Cottonwood to Whitney

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toejam
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Cottonwood to Whitney

Post by toejam »

I'm planning a trip out of Lone Pine from Cottonwood trailhead to Mt. Whitney. Anybody been there recently? Any places in between I should see or avoid? I'm looking for a 5-6 day hike.

Thanks!
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tomcat_rc
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Re: Cottonwood to Whitney

Post by tomcat_rc »

This round of storms will probably be enough to close and lock the gate leading up the Horseshoe Meadows Rd. - effectively denying you access to the Cottonwood trailhead.
mountain hiking is addictive:
I can quit anytime I want - I just choose not to want
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toejam
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Re: Cottonwood to Whitney

Post by toejam »

I shoulda been more clear. This trip is next summer. There's not nearly enough eskimo in my blood to try it now! :rock:
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AnnieB
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Re: Cottonwood to Whitney

Post by AnnieB »

You must go to the Miter Basin. Not to be missed. Spectacular!
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trav867
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Re: Cottonwood to Whitney

Post by trav867 »

I took a trip out of Cottonwood at the end of September, didn't go all the way to Whitney but the pics should give you a pretty good idea of what its like. http://www.slide.com/r/5wrQCiQx4z_BeByAi-JD3R4KjGdKh2bX
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toejam
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Re: Cottonwood to Whitney

Post by toejam »

Great pictures, trav.

Is that great beach on one of the Crabtree Lakes?
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trav867
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Re: Cottonwood to Whitney

Post by trav867 »

Thanks- its the biggest of the Crabtree Lakes, right below Mt. Chamberlin. Really a great area!
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markskor
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Re: Cottonwood to Whitney

Post by markskor »

Did this hike twice, with only a Miter Basin variation on one…but I was doing them both as primarily fishing trips. Thus it took me a bit longer as I stopped a lot at all lakes. Basically it went something like this.
Day 1 – The Portal – acclimation and a burger.
Day 2 – Shuttle (~$80) up to Horseshoe…hiked first day to South Fork Lake. (There are no fish there – FYI.)
Day 3 – Visited the Cottonwoods for Goldens - (plenty), also a brief stop at Long – more Goldens, and camped at High Lake.
Day 4 – Over NAP to Lower Soldier – Great campsites, fires permitted, and a bear box…spotty fishing though and this is where the trips differ. One trip took the lower route…Guyot Creek (sp?) to Crabtree Meadows…just to visit first hand the famous outdoor crapper…nice – (worth it!). The other, up into the Basin and camped at Sky-Blue. Here are some serious fish but hard to land…the Basin is indeed a magical place, but the sand hill/ talus field over the pass is a bit of a mother.
Day 6 – Short (layover) day from the Meadows to Lower Crabtree Lake…great fishing at a large lake…camped there primarily for the evening rise.. The other trip also ended up staying at Lower Crabtree after the pass, but at the far (upper) side of the lake – on the beach.
Day 7 – Guitar and Hitchcock Lakes for thousands of spectacular Goldens.
Day 8 – Summit and down to Consultation for (you guessed it) more fishing…many skinny fish here.
Day 9 – Back to the Portal – another Portal Burger!…grabbed the car, a hotel room in Lone Pine, with great New Yorks and a bottle of wine at the Merry-Go-Round.

Recommend either trip highly.
Mountainman who swims with trout
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Snow Nymph
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Re: Cottonwood to Whitney

Post by Snow Nymph »

Nice slideshow, Trav! :)
Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free . . . . Jim Morrison


http://snownymph.smugmug.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Cottonwood to Whitney

Post by backpacker92108 »

I did this route solo in mid-Sept of 2007. This is a wonderful way to do Mt. Whitney. I took 6 days and camped at:

Cottonwood Lakes #2
Rock Creek Crossing
Upper Crab Tree Meadow
Trail Crest (there are a couple of cleared pads)
Outpost Camp

It was really cool to camp at about 13,500 by Trail Crest. The views and sunset were outstanding from up there. I was the 2nd one up on Mt. Whitney that morning. It was in the 20s with strong winds ... very cold. I just beat an early winter snow storm as it hit overnight while at Outpost Camp. I had decided to risk it and not line up a shuttle ride service which seemed expensive to me. Hitched a ride back over to Cottonwood Lakes trailhead with 4 nice backpacker guys whom I had met the last night at Outpost. Everything worked out perfectly.

Here is a slide show of my trip if you want to take a look.

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/560825319nzyUGg

John
Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.
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