Langley Peak 8-1

edenooch · Post by **edenooch** » Sat Aug 01, 2009 10:05 pm

Today i have finally sumitted my first 14er. Hit the trailhead around 4-15 finished between 3 and 4. Its spretty smooth through New army pass till u get to the last lake by Cirque peak then the trail goes up about 1000-1500 feet which i made short work of 1-200ft using some class 3 techniques.
Then you get above 12,000 on new army saddle and make your way to Langley. The last mile of langley is pretty tough about 1000 feet and all scrambling with faint use trails. I went through water like a camel so i didnt have trouble with the altitude! Was goiing to make it a loop by returning thru Old army pass but its snowed in. Hike was 22mi with a Hell of alot of elev Gain..... see stats

The first lake thru new army pass

Cirque peak with the early suns radiance giving it a red glow

Second to last lake o the New army pass trail

High Lake. the last lake on the New army pass

Some of the other 14ers seen from New army saddle

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Sat Aug 01, 2009 10:30 pm

Good stuff, bro. Nice pix.

RyanB · Post by **RyanB** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 9:14 am

I did Langley last year as a stop on a backcountry Whitney trip. My first 14er also. We camped at Cottonwood Lake 3 and summited Langley the next morning via Old Army Pass. We did not see one person. Beautiful views of Whitney from the summit.

Great picts! Now I want to go back.

He219 · Post by **He219** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 12:14 pm

Nice TR, edenooch!

Interesting about Old Pass still being snowed in ..
Happened to us last year in May without crampons:

Hires

edenooch · Post by **edenooch** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 12:20 pm

Thx jim.
Ryan that place is amazing. Definitley worth going back

Upped a few more this morning.......

Some squirrel Beaver hybrid

The lakes down the Old army pass

I would like to see taco try to summit via these cliffs =P

Whitney... i think!?!?

He219 · Post by **He219** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 12:22 pm

Nice additions!

edenooch wrote:Some squirrel Beaver hybrid

A Rock Chuck, otherwise known as a Yellow-Bellied Marmot

edenooch wrote: Whitney... i think!?!?

Indeed!

... and Langley from Whitney!

Hires

LD · Post by LD » Sun Aug 02, 2009 12:45 pm

Nice job on your first "forteener". Only 14 more to go

Good choice on not going down old army pass unless you've gone up it first. This lady hiker wasn't so fortunate.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/rea- ... pass-group

Horseshoe Meadows is one of my favorite places to dayhike. Just a great place. One of the few places you can still dayhike and catch our state fish.

He219 · Post by **He219** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 1:06 pm

LD wrote:This lady hiker wasn't so fortunate.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/rea- ... pass-group

That's just - horrible!

You wouldn't happen to be John M or Bob P?

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 3:37 pm

He219 wrote:Interesting about Old Pass still being snowed in ..

The fact that Army Pass retains snow so long is exactly why there is a New Army Pass, a pass that is open quite a bit earlier in the year. Army Pass (when it's snow free) is actually the better route to Langley for now. Eventually, though, the abandoned trail over Army Pass will fall into such disrepair that New Army Pass will take over as the route of choice.

lilbitmo · Post by **lilbitmo** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 4:35 pm

That lady was well respected in the "Recovery World". She had 27 years in recovery and was a close friend of many of my friends. It's sad that she went back down "solo" on a very technical section of the pass with Ice and snow conditions. God only knows why she would choose to do so.

She will be missed by many who knew her well.

Thanks for Sharing the Trip Report "Edenooch", great pictures.

I've done the Old Army Pass in late July and the snow was still three or four feet thick, and it's tough even when the trail is well worn, fresh snow on icy trails only hides the danger, too many hikers think it's easy to dash across those slick secitons without crampons and the results can be "tragic".

RIP Janice

KathyW · Post by **KathyW** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 6:15 am

It is unusual for snow to be a problem on Old Army Pass once August comes, but it certainly was a problem still this past weekend. There is one big icy patch up near the pass that does not have a boot track through it from what we could see. It has to be avoided by doing some exposed Class 3 moves and anyone who has been up that way knows there's some pretty loose rocks along the trail to Old Army Pass. This past weekend, going over New Army Pass, which was snow-free, was the safest option.

simonov · Post by **simonov** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 8:12 am

I'll be up there in two weeks. Looks like New Army Pass is the route we will take.

Which is cool, I guess, since I haven't climbed that route before.

Zach · Post by **Zach** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 8:57 am

Cooool! I was up there this weekend too. I took a buddy of mine fishing at the Cottonwood Lakes. Old Army actually didn't look so bad from the lakes. I was up there Memorial weekend and it was a LOT worse. Caught us some delicious golden trout at the 5th lake. That place is amazing!!!

I think the Cottonwood Lakes is the most underrated hiking destination. Easy hike to get there and the most amazing scenery and fishing. I'll try to upload a few pics when I get them.

simonov · Post by **simonov** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 9:27 am

Zach wrote:I think the Cottonwood Lakes is the most underrated hiking destination. Easy hike to get there and the most amazing scenery and fishing. I'll try to upload a few pics when I get them.

Do you know whether there is approved camping at Long Lake, southwest of Cottonwood Lakes? I ask because camping there would be more convenient for a climb up New Army.

Winston · Post by **Winston** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 10:52 am

KathyW wrote:It is unusual for snow to be a problem on Old Army Pass once August comes, but it certainly was a problem still this past weekend. There is one big icy patch up near the pass that does not have a boot track through it from what we could see. It has to be avoided by doing some exposed Class 3 moves and anyone who has been up that way knows there's some pretty loose rocks along the trail to Old Army Pass. This past weekend, going over New Army Pass, which was snow-free, was the safest option.

Yeah, I went up Old Army Pass on the July 4th weekend and there was several stretches of snow. On the way up, I did the class three climbing to get to the top of the pass to avoid a stretch of snow, but on the way back down, I gave the snow field a try using ice axe and microspikes with trail runners. I discovered that was a bad idea, as kicking steps into the snow with trailrunners resulted in a black toenail.

Great trip report, edenooch. I really enjoyed the area, with all the lakes and the great views from the top.

LD · Post by LD » Mon Aug 03, 2009 12:53 pm

simonov wrote: Do you know whether there is approved camping at Long Lake, southwest of Cottonwood Lakes? I ask because camping there would be more convenient for a climb up New Army.

Simonov, no problem camping at Long. Just expect to a lot of campers if it's a weekend. The west side has the best camping. Don't recommend High Lake. Sparse sites and no tree cover.
There is a shortcut up to the South Fork lakes and Long. Just after crossing South Fork Creek look to your left for a use trail. This will follow the South Fork Lake drainage and cuts off some milage.
Hope this helps.

Long Lake left foreground. Taken from Cirque

Doug Forbes · Post by **Doug Forbes** » Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:57 am

Thanks everyone for the great route beta....I'll be dayhiking Langley this Monday. I used Old Army Pass late in the season back in October of 1982, but will use New Army Pass this time....Unsettled weather is upon the Sierra again according to the reports posted on the Whitney Portal Store Message Board, so it may be an interesting hike.

Hedgehog