Yep--there were rumors all trip about bear activity at Gilmore Lake. that's a popular place to camp, because it's not far from the Pacific Crest Trail and the Tahoe Rim Trail--before they make the climb over Dick's Pass. And it's also used as a base camp for those who want to climb Mt. Tallac over more than just a day-hike.
So lots of people, which can often mean more bears, especially bears that are accustomed to people.
We soon heard of some bear activity--a group of backpackers told us that campers farther along the lake had set up a cacophony of pot-banging and yelling the night before. That's classic bear technique in the backcountry.
And then we heard another group mentioning the same thing...although neither group had actually seen the bear.
The next group I met on the trail told me a different story. They were the ones doing the banging and yelling. Three young women from the East Coast, now living in Tahoe. But it wasn't a bear they were chasing away, it was a deer.
The world works in mysterious ways.