High Sierra Topix

My sister's visiting older dog Murphy isn't up to big hikes, so he and Freddog and I took the short but lovely hike up to Barrett (now a pond) and TJ (gorgeous setting and full) today in the Mammoth Basin. Nice weather and the bigger crowds gone, I expected the highlight to be our bald eagle sighting. But coming back down to Lake George, they suddenly stopped, put paws on a trailside log and stared and sniffed intently at a bush nearly within arm's reach. It took me a few seconds to see that Mr. Bear was trying to sleep under this bush, backside to us! Silly old bear, sleeping about 3 steps away from a well used trail! Several hikers and fishermen had been telling us an old bear was moseying around the lake picking up whatever dead fish he could find, oblivious to everyone.
We then drove up Rock Creek Road for a short hike through the beautiful meadow by Rock Creek Lodge, and I was surprised to see quite a bit of early fall color. Not camera spectacular, but many aspens were already yellow, and lots of color, although muted, high up on the slopes.
No pictures, sorry, missing the connection!