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WON ON THE SPOT: High Sierra trip ends on a high note - Part Two
By BILL KARR/WON Staff WriterPublished: Jul 20, 2010
WON STAFF ON THE SPOTFeature Report
Horseback hunting, fishing and camping: Deer and bear come on last day of trip
KENNEDY MEACOWS — Our 6-hour horseback pack trip into the wilderness high country out of Kennedy Meadows had brought us to Horse Meadows near the Yosemite National Park Boundary — far into the wilderness. We had set up camp, had dinner and were sleeping the sleep of dead men — tired out and short of breath at 9,000 feet.
The wake up call came early, and our wranglers, Colin and Carlos, had the horses saddled and ready for us at the first hint of light. My son Zach, Bill Gaines and Steve Weber of Shingle Springs and I geared up and climbed into the saddle. An hour’s ride later, we were on top of the world, and ready for the first day’s deer and bear hunt.
Gaines and Weber began their hunt at Bear Lake, and we had gone on another few miles to Bigelow Lake at the foot of Snow Mountain. The sun wasn’t even up yet. Zach and I offloaded, geared up, and headed out in the high country over 10,000 feet, just a half-mile from the Yosemite border, in beautiful mule deer country.
It was a long, hard day of slow hunting, and although we saw plenty of grouse, quail and bear tracks and sign, we never saw hide nor hair of a deer — even a doe. We hunted Snow Mountain and the surrounding canyons, ridges, willow thickets and every other habitat type — finally ending up back in Horse Meadow for a short trudge to camp. We were dead beat. And so was everyone else. But no deer sightings.
• THE AREA around Huckleberry Lake was prime wildlife habitat, and there were bears everywhere, as well as deer sign during our horsepack trip out of Kennedy Meadows. In fact, after not finding anything higher up, wrangler Colin shot a buck, and editor Bill Karr shot a bear the last day of the hunt. Karr’s gun and backpack on the ledge, lower right. WON PHOTO BY BILL KARR
• FISHING FOR brookies at Bigelow Lake, Bill Gaines of California Outdoor Heritage Alliance (COHA), caught brightly colored brookies to near 4 pounds, releasing them all. WON PHOTO BY BILL KARR
• THE AUTHOR, Bill Karr, fighting a big brookie out of Bigelow Lake, located at the foot of Snow Mountain close to the 10,000-foot elevation in the Sierra, and next to the Yosemite border. WON PHOTO BY ZACH KARR
We climbed back onto the horses that afternoon at 3:30 for Snow Lake, and rode into the beautiful little valley that holds the lake. Carlos broke off to cut firewood, and we glassed the hillsides and willow groves to no avail. We got back to camp and grilled chicken and corn-on-the-cob over the fire. A glass of wine or two, and we retired.
The next day, Weber and Gaines rode with Colin and Carlos to Grizzly Peak, and hunted that area, while I hunted the meadow borders of Horse Meadow. After sunup, Zach and I fished Cherry Creek and found brookies thick in the holes, and caught more than enough for dinner. That afternoon, we loaded up on the horses and rode up to Bigelow Lake with our rods and reels to try for the monster brook trout that are found there.
The clear, alpine waters were beautiful, and you could actually see schools of big, submarine-shaped brookies cruise by. It wasn’t long before they were slamming our Kastmasters, and our ultra-light rods were put to the test! These fish were gorgeous, and huge, and we caught fish up to about 4 pounds, releasing them all. Colin told us that many of the lakes up there produced brookies, rainbows, and even some goldens that were real trophy fish.
Gaines, Weber and Colin just happened to show up while we were at the lake — another unsuccessful hunt. But they caught their fill of big brook trout!
The final day of our trip, before leaving, we were going to a new area — downhill, to Huckleberry Lake and the surrounding area. We left at 5:30 a.m. in the dark, but guided by starlight we arrived alongside the beautiful, tree-lined lake, surrounded by monstrous craggy, granite cliffs. Colin lined out Gaines and Weber on the south side mountain, and told Zach and me to head up the meadow, then up the north mountain. We made our way up the stream and beautiful grass and willow lined corridor, and then began scaling some massive granite outcroppings. Partway up the mountain, we came to a large ledge.
