It's a long boring two day drive from the Martha Lake Community Club to the start of our hike. Here is a sample of the first day on the way to Susanville, California in Jason's under-powered minivan.

On a long drive, what better way to pass the time than a reading from Shakespeare that morfs into the Big Lebowski!

Day 2 of the drive: we started our day in Susanville by having breakfast at the Black Bear Cafe (which has since gone out of business and is now the "Lumberjack" Cafe). I was about halfway through breakfast when I realized that a lot of the guys had bleached their hair overnight. Jason's minivan had a hard time with the climb up to our camp and they had to stop many times because of overheating, and they were mightily pissed off that we didn't stop for them.

After the car shuttle, Brian was supposed to park the car in the North Lake Hikers lot (below "Borrow Pit" on the map) close to the trailhead, but instead he parked it at the bottom of the hill near the main road and had a lot of extra miles and climbing to do.

Taking a break on trail below Loch Leven - Peter, Andrew, & Austin.  Bill coming up the trail, last as usual.

Roger, Andrew, Peter, Kyle, & Danny at high point at outlet of Loch Leven.

Just before the last climb up to our campsite at Piute Lake, there was a bunch of waterfalls.  Peter & Danny went over to check them out.

Looking Back towards Loch Leven & unnamed lake above it from climb up to Piute Lake.

Card Players at camp at Piute Lake - Peak 12891 -Emerson Lake Basin above.  Bill M., Bill P., and Jason hiked up to Emerson lake but had no luck fishing there. Day 1 hiking: 3.4 miles and 1690' of climb. A pretty easy day with the heaviest packs.

Looking down Bishop Cr Valley - Piute Lake and Loch Leven in the distance.

Piute Lake to Upper Golden Trout Lake.  Also shows Muriel Lake sidetrip (purple line) and start of Desolation Lake sidetrip (green line). Day 2 hiking for Muriel Lake Sidetrip: 4.3 miles and 2393' of climbing.

Day 2: Sidetrip to Desolation Basin: Bill Peckinpaugh, Austin Peckinpaugh, Kyle Meissner, Roger Shively, Jason Smith, and Brian Sisk. Day 2 hiking: 8.7 miles and 3289' of climbing.

Pack Train Leaving Golden Trout Lakes area - Piute Pass at upper right. We were waiting for the guys to return from the Desolation Lake sidetrip. Peter, Andrew, and Danny.

Our camp at Upper Golden Lake - note all the bear cannisters (1 per person)

Bill, Andrew, Bill P.,Kyle, Roger, Austin, Peter Danny (standing) Brian & Jason

Fishing in Puite Creek: We took a lunch break at Hutchinson Meadow about 4.5 miles from our camp at Upper Golden.

The trail climbs over a shoulder to avoid a deep gorge at a bend in the creek. Note bluff at left as see in previous photo.

Andrew- Looking back up Piute Canyon towards Hutchinson Meadow. Piute Cr Falls to Right.

We hiked all the way down Piute Canyon to the junction with the John Muir Trail and the San Joaquin River shown here.

San Joaquin River: We found a second rate campsite and doffed our packs to rest and look for a possible camp. While were were resting, two male campers came up from a camp directly below and rudely asked if we were staying there. If he had asked nicely, we would have told him that we were going to look for a camp but we replied that "we didn't know yet." We heard crashing and banging in their camp, and they soon passed by looking for another camp. I guess we threw cold water on their planned romantic interlude.

Andrew and Roger going down the Big Water Slide at our camp on the San Joaquin R.

Card game continues - note inventive use of bear canisters and Thermarest to make table.

Camp 3 - Bill and Kyle getting supper ready (working on my one year old Dragonfly stove - due to a design flaw, deposits build up and the stove wouldn't work requiring a nightly clean up ritual.

Preparing supper at Camp 3. It was a long (9.9 miles) but not a hard day as our climb was only about 550' but the 3800' descent was hard on the feet.

It was going to be another long but much harder day as we hiked about 8 miles and climbed about 2700'.

Taking a break in the shade.  It was along this stretch before the Sally Keyes Lakes that we met an unusual hiker that Bill Peckinpaugh dubbed, "Forest Gump".  He looked and sounded like he had been on the trail much too long, but Hey!, this is California!

Camp at Sally Keyes Lakes. This was an "interesting" camp. One of the groups camped at the lake was a Sierra Club Singles group.  I was headed out fishing behind Brian, when he suddenly came hurrying back. I continued on and found a couple of "singles" making out by the lake.

