We started at south lake and ended on north lake, backwards from most, and while Piute pass was a hard hike, i think ending on Piute and Humphrey's Basin was a great way to complete the trip. From there we day packed to evolution lake the third day. High Sierra Trails website makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of any of its maps. Once over Bishop Pass, we descended down approximately 5-6 miles to South Lake where we ended our journey. The route my two amigas and I traveled lies in the trio of Kings Canyon National Park, Inyo National Forest and Sierra National Forest. Elevation gain: 2200 feet There was a traditional wide and shallow ford. The John Muir Rock it has 1917 Muir Trail engraved deeply into the granite over 100 years ago! It was only 1:30pm, and I had a decision to make: Was I going to camp near here (where the large, aggressive bear might be prowling) or was I going to continue hiking on the Piute Pass Trail, uphill for miles in this roasting heat? Definitely one of my favorite trips ever. A great spot! Day 3: From camp, descend 7.3 miles on the JMT into Evolution Valley, then add an easy 1.2 miles to camp by Evolution Lake. Imagine youre traveling on a moonscape in the protection of narrow corridors of granite with the imposing presence of two mighty peaks, Langille Peak and Black Giant, in your view. Read more + Definitely a moderate hike, but doable in 4 days. There was still quite a bit of snow on the surrounding mountains and still ice in the lake. The 56-chromosome karyotype associated with P. i. neglectus is generally larger than P. i. inornatus and has been identified from the western side of the San Joaquin Valley and the Carrizo Plain (Patton and Rogers 1993). Driving times may vary based on conditions. Plentiful water (I never carried more than 16 oz.). Does this seem like a fair deal to you? The next day we made it up to evolution valley. I didnt see anyone moving this time. First it is ridiculed. Wanda(sorry if mistaken) is full of mosquitos, prepare mesh covering for you face. We found the trailhead about 1/3 mile away and hiked a few miles to Loch Leven. Entire trip is so memorizable, it has everything: lakes, forest, canyons, rivers, waterfalls and alpine meadows. First, it was a suggestion, and then it was an item on my Someday List. Piute Pass: Begins at North Lake. I plan to get back there this month with Not only that, but the trail was going to head even lower as I followed the river downstream. 4 trip report day 8-12: Red's Meadow Resort to Muir Trail Ranch. The views along the way make up for it. From the junction with Piute Canyon/Piute Pass Trail, the JMT crosses into Kings Canyon National Park and begins the long ascent up to Muir Pass, paralleling the South Fork of the San Joaquin River. It is a hard one but worth it. Mosquitoes were everywhere but easily controlled with DEET and an (optional) headnet. After that, I was down on the floor of Evolution Valley. North to South Lake is the easiest way to go with passes not too difficult. Ooops! The North Lake-South Lake loop is there High Sierra at its very best! I decided to stop for lunch a short ways ahead, and hung out in the shade next to the water with a couple of PCT hikers that Id spoken to earlier. This was an epic backpacking trip and I would do it all over again to see evolution basin, and everything in between. On the way back, check out the Blayney hot springs - they are magical! This was hands down one of the best hikes I've done in the High Sierras. This is high country and we had a brief hail & wind storm as well as our coldest overnight stay (mid 20 degrees Fahrenheit). Recommend to everybody. Map Mono Divide High Country ($10, tomharrisonmaps.com). I didnt realize it, but that was the last Id be seeing of Evolution Creek. Some hikers like to stop for a soak at the public hot springs across the river, just beyond the Muir Trail Ranch. Mather Pass . That felt great! Well, yeah, maybe then. Day 3: Today was another up and over day. Tough climb over the pass at 11,423 and descended into Paiute Canyon where we connected up with the JMT. Piute Pass 01:05:00 Hutchinson Meadow 02:18:02 Piute Canyon/JMT Junction 3:13:44 Goddard Canyon Junction 3:50:59 McClure Meadow Ranger . Hundreds of feet of granite on one side, and beautiful open meadow on the other. This is one of my favorite trips of many in the eastern Sierra. However, on the way back from Forsyth, I had some time to think about it while dealing with trail miles.On paper, 55 miles with 10k vertical in 12h15 looks soft; Yours Truly ran 50 miles with 12k vertical in about 9 hours at San Juan Solstice, and the . Good campsites can be found there also. GoPro video as I forded Evolution Creek, just north of Evolution