High Sierra Topix

Hi All,
I'm tentatively in for the 2018 Meetup. Grinnell Lake looks great. I'll probably enter via McGee, and try again to climb Red Slate Mountain. I failed to summit during a trip in 2016, and it's been eating me alive.

Hi All,
I'm tentatively in for the 2018 Meetup. Grinnell Lake looks great. I'll probably enter via McGee, and try again to climb Red Slate Mountain. I failed to summit during a trip in 2016, and it's been eating me alive.

Here are a few photos of McGee Creek. Decide for yourself if it is worthwhile; I think so. It is particularly stunning in the fall but you will not be going in the fall (one of the best shows of color in the Sierra).

The trail was washed out this summer, and has been mostly rebuilt by the packers, with detours. But you still have to get down to the creek for one of the crossings. I would just follow the main horse trail even if it does not match the map.

A few Fall photos.

Right now I'm sort of leaning towards a loop from Pine creek. I'd head for Italy pass, catch the SHR, hit the meet-up spot, then hike out Mono pass to LLV. From there, I could go over Morgan pass back to Pine creek.

Flamingo, when you mentioned Morgan pass, did you go all the way over? It looks like you need to road walk a bit to get to Pine creek.

The other alternative would be to leave/return via Mono pass. I could explore Pioneer basin and each of the recesses along the way. However, it would be nice to head over Bighorn to Fish creek and loop back from McGee to Mono (through Pioneer?), but I'm not sure it's that easy.

Ahoy Hobbes,

You can connect Pine Creek trail and the Morgan Pass trail without any road-walking, per se, except a couple hundred feet on pavement to walk from the Morgan Pass trailhead over to the Pine Creek trailhead. It's no big deal.

When I did the Mono Loop in 2016, it was a true loop. That is, I parked my car at Pine Creek trailhead, I did Italy + Gabbot + Mono + Morgan Passes, and I walked right back to my car. The bottom two miles of the Morgan Pass trail are old jeep track switchbacks (does that count as road walking?), but the road is abandoned and it basically felt like a wide trail.

Overall, I give high recommendations for the Morgan Pass trail. It's underrated. The top half is terrific alpine walking, and the bottom half is heaven for geology nerds.

FYI -- Here's the link to my 2016 TR on the Mono Loop (Italy Pass, Gabbot Pass, Mono Pass, and Morgan Pass).
http://highsierratopix.com/community/vi ... 1&p=109364

Thanx Victor. I remember you spoke very highly of Morgan. I think I'll just follow your loop.

PS Did you and your buddies get up to Whitney last month?

"Where I haven't been at all is the Silver divide"

Karl, this is helpful. The Silver Divide is a must-see. So is (IMO) McGee Pass. For someone from SoCal, the Silver Divide is an area that will provide deep appreciation for the northern half of the High Sierra. And although you'll certainly get a very nice piece of the Silver Divide just by hiking up from Mono Creek to Laurel and Grinnell Lakes, the real way to see the Silver Divide is to...Hike all the way over the Silver Divide.

Personally, I can't stand the miles of viewless, horse-poopy trail along Mono Creek from where the SHR crosses said creek, east to approximately Pioneer Basin area. Mono Pass itself is magnificent (as are Pioneer Basin, Ruby Lake and to a lesser extent the Fourth Recess), but that is all high country that you can do as a separate trip one day, a 3-day in-and-out from Rock Creek that does not involve any descent along Mono Creek west of Pioneer Basin.

Knowing what I know of you, Karl, it is easy for me to picture you enjoying loping up Pine Creek TH to Granite Park, day-hiking to Royce Lakes & back, (I have been to both; very very easy pass between them); hopping from there to Lake Italy (I have not gone that route); then going north on the SHR till you hit the McGee Pass Trail at Tully Lake; and exiting via McGee Pass.

- Oleander

By the way, I'm RSVP'ing to the meet-up

By the way, I'm RSVP'ing to the meet-up

Of course you are, would not have except otherwise!