42 



Sierra Club Bulletin 



the northward route from Mount Whitney, the others already 

 crossed being Junction, Granite, and Muir. It is not in natural 

 features the most formidable, that distinction easily resting 

 with Muir Pass, but temporarily at least it is the most difficult 

 for a pack-train. Particularly as you cross Seldon Pass — and, 

 later, Silver Pass — will you grieve that Governor Stephens de- 

 clined to approve the appropriation last year. You will wish 

 that he were with you — on a wabbly horse. 



The trail mounts through a rocky gorge over ledges and 

 talus-piles to a slight depression in the ridge between Mount 

 Senger (12,253 feet), on the right, and Mount Hooper (12,322 

 feet), on the left. As you reach the crest a new country sweeps 

 into view. Directly below lies Marie Lake, broken into a pic- 

 turesque pattern by islands and promontories of granite. Be- 

 yond is the valley of Bear Creek, dominated on the east by the 

 buttressed masses of Seven Gables (13,066 feet) and Mount 

 Hilgard (13,351 feet). It is a region enticing to the explorer 

 and the mountaineer. Innumerable lakes and peaks lie along 

 the main crest of the Sierra, notably Lake Italy and Mount 

 Abbott (13,736 feet) with its neighbors. No pass has yet been 

 discovered, however, across the Mono Divide, and the route 

 of the John Muir Trail is forced down to lower country by way 

 of Bear Creek and Vermilion Valley. 



The descent of Seldon Pass to Marie Lake requires careful 

 work by the pack-train leader, but it is only a short distance, 

 and the trail soon comes out on easier terrain. Skirting the 

 western margin to a promontory that nearly cuts the lake in 

 two, the trail there crosses the outlet and declines to the bed of 

 a gully down which flows a stream toward Bear Creek. To 

 the left rises a cliff of a few hundred feet, beyond which on a 

 bench lies Rose Lake, invisible at all times from the trail. The 

 trail continues by easy stages down to the main waters of Bear 

 Creek, where it crosses to the right bank. Cattle-tracks may 

 cause some confusion, but if the general direction is maintained 

 the main trail will soon be picked up. There are some bad 

 places near the crossing of Hilgard Creek, and a watchful eye 

 must be kept on the footing, as there are some slippery passages 

 of ''slick" rock. There are several possibilities for camp-sites 

 along Bear Creek, but unless it is planned to wait over a day 



