Paul standing near the pre-attack sign. In another bit of coincidence, Paul and I had actually corresponded via email in the past over details of the route from Cone to Twin Peak.

Looking back at the slope we had just decended. This stuff always looks easier when viewed from a distance.

These yellow flowers (wallflowers?) were in bloom along the slopes of Bear Mountain.
Last comment 05/12/2005.

The old roadbed continued up the side of Bear Mountain, but was heavily overgrown in places. On the ascent, I detoured up to the firebreak to bypass the worst of the roadbed. Dave & Co followed the roadbed and continued their pruning efforts.

Up to the old road and a clearing on the shoulder of Bear Mountain. Great views from here, though the day had clouded over a bit as it got later. The group stopped here for a bit and ate lunch. This was the point where Dave had turned back on his most recent attempt at the peak. Looking south, the road continued along the ridge, eventually passing in into the Hunter Ligget reservation.

Dave and Dave on the Bear Mountain summit. The road from the shoulder to Bear was overgrown but not in too bad shape.

Update: Dave, Dave, & Paul successfully made it to Pinyon. The traverse from Bear to Pinyon and back took less than 2 hours

Pinyon from Bear Mountain. I had originally planned on turning back at 1 and it was now 2 so I was balancing summit fever with the realities of the long trek back to the trailhead. Realities won out and I said goodbye to Dave, Dave, and Paul as they continued on toward Pinyon and I turned back.

Junipero Serra from the flat top of Bear Mountain. It had taken 10 hours to get here and I needed to make much better time back I if I wanted to finish before midnight. My main concern at that point was being back on a real trail by the time the sun went down.

The topo has a marking for "Ruins" somewhere on the hillside shown in this shot. If there really is something here, its under some pretty impenetrable foliage.