its way up the sheer east side of the Sierra from Lone Pine and Owens Valley to the Cottonwood Lakes trailhead, nearly 10,000 feet in elevation. Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead. OP. For my full trip report including video, pics, information and story along with links to our 4 days there and my struggle with AMS go to: https://centralcahikingpursuingbalancethruadventure.wordpress.com/2020/10/03/up-in-smoke/?preview=true. This is a difficult one way trail to Mount Langley in Sequoia National Park. Cottonwood lakes on Mt Langley are a great place to fish. I am sure that this hike is the most glorious experience, but be warned with the CA Fires from NoCal and from Closer-by Kern the afternoons are fire smog. 8/8/20: Growling hike in the last few miles to the peak, it includes climbing boulders, the trail is not visible just look for the rock pyramid. Yes, if staying overnight you must have a permit! You will crest at 11,000 feet into the Cottonwood Lakes area and the first lake ( literally lake #1 )will be directly in front of you along with a great view of Mt Langley off in the distance. Langley area: 8; 2 night camp limit at Soldier Lakes. Langley in a day via Old Army If you want to take the correct path you should go left at the last split where you see a path that looks like it’s going nowhere into the mountain (but you will eventually see the cairns). It begins at the Horseshoe Meadow parking lot at an elevation of 10,000 feet. Cottonwood lakes to Mt. The water and view at Lake 4 was spectacular and cold but still was refreshing after hiking several miles each day. We decided to camp at Lake 3 and attempt Old Army Pass, which is a shorter unmaintained Trail that leads to Mt Langley. Lots of sky pilot (Polemonium eximium) in bloom. To the right, you see some of the restrictions that are enforce. Mt Langley. Here the trail runs level for a while and then climbs out of the basin to the Cottonwood Lakes area. Plan an extra day for your trip if you plan to climb this peak. 9/14/19: This was my first backpacking experience and it was wonderful. 23 hours of hiking over a 52 hour Microadventure. Moderate to difficult (mostly because of the high altitude) Do you need a permit to hike Mt. Lakes 3 and 4: Mt Langley in all its glory: The five Cottonwood Lakes in all their glory: The five Cottonwood Lakes: Panorama of the Cottonwood Basin: Looking towards New Army Pass : The Cottonwood Lakes: The Cottonwood Lakes nd the way we came: You can't see Langley yet, but you can see a lot of Sierra peaks north of the pass: The trail towards Langley: The trail towards Langley: The … The trail climbs about 1000 feet before it pops out on the ridge. Red Tape. Once you reach Cottonwood Lakes, you will … But you need to be aware of the rules. Cottonwood Lakes and Mt. Langley, FA, Sep 5-6, 1999 Mt. Mount Langley via Horseshoe Meadows is an excellent choice. There was a tiny bit of snow in a couple sections but easy to pass. There are many class 2, class 3, and even class 5 routes leading to the summit of Mt. Leaving the lush beauty of Cottonwood Lakes behind, I was greeted by the desolate, moon like landscape that leads to the summit of Mt. How long does it take to hike Mount Langley? The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until October. Old Army Pass is steep trail with excellent views. The last bit to the top of Langley is a scramble through the scree and route finding through the boulders. Day two is to climb and summit Langley then come back down New Army pass and camp at either Long Lake or one of the cottonwood lakes. The Mt Langley/Cottonwood Lakes Topo Map used with permission from National Geographic. Small snow patches are still visible at the top of Old Army Pass, but there is no snow directly on the route. The lakes themselves are at an elevation of 11,200 feet, surrounded by open meadows, low ridges sprinkled with granite, and swaths of Foxtail Pines. The half dozen Cottonwood Lakes are clustered in a basin at the foot of 14,032-foot Mount Langley. Towards Langley Barren Views. I love the scenic view but hated the sand trail and many switch back! However, all it did was create a bigger rash for wanting to spend more time in the mountains. John Muir Wilderness regulations. You are now above timberline and things are very stark and rocky up here. Cottonwood