SummitPost.org

Hi,

I am planning to hike Mt.Langley around Aug end. I was planning to drive down from Sunnyvale,CA to the Lone Pine area on Friday , stay in some motel and start to the trailhead around 3 in the morning the next day. Will that work better for me or camping in the trail head ? I dont have any camping gears.
If I stay in some motel in Lone Pine, how far is the drive to the cottonwood lake trail head ?

Thanks

It's probably cheaper to buy a sleeping bag and pad then to pay for a hotel room. I prefer trailhead camping because it gives you a chance to acclimate to altitude. And it is a pretty good haul from Lone Pine to the trailhead, I guessing 45 minutes to an hour drive. My advice; spend the money on gear, borrow or rent what you can't afford. You'll feel better, get more sleep, and enjoy your trip more.

Ashbal, you can stay at Doug Thompson's Whitney Portal Hostel if you don't mind sharing room with somebody. The rate is $22 a night, cannot be beat in Lone Pine. The place is right in the center of town, access road to Langley is in the front of the place. FWIW.

I've dayhiked Langley twice, once sleeping at the "old" part of the Dow Villa Motel, once at the Horseshoe Meadows trailhead, for hikes in August and September. As of 2008, if you get there early enough Friday and it's not a popular weekend, there will be great tent spaces available at the Meadows.

Do you have a truck? You can sleep in the back at Horseshoe Meadows if you are inconspicuous. Be sure to put your smelly stuff in the bear boxes (including soap, sunscreen, toothpaste) overnight. It can be quite cold at night, so if you don't have a sleeping bag, bring plenty of blankets/quilts! I've been comfortable in the front passenger seat of my Outback, after I reclined the seat way back, used a neck pillow, and put something under my feet.

The old part of the Dow Villa has a variety of cheaper rooms, depending on whether you want your own attached bathroom. The walls are thin -- use earplugs. This is a popular place -- book ahead of time.

Weekdays best for both options.

I've never stayed at the Whitney hostel -- look over that option: http://whitneyportalstore.com/forum/ubb ... #Post51019
I once loved hostels. Just 4 beds to a room sounds great. Caution: try to arrange compatible waking and bed times, or again have earplugs. Some folks like to go to bed late before a climb; some like to wake up at midnight and start packing. I snore so badly, that I longer feel good subjecting other people to my presence.

It's a long dayhike -- well over 4000' accumulated gain at the end of the day, because there are a few ups and downs, even through Old Army Pass, and 19 miles RT -- but easily handled in a day IF YOU ARE IN DECENT CONDITION.

Thanks guys. Great tips. I think buying the gear and tenting is a different experience than staying in a motel and I am trying to check out these 2 options.

Also, is there a need to buy a permit and if yes, where can i get it ?

Can't say if magical changes have occurred recently... but for a dayhike of Langley, no permit was required in past.

No changes in permit system yet. You don't need a permit to day hike Langley.

Although watch for changes next summer... I hear we will have to go through recreation.gov to make a reservation from now on ?

It's a 35-minute drive for me. Do you really need to start so early?

hightinerary wrote:It's a 35-minute drive for me. Do you really need to start so early?

I have done 20 miles Round trip and reached the summit which is 4000 feet high from sea level in about 12 hrs. It may or may not take 12 hrs for me in Mt Langley but if I start early may be around 4 at the trail head, we might come back around 4 in the evening and then we have a 6 hrs drive back to Sunnyvale,CA. Hence the early start.

Plus, the earlier you start, the less you get cooked in the sun. The first few miles don't have much memorable scenery anyway (as I recall), so why not knock them out in the dark and cool temps.

Little off topic from the original question. I have heard it is recommended to go up via the new army trail and come back via the old army trail. Should I just stick with that plan ? I heard the new army trail is longer than old army trail but since it is maintained it is easier ?

Thanks

I went up and down via New Army Pass last weekend. I'd avoid Old Army Pass... from what I've heard, it isn't the safest (we attempted Old Army a month ago and it wasn't good last weekend either). There isn't much snow you need to deal with on New Army in comparison.

I've done Langley in a day. Hiking 22 miles all of it over 10,000 ft. is much different than going from sea level to 4000 ft. See my post on the other thread. I would recommend sleeping at Horseshoe Meadows to help acclimate.

A good sleeping bag and pad are WAY more expensive than a cheap hotel room. Maybe you can get a bottom-end Coleman rectangle and foam pad, but that's a waste in my opinion. Completely useless for anything other than car camping. I use a Mountain Hardwear 15 degree bag + Thermarest, which runs about $500.

If you can't afford something reasonable, I'd go with the hotel room. The shared-bathroom rooms at the Dow are awesome and only about $45. And the hostel is another option.

Did someone say Langley?

Making dreams come true today. Summit for Someone (Big City Mountaineers)