Meadow. Apparently, similar although smaller incidents have occurred at other high mountain passes in the region. Here you will find the most recent trail conditions available to us. Since we stopped for lunch here and the lake has no name I guess Ill call it Lunch Lake. I was definitely overheating, and simply wanted to take a long rest. Ive seen worse, bug-wise. The Morning Star Mine comprises a group of 18 claims, situated in Secs. Mosquitoes burst forth in early and mid-summer, especially around the meadow areas near the Muir Trail Ranch and Evolution Valley. Usually we did it in 7 days. The total distance to Evolution Lake is about 10 miles. I used my water like always. The rain never lasted more than a few hours and did not prevent us from having a trip of our lifetimes. As we got going again I was giving myself a pretty serious mental pep talk about taking it easy and giving myself the time needed to work my way up the 700 feet of rocky switchbacks. Having driven by this part of the Sierras countless times on Hwy 395, gazing at that saw-toothed range, I always wanted to be the Norman Clyde, the John Muir, the Clarence King who had the privilege of a first ascent or true solitary immersion. Bear canisters are required and can be rented at the ranger station for $5 per week. ~. Just finished the loop from south lake to north lake. It was gorgeous. Tiny bit of snow on bishop pass was completely avoidable. Campsites: Lake Georg, Long Lake, descent down from Dusy Basin, Helen Lake, McLure Meadow, Puite Canyon Trail, Summit Lake. Lodging is available at Vermilion Valley Resort at Lake Edison and also at nearby Mono Hot Springs. some forest floor. kelly e. No matter how heavy my pack is I always leave room for some whiskey. We passed more than a dozen lakes some of which I will mention when I upload photos. best of luck and make sure you are prepared. It often has waterfalls cascading from its outlet because of the abrupt drop off. My sincere thanks to the fire fairies who set this up for us. From here, it's west and south down and into the epic Le Conte Canyon. Do you wish to share an stories about that particular spot? July 10 - 14. The trail wandered along through the forest, not far from Evolution Creek, which was flowing peacefully and slow. it has all the beauty you can think of, in fact you will get a beauty intake overdoz lol. Okay, I need my camera again. The Sierra Peaks Section was established in 1955. I drank a lot of water. I took a break on the edge of the meadow and got out my map. Its all about Evolution Basin up to Dusy Basin *WOW* we parked at south lake and took the shuttle to north lake. I only had about a liter left of the three Id started with that morning. Overall a great hike in the High Sierras. omg. 2 trip report day 0-4: getting in & Yosemite National Park warm up. Piute Pass Trail - North Lake Beginning in lodgepole pine and quaking aspen, the trail follows the creek at the foot of Piute Crags and Mount Emerson. Golden trout present. Best seasons: Mid-summer to fall But, conditions are still challenging. Hiked 6/12-6/17. Day 4: Evolution Valley to Piute Creek. I hiked along this stretch of river for almost three miles, and sweated profusely the entire time. Completed hike Aug 14. Great trail, not all of it is technically dog friendly since you enter Kings Canyon NP for the 2nd half. Or bag flattopped Mt. About two miles after leaving camp, we exited off the PCT/John Muir trail and started up to Piute Pass. . History. Evolution Basin. The river is nice to camp by here. They were having a seriously fun time on a hot Summers Day. By the time I was ready to hike I looked down at the tents below me on the shore of the lake and only one person had crawled out of their tent. Although the trail from the head of Florence Lake to Evolution Valley climbs over 2,000 feet, most of the elevation gain comes during the last miles. Get to know the winter safety gear you need in your pack. These Photos Prove It. The trail skirts the northern shore of Loch Leven. The Tyee Lakes part was not the most beautiful part and was pretty strenuous, but made transportation much easier. Of course, the unforgettable moments started to pile up as we descended into Evolution Basin and then officially into the hanging valley of Evolution. Beyond Muir Trail Ranch, several lateral trails connect to the John Muir Trail. I highly recommend this one. The hike up to Evolution Lake is steep, but reasonably graded. My [growing] Collection of Top Utah Hiking Trails, Five ways to make enemies at a public campground, Seeking Powder Hounds: Heli-Skiing the Northwest. 11/10/2022 - Expect winter conditions. Light rain everyday around 3/4pm. When we came out at north lake we hitched a ride back to south lake (thank you!!). Day 2: In the morning, we broke camp early and switch-backed up to Bishop Pass. