BajaNomad - McGee Creek and Fall Colors

McGee Creek and Fall Colors

DianaT - 10-4-2013 at 05:10 PM

The beginning of the trail is just a few miles west of 395 at the top of the Sherwin Summit a short distance from Tom's Place. And right now, it is BEAUTIFUL. A week ago it was mostly green, but a cold snap turned many trees quickly so off we went to take a lot of pictures and to just enjoy being there! It is a real Huell Howser place --- WOW.

Look Mom, I found some fall color by the stream!

Okay, lets go up the trail as this looks like it is a real winner.

And it just got better and better!

Time to head back.

And one more taken along the road

Sorry for so many --- it was difficult to chose just a couple of the pictures that both John and I took. Igor and Ken are much better at doing that; I am trying! :biggrin:

Lots more color to see and it is a great time to visit the Eastern Sierra!

[Edited on 10-5-2013 by DianaT]

DianaT - 10-5-2013 at 09:17 PM

Just one more from today on the Taylor Canyon Road -- tall, beautiful trees. It is the time to visit up here

wessongroup - 10-5-2013 at 10:38 PM

No worries, thanks for the day "out" ...

Bwana_John - 10-6-2013 at 07:59 AM

Quote:

And one more taken along the road

Actually, all the photos in McGee Canyon were taken on "roads"... the trail is actually a well disguised road to the Scheelore Mine under Mt Baldwin.

The USFS has tried to hide much of it in the main canyon, but the road is in very good condition after it turns off to the north to get up to the mine.

Again, it sure looks dry with so few perennial snow fields!

[Edited on 10-6-2013 by Bwana_John]

Ateo - 10-6-2013 at 08:04 AM

WOW! That's some bright yellow. Nice.

DianaT - 10-6-2013 at 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bwana_John

Quote:

And one more taken along the road

Actually, all the photos in McGee Canyon were taken on "roads"... the trail is actually a well disguised road to the Scheelore Mine under Mt Baldwin.

At the very beginning, one can see where it was an old road, but that changes rather quickly. Nature has reclaimed it quite well. In the past, there are other hikes I have done up some of those now closed old mining roads that have been given back to nature. Personally, I like seeing them turned into trails. And this one is a beautiful one. Oh, just a little side note. This year a botanist found a type of monkey flower in this area that they thought was long gone.

We want to continue to Steelhead Lake one of these days.

We are all hoping for some good snow this year as it is really needed! So far we had that quick little early snow storm that disappeared rapidly.

Bwana_John - 10-6-2013 at 09:13 AM

Quote:

We want to continue to Steelhead Lake one of these days.

The turn off the main trail for Steelhead Lk (to the south) is at about the same place as the turn off for the mine (to the north), I think the mine is much more interesting and beautiful, Steelhead is in granite, the mine is in roof pendants.

One of my favorite X-C routes in the Sierra Nevada is over and thru "The Corridor" between the top of McGee Creek and the Convict drainage.

volcano - 10-7-2013 at 06:31 AM

sorry? for making my morning with Nature?

Skipjack Joe - 10-7-2013 at 07:08 AM

These are wonderful, Diane. I went up to the sierras this weekend and had a really hard time getting good images of the color. But you seemed to have no problem at all. We drove through Yosemite and came within an inch of being cited for pulling off the road to take pictures.

RnR - 10-7-2013 at 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
We drove through Yosemite and came within an inch of being cited for pulling off the road to take pictures.

Cited by who?

I thought that the park was closed due to the budget fiasco in Washington........

DianaT - 10-7-2013 at 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by volcano
sorry? for making my morning with Nature?

Quote:

Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
These are wonderful, Diane. I went up to the sierras this weekend and had a really hard time getting good images of the color. But you seemed to have no problem at all. We drove through Yosemite and came within an inch of being cited for pulling off the road to take pictures.

Thanks Igor. It is frustrating to be driving and seeing something and then have no where to stop!

RnR --- The road through Yosemite is a state highway so it is open.

Vince - 10-7-2013 at 10:57 AM

Great area up McGee creek. We rented horses up there once.

Skipjack Joe - 10-7-2013 at 11:56 AM

Hwy 120 remains open through the park. It's very hard to actually do the drive and not stop. We encountered many vehicles at the Lake Tenaya area shooting quick images. I don't believe there is more than one ranger patrolling the entire portion of the hwy and he's looking for those who walk/hike away from the hwy.

DianaT - 10-7-2013 at 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
Hwy 120 remains open through the park. It's very hard to actually do the drive and not stop. We encountered many vehicles at the Lake Tenaya area shooting quick images. I don't believe there is more than one ranger patrolling the entire portion of the hwy and he's looking for those who walk/hike away from the hwy.

We have hoped to make it up to Tuolumne Meadows for some hiking before the snow comes. Soon, we hope. :no:

DianaT - 10-7-2013 at 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Vince
Great area up McGee creek. We rented horses up there once.

Someone who lived in this area for a very long time sent me a U2U and said that at the right time of the year, there are apt to be several rattlesnakes up the McGee Creek canyon, so maybe we will think about renting horses during the springtime. :biggrin: