Bear Divide to Mt Hooper 6/11-13 2011

[John Dittli]

Ok, ok here ya go.

Left Rock Creek Pack station Saturday. Patchy snow to trailhead, patchy dirt to Marsh Lake, never took the skis off until I was back at Marsh Lake on Monday.
North Col (Bear Cr Spire), Bear Pass, North Gables Pass, Hooper Col, Selden Pass, Sanger Pass, Gemini/Gables Pass, upper Merriam, Bear Paw, Bear, North Col

Snow was generally quite good with coverage typical of late April early May. Snow conditions were also typical of spring with good supportable corn on south and west aspects and a corn surface that turns to unconsolidated mush after 9:00 on the N and E. This situation was exaggerated at higher elevations.

Natural slides and cornice collapse on N and E aspects were wide spread with the warming on Sunday.

Snow level looked to be aound 9,200 to 9,500'

JD

North Col

Bear Lakes Basin

Gables Lakes

View from summit Seven Gables

View from Sandpiper Lake

upper Lou Beverly

Mt Hooper Pano

Seven Gables

[SSSdave]

Impressive John, some of the best crest areas the Sierra has to offer. A lot of serious vertical involved so you have got to be in great shape. The kind of adventure I tried to get into one or two decades ago as I really like putting SSS tracks on clean slopes. But really my life was and has been too busy so most of my gear has gathered dust.

[tim]

...never took the skis off until I was back at Marsh Lake on Monday

How do you get your skis into the sleeping bag?

[John Dittli]

...never took the skis off until I was back at Marsh Lake on Monday

How do you get your skis into the sleeping bag?

Verrry carefully!

[maverick]

Great trip, great photo's JD!
Really like the sky in the Upper Lou Beverly shot, and the last photo of the frozen lake.