TITLEOur destinations were in the Sierra Mountains in CaliforniaBearpaw High Sierra Camp is in Sequoia National Park; Rae Lakes in Kings CanyonBearpaw is at the end of a dramatic 11+ mile trailThe trail overlooks the Great Western Divide, dividing Kings Canyon from SequoiaFinally, the Bearpaw camp appears, a dining cabin and six tent-cabinsCabins are strategically placed for the viewThe dining cabin is the social center of BearpawFrom the dining cabin porchThe view from our tent cabinA mama marmot and cubDSC04773Off on a day hikeWatch the edge!DSC04779DSC04784DSC04786Nightime during a full moonReluctantly packing up to leave BearpawWeighing packs at the Kings Canyon ranger station, beginning the Rae Lake loopBeginning the long climp from 5,000 to 12,000 feetWe encountered a couple Western Diamond-Backed rattlesnakesMuir was first to conclude that glaciers smoothed the graniteThankfully, the bouncy bridge at Woods Creek survivesA quiet dinner as we reach the high countryDSC04840Rae Lakes in the distanceWe reluctantly leave Dollar LakeOur site overlooking Rae LakeThe trail threads among Rae lakes before climbing to Glenn Pass in the right backgroundDSC04864A peaceful night descendsBeginning the climb to the PassJean at the bottom of the photo, Glenn Pass at the topWe pass glacial tarns (isolated ponds)Finally, the cold, windy topDSC04885Looking back from the knife edgeEven up here, flowers find a placeDescending the Bubbs Creek valleyHot and tiredA bear box at our last camp siteEvidence in favor of the bear box!Bubbs Creek opens up and reminds us of Yosemite ValleyDSC04954Too bad the Hudson River painters never made it here!We encountered a couple bears on the tripAfter completing the Loop, we revisited the magnificent Sequoias again