R03/R04 TR: Blown away by the Bears (and Vee and Merriam) Aug 2022

[SSSdave]

Granite Park, upper basin tarns August 2016, Granite Bear Pass on ridge with usual snow. A6000 30mm 3 column 1 row stitch blended 10600 by 6000 pixels below for web downsized.:



Vee Lake, Seven Gables, August 2007, 4x5 Provia 100F scanned:

[cgundersen]

Dave,
Thanks for sharing; that is the photo I'd recalled! And the Granite Park image is equally magnificent. Cameron

[giantbrookie]

Such beautiful photos of a classic High Sierra region. Its interesting that you witnessed that rockfall at Brown Bear because the best rockfall I've ever seen and heard was in the same area--Lake Italy in Sept 1986. I had the benefit of it being an otherwise calm night, so when I heard all the rumbling and clatter, I took at look outside of the tent. It was a surreal sight in the dark with the sparking of the all the boulder hits. Your hunkering down at Teddy Bear in the storm reminds me of my last visit there in the summer of 2020 when me, Dawn, and Todd were caught in the open along Lake Italy and pelted with hail, reached Teddy Bear during a comparative lull in the storm, pitched our tents and sheltered through renewed pounding. We ended up diving into the tents again the next afternoon after another thunderstorm cut loose as we returned from Beartrap.

Regarding no snow on Granite Bear, Judy and I found the pass "dry" like that in 1992 but it was a bit later in the year (9/5/92) when we staggered across at the end of a long day 1 from Pine Creek TH (in those days that trail had an annoying number of superhigh waterbars).

[cgundersen]

John,
Wow; that sounds like an indelible image with sparks flying as boulders crashed. I think that scene would rocket near the top of my highlight reel, if I were so lucky! And knocking off Granite-Bear on day 1 is a feat I can only dream about! Wow! Cameron

[LMBSGV]

I finally got the time to appreciate your great report and lovely photos. My one trip to Bear Lakes Basin remains a favorite so I really enjoyed this. Thanks for your insights and for sharing.

[shtinkypuppie]

Awesome trip. The Bears are such an incredible area, and surprisingly easy to get around in - except for White Bear! Hope my writeup was helpful!

[Love the Sierra]

What a great TR, Cameron. Not sure how I missed it before, but glad that I saw it now. The explanation of the passes and route really are helpful. Gives me ideas for next season's trip/s!

[cgundersen]

Shtinky: Per your comments, we were definitely glad to be going up White Bear rather than down. The rain had left the rock a bit slick, so it was preferable not to have gravity trying to tug us down the slippery hillside. And yes, hidden gem that White Bear Lake!
Aura: Well, if you can get into that area, I think it will knock your socks off, figuratively and maybe even literally. It seems to me (and look at the write up in the XC passes section of HST) that if you want to get to the Bears from the East, making that traverse from Italy Pass via Dancing Bear pass is probably your best bet. The other alternative is a West side entry via Lake Edison which eliminates any XC passes. Just a slog on trail and route-finding on the semi-sketchy east Fork trail. Whatever the route, it's worth it! Happy New Year! Cameron