Mt. Whitney From Cottonwood Lakes

This is looking back along the Old Army Pass trail near the top.

Old Army Pass

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

*** WARNING*** WARNING*** WARNING*** WARNING***
Do not attempt Old Army Pass in the winter or early season without crampons and an ice axe! In winter conditions, a rope may be required. In recent years people have died attempting Old Army Pass! Early the same year as my hike over this pass, a PCT hiker died in a fall attempting this pass. Steep snow over vertical cliffs must be negotiated when snowfields are present. Consider New Army Pass early season because it dries out earlier, or so I am told. When in doubt, use Cottonwood pass. Old Army Pass is not a trivial obstacle when snowfields are present. You have been warned!
*** WARNING*** WARNING*** WARNING*** WARNING***

I had been watching people come up the pass trail, so I did not think there would be much excitement to this leg of the journey. As a dropped down the trail, the first thing I ran into was a steep snowfield over a vertical cliff. I was glad we decided on the Langley jaunt because had we attempted this snowfield in the morning the snow would have been a block of ice. But the snow was soft enough with the added feature of well-indented footsteps, so with the aid of my hiking poles I safely crossed that thrilling section. The view downward was fairly entertaining. As a long time skier I am usually comfortable on steep snow, and that snow section was no exception.
I thought the challenges were well past, but I was wrong. Ahead a wall of vertical snow blocked the trail, and the only bypass route was a slippery detour down a sand and dirt gully that ended in another cliff. After carefully edging my way downward and below a large boulder overhang, it was confusing just what way to go. There seemed to be footsteps leading downward, but I was determined NOT to test that route. To my right was a boulder beneath the overhang that offered a narrow passage to a ledge that seemed to have seen some use. I squeezed through the narrow passage, no small task with a large pack, and reached the ledge. I had found the proper route because at head height was the snow packed trail. Another slippery traverse brought me to the dry trail at last. Later Dave would comment that section was far harder and nerve trying than anything on his Mt. Langley route.