TR: Pear Lake and Lower Table Meadows

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CaliCruzer
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TR: Pear Lake and Lower Table Meadows

Post by CaliCruzer »

Hello Everyone!! Its been a while.
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This is about a week and a half late. This trip was thrown together at the last minute and I did not expect it to blow my mind. It did. It was not a super serious trip either, more of a, lets carry as much as we possibly can and live like Kings in the Mountains. The trail to Pear Lake was mostly covered in snow. We found our way by using yellow triangles nailed to the trees, which I assume are for back country skiers going to the Ski Hut below pear lake. We found our way easily enough and from my front door in Santa Cruz it took a little less than 12 hours before we were pitching tents at Pear Lake. The first night we were the only ones there (it was a Thursday). By the next afternoon another group had come in, then two more the next day. We did some exploring around the immediate area and up into Table Meadows. The rapidly melting snow turned the basin into a web of micro-drainages, with thousands upon thousands of small creeks joining, splitting, and joining again on their way down the mountain. The temperatures hovered around the upper 60s during the day and low 40s, maybe upper 30s at night with clear skies the whole time. The cold was not bothersome. We did not see a single mosquito. Some of the most beautiful backpacking conditions I have ever experienced. Go get your springtime Sierra fix! Its gorgeous up there right now.

SNOW CONDITIONS
There is solid coverage from ~8500 ft on north facing slopes, south facing slopes are bare up to ~11000 ft. Snow is melting rapidly. Lakes above 9000 ft are mostly frozen, thawed around the edges. At night we could hear the lake cracking and refreezing, by morning the lake would be completely frozen again. There were a lot fish in the lake, but all were very small.

P.S. Look out for the marmots at Pear Lake-- fearless, mischievous, daring, and god damn annoying. They chewed up my sandals and tried to eat my hat.

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North Facing
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South Facing
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The Crew
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JAH BLESS
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maverick
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Re: TR: Pear Lake and Lower Table Meadows

Post by maverick »

Thanks for the awesome TR and pic's. Set up my tent in that same location the last
time visiting Pear Lake. :) Yes, those marmots are quite aggressive, they like
to steal gear right out of your tent if you do not pay attention and leave your door
unzipped.
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I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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Re: TR: Pear Lake and Lower Table Meadows

Post by austex »

maverick wrote:Thanks for the awesome TR and pic's. Set up my tent in that same location the last
time visiting Pear Lake. :) Yes, those marmots are quite aggressive, they like
to steal gear right out of your tent if you do not pay attention and leave your door
unzipped.
Yeah but they are soooo darn cute they think they can get away with anything! :unibrow:
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Re: TR: Pear Lake and Lower Table Meadows

Post by maiathebee »

Nice TR and photos! Headed out that way myself in a week and a half and am hoping to get to Moose Lake. Guess we'll see how the snow is, but it being 3 weeks after these photos it seems like it will probably be fine.
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Bluewater
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TR: Pear Lake and Lower Table Meadows

Post by Bluewater »

Thanks! Looks like a great trip. Is that a camp guitar in the sunset photo?


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AlmostThere
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Re: TR: Pear Lake and Lower Table Meadows

Post by AlmostThere »

Nicely done. But a week later, Pear was melted out and the snow receded to the ridge. This week has (sez NOAA) not been below freezing at night. Pretty soon it may be obscured by clouds of mosquitoes so we won't be able to see how much snow is left....
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CaliCruzer
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Re: TR: Pear Lake and Lower Table Meadows

Post by CaliCruzer »

Bluewater wrote:Thanks! Looks like a great trip. Is that a camp guitar in the sunset photo?


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Ukelele actually, but yes. It being such a mild hike we brought all the luxuries.
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Re: TR: Pear Lake and Lower Table Meadows

Post by Bluewater »

A ukulele, of course (the four tuners are visible). There was a time when a camp guitar was considered one of the 'ten essentials' :). Brings back memories of good times in the backcountry.
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Re: TR: Pear Lake and Lower Table Meadows

Post by macchiolives »

Got a permit for Alta Trail for June 20-22. Hoping to catch Pear Lake either before or after the summit to Alta. Nice pics!
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