Lakes and Mount Langley. The summit of Mt Langley (14,026 feet) is a worthy side-trip to the Cottonwood Lakes Loop Backpacking Trip. From Lone Pine start up the Whitney Portal Road, but after 4 miles turn left onto Horseshoe Meadow Road. Posts: 15. Explore Inyo National Forest - Wilderness Permits in Inyo National Forest, California with Recreation.gov. Mount Langley : SummitPost.org : Climbing, hiking, mountaineering. The view from the summit is amazing. Cottonwood Lakes is located in the Eastern Sierras at the southern end of the John Muir Wilderness. But I've had to go around by Long lake a couple of times due to snow conditions on Old Army pass. Yoseman. Mount Langley is a surprise, being easy enough that a trail takes you most of the way to the summit, but remote enough that we didn’t encounter a soul anywhere in the Cottonwood Lakes basin. My favorite spot to camp is at the biggest Cottonwood lake. Mount Langley from New Army Pass The first 7.5 miles of the hike are along Cottonwood Lakes Trail which is gradual and scenic, climbing 1,500 feet over 6.5 miles before a tougher ascent of 800 feet to New Army Pass. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Coming down the scree field is fun, though. Joined: Jan 2018. Langley from Old or New Army Pass then down into Miter Basin to camp at Sky Blue lake. Mornings can be fantastic so anything you do, do it as early as possible. Langley, via New Army Pass and Cottonwood Lakes. Cottonwood Lakes Trail [CLOSED] is a 16.1 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Lone Pine, California that features a lake and is rated as moderate. Mt Langley from Horseshoe Meadow. Y. The hike starts from the Cottonwood Lakes Campground, already at 10,000 feet, so your car does most of the legwork to get you to altitude. We broke the hike down over 3 days and camped at Lake 4 for both nights. Pennsylvania. Back to the car by 6:00 pm. Just above, you see the lower section of the Old Army Pass trail. We took Old Army Pass. Langley … Description: 5 day solo trip from the Cottonwood Lakes trailhead to Miter Basin and Mt Langley, making use of both Old and New Army Passes Click for interactive map (Gmap4) Day 1: From the Horseshoe Meadows area out of Lone Pine, I started on the trail towards New Army Pass, careful not to mistakenly take the detours to Cirque or Cottonwood Lakes 3-5. Note 1: Make sure not to mistake Cottonwood Lakes trailhead with Cottonwood Pass Trailhead. I am looking for any details about summiting Mt. This trail goes by Cottonwood Lake #1, Cottonwood Lake #2, Long Lake, New Army Pass, and Old Army Pass. The trail is nice and very easy to follow. However, the route from Cottonwood Lakes and New Army Pass seems to be the easiest and the most popular way to climb this mountain. No campfires in the Cottonwood Lakes Basin or above 10,400 feet elevation. However, all it did was create a bigger rash for wanting to spend more time in the mountains. Definitely prefer Old Army pass as is detailed on this map as the trail tops out in the bottom of the pass. The trail is relatively flat along the lakes then it starts to climb. I am looking for any details about summiting Mt. Here are a few pics of the area: Cottonwood Lakes Trails Trip Report, August 17 2013. Located in California's beautiful eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Inyo National Forest offers challenging trails, high mountain peaks, and unparalleled views. Frozen Sunrise. I can’t give it the 5 stars that it deserves as were climbed it at the end of summer during the CA Fires. Along the trail to New Army Pass are Long Lake and High Lake in the John Muir Wilderness. The mornings gave us hope, but the afternoons were so disappointing. You get a nice high start, and the trail is excellent. Camp at Soldier Lake (10624ft, +9.5mi). Hiked Mt Langley on 8/29/20. Cottonwood Lakes Campground to Mount Langley is a 31.4 kilometer lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Lone Pine, California that features a lake and is rated as difficult. The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, and nature trips and is best used from June until October. To make things easier I spent the night at Ben’s place in Lancaster the night after getting off work on Friday. There are around 20 campsites, of which… Fishing Regulations are as follows: Cottonwood Lakes 1, 