The Langley Loop — Page 3

The East-Southeast Ridge

1. Horseshoe Meadows
2. Cottonwood Lakes
3. The East-Southeast Ridge
4. Diaz Creek & Owens Valley
5. Moonscape
6. 14,039 feet above Sea Level
7. Crashing Army Pass
8. Finishing the Loop

I pack up lunch and resume hiking—now a bit of a scramble over talus. The route soon comes into view as I pass the last of Cottonwood Lakes.

This part of the mountain features huge talus blocks—many of them car-sized and beyond, all of them loose or questionable.

For sheer difficulty of travel, the terrain rivals Williamson Bowl, though on a much smaller scale.

Twin gullies appear, one to the north, against Langley's south wall; the other runs adjacent to Peak 12891's north face.

I try to stay focused when climbing talus, and I concentrate on placing my feet wherever they slide the least.

Often, this means looking for larger rocks buried within the gravel and dirt, and using them as stepping stones.

Avoid passing beneath large blocks, as these can and do come loose.

When it's not possible to avoid a large, loose boulder, make quick, decisive moves—and remain ready to leap clear at the first sign of trouble.

As I gain elevation, I'm uncertain which gully to choose.

A bad decision could force me, once again, to turn back without reaching the summit.

I decide to keep traversing northward until I'm sure.

And at last, the route materializes:

I spy a narrow gully right against the south wall of Langley, leading to a notch on the ridge just north of Peak 12891.

The climbing, quite simply, is abominable: some of the finest, loosest gravel and talus I've ever seen, all of it powdery-white, like a bizarre high-altitude beach.

The going is slow and tiring. I'm feeling the altitude now, and in fact I've developed a tiny bit of a headache. The chilly air doesn't help.

I look back to see what progress I've made, and I'm rewarded with a fine view of the cottonwood lakes, now nearly 1000 vertical feet below. The water in the lakes is a sparkling blue. It looks inviting, but I know it's icy cold. In fact, I've already passed several patches of snow. The sky is clear from horizon to horizon. The weather is fair, the air calm and cool, and I'm on-route, making slow but steady progress upward.

I smile, realizing the 14,039 foot summit of Mount Langley is only another thousand or so vertical feet above. I've picked a perfect day to climb.

next: Diaz Creek & Owens Valley »