Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Horseshoe Meadow Road is Open - Army Pass Photos

I drove up Horseshoe Meadow Road on May 13th, 2012 and I hiked to the Fin and Woollyback. The road was fine, and the snow has really receded quickly! I took some photos of Army Pass for those interested in the conditions there.

Click here for photos from 5-13-2012

Good looking set of photos. I am going up to climb Joe Devel, Pickering, Newcomb & Chamberlin next week. Thanks again

Holy Smoke! What happened to the snow?

Thanks for this. I've been thinking about doing sections of the PCT from down south to Whitney (since Forester still looks like too much work) and this makes me think it should "go" fairly easily.

Fantastic! We're planning on going Cottonwood Lakes - Army Pass in early June and exiting Whitney, starting out on a Saturday and exiting Tuesday (4 days total).

This will be my 3rd trip to Whitney. The first was years ago doing a day hike up the MT before there were permits. The second was on overnight hike in May 2010 - with tons of snow! Pics below.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kali_captain/sets/72157623951984529/

Any suggestions or advice on this approach would be appreciated.

Beautiful pics

Hi Kali Captain!

Awesome photos! Are you planning to hike on the PCT or which route are you taking?

Nathan

Thanks! It was a great hike.

The map below shows the route we'll be going. Any suggestions or advice? We're still debating between SP and NSP.

http://infolab.stanford.edu/~crespo/Pictures/Langley03/Langley-Muir-Whitney.JPG

Hi Kali……

I’ve done the hike from Horseshow Meadows to Whitney a half dozen times and I am very familiar with the route that you have planned. I have also been over Army Pass several times, so my comments are these:

• The decision to take the Army Pass route will be dependent on snow conditions at the time you go. Army Pass is an unmaintained trail. Some sections have been washed away leaving a trail that is dicey in parts. The trail at times is very narrow (with boulders and loose rock) and the slope below the trail is STEEP!!!! Any snow lingering on the trail will make the route very treacherous. If the trail is pretty much snow free, except for a cornice, or small snow field at the top, then, yes, it’s a good route based on your experience and comfort level.

• You’re map shows a camp at High Lake on the first day which, I believe is around 7 or 8 miles. That leaves about a mile to the pass and then down to the junction of the trail coming over from Cottonwood Pass to Soldier. It’s about 2.5 miles to that junction and about .8 miles to the cutoff to Soldier. This makes for a rather short day.

• From Soldier Lake, you drop down to the Rock Creek drainage (you will cross upper Rock Creek just above the meadow and lake. Easy crossing except that you more than likely will need to remove your boots. About 2 miles later you cross the creek again…. A couple small logs help the crossing) and then follow Rock Creek to lower Rock Creek where you cross (by the way, there is a log jam just up the crossing that is perfect for getting across the creek easily. After you cross lower Rock Creek you begin a steep climb for about a mile and half until you reach Guyot Creek (This is where I always camp and it’s nice to get this climb out of lower Rock Creek out of the way). It’s another 5 miles to Whitney Creek and between Guyot and Whitney, it’s bone dry. At Whitney Creek, you can just remove your boots and wade (the stream at this point is very slow moving) across the creek or try the log about 30 feet down the creek. After you cross the creek and take the trail that follows Whitney Creek, you will come to a crossing in about .8 miles. At this point, you cross, OR if the water level and flow is high, just turn to your left and walk up the small slope and at top of the rise, proceed perpendicular to the creek and you come to the JMT (this detour is about 200 to 300 yards). At this point you are about a quarter of a mile from the junction of the Crabtree junction. Just walk 50 feet down to some campsites and have lunch or what. Oh, by the way, the ranger keeps a box filled with wag bags for your use as you enter the Whitney zone at the junction.

It’s about 3 miles from the Crabtree junction to Guitar Lake. I always camp at the tarns which are another half to three quarters of a mile farther.

Okay, the truth of the matter is that from Soldier Lake to Guitar is obscene distance for a day of hiking.

My suggestion is to forgo Soldier and camp at Guyot Creek for night two.

Just my two cents..... have a great trip.

Paul

Hi All,

I am a little confused on New Army vs Army Pass.