A little exploration showed the ledge was deep, maybe 200 yards flat, filled with trees, berry bushes and even small water impoundments. And one more thing: bear “berry pies” were everywhere, and they were all fresh! Amazing, because from below it all looked like sheer granite. In fact, there were ledges similar to this one every 100 yards or so all up the mountain. We began to still hunt, and it was clear there were animals all around us — mostly bear.
We had hunted for an hour, and it was clear there were bears in the immediate vicinity, but we hadn’t seen them — they had apparently scented us and moved out. We left the ledge and headed out toward the edge, walking along a rocky finger, when suddenly I spotted a black object across a canyon from us. A bear! I threw a shell into my Tikka .30-06 with an Alpen Kodiak scope. I was shooting a Winchester ballistic silvertip 150-grain bullet, and brought the scope up just in time to see a big black bear with white chest markings staring straight at us!
Just as I got my scope on it, the bear turned, and was about to go behind a boulder when I brought the crosshairs to right behind its shoulder and pulled the trigger. Dust rose from the area, and I could see thrashing and legs in the air — the shot was good, and it had done the trick.
Suddenly, both Zach and I dropped our jaws in amazement: The bear dove over the side of the cliff in what would have been a swan dive if it hadn’t been a bruin. The bear tumbled for what seemed an eternity, finally landing at the foot of the cliff below in some tall brush. There was no movement from the bushes.
We looked at each other incredulously. It had all happened so fast! And that bear leaping off into space! What a sight.
Now it was time to try and get to the bear. Everything here was straight up and down except the ledges, and the bear was on another ledge across a canyon that looked insurmountable. We clambered down to the ledge below where the bear was, and Zach began climbing the granite escarpment, pulling himself up with the use of bushes, and eventually he got to the ledge the bear had been on at first. He peered down, and hollered “I see it, Dad, and it’s dead!” Good thing, I thought, since Zach didn’t have a gun!
Honestly, the only way to move that bear was to roll it down the hillside to the ledge I was on, and that’s what Zach did. The bear came tumbling down, ripping up bushes and rolling rocks, and came to rest at my feet. From there it was just a matter of getting Colin and Carlos, who managed to get the horses within a half mile or so.
The bear was a beauty, fat and coal black except for the white chest markings. It was estimated at between 250 and 300 pounds live weight. We found that Colin had filled his tag with a forked horn that morning, so it was a successful day overall. Gaines and Weber hadn’t seen a buck worth shooting.
The next morning Colin and Carlos loaded up all the mules and horses, and we began the 6-hour trek back out to Kennedy Meadows… all of us in love with the beauty, the wilderness, the isolation and the pristine beauty of the Sierra Nevada — the top of the range, where the peaks meet the sky. We were going to come back!
Kennedy Meadows Resort, owned by Matt Bloom, is located approximately 60 miles east of Sonora at Kennedy Meadows, and they offer a resort with cabins, a store, restaurant and pack station that can take visitors and anglers on a one-day or a multi-day high mountain hunting or fishing adventure… or just plain adventure! Summer phone numbers are (209) 965-3911 or (209) 965-3900, winter (209) 965-3900 or owner Matt Bloom at (209 928-1239. Website www.kennedymeadows.com/.
Aspen Meadows Pack Station, owned by Matt’s brother, Josh Bloom, is located near Dodge Ridge Ski Area and the popular resort of Pinecrest. Historic Aspen Meadow is the gateway to one of California’s most breathtaking wilderness areas, where towering granite peaks, long alpine meadows, stunning lakes and abundant wildlife are yours to explore – from the back of a horse! For more information on Aspen Meadows, call (209) 965-3402 winter or summer, Web site aspenmeadowpackstation.com.
