Mt. Langley was first climbed in 1871 by Clarence King, a member of USGS survey team. He allegedly reached the top on a horse! Horse's name is not known.

Four other people made it to the top today, but they didn't do a day hike. Instead, they camped at one of the lakes.

Bench mark at the summit reads:

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
B.M.
250 DOLLARS FINE FOR DISTURBING THIS MARK
ELEVATION
ABOVE SEA
14042 FEET
DATUM (unclear)

View north:

Four nearby 14K peaks are visible from the summit of Mt. Langley. From left to right: Mt. Muir (14,015 ft), Mt. Whitney (14,494 ft), Mt. Russell (14,086 ft), and Mt. Williamson (14,370 ft). In the foreground, south-east messy face of Mt. Corcoran (13,714 ft).

View east, down the Tuttle Creek drainage:

Owens River Valley. Lone Pine is the green spot in the middle of the picture

View south:

Josh facing Cirque Peak (12,900 ft). The lonely peak on the left half of the picture is the last high point on the Eastern Sierra crest: Olancha Peak (12,123 ft). Horseshoe Meadow is the greenish-grayish flat on the left edge of the picture.

View west:

Sky Blue Lake basin.

Time to leave. Summit basks in the late afternoon sunshine.

On his way down, Ryan flashes two secret signals to Mt. Langley. The mountain sends no response (or else, Ryan wouldn't be here with us today).

Heading down. Our Horseshoe Meadow trailhead (left) is still hopelessly far away, and shadows are getting longer and longer.

Lydia stops to watch the western sky.

Three sleepy flowers and Karine.

On the rock pile.

Down the rock pile.

View southwest.

Harv studies (or, perhaps, contributes to?) the Oh Sh*t !! formation.

Dave hurrying down on the Old Army Pass trail. Are we going to make it to Lone Pine while food places are still open?

Few more switchbacks, and Lydia and Dave will be on Lake #4.

Other people are not nearly that fast. Jules and Karine have just made it to the top of the Pass, and the rest of the party is even further away.

Last rays of sunshine reflect on dark waters.

Middle Cottonwood Lake in twilight.

In the end, not even the leading group makes it in time for the pizza place. Dave and Lydia reach the cars at about 10pm, and Jules and Karine somewhat later, but Lone Pine is still far away, and everything there closes at 11pm.

Moon is well above the horizon when the last group passes by the middle Cottonwood Lake on their way back. Barely noticed by the tired hikers, stars shiver in the distance. Four small headlights, tightly following each other, winding down the mountain, and miles to go before the sleep...

Epilogue:

Late next morning we can see Mt. Langley (left), Lone Pine Peak (middle), and Mt. Whitney (right) from our motel rooms.

Pain, hunger (heh!), and suffering will soon be forgotten. More pleasant memories will stay with us for quite a while.

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The expedition formally ends at Hot Creek Geological Site, with a relaxing bath in the crystal clear (and hot) mountain creek.

Wish you were all there!

if you liked this report.

THE END