Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board what's the highest elevation you've seen a bear?

I don't think I've ever seen a bear above 11,000 feet. I've wondered whether bears ever cruise on over to Iceberg Lake ... any sightings? I have no ulterior motive here; I'm genuinely curious if the beasts ever get up there

Just above 11,000 feet, just south of Forester Pass - at tree line.

Ask how high is the food supply, last year a bear was on the summit of Whitney. Ever notice marmots on the summit or all those birds Got to be the crumbs Thanks Doug

Does anyone have a photo of this bear on the summit? I'd enjoy seeing it...

MC

That's crazy! Reminds me of the note at camp 4 saying "a bear free soloed the first half pitch of Tangerine Dream (5.XX) to get a haul bag with food."

Anyways, I saw a note early 2007 at the Tyndall bear box saying a bear went up to around 12,500ft on Forester pass to get to some food. I'm guessing it was on the north side. I can't imagine anyone camping there though. It's all rocks.

All sorts of critters on the summit last year:

In July 2005 a bear followed us up and over Shepherd Pass.

Don't know the exact elevation - but it's got to be pretty high. A few years ago I ran into a guy near Kern Hot Springs who had had his food taken by a bear above treeline in Center Basin near Forrester. He was not a happy camper.

August 2, 2007, 9:30 AM, I met a bear on the east side of Taboose Pass, near the top at elev. 11,352 feet. I had spent the previous night at around 10,000 feet secure in the belief that 'bears never come up this high.'

2002 camped just below 11,000 Donahue Pass.
Thought we were safe so we carelessly left a single piece of trash near the tent, too lazy to walk over to the bear cans properly stored a ways away. At 1 am, we heard noise, but had had no view out the tent door mesh. it was totally blocked by momma bear. but she shooed off easily.