For the most part, Mt. 15 Rookie Mistakes To Avoid Your First Time Backpacking, Essential Backpacking Hygiene Tips & Feminine Care in the Outdoors, 10 Awesome Hiking Groups and Challenges to Encourage You on Your Hiking Adventures, Backpacking Onion Valley to Whitney Portal – John Muir Trail Section Hike | This backpacking trail is one of the most amazing and challenging trails in the Sierra Nevada. This is a great beginner California 14er not to be missed! After a couple of miles, turn left at a sign to Horseshoe Meadows Road and follow it to the Cottonwood Lakes/Army Pass trailhead. Map based on USC and GS datum quadrangles Mt Whitney and Mt Langley … The Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead marks the start of a great adventure into beautiful meadows, lakes, and alpine terrain. Day Hiking Mount Langley vs Backpacking Mount Langley – Explore which option is best for you! Langley is not “technical”. Don’t ever risk getting lost, and don’t rely on other people for your safety. More details can be found here. >> See the Itinerary section below (section 8) for more details on backpacking itineraries for Mt. Make sure to pay close attention at the top of the pass to the cairn stones and entry to the pass. The picture below doesn't really do it justice. The guide below goes into great depth on everything you need to know logistically about the class-1 Mount Langley hike, so that you can plan your own successful summit of Mount Langley and go backpacking on the Cottonwood Lakes Trail. Langley trail? One of the trails that leads to the summit follows the Cottonwood Lakes Trail to Cottonwood Lake #4, and then continues on via Old Army Pass up out of the lake basin and to the summit. You can check the weather conditions at one of the following resources: Mountain Forecast – One of my favorite sources for mountain weather forecasts when checking a few days before a trip. Langley, 14,026 feet of sandy windswept granite is one of the high places of the world. ... I’ve got a camping permit for Cottonwood Lakes for late July, with the intent of summiting Langley. Full 3 to 5 day backpacking checklist here. Mt. Online Reservations can be made here. Fourteeners are among the tallest and most challenging summits in the United States, and this guide gives you the details of all of Californias tallest summits ranked by difficulty with the easiest routes to summit them! Langley: Mount Langley is one of the California fourteeners (it’s elevation is over 14,000 feet). If you have the time, I also highly recommend backpacking this trail versus day hiking so that you can spend more time at the Cottonwood Lakes, which are arguably some of the most beautiful series of lakes in the Sierra Nevada, and are surprisingly easy to get to! Langley. Either way, Mount Langley makes for a great beginner 14,000 foot peak hike, and should be at the top of your peak-bagging list! Alternatively, you could extend this to 3 days by camping a second night at Long Lake after your Mt. How to get to the Mount Langley Trailhead – Driving and parking recommendations to get to the Mt. Langley from Old or New Army Pass then down into Miter Basin to camp at Sky Blue lake. | shedreamsofalpine.com, Climb Mt. If you like more old-fashioned styled directions: from the 395 highway in Lone Pine, California, turn West onto Whitney Portal Road. Langley Hike – the essential packing list for the hike, don’t hit the trail without these things! 1) Go to recreation.gov website and search for Inyo National Forest Wilderness permits. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/mount-langley The left version and up and you'll see a huge cairn stone which shows you the next way to follow. Langley provides a great view of the south Sierra in all directions from the summit, including the Mount Whitney group, the Great Western Divide, Olancha Peak, and Owen's Valley. https://www.outdoorproject.com/.../california/mount-langley It's one of the most beautiful trails in the Sierra. 