Day 2 of my solo trip up Bear Creek saw me up and about before sunrise, enjoying my morning coffee while the first rays of sunlight hit the ridges around me and gradually illuminated my campsite. By 8am, I was ready to head out upstream and explore my little valley – indeed, I believe I had the whole lower portion of the valley to myself. Had I made as much progress up the trail the day before as I had intended, today’s hike would have been either up the Lake Italy trail or into the Bear Lakes region, but, as it was, I figured I didn’t have sufficient time and ambition to make good on those plans. Instead, I figured I would follow the trail up Bear Creek until reaching the JMT, where I could turn north- or south-bound and walk until I felt like turning around and retracing my steps back to camp. Beyond my campsite at Twin Falls, the Bear Creek trail climbs more deliberately, leaving the creek and gaining some 500′ per mile until topping out at a saddle about 1-3/4 miles east before losing 250′ and returning to the creek a half mile later. I was glad to have only a light daypack as I made my way up the trail, first through broken woods and then reaching more open terrain higher up. Nearing the saddle, I emerged onto a series of open granite slabs that offered both glimpses into the upper valley as well as vistas westward. As I passed through a cleft in the slabs, I was treated to my first views of the high mountains to the east and south, from Recess Peak south to Seven Gables and beyond to Mts Senger and Hooper. It was a beautiful bug-free morning, and the walk downhill into the upper valley was wonderful – I soon passed the campsites along the creek that I had expected to reach yesterday, finding a handful of tents there that were the first evidence of other humans I had seen since leaving the trailhead. No one seemed to be stirring, so I continued my solitary walk a short distance further until reaching the creek again – here, I took a snack break and enjoyed the water flowing gently by. Descending from the saddle, I had begun forming a plan as to what to do with the rest of my day – I could see various open areas on the south side of Bear Ridge to the north, and, knowing that the JMT climbs up and over Bear Ridge before dropping down to Edison Lake on the far side, I was thinking I could follow that route up Bear Ridge and find a place to circle back cross-country. I was intrigued at the prospect of getting the grand view southward down the valley, and the idea of a loop hike became a firm plan once I passed through a very wet series of bogs just before reaching the JMT junction – I definitely did not want to come back this way. So, I turned northward up the JMT and immediately began climbing the moderate grade up Bear Ridge. I also immediately began to see other hikers coming and going in both directions at regular intervals – such is the popularity of the JMT/PCT all summer long. It had warmed significantly since the cool morning, and I very much appreciated the intermittent shady spots along the trail where I paused now and again to catch my breath and take photos. I soon reached my target spot, a flat just below the military crest of the ridge that offered open views south down the valley – I rested here again for a bit and ate some lunch, watching the steady stream of thru-hikers pass by. After about 20 minutes, I decided it was time to go, although the question now was just where to go. I had passed a few possible cross-country jump-off points on my way up the ridge, but they all looked from the top like major bushwhacks that would probably tear my bare legs to pieces – heavy brush and lots of downfall. I walked up the trail another hundred yards and found myself looking southwestward down the upper portions of the open slabs I had crossed earlier on my way up to the saddle. The slope was steep but easily manageable, and I guided on a small dome lying just north of the saddle along the Bear Creek trail. I quickly reached the dome without issue, and I continued down a more gentle slope beyond it until reaching the trail. By 2pm, I found myself back at camp where I soaked my feet in the stream and relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. Sometime just before dinner, I began to hear steady rolls of thunder that were coming ever closer. Sure enough, it clouded over and began to rain, and I decided to hunker down in the tent – no sooner had I zipped the tent door closed, the sky opened up and the rain poured down in buckets. At one point, the loudest crash of thunder I’ve ever heard instantly followed a bright flash of light, and that strike had to have been very close by. But, just as suddenly as it began the rain let up, and I cooked my dinner in the cool evening under clearing skies. A most enjoyable day.