Current Conditions CottonwoodLakes Basin
- Love the Sierra
- Topix Expert
- Posts: 503
- Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2016 6:32 pm
- Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
Current Conditions CottonwoodLakes Basin
Hi friends,
I promised to report as soon as I returned.
There were some sparse snow patches and I ran into a hiker who had gone up and down Army pass in trial runners. Speaking of trail runners, ran into a group of about 30 or more running up to 3rd lake and back. New Army pass had no snow at all on the sout face and some on hte North. No skeeters!
I stayed at Hidden Lake and was sad to see how low the water level was. Rocks that I had stood on to fill my bucket in late May of 2018, were now 2.5 ‘ above the water. Back then I watched the fish jumping. Maybe it was too cold, but no activity this time. Happily, there were ducks hanging out there.
The trip was too short very very beautiful.
I promised to report as soon as I returned.
There were some sparse snow patches and I ran into a hiker who had gone up and down Army pass in trial runners. Speaking of trail runners, ran into a group of about 30 or more running up to 3rd lake and back. New Army pass had no snow at all on the sout face and some on hte North. No skeeters!
I stayed at Hidden Lake and was sad to see how low the water level was. Rocks that I had stood on to fill my bucket in late May of 2018, were now 2.5 ‘ above the water. Back then I watched the fish jumping. Maybe it was too cold, but no activity this time. Happily, there were ducks hanging out there.
The trip was too short very very beautiful.
- Love the Sierra
- Topix Expert
- Posts: 503
- Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2016 6:32 pm
- Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
Re: Current Conditions CottonwoodLakes Basin
Love the Sierra wrote: ↑Sun Apr 25, 2021 3:39 pm Hi friends,
I promised to report as soon as I returned.
There were some sparse snow patches and I ran into a hiker who had gone up and down Army pass in trial runners. Speaking of trail runners, ran into a group of about 30 or more running up to 3rd lake and back. New Army pass had no snow at all on the south face and some on the North. No skeeters!
I stayed at Hidden Lake and was sad to see how low the water level was. Rocks that I had stood on to fill my bucket in late May of 2018, were now 2.5 ‘ above the water. Back then I watched the fish jumping. Maybe it was too cold, but no activity this time. Happily, there were ducks hanging out there.
The trip was too short very very beautiful.
![]()
- Love the Sierra
- Topix Expert
- Posts: 503
- Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2016 6:32 pm
- Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
Re: Current Conditions CottonwoodLakes Basin
Love the Sierra wrote: ↑Sun Apr 25, 2021 5:13 pmLove the Sierra wrote: ↑Sun Apr 25, 2021 3:39 pm Hi friends,
I promised to report as soon as I returned.
There were some sparse snow patches and I ran into a hiker who had gone up and down Army pass in trial runners. Speaking of trail runners, ran into a group of about 30 or more running up to 3rd lake and back. New Army pass had no snow at all on the south face and some on the North. No skeeters!
I stayed at Hidden Lake and was sad to see how low the water level was. Rocks that I had stood on to fill my bucket in late May of 2018, were now 2.5 ‘ above the water. Back then I watched the fish jumping. Maybe it was too cold, but no activity this time. Happily, there were ducks hanging out there.
The trip was too short very very beautiful.
![]()
- Love the Sierra
- Topix Expert
- Posts: 503
- Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2016 6:32 pm
- Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
Re: Current Conditions CottonwoodLakes Basin
Sorry for the multiple postings and duplicate pics. One of these days I will figure out this web site!
- gary c.
- Topix Fanatic
- Posts: 1479
- Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2006 4:56 pm
- Experience: N/A
- Location: Lancaster, CA
Re: Current Conditions CottonwoodLakes Basin
Even if you had problems posting its still a nice report. I think that there is a tutorial someplace on posting reports with pics.
"On this proud and beautiful mountain we have lived hours of fraternal, warm and exalting nobility. Here for a few days we have ceased to be slaves and have really been men. It is hard to return to servitude."
-- Lionel Terray
-- Lionel Terray
- texan
- Topix Expert
- Posts: 608
- Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:47 pm
- Experience: N/A
Re: Current Conditions CottonwoodLakes Basin
Thanks for sharing the TR. I can't believe how little snow there is. As a teen is the early 80's I used to go up on there on Memorial day weekend but there was always more snow than this. We are in a serious drought, hope we get some relief soon. Thanks again.
Texan
Texan
- unreal_ishan
- Topix Novice
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Tue May 04, 2021 6:14 pm
- Experience: Level 2 Backpacker
Re: Current Conditions CottonwoodLakes Basin
My wife and I got inspired by this TR and were able to snag permits to go to the basin for two nights from 05/07-05/09...we're thinking of summiting Langley if possible. Would anyone know if this would be doable this weekend with microspikes?
- maverick
- Forums Moderator
- Posts: 12088
- Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:54 pm
- Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Re: Current Conditions CottonwoodLakes Basin
Fixed.Sorry for the multiple postings and duplicate pics. One of these days I will figure out this web site!

Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer
I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.
Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.
Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
- CAMERONM
- Topix Expert
- Posts: 477
- Joined: Thu Jul 02, 2015 10:04 am
- Experience: Level 4 Explorer
- Location: Los Angeles
- Contact:
Re: Current Conditions CottonwoodLakes Basin
@unreal_ishan
The approach to Langley is class 2 and gets full-on sun, so from what I see here I bet you won't even need the micro-spikes.
The approach to Langley is class 2 and gets full-on sun, so from what I see here I bet you won't even need the micro-spikes.
- unreal_ishan
- Topix Novice
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Tue May 04, 2021 6:14 pm
- Experience: Level 2 Backpacker