TR: Pine Creek-Granite Park-Bear Lakes-Merriam-French Canyon

If you've been searching for the best source of information and stimulating discussion related to Spring/Summer/Fall backpacking, hiking and camping in the Sierra Nevada...look no further!
User avatar
Asolthane
Topix Regular
Posts: 125
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:40 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

TR: Pine Creek-Granite Park-Bear Lakes-Merriam-French Canyon

Post by Asolthane »

Image

I did this 2 summers ago with a friend in early August.

We arrived at the Pine Creek trailhead in the evening and passed out. The following morning my friend woke up with a nasty cold and we weren't sure he could do the trip. We ended up driving into Mammoth lakes and buying some of the sudafed decongestant they keep behind the counter and going for it.

Day 1: Hike up Pine Creek
Image
to Pine Lake, which was stunning:
Image
continue past upper Pine Lake to camp at Honeymoon Lake. We found a bed of moss that felt like the most plush mattress ever created, and took an absolutely glorious nap before setting up camp. Stunning so far. My friend was actually quite sick, but is a tough son of a gun.

Day 2: Continue up the trail towards Chalfant Lakes
Image
Image
My buddy was feeling terrible so we only made it a couple of miles and decided to camp here:
Image

Day 3: We were behind on our miles and decided to see if we could scout a pass that would cut the mileage down. From Granite Park it looked like there was a way over into Bear Lakes basin, which would mean we wouldn't see Lake Italy. It looked pretty gnar-gnar though! Like a huge canine tooth:
Image
It ended up being harder than it looked, as it meant climbing up a long steep section that was just small, loose scree with nothing to hold onto. Here's the view from the top looking down on Black Bear Lake:
Image
Black Bear Lake with 7 Gables in the distance:
Image
We camped at Big Bear Lake:
Image
It was pretty, but cold and windy up there. We were exhausted and my friend was still sick, so we set up camp and went to sleep early.

Day 4: We just rested and read a book to see if he could recover. I took some photos
Image
Image
Image
Image

Day 5: EPIC adventure day, leaving a basecamp. We went down this creek
Image
and were treated to this amazing view of 7 Gables. What a mountain, another tooth looking thing, this time more like a shark tooth
Image
We checked out the lakes along east fork of Bear Creek, including Stub lake and 7 Gables Lakes. The latter was stunning and we took a swim:
Image
The we climbed up to Vee Lake
Image
and up the drainage
Image
and up
Image
and up
Image
and up
Image
and up
Image
and up to the top of an unnamed peak just shy of 13k
Image
Image
Image
And back to camp for a sound sleep. This was one of the most amazing days of my life. So beautiful, so fun.

Day 6: Over this pass
Image
and down to French Canyon.

Day 7: A day of frisbee, and then light painting at night
Image

Day 8:
Up French Canyon and over Pine Creek Pass (easy) and back down to Pine Creek Trailhead.

What a wonderful trip. I highly recommend Bear Lakes Basin. I would camp in the meadow above Vee Lake if I returned, seemed by far the best spot in the basin.
Last edited by Asolthane on Fri Apr 15, 2016 10:59 am, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
Asolthane
Topix Regular
Posts: 125
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:40 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: TR: Pine Creek-Granite Park-Bear Lakes-Merriam-French Ca

Post by Asolthane »

Are people seeing the photos? They show up in my browser, but not in tapatalk
User avatar
rlown
Topix Docent
Posts: 8225
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:00 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Wilton, CA

Re: TR: Pine Creek-Granite Park-Bear Lakes-Merriam-French Ca

Post by rlown »

Can see them on the Win10 pc chrome. Tapatalk: no. Chrome browser on the Android: no. They try and load but don't get the grey zero with the line in them.

The map does show up though on all three.
User avatar
Asolthane
Topix Regular
Posts: 125
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:40 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: TR: Pine Creek-Granite Park-Bear Lakes-Merriam-French Ca

Post by Asolthane »

rlown wrote:Can see them on the Win10 pc chrome. Tapatalk: no. Chrome browser on the Android: no. They try and load but don't get the grey zero with the line in them.

The map does show up though on all three.
Ok, I went to the trouble to download them from google photos and upload them to postimage.org, where the map was hosted. That should fix it!

Let me know if not.
User avatar
rlown
Topix Docent
Posts: 8225
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:00 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Wilton, CA

Re: TR: Pine Creek-Granite Park-Bear Lakes-Merriam-French Ca

Post by rlown »

WORKS in android chrome now!!! didn't test tapatalk as that's not this forums direction..
User avatar
Asolthane
Topix Regular
Posts: 125
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:40 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: TR: Pine Creek-Granite Park-Bear Lakes-Merriam-French Ca

Post by Asolthane »

I'm seeing it in tapatalk. Some good shots right?!

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk
User avatar
rlown
Topix Docent
Posts: 8225
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2007 5:00 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Wilton, CA

Re: TR: Pine Creek-Granite Park-Bear Lakes-Merriam-French Ca

Post by rlown »

Very nice shots.. Although (slight pause) where are the fishing rods and the fish pics? :crybaby:

Unless the guy in the red shorts was catching them with his teeth :D
User avatar
Asolthane
Topix Regular
Posts: 125
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:40 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: TR: Pine Creek-Granite Park-Bear Lakes-Merriam-French Ca

Post by Asolthane »

No fishing on this trip, this was 2013 before my dad bought me a Tenkara rod. I don't think I mentioned any fish...although there were some nice ones in 7gables lakes.

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk
User avatar
oldhikerQ
Topix Regular
Posts: 263
Joined: Mon Jan 21, 2013 9:50 am
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
Location: South OC, CA

Re: TR: Pine Creek-Granite Park-Bear Lakes-Merriam-French Ca

Post by oldhikerQ »

Thanks for the TR. I want to get to the Bear Lakes basin before I'm too old.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost
User avatar
LightRanger
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 63
Joined: Sun May 20, 2012 5:07 pm
Experience: N/A

Re: TR: Pine Creek-Granite Park-Bear Lakes-Merriam-French Ca

Post by LightRanger »

Sweet TR. Thanks dude!
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: BillyBobBurro, Google Adsense [Bot] and 121 guests