2-3 days backpacking, or day hike if feeling ambitious, How difficult is the Mount Langley hike? Pickering, Mt. I know it can be tempting to day hike Mount Langley, but I highly recommend considering backpacking this trail instead. For the Cottonwood Lakes Trail I found the, popular California hiking & camping permits, White Mountain, California, Hike, 14er, Sierra Nevada, Eastern Sierra, White Mountain Range, White Mountain Peak, White Mountain Peak hike, White Mountain Peak Trail, California 14er, Backpacking, Hiking Related, US Travel, Outdoor All, JMT, National Park, Half Dome Yosemite, Half Dome Hike, Half Dome, Half Dome Permits, Half Dome hike permit, Yosemite wilderness permit, Yosemite National Park, 7 crucial tips to hiking and summiting a 14er. From the Stone House, continue up-canyon (the low path seems to be the easier ascent route) past the Keyhole Wall and up another mile until you reach the pseudo-basin at the Northeastern foot of Mount Langley. However, there is one section I can recall where finding the right “route” is critical or else you could find yourself if “tricky” terrain. Look, I believe every hiker and backpacker should be self-sufficient, and that includes knowing how to practice smart navigational skills in the outdoors. Permit Info: Wilderness permits are required for overnight trips. | shedreamsofalpine.com, California 14ers Guide: Easiest to Hardest 14ers & the Routes to Summit Them | One of the coveted goals of many California hikers, peak-baggers, and mountaineers is to summit all of the tallest peaks in California, aka, the California Fourteeners. Langley: Want a full list of everything I recommend to take backpacking with you? The longer hike gave us plenty of time to catch up and make fun of each other. Just like I teach my students in my backpacking program. Langley: I had to turn around on my first Mt Langley attempt due to snow on the summit in October (and not having the right gear with me). Most trails to the top of Mount Shasta require technical mountaineering skills (meaning beginners should go guided), but it is still an awesome peak to add to your bucket list. This hike is also nearly 26 miles long with over 5,900 feet of elevation gain... meaning... it’s an epic hike if attempted in a day. >> Check out more backpacking safety tips here. Be sure to call the ranger station before heading out on your trip to get weather and snow updates. This peak can be snowshoed up in winter, but is very far, with the road not being plowed (see above for the road access conditions. Langley Trailhead (aka the Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead). There wasn't a super defined path across the watery grasses, but you can see the trail on the other side that you want to connect with. Back in 2015, I decided to attempt Mount Langley as my first solo backpacking trip. The hike in is easy on the first day, so if you have some time to kill I definitely recommend checking out the area. The main symptoms include persistent headache, difficulty sleeping, dizziness, fatigue, loss of appetite, and nausea or vomiting. Also, definitely don’t leave food in your car at the trailhead – use a bear locker for anything you don’t bring with you on the trail. 6) And then finally you’ll check out and pay for your Mt. Hiking Mount Langley should most definitely be at the top of your Sierra Nevada bucket list. So for reservations in the summer months (July through October), you will be looking to make reservations starting in January to April. (373), Comments It should be fairly obvious though if you end up straying away from the Mount Langley summit. You’ll be at 14,000 feet in no time! Day 1 - Easy Hike into "base camp" + Explore the Cottonwood Lakes, Take a right at the fork in the trail toward Old Army Pass and the Cottonwood Lakes. (15 ), SP forum discussion on CA 14er Ranking from Easiest to Hardest, Mount Langley - By Fair Means (www.climber.org page), The crux 5th pitch on North Arete of Langley, 26 Miles Backpacking and Summiting Mount Langley Via Cottonwood Lakes Trail and New Army Pass, North Arete of Mt. Ruth's at work. Check out the Mount Langley weather average temperature map below for reference: Be prepared before you go. For example, in 2002, the road opened in late April (some have been known to open up the gates and proceed up anyway, especially in low snow years like 2002 - however this is illegal). Unless a more recent survey has been done, this answers the question! Oh, and ALWAYS filter your water. If you feel at all nervous or unsure of yourself in this terrain, there’s never any shame in turning around. Mt. Check www.395.com for current conditions, or call the Inyo National Forest Rangers at (760) 873-2400 for conditions. Take US-395 to Lone Pine, CA, and head west on Whitney Portal Road. It took me a bit of time, especially as I was adapting to the altitude. (277), Climber's Log Entries While the Mount Langley trail is one of the easier California 14ers, that does not mean it’s “easy”. Jared