2, 3, 4 and all their tributaries is a catch and release, Fish only with artificial lures or flies with a single barb-less hook. From there it’s a slight incline as you head toward Langley which is a good time to get your breath back and give your legs a rest before you start to really climb. How difficult is the Mount Langley hike? The Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead offers hikers an excellent starting point to explore areas/destinations such as the Cottonwood Lakes Basin, the Golden Trout Wilderness, Mt. Going to start with Cottonwood Pass to Chicken lake to do some fishing for the day, and finish at Soldier Lake for the overnight. Langley. Langley from the Cottonwood Lakes. Langley from Lake 4 was extremely manageable and everyone from my group (8) made it to our first 14er. Solo Scouting Trip for next year's family backpacking trip. Langley. Langley? Side trails branch to Muir Lake, Hidden Lake, South Fork Lakes, Cirque Lake. The view of Mt. From the lakes to the top of Langley can be a challenge. Langley of the 14,000 foot peaks in the Sierra Nevada Acro Yoga at Long Lake Hiking up to Long Lake Cottonwood Lakes Basin Pimby and I went swimming every day. Langley. Langley on 9/5/20, we luckily avoided the smoke from the near by fires but still a challenging hike. For much more on Mt Langley, click on the below link and jump back to the top and check out the links on the left hand side of the page. Langley, Cirque Peak and the Pacific Crest Trail. ~ Thanks for reading ~ A gear list from this trip: Posted by Andy D. Email This BlogThis! The trail rises over a crest to emerge at the end of Long Lake, a spectacular setting. Then over Crabtree Pass to Discovery Pinnacle and then the best way to summit Mt. Plan an extra day for your trip if you plan to climb this peak. What a great way to spend the holiday! Posts: 15. Cottonwood Lakes Campground to Mount Langley is a 19.5 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Lone Pine, California that features a lake and is rated as difficult. Our trail took us through the Golden Trout Wilderness and the main approach is from Lone Pine to the east of the Sierra Nevadas. Mount Langley is the 9th tallest mountain in California and one of three California 14ers that can be accessed via a Class-1 hiking trail which makes it one of the easiest California 14ers to summit. The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, and nature trips and is best used from June until October. Then over Crabtree Pass to Discovery Pinnacle and … The mornings were beautiful but the afternoons were choking smoke. At the southern end of the John Muir Wilderness lies the southernmost 14er in California, Mt. Start your hike from Cottonwood Lakes trailhead. Danny Wang 490 reviewer rep | 189 forum posts 6:37 p.m. on July 22, 2013 (EDT) I thought my solo trip last weekend up to Weaver Lake would help cure my itch for the Sierras. It’s challenging but we had a group of 11 people of varying skill levels and everyone made the summit. Here is an example of an early season two day trip. Langley Last weekend Cary and I set out to climb Mt. This was a very pleasant 15 mile day hike and attempted climb of Mt Langley for Ben and I. Took the opportunity to climb Mt. There is one section where you have to climb up some boulders but if you follow the large cairns you’ll be fine. Mount Langley towers over Cottonwood Lake Number One Cottonwood Lakes Trail angles uphill and reaches Cottonwood Lake Number One five miles from the trailhead. Hiked Mt. Located near Horseshoe Meadows, the Cottonwood Lakes Basin has many pristine alpine lakes and creeks located between Mount Langley and Cirque Peak. The trailhead sits above 10,000ft and allows for a few hours of acclimatizing. Cottonwood Lakes trailhead (10040ft, +0mi) to South Fork Lake (11400ft, +6mi) July 5th: South Fork Lake (11400ft, 0mi) to New Army Pass (12300ft, +1.5mi), to Mount Langley (14026, +4mi), and back to New Army Pass (12300ft, +6.5mi). Old Cottonwood Creek Trail This 8 to 9-mile day hike follows a secluded trail through mountain meadows to the South Fork Lakes and Cirque Lake. Langley. Backpacking to Cottonwood Lakes & Mt. Distance: Lake #3 11.6 miles (Round Trip) Elevation: 11,140 Ft Difficulty: Easy to Moderate Permit Required: Yes - Click HereMy friend Kristen and I decid It starts off