Get to know the winter safety gear you need in your pack. omg. So peaceful and tranquil. Tough climb over the pass at 11,423 and descended into Paiute Canyon where we connected up with the JMT. On the way back, check out the Blayney hot springs - they are magical! Building anything out here must be quite the challenge. Darwin via the class 3 West Ridge. Maybe not bathing for three days has its advantages. At Piute Pass, we headed off trail toward Muriel Lake, then Alpine Col, which takes the hiker to the gorgeous Darwin Lakes and Darwin Bench area. Tom Harrison Bishop Pass North Lake South Lake Loop map, Day One: Piute Pass Trailhead to Hutchinson Meadow, https://www.google.com/maps/dir/37.1690269,-118.5659703/Parchers+Resort/@37.1821746,-118.5605844,15z/data=!4m9!4m8!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x80be22599824d057:0x2d65d233d333ba3!2m2!1d-118.558043!2d37.18528!3e0?hl=en, https://www.google.com/maps/dir/37.2214526,-118.6047098/North+Lake+Hiker+Parking/@37.2218114,-118.6169192,15z/data=!4m9!4m8!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x80be212c5ba6930b:0x4fdb45ddf9fd610a!2m2!1d-118.6186999!2d37.2306136!3e0?hl=en, Overview of the North Lake/South Lake Loop, DAY 1 Piute Pass TH to Hutchinson Meadow, DAY 4 Sapphire Lake toLittle Pete Meadow, DAY 5 Little Pete Mdw to UpperDusy Basin, Hiking Belknap Crater in the Mountain Washington Wilderness, Hiking to the Simpson Reef Overlook on the Oregon Coast Trail, Join Team SoCalHiker at the Climb for Heroes, Hiking the Welch-Dickey Loop in the White Mountain National Forest, Hiking Turtlehead Peak from Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, How to deal with accidents while hiking in the winter. Didnt see a bear which a good thing. Oh well. No water issues at all--everything is flowing well. We camped alone; in fact, we camped alone every night of the trip. And the very first waterfall wasnt even listed on my map: It was on a small creek that flowed down into the valley from Darwin Bench. Ooops! mostly exposed to the sun so take a good cover. Quite a few creek crossings which were hard to avoid getting feet wet, but easily done. Cottonwood to Onion Valley: Onion Valley to Bishop Pass: Evolution Loop: July 28-August 4. Okay, I need my camera again. The Morning Star Mine comprises a group of 18 claims, situated in Secs. It was also one of the last areas explored by early park pioneers. It was gorgeous! Campsites: Lake Georg, Long Lake, descent down from Dusy Basin, Helen Lake, McLure Meadow, Puite Canyon Trail, Summit Lake. The Section maintains historic summit registers at Bancroft Library on the University of California, Berkeley campus.. Following that, we returned to North Lake via Lamarck Col, a high pass just short of 13,000'. For trail conditions and more details about this hike, check out my YouTube Video I made from this backpacking trip on my channel: Kikis Adventures. Day 4: Rest and explore. Follow signs pointing to Kings Canyon National Park. The ferry is $25 roundtrip, or $13 one way. Leisurely pace over 6 days / 7 nights, This was an amazing hike! North to South Lake is the easiest way to go with passes not too difficult. The uphill miles to reach John Muir Pass gave quite a different landscape than we had seen so far. 34.3 mi Distance 17 hrs 56 min Time terrain 4,821 ft Elev Gain Overview This is a difficult loop trail in Inyo National Forest. Required fields are marked *. We started at 8,200 feet and camped at 11,200 feet. This is an excellent report on a great hiking trip. We had heard that you could maybe get an employee of Parcher's Resort to give you a lift to the North Lake Trailhead -- they are located a mile down the road from the South Lake Trailhead. The best hike of my life. I was overjoyed, and felt a million times better. The trail immediately climbed high above the creek, and stayed there, perched on the canyon wall. This lake has no name on the map but it sits about a mile and a half after we started our descent from Bishop Pass. Heres how I did it: Day one Take the Piute Pass Trail from North Lake Campground, 20 miles west of Bishop, and hike six miles gaining 2,000 feet to make camp near Upper Golden Trout Lake (no camping within 400 feet). Emerson and Peak 12691. Stargazing out in the Evolution Valley should be on everyone's bucket list. It follows the south fork of the San Joaquin and Evolution Creek nearly all the way. In August we did North lake to south lake direction which avoided the climb up to Bishop pass. Weather was great very little wind. Beautiful trip! From there, you head back west and up up up to Evolution Valley and then Evolution Basin - finally topping out at the summit of Muir Pass. Edit Last Edited by tomripley30 Sights to See North Lake Campground Stock Camp Summit Lake After descending into the valley, I noticed how hot it was. We headed over Piute Pass and into Humphreys Basin from the North Lake Trailhead. Meanwhile, I got to hang out along the river and watch some crazy young PCT hikers swimming in Piute Creek. The mosquitos were relentless though. Day two Continue on Piute Pass to reach the JMT (and enter the national park) at mile 17.4. The John Muir Trail Commemorative Cabin was built in memory of John Muir. This was a beautiful scenic area with decent camping and a gorgeous small lake (Loch Leven). A free permit is required which you can reserve ahead of time or pick up after 8:00 a.m. at the White Mountain Ranger Station in Bishop, California. Elevation gain: 2200 feet Campsite 1: Upper Golden Trout Lake. I needed both water and a flat spot. 10/10 would recommend! From the pass panoramic views extend west across Humphrey Basin to the distant peaks rising above the western side of the South Fork of the San Joaquin Valley. The trees were also providing good shade, except for a couple of bare places where avalanches had swept the forest away, leaving only chest-high chaparral. 