Sierra Nevada - John Muir Wilderness - Red & White Mountain 1971

On June 19-20, 1971 myself, Gil Beilke & his wife and Carl Foster did a 16 mile round trip backpack up McGee Creek to climb 12,850' Red & White Mountain.

Beautiful weather. Snow clear of trail up to 10,000+ then only thin patches most places - melting fast. Big McGee Lake frozen but starting to melt. Round Lake free of ice. All snow slushy at mid-day. Climbed Red & White Mountain via class 2 (except 3 near summit) route on south east face - rotten loose rocks. Great views. Nice trip. See map at end of page.

Red & White Mountain is located in the Mammoth Lakes area between Red Slate Mountain and Mt. Stanford, at the triple divide point where the Sierra crest meets the Silver Divide. McGee Creek flows off the northeast side, Fish Creek to the northwest, and Mono Creek to the south.

Like most of the other peaks in this area, the rock is noted for its brilliant coloring, its great geological age, and generally loose and crappy climbing. The views along the crest and over two sides of the Silver Divide are unique, and ample reward for the effort required to reach the summit.

The peak was first climbed in 1902 by a party led by James S. Hutchinson via the West Ridge. The class 3 Northeast Ridge, purportedly the best route on the peak, was pioneered by Norman Clyde in 1928. The north side features a 900-foot permanent snow/ice field, unusual for the Sierra region. It was first climbed in 1991 (III, AI1, or WI2) by Tim Pomykata and Catherine Laben. The easiest route up the peak is the class 2 Southwest Face rising from Little Grinnell Lake.

McGee Creek, Horsetail Falls - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
McGee Creek, Horsetail Falls - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971

'Mule Ears' along McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
'Mule Ears' along McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
McGee Creek, Horsetail Falls - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
McGee Creek, Horsetail Falls - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971

'Mule Ears' on McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
'Mule Ears' on McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
Aspens on McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
Aspens on McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971

'The Crossing' on McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
'The Crossing' on McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
Gil Beilke using 'The Crossing' on McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
Gil Beilke using 'The Crossing' on McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971

Aspens on McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
Aspens on McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
View up McGee Creek  - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
View up McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971

McGee Creek  - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
Flowers on McGee Creek  - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
Flowers on McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971

Flower on McGee Creek  - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
Flower on McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
Beaver Dam on McGee Creek  - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
Beaver Dam on McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971

Beaver Dam on McGee Creek  - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
Beaver Dam on McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
Beaver Dam on McGee Creek  - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
Beaver Dam on McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971

McGee Creek  - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
McGee Creek tributary - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
McGee Creek tributary - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971

McGee Creek, Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
McGee Creek, Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971

McGee Creek  - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
Hopkins Pass, McGee Creek  - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971
Hopkins Pass, McGee Creek - John Muir Wilderness 19 Jun 1971

We camped at Big McGee Lake. On Sunday, Gil and I headed for Red & White Mountain.

Red & White Mountain, Big  McGee Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
Red & White Mountain, Big McGee Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
Frozen Big  McGee Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
Frozen Big McGee Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971

Route to Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
Route to Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
Looking down on Hopkins Pass from Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
Looking down on Hopkins Pass from Red & White Mountain
John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971

Southeast over Hopkins Pass (bottom center), Mt. Crocker (left), Hopkins Basin and Recesses (right) from Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
Southeast over Hopkins Pass (bottom center), Mt. Crocker (left), Hopkins Basin and Recesses (right) from Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
View east/northeast toward Crowley Lake, Mt. Crocker (left) from Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
View east/northeast toward Crowley Lake, Mt. Crocker (left) from Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
Mt. Crocker (right), view toward Cascade Valley, Fish Creek and on skyline Banner Peak, Mt. Ritter, Mt. Conness from Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
Mt. Crocker (right), view toward Cascade Valley, Fish Creek and on skyline Banner Peak, Mt. Ritter, Mt. Conness from Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
Mt. Baldwin from Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
Mt. Baldwin from Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
'The Meadow' below Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
'The Meadow' below Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971

Lake Thomas Edison (left center in distance) from Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
Lake Thomas Edison (left center in distance) from Red & White Mountain
John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
Lake Thomas Edison from Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
Lake Thomas Edison from Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971

Recesses beyond Grinnell Basin from Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
Recesses beyond Grinnell Basin from Red & White Mountain
John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
Virginia Lake and Tully Hole from Red & White Mountain - John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971
Virginia Lake and Tully Hole from Red & White Mountain
John Muir Wilderness 20 Jun 1971

Red & White Mountain Route Map 1971
Red & White Mountain Route Map 1971