Langley Enterprises Inc in Missoula, MT | Photos | Reviews | 1392 building permits for $1,151,300. We drove up to Lone Pine the day of our entry and picked up our permits at the Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center at around 9 am, and then drove to the Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead (which took about 40 minutes from Lone Pine, CA). | shedreamsofalpine.com. We saw a couple of fishermen out there too. What we should have done is gone to the left. Langley - I’ll walk you through my experience and suggested itinerary for backpacking the Mt. If there are permits available, they will show up as “numbers”, otherwise they usually show W meaning “walk-in” only. Shasta Beginners Guide – Avalanche Gulch Route - Mount Shasta is the 5th tallest mountain in California and has many trails that lead to its summit. I first climbed the mountaineers route up Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the lower 48 states, and then went after Mount Langley.Ironically though, it took me 2 attempts to get to the summit of Mount Langley. If I read it correctly, I see "14042" on there, which would be the surveyed elevation in feet. *Please note that some of the below links and in this post are affiliate links. Are you up to the challenge? This is why I recommend you try to do this hike in July, August, or September. 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 the summit. Even if you aren't interested in summiting Mount Langley, just hiking to the Cottonwood Lakes is a worthwhile trip all on its own. It’s important that you research your weather conditions before you go, weeks, and days before your trip. I am looking for any details about summiting Mt. We took a longer break at camp to get more water and eat more food before heading back to the trailhead. While you will have to bring a heavier pack and backpacking gear for the beginning of the trail, once you set up camp, you can leave most of your gear behind, and make a summit push with just a light daypack. | shedreamsofalpine.com, Hiking Mount Langley - California 14er Complete Trail Guide | 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. Mt Langley, 14,042 ft, South South-East Ridge, Class III-IV It's a three day weekend. When planning your Mt. The weather is perfect and there are less mosquitos (which can be really bad when it is warm). Continue on Horseshoe Meadow Road for about 20 miles and then turn right at the signs towards Cottonwood Lakes. We reached camp at Long Lake a little before nightfall, set up our tent, pumped water for the next day and then made dinner. Since I have done the hike before, I knew the first day would be pretty easy, so we decided to add on some extra miles for the enjoyment of it and planned to visit the Cottonwood Lakes before ultimately heading to Long Lake for the night. Between May 1 and Nov. 1, overnight use is limited to 60 people / day. Quick trip report from a fantastic weekend in the Sierras! Mount Langley is located just south of the Mount Whitney hike and is the southernmost California fourteener in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. For me, hiking Mt Langley was actually my 2nd California 14er to summit. Langley will also give you time to acclimate to the altitude, which is really important for a successful summit. At the top, you'll find a path that starts to take you down, but be careful not to follow it for too long or you'll find yourself hiking away from Mount Langley and deeper into the backcountry! It was really cool to walk through. Crowd Factor: Not too bad! Langley & Mt. Important Mount Langley Safety Tips – tips about the top hazards to expect along the trail. They are not allowed in the National Parks portion. Make sure you turn right at the sign indicating Cottonwood Lakes, otherwise you will end up at the trailhead for Cottonwood Pass. Altitude sickness is extremely serious, and you should be prepared to turn around and descend if you or anyone in your hiking party starts showing symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). Whitney Trail Guide: How to Successfully Summit the Highest Peak in the Lower 48 | This Mount Whitney Trail Guide is your A to Z resource on any and all things involving the Mount Whitney Hike. 17 miles +4 hours of driving. The Cottonwood Lakes Trail is fairly flat up to the base of both New Army Pass and Old Army Pass with minimal elevation gain. LANGLEY TRAIL ITINERARY. Intro. There are 60 spots on the quota. Whitney via Miter