16

Emergency Information

Location Backcountry (On-Trail)

Hospital

Mammoth Hospital

85 Sierra Park Rd

Mammoth Lakes, CA

760.934.3311

911 Services? Yes

Local Contact

Mammoth Ranger Station

2500 Main St

Mammoth Lakes, CA

760.924.5500

Cell Phone

Coverage? No

BCM Phone Numbers

Emergency Phone Number 800.208.2483

If an emergency arises on trip that needs immediate assistance, call the emer-

gency number first to reach a BCM staff member. If you do not receive a re-

turn call within 20 minutes, refer to the emergency contact sheet you received

at the beginning of your trip or directly reach out to BCM staff. Regional

BCM office numbers are listed below.

Denver Office 303.271.9200

Chicago Office 847.636.0422 (cell)

Pacific NW Office 541.233.6922 (cell)

SF Bay Area Office 510.558.2795

Additional Emergency Information: Inyo National Forest, 351 Pacu Lane,

Suite 200, Bishop, CA. 760.873.2400

Cell Phone Coverage: There is no cell phone coverage at Camp Mather

1

McGee Creek BCM Course Area Guide

Backcountry

Trip Code ________________________

Instructor ________________________

2

Table of Contents

Trail Summary ............................................................... 3

Trail Information ...................................................................... 3

Trail Description ...................................................................... 4

Route Description .................................................................... 5

Trail Distances ......................................................................... 5

Trail Elevation Profile .............................................................. 5

Trail Map & Key ........................................................... 6

Camp Site Information ............................................................. 6

Map Legend ............................................................................. 7

Trail Map…………………………………………………….8

Hazards .................................................................................. 10

Recommended Destinations ................................................... 10

Fishing ................................................................................... 10

Summits ................................................................................. 11

Daily Outline ............................................................... 12

Curriculum Checklist ................................................... 13

Instructor Recommendations ....................................... 14

Instructor Comments .............................................................. 14

Instructor Feedback Form ...................................................... 15

Emergency Information ............................................... 16

BCM Phone Numbers .................................................. 16

15

Instructor Comments

This area will be used for free form comments from Instructors to future Instructors. Please use the Field Journal for feedback and comments.

14

Day 1

Welcome

Introductions & Ice Breaker

Expectations

Policies

7-Day Overview

Day 2

Trust Activity

Policies Review

Daily Activities

Quote of the Day

Reflection Roundtable

Journaling

Lessons

Lost & Alone

Camp Craft 101

LNT

Group Travel

Food Waste Disposal

Campsite Selection

Health & Hygiene 201

Cat-Holes

Pack Packing

Food Protection

Water Treatment

Lightning Safety

Outcomes

Set expectations, roles & responsibilities.

Establish structure & daily routine.

Build Trust.

Establish common understanding of trip purpose.

Reflect on physical and emotional stresses.

Understand one is capable of overcoming & learning from challenges.

Work as a team to overcome challenges.

Support and encourage each other to overcome challenges.

Peak hike: overcome challenges, reflect, and learn from experiences.

Celebrate achievement.

Create Meaning: How did we overcome challenges?

Create Meaning: What are our strengths and weaknesses?

Create Meaning: How do we transfer what we have learned home?

Setting individual goals for the future.

Record learning and achievement in something tactile that teens can

take home with them as a reminder of their experience.

Curriculum Checklist

3

Trail Information

Trailhead Name: McGee Creek

Trailhead Camp: McGee Creek Campground*

*No reservations, first come, first serve

Permit (Expiration): Use Code: 153, ID# MLD100013T (8/15/2010)

Permit Pick-Up: Special Use Permit is provided in Trip Binder.

Wilderness Permit: Please see the ‘Permits-Inyo’ page in your Instructor

Binder for wilderness permit and pick-up information.

Permit Pick-Up: Please see above.

Trail Name(s): McGee Creek Trail

Type of Trail: Out-and-Back

Mileage: 19.92 miles

Alternate Routes: No information is available. Feedback is great!

Alternate Mileage: No information is available. Feedback is great!

Trail Location: Inyo National Forest

John Muir Wilderness

Mammoth Ranger District

Maps: BCM provides USGS&Trails Illustrated Maps:

T.I. #809 (Mammoth Lakes/Mono Divide)

USGS Mount Abbot

USGS Convict Lake

Flora/Fauna: The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada

Sierra Birds: A Hiker’s Guide by John M Laws

Weather Trends: Average High 82 °F / Average Low 40 °F

4

Trail Description

Hiking in California is dry and fast. Beautiful granite slabs make for an

easier terrain, great picnic areas and flat, smooth campsites. Expect to hike

through pine forests and fields of Manzanita brush. Manzanita, which liter-

ally means "little apple" in Spanish, is characterized by orange or red bark

and twisting branches. Sometimes Manzanita grow to the height of small

trees.

The mountain ranges of California are known for their excellent light qual-

ity, referred to as alpenglow. When the sun is just below the horizon, a red

glow can sometimes be seen on the opposite horizon. Look for alpenglow

after sunset or before sunrise, when there is no direct sunlight. Instead,

light reflects off airborne snow, water, or ice particles low in the atmos-

phere. At any time of day, the views above tree line are stunning.

During wildflower season, late spring through early summer, expect lots of

lupins, paintbrush, columbine, and California poppies. Watch for marmots

and pikas--they are everywhere.

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Recommendations

Expedition Preparation and Planning

Day

1

McGee

Creek

Camp

Meet at The North Face

Issue Individual Gear

Pre-trip teen surveys

Duffle Shuffle

Issue BCM Group Gear

Camp at McGee Creek Campground

Day

2

IN

THE

FIELD

Camp along McGee Creek or at Grass Lake.

