Half the charm of climbing mountains is born in visions preceding this experience – visions of what is mysterious, remote, inaccessible.
-George Mallory
Itinerary
A rough outline for our Mt. Langley Backpacking Trip, scheduled for October 4-5. More details to come…
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Mt. Langley Backpacking Trip
Day 1 (Saturday)
- 8:00 AM – Leave Home
- 11:30 AM – Arrive in Lone Pine
- Pick up permits & bear canister(s)
- Eat late breakfast/early lunch
- 1:00 PM – Arrive at trailhead
- 5:00 PM – Setup campsite near CWL #3 (sunset 6:30)
Day 2 (Sunday)
- 2:00 AM – Start Hiking
- Hike Old Army Pass to Mt. Langley (green line)
- Mileage: 4 miles || Duration: 5-6 hrs || Elevation Change: + 3000 ft
- Plan to be on the summit for sunrise (6:50 AM)
- 7:00 AM – Return to Camp via Old Army Pass
- 10:00 AM – Arrive @ Camp and pack up
- 11:00 AM – Start hike back to trailhead
- 2:00 PM – Finish hike, drive home
- 3-4 hr drive home from trailhead
Here are some of the others peaks I am looking at (as well as the Langley Stats), in order of preference:
- Mt. Langley
Distance: 20-22 miles RT || Duration: 14-16 hrs || Elevation Change: ±4000′ || Max Elevation: 14,042′ || Difficulty: Very Strenuous(elevation)
Notes: can be done as a backpacking trip (preferred), car camp or hotel stay.
- Cloudripper (Northslope via Green Lake)
Distance: 10 miles RT || Duration: 12+ hrs || Elevation Change: ±4200′ || Max Elevation: 13,525′ || Difficulty: Very Strenuous (steep, off trail, elevation)
Notes: Majority of hike is Class 2, off trail
- Mt. Gould
Distance: 9 miles RT || Duration: ~8-10 hrs? || Elevation Change: ±3400′ || Max Elevation: 13,012′ || Difficulty: Very Strenuous (steep)
Notes: Last .5 mile (1k feet elevation gain) to summit is off trail, including a class 3 summit block.
- Lone Pine Peak
Distance: 10 miles RT || Duration: 12+ hrs || Elevation Change: ±4700′ || Max Elevation: 12,944′ || Difficulty: Very Strenuous (steep, off trail)
Notes: Majority of hike is Class 2, off trail
- White Mountain Peak
Distance: 15 miles RT || Duration: ~ 8 hrs || Elevation Change: ±2550′ || 6.4% average incline || Max Elevation: 14,252′ || Difficulty: Very Strenuous(elevation)
Notes: first 5.25 miles < 5%, last 2.25 miles to summit is 10%+
If rain, snow or thunderstorms are predicted for the Eastern Sierra, so backup options include overnighters on San Jacinto, San Bernardino or a car camping trip (with hiking) to Joshua Tree.
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Gear
Clothing
You should carry sufficient clothes to spend a night out on the trail – up to an elevation of 14505 ft. At a minimum, bring thermal tops and bottoms, a fleece hat, and a waterproof, wind-resistant jacket. Adding a fleece top and a pair of polypropylene gloves will greatly increase comfort if a problem occurs, yet weigh less than a pound.
(Source: One Best Hike: Mt. Whitney, by Elizabeth Wenk)
While this quote is for Mt. Whitney, it applies to this trip as well.
Here are forecasts for the areas we may visit and the weather we need to be prepared for:
Here is a list of the clothing I plan to bring:
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- baseball cap (sun protection)
- winter hat (beanie or balaclava)
- Columbia Watertight Jacket (waterproof outershell)
- GoLite Demaree 800 Fill Down Jacket (insulation layer, probably won’t be used)
- Champion Double Dry Competitor Compression Long Sleeve (instead of thermal top)
- Columbia Men’s Sweat Threat Crew Tee (wicking T-Shirt)
- New Balance 100% Polyester Lined Pants & New Balance 100% Polyester Training Shorts (worn under pants for hike)
- (2) pairs Thorlo Hiking Socks
- (2) pairs REI Sock Liners
- (1) pair light gloves (Columbia Trail Summit running gloves or similar)
- (1) pair heavy gloves or mittens
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First Aid/Emergency Kit
I will carry a large first-aid kit for the group. Each individual should carry the following:
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- Navigation
I will print out a index card sized map for everyone
- Sun Protection
You don’t want to forget sunscreen, chapstick and sunglasses for this hike
- Headlamp or Flashlight
The first 3-4 hours of this hike will be in the dark
- Emergency Shelter
I prefer an SOL Emergency Bivvy over a space blanket, but either will work
- Poncho
If large enough, can also be used as a pack cover. Not necessary if your jacket is waterproof
- Emergency water purification (tablets or iodine)
In case you get separated from the group (not likely)
- Toilet Paper
- Small first-aid kit for personal use.
Items may include:
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Backpacking/Camping Gear
Recommend gear for the overnight portion of the trip:
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- sleeping bag (0 or 20° rating)
- sleeping pad
- tent (2-3 tents for the group)
- bear canister (2-3 for the group)
- stove and fuel canister (2 stoves, 2 canisters for the group)
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Food
Everyone will be responsible for bringing their own food. Here is what I’m thinking:
| Oct 4 |
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Breakfast: |
bring something to eat in the car or we will stop for fast-food on the drive |
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Lunch: |
Subway sandwiches or Pizza Factory in Lone Pine |
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Dinner: |
Cook @ Camp. I will probably bring Ramen |
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| Oct 5 |
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Breakfast: |
Cook @ Camp. I will probably bring instant hot cereal |
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Lunch: |
Eaten on the trail or fast food in Lone Pine |
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Dinner: |
Eaten on the road or wait until we return home |
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Based on that info, hikers will be responsible for 1 dinner & 1 breakfast to be prepared at camp, as well as breakfast & lunch for the day of the hike. All food and toiletries will need to be stored in a bear canister while we are at camp. Remember that things like chapstick, sunscreen and toothpaste all smell like food to bears.
Water
Cutting down on pack weight goes a long way towards having an enjoyable and successful hike. Since there is plenty of water available along most of the trail, minimizing how much water we carry is an easy way to reduce pack weight. My recommendation is to bring a hydration bladder and two 1 liter water bottles, such as plastic gatorade bottles.Here’s my plan:
- I plan to leave the trailhead with my hydration bladder empty and 2 liters in the bottles.
- Once we get to camp, I plan to fill my hydration bladder (3L) for the next day’s hike. I will probably consume 4 liters overnight for cooking and drinking
- After the summit attempt, I will plan on leaving camp with 1 liter
I will carry a water filter. If someone else has one that they can bring, it will help cut down on the time we have to spend filtering and serve as a backup.
Trip Costs
| MW, JP, AL, EB: |
$25 ea* |
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- $5 Bear Canister
- $20 gas (450 miles ÷ 18 mpg x $4.15/gal = $100 ÷ 5 people)
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