Basin, Crabtree Pass and … Mt. Mt. Get access below to the Mt Langley hike GPX file PLUS my library of GPX files with tracks and waypoints for all the trails loaded onto the She Dreams of Alpine blog. If you plan to stay camp along the Cottonwood Lakes Trail for your Mount Langley hike, you will need an overnight Inyo National Forest Wilderness permit. In my second attempt, I went back with a friend a bit earlier in the season and the coveted Mount Langley summit was achieved! And at the top, you are rewarded with great views of all the lakes you hiked around the previous day! If you’re not used to hiking at altitude, it is super important to prepare for how it will affect you and learn how to properly acclimate before attempting the Mt. It is just gorgeous lake after gorgeous lake. I had climbed Mt. You can also download this file as a GPX file to upload into your own personal GPS device. Langley at 14,026 ft. ever since. This is a 3 days backpacking trip starting from Horseshoe Meadows in Inyo National Forest. If you’re itching for more Mount Langley details then feel free to read one of my trip reports below. Whitney & Mt. If you’re backpacking Mount Langley I suggest you tackle it in either 2 to 3 days depending on how much time you have. This is closer to the summit. BearVault BV450 Bear Resistant Food Canister. What to Bring on Your Mt. Input  “Overnight”, put your start date, group size, and you can filter further by typing in “Cottonwood” or “JM39” into the filter search box. Permits are required year round for entry into the Mt. Pro Tip: I also recommend marking a “waypoint” at the top of New Army or Old Army Pass (whichever way you come up) on your GPS so that it’s easy to find on your way back down. Plus, be sure to check out the bottom of this post to find more hiking trail guides in the Sierra Nevada and other additional hiking, camping and backpacking resources! The downhill was much faster (of course), and we made great speed back to camp. Choose to camp here if you are hoping to access Mount Langley from Old Army Pass. It’s always better to play it safe in the mountains. This campground is walk-in only and has about 13 sites for about $6 a night. This Saturday I finished hike number 49/52 for the 52 Hike Challenge in 2015. Soon enough we reached the summit of Langley! The exposed and "tricky move" should only last a few minutes before you find trail and Carin stones again. Hiking Mount Langley when there is snow on the trail can be dangerous if you’re not properly prepared or know how to handle this kind of technical terrain. Is Mount Langley Dog friendly? There are also a few absolutely essential items I want to bring to your attention to make sure you have when you’re prepping for hiking Mt. On any 14er, you really want to be off the summit and heading down by the afternoon because of the risks of being caught in a thunderstorm above treeline. When you get closer to the Langley summit pay close attention and follow the giant Cairn stones so that you don’t get lost, and I highly recommend downloading our GPX file above so you can make sure your on the right path. Day 2 - Summit Mount Langley Via New Army Pass and hike out, Wake up early, leave backpacking gear at basecamp, and hike with a lighter backpack up New Army Pass, Day 2 Totals: about 17 miles and 4,900 ft of elevation gain. I marked the "Top of the pass" on my GPS just in case we got lost amongst all the granite shaded stone. Mt Whitney trail condition reports from the folks who live and work on the mountain. Just make sure you are hiking towards Mount Langley summit and not hiking out into the backcountry of the Sierra Nevada. This Starter Kit is filled with some actionable steps, checklist, and outdoor empowerment awesomeness to get you kick-started on an amazing outdoor-centered future. Spend some time enjoying this area! Obtain permits at any Inyo National Forest visitor center. The Whitney Portal Store, located 13 miles west of Lone Pine, lies next to the Mount Whitney trail head and has operated by permit from the Inyo National Forest since 1987. This is something I teach in my backpacking program, but I want to give you a couple GPS options to get started. Langley is my second 14er and number 14 on my 30 for 30.My friend and I picked up our permit at the Lone Pine ranger station and started the hike in. At about the 3 miles - 3,500 ' climb old-fashioned styled directions: from the ranger stations Lee... 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