Upper McGee Lake Afternoon Exploration: Sierra Nevada

Upper McGee Lake

Canyon Exploration

Camp for the night at Big McGee Lake

Camo soaking in views after dinner

View of Big McGee Lake from camp.

 Continuation of a trip to the Sierra Nevada in August:

Camo and I reached Big McGee Lake in the mid afternoon after hiking back over McGee Pass from Izaak Walton Lake. Camo took a nap after getting to camp. I decided to explore a bit. So I had a couple hours to look around before I'd meet Camo back at camp for dinner. I really wanted to see some more plants and wildflowers since so much had been dried up due to drought. There were plants and flowers growing along stream banks if they weren't dried up already. There was one stream I wanted to explore that led up to Upper McGee lake through a canyon. Wildflowers are like songs. I get nostalgia seeing certain ones, they transport me back in time to other places on the trail where I saw them in the past. There wasn't a huge variety of flowers to look at this time around, but the afternoon exploring did the soul some good. The views were fantastic, the lake was peaceful, and the bushwhack hike was strenuous but satisfying.

After returning to camp in the evening, Camo and I enjoyed dinner and the light off the granite peaks once again. A steady breeze picked up after dinner. By late evening, some of the smoke was already blowing out of the valley once again...

Izaak Walton Lake to Big McGee Lake: Sierra Nevada

Camo and I retracing our steps back towards McGee Pass. Smoke returned.

Example of the dry Sierra. Seasonal pond dried up.

More dry Sierra meadows

Wildflowers grew in small pockets where moisture remained.

Hiking back over McGee Pass.

Over the pass, heading towards Big McGee Lake

Only Columbine I saw the whole trip.

Only glimpse of John Muir's favorite wildflower.

Flowers were there, but hard to find.

Camp for the night, Big McGee Lake.

 Continuation of a trip to the Sierra Nevada in August:

Camo and I woke up to another smoky morning in the Sierra at Izaak Walton Lake. Our time was up, so we planned on retracing our steps to hike back to Tully Lake, hike over McGee Pass, and camp at Big McGee Lake again. The next day, we would hike out of the mountains and meet Moosie at the parking area. The hike over the pass wasn't too bad. I mostly observed the dry Sierra, wishing for a good snow pack for the upcoming winter to alleviate some of the drought. Saw my first and only marmot around lunch time. Camo pointed it out. Looked for wildflowers, whose presence reminded me of my John Muir hike back in 2009. Once we reached McGee Pass, Camo was able to get cell service and contacted Moosie. She would be ready to meet us the next day around noon. The hike down to the like was nice, Camo and I found sites on the opposite side of the lake, making it feel like a brand new spot with new views... 

Afternoon Exploring at Izaak Walton Lake: Sierra Nevada

 

Camp at Izaak Walton Lake

found this old cache stored between some pines

view into Tully Hole

Izaak Walton Lake

Continuation of a trip to the Sierra Nevada back in August:

After Camo and I set up camp at what we thought was Hortense Lake, we decided to do some afternoon exploring. According to the map, there should have been another big lake adjacent to the one we were camped at. After hiking to the other side, the other lake was nowhere to be seen. We had views down into Tully Hole, but couldn't figure out where the other lake was located. Camo hiked back to camp and I decided to investigate a bit. After wandering around for a half hour or so, I found a small stream whose source had to be another lake up above. Sure enough, I found another large lake, looked at the map, and concluded Hortense Lake was in another small valley about a half mile or mile from where we were camped. We were actually camped at Izaak Walton Lake, and then the map made sense. After hiking back to camp, I told Camo where we were. It didn't really matter. We were away from anything and everything, with great views, and that was all that mattered. We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening lounging around camp, talking, and watching the light change off the surrounding granite peaks.