Mt. Whitney From Cottonwood Lakes

The open area and low ridge mentioned in the text below. To the right can be seen Mt. Langley with Miter Basin on the middle horizon, below which was our day destination Soldier Lake. You can actually easily identify this section on the map.

A look At Things To Come

Mt. Whitney Trip from Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead. June 2000.

From the trail junction the trail, now in deeper forest, continued on its gentle way, at one point breaking into the open for limited views and a short climb over a low ridge before dropping towards the junction with New Army Pass.

A typical section of trail, this section was a short distance from the Army passes junction.

Continuing on gently downward, a meadow is reached with a use trail branching to the right to the best camps of Lower Soldier Lake. The main trail skirts the meadow and crosses a small stream on rocks. Here another trail branches right to Soldier Lake, skirting the lawn-like meadow below the lake. Only one fair site can be found on the west side of the lake, which we used.