| Mount Langley | |
|---|---|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 14,032 ft (4,277 m) NAVD 88[1] |
| Prominence | 1,165 ft (355 m)[1] |
| Parent peak | Mount Whitney[2] |
| Listing |
|
| Coordinates | 36°31′24″N118°14′20″W / 36.5232685°N 118.2389774°W /36.5232685; -118.2389774[7] |
| Geography | |
| Location | Inyo / Tulare counties,California, U.S. |
| Parent range | Sierra Nevada |
| Topo map | USGS Mount Langley |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | Unknown, but prior to 1871[8] |
| Easiest route | Hike from New Army Pass on the south,class 1[4] |
Mount Langley is a mountain located on the crest of theSierra Nevada, on the boundary betweenInyo andTulare counties in easternCalifornia, in theUnited States. To the east is theOwens Valley, and to the west is theKern River Valley. It is the ninth-highest peak in the state and the seventh-highest in the Sierra.Mount Whitney, the highest peak in thecontiguous United States, lies 4.8 miles (7.7 km) to the northwest. Mount Langley also has the distinction of being the southernmostfourteener in the United States.
Today, the mountain is named afterSamuel Pierpont Langley. In the early 1870s, it was confused with Mount Whitney by early climbers, and called by this name. When the mistake was realized, the peak was alternately calledMount Corcoran, Cirque Peak, or Sheep Mountain;[7][9] the former two names being later attached to other mountains. But its current name became established in local usage, and was made official by theBoard on Geographic Names in 1943.[7]

Mount Langley is one of the easiest of California'sfourteeners to climb.[10] A hiking trail starts at nearby Horseshoe Meadow, at an elevation of about 10,000 feet (3,048 m), passes scenic Cottonwood Lakes, and climbs through New Army Pass. From there hikers travel cross-country to Old Army Pass, where they may pick up the recently constructedClass 1 Mount Langley Trail, which follows a series of large rock cairns for the two mile push to the summit.[11] New Army Pass is 7 miles (11 km) from the trailhead at Horseshoe Meadow and is an easier but longer approach to Langley than Old Army Pass via Cottonwood Lakes Trail.[12]
Due to the elevation, both passes are covered with snow most of the year. New Army Pass sits on a south-facing slope and it tends to clear of snow somewhat earlier in the season. Old Army Pass is only clear of snow for less than two months per year, from mid-August to early October. During the winter months, even the paved road to Horseshoe Meadow is closed, making the summit significantly harder to reach.
The first recorded climb of the mountain was in 1871 byClarence King and the French mountaineer Paul Pinson.[9][13]
| Climate data for Mount Langley 36.5192 N, 118.2388 W, Elevation: 13,159 ft (4,011 m) (1991–2020 normals) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 26.3 (−3.2) | 25.1 (−3.8) | 28.0 (−2.2) | 32.8 (0.4) | 40.3 (4.6) | 50.5 (10.3) | 56.8 (13.8) | 55.9 (13.3) | 50.8 (10.4) | 43.0 (6.1) | 33.1 (0.6) | 26.3 (−3.2) | 39.1 (3.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 17.1 (−8.3) | 15.3 (−9.3) | 17.8 (−7.9) | 21.8 (−5.7) | 27.7 (−2.4) | 36.9 (2.7) | 42.9 (6.1) | 42.1 (5.6) | 38.2 (3.4) | 31.4 (−0.3) | 23.5 (−4.7) | 17.3 (−8.2) | 27.7 (−2.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 7.8 (−13.4) | 5.5 (−14.7) | 7.7 (−13.5) | 10.8 (−11.8) | 15.1 (−9.4) | 23.3 (−4.8) | 28.9 (−1.7) | 28.2 (−2.1) | 25.5 (−3.6) | 19.8 (−6.8) | 13.9 (−10.1) | 8.3 (−13.2) | 16.2 (−8.8) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 8.48 (215) | 7.04 (179) | 6.08 (154) | 4.08 (104) | 1.49 (38) | 0.45 (11) | 0.43 (11) | 0.25 (6.4) | 0.35 (8.9) | 1.92 (49) | 2.55 (65) | 8.00 (203) | 41.12 (1,044.3) |
| Source: PRISM Climate Group[14] | |||||||||||||
To find the table data on the PRISM website, start by clickingCoordinates (underLocation); copyLatitude andLongitude figures from top of table; clickZoom to location; clickPrecipitation, Minimum temp, Mean temp, Maximum temp; click30-year normals, 1991-2020; click800m; clickRetrieve Time Series button.