fairly level then descends a bit to the golden trout camp area. The views continue to improve as you pass meadows, creeks, and a second Cottonwood Lake. WillTrek Mountaineering: From Horseshoe Meadows to base camp via the Cottonwoods Lakes Trail. Cottonwood Lakes and Mt. I took the NAP out and back and made a wrong turn about a mile out before realizing the trail was going down to the other direction. It’s also a real treat when the views east into Sequoia National Park open up on the horizon. The Cottonwood Lakes Trail gives you easy access to Mt Langley. Langley from Old or New Army Pass then down into Miter Basin to camp at Sky Blue lake. I've hiked this route about 3-4 times and love it! It is also the third easiest to hike (after White Mountain and Mt Whitney) and its views are among the best. The Lakes were super beautiful and worth the hike alone. Here you will find beautiful meadows, forested shorelines and breathtaking views of Mt Langley and Cirque Peak. South Fork Meadow offered good views of tree-stubbled granite lumps to the east. Bear resistant containers are required for storage of food and trash. The path cuts through a beautiful swath of pristine lakes, with towering mountains in every direction. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/mount-langley The paved Horseshoe Meadows road winds its way up the sheer east side of the Sierra from Lone Pine and Owens Valley to the Cottonwood Lakes trailhead, nearly 10,000 feet in elevation. Danny Wang 490 reviewer rep | 189 forum posts 6:37 p.m. on July 22, 2013 (EDT) I thought my solo trip last weekend up to Weaver Lake would help cure my itch for the Sierras. The biggest help I need is info on getting from Mt. Mount Langley This 22-mile trek travels past Cottonwood Lakes Trail over New Army Pass to a 14,042-foot summit with towering views of the Sierra. Langley from Old or New Army Pass then down into Miter Basin to camp at Sky Blue lake. Before of the CA forest fires if hiking this month, it is nearly impossible to breath up there after noon and will NOT be a fun trip. This is one of my favorite stretches of trail anywhere. Looking Back At The Rising Sun Mt. The giant rock cairns on the last mile up to Langley help with the navigation as no single trail is visible. The trail on All Trails is slightly off the actual trail and will take you on a a pretty direct path on the last push. As the trail climbs above 13,000ft, the grade starts to pick up. Then over Crabtree Pass to Discovery Pinnacle and then the best way to summit Mt. Here you will find beautiful meadows, forested shorelines and breathtaking views of Mt Langley and Cirque Peak. Langley via Cottonwood Pass. Then, over the Old Army Pass to the summit of Mt. Langley In View. Mt Langley, located in the Eastern Sierra just south of Mt Whitney, is the tenth highest mountain in California (4280m). I was so bummed. Beautiful Eastern Sierra one of my best backpacking memories are from this trail and view Lake... To Pass Report, August 17 2013 then climbs out of the rules the Old Pass! 10,000Ft and allows for a few pics of the high altitude ) do need! Mostly because of the high altitude ) do you need a permit a beautiful swath pristine! Is visible Eastern Sierra just south of Mt at Horseshoe Meadow the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains, National... Basin/ Mt trail with excellent views you Pass Meadows, forested shorelines and views... 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Day trip scree field is fun, though a night camping at the top Old. //Www.Alltrails.Com/Trail/Us/California/Mount-Langley the Cottonwood Lakes trail over New Army Pass, but after 4 turn! But you need a permit high Lake in the Cottonwood Lakes Basin or above 10,400 feet elevation Cottonwood... Langley, FA, Sep 5-6, 1999 Mt the third easiest to hike Mt, do it early! Mileage was closer to 21.5 miles miles southwest of Lone Pine start up the Whitney Portal Road but. Views of tree-stubbled granite lumps to the Cottonwood Lakes are clustered in a couple sections easy! Am and finished before 3pm trails, high mountain peaks, and unparalleled views Langley ( 14,026 )! Rash for wanting to spend more time in the John Muir Wilderness note 1: sure. A great place to fish us through the boulders down over 3 days and near... 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