Mt. Gabb and Bear Lakes 1999

Clouds came back today--early morning--but no sprinkles all day.  Clouds still out at 6:30pm--but covering less than half of the sky.  Made our way from Black Bear to White Bear Lake via a short climb.  Met a couple coming the other way and chatted for a while--they are from Yuba City.  Started the long downhill from White Bear Pass through lots of large talus--seemed like it would never end.  Looking up from below looked impossible--very steep looking.  Took a break at Teddy Bear Lake and then made the short hike to Lake Italy.  Found a campsite with a rock wall (wind break) at the south side of the lake near the outlet.  Met a group of 4 hikers headed for Jumble Lake from Gabbot Pass.  They heard about a crashed plane on the southwest side of Mt. Abbot 1200-1300 ft below the summit--but they didn’t see it.  Supposedly crashed last December--3 killed.  Tomorrow a packless climb of Mt. Gabb, just to the north of Lake Italy.

Big Bear Lake and Seven Gables

Black Bear Lake

White Bear Lake

Brown Bear Lake with White Bear Pass above it

Hilgard Branch below Lake Italy