TR: Loop from McGee Creek

[Flamingo]

Thanks for posting this. It's a clever route, and you introduced me to Bunny Lake Pass. Very cool.

PS -- that lush green meadow at Isaak Walton Lake seems unreal.

[oddtiger]

Wow, what a colorful trip!

[Wandering Daisy]

A few years ago I did a shorter trip just of the colorful rock; to Big McGee Lake, then over Corridor Pass to Cloverleaf Lake, and back to Constance Lake (where a huge storm made for some storm lighting on the wavy white sediments to the east. Then back to Big McGee Lake and out. For those who are not red-green colorblind (my husband is) the vivid colors are amazing. This time it was nice to contrast this colorful section with classic "range of light" granitic mountains along Roper's High Route. I was a bit too late for peak wildflowers and a bit more snow on the mountains enhanced the photos last time.

Virginia Lake is also very colorful, but lighting was bad and I just quickly passed through. Here is a photo of Virginia Lake from a previous trip.

583-85_northshore_LkVirginia_small.jpg

596-98_Virgina_Camp Meadow_small.jpg

The valley to the left heads to the pass to Glennette Lake and the Ram Lakes and Franklin Lakes

[SSSdave]

Impressively strenuous long route like some of your other trips with much vertical and mileage. About some of my favorite zones of the range given the colorful metamorphic geology and wildflowers in its rich soils. I would have done my planned trip this July to the Fish Creek Red Slate area if it had not been so dry with little snow adorning landscapes.

[westmatt]

Really enjoyed your pictures.

[texan]

Those pictures are really good as is your TR. Thanks for sharing.

Texan

[windknot]

Thanks for sharing this report and photos! As has been mentioned by others, you covered a serious amount of ground on this trip.

Out of curiosity, is it 7 miles or 9.5 miles from McGee Creek TH to the inlet of Big McGee? CalTopo's free mapping tool tells me it's closer to 7.5 miles, but I know that these estimates don't always account for vermiculations in the actual trail so I'd be interested to know what an actual GPS track says. I remember that I too felt pretty beat as I staggered into the inlet of Big McGee after driving to the trailhead the same day.

[Wandering Daisy]

Oops! That was an error. I corrected it. I measured 7.2 miles on TOPO. My Garmin watch said 9.6 based on "steps", but my "steps" are based on my stride when I walk the dog. I do not turn on the actual GPS on the watch because it uses too much power. I suspect that the measured 7.2 from the map is a bit low since it does not account for a lot of small trail curves. 7.5 sounds about right. Someone else will have to do a GPS track and let us know.

I do not base my trip plans on miles, rather on estimated hours on the trail. I did a lot of side trips and walking to fish on this trip. My actual hours carrying the pack were not too bad. The heat more than the altitude gets to me. First day up from the trailhead with the heat always beats me up. In spite of being in a wind tunnel at Lower Franklin Lake, it was pleasantly cool. I even put on my down jacket.

[CAMERONM]

Looks like you had a great trip, and it was an interesting challenge to string together those different lakes. I loved the Laurel Lake Trail when I visited it.

[michaelzim]

Daisy...WOW! A whole other destination feature = super colourful geology! (Like in @giantbrookie's recent TR too). I have looked at Red Slate Mountain a number of times from much further west and had no idea that kaleidoscope of rock was so extensive back there. It is gorgeous - as shown so well by your super photos too. Yet another place to try and visit before the the clock punks out.
Also as usual a great trip report with an intriguing route to vicariously follow along c/o CalTopo.
Thanks much.

Michaelzim