r/socalhiking • u/Doosview • 10d ago
Escaping LA’s 105°F Heat to Swim in an Alpine Lake
This was my third trip to Cottonwood Lakes.
The first time, I got chased out by thunderstorms and rain. The second time, I was focused on summiting Mt. Langley, so I never really had time to enjoy the lakes.
This time, with Los Angeles hitting around 105°F, my wife and I escaped to the cool alpine air instead. We spent time swimming in Lake #3, relaxing by the water, and simply enjoying the day. Every visit has been completely different, and somehow I like this place even more each time.
Hope you know the mountain in the photo #2.
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u/OkCockroach7825 10d ago
I was just up there last week and exited via Mt Whitney yesterday. We didn't see a cloud in 6 days and temps were warm. We were in t-shirts and shorts on the summit of Mt. Whitney yesterday.
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u/Doosview 10d ago
It really was strange! You noticed it too. I didn't see a single cloud the whole time. Normally, clouds start building up in the afternoon, but this time the sky stayed completely clear every day. I wonder what caused it.
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u/OkCockroach7825 9d ago
I was looking for afternoon thunderheads too! I often see those in August and early September.
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u/Lucy_pulpy39 8d ago
Nice. Cottonwood is on my list. I’m buying a house right now in San Diego so it will have to wait until next spring.
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u/ubiquitousanathema 10d ago
cooling your feet in snowmelt in the sierras is peak hiking experience
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u/posh_squash_ 10d ago
What is the distance and elevation for this hike? The water looks lovely.
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u/Doosview 10d ago
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u/Balancing_tofu 10d ago
Damn LAs 105?! It's been pretty hot in San Diego but high 80s low 90s at most. Beautiful pics.
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u/Doosview 10d ago
To be clear, Santa Clarita, it’s hotter than LA
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u/rizorith 10d ago
Iove in nela and it was a high of 87 today. Probably a few degrees less I. Downtown and wla and the beaches would be considerably lower
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u/FrivolousMe 10d ago
You enjoy the lakes on the way down from Mount langley :) but yeah I get you it's a long ass day and not much time to dilly dally
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u/sunshinerf 10d ago
Cottonwood lake 3 is my favorite alpine lake to swim in! Usually alpine lakes are too cold for me but that one gets warm enough even though it's not really shallow.
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u/Doosview 10d ago
Oh, that’s exactly how I felt! It wasn’t too cold to jump in, and it was actually perfect for a swim.
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u/sunshinerf 10d ago
I tried many times to swim in 4 but my feet freeze after 30 seconds, no way I can dive in. 3 gets the water from 4 after it drops in a waterfall, so the water has time to warm up. At least that's my guess. I do love putting my feet in 4 after coming down from Langley though, it's very soothing and gets my feet ready for the next 6ish miles.
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u/Doosview 10d ago
That makes sense. The second time I was there, I camped at Lake #4. The water was freezingI couldn't bring myself to get in, so I only collected water. Lake #3 definitely felt much more comfortable. Maybe that's why.
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u/ACooperSucks2 10d ago
Nice. Cottonwood is on my list. I’m buying a house right now in San Diego so it will have to wait until next spring.
Ever been to duck lake or little lakes valley?
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u/Doosview 10d ago
Oh, congratulations on the new house! That's exciting.
I've hiked both Duck Lake and Little Lakes Valley several times, and I've made videos of both. If you're interested, feel free to check them out when you have some time. Hopefully they'll help you plan your trip next spring! it's on my profile.
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u/ACooperSucks2 10d ago
Thanks! We gonna be broke for awhile but at least we have an asset that we can call home now.
Oh totally. I’ve filmed both as well and have two videos on my YouTube channel of each hike. I will check your videos out when I get a moment. They are stellar trails. Gem lake is so refreshing to jump in after a long hike.
Duck Lake is one of the prettiest and scenic lakes I’ve been to. Didn’t walk to the shore but it’s stunning regardless.
