The last three days were spent here, at Long Lake in the Central Sierra Nevada, deep in John Muir Wilderness, Inyo County.

The trek started in SF two days earlier at sea level, driving up to 10,000 feet at Tioga Pass on Hwy 120 in Yosemite, down, then up again to 10,000 feet at Mammoth Lakes on Scenic Hwy 395, down, then up finally from the high desert of Lone Pine to 10,000 feet at Horseshoe Meadows, where the car was left for the boots and packs to carry us 6 miles north-west to our 11,000 feet campsite.

The trail began in Golden Trout Wilderness, passed a pack-camp, and a glacial bowl of lakes just below New Army pass. Granite was everywhere, including this peculiar valley of boulders just before Cottonwood Lakes #1 and #2.

After an overnight at Long Lake we continued up past High Lake to New Army Pass at 12,500 feet. At the top was a desolate glacial wash between Inyo and King's Canyon/Sequoia National Park, leading to the straightforward Mount Langley ascent. Langley is the southernmost Sierra peak at 14,000 feet, one of the top five highest peaks in the lower 48 states and not far from the highest, Mt. Whitney at 14,491. The round trip back to Long Lake was a strenuous 10 miles, with an elevation gain of over 3,000 feet.