After a warm up hike to McGee Pass (LOL - 20 miles), Chuck and I went searching for a shorter adventure where we could bag some sort of peak. We settled on the Steelhead Lake region where we could stay at the lakes just up the trail and explore McCabe Pass etc. In doing so we saw that an ascent of Shepherd Crest would be a logical extension of something to do once you reach the pass. A smart choice. The view from the top is one of the best I've seen in this part of the High Sierra.
CROSSING A HORSE PACKER BUILT BRIDGE OVER MCGEE CREEK
CHUCK AND BIG MCGEE LAKE
CHUCK STARTING THE LAST LONG GRIND UP TO MCGEE PASS
CHUCK AT THE TOP OF MCGEE PASS
CHUCK NEARING THE END OF A LONG DAY ON THE MCGEE PASS TRAIL
DINNER TIME IN THE 'HAWK'
LATE DAY VIEW OF DANA FROM TIOGA LAKE CG
CHUCK ON THE WAY TO STEELHEAD LAKE
LATE DAY VIEW OF THE NORTHERN END OF STEELHEAD LAKE
LATE DAY VIEW SOUTH FROM STEELHEAD LAKE
ANOTHER LATE DAY VIEW SOUTH FROM STEELHEAD LAKE
CAMPSITE AT SMALL LAKE BELOW MCCABE PASS
SUNRISE ON THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF NORTH PEAK
THE SOMEWHAT HIDDEN SNOW/ICE CLIMBS ON THE NORTHEAST FACE OF NORTH PEAK
ON THE WAY TO THE SMALL TARN BELOW MCCABE PASS
CHUCK AT THE SMALL TARN BELOW MCCABE PASS
BACK AND FORTH ON THE LAST BIT OF TERRAIN BELOW MCCABE PASS
MCCABE LAKE AND SHEEP PEAK FROM MCCABE PASS
SHEPHERD CREST FROM MCCABE PASS
THE WONDERFUL CURVE OF THE NW RIDGE OF NORTH PEAK
THE VIEW KEEPS GETTING BETTER
NORTH TO SHEPHERD LAKE FROM SHEPHERD CREST
THE FINAL SUMMIT BLOCK FROM THE NARROW SECTION OF THE EAST RIDGE
CHUCK AT THE TOP OF SHEPHERD CREST
NORTH TO THE SAWTOOTH RANGE FROM SHEPHERD CREST
SOUTHWEST PAST CONNESS NORTH RIDGE TO TUOLUMNE REGION IN YOSEMITE
SOUTHWEST PAST CONNESS NORTH RIDGE TO TUOLUMNE REGION IN YOSEMITE
CHUCK AT THE TOP OF SHEPHERD CREST
STARTING DOWN THE REMARKABLY STABLE SCREE SLOPES ON THE EAST RIDGE OF SHEPHERD CREST
DESCENDING TO MCCABE PASS
DEAD CALM MORNING REFLECTION OF NORTH PEAK
NEMO OBI TENT AND SHEPHERD CREST
DRYING OUT GEAR AFTER YET ANOTHER BIG NIGHT OF DEW
CHUCK GETTING STARTED ON A BURGER IN MAMMOTH ON HIS LAST NIGHT
CHUCK ALL TUCKED IN FOR ANOTHER COOL NIGHT IN MID SEPTEMBER
CHUCK ON THE PROPER SIDE OF SADDLEBAG LAKE