Welcome to the next edition of
California Mountain Adventures!
For this adventure I joined a group of friends on a three day trip to climb
Mt. Langley!
My friend and fellow mountaineer Tyler Johnson invited me and a few more of his friends to come climb Mt. Langley for his birthday! So I met him really early and we drove from Lone Pine up to the trailhead at Horseshoe Meadows. We met his other friends there, got our packs together, and hit the trail before the sun was up! We headed up the Cottonwood lakes trail with our headlights on. We got up into the Cottonwood lakes basin as the sun came up. Once the whole group had made it we left the trail and headed for Muir lake. We got to the lake and hiked around to the north side. The north side of the lake was a long beautiful beach! We found some nice spots to setup our camp in the trees just above the beach.
Sunrise from the Cottonwood lakes trail
Junction to Muir lake
Reflection on Muir lake
Muir lake
The beach on the northern shore
Overlooking Muir lake
There was no real plan for the rest of the day and it seemed like most the group was just going to relax at camp and enjoy the lake. But I'm much to restless for that, so I got my fishing pole setup and headed out to try fishing some of the many lakes in the basin. I tried fishing Muir lake, but didn't see any fish there. From Muir lake I dropped down to Cottonwood lake #1 and Cottonwood lake #2. Both had trout, but #1 was hard to fish because of the high grasses around it. From there I caught the New Army Pass trail up to Long lake. I fished there for a bit and saw some nice trout. From there I continued up the trail to High lake. Which was a beautiful lake, but I didn't have much luck fishing there. From High lake I saw a group of people making the climb up Cirque peak(12,900'). So I decided I might as well climb up there too! So from High lake I headed directly up the northern slope. It was really easy class 2 climbing and I quickly passed the group. I got to the summit and wow... what a great view! The peak perfectly overlooks the Cottonwood lakes basin and has huge views to the south overlooking the Golden Trout Wilderness.
Cottonwood lake #2
Cottonwood lake #1
Long lake
Long lake
Enjoying the views on my way up Cirque peak
Views south overlooking the Golden Trout wilderness
Me on the summit, with Cottonwood lakes basin down below
I hung out on the summit for a good while enjoying the views. I was surprised the group I passed while climbing hadn't showed up at the summit so I went to look off the north side and they were getting close. I yelled down and gave them some encouragement. "You're almost on top!... the view is totally worth it!" I yelled. Then I grabbed my pack and headed down the south face. This side took a bit more route finding to avoid loose crappy rock, but with a bit of due diligence I kept it class 2 and avoided the worst of the loose rock. The south face dropped me down to Cirque lake. I hiked around the lake and tried some fishing without much luck. I caught the trail there and headed over to the Southfork lakes. This was the best fishing!! I caught lots of good size trout there. Then I made my way back over to Cottonwood lake #1, this time on the less grassy side so I was able to catch a few trout there before heading back to camp at Muir lake.
Cirque lake
Southfork lakes
The next morning we all got up early and got ready for the big climb up Mt. Langley(14,027')! I headed out before the rest of the group because I also wanted to climb the Major General(12,400') a smaller peak just southwest of Mt. Langley. So from Muir lake I headed over to Cottonwood lake #3, up to Cottonwood lake #5, and then caught the Old Army Pass trail around Cottonwood lake #4 and up over the pass. From the pass I left the trail and climbed cross country out to the summit of the Major General. On approaching the summit I ran into some Bighorn sheep! It was so cool to see them. I love getting to see bighorns. The summit had some great views overlooking Miter basin and the Soldier lakes and had views of so many other awesome peaks! As I took a break there I thought "I wanna climb that one, and that one, and that one, and that one, and ..."!
Sunrise at Cottonwood lake #3
Cottonwood lake #5
Cottonwood lake #4
Overlooking Cottonwood lake #4
Arriving at Old Army Pass
Bighorn Sheep!
Overlooking Miter basin from the Major General
Views looking west from the Major General
From the Major General I headed straight up the west slope of Mt. Langley. It was a big steep climb, but nothing technical. I climbed and climbed and as I was getting near the top I look over and what do I see?? My buddy Tyler making his way up! So we joined up and made the summit at the same time!! The rest of the group showed up shortly thereafter. The views from the summit were AWESOME!! Especially the views north up the Sierra Crest to Mt. Whitney the tallest mountain in California!
Climbing Mt. Langley
Me on the summit of Mt. Langley
Tyler on the summit
The whole group on the summit!
After enjoying the views and getting lots of pictures we started down. Tyler was jealous that I had climbed Cirque peak the day before without him, so with plenty of time left in the day we left the rest of the group at Old Army Pass and headed for the peak. We made our way up to New Army Pass and then followed around the edge of the huge cirque that gives the peak it's name. Then up the west ridge to the summit. So I got to climb Cirque peak two days in a row! Woohoo!! We signed the register and then headed down the north slope to High lake. We headed back to meet the rest of the group at our camp at Muir lake for our last night. That night we had a super fun party by the lake celebrating Tylers birthday and everyone successfully making it to the peak!!
Overlooking Cottonwood lakes basin on our way down Mt. Langley
Overlooking High lake and Long lake from New Army Pass
Hiking up the west ridge of Cirque peak
Tyler on Cirque peak
Mt. Langley from the Cottonwood Lakes basin
Getting back to Muir lake
Me looking out across Muir lake
Clear starry night
The last day we got up and packed up camp and made our way down the trail back to the trailhead at Horseshoe meadows wrapping up yet another awesome California Mountain Adventure!!
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Beautiful @derekrichardson. You are very privileged and I envy you the lifestyle that enables you to explore such amazing places.
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It really is so beautiful up there! I think of myself as being very lucky to have the life I do. But It's different than what most people strive for. Instead of a career and a family I chose to be poor and alone in exchange for more freedom. Which for me means spending as much time as I can out in nature exploring, climbing, fishing, prospecting, camping, etc... I would even say I'm probably a nature addict. I have been called a "map-aholic" lol! I figure nature isn't the worst thing I could be addicted to. I get told quite often by guys my age that they envy my wild and free lifestyle, and I do understand why. But on the same note I often find myself envious of people that I know with awesome careers, lots of money, beautiful families, fancy cars, etc... and while I don't regret my choices at all the envy can go both ways. Thanks for the comment @reonlouw!
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Dear @derekrichardson,
Thank you for the submission for our project – 1001 Places to Remember. Let us go through the content and will make an announcement soon for the posts which will be winning the rewards as well as qualify for the publication.
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Thanks @archisteem. Steem on!!
Welcome @derekrichardson!
Interesting article!! please have a look at my page
Thanks, and will do!
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wonderful scenarios, love the atmosphere and awesome colors, very peaceful place. love your photography.
Thank you @ykdesign. I'm so glad you enjoy my photos!
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Amazing photos. Absolutely stunning this lake Muir. Mother Nature at its best, thank you for sharing 😊
Thanks @starjewel! Lake Muir really was quite beautiful. And I would expect no less from a place named after John Muir! lol.
Stunning photographs
Thanks @vegoutt-travel! I'm glad you enjoyed them.
Wow, your photos are just exceptional quality -- all of them amazing shots! Looks like an outstanding adventure.
Thanks @lilyraabe! It was a good one for sure. And it was extra fun having a whole group of awesome people!
Wow!! That is crazy beautiful!!! The lakes are stunning!!
Isn't it awesome! The High Sierra is loaded with thousands of the most beautiful lakes you could ever see.
Wow beautiful! Lucky to have such above place like that to visit
Yup, Californians are spoiled to have the mighty Sierra Nevadas! Unfortunately most of them don't even realize how amazing it really is.
Man what a busy adventure, looks like it was awesome!
It's so awesome up there in the Sierra. When I get up there I'm usually trying to really make the most of my time. I wanna see and do it all!
Amazing images @derekrichardson
That looked an awesome adventure. I'm more into cycling mountains than climbing on foot. Are these climbs particularly tough? They look it. And my second question (please excuse my ignorance) How the hell do you get trout in those lakes?
Gaz
Thanks Gaz! These climbs were actually really easy for me (I'm known to be 3/4 mountain goat lol). Technically it was all easy class 1-2. Mt. Langley is a huge mountain though so it's a really long steep climb that definitely tests your stamina. And it being at such high elevations makes everything a bit more tiring. Here's some info about the trout up there - https://thefisheriesblog.com/2012/01/16/high-sierra-trout-stocking/
By air drop! How cool is that. You wouldn't have thought it was possible to launch baby trout out of a plane. Firing it over the boat on the lake was a bit awkward but quite funny.
I know through cycling in the French alps that the altitude can add to the challenge of a climb. You're climbs look hard enough as it is! 😁
that starry night could be my wallpaper! hope you share more of your climbs and adventures
Thanks @asianetwork. I will!
The pictures in this post are absolutely stunning and make me want to explore the High Sierras myself. Really great post derek, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it :-)
Thanks @raj808 if you ever have the opportunity to spend some time in the High Sierras, DO IT!! Being up there it's like everyday is the most amazing day of my life!
Breathtaking landscapes
And thats the kind if outdoor adventures I'd love to have
Yep. Same here!
Incredible photos. I love the lake shots and the starry night. Is that the milky way? I don't think I've ever been in a place dark enough to see it.
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Thanks @toddrjohnson. Yup, that is the Milky Way! That's why I love camping on nights when there is no moon out. You can see a ton of stars!
Omg, seeing you on the edge of Cirque peak literally made me feel nervous like I was going to fall!
You're so brave!!! I get REALLY scared to stand near edges like that haha.
Whenever I hike somewhere high I start to crab walk so that I can't fall off the edge. lol it's so embarrassing
Haha! That's too funny. I LOVE being on the edge.