Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Cottonwood Pass or New Army?

HI, this is my first dip into this vat of Whitney knowledge. Our group is planning a 5 day backpack trip from Horseshoe Mdw to Whitney Portal in July. I'm wondering what the difference is between going the NAP route vs the Cottonwood Pass route. Any advantages to one over the other? Thanks for your input!

Dave,
It basically depends on whether or not you want to summit Mt. Langley while you're in the area. If not, I'd suggest taking Cottonwood Pass. I think it's little lower than NAP, and you get to tackle it right away, while your legs are still fresh, as opposed to getting to the "rough spots" of NAP after having already hiked 5 miles. If you do want to summit Mt. Langley, then I would suggest taking Army Pass to the north of NAP. The trail from Cottonwood lake #4 up to Army Pass is not "maintained", but is travelled enough to be passable without snow later in the season. From the pass, it's a slog up the southern slopes to the summit. Taking NAP to summit Langley, forces you to lose elevation and then regain it on the way to the summit. I know if I'm on a summit bid, I don't like giving up elevation just to have to climb it again. Time of year will also come into play. Early season, both NAP and Army Pass will hold snow/cornices longer than Cottonwood pass will. Hope this helps. Doug.

I personally prefer Cottonwood Pass, backpacking over the pass and down to Solder Lake the first day.

Some groups however, backpack into Cottonwood Lakes the first day and then go over New Army pass the 2nd day. This is an OK option if you want to take it a little slower, or add Cirgue Peak or Mt. Langley to the trip. It doesn't seem a good option if Soldier Lake is your destination the first day.

Cottonwood pass, at 11180 feet, is over 1000 feet lower then 12320 foot New Army pass.

Hi Dave, My friend and I hiked the Cottonwood Pass trail this past September and then connected to the Pacific Crest Trail. If you take this route to Lower Rock Creek crossing there are not very many water sources after Chicken Springs Lake and a nice long section of trail that is very sandy, like hiking on the beach.

My friend got sick and we had to return to Horseshoe Meadow. We returned via NAP (12310ft). Plentiful water sources all along this section of trail even in September. Great Golden Trout fishing in Lower Soldier Lake too! Very few bugs this time of year as well. I am planning to return again this September and hike to Whitney via the NAP route. Good Luck and safe Journeys.

Gary

It's basically pick your poison. However, I were reserving a permit 6 months in advance for this trip I would do it for Cottonwood Pass, if your trip is early July. NAP may still have ice and snow on it in the first half of the month.

My preference is for NAP because I preference for hiking along Rock Creek rather than through Siberian Outpost on day one...I do this trip in 3 days.

If you take the Cottonwood Pass trail, you need to plan your water. Skip drinking from the river coming down from the area southeast of Cirque Peak, before you get to Cottonwood pass. Up higher the water flows through some left over cow pies (probably left behind by horses), and isn't really that pure.

Chicken Spring Lake is a good water source. After that it is dry until you get down to the creek coming down from the New Army pass area (about 1 mile from Soldier Lake) Soldier lake has ample water of course. There is also some water south of the trail, almost straight west of Cirque Lake on the map, but you would need to leave the trail and hike down to get to it....and who wants to do that?

Even early in the season, like late June, it can be quite dry along that section.

But it is a nice trail, swinging along the west side of the ridge. I really like it.

Last August we hiked from Horseshoe Meadows over cottonwood pass to Soldier Lake and then back over NAP on day 2 to Muir Lake and then hiked out back to horseshoe meadow on day 3. The hike from Chicken Springs Lake to Rock Creek has some real nice vista's but the trail is not good at all. It is reallyyyy sandy like walking on the beach with lots of horse manure. I would highly recommend New Army Pass over Cotonwood Pass, it is higher elevation but it has a great trail and is not really that difficult of a pass.

I guess that everyone has their favorites. I've done all three routes, and prefer Cottonwood, myself. There is no real reason to need water until Chickenspring Lake, not that far from the cars. Past there, there is a spring just off the trail to either soldier lake or Rock Creek, about 1/2 way there. You climb out of the the Chickenspring cirque, then it is all downhill to the Rock Creek crossing, so I've found the sand on the trail not bothersome.

So, with a little planning, it is very straightforward to go this way, and saves that 1,000 feet.

Personally, I've enjoyed getting to the trailhead in the early evening, and hiking to Chickenspring in the dark.....very nice hike that way.