R04 TR: Bear Creek and Pinnacles Creek 6-21-21 to 6-29-21

[wildhiker]

,,, The orange plant photo is unique. What is it and how common is that plant?

The orange plant is Leopard Lily (also known as Humboldt Lily or Tiger Lily). I have seen it all over the Sierra in riparian environments, usually below tree line.
-Phil

[LMBSGV]

After all these years, I continue to learn about my fellow HST members. Robert, your birthday is also June 22? So it mine, just 5 years earlier (1951). Happy senior citizenhood!

I loved reading and seeing all the evocative photos in this report. I always wanted to get to east and west Pinnacles Creek and since I will probably never actually get there, your photos, along with the other trip reports, will be my vicarious visit. Thanks for sharing!

[windknot]

Thanks for the great report and photos! Now I see why you use that Sony camera -- those zoomed-in shots are impressive.

Also impressive is how much off-trail ground you both covered during your trip. Like LMBSGV, I'll probably never get to the Pinnacles Creek drainages (at least, not while fishing seems to be uninspiring) so I'll be content to live vicariously through reports like yours and others previously instead. Thanks for sharing!

[robertseeburger]

I forgot to add one thing I wanted to post for this trip.

Presented without further comment.
Number of people seen on the John Muir Trail portion..( perhaps 5 hours total) estimate 25.
Number of people seen on Sierra High Route portion.. (both solo) ...2.
Number of people seen on the other cross country portion..not on any route...(7 days)... 0.

[cgundersen]

Hi Robert,
I'll second the comments about the overall challenge level of that route. Heck, from my experience, there is only one semi-decent route up to Coronet Lake and if you get off track, you'll be cursing cliffs, shrub-choked chutes and backtracking and doing things sane folk should not be doing (without a rope). My wife & I had planned to re-visit east Pinnacles on our recent trip and backed off of Gemini pass, because of weather and post-holing. But your photos sure remind me why we want to get back and spend more time in that canyon. Finally, did you try fishing in Three Island? Back when my wife fished, she caught some very impressive specimens in Three Island, but I guess conditions could have changed. Thanks for the great TR! Cameron

PS. I had a brain cramp the first time before I realized you got to Coronet via Beartrap........good job on that too. Accessing Coronet from the South is not as "easy" as it looks on the map.

[Harlen]

Congratulations Robert!
Another stellar performance by you and Gary. We just missed each other (Again!), as me and friends were out there on an almost identical schedule.
At least we overlapped on part of your route in Bear Basin. I envy your much wilder and more remote route through the Pinnacle Creeks, and elsewhere. Great work getting up and over things. Love the look of Turret Lake, and now we are inspired to go there.

Re. the fishing, we had your same average results. Isn't Bear Basin meant to be a bastion of big fish? I fished and fished what I thought might be one of the famed lakes-- "Black Bear," and saw not a single fish circle, let alone a bite or a follower. I was left wondering if there are any fish there at all?! [checked the GB lake log to no avail]. Anyhow, that's a small matter compared to the many great days you guys must've had in those pristine places. Great trip, and sorry we missed you. Ian.

Sad little fish, but we ate them gratefully. Note they are carefully placed on smooth granite, with nothing for a size reference.

The only large fish was the "Common bearzy trout."

[robertseeburger]

Superb route! I did E and W Pinnacles creek a couple days behind you and took a pic of Big Chief lake from the same spot! It's a stunning view.

To thegib
Well it would have been great to meet you! As I referenced later on, we saw no one on the cross country portion of the trip.
I dont like to see throngs of people but meeting fellow cross country enthusiasts is always fun.
I am glad to see others liked Pinnacles drainages.

[robertseeburger]

Is BDD road about what it has always been? I cancelled a 10 day trip reservation for 3 of us into the south fork lakes after one person cancelled. Instead 2 of us old n slow will base camp 3 nights in Pioneer Basin while Bear Creek will need to wait and my Forester is glad.

RS >>>"The view was good. Toward Seven Gables."

I can see blue waters of L Lake in that shot. The route to Vee we've made the last 2 or 3 times climbed up those slabs frame mid lower left edge. Bro has fished Coronet but not one I've been to. So much just in that east fork basin to be distracted by during good normal years at peak greenery. For a photographer, these places are vast, one sees far more than can be captured, and a reason I return for unfinished business. Have base camped twice on the east side of Marie, some pretty turf lake edges, and indeed is lonely. Fishing was good too.

To SSSDave
I dont know if my reference point is valid. I have been up the road to bear diversion dam before, but I have walked it..no car capable of the drive before. Gary's 4WD Ford Explorer seemed to have no problem, but I would characterize the road as very rough. I would not recommend it for driving for the casual 4WD driver. In fact, we picked up two hikers who stopped half way and asked for a ride to the trailhead. At the same time, I saw one car there at the trailhead ( I forget the model) and I remember thinking ..how did they get that car to the trailhead?

[robertseeburger]

,,, The orange plant photo is unique. What is it and how common is that plant?

The orange plant is Leopard Lily (also known as Humboldt Lily or Tiger Lily). I have seen it all over the Sierra in riparian environments, usually below tree line.
-Phil

To Wildhiker. Thanks for the name! I was thinking of asking in the post what the flower was. Some day, I will have to learn all the names of Sierra flowers.

[robertseeburger]

After all these years, I continue to learn about my fellow HST members. Robert, your birthday is also June 22? So it mine, just 5 years earlier (1951). Happy senior citizenhood!

I loved reading and seeing all the evocative photos in this report. I always wanted to get to east and west Pinnacles Creek and since I will probably never actually get there, your photos, along with the other trip reports, will be my vicarious visit. Thanks for sharing!

To LMBSGV
Always good to know another with the same birthday. Happy recent birthday!