Mule Pack to the High Sierra by Dave Wyman

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Mule Pack to the High Sierra

By Dave Wyman
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The Central Coast of California - 2010

Point Reyes, Tomales Bay, Petaluma - 2010

My wife, Kathy, and I joined a group from the Sierra Club, on a mule pack. We hiked, with just day packs, to Big McGee Lake, in the High Sierra, south of Mammoth Mountain and east of Crowley Lake. After eight miles and more than 2,000 feet of elevation gain, we reached our beautiful campsite.

The mule packers, from the McGee Creek Pack Station, had arrived ahead of us. It didn't take long to break out several containers of ice cream, which had stayed cold sitting on dry ice.

Beautiful day hikes, optional climbs up two mountains and two passes, spending plenty of down-time in camp to read, talk or meditate, and some terrific shared meals were all on the itinerary.

I made ten new friends on my first mule pack - this was Kathy's sixth - and I want to do it again next year, especially if there will be ice cream.

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Mule Pack to the High Sierra

McGee Creek Lodge, where Kathy and I stayed the night before the trip.

Morning light over the canyon we would ascend, with the pack station in the shade..

Wranger at McGee Creek Lodge.

The pack station dog, part Great Pyrenees, was quite friendly.

Our mules wait for our gear.

We begin our trek.

We enter a forest, taking us out of the dry terrain at the bottom of the canyon.

Kathy deals with some water flowing over the trail.

We made our first stream crossing.

There was an early autumn show of color.

Aspen leaves.

Beaver lodge.

Aspen trunk chewed by a beaver.

Second stream crossing.

Narrow bridge.

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