Mount Langley and Cirque Peak in Inyo National Forest, CA

Hike Mount Langley and Cirque Peak Inyo National Forest, CA

Class 2 22.3 miles 5400 gain 9-12 hrs Loop Jun 8, 2021
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Mount Langley and Cirque Peak GPX Track

I need to offset my substantial website costs somehow! You can download a hike/drive GPX to assist you here. Before sharing my GPX tracks with others, please remember my site is otherwise a free resource.

Due to an unfortunately very low snow year, Mount Langley was completely clear by June, so I took advantage of nature's misfortune (omg I'm so not excited to see how bad the wildfires are going to be this year) and decided to hike this 14er. The normally very popular Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead wasn't overrun since this was a weekday, so I breathed a sigh of relief that I would get at least a little solitude. Normally people hike Mount Langley via New Army Pass. This trail is really popular, and very well maintained. However, it requires an additional 600 feet of vertical gain/loss. I've included the route in purple on my attached map, but I did not go this way. I'm sure it's really pretty, but my intended loop route made more sense to ascend Old Army Pass instead. Just a note that there is more likely to be snow on this route, and the trail is somewhat exposed, so if you're at all concerned about snow or being scared, take New Army Pass instead. My route would also head over Cirque Peak and descend to the Cottonwood Pass Trail to make this a big, pretty loop.

A few miles of forest walking led me to the junction of the New Army Pass and Old Army Pass route, where I kept right. I ascended to Cottonwood Lakes on the really nice trail, Mount Langley's southern cliffs coming into view as I made my way. I passed Cottonwood Lake #4 on its north side and made one big switchback into the eroded cirque. The trail is likely regularly maintained because I can't imagine it holding up for very long without it. I encountered some minor snow that, if I slipped, would result in a pretty bad day. Once at Old Army Pass, I continued on the easy-to-follow trail north toward Mount Langley. A few hundred feet of steep and sandy hiking led to a short, flat section. Here I observed the only Class 2 required for the Mount Langley route. It's only a couple of moves on big boulders required to gain the final ascent slope. Large cairns generally mark the way, but there seem to be unlimited social trail options to ascend the peak from here. Just keep heading up. The last few hundred feet were much less steep and the views from Mount Langley were delightful.

I headed back to Old Army Pass, where I picked up a social trail that led to the popular New Army Pass Trail. I took it up some switchbacks to New Army Pass. Many may want to descend back to the trailhead from here, and honestly the lakes below were quite inviting, but I was more excited to hike up to Cirque Peak to the south. I followed the Class 2 rim of the cirque for which Cirque Peak is named after, the terrain progessively getting more tedious. What started as a social trail finished with Class 2 boulder-hopping to the summit. The view toward Mount Langley from Cirque Peak was my favorite of the day. It gave perspective on quite how big the mountain is. I debated briefly about returning to New Army Pass and descending, but the prospect of making this route a bigger loop by tacking on the Cottonwood Pass Trail to the south was appealing, and I preferred to not backtrack along Ciruqe Peak's not-super-fun rim. I headed south off Cirque Peak on Class 2 boulders, which quickly became just a pleasant sandy slope. I followed the ridgeline more-or-less until it started to ascend again, and then I made a full descent when the terrain was clear of rocks and I could pretty much jog down unencumbered. Farther along the ridge seemed to have more rockiness, but the way I headed down brought me to the Cottonwood Pass Trail without any irritation.

I followed the Cottonwood Pass Trail back, passing the very pretty Chicken Spring Lake. A bunch of short switchbacks brought me down into the valley below, and the trail led me almost back to the Cottonwood Pass Trailhead, which isn't where I parked. Instead, I took a left at a sign that brought me back to my car.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Mount Langley
14026 ft
1165 rise
2
Cirque Peak
12900 ft
900 rise

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!

Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead.
Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead.
A long walk through the forest.
A long walk through the forest.
Image 2 from gallery
A stream crossing.
A stream crossing.
A meadow.
A meadow.
Image 5 from gallery
New Army Pass Trail heads left, Cottonwood Lakes and Old Army Pass goes right (my route).
New Army Pass Trail heads left, Cottonwood Lakes and Old Army Pass goes right (my route).
Heading up to the Cottonwood Lakes.
Heading up to the Cottonwood Lakes.
View back.
View back.
Approaching Cottonwood Lakes.
Approaching Cottonwood Lakes.
Mount Langley top right, Cirque Peak top left.
Mount Langley top right, Cirque Peak top left.
Close-up toward Cirque Peak (left). New Army Pass is in the center.
Close-up toward Cirque Peak (left). New Army Pass is in the center.
Mount Langley right of center.
Mount Langley right of center.
The trail winds around the Cottonwood Lakes.
The trail winds around the Cottonwood Lakes.
View back toward one of the Cottonwood Lakes.
View back toward one of the Cottonwood Lakes.
Mount Langley ahead.
Mount Langley ahead.
Old Army Pass on the left.
Old Army Pass on the left.
Cottonwood Lake #4. Old Army Pass left of center. The trail is hard to see until you're basically right on it.
Cottonwood Lake #4. Old Army Pass left of center. The trail is hard to see until you're basically right on it.
Old Army Pass above.
Old Army Pass above.
View back toward the upper Cottonwood Lakes.
View back toward the upper Cottonwood Lakes.
A wide shot back toward Cottonwood Lake #4 before the switchback up to Old Army Pass.
A wide shot back toward Cottonwood Lake #4 before the switchback up to Old Army Pass.
Old Army Pass ahead.
Old Army Pass ahead.
View back.
View back.
If there's snow it can definitely be a bit treacherous.
If there's snow it can definitely be a bit treacherous.
At Old Army Pass, view back.
At Old Army Pass, view back.
Old Army Pass, welcome to Sequoia National Park.
Old Army Pass, welcome to Sequoia National Park.
Along the trail leading to Mount Langley.
Along the trail leading to Mount Langley.
View back toward Old Army Pass (left). Cirque Peak poking out on the far right.
View back toward Old Army Pass (left). Cirque Peak poking out on the far right.
Mount Langley ahead.
Mount Langley ahead.
View back, Cirque Peak top left.
View back, Cirque Peak top left.
At the base of Mount Langley, just before it starts to ascend steeply.
At the base of Mount Langley, just before it starts to ascend steeply.
Shot back along the trail, Cirque Peak top left.
Shot back along the trail, Cirque Peak top left.
Close-up west toward some distant peaks in the Sierra.
Close-up west toward some distant peaks in the Sierra.
Starting up the sandy social trail.
Starting up the sandy social trail.
Another shot back, Cirque Peak top right. Olancha Peak distant center.
Another shot back, Cirque Peak top right. Olancha Peak distant center.
After a few steep hundred feet of hiking, a short flat section. Ahead is the only Class 2 move on the route, visible left of center. The trail leads right to it.
After a few steep hundred feet of hiking, a short flat section. Ahead is the only Class 2 move on the route, visible left of center. The trail leads right to it.
Top of the short Class 2 section, view back toward the flat section.
Top of the short Class 2 section, view back toward the flat section.
A view west as I start up the steep southwest slope of Mount Langley.
A view west as I start up the steep southwest slope of Mount Langley.
Heading up.
Heading up.
View back. Cirque Peak visible left. I'm on one of many options for social trails.
View back. Cirque Peak visible left. I'm on one of many options for social trails.
Close-up toward Cirque and the many options for social trails to ascend Mount Langley.
Close-up toward Cirque and the many options for social trails to ascend Mount Langley.
Continuing up.
Continuing up.
A few hundred feet from the summit, the terrain becomes less steep. A final view of the ascent route before the view is obscured.
A few hundred feet from the summit, the terrain becomes less steep. A final view of the ascent route before the view is obscured.
