Having reached the lowest granite “step” of this glacially carved-out canyon, the first obstacle was figuring out the trail. I had thought it was easily straightforward and had not printed out a map for the lower section. In retrospect, it hardly seemed a cause for confusion, but before I knew it, I had committed myself with the heavy pack to some off trail bushwhacking on the wrong side of the creek. The worst of it was a waste of energy, but it was kind of an initiation to the rigors of backpacking in a new season - just like old times. And, it was nice to be able to cross back over the frothing torrent without getting wet.
From that point I only ran into two parties and they were both returning from day hikes. I was able to vent a bit to one couple about the trail; about the stone steps that seem to be multiplying every year on trails and how they provoke extra strain with a heavy pack going up and a pounding on the knees going down. Maybe sometimes it is better bushwackng!
Having reached Big McGee Lake, set in a marvelous sort of extended cirque, I kept going on the McGee Pass trail into whitebark pine territory and to probably the last good place to camp at around 11,000 feet. On this south facing side there were only patches of snow so far. That condition changed early next morning when I took the trail around the bend into a more shadowed gulch. Little McGee Lake was almost entirely frozen and more snow appeared until it became a hazard with slippery soles. At that point, I had to wait an hour or two for the snow to mush up enough for traction. The trail emerged from the snow and switchbacked all the way up to McGee Pass and an expansive view of the Silver Divide. On the ground I was looking for blooms of sky pilot but it was too early, only some buds. From the Pass I contoured over newly forming snow cups and sharp shards of metasedimentary rock to what I took to be West Corridor Pass (treacherous looking on the north side) and a fine view of the Convict Canyon area and Mono Lake in the distance. Having had enough of the intense sun, I returned to the campsite, and under a late afternoon cloud cover, started up toward East Corrider Pass but didn’t get that far. I would guess that East Corridor would be easier than West.
On the return, while at a stop at Big McGee Lake, it was hard not to notice the sudden build-up of a white cloud bank with dark undersides growing from the west. Though not needing to make time it did motivate me to go faster down the trail, and before long big droplets were falling from the sky. At the bottom of the granite steps, where I ran into trouble going up, I decided to take shelter from the rain. So far, there was a little bit a rumbling but not much else. Suddenly, there was a flash and hardly a second afterward a boom and crash. That got my attention. After that, it was nice to see a little steady rain that freshened the newly sprung greenery of this beautiful canyon.
- Big McGee Lake. Stillness before the storm.