Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Horseshoe Meadows/Cottonwood question

Has anyone done the HSM to Cottonwood pass trip this year? If so, has there been adequate water sources along the way? Is it late enough in the season to not have to worry about snow? I'm thinking about heading up next weekend for an overnight practice trip and am soliciting advice/experiences.

I did a board search, but didn't find a ton of relative threads, so if anyone has links, please feel free.

Thanks so much
kevin

No snow. No water until you get to Chickenspring Lake. On the other hand, it's not too far, so you won't have to carry much extra weight.

thanks!

ok, since i don't have a map of the area yet. how many miles is it from the trailhead to chicken spring lake?



wait, i just read it's 10 miles. perfect. thanks

I think that's round trip. It's more like 5 miles on way.

ahhh, darn. i was hoping to get a longer hike in than 5 miles each way.

Well, if you go over New Army Pass and drop down into the next canyon, there are some nice camp spots there. Easy trail all the way, and water opportunities along the way.

Thanks Steve, I may just do that. I'm going to pick up a map at lunchtime today and see what looks best in terms of reliable water sources.

I took a group of hikers up to the store the other day to meet Doug Thompson in person before I drove them out to Horseshoe Meadows Trailhead. They were going to take the Cottonwood route, but Doug told them that everthing there had dried up from the drought. He advised them to take the New Army Pass Route instead because there is more water with all the little lakes and because, in his view, it is more scenic. It only involves a 500 ft. higher altitude gain. They took his advice and had me drop them off at that trailhead instead of the other one.

RWE

Thank you!

That was my worry as well. I bought a map last weekend and an planning to head up to New Army Pass instead.

Does anyone have a suggestion as to camp sites there? Good places to stay the night?

There are backpacker sites at the trailhead.

are permits required for horseshoe trailhead to new army pass and back?

You need permits for overnites, but not for dayhikes.

what are my chances of getting a walk up? where can i get the permit? sorry for all the questions. i know my whitney stuff, but am new to this particular area.


edit: ok, i've been looking it up. looks like my dates are not available. where is the station that i'd have to go to try and get a walk-in?

> what are my chances of getting a walk up?

Great if you are first in line the day BEFORE you want to enter. 40% of the quota for each trail is saved for walk-in permits. Call the Wilderness Permit office to find out when they become available -- previous years it was 11 AM.


> where can i get the permit?

At ANY Inyo National Forest ranger station (except in Lone Pine, it is the Interagency Visitor Center.) There are stations in Lee Vining, Mammoth, Bishop and Lone Pine.

shoot! i have to go the day BEFORE to pick up the permit? ugh, i was hoping on getting up that morning, driving there, and having at it. this is getting complicated.

No, you can go the day of, but you may have been beat. Still a good chance, if it is not the weekend.

ken

thanks! you've been a wealth of knowledge.

let's say i get up there and don't get a permit, are there any overnight hikes in the area that don't require a permit?

...and finally, i'm a little embarassed to ask, but where can i pick up my permit? in lone pine somewhere? i'm used to picking up my permit at lodgepole in sequoia, never done it on the east side before. thanks, all

For Cottonwood Pass and Lakes the chances of getting a permit on the weekend as walk-in would be pretty good, it has a large quota. However, if this is what you are going to do have an alternative planned.

Also, there is usually plenty of water along the way once you exit Horseshoe Meadow and enter the forest. If you start with 2 L of water you will not need to use these sources.

INF backpacking permits can be picked up at any ranger station or the visitor's center, expect Mt. Whitney permits. However, do not count on even experienced staff to know anything about a trailhead outside their ranger district. Come prepared if you will getting your permit for a location other than IVC.

katahdin music company says:

let's say i get up there and don't get a permit, are there any overnight hikes in the area that don't require a permit?
======================

All overnite trips in Inyo national Forest require a permit. However, there are some options where there are no quotas, so you can always get a permit.

From the Cottonwood Pass trailhead, you can look up and see three passes: Cottonwood, Trail, and Mulkey passes (from right to left). The last two are to the left of Trail Peak. The first has a quota, the last two do not.

There are several trip possibilities that I've done: Climb Trail Pass, join PCT north, camp at Chickenspring Lake. Or go over the other side into the area of Tunnel meadows. Climb Mulkey Pass, head south on PCT, climb Mt. Muah.

I think of these as "backup" trips anytime I'm in the area and can't get a quota permit (has never happened).

Phone lines are back up at the reservations line!

I just reserved two spots (7 left) for this friday at Cottonwood Pass

There were no more spots available at Cottonwood Lakes. I'm a little bit bummed that I won't be going the New Army Pass route, but at this point, I'm just glad to have a reserved permit that says I can be anywhere up there.

Much thanks to all that have helped me out here.