Gang at S.K. Lake - Our sleep was interrupted by a donkey that had gotten loose, and was serenading us most of the night: HEEE HAWWW, HEEE HAWW! We kidded Roger that his "girl friend" was looking for him.

Another short day although about half of the day was a cross country scramble - 4 miles and about 1200' of climbing.

Looking back towards S.K. Lakes from trail to Heart Lake. San J. Canyon in background

Taking a break at Heart Lake - "We're the Sequoia Club, a whole new outfit!"

Setting out from Heart Lake and view back toward the lake from Selden Pass.

Austin, Bill, Brian - overlook at Selden Pass to Heart Lake (looking south)

Marie Lake from Selden Pass - while we were taking our break, two Hippie Hikers met up at the pass - "Superfly" and "The Green Lantern" (no, I'm not making that up). They exchanged an elaborate fist bump handshake and went on their way.

Working our way around Marie Lake.  Peaks west of Marie Lake - Mt Hooper at right.  Note gathering storm clouds.

Thunderstorm break above Marie Lake - we hunkered down and let the storm pass over us.

While we were sitting there waiting out the storm, we saw a lightening strike across the way and a little later some smoke from a forest Fire- Marie Lake is to the left

Another view of fire from our break point - now we are in sun as the storm has passed over us

Showing the fire that was ignited by lightening as we were hunkered down.

Although it was sunny when we got to our camp at Sandpiper Lake, we had to scurry for cover as we were hit with a hailstorm.

Gumbo night - preparing dinner between thunderstorms. At about the 2 min mark you can see where Andrew and Kyle had pitched their tent. It was  right in a drainage path where it flooded in a cloudburst and they had to move to a new spot.

It was sunny when we set up our camp, but before long another thunderstorm passed by with a cloudburst.

It was Gumbo and cheesecake night - Brian is porking out on the crust mix!

Evening in camp, dinner and dishes done. The card game continues - Danny, Bill P, Peter, and Jason with Brian kibitzing. Very peaceful and scenic camp. Note: at about 1:05 you can see Andrew & Kyle's tent at its new location.

Sunset on Lou Beverly Lake from ridge above Sandpiper Lake.  We would head out past this lake on our way out after our rest day.

Peter - catching some rays at Sandpiper Lake rest day. The Sierra Club Singles group had also camped out at Sandpiper Lake, and before they left they came over and gave us a bag of crappy granola as a "reward" for being "good" boy scouts and not making too much noise.

Jason - on eastern shore of Sandpiper Lake -camp is on far shore at right

Bill P., Jason, and Brian's Dayhike to Seven Gables Ridge - following the green line around the eastern side of Sandpiper Lake and then up to the ridge following the red dashed line. The solid red line is my path as I fished the various lakes then followed the solid green line to Three Island lake and then returned the way I came except following the green line back to Sandpiper Lake.

Break - looking toward 7 Gables Ridge - route follows canyon around to right

View to east over 7 Gables basin to Feather Peak from top of 7 Gables ridge (El 12150)

Brian, Bill, & Jason - view to south along 7 Gables ridge of knife edged massif.

Descending to two small lakes - you can see Mt Hooper to the left of center.

Mt Hooper  to left - Jason and Bill working their way down to the lower of the small lakes shown in the previous photo.

Day 7: Sandpiper Lake to SF Bear Creek - the red dashed line shows our cross country route from Lou Beverly Lake to the E Fork Bear Cr trail.

Big Slide above our break point - if you enlarge the photo you can barely make out Andrew at the top right side.

Typical granite outcroppings traversed by "trail" - there were some cairns here to help

View of minor Peak of 7 Gables at head of E.F. Bear Cr Valley - Danny, the Invisible Man.

Andrew, Peter, Invisible Man Danny, & Kyle - Lunch break near "Big Bend" in E.F. Bear Cr canyon.
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The point group - Bill P. , Brian, & Jason .  Vee Lake lies over ridge in center.

The trail peters out and we have to scramble up the ridge to Vee lake. The solid blue line is Brian's route up to a high point at sunset. Totals for day 7: 5.5 miles and 1700' of climb.

Looking back towards Big Bend in EF Bear Cr. - about 11100 ft elev. Kyle, Austin, Danny the Invisible Man, Roger & Peter

Andrew - northernmost peak in 7 Gables ridge in background. Stub Lake is at right side of photo.

View of upper 7 Gables Basin and 7 Gables lakes from ridge above Vee Lake. Twin Peaks at right are the Gemini Peaks and the one to the left is our old friend, Peak 12441 from Jason, Bill, and Brian's day hike the previous day.

