Bear Basin Loop

Sierra Nevadas, CA

45 Miles

Aug 15st - 20th 2009

Overview: 

I have always been intrigued by the Sierra High Route, the high level alternative to the JMT. Most of the High Route is off-trail staying high and avoiding the deep Sierra valleys that are commonplace on the JMT. Looking at the high route and reading many trip reports, people frequently commented on the area of Bear Lakes Basin being one of the highlights of the route. This wonderful loop would not only take us through Bear Lake Basin, but some other equally scenic areas including Humphreys Basin, Merriam Basin, Piute Canyon and Granite Park. Many of the passes that we would go over were off trail with a 2+ rating. A perfect sampler of the Sierra High Route, the trek was some of the most photogenic areas of the Sierras I have traveled through and the amount of pictures taken told the story.

Day 1

North Lake to Mesa Lake

The trip was plagued with a problems at the beginning. Sam had a head pressure that when we began the steep decent up from Bishop to the trailhead the pressure built up to the point of extreme pain, turning around we stopped at a hospital. They wanted nothing to do my health insurance card and wanted my credit card. Calling the trip off, we headed back to the Bay. The trip would go on a week later, Sam was feeling better and we had no problems changing the dates on the permit. We pulled into the North Lake campground at night, put up camp, had a fire, and stayed the night before leaving the next morning to acclimate to the elevation.

We did not get on the trail till 10:30 the next morning. The first few miles made its way up the Piute Canyon, with very interesting red walls of the Piute Crags. A sharp contrast to the granite escarpment on the left side of the canyon.

We made it to the top of Piute Pass in about 3 hours. There were about 3 other groups of backpackers up, one with a severe sprained ankle slowly making his way down towards the trailhead.  After lunch we continued on the trail over the pass for about 2 miles, we took a right on a use trail that would take us up higher into the basin. The thin tread of a trail was now non-existent as we reached Desolation Lake. The topo map came out and we crossed another knoll to our where we would camp for the night, Mesa Lake.

Day 2

Mesa Lake to Granite Park

Up early, I was out taking lots of pics of the nothing short of classic Mesa Lake lake infinity pool reflections.  After breakfast we were packed up and hiking by 8:30. It was gentle cross country up to 2 tarns above Mesa Lake. From there we headed left up the easiest looking path, then veered right across a short plateau to Puppet Pass.

On top of Puppet Pass the massive block of granite that makes up Merriam, Royce, and Feather peaks, stood before us with a gigantic 1000 ft water fall down its face into French Canyon. These are the mountains our route would circumnavigate the next 2 days. To get down the pass we headed up to the right about 50 yards and followed a tread down its steep face.

Walking along the east shore of Puppet Lake. My guide book helped out by giving the advice- From Puppet Pass draw an imaginary line to the Royce Falls- And that's the spot where you should drop down to Elba Lake.  At Elba lake a dip was in store after having the sun beating down on us the last two days. I jumped in, shocked, but worth it.

 From Elba Lake we picked up a trail and it was off to Pine Creek Pass. It was an easy well graded trail to the top of the pass. The sun was out in force and at the top of the pass I laid in a large crack in the granite to get some shade as I waited a few minutes for Sam to make her way to the top. We had good ole' salami, cheese and Triskets for lunch. As the trail dropped down to Honeymoon Lake, I was not so happy with the elevation loss.  Unless its some nasty off-trail travel, I am thinking that the Royce Lakes Basin might be the way to to save the 1000 ft elevation loss - maybe next time.  We took a break at Honeymoon Lake, the nice thing about the loss in elevation was the lake was ringed with large trees providing plenty of shade.  Back on the trail and starting to feel worn out we did our best to follow a faint use trail.  Hard to follow, we finally called it quits at the 11,300 ft and camped next to 2 small tarns in the midst of Granite Park's very rugged looking peaks. Both of our bodies are feeling a bit stiff as we end a long day.

Day 2

Granite Park to Little Bear Lake

Again getting up to take pictures in the early morning light, the location once again provided a dramatic backdrop of the granite spires.  We were the the trail hiking by 8:00 AM and knew that this would be our shortest day mileage wise, but involving cross-country travel over 2 passes to Bear Lakes Basin. We hiked by many lovely trans and meadows of Granite Park. The last lake was at 10,700 feet and at this point we were surrounded by nothing but white granite of the high Sierra.  As we took a break the sound of nothingness filled our ears- not even a breath of wind. 

My favorite section in Granite Park was around 10,400 ft,  green meadows, tarns, and the spires of Granite Park.

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