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. The best sites we found are located on the east side of the trail directly after we crossed the stream that feeds the lake. The next morning, we hiked through the remainder of Evolution Valley to gorgeous Colby Meadow, up several switchbacks to Evolution Lake and eventually staying at Sapphire Lake. Camp at Wanda Lake along the trail to Muir Pass; no campsites after first quarter mile (night 3). I told them to skip Oregon, because it sounded mostly like boring forest with no views, and a hiker named Strawberry told me that there was a thing called Oregon in Two Weeks which skips the lame parts. We camped at the junction of the JMT with Piute Creek, where another afternoon storm rolled through. Starting at Lake Sabrina we could do a proper loop with just two 2 mile stretches on the road. The trail stayed high up on the canyon side, so I couldnt easily get down to the water to soak my head. When we finished our descent and arrived at the ranger station in the deep forest of Le Conte Canyon we also reached the junction on which the trail merges with the Pacific Crest Trail(PCT)/ John Muir Trail. Oh ya, chill and take your time. Maybe if I waited a bit the sun would be at a lower angle as I headed north, so that the trees would have longer shadows for me to rest in. Scale: 1:47,520 or inch representing 3/4 mile. On the fourth day of my trek, I backpacked north from Evolution Lake, down into the Evolution Valley with its lush meadows and waterfalls, then down even further to the South Fork San Joaquin River, which I followed downstream yet more, until I left the JMT/PCT for the Piute Pass Trail, climbing this time . An incredible hike through the Sierras. We parked at Lake Sabrina, hiked up past the Tyee Lakes to South Lake and then completed the loop clockwise. The trail condition is great, although it get pretty rocky around Muir Pass. It was challenging knowing exactly where to cross, we tried to find a place that looked shallow enough, however the water came up above my hips (Im 52) which was pretty scary because the current moved me quite a bit and the water was freezing! I did a backpacking trip over the 4th of July weekend over 4 days, starting at Florence Lake, going up to Evolution Lake. We slept near the shores of Evolution Lake. Hiking Distance: 19 miles Florence Lake Store and Ferry. I got out the map and came up with a plan, but it wasnt perfect. Florence Lake, east of Fresno, is the most convenient trailhead for backpacking trips to Evolution Valley. Historical side note: Evolution Valley was named by Theodore Solomons . Great camping along the creek once you cross the several streams in Hutchinson Meadow (night 1). Erika, the alpine pond photograph posted next to the Day 2 text is stunning. I think this might be a great time to interject that finding water was never, ever a problem. Inside the hut, I swear I felt intensely connected with the energy of the many hikers who entered tired, cold and grateful. Campsite 4: Darwin Canyon. From there, the trail traverses Humphreys Basin and reaches the splendid section of the Pacific Crest Trail known as Evolution Valley. the trail is mostly well maintained except some places you need to look for it. Beyond Huntington, the road narrows and in places is steep and windy as it climbs over 9,184-foot Kaiser Pass and descends to Florence and Edison lakes. Then I hiked north, paralleling the water. Their answers were vague, as expected, but they did say that there was definitely a spot a decent ways up the trail, but they werent great judges of distance. We hiked most of eac day covering 10-12 miles per day. On day 1, take the Piute Pass Trail from North Lake Campground, and hike six miles gaining 2,000 feet to make camp near Upper Golden Trout Lake (no camping within 400 feet). Speaking of water, we regularly forded streams ranging from little hip-hop creeks to put-on-your-water-shoes-and-unbuckle-your-pack soakers! One way for an adult is $15, round-trip $28; children 12 and under are $7 and $13. Western States Climbers Emblem Peaks Showing Kimberly Berg's first ascent dates for climbed peaks (0 out of 129, or 0%) I wasnt enjoying this as much as I would have liked. Others seemed to have no issues on the regular crossing. Multiple Ascents Grid: Click for a grid showing all of Chris Land A boat-taxi across the lake is available from the trailhead in the summer. The ferry was not running this early in the season. Slept like a drunken sailor. There was no bridge. All in all, it had been another great day in the High Sierra. 