22miles round trip from Cottonwood Lakes, we summit Mount Langley in a day. 

This was our prep hike for Mount Whitney, a similar distance of 20 miles out and back.

And though a single day summit is definitely doable, it’s well worth spending a couple nights as a backpacking trip to enjoy the lakes and amazing views.

Some people describe the approach as if you're walking on the moon. Though desolate and relentless at times, it's still one of my favorite peaks in the Sierras and perfect to train for longer distance trekking.

If you are planning a day trip to Langley, get ready for a very long day. Be sure to take plenty of snacks, electrolyte mix, and water plus a water filter.  There are several lakes you can filter water. We packed as ultra light as possible to test our pack setup for Whitney.

And if you're planning to camp at Cottonwood the night before, you might want to bring a set of ear plugs as this campground can get noisy.

Be safe and don't forget to pack out what you pack in. 

Need a refresher on Leave No Trace? Review LNT principles here.

Have you day hiked Mt. Langley? Would you do it again?

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