14 



Sierra Club Bulletin. 



At the first part of the descent the rope was used 

 again, but lower down we were enabled to continue with- 

 out it. Hutchinson and I followed the Bear Creek Di- 

 vide along to the gap between Abbott and Gabb and 

 found there a possibility in the way of a pass between 

 the Second Recess of Mono Creek and the head of Bear 

 Creek. It was very rough, but if practicable would make 

 a great cut-off in the High Mountain Route. We then 

 passed around the north side of the lake and back to 

 camp. It was still early enough to move down to better 

 feed, so we packed up at once and changed camp to a 

 meadow about three miles below. 



Next morning we followed Hilgard Creek down to 

 Bear Creek, and then up the latter to the base of the 

 Seven Gables. Here we crossed the main stream and 

 turned to the west, following an old sheep trail through 

 thinly timbered country. At a fine, large meadow we lost 

 it, but pushed on southwesterly without a trail, finally 

 reaching an island-dotted lake above the timber line. To 

 our left was Mount Senger, with a gap in the ridge to 

 the right. We made toward it, and soon picked up the 

 sheep trail again at the summit, which was about 11,300 

 feet above the sea. The view was now down into the 

 canon of the South Fork of the San Joaquin, and over 

 the far-distant forest belt to the south. Our rocky trail 

 led down past four lakes and numerous meadows to the 

 brink of the canon. Here a hasty lunch was prepared, 

 and we were off again following down the east side of 

 the creek. The way was dreadfully rough in boulders 

 and manzanita brush, but we finally reached the bottom 

 at the Blaney Meadows. At the Hot Spring we met 

 John Shipp and one of his herders, the first people we 

 had seen since leaving Red's Meadow, and from them 

 we learned that we should have taken the west side of 

 the creek during the last descent, and avoided much of 

 the trouble we experienced. 



The Hot Spring Camp is delightfully located near the 

 river at the edge of the beautiful Blaney Meadow, and 