Hiking up to Vee Lake.  The video shows us hiking up along the lake, but we didn't find any suitable campsites so we had to return to the outlet.

Appoaching Vee Lake along outlet stream - As Usual Bill M. is far in rear.

View of  7 Gables Ridge - Dayhike from Sandpiper ended up near snowfield at upper right.

Seven Gables Ridge - Close up of spot on Day 7 day hike where Bill P., Jason, and Brian ended up on the ridge.

Thunder cloud beyond Feather Peak - Vee Lake in the foreground - dark shadows from the clouds above. A fisherman that was camped down in the Seven Gables basin came by after fishing some of the upper lakes. Talking with him was the first time I ever heard the expression, "It's all good".

Enjoying the sunset at Vee Lake. We see Brian climbing (or should I say running) up to the top of the ridge by the lake.

Brian - self portrait at top of knob south of Vee Lake (Feather Peak in background) He did have his camera (see previous video)

No Tents Tonight - Peter at Vee Lake (Brrrr!) Danny starting his almost 5 year long string of tentless nights camped under the stars. The string ended in March 2004 after a cloudburst in Slickhorn Canyon, Utah

A very long and hard day most above 11000'. It wasn't so much the miles (about 8) or the climb (about 1700') but most of it was a cross country scramble, some across snowfields and talus.  When we did get to the trail (at 12400' Italy Pass) it was in bad shape and hard on the feet.

Small tarn between Vee Lake and Little Bear Lake. Seven Gables peak in background

Bill & Andrew -view of Gemini Peaks to Seven Gables Peak.  Highpoint of Day 6 dayhike is on ridge between Andrew & Bill

Break at White Bear Lake - Hell Hill in backgound.  Yes we have to climb over it to Dancing Bear Pass.

White Bear Lake - our route is over the pass to the left between the two snowfields.

Close up of previous photo - getting close to the snowfields from the previous photos

The old man nearly dies on Hell Hill - White Bear Lk and Seven Gables in backgound

Almost to the top of Hell Hill - Bill is above the snowfield noted previously.

Andrew & Bill- White Bear Lake below and Seven Gables Peak to the right.

Route over Dancing Bear Pass is directly in line with 7 Gables peak over 1st snowfield then skirting 2nd snowfield on the right.

View of route over snowfields between top of Dancing Bear Pass (the low point at left) & Italy Pass(looking west)

Bill - Italy lake to right as storm clouds gather. (Jumble Lake is obscured by Bill)

Austin & Andrew -view down to Granite Park and Humphreys Peak far to southeast

Our last day on the trail - 4.7 miles and dropping 2900' on a miserable (as most of the Sierra trails) trail that had you walking over fist sized rocks all the way down. Roger and Peter volunteered to hike down with me, while the rest went hell bent for leather down the trail to get the long car shuttle done as quickly as possible.

Looking down Pine Cr Canyon - you can see the tailing ponds from the Pine Creek Tungsten Mine far below. California trails are different in many respects - at the end of the trail there was a sign, "Showers, 5 bucks".  Peter took advantage.

Danny & Kyle and a bunch of packs were off loaded to the side of the road so that the car shuttle back up to North Lake could proceed without having Jason's van becoming overheated.

Familiar with this area from his youth, Bill Peckinpaugh took us to an irrigation ditch for the rest of us to wash up. Jason was a little unsure of this but he did go in at the end. We made it to Susanville for another motel night at the River Inn and breakfast at the Black Bear Diner before the long drive home.

PDF file showing mileages and elevations for Roger, Austin, and Kyle with daily summary for the miles hiked and elevation climbed and lost.  Click on thumbnail and click on "Open this PDF" to view.

PDF file showing mileages and elevations for Andrew, Peter, and Danny with daily summary for the miles hiked and elevation climbed and lost.  Click on thumbnail and click on "Open this PDF" to view.

PDF file showing mileages and elevations for Bill M. with daily summary for the miles hiked and elevation climbed and lost.  Click on thumbnail and click on "Open this PDF" to view.

PDF file showing mileages and elevations for Bill P. with daily summary for the miles hiked and elevation climbed and lost.  Click on thumbnail and click on "Open this PDF" to view.

PDF file showing mileages and elevations for Jason with daily summary for the miles hiked and elevation climbed and lost.  Click on thumbnail and click on "Open this PDF" to view.

PDF file showing mileages and elevations for Brian with daily summary for the miles hiked and elevation climbed and lost.  Click on thumbnail and click on "Open this PDF" to view.