My friend and I are planning to go up Friday night for a couple nights at Cottonwood Lakes. Here is our planned itinerary:
Friday night - arrive Horseshoe Meadows late (probably between 9 and 10 pm), hike to Cottonwood Lakes in the dark.
Saturday - Acclimatization hike to Cirque Peak, back down to sleep at Cottonwood Lakes
Sunday - Early start to head up Langley, hopefully off the summit before noon, then pack up camp and head home.
Have you looked at the map of the area? Which of the Cottonwood Lakes do you plan to camp at, 4 or 5?
Why not go to High Lake and take NAP up to Cirque Peak. It's right there. Come back down and keep camp there or move over to the Cottonwood Lakes and go up OAP the next day?
If your first night is at the Cottonwood Lakes, it seems like you're adding on needless miles going back and forth to Cirque Peak. Just my $.02.
