Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion JMT Northbound with an Inyo permit?

I am in the early stages of pondering a JMT trip next summer. As I understand it, the standard Happy Isles permit is hard to get.

Am I correct that I can hike it northbound with just a Cottonwood Lakes permit?

My experience has been that Cottonwood Lake permits are fairly easy to get. I don't quite understand why more people don't do it that way. I know it adds a couple days to a 3 week trip, and you hit high elevation right away instead of slowly getting used to it, but those seem like fairly minor issues. Am I missing something, are there other downsides to doing it this way?

I hiked the JMT NOBO in 2020, starting from Cottonwood Pass. I liked it better than SOBO.

Yes, you are correct; however, please make sure you obtain a permit from Cottonwood Pass, not Cottonwood Lakes.

Hiking NOBO on the trail can extend your trip by a few days. For example, I trekked from Horseshoe Meadows to Crabtree Ranger Station (20+ miles) in one day and then continued to Mt Whitney the following day, which serves as the starting point for the JMT. Depending on how long you take to hike the JMT, resupply options may differ from SOBO. I only re-supplied twice: once at Vermilion Valley Resort (VVR) and again in Mammoth.

Why do you suggest Cottonwood Pass over Lakes? I knew they are both options, just have not planned in that much detail yet. I might do Pass just because I have done the Cottonwood Lakes in the past.

I think I might still try and get a Happy Isles permit and do it the traditional way, but Cottonwood Pass seems like a good plan B.

If you decide on the Cottonwood Lakes option, then you'll need to traverse either Old Army Pass (12,000ft) or New Army Pass (12,300ft), both of which are significantly higher in elevation compared to Cottonwood Pass (11,140ft). An advantage of Cottonwood Pass is that its trail connects with the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) right at the top of the pass. I find Cottonwood Pass to be a more manageable option compared to the other two passes, especially when carrying a heavy backpack up and over the pass.

Hope that helps!

Got it. But they are both eligible for continuing on to the JMT, right?

In a 3 week hike, I don't know that 1,000 feet of extra climbing makes much of a difference, but I have not really looked into that much detail yet. Thanks!

Depending on the timing of your trip and the kind of snow year - those higher passes are often snowed in much longer than Cottonwood as well. This year shouldn't be an issue though based on the lower snow year and how quickly much of the Sierra is melting out. but the snow on Army/New Army is often another piece to factor in along with overall mileage/gain plans. =)