McGee Creek and Convict Creek headwaters
Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2015 4:46 pm
The “Other McGee” and Convict Creek Headwaters
July 2-6, 2015
There are lots of “McGee Lakes” in the Sierra! This is the McGee Lake near Mammoth Lakes. The original idea was a point-to-point from McGee Creek trailhead to Convict Lake trailhead. With only one car, the idea of hitching or walking back to my car was not appealing. So I decided to add a few days and loop up McGee Creek, over Corridor Pass to fish the upper lakes of Convict Creek, then over Gemini Pass to Tully and Red and White Lakes, and over McGee Pass to return. The route was not committing as I could easily alter the route if conditions required. Lingering snow on passes and thunderstorms forced me to do just this. Nevertheless, it was a great trip.
July 1: I left town at a relatively late hour not sure if I would get my preferred next day start, or if I would have get a same-day permit. Surprisingly there were plenty of next-day permits, so I drove on to Mammoth Lakes, browsed the outdoor stores before driving up to McGee campground. My husband and I had camped here last fall and day-hiked McGee Canyon to see the stunning autumn colors. We had only reached the beaver ponds and this time I wanted to see more. The hot afternoon soon morphed into light rain and claps of thunder, which miraculously cooled the air. I washed down my dinner cold cuts and fruit with plenty of cold beer.
July 2: to Big McGee Lake. 6.8 miles, 6 hours, +2900 feet gain
I was up at dawn, ate a quick breakfast and washed up (this campground actually has flush toilets and sinks). As I drove to two miles to the trailhead parking, light rain started so I put on rain pants and started up the trail at 6:30AM. Murphy’s Law of raingear- as soon as you put on rain pants that will not come off over shoes, it quits raining. It remained overcast and thankfully cool and breezy as the trail passed through sage and abundant wildflowers. I stupidly missed the “partially collapsed bridge” and waded, only to see the bridge as soon as I was halfway across. I had been here just six months earlier; this time the path to the bridge was overgrown with thick brush. I jumped to the conclusion that the Forest Service took it out since it was in poor shape. I dried feet, took off the rain pants as two trail runners were coming down the trail.
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... unrise.jpg[/rimg]
Lower McGee Pass trail
The beaver ponds had less water and looked a bit weary. I managed to find the second crossing; the logs were slick and wet so I carefully crossed. The leftovers of the last night’s storm soon dissipated and it became beastly hot. So far there were surprisingly few mosquitoes. The upper meadow was lush green and full of flowers. At Big McGee Lake I did not like the camping at the outlet area so went back to the trail which climbed nearly 200 feet above the lake. A use-trail drops to the inlet passing a gorgeous meadow along the gurgling stream with awesome views up valley to red rock peaks and canyons. Someone was camped at the lake so I set up on a ridge between the lake and the meadow for views both ways.
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... rPonds.jpg[/rimg]
Beaver Ponds (photo taken on return)
Then I went fishing finally finding success at the inlet. I caught three 8-9 inch fish with big heads and two smaller fish. As I was cleaning them near my campsite, the resident of the tent down by the lake meandered by so we chatted a bit. He had been here four days and caught and released forty fish! I thought it was near dinnertime so I cooked the fish and wrapped them, in a tortilla. I finally found my watch and it was only 4:00! So I wandered about taking photos. Unfortunately the sky turned cloudy and few photos turned out. By 7PM I felt I could head into the tent; pretty much a good idea anyway since the weather was deteriorating quickly. Sometime after dark the storm really picked up and I had to brace the tent pole to keep my tent upright. It briefly rained hard then drizzled as I fell asleep.
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... mcGeeC.jpg[/rimg]
Upper McGee Meadow
July 2-6, 2015
There are lots of “McGee Lakes” in the Sierra! This is the McGee Lake near Mammoth Lakes. The original idea was a point-to-point from McGee Creek trailhead to Convict Lake trailhead. With only one car, the idea of hitching or walking back to my car was not appealing. So I decided to add a few days and loop up McGee Creek, over Corridor Pass to fish the upper lakes of Convict Creek, then over Gemini Pass to Tully and Red and White Lakes, and over McGee Pass to return. The route was not committing as I could easily alter the route if conditions required. Lingering snow on passes and thunderstorms forced me to do just this. Nevertheless, it was a great trip.
July 1: I left town at a relatively late hour not sure if I would get my preferred next day start, or if I would have get a same-day permit. Surprisingly there were plenty of next-day permits, so I drove on to Mammoth Lakes, browsed the outdoor stores before driving up to McGee campground. My husband and I had camped here last fall and day-hiked McGee Canyon to see the stunning autumn colors. We had only reached the beaver ponds and this time I wanted to see more. The hot afternoon soon morphed into light rain and claps of thunder, which miraculously cooled the air. I washed down my dinner cold cuts and fruit with plenty of cold beer.
July 2: to Big McGee Lake. 6.8 miles, 6 hours, +2900 feet gain
I was up at dawn, ate a quick breakfast and washed up (this campground actually has flush toilets and sinks). As I drove to two miles to the trailhead parking, light rain started so I put on rain pants and started up the trail at 6:30AM. Murphy’s Law of raingear- as soon as you put on rain pants that will not come off over shoes, it quits raining. It remained overcast and thankfully cool and breezy as the trail passed through sage and abundant wildflowers. I stupidly missed the “partially collapsed bridge” and waded, only to see the bridge as soon as I was halfway across. I had been here just six months earlier; this time the path to the bridge was overgrown with thick brush. I jumped to the conclusion that the Forest Service took it out since it was in poor shape. I dried feet, took off the rain pants as two trail runners were coming down the trail.
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... unrise.jpg[/rimg]
Lower McGee Pass trail
The beaver ponds had less water and looked a bit weary. I managed to find the second crossing; the logs were slick and wet so I carefully crossed. The leftovers of the last night’s storm soon dissipated and it became beastly hot. So far there were surprisingly few mosquitoes. The upper meadow was lush green and full of flowers. At Big McGee Lake I did not like the camping at the outlet area so went back to the trail which climbed nearly 200 feet above the lake. A use-trail drops to the inlet passing a gorgeous meadow along the gurgling stream with awesome views up valley to red rock peaks and canyons. Someone was camped at the lake so I set up on a ridge between the lake and the meadow for views both ways.
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... rPonds.jpg[/rimg]
Beaver Ponds (photo taken on return)
Then I went fishing finally finding success at the inlet. I caught three 8-9 inch fish with big heads and two smaller fish. As I was cleaning them near my campsite, the resident of the tent down by the lake meandered by so we chatted a bit. He had been here four days and caught and released forty fish! I thought it was near dinnertime so I cooked the fish and wrapped them, in a tortilla. I finally found my watch and it was only 4:00! So I wandered about taking photos. Unfortunately the sky turned cloudy and few photos turned out. By 7PM I felt I could head into the tent; pretty much a good idea anyway since the weather was deteriorating quickly. Sometime after dark the storm really picked up and I had to brace the tent pole to keep my tent upright. It briefly rained hard then drizzled as I fell asleep.
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... mcGeeC.jpg[/rimg]
Upper McGee Meadow