On July 29-30, 1978 myself, Johnny Bartlett, Michael McLeod and Jimmy White backpacked from Saddlebag Lake to the crest above McCabe Lake in the Hoover Wilderness and day hiked down to the McCabe Lakes in Yosemite National Park. Ten mile round trip.
We drove to campgrounds near Lee Vining Friday night and then to Saddlebag Lake Saturday morning - hitting the trail about 8 a.m. We followed the trail on the west side of the lake, crossing several snow fields extending into the lake.
After talking with the local Wilderness Ranger we crossed over to the old mining road at Greenstone Lake. We followed the road to Steelhead Lake and then crossed near Cascade Lake and headed up toward the crest.
We took a very leisurely pace and arrived on the crest about 3:30 p.m. We decided not to carry our packs down to McCabe Lake and back up so made camp on the crest - using snow for water.
Sunday morning we day hiked down to McCabe Lake - lots of mosquitoes and then returned to camp by about 11:30. We headed down around 1 p.m. and after an extended stop at Steelhead Lake (Jimmy went swimming - briefly), headed on out.
We took the old mining road on the east side of the lake to avoid the snow and made the roadhead about 4:30 p.m. Michael was beat but did okay for his first backpack. We headed home about 5:30. Very nice weekend. Mosquitoes not a problem at Saddlebag Lake and not too bad on the crest.
The route down to McCabe Lake from our camp would be a little difficult with packs. There are apparently some better but still not too great routes down further north on the ridge. McCabe and other Lakes still had some ice on them but temperatures were mild to warm.
Saddlebag Lake - McCabe Lake area map
Michael, Jimmy and Johnny on west side of Saddlebag Lake - Jul 1978
Jimmy, Johnny and Michael at Greenstone Lake - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Greenstone Lake looking toward Mount Conness - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Looking at the crest over Greenstone Lake - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Mount Conness and glacier - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Lunch stop at Wasco Lake - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Wasco Lake - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Steelhead Lake - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Steelhead Lake - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Sierra Crest from Cascade Lake - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Sierra Crest from Cascade Lake - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
North Peak - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Looking back at Cascade Lake, Steelhead Lake and Potter Lake - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Waterfall above Cascade Lake - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Steelhead Lake - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Steelhead Lake (front), Saddlebag Lake (rear) - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Steelhead Lake, Saddlebag Lake, Cascade Lake - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Steelhead Lake, Saddlebag Lake, Cascade Lake - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
On the crest between Hoover Wilderness and Yosemite National Park - Jul 1978
Upper McCabe Lake in Yosemite National Park from the crest - Jul 1978
Upper McCabe Lake and the McCabe Creek valley - Yosemite National Park - Jul 1978
Shepherd Crest from Upper McCabe Lake - Yosemite National Park - Jul 1978
Outlet of Upper McCabe Lake - Yosemite National Park - Jul 1978
Upper McCabe Lake - Yosemite National Park - Jul 1978
Ice floating in Steelhead Lake - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Johnny, Jimmy, Michael playing in Steelhead Lake - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Johnny and Michael snowballing Jimmy at Steelhead Lake - Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978
Johnny and Michael and Jimmy snowball fight at Steelhead Lake
Hoover Wilderness - Jul 1978