Ok, 9-mile is the creek about a mile before Buck Creek. Not labeled on most maps.
I never checked out the hiker camp site near Bearpaw. The commercial camp is right on the trail, but the backpacker one is down a side trail a little. When I crossed Buck Creek, I thought it would make a fair camping area -- lots of bare granite with flat areas.
> Q12 - have you ever started at Wolverton instead of Crescent Meadows?
Considered it. But then I learned that Sequoia N.P. dictates that HST hikers starting at Wolverton must camp somewhere before the HST the first night. Mehrten Mdw would be about the only likely place. Second issue is that from Wolverton, you climb 1700' then descend 1300 to get to the HST junction. From Crescent Meadow, it is a nearly level trail, climbing only 900' to the same junction. The HST is nicer from the AMS point of view, too, since you stay lower longer.
