Beginner Backpacking Bear Lake Emigrant Wilderness Snow Camping Flyfishing June 2023 Hiking Part I

[@highcountrychronicles]

Video snafu with Adobe has the video ending abruptly but I decided to published due to the timeliness of the conditions information.

[@Casual_BackPacking]

I love these videos

[@highcountrychronicles]

Thanks!

[@PremierAwnings]

Thanks!

[@highcountrychronicles]

Wow. Thanks. Not sure I'm set up to accept these. LOL. I'll have to check. Thanks again!

[@highcountrychronicles]

Looks like I am! You're the first. Thanks again!

[@desertdogoutdoors1113]

Another excellent video! We attempted to hike into and fish the Kearsarge lakes 2 weeks ago. The pass is deep (all the switchbacks are burried), and we could see from the top of the pass that all the Kearsarge lakes (and Bullfrog) were frozen. We ended up staying at Gilbert lake for the night, hike back out, and driving to the Kern Plateau to fish. I was shocked to see how much avalanche damage the Sierras suffered this year. Once again; you provide excellent content and I enjoy the way you present it.

[@highcountrychronicles]

Thank you! I appreciate the kind words. From the pictures I've seen of the High Sierra, it's crazy. I won't make it above 8,000 or 9,000 feet until Labor Day but even the Emigrant Lakes are looking like they may be iced over until nearly August.

[@madeinusa5395]

Excellent video. I would just like to add for all you beginners out there, whenever crossing flowing water you should look for the shallowest crossing point. This will help you keeping your balance when entering the water, and should you fall you'll get the least amount of water on you.

[@highcountrychronicles]

@@madeinusa5395 Thanks! Glad you liked it. Great tip!

[@norcalpbnation2612]

Thank you for posting this video Jim. Three of us went out to camp lake and bear lake on the 14th through the 16th of July and conditions were much different. While there was only a handful of patches of snow here and there, there were many MANY mosquitoes. Overall it was an amazing time and we can’t wait to get back out there again. Also, last we went the road was open and clear all the way to the trail head just no parking in the parking lot.

[@highcountrychronicles]

Cool! Glad you enjoyed the video and had a good time. Thanks for the beta!

[@ervinslens]

Simply amazing work bud, this looks amazing and you presented everything so nicely!

[@highcountrychronicles]

Thanks! Appreciate the kind the words and glad you enjoyed it!

[@JoeD.294.]

I recently found your you tube channel. I really enjoy your adventures. Being 70 i do day hikes and fish.

[@highcountrychronicles]

That's great! Glad you are enjoying the chronicles. Happy to take you along!

[@kristymoore7052]

You’re awesome Jim. Thank you for this on so many levels. I too am very familiar with this area. I commented on your short, thanks for letting me know this was coming. Taking my family in mid July, snow is melting fast, but looking at “creek” crossings over the pass this last weekend tells me that it may be awhile to get further out.

[@highcountrychronicles]

Thanks and you are welcome! Seems like the snow melted fast last week. High crossings to be sure. Be careful out there!

[@davidbock1801]

Good job, Jim. Crazy snow level. I hope to be in the Emigrant again in September.

[@highcountrychronicles]

Thanks! Where do you plan to go?

[@davidbock1801]

@@highcountrychronicles Probably Gem, then on to Wire Lakes and back. Have you been to Wire?

[@highcountrychronicles]

Are you going to go cross country? I fished the north lake about 10 years ago on a trip to Deer, Long, Wood and Wire. Looked like good water. As I recall a storm chased me out. I wrote about it here: www.highcountryflyfisher.com/pages/chronEW9.htm

[@davidbock1801]

@@highcountrychronicles Thanks, Jim! I will consider that north area of the Emigrant. I camped at Wood and Huckleberry as part of a loop a few years ago, and it was spectacular. Wood was stunning. Keep up the good work.

[@marja1112]

Beautiful

[@highcountrychronicles]

Yes, it certainly is!

[@Tenkara_Retiree]

Wow, so much snow! It’s good to see 👍 Kudos to Emory for doing this on his first trip 💪

[@highcountrychronicles]

Yep but I hear it's crazy hot now and melting fast. This wasn't Emre's first trip. He was there at Algers but this was his first in these conditions. Camp and Bear make good beginner trips.

[@rowe100]

Jim thanks for the video, very well done. We were at our cabin over the July 4 holiday and happened to hike this exact route! The trailhead is now open. The snow melted and I think someone industrious cut enough of the trees blocking the way so cars can get through. Still a lot of snow on the trail but less than just a couple of weeks ago when you were there. LOTS of marshy areas and streams to navigate. But what a beautiful hike and destination lake!

[@highcountrychronicles]

Cool! Thanks for the update! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@rowe100]

@@highcountrychronicles Hi Jim great to see you today on the trail! Hopefully see you again out there soon

[@WWB9mm]

Thanks for taking us along with you, and showing what it's like right now. I recall hordes of people a year ago (and all of them headed to Bear Lake), end of June, such a difference!