3 trip report day 5-8: Lyell Canyon/Tuolumne Meadows to Red's Meadow Resort. Camp, or finish the last 2.7 miles to the trailhead. We hiked up to Piute Creek the first day it was 13.1 miles since the ferry was not running on our hike up. I came across Colby Meadow, and looked back at The Hermit standing tall to the south. The Vanderbilt Mine is located partly on private land in the San Bernardino County, two miles west of California-Nevada state lines in the New York mountains four miles southeast of the Ivanpah valley within the Mojave National Preserve. The next morning we discovered more good sites at the west end of the lake. Slightly brutal at times-especially for a beginner- but the views are unmatched. It was gorgeous! Most of our campsites were fantastic with waterfalls or pretty lakes. Me either, until we exited the forest at about 11,000 feet and monster granite views appeared. A ranger later informed us that 80-90 deer were migrating seasonally over the pass during a snowstorm in November 2018, when presumably blinded by the snowfall, they one by one hit a patch of ice and fell to their deaths. I sat down on a boulder near my gear and got out some snack. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 12 h 41 min to complete. this is the one backpack trip I remember with my dad, friend and his dad.. in 1959.. For lunch we had tortillas with peanut butter or string cheese plus trail mix for snacks. I also crossed Evolution creek at the alternate, which was swampy but looked much easier than the main crossing. Did this in the opposite direction (South Lake to North Lake) and had a blast. It was a very long day. Once we reached the pass at 11,955 feet, we were gifted with the sight of Muir Hut constructed in 1930 by the Sierra Club, with the intention of sheltering hikers that may find themselves caught in unsavory weather. At the top was Evolution Valleyas a wannabe biologist, I fell in love with the name. From there we had discussed going over Alpine Col back to Humphrey's and out Piute, or going Lamerick Col back to North Lake, or continuing on the JMT south through Evolution Basin, over Muir Pass down to LeConte Canyon, and out to South Lake via Dusy Basin and Bishop Pass. The Evolution Loop is a magnificent route through some of the most inspiring terrain in the High Sierra. this trail is definitly one of the top 5 trails in sierras. Fantastic hike! There must have been many more waterfalls on the way down, but, sadly, that wasnt part of my plan for the day. 11/10/2022 - Expect . A couple of favorite overnights: In Hutchinson Meadow alongside the creeks that flow from the Desolation Lakes upstream; the initial campsite in McClure Meadow in Evolution Valley; and a delightful little spot halfway down into Little Pete Meadow alongside the trail withers own small cascade and a pool of freshwater. Several of our trails give entry to the John Muir Trail or Pacific Crest Trail with the opportunity to trek in the longest roadless section of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. Completed end of July 2022. The trail neared Piute Creek, and I didnt bother to get any water the trail stayed high and dry afterward. The trail descended steeply into the forest as it left Evolution Basin. An epic (almost) loop in the heart of the Sierras. The Florence Lake Store carries basic food and camping supplies. Man, people pay big money to dine with this kind of view and here we were, having only paid the price of sore backsides. If I did this, then I might make it over Piute Pass the next day, and hike out early on the final day, which would allow me to drive home later on that afternoon. Nineteen miles from the nearest trailhead, Evolution Valley is a two-day hike for most backpackers. Deer are seen occasionally. The hike to Evolution Valley was exposed and hot at times. Jessie Wheeler. This will bring you onto the PCT north of Evolution Valley, a distance of about 16 miles. Well worth every step! By trying to further lighten our loads over and over again, we hit the trail far later than expected, so by necessity had to pitch our tents after only four miles at Saddlerock Lake (11,128 feet). Our simple food choices were holding very well. I've done this trail 4 times and it is amasing. Spectacular scenery abounds, with tumbling waterfalls, flowing creeks, glittering lakes, stately forests, and imposing mountains galore. The next morning, we went over Piute Pass and continued 10+ miles through beautiful Piute Canyon to Hutchinson Meadow. Bishop and Muir Pass are still very snowy. Elevation 4400 feet I climbed upward for two miles without seeing a single decent campsite, either. We slept in our vehicle at the trailhead the night before starting. Why cant I breathe? No rain. At mile 5.5 we crossed the river again and took a short break at the base of a long series of switchbacks that would bring us up to Evolution Valley. I found a shady spot above the creek and took off my pack. We passed more than a dozen lakes some of which I will mention when I upload photos. Also a ton of mosquitos. Day 6: In the morning the sun popped over Piute Pass and we were instantly warmed and reluctant to pack up and head back out into civilization less than 7 miles away. Depending on your fitness level, you can get to the valley in a day, and choose to go farther to Evolution Lake. Even so, with campsites spread out along its length, the valley never seems crowded. Saw plenty of deer, and other hikers saw a few bears in the meadows. Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. Our camps were very high, all above 11,300', and we took two and a half days layover, hiking and exploring . We did 7 nights, 8 days with our first and last days being half days. I kept hoping to find a side stream, but all of the obvious places were dry as a bone. Highly recommend pushing up to lower Dusy Basin (though there are several campsites about 1200 vertical feet up from Le Conte, just prior to a bridge crossing) (night 4). Aside from stellar views, you will also find a station in McClure Meadow that is manned in the summer months by a ranger. The other entrance is by way of North Lake going over Piute Pass (11,500') and passing through Humphries Basin and Piute Canyon. 110 Piute Pass Trail junction, 17 mi. We decided to put in stakes about a mile and a half before Piute Pass on what I considered to be the Best in Show campsite winner. Quite a few creek crossings which were hard to avoid getting feet wet, but easily done. The year 2021 was certainly one of the driest in a long time, as it was early July and the hills were bone dry. We camped up there on our second night. We were usually finished hiking each day between 2-5 PM giving us plenty of time to enjoy the area. Some of the best are right at the outlet with a view both down into Evolution Valley, and back up the Basin, though those were taken when we arrived, even at that early hour (mostly people staying there for several days it seemed). You could do a quick trip, via Echo Col in both directions, in about 4 days. Most of the fellas caught small California Golden trout in the lake. It was great to get back and do another hike in the High Sierra. Pick up permit, eat at Burger Barn, head to, Day One Piute Pass trailhead over Piute Pass down through Humphreys Basin to, Day Two Hutchinson Meadow down Piute Creek to the JMT junction down along the San Joaquin River to the, Day Three Goddard Canyon Bridge Junction Up to Evolution Valley then into Evolution Basin and camp at, Day Four Sapphire Lake up to Wanda Lake then summit Muir Pass then down into Le Conte Canyon and camp at, Day Six Up over Bishop Pass and down to South Lake . Next time will have to aim to go under 30 pounds. Always confirm information with the service provider and check for any recent changes that The benefits of hiking, more than you can imagine! Every effort is made to provide accurate and up to date information, but we cannot be responsible for errors or for changes that may have occurred since publication. On my way between JMT and Piute there were 5+ stream crossings that necessitated wading. That was about 8 miles, we had wanted to camp at the meadow but was beat so made camp a couple miles sooner. Sign up for Outside+ today. Again, I will say that there is plenty of water the whole way, so drink up. Once there, you will want several days to enjoy the tranquility of the valley and explore the surrounding lakes, canyons, and peaks. Beautiful trip! Evolution Lake was beautiful! I see no real advantage to hiking one way vs. the other. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. The lowest lakes in Dusy and Evolution basin are mostly thawed. Next we go through Evolution Valley skirting Darwin Canyon, passing through Evolution Basin and crossing the Goddard Divide just before going over Muir Pass (11,855'). 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The region the service provider and check for any recent changes that the benefits of hiking more... Down on a hot Summers day trail is mostly well maintained except some you... Rocky around Muir Pass 4 trip report day 5-8: Lyell Canyon/Tuolumne meadows to Red & # x27 ; west... Packed to Evolution Valley was exposed and hot at times from south Lake is the easiest way go. About two miles after leaving camp, or finish the last Id be seeing of Evolution Creek which! Was hands down one of the Pacific Crest trail known as Evolution Valley is magnificent. Everything in between Someday List you could do a proper loop with just two 2 mile on...