Mount Corcoran

Overview

Mount Corcoran is located in the Southern Sierras, right between Mount Whitney and Mount Langley. Being in the Mount Whitney/Mount Langley region causes Mount Corcoran to receive only a handful of visitors each year. The actual summit of Corcoran is the highest of four bumps along the ridgeline that runs South from Mount LeConte. Mount Corcoran is not a prominent point from either Lone Pine or Miter Basin, but it offers many fun routes for climbers of all abilities. The easiest route is the climb via from the North Notch, which is a mixture of Class 2-3.

Getting There

Mount Corcoran can be reached from the Meysan Lakes area, the Turtle Creek drainage, or Miter Basin. For the Meysan Lakes approach, take highway 395 to Lone Pine, then turn onto Whitney Portal road. Follow this road until one reaches a locked gate on the road next to the Whitney Portal campgrounds. Signs point through the campground and up a back road to the Meysan Lakes trail. Follow this trail to upper Meysan Lake, then climb one of the many chutes to the plateau between LeConte and Mallory. This route requires some tricky route finding on a traverse around the backside of LeConte. For the Turtle Creek approach take Whitney Portal road as above, but turn onto Horseshoe Meadows Rd. Then turn into either the Turtle Creek Campground or down Granite view road. From the end of either road hike up the Turtle Creek drainage. The Miter Basin approach can be reached from the Horseshoe Meadows trailhead at the end of Horseshoe Meadow Road(directions above).

Red Tape

No permits are required for day hikes on any of the routes, but the normal overnight permit is required for all that spend at least one night in the backcountry. These permits can be acquired at the Forest Service Ranger Station in Lone Pine. No other restrictions or limitations.
Lone Pine; 760-876-6200
Bishop; 760-873-2500
Inyo National Forest

When To Climb

The normal climbing season is between June and September. In early season and after the first snow crampons and ice axes are often required. Snow ascents are possible either via Meysan Lakes or Tuttle Creek.

Camping

There are many overnight campsites around the starting points of the climb. Tuttle Creek campground and the Horseshoe Meadow campground usually have open spots for camping. The Whitney Portal campground at the base of the Meysan Lakes trail is often full. An overnight fee is required for all campsites. Backcountry permits are usually plentiful and can be reserved ahead of time for $5 a person. Normal Wilderness restrictions apply for overnight camping.

Mountain Conditions

To check mountain and road conditions or to reserve a permit call the Lone Pine Ranger Station or the White Mountain Rangers Station in Bishop.
Inyo National Forest Road Conditions

External Links

• Lone Pine/LeConte/Corcoran Traverse - Aug 10, 2004
  
  
• Corcoran to Irvine Traverse
  
  
• Corcoran-LeConte Springtime Traverse
  
  

Additions and CorrectionsPost an Addition or Correction

Viewing: 1-5 of 5

Tom Kenney - Sep 21, 2004 2:25 pm - Voted 10/10

Untitled Comment

When I was up there (didn't make Corcoran, BTW) I went directly up from the sandy flat to the base of the Obelisk, then closely followed the cliffs, keeping the Obelisk on my right, into the cirque to the left (west) of the Obelisk. This route avoided much of the extremely unpleasant scree, and lead me to a nice granite dike that crossed the cirque over to the big ridge jutting east from Corcoran.

I had already been up Tuttle Creek a few times before I read Secor's book, so I ignored the book and just followed my nose.

Here's a map I made of the area, and of routes I've followed. The route into the Corcoran cirque is marked in purple near the Obelisk. I descended more directly through the scree (marked in red).

ksolem - Sep 21, 2004 2:35 pm - Hasn't voted

Untitled Comment

Thanks Tom. My previous experience with Tuttle Creek was to do Langley, and I guess I didn't pay close enough attention to the terrain on the North side. I'll be heading up there again soon, taking your route...

ksolem - Sep 20, 2004 4:47 pm - Hasn't voted

Untitled Comment

For anyone planning an ascent from the South Fork of Tuttle Creek per Secor's "North Notch from the East" route, I ran onto a serious glitch. Secor shows a map specifically directing that you head up the chute to the right of the Tuttle Obelisk. I did so and climbed up for over 1500 ft to what I expected to be a pass over to the bowls at the base of comb ridge. In fact a came to a huge drop off from where I was looking across the next huge gully system - the one uphill of the Tuttle Obelisk and obviously the one I wanted to be in. Oh well, nice view anyway. I would have been better off reading the topo map instead of the guide book.

Tom Kenney - Sep 21, 2004 2:25 pm - Voted 10/10

Untitled Comment

When I was up there (didn't make Corcoran, BTW) I went directly up from the sandy flat to the base of the Obelisk, then closely followed the cliffs, keeping the Obelisk on my right, into the cirque to the left (west) of the Obelisk. This route avoided much of the extremely unpleasant scree, and lead me to a nice granite dike that crossed the cirque over to the big ridge jutting east from Corcoran.

I had already been up Tuttle Creek a few times before I read Secor's book, so I ignored the book and just followed my nose.

Here's a map I made of the area, and of routes I've followed. The route into the Corcoran cirque is marked in purple near the Obelisk. I descended more directly through the scree (marked in red).

ksolem - Sep 21, 2004 2:35 pm - Hasn't voted

Untitled Comment

Thanks Tom. My previous experience with Tuttle Creek was to do Langley, and I guess I didn't pay close enough attention to the terrain on the North side. I'll be heading up there again soon, taking your route...

Viewing: 1-5 of 5