Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Langley traverse possibilities?

Hi. I won't bore you with WHY i want to do this, but this is what i want to do:

Summit Langely the typical New Army Pass route, but then somehow end up on the Pacific Crest Trail northbound. I would like to avoid backtracking all the way down the south and east sides. Is there some way to off-trail it west or northwest and find the PCT?

The New Army Pass trail connects with the PCT. If 2 miles south is too big a detour from the summit and you're intent on off trail hiking, you can instead go south just 1 mile and then head west down the broad gully that takes you south of The Major General. Easy terrain. Keep going SW from and that will put you on the PCT too. A more scenic option is contour around the Major General and then hike up past the beautiful lakes leading to Crabtree Pass. Then pick up the PCT at Trail Crest.

Splurge and get yourself a map.

LOL...

Really splurge and get TOPO! California.

Hi -

just a thought - I went up Langley last year (thru New Army Pass) and discovered it's quite a bit closer from (Old) Army Pass. Once at New Army you gotta drop, like, 700 ft to (old) Army Pass and do extra distance. Also, the switchbacks up to New Army are ***lame*** - the straight sections are long and parallel to the crest gaining hardly any elevation. The only time u gain elevation is where the trail turns for the next long stretch.

Here's a photo from New Army looking toward Langley (and the 700 ft. drop toward Army Pass):

http://fun.videowok.biz/cgi/idb.pl?m=f;p=/backpack/0708langley;i=p;f=DSC02771.jpg

As ep mentioned, it is an easy XC hike just south of the Major General, pass the soldier lakes, follow the outlet, which follows down to the PCT crossing of Rock Creek. Very pleasant hike, class 1 as I recall.

That's the reply i was hoping to get, so thanks. Now i'll explain and maybe you'll be a little more kind about me not having a map. I'm hiking the PCT this year, hopefully Mexico to Canada. I just got news that my girlfriend, a better climber than me, can meet me around the time i expect to be in the Southern Sierra. So i was thinking if i met her at those trailheads, instead of backtracking, we could knock off a 14er to make her happy and then hook back up with the PCT to keep going.

I have all my PCT maps, but they don't show as far east as Langley, and i have the 14ers book, but it only shows routes from the east. Now that i know, i'll get a map for the in between.

Mark, are you going to ADZPCTKO?

Yep, i'll be there. I did Section A earlier this month as a headstart, but i'll be getting a ride in. You?

p.s. Any better map options for west of Langley than the USGS topo?

Hi Langley topo covers 4 USGS maps try meptech .com or just go to google earth and view the trails/ crosscountry. Sounds like your skill level you have many great options and may add a summit hike to Whitney with your girlfriend. Look at Skyblue Crabtree pass and join trailcrest, summit Whitney then down to the PCT.Thanks Doug Oh this trip is common so try the search function and Maps map come up in a trip report we have talked with people and they rate this trip the best of the Sierra, short hike in, many peaks in the area and no people Thanks Doug

Good idea on Sec A. I will be there, they usually put me around site 15 or so, as I've been giving the snow travel seminar the last couple of years. This year, don't know yet. We should meet up!

I'll probably skip the snow seminar in favor of the scorpion dueling seminar, but i'll stop by and say hi anyway. Speaking of snow though, i still haven't figured out if i'm going to bring my axe and spikes or not. They're heavy, but trusted. (I actually like icy slopes and crampons and hate rock.) I've already busted my bank account on lighter gear in other areas, so i don't want to buy ULA Nerf Crampons. Any thoughts on what i should haul with me from Trail Pass north, early-mid June?

Don't know yet what is going to be required.

It can certainly be done without technical gear, but the issue is the user-friendliness of the snow surface, and when it is safe to travel.

Here is a map of the area I created using TOPO.



If you want the full res image it is here.