From Kali's map it looks like they want to take New Army Pass. But Paul you reference "army pass" which is the older pass north east a little ways from "new army pass." Is that correct? My understanding is that "army pass" is the older, un-maintained route. Is "new army pass" maintained? Or is it also un-maintained?

Related question: The pics posted at the top of this thread are for "army pass" correct, not "new army pass" correct?

I am trying to make sure i understand the routes for a backpacking trip later this summer. Thank you!

SD_Kicks...... sorry for the confusion.

You are correct in that Army Pass is the old, un-maintained route. In my post, I should have added more to my explaination. What I was trying to do, is give Kali an idea on what to expect if Army Pass trail is taken. In good conditions, the pass is some 500 feet lower than NAP.

Kali reference both in the post, but in the attached link to a map, the highlighted route is over NAP.

My comments were, first to adress Army Pass and then reference the route on the map.

Yes, photos 142 and 173 reference Army Pass.

Paul

Kali,

I took a group of Scouts from Horshoe Meadow to Whitney and back in 5 1/2 days a few years ago. We went over Cottonwood and camped first night just beyond the junction (dry) of the Soldier Lake trail from the PCT. Night two at Lower Crabtree, a rest day hiking to Guitar Lake, night four back at Lower Crabtree after summitting, night five at the same site as night one and we were eating Pizza at noon of day six.

I don't know how strong your group is, but lower Rock Creek is doable in one day, we were packing food for seven days so our packs on day one were much heavier than yours will be.

Someone will correct me if I am wrong but I seem to recall that Richard and others did a day trip up Cottonwood exiting at the Portal on this same route.

Actually, if it is the one that I am thinking of, it was with me. It was a year that I hiked with Bob R and a friend of his, Ron. Richard ended up meeting us around 7pm at the tarns the same day that he started.

The next day we hiked out after summiting.

paul

You guys accelerated your schedule and made that a tough trip for me.

http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/California-Mountains/Mount-Whitney/Horseshoe-Meadows-To-Whitney/1697021_tjPntR#!i=83517276&k=ou8Dk





The Three Dicks (Rick Graham and Mike Mellin are the other two.) did Horseshoe Meadows to Whitney Portal in a day. We had to skip the summit of Whitney because storms were closing in from both the east and west.

http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/California-Mountains/Mount-Whitney/Horseshoe-Meadows-To/6244398_795xVz#!i=394302656&k=xFMPT


I/we used Cottonwood Pass for both of these. It may be longer, but it is quite a bit easier than Army (there is no Old Army) or New Army Passes.

That was a fun trip......

Hiking with Bob was fantastic. He took us through the short cuts at the summit, from trail camp to trailside, from Big Horn through the slabs to the logs, after the logs, the route straight down bypassing several switchbacks and finally, the old trail. Talk about cutting off a significant distance.

paul

Paul,

Thanks for all the advice. I also realized my "dyslexic" switching of Army and Soldier probably caused some confusion - as well as posting the map showing New Army Pass.

What's your take on New Army Pass and Cottonwood Pass? Looks like NAP is shorter but steeper?

That map is also "borrowed" - i.e., I found it on the internet - so we haven't really settled on campsites. The goal is to camp on Guitar Lake (or there abouts) the second night and Trail camp the 3rd night. Which means we need a spot between Horseshoe and Guitar Lake for the first night. Perhaps lower Rock Creek?

Eric

Kali....

NAP is both a maintained trail and well thought out, routewise. As I mentioned, NAP is 500 feet higher. Steep? No, it's a well laid out trail that maintains a moderate grade, much better than Army Pass.

I think, off the top of my head, about 15 miles or so to Lower Rock Creek from the trailhead. If you can do that then hiking to Guitar the next day is tough, but doable. I do hate the climb out of Lower Rock Creek which will be on your second day.

I am off to the Portal for a week and if you have more quetions, I respond when I get back.

Paul

I went back to Horseshoe Meadow on Sunday, and I got a decent photo of New Army Pass. The snow is disappearing fast!

05-20-2012 Photos: Trail Peak - Edge of the World Peak - Horseshoe Peak