[@highcountrychronicles]

You're welcome! Yeah, the snow at the trailhead scared a bunch a people away. That and the closed road. Thanks for watching.

[@michaelsantiago7934]

Thanks for a great update on conditions. Look forward to more!

[@highcountrychronicles]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@anujbhatia3337]

Considering doing this for my first backpacking trip in September/October coming from the Bay Area. Hopefully the trails are clear by now. Thanks for the detailed trip report.

[@highcountrychronicles]

Yes. They are. You shouldn't have any issues. Late October can be dicey in our mountains so the earlier the better.

[@anujbhatia3337]

@@highcountrychronicles thanks Jim! If you ever do a viewer hike in the Bay Area or backpacking group trip sign me up! I’m a total gear head and would be fun to trade notes on gear 🙂

[@highcountrychronicles]

Will do! Maybe I'll do a easy backpacking meet up in the spring.

[@rodoutdoors]

Awesome. I want to head that way for my first trip in that area. Thanks!

[@highcountrychronicles]

Cool. It makes a great introduction to the Emigrant. Thanks for watching.

[@librasky]

It being °105 in the valley I am excited to see snow

[@highcountrychronicles]

LOL. Yeah, I bet those streams are pretty full this weekend. LOL.

[@brocmason6631]

Awesome trip. We just backpacked up to Lunch Meadow along Summit Creek this weekend. Super snowy and definitely made easier with spikes. Would love to collaborate sometime. Our family loves Emigrant.

[@highcountrychronicles]

Thanks! How was the pitch up to Sheep Camp? I would have expected the trail to be completely covered.

[@brocmason6631]

@@highcountrychronicles Once you start hiking directly next to summit creek the snow patches increased until that big climb to camp. Everything after that is deep deep snow. We were able to find two dry patches though just big enough for three of us to set up camp on the top.

[@highcountrychronicles]

Good to know. I plan to go in on the 25th. I've had to snow shoe up that grade to Sheep Camp before.... not ideal....

[@solukhumbu911]

wow its insane that its july! and there is still snow at the trailhead!!

[@highcountrychronicles]

Yep. Really crazy.

[@librasky]

Thank u 😁

[@highcountrychronicles]

You're welcome. Unfortunately won't be able to correct / post the rest for a couple of weeks.

[@outsidewithmike]

Looks like you guys had the place to yourselves thanks to the road conditions. Really beautiful up there. And folks, those knocking sounds you hear in the woods aren't from Bigfoot, it's just Jim chopping up some firewood! Really nice looking video!

[@highcountrychronicles]

LOL. Sounds about right! Glad you enjoyed it. Stay tuned for... 'the rest of the story...." LOL.

[@PremierAwnings]

Hi Jim. Thanks for all your videos! Question for you: what are your top favorite fly patterns for the high Sierra lakes? I apologies if you’ve already answered this. I went thru the comments and couldn’t find any reference to your favorite flies.

[@highcountrychronicles]

Hi, it depends on where I'm fishing but I consistently fish - Soft Hackle Hares Ear (kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWSZqI2Qe62Hos0), Denny Rickards Callibaetis Nymph (www.flyfishingstillwaters.com/largeimg.php?type=DCN&img=DCN-1.jpg) , Denny Rickards Stillwater nymph (www.flyfishingstillwaters.com/largeimg.php?type=DSWN&img=DSWN-1.jpg). These cover 90% of the situations. My other go to flies are beadhead cased october caddis nymph, small standard GRHE, Black Ant, Para Adams , Black Gnat and Cripple Caddis.

[@27jacobhartley]

Hey Jim planning on taking a first timer here on the 15th, was just wondering when this trip was and if you think there would still be this much snow then. love these videos keep up the good work 👍

[@highcountrychronicles]

Hi, this was last weekend. There's a heat wave right now. Can't imagine the road will still be closed on the 15th. Also imagine the trail to Camp would be completely clear. Bear maybe 50 or more.

[@jimmcintire1223]

Great video. What were the nighttime lows like?

[@highcountrychronicles]

Thanks! Probably in the low 30s. There was new ice on the lake in the morning. Part II will drop in the next week. 😁

[@mikem9573]

Started following you because I wanted to head to the Emigrant this summer. I was planning for the first week of August. What do you think it will look like? I'm worried about cherry Creek.

[@highcountrychronicles]

Thanks! Where are you headed? I'd imagine the West Fork below the confluence of Buck Meadow Creek would be pretty full. I'm hoping the East Fork above Huckleberry is not too bad as I will be going in in two weeks. Satellite images from last Sunday show Huckleberry iced out but Emigrant Lake and areas in the eastern Emigrant still covered with snow. apps.sentinel-hub.com/sentinel-playground/?source=S2&lat=38.178425675946414&lng=-119.71681594848633&zoom=12&preset=1-NATURAL-COLOR&layers=B01,B02,B03&maxcc=20&gain=1.3&gamma=1.3&time=2023-01-01%7C2023-07-10&atmFilter=&showDates=false

[@DannyRiskit]

What's that white stuff all over the ground? 🤣

[@highcountrychronicles]

Right!? Definitely not supposed to be there....