High Sierra Topix

Hi everyone! Just polishing up a few final details before we head out later this week.

I'm interested in route information that would allow us to connect Convict Creek to McGee Creek. We are planning on hiking up Convict Creek to Lake Dorothy and spending our first night in that area. We have another night to spare and I am trying to figure out the best thing to do.

Option 1:
Keep a base camp at Lake Dorothy and spend the layover day exploring. Climb Mt Baldwin maybe? Hike out the way we came in.

Option 2:
Use the second day to connect to McGee Pass and spend the second night at McGee Lake. Hike out McGee Creek and hitch a ride back to Convict.

Does anyone have route information for connecting Convict to McGee? I found a route online that follows a chute up from Constance Lake:

http://bushcraftusa.com/forum/showthrea ... ugust-2012" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Just wondering if anyone here has more specific advice.

I'm experienced and comfortable with Class 3 and route-finding, my hiking partner is less experienced and is comfortable with Class 2.

Thanks in advance!

Check out Corridor Pass. Heres a link to someones pics that show the terrain:

https://picasaweb.google.com/RobatZzyzx ... RoundAbout#" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

According to Secor...its Class 2.
Someone I know took it afew years ago and said it was easy (for XC travel).

I thought I replied to this but apparently not. Thanks for the suggestion! Googling Corridor Pass gave me a few more photo album trip reports to look at. Looks totally doable for us. Will report back if we do it!

I did a loop out of Lake Edison, x-c above Graveyard Lakes to Purple Lake and then over Mammoth Crest down to Cloverleaf and then past Constance Lake x-c to McGee Lakes, Hopkins Pass, Mono Creek, Gabbot Pass, Lake Italy, Bear Creek, Edison. It is a glorious loop! So wild, fairly challenging, spectacular geology, one big meadow (Jackson Mdw. - one of my all-time top destinations), many lakes.

I made a map and pictures of the route. Suffice it to say, the route connecting Constance and McGee Lakes area is Class 2 or easier. The pass I did over Mammoth Crest was Class 3 and a little scary at the top followed by 45 minutes or so of rock-hopping. Here's my link:

http://www.travels.51st-engineers.com/S ... -index.htm

MAP: a full route map is shown
PICS: photos 71-75 show the X-C pass between Convict and McGee Lakes areas.

Hi Jrad,

Thanks for helping a fellow HST member out with that info and slideshow. When you get the time, an intro would be great: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=9329

Hello Maia,

Conditions are far different than just a few dry weeks ago. Nearby Mammoth Mountain Ski Area recorded 23 inches of snow at its 9k base over the last week from the two storms and is a reason they just decided to stay open a couple more weeks. Corrider Pass is at 11.8k so you will have a lot of snow to post hole through.

David

Dave,

OP wrote this back in 2013.

I'm looking at a similar trip, as far as connecting up those two drainages, but maybe something a bit longer that includes Fish Creek on the back side of Red Slate Mountain. I was going to go up to Dorothy lake and then over Pretty Pass. I think you would want at least 3 days for this and I'm personally leaning towards 4 days to enjoy it more, but it's another option if you have an extra couple days.

Pretty Pass isn't sounding too bad, from what I have heard and the lakes on the far side (Franklin, Ram, etc) look real scenic. There's a trail on the backside leading from Fish Creek to McGee Creek area.

I've always thought about doing one that goes up and over Red Slate Mountain to cover the two drainages, but that one pass N of Red Slate looks awfully loose and unpleasant when I was checking it out from Baldwin last year. I'm thinking the longer version I mentioned might be nicer. Plus I really want to see Lake Dorothy up close.

Just noticed Mav's 2013 comment. Guess I'm a little late in replying here too

ExploreABitMore wrote: I've always thought about doing one that goes up and over Red Slate Mountain to cover the two drainages, but that one pass N of Red Slate looks awfully loose and unpleasant when I was checking it out from Baldwin last year. I'm thinking the longer version I mentioned might be nicer. Plus I really want to see Lake Dorothy up close.

I came down Gemini Pass (NW shoulder of Red Slate Mtn.) last mid-September. I swore I'd never go UP. It is steep and VERY loose and where not loose, it is ancient ice. I was 67 years old and out of shape though. So a fitter person may not be bothered so much. It took me 2 hours going down to Wit-so-nah-pah. A long time to do only a couple miles all downhill. It was because of the need to be careful.