[pct-l] Evolution and Bear Creek crossings questions?

[Stephen]

Oops, sorry for the gramatical errors.  I never got passed first grade.  And 
the first question Iasked pertains to Evolution Creek,
Thanks,
Stephen
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stephen" <reddirt2 at earthlink.net>
To: "PCT-1" <Pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 11:29 PM
Subject: [pct-l] Evolution and Bear Creek crossings questions?


>I hope this is a little more constructive than you expected.  First of all, 
>when I was looking at Lion's video I took it that the first slow water 
>meadow crossing is an alternate ford up stream of the stock ford.  I've 
>heard there is one.  If this is so, can someone offer a heads up for those 
>soon to pass that way, and I'd like to know myself as I pass that way every 
>couple years and though I never needed it before, I like to know where 
>things are.  I do get out there early season often.  Also, if the crossing 
>is way up in the meadows I am wondering if there is a reasonably 
>established usage trial bypass running along the south side?  This would 
>explain why it not only looked easy, but the comments during the video at 
>Bear Creek that Evolution was much easier than Evolution.  The evolution 
>stock crossing at the main trial looks like it has potential to be pretty 
>much impossible just about any June as it is over the knee in late July, 
>but of course not raging through.
> Secondly, I was studying my map and contemplating how feasable it would be 
> to scout the cross country route from Sandpiper Lake over to the Seven 
> Gable Lakes drainage and thereby bypassing Bear Creek altogether.  While 
> it I understand folks are suggesting Bear Creek wont be so bad this 
> season, sometimes it is.  And I know why.  If you look at your map you'll 
> see that two big drainages and one smaller one converge right upstream 
> from the ford.  You have everything in the big lake basins north of Selden 
> Pass running into Bear Creek proper, and just above the ford, but unseen 
> from the trail IIRC, the big Bear Lakes and Seven Gables Lakes basins come 
> roaring in as the East Fork of Bear Creek.  What I am contemplating are a 
> couple different approches to check out.  It looks entirely feasible to 
> head rightover to Sandpiper Lake from Maries Lakes just down the trial 
> from Selden Pass.  From there one can see some of the route contouring 
> around the hips of Seven Gables Peak.  Also, ju
> st down the trail a little ways is the cutoff trail leading to Lou Beverly 
> Lake that continues on over to Sandpiper.  (I've been through there twice 
> decending from Seven Gables Pass.  Awsome if you ever get the chance, and 
> Sandpiper and the area are phenominal, not to mention crossing Selden a 
> few other times.)  What I don't know...  I don't know how the terrain will 
> lend itself to crosscountry travel from Sandpiper or Lou Beverly on the 
> way over to the Seven Gables drainage.  I expect like most off trail 
> rambling there would be some easy fun stuff and some more tedious patient 
> route finding, perhaps a little bushwhacking or talus negotiating.  What I 
> do know...  What I do know is the Seven Gables Lakes trail can be gained 
> somewhere in the vicinity of the lowest lake which would probably offer 
> perhaps even a dry safe crossing which is often the case in basins with 
> nearly level open terrain, and if not there one should be close by.  But 
> again experience suggests the outlet of
>  a lotof theselakes runs slowly out betweeneasily walked over rock.   What 
> I doubt...  I doubt there would be a safe crossing until one gets over in 
> the lower basin above the steeper fall line of the East fork draining the 
> basin.  That's how I am interpreting the map.  The scouting.  I've been in 
> the upper basin crossing over to gain Seven Gables Pass.  Cross country 
> travel is said to be easy going and I can attest to that.  It is almost 
> level, and from what I saw looking down the basin very fun travel.  Easy 
> rock stepping, grassy sections, and sand.  As easy as it gets.  Cross 
> country travel isn't for everyone, and I'm not suggesting this as a viable 
> alternative, but it might just be.  It looks like about a three or four 
> mile excursion depending on where one leaves the trail, and once at the 
> small lake the trail leads three miles back down to the JMT/PCT right 
> north of the Bear Creek ford.  I interpret crosscounty travel more in 
> time. While it looks straight forward on the
> map, things can be very different once out there, so I'd give myself 
> mostof a day so I would feel relaxed and unhurried.  Like I said, I get to 
> looking at maps and just get ideas, and this looks like one worth doing. 
> Ihave a sneaking suspicion there may even be a usage trail along there 
> somewhere as folks go out to climb Seven Gables quite often, and I have a 
> strange instinct or knack, coincidence, call it what you will, for finding 
> paths.
> If folks like my idea and would be interested in how this might turn out, 
> and since I intend to gain the PCT and head to VVR and thence on north up 
> the PCT from somewhere in this general vicinity, I'm looking at 
> headingover the easterncrest at Piute Pass trail, down Piute canyon to the 
> JMT/PCT jct at the north terminus of Kings park and heading on up to 
> Selden from there.  Then try my route.  I can easily go take a look from 
> the high ground on the far side of Marie Lake right off the trail.  If the 
> water's running high, which I'll have a good idea on Piute trail, and the 
> Desolation drainage, French Canyon creek and so on, I'd probably go on to 
> Bear Creek ford and see if anyone has turned back or is stuck and anyone 
> who wants to follow along and give a try at bypassing would be welcome to 
> come have a look. I would also be carrying some extra food and coffee and 
> tea just in case someone needs it that wont quite make VVR if they wait 
> for the water crossing to go down overnight o
> r some such thing.
> So when I get to VVR I'll have something to talk about anyway.  I've been 
> debating with myself as to whether I should throw this out there, but 
> there it is.
>
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