Day

3

Camp at Big McGee Lake.

Day

4

Summit McGee Pass and Red Mountain if possible,

(5 miles roundtrip).

Camp at Big McGee Lake.

Day

5

Camp at Steelhead Lake, (4 miles).

Day

6

Camp

Mather

Hike Out this morning (4 miles)

Clean gear

Laundry

Showers

Pick Up Breakfast for Day 7

Evaluations & Surveys (D/A Profile)

Celebration Dinner

Day

7 HOME

Call office with ETA

Coordinate with Youth Leader for how to get teens

home.

Instructor debrief with RPM (volunteers welcome,

but not required to join.)

Daily Outline

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Area History

These trails travel through national forest and a wilderness area, both public lands, owned by the federal U.S. government and pro-tected from private commerical development, but for different pur-poses. The initial and continued mission of the National Forest Ser-vice, established in 1905 (within the Department of Agriculture), is: "...the greatest good of the greatest number of people in the long run.” Focused on conservation, timber and mineral deposits are managed in a manner similar to agriculture or farmed crops.

Wilderness Areas were established with preservation in mind. The Congressional Wilderness Act of 1964 was approved to “secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness.” As such, Wilderness desig-nation protects the area from roads, logging, oil and gas drilling, and any commercial enterprises. In part, to retain the quiet, motorized and mechanical vehicles and motorized equipment are not allowed.

Local Environment

The Sierra Nevada Mountains are an uplifted, tilted block of granite 400 miles long by 100 miles wide; the result of fault-line tectonic plate activity. Subsequent erosion, due to streams and glaciers, carved out U-shaped valleys, lakes, rugged peaks and cliffs. Sedi-ment fills lakes creating meadows.

There are several threats to the natural condition of the Sierras: air pollution, light pollution, and global warming, evident in the thinning snowpacks. Stray light, particularly from San Joaquin Valley, bright-ens the night sky. Darkness allows vistors views of the stars, while nocturnal animals depend on darkness to hunt, conceal their loca-tion, navigate, and reproduce. Artificial light can disrupt plant cycles.

5

* The elevation details and corresponding graphic pertain to the main route only—not

alternate routes.

Route Description Overview Hike six miles up to Big McGee Lake and hike eight miles back out, by

hiking up to Steelhead Lake to camp. Summit McGee Pass and Red Moun-

tain, if possible.

Details The hike up McGee Creek to Big McGee Lake is only six miles, so a sim-

ple out-and-back makes for only 12 miles of backpacking. Try to add more

mileage and more challenges by camping at

Steelhead Lake or Grass Lake, and by doing some fun day hikes should you

arrive at camp early. From Big McGee Lake, a hike up to Crocker Lake

might be fun and accessible.

Campsite-1 to Scheelore Mine: 4.85 miles

Campsite-4 to McGee Pass (McGeeP): 1.06 miles

McGee Pass to Red Slate Mountain (Red): 0.84 miles

Campsite-4 to Red Slate Mountain (Red): 1.79 miles

Campsite-3 to Grass Lake: 0.92 miles

Trail Elevation Profile*

Elevation Gain:7,240 ft. Min. Elevation:8,137 ft.

Elevation Loss:7,240 ft. Max. Elevation:13,050 ft.

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Camp Site Information

Favorites

1- McGee Creek - UTM 339263E 4153082N

2- Grass Lake (GRASS) - UTM 339400E 4152570N

3- Steelhead Lake (STEEL) - UTM 339807E 4152047N

4- Little McGee Lake (LAKE) - UTM 336454E 4151028N

Good Alternative

No information is available. Feedback is appreciated!

Not Recommended

No information is available. Feedback is appreciated!

Refer to trail map for corresponding numbered campsites. 11

A meadow above Big McGee Lake from McGee Pass Trail.

Summit

McGee Pass - UTM 335636E 4152166N

There are great views from the pass (4 miles round-trip).

Red Slate Mountain (RED) - UTM 334761E 4152834N

This could be another option. Please assess if the route is safe. Try hiking

to the peak from McGee Pass.

Refer to trail map for corresponding locations.

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Hazards

Refer to trail map for corresponding locations.

There is potential rock fall on the road between McGee Campground and

McGee pack station. Raining or high winds can push rocks down on the

road. Most campsites provide metal lockers.

Animals Upper eastern Sierra the same animals no food or beverage

Poisonous

Plants No information is available. Feedback is appreciated!

Weather

Hazards Raining and high winds run rampant throughout the area.

Falling rocks (see above). Intense high altitude sun. Watch

for dehydration and heat exhaustion.

Lightning

Exposures Afternoon thunderstorms common.

No Water

Between Black bears, coyotes, rodents, mosquitoes and ticks.

Scree Slopes Loose talus. Watch for rock fall and shifting rocks. Early

season creeks may not be crossable.

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Refer to trail map for corresponding hazards.

Map Legend

Campsites (Not all sites are recommended.)

Kitchen area

Reported Water Source (River, Pond, Creek, Spring)

Portages

Point of Interest

Hazards

Fishing

Main Route

--- Alternate Routes

Points of Interest There is a nice hike up to Horsetail Falls. A pretty canyon at

Convict Lake is located between McGee and Mammoth. Shore fishing is

also something to be enjoyed.

Fishing McGee Creek is running pretty high and is not good for fishing. Stream

fishing can be very difficult; fishing is best in lakes.

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