Second day of a 2-day backpack trip. The previous day, I tried to hike up Mt. Julius Caesar from Pine Creek but fell short due to miles of snow on the way to Italy Pass and the altitude. On the second day, with some acclimatization, I climbed Royce and Merriam from camp at Honeymoon Lake. Royce Pass is once of the finest, most beautiful cross-country routes I've seen in the High Sierra. Highly recommended. Over the pass, I saw fresh lion tracks in the snow at the scenic Royce Lakes, and enjoyed a short but steep snow-climb up to the Royce-Merriam saddle. I finished the day with the long hike back down to the Pine Creek Trailhead and a nice hotel in Bishop.