Easy walking to the summit.
Easy walking to the summit.
Mount Langley summit, view southeast.
Mount Langley summit, view southeast.
Mount Langley summit view north.
Mount Langley summit view north.
Close-up north, Mount Whitney top right.
Close-up north, Mount Whitney top right.
Back at Old Army Pass, I followed a social trail to the popular New Army Pass Trail.
Back at Old Army Pass, I followed a social trail to the popular New Army Pass Trail.
View along the New Army Pass Trail switchbacks, view back toward Mount Langley.
View along the New Army Pass Trail switchbacks, view back toward Mount Langley.
Image 49 from gallery
New Army Pass, view back toward Mount Langley.
New Army Pass, view back toward Mount Langley.
New Army Pass, view toward Cirque Peak and the rim I'll be hiking to reach it.
New Army Pass, view toward Cirque Peak and the rim I'll be hiking to reach it.
New Army Pass, view down toward the pretty lakes below and the trailhead somewhere in the center. If you don't care to get Cirque Peak, heading down the trail from New Army Pass would be the way to go.
New Army Pass, view down toward the pretty lakes below and the trailhead somewhere in the center. If you don't care to get Cirque Peak, heading down the trail from New Army Pass would be the way to go.
Onward to Cirque Peak. It starts off as a faint social trail, then progresses to easy talus walking.
Onward to Cirque Peak. It starts off as a faint social trail, then progresses to easy talus walking.
The talus gets larger and requires some boulder-hopping.
The talus gets larger and requires some boulder-hopping.
View along the rim.
View along the rim.
Summit of Cirque Peak. View back along the rim, Mount Langley visible top right.
Summit of Cirque Peak. View back along the rim, Mount Langley visible top right.
Close-up of Mount Langley.
Close-up of Mount Langley.
Cirque Peak summit, view down toward the lakes.
Cirque Peak summit, view down toward the lakes.
Cirque Peak summit, view south along the ridge I chose to descend.
Cirque Peak summit, view south along the ridge I chose to descend.
Heading down the north ridge. I started descending from the ridge before the bump in the center.
Heading down the north ridge. I started descending from the ridge before the bump in the center.
Easy walking down.
Easy walking down.
View back toward Cirque Peak.
View back toward Cirque Peak.
I descended fully to the Cottonwood Pass Trail when the slop looked like this, a really fun and quick descent.
I descended fully to the Cottonwood Pass Trail when the slop looked like this, a really fun and quick descent.
View west as I descend.
View west as I descend.
Along the Cottonwood Pass Trail.
Along the Cottonwood Pass Trail.
View back as I continue along the Cottonwood Pass Trail.
View back as I continue along the Cottonwood Pass Trail.
Chicken Spring Lake. The southern ridge coming down from Cirque Peak visible on the left.
Chicken Spring Lake. The southern ridge coming down from Cirque Peak visible on the left.
Heading down to Chicken Spring Lake.
Heading down to Chicken Spring Lake.
Along the Cottonwood Pass Trail.
Along the Cottonwood Pass Trail.
The trailhead is left of the meadow on the left. There were a bunch of short switchbacks here to get down to the valley below.
The trailhead is left of the meadow on the left. There were a bunch of short switchbacks here to get down to the valley below.
Along the switchbacks.
Along the switchbacks.
The Cottonwood Pass Trail continues into the valley below.
The Cottonwood Pass Trail continues into the valley below.
Another forest walk.
Another forest walk.
Nearing the Cottonwood Pass Trailhead.
Nearing the Cottonwood Pass Trailhead.
Image 75 from gallery
I reached a junction before the Cottonwood Pass Trailhead, where I kept left to get back to my car at the Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead. On the way, I passed an Equestrian campground.
I reached a junction before the Cottonwood Pass Trailhead, where I kept left to get back to my car at the Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead. On the way, I passed an Equestrian campground.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!