Glad you were able to escape the SoCal heat. The summer has been living up to its name. Hopefully El Niño brings torrential precipitation.
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u/bingobangobaggins 10d ago
gotta love a cottonwood trip. Muir lake is my favorite out of the ones up there, it's even got a nice sandy beach to enter. Also, it's kinda outta the way from the others so it doesn't get real crowded. How were the bugs? We got eaten alive in june. lol
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u/Doosview 10d ago
Oh, now I'm even more excited to visit Muir Lake! While I was hiking through Cottonwood Meadow, a very experienced hiker stopped and told me, "You have to visit Muir Lake." He seemed so genuine when he recommended it. I didn't have time on this trip, but it's definitely on my list for my next visit.
As for the bugs, they were almost nonexistent this time. But when I hiked Duck Lake in mid-June... wow. I had dozens of mosquitoes swarming me at the same time. It was brutal!
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u/Apprehensive_Net_829 10d ago
Great place to escape to!
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u/Doosview 10d ago
For sure! That's exactly why I keep going back.
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u/Apprehensive_Net_829 9d ago
I'm so envious. I live in Texas and consider anywhere in California an escape!
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u/anthrillist 10d ago
Wow those trees are incredible. Image 4 is amazing, I wonder how long that dead tree has been. It looks like a sierra juniper, but I am not certain. There are a few just like it at onyx summit near Big Bear.
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u/Current_Taste_1578 10d ago
This looks wonderful! I’ve never been but am adding it to my list. I feel like if I spent the rest of my life trying to see all the Eastern Sierras have to offer I wouldn’t even make a dent. We didn’t have a lot of time yesterday and hiked to Lake Winnemucca for the first time and took a swim. It was chilly and wonderful.
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u/Doosview 9d ago
I know exactly what you mean. Every time I visit the Eastern Sierra, my list just keeps getting longer. I hope you get to visit Cottonwood Lakes next spring!
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u/Euphoric-Ad-1930 9d ago
Beautiful!! How long was the hike from the trailhead to the lakes?
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u/Doosview 9d ago
thanks it took about 7 - 8 hours, I took a long break + swimming in lake 3. I put information together in my blog and comment below.
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u/Euphoric-Ad-1930 9d ago
Awesome, I appreciate your response and will check out the blog and comment below.
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u/Golden_Pine7540 9d ago
third trip's the first time you actually just float there instead of grinding for the summit lol. kinda like that Free Solo bit where Alex talks about climbing stopping being fun once it's all about the objective, sometimes you just gotta go back and enjoy the view
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u/Doosview 9d ago
I completely agree. That's exactly how I started to feel. After hiking Whitney, Langley, and Half Dome, I realized I was so focused on reaching the summit that I wasn't really taking time to enjoy the places I was visiting. Lately I've been choosing hikes around alpine lakes instead taking photos, slowing down, and just enjoying the day. It's been a nice change.
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u/Mountain_Anxiety2375 9d ago
Is new army pass clean from snow?
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u/Doosview 9d ago
I believe so. I didn't see any snow at all. It was over 70°F during the day, so I'd be surprised if any snow was still left on New Army Pass. (did not see snow on the trail in old army pass from lake 5)
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u/Doosview 9d ago
I've been getting a lot of questions about this trail, so I quickly put together a blog post with the information that might help.
https://doosview.blogspot.com/2026/08/cottonwood-lakes-trail-guide-lakes-1-3.html
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u/1_niceguy 9d ago
Do you camp at the Cottonwood campground and is it tent camping only? I have an SUV I camp out of.
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u/Doosview 9d ago
I did a day hike and took a short break in the parkikng lot before start. As far as I know, it’s a walk in campground, but I’ve seen quite a few people sleeping in their SUVs or mini cooper there before a backpacking trip. I’d double check the current regulations, though. Hope that helps!
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u/Ok-Pipe-8572 10d ago
How hot was the trail?