• WE WERE well up the mountain above Huckleberry Lake before the sun actually hit Zach Karr, pictured, and his dad and NorCal editor of Western Outdoor News, Bill Karr. The area was alive with bear and deer sign, as it was an extreme hike getting there. WON PHOTO BY BILL KARR
• ZACH KARR with one of the colorful brookies that inhabit Bigelow Lake at the foot of Snow Mountain, almost inside the northern border of Yosemite National park at about 10,000 feet. WON PHOTO BY BILL KARR
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WON STAFF ON THE SPOTFeature Report Horseback hunting, fishing and camping: Deer and bear come on last day of trip KENNEDY MEACOWS — Our 6-hour horseback pack trip into the wilderness high country out of Kennedy Meadows had brought us to Horse Meadows near the Yosemite National Park Boundary — far into the wilderness. We had set up camp, had dinner and were sleeping the sleep of dead men — tired out and short of breath at 9,000 feet. The wake up call came early, and our wranglers, Colin and Carlos, had the horses saddled and ready for us at the first hint of light. My son Zach, Bill Gaines and Steve Weber of Shingle Springs and I geared up and climbed into the saddle. An hour’s ride later, we were on top of the world, and ready for the first day’s deer and bear hunt. Gaines and Weber began their hunt at Bear Lake, and we had gone on another few miles to Bigelow Lake at the foot of Snow Mountain. The sun wasn’t even up yet. Zach and I offloaded, geared up, and headed out in the high country over 10,000 feet, just a half-mile from the Yosemite border, in beautiful mule deer country. It was a long, hard day of slow hunting, and although we saw plenty of grouse, quail and bear tracks and sign, we never saw hide nor hair of a deer — even a doe. We hunted Snow Mountain and the surrounding canyons, ridges, willow thickets and every other habitat type — finally ending up back in Horse Meadow for a short trudge to camp. We were dead beat. And so was everyone else. But no deer sightings. • THE AREA around Huckleberry Lake was prime wildlife habitat, and there were bears everywhere, as well as deer sign during our horsepack trip out of Kennedy Meadows. In fact, after not finding anything higher up, wrangler Colin shot a buck, and editor Bill Karr shot a bear the last day of the hunt. Karr’s gun and backpack on the ledge, lower right. WON PHOTO BY BILL KARR • FISHING FOR brookies at Bigelow Lake, Bill Gaines of California Outdoor Heritage Alliance (COHA), caught brightly colored brookies to near 4 pounds, releasing them all. WON PHOTO BY BILL KARR • THE AUTHOR, Bill Karr, fighting a big brookie out of Bigelow Lake, located at the foot of Snow Mountain close to the 10,000-foot elevation in the Sierra, and next to the Yosemite border. WON PHOTO BY ZACH KARR We climbed back onto the horses that afternoon at 3:30 for Snow Lake, and rode into the beautiful little valley that holds the lake. Carlos broke off to cut firewood, and we glassed the hillsides and willow groves to no avail. We got back to camp and grilled chicken and corn-on-the-cob over the fire. A glass of wine or two, and we retired. The next day, Weber and Gaines rode with Colin and Carlos to Grizzly Peak, and hunted that area, while I hunted the meadow borders of Horse Meadow. After sunup, Zach and I fished Cherry Creek and found brookies thick in the holes, and caught more than enough for dinner. That afternoon, we loaded up on the horses and rode up to Bigelow Lake with our rods and reels to try for the monster brook trout that are found there. The clear, alpine waters were beautiful, and you could actually see schools of big, submarine-shaped brookies cruise by. It wasn’t long before they were slamming our Kastmasters, and our ultra-light rods were put to the test! These fish were gorgeous, and huge, and we caught fish up to about 4 pounds, releasing them all. Colin told us that many of the lakes up there produced brookies, rainbows, and even some goldens that were real trophy fish. Gaines, Weber and Colin just happened to show up while we were at the lake — another unsuccessful hunt. But they caught their fill of big brook trout! The final day of our trip, before leaving, we were going to a new area — downhill, to Huckleberry Lake and the surrounding area. We left at 5:30 a.m. in the dark, but guided by starlight we arrived alongside the beautiful, tree-lined lake, surrounded by monstrous craggy, granite cliffs. Colin lined out Gaines and Weber on the south side mountain, and told Zach and me to head up the meadow, then up the north mountain. We made our way up the stream and beautiful grass and willow lined corridor, and then began scaling some massive granite outcroppings. Partway