High Sierra Topix

Could someone please refresh my memory ..It has been 6 years since I have been up the Shepherd Pass Trail..so I do not remember some of the sections.
Wondering if one can camp at Mahogany Flat & would this be a dry camp or would there be water near by?
Also any other places to camp before Anvil camp that anyone knows about? I know there is a place at the saddle but no water.

I am thinking of hiking in as far as I can starting early evening to just about dark or maybe hiking in the dark to avoid the heat of the day

Thank you everyone!

In most summers there is pretty much zero water before the Anvil Camp area. The saddle area is a very pretty place with a great view but there is no water nearby.

I remember a place where the creek crosses the trail, and to the side there were people camped nearby. It was past the saddle, as we were ascending again. I don't remember how far up, though. It was before Mahogany camp. Maybe here? http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=36. ... &layer=DRG
It might be dry now.

I was just at McGee Creek again, and one of the springs from a week ago was dry

Its been a few years, but I when I camped at Mahogony flat I could gain access to the creek below for water. I do recall the creek banks down were a little steep, but don't recall having much of a problem with it. Not much between Mahogony and Anvil. As snowy mentioned, that one creek below Mahogony might be dry this year, and there isn't much along that stretch of trail.

Just before getting to Mahogany is a stream crossing from melt water from the pass. Mahogany, a bit higher, is the first option for camping and has access to the stream albeit a bit of a flat walk across to it. I don't remember any camping spots closer to the stream (to the right of trail). All the camp spots I saw were to left of trail...and few of those.

Thank you so much everyone! It may not matter now..I just got off the phone with someone at the Lone Pine ranger station...he just told me that Symmes creek is completely dry!!! no water at all

Cori...yes that is a beautiful spot that stream creek crossing..we stopped there both on the way in and out and spent about an hour there cooling off....but you guys are probably right that one may be dry...for sure if symmes creek is dry than that has got to be dry...so if that is the case...there would not be any water until anvil camp or mahogany flat

Symmes Creek dry? Whoever told you that clearly wasn't dry; he/she was drunk.

I just got back from a wonderful (and slightly wet!) 3 day trip, climbing Williamson and Tyndal. I will post about it once I get pictures up. At any rate, Symmes Creek is the creek you encounter at the beginning of the hike, before you cross into Shepherd Creek canyon. Symmes Creek is burbling along quite beautifully now, with a decent display of wildflowers.

As others have posted, the next water is the low crossing shortly after the cursed 500 foot descent on your way up. Mohogany also has water, although it is a short walk from the campground off the trail. In any event, if you can make it to Anvil on Day 1 (I made it to the Pothole, and the altitude was kicking my butt!), Anvil is a much nicer place to camp. The worst part, though, is the endless interminable maddening switchbacks that meander forever as you rise a mere 1000 feet from Mohogany to Anvil. That stretch was waterless until right before Anvil -- much to my chagrin since I ran out of water and foolishly relied on a map that showed a stream halfway up. Now that one was dry.

Quentinc..Thank you so very much for your post...I also got word over on Summitpost that there is water in Symmes and that it is not dry from others that were just there.
I don't understand why this man gave me wrong info..I even asked him twice just to make sure we were understanding each other right.
Well..I am glad to hear that there is for sure water & also that one nice stream crossing below the saddle before Mahogany. I will look forward to seeing your pictures of your trip
Thank you again everyone!