Hiking Mt. Langley: California's 9th tallest mountain

Looking up at Mount Langley from New Army Pass

Rising to 14,042 feet, Mt. Langley is less than five hundred feet shorter than Mount Whitney but receives far fewer visitors. Whereas getting a permit to climb Whitney can be an enormous challenge involving a lottery and a six month waiting period, Langley’s hikers can easily walk right in to a free permit. The summit provides expansive views, solitude, and a deep feeling of accomplishment.

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At least eleven miles of hiking lie between Horseshoe Meadow and the top of Mount Langley. The trek be attempted as a fatiguing 22-mile day hike or as a three-day affair, with backcountry camping beside the beautiful Cottonwood Lakes. Langley is considered an “easy 14er” (though still a bit tougher than Whitney) and the trail to the top is more tiring than technically challenging. The marathon hike through thin air provides a worthy adversary and great rewards.

Looking down on the Cottonwood Lakes from New Army Pass

The first 7.5 miles of the hike are along the Cottonwood Lakes Trail which is gradual and scenic, climbing 1500 feet over 6.5 miles before a tougher ascent of 800 feet to New Army Pass. Langley is in sight and the path is clear.

Review the Cottonwood Lakes Trail for more details on the early portion of the hike, as well as a word on trailhead quotas and other information you should know before making the ascent on Langley.

Descend the pass and break east off New Army Pass Trail, hugging the high end of the slope. Frustratingly, you will lose three hundred feet of the elevation you just worked so hard to climb (The only way this can be avoided is to hike up Old Army Pass instead, which is a less-maintained trail that can provide a tricky snow climb).

A worn path makes its way up to a ridgeline populated by rock towers. Beyond the towers, lies a barren slope of sandy gravel. The so-called Langley Plateau is much longer than it appears from the pass and the ridge offers a truer view of the distance to Langley.

Looking west toward Soldier Lake, Joe Devel Peak, and the Great Western Divide

Set out for the summit across the plateau. The grade of the path from here is yours to choose. Design your own switchbacks and head up the mountain.

Looking back on the Cottonwood Lake, New Army Pass, and Cirque Peak

Beneath the summit, the easy-to-cross terrain gives way to a rock crown that requires a couple hundred feet of class three scrambling. Were this climb somewhere other than 14,000 feet above sea level, it would likely not be a challenge, but after the long slog, this point will have hikers gathering their courage. The east side of the crown is steep and can be covered in snow. Make your way west until you spot a channel that looks good for climbing and scramble up over the rocks.

Once you are through, it is just a gradual walk to the high point at the northeast end of the summit. When you find the USGS marker and the register, you have made it to the top.

Mt. Whitney rises above all other peaks

To the north and east, the mountain drops away down shear cliffs. The views are electrifying. Mount Whitney stands boldly to the north and other prominent pinnacles fill the panorama. No California mountain south of Langley is any taller so you can stare out in that direction for days. To the west, the backcountry of Sequoia National Park spreads out toward the snow-capped Great Western Divide. If you make it to the top, congratulations! Proudly sign the register and know that you have seen sights few ever will.

A 360° video from the summit

Mt. Langley sits on the border of Sequoia National Park and the John Muir Wilderness, at the heart of the Sierra Nevadas. If asked why you have chosen to set out on such a daring hike, answer as John Muir would have, “The mountains are calling and I must go.”

To get to the trailhead: The city of Lone Pine is a three-hour drive from Los Angeles, and then it will take another half hour to ascend the mountain to the trailhead. From Lone Pine on Route 395, turn west at the traffic light on to Whitney Portal Road. After three miles, turn left on Horseshoe Meadow Road. Twenty miles of road switch up the mountain and terminate at Horseshoe Meadow. Turn right, following signs for the Cottonwood Lakes and park at the trailhead.

View Hiking the Sierra Nevadas in a larger map

	You might also enjoy:
	Mount Pickering This 13,485-foot summit west of Langley sports sweeping views of the Sierras.
	Cirque Peak This 12,900-foot summit south of Langley can be reached with a two mile off-trail ascent from either New Army Pass, Chicken Spring Lake, or Cirque Lake. The views from the top are majestic.
	Mount Baldy in the San Gabriel Mountains There are two popular trails to the 10,064-foot summit of Mount Baldy. The Baldy Bowl Trail and the Devil's Backbone Trail can be combined for a scenic 11.3-mile loop.
	Hikes in the Sierra Nevada Mountains This list of trails explores the Sequoias, peaks, waterfalls, lakes, and streams of the Sierra Nevadas.