Sierra Nevada - Kings Canyon National Park
Rock Creek to North Lake 1968

On August 16-24, 1968 I backpacked 45 miles from Rock Creek to North Lake with Explorer Post 360, Troop 280, Troop 290 = 54 people (47 boys, 7 adults).

On August 16 we rode a bus up from San Diego to the Rock Creek trailhead and backpacked in a short distance to camp for the night.

August 17, 1968 we backpacked over Mono Pass to Mono Creek and Quail Meadow.

Little Lakes Basin, Bear Creek Sphire on Ruby Lake Trail - John Muir Wilderness 17 Aug 1968
Little Lakes Basin, Bear Creek Sphire on Ruby Lake Trail - John Muir Wilderness 17 Aug 1968
Mono Pass - John Muir Wilderness 17 Aug 1968
Mono Pass - John Muir Wilderness 17 Aug 1968

Pioneer Basin from Mono Pass trail - John Muir Wilderness 17 Aug 1968
Pioneer Basin from Mono Pass trail - John Muir Wilderness 17 Aug 1968
Pioneer Basin from Mono Pass trail - John Muir Wilderness 17 Aug 1968
Pioneer Basin from Mono Pass trail - John Muir Wilderness 17 Aug 1968


On August 19, 1968 we backpacked over Bear Ridge to Kip Camp and up Bear Creek on the John Muir Trail. Just beyond Upper Bear Creek Meadows we left the trail and proceeded cross-country up the South FOrk of Bear Creek to camp at Lou Beverley Lake. Two Post 360 members took a wrong turn leaving camp and ended up at Lake Edison. I realized this after we reached Kip Camp so I waited for them to realize their error and catch up with us .. which they did and we continued to camp.

Bear Creek from Bear Ridge, Seven Gables in clouds - John Muir Wilderness 19 Aug 1968
Bear Creek from Bear Ridge, Seven Gables in clouds
John Muir Wilderness 19 Aug 1968
Camp at Lou Beverly Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968
Camp at Lou Beverly Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968

We had a layover day at Lou Beverly Lake and hiked up to Three Island Lake area.

Lou Beverly Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968
Lou Beverly Lake - John Muir Wilderness Park 20 Aug 1968
Fishing at Lou Beverly Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968
Fishing at Lou Beverly Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968

 Cascade above Lou Beverly Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968
Cascade above Lou Beverly Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968
 Cascade above Lou Beverly Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968
Cascade above Lou Beverly Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968

Cascade above Lou Beverly Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968
Cascade above Lou Beverly Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968
Seven Gables from above Lou Beverly Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968
Seven Gables from above Lou Beverly Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968

Three Island Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968
Three Island Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968

Medley Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968
Medley Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968
Marie Lake, Mt. Hooper - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968
Marie Lake, Mt. Hooper - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968

Looking back at Lou Beverly Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968
Looking back at Lou Beverly Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968
Seven Gables over Sandpiper Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968
Seven Gables over Sandpiper Lake - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968

Three Island Lake Basin - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968
Three Island Lake Basin - John Muir Wilderness 20 Aug 1968

On August 21, 1968, from Lou Beverly Lake we took an alternate cross-country route up the East Fork of Bear Creek as a BLACK CLOUD followed us up to the planned campsite. It was threatening to snow on us and the planned campsite didn't seem to attractive. It was early in the day so we continued cross-country into the Bear Lakes Basin and to Feather Pass. The front end of the group waited an hour on the pass in snow flurries for the tail end to catch up. This earned the trip the name "Deck's Death March". We continued down past La Salle Lake and Merriam Lake to a meadow for camp and had an layer over day since we were ahead of schedule.







Some of the group climbed Merriam Peak on the layover day, August 23, 1968.

Merriam Peak overlooks French Canyon at the southwest end of the Royce Lakes Basin. The peak is named for biologist Dr. Clinton Hart Merriam, inventor of the "life zones concept", author of Indian Village and Camp Sites of Yosemite Valley, and noted bear expert of the 19th century.

The spectacular views from the summit of this mountain are owing to it's relatively isolated location at the southern end of a ridge separating the Merriam Lake basin from the Royce Lakes basin.

The next day, August 24, 1968, we followed a use trail down into French Canyon and on to Hutchinson Meadow for camp.
Hutchinson Meadow - John Muir Wilderness 24 Aug 1968
Hutchinson Meadow - John Muir Wilderness 24 Aug 1968


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