Trip Report: Bear Basin lollipop via Pine Creek (August 2019)

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!
Post Reply
User avatar
iainmacdonald
Topix Novice
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2020 10:27 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Trip Report: Bear Basin lollipop via Pine Creek (August 2019)

Post by iainmacdonald »

Hey everyone, I wanted to share a trip report that I wrote covering a hike around the Granite Park / Royce Lakes / Bear Basin area in August of this past year (2019). This was a four day trip that was shortened somewhat from our original plan to spend some more time fishing and exploring each of these areas. We used a few of the passes mentioned on the HST map: Croft Col, BeaRoyce Col, Dancing Bear Pass, and Italy Pass.

You can find the report, including many photos of this area, here: https://www.iain-macdonald.com/bear-bas ... rip-report

Enjoy!
User avatar
sekihiker
Founding Member
Posts: 956
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2005 2:47 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Fresno
Contact:

Re: Trip Report: Bear Basin lollipop via Pine Creek (August 2019)

Post by sekihiker »

I enjoyed your report and photos for this beautiful area. Thanks for posting.
User avatar
kursavwilage
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 73
Joined: Thu May 08, 2014 9:52 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Atascadero, Ca

Re: Trip Report: Bear Basin lollipop via Pine Creek (August 2019)

Post by kursavwilage »

Thank you for the great report and the great pictures!
User avatar
Wandering Daisy
Topix Docent
Posts: 6640
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:19 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Fair Oaks CA (Sacramento area)
Contact:

Re: Trip Report: Bear Basin lollipop via Pine Creek (August 2019)

Post by Wandering Daisy »

Your photos are outstanding! It looks like you hit the peak flower bloom. The lingering snow may have presented some challenging travel but it sure made the mountains look better. Your route has been part of several of my longer trips and have done all the passes except Royce-Bea (instead have taken the longer route over the pass between Merriam and Royce peaks and then over Feather Pass). Thanks for the photos and your observations about that pass; I just may use it this summer. As for your original route, I thought that it was not possible (either washed out road or private land) to come down that mining road from Rock Creek. I have been down the road to fish the upper lakes, but not all the way to Pine Creek. I have gone down the drainage from Chalfant Lakes to intersect the trail just above Honeymoon Lake, and it really was not brushy at all but had to cross two creeks.
User avatar
SirBC
Topix Regular
Posts: 216
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2014 6:30 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker
Location: SF Peninsula

Re: Trip Report: Bear Basin lollipop via Pine Creek (August 2019)

Post by SirBC »

Great trip report! I was planning on being in Bear Lakes Basin when you were but didn't like how the snow looked on satellite imagery leading up to Dancing Bear Pass, which would have been my route in and out. Looks like it wasn't an issue after all.
Wandering Daisy wrote: Tue Jan 14, 2020 8:47 pm I thought that it was not possible (either washed out road or private land) to come down that mining road from Rock Creek. I have been down the road to fish the upper lakes, but not all the way to Pine Creek. I have gone down the drainage from Chalfant Lakes to intersect the trail just above Honeymoon Lake, and it really was not brushy at all but had to cross two creeks.
I haven't been down that trail but was planning on doing so in 2017, but in the early summer rangers had posted that a section of the trail was washed out in a landslide that wasn't passable. I haven't heard if that was repaired.
-------------
Dave | flickr
User avatar
davidsheridan
Topix Regular
Posts: 221
Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2014 2:56 pm
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Re: Trip Report: Bear Basin lollipop via Pine Creek (August 2019)

Post by davidsheridan »

Excellent TR! Thank you for making such a nice one.
User avatar
Bishop_Bob
Topix Regular
Posts: 175
Joined: Wed Jun 05, 2019 11:31 am
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Re: Trip Report: Bear Basin lollipop via Pine Creek (August 2019)

Post by Bishop_Bob »

That was a great report. I was a little south of you during that same time period. I agree - it was hot!
User avatar
tlsharb
Topix Regular
Posts: 211
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2013 11:05 am
Experience: Level 3 Backpacker

Re: Trip Report: Bear Basin lollipop via Pine Creek (August 2019)

Post by tlsharb »

Absolutely great pics. love the whole report. Thanks much for sharing.
User avatar
mckee80
Topix Acquainted
Posts: 92
Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2017 6:40 am
Experience: Level 2 Backpacker

Re: Trip Report: Bear Basin lollipop via Pine Creek (August 2019)

Post by mckee80 »

Great report. Loved seeing the Chalfant Lakes pics. We were up on that ridge when we were in Granite Park and I was wondering what it was like down there.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 150 guests