Mt. Whitney From Cottonwood Lakes

The highest large Cottonwood Lake below Old Army Pass.

The Junction Area

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

Once above the steep section the trail headed straight up the fairly gentle slope to meet the junction of Old and New Army Pass. We had determined to go down Old Army Pass, and after a few minutes easy walking we were looking down at the lakes of the Cottonwood area.

The trail junction: left is Old Army Pass, the right fork is New Army Pass

Here we dropped our packs for a break. Dave was keen on climbing Mt. Langley, and while I was willing to tag along, I was more intent on taking pictures and exploring the area. The Langley climb for me was optional, and I was indifferent to getting to the top. If it happened, fine, if not, no loss. Meanwhile, it was very windy and somewhat cold, and I was glad I had brought some wind pants and they would not be dead weight I just carried around for no good use. After preparing a small pack with water, food and other items, I headed north. I immediately found a trail of use, which I followed upward.