up the mountain, we came to a large ledge. A little exploration showed the ledge was deep, maybe 200 yards flat, filled with trees, berry bushes and even small water impoundments. And one more thing: bear “berry pies” were everywhere, and they were all fresh! Amazing, because from below it all looked like sheer granite. In fact, there were ledges similar to this one every 100 yards or so all up the mountain. We began to still hunt, and it was clear there were animals all around us — mostly bear. We had hunted for an hour, and it was clear there were bears in the immediate vicinity, but we hadn’t seen them — they had apparently scented us and moved out. We left the ledge and headed out toward the edge, walking along a rocky finger, when suddenly I spotted a black object across a canyon from us. A bear! I threw a shell into my Tikka .30-06 with an Alpen Kodiak scope. I was shooting a Winchester ballistic silvertip 150-grain bullet, and brought the scope up just in time to see a big black bear with white chest markings staring straight at us! Just as I got my scope on it, the bear turned, and was about to go behind a boulder when I brought the crosshairs to right behind its shoulder and pulled the trigger. Dust rose from the area, and I could see thrashing and legs in the air — the shot was good, and it had done the trick. Suddenly, both Zach and I dropped our jaws in amazement: The bear dove over the side of the cliff in what would have been a swan dive if it hadn’t been a bruin. The bear tumbled for what seemed an eternity, finally landing at the foot of the cliff below in some tall brush. There was no movement from the bushes. We looked at each other incredulously. It had all happened so fast! And that bear leaping off into space! What a sight. Now it was time to try and get to the bear. Everything here was straight up and down except the ledges, and the bear was on another ledge across a canyon that looked insurmountable. We clambered down to the ledge below where the bear was, and Zach began climbing the granite escarpment, pulling himself up with the use of bushes, and eventually he got to the ledge the bear had been on at first. He peered down, and hollered “I see it, Dad, and it’s dead!” Good thing, I thought, since Zach didn’t have a gun! Honestly, the only way to move that bear was to roll it down the hillside to the ledge I was on, and that’s what Zach did. The bear came tumbling down, ripping up bushes and rolling rocks, and came to rest at my feet. From there it was just a matter of getting Colin and Carlos, who managed to get the horses within a half mile or so. The bear was a beauty, fat and coal black except for the white chest markings. It was estimated at between 250 and 300 pounds live weight. We found that Colin had filled his tag with a forked horn that morning, so it was a successful day overall. Gaines and Weber hadn’t seen a buck worth shooting. The next morning Colin and Carlos loaded up all the mules and horses, and we began the 6-hour trek back out to Kennedy Meadows… all of us in love with the beauty, the wilderness, the isolation and the pristine beauty of the Sierra Nevada — the top of the range, where the peaks meet the sky. We were going to come back! Kennedy Meadows Resort, owned by Matt Bloom, is located approximately 60 miles east of Sonora at Kennedy Meadows, and they offer a resort with cabins, a store, restaurant and pack station that can take visitors and anglers on a one-day or a multi-day high mountain hunting or fishing adventure… or just plain adventure! Summer phone numbers are (209) 965-3911 or (209) 965-3900, winter (209) 965-3900 or owner Matt Bloom at (209 928-1239. Website www.kennedymeadows.com/. Aspen Meadows Pack Station, owned by Matt’s brother, Josh Bloom, is located near Dodge Ridge Ski Area and the popular resort of Pinecrest. Historic Aspen Meadow is the gateway to one of California’s most breathtaking wilderness areas, where towering granite peaks, long alpine meadows, stunning lakes and abundant wildlife are yours to explore – from the back of a horse! For more information on Aspen Meadows, call (209) 965-3402 winter or summer, Web site aspenmeadowpackstation.com. • WE WERE well up the mountain above Huckleberry Lake before the sun actually hit Zach Karr, pictured, and his dad and NorCal editor of Western Outdoor News, Bill Karr. The area was alive with bear and deer sign, as it was an extreme hike getting there. WON PHOTO BY BILL KARR • ZACH KARR with one of the colorful brookies that inhabit Bigelow Lake at the foot of Snow Mountain, almost inside the northern border of Yosemite National park at about 10,000 feet. WON PHOTO BY BILL KARR |
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