Sunset in Lancaster on my way to the Sierra to hike to Red Slate Mountain. The hike will be about a 20 mile round trip with a 5,000+ foot gain.

Next morning at the McGee Creek Trailhead at 8,150 feet.

Fall color in the canyon as I start the hike.

High clouds made for a great looking sky.

There has been work done on this trail since last year, this log bridge is new.

A waterfall along the trail.

One more cloud shot.

At the second stream crossing.

View from the top of the switchbacks.

The unnamed lake at 10,000 feet.

Mt Stanford 12,838 feet.

Rock stairs on the trail.

Some of the mountains in the area have nice colors to them.

A brown meadow at 10,300 feet, soon this will all be covered in snow.

Stopped here to filter some water, great view.

Zoomed in a little on Red and White Mountain.

Zoomed in on the peaks beside Red and White Mountain.

Big McGee Lake at 10,500 feet, this is around 7 miles in.

Closer look at part of Big McGee's shore line.

Looking back at Big McGee Lake as I hike on.

This was my first view of Red State Mountain as I hiked past Little McGee Lake at 11,000 feet.

Looking back at Little McGee Lake.

Better view of Red Slate Moutain.

Stopped here for a lunch break. By this time I knew at I wasn't going to have a enough time to make the peak.

Looking back at an unnamed lake as I keep hiking towards McGee Pass.

Climbing the switchbacks at lead to McGee Pass.

Almost to McGee Pass at 11,900 feet.

A view to the southwest from the pass. This is as far as I got last year when I tried this hike, about 10 miles in.

Looking up at Red Slate from the pass. At 13,163 feet, it's only 1,263 feet above. Feeling bummed out at this point. Not enough time to make it and get back to the truck before dark.

After making the decision not to go for the peak, I remembered something Cori told me last year. That if I counldn't make the peak to hike to the saddle. It looked far from the pass, but I started hiking towards it.

Looking back at the pass and the canyon I hiked up as I make my way to the saddle.

Zoomed in on Mount Crocker.

The summit of Mount Baldwin appears above the saddle as I get closer.

Almost to the saddle, it was closer than it looked.

On the saddle, McGee Pass is at the snow patch.

Zoomed in on McGee Pass 300 feet below.

Me on the saddle at 12,200 feet with a view to the northwest. The view from here was awesome, glad that I hiked out to the saddle.

The next 4 shots I zoomed in on the peaks, this one is Bloody Mt 12,552 feet.

Think this one is Laurel Mt 11,812 feet with Lake Dorothy on the left.

Mount Morrison 12,277 feet.

Mt Morrison again on left with Mt Badwin 12,615 feet.

Hiking out. Instead of hiking back to the pass, I beelined to the closest switchback of the trail.

Back on the trail. I have a little over three hours before dark.

Back at the unnamed lake at 11,400 feet.

Big McGee Lake comes back into view, still have a long way to go to reach the trailhead.

Nice looking tree along the trail.

Hiking along Big McGee Lake.

Along McGee Creek, about half way out.