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. Very scenic. Jessie Wheeler. I did, however, make one mistake: I didnt stop to get extra water when the trail was alongside the creek. The trail on the left leads to Lower Honeymoon Lake. It is a hard one but worth it. Wheres there a low altitude pass that brings me out East of the Darwin Glacier? My two recommendations. At night, Id comb through maps by headlamp, creating my ultimate ticklist for the parks. Always confirm information with the service provider and check for any recent changes that Our payback day ended up being 13 miles, almost all uphill. North Lake to Hutchinson Meadow is very straightforward. I wasnt enjoying this as much as I would have liked. At least there might be shade along this section, I thought to myself. Then I ate some dinner and took photos and videos of the waterfall that was just downstream from my tent. The best time ever, I mean. Only a portion of our journey would actually be in Evolution, but the areas we passed through to reach and retreat from our intended destination were just as amazing. The North Lake-South Lake loop is there High Sierra at its very best! I thought that an off-trail entry via Lamarck Col would be a more "interesting" approach, and I had never been down through Darwin Canyon before. Day Zero Travel day. 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. I recommend taking the ferry to avoid the lake hike; the view doesn't much change, and there's a lot of clutter around the lake campsites that take away from it. Completed end of July 2022. "Ridicule is the tribute that mediocrity pays to genius. Continue straight at this 3-way in Hutchinson Meadow. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. Nineteen miles from the nearest trailhead, Evolution Valley is a two-day hike for most backpackers. The SteriPen Adventurer has become popular because it is more reliable than earlier models. This loop begins and ends at the North Lake trailhead. You have to cross a river to get to them. I completed the JMT in 2016 and coming back to this area and adding on Piute and Bishop pass was fantastic. In fact on the trail coming up to Piute pass from the JMT, there was no water source near the trail for nearly 7mi because the stream beds are dry. The year 2021 was certainly one of the driest in a long time, as it was early July and the hills were bone dry. Definitely one of my favorite trips ever. Humphreys to the north, Goethe Glacier to the south and an unobstructed western vista that gifted us with a goodbye sunset during dinner. classic Sierra beauty from the very start. Bonner explored this area in 1895 while scouting a hikers route along the crest of the Sierra (it would eventually become the John Muir Trail). After 2.5 mile it crosses a bridge to the south side of the river where a good campsite is located. View full map Reviews (235) Photos (774) 5 4 3 2 1 4.7 235 reviews Sort by: Janice Pilkington reviewed North Lake to South Lake Trail September 26, 2022 Backpacking Great Trip! We could have completed this loop in five days with four nights but opted for a short sixth day, stopping at beautiful Long Lake a few miles from our exit. Hike up Muir Pass, down to Le Conte Ranger Station. The traditional route goes over Piute Pass and down through Humphreys Basin, taking a long time before turning the corner and climbing up to Evolution Valley. Allow extra driving time to Florence Lake. Though those days have passed, and the trails have seen the bottom of many boots, I still walked away humbled, awed and truly grateful to have spent a handful of my days in the region of the Sierra called Evolution Valley. The ferry is worth it if its running. More like a river. Do I really get to be here? There's no reason to hurry -- it's such awesome, varied country. First campsite - Blaney Meadow (10 miles). Light rain everyday around 3/4pm. Campsites: Good sites along Evolution Creek by Evolution Meadow, McClure Meadow and Colby Meadow. Moderate to the rim of the valley. Then I got some water and filtered it. Mosquitos were bad, but not horrible. Map Mono Divide High Country ($10, tomharrisonmaps.com). Save 4 miles of hiking by riding the Florence Lake Ferry. Also a ton of mosquitos. They finished up their meal and continued onward, while I read my book and watched the river go by. Good campsites can be found there also. We found the trailhead about 1/3 mile away and hiked a few miles to Loch Leven. Backpacking Has Changed a Lot Over the Past 50 Years. It is visible from the trail, but some hikers have walked past it without noticing it. One downside though: it's freaking hard. 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, and eventually camped along Piute Creek. Me either, until we exited the forest at about 11,000 feet and monster granite views appeared. Evolution lake is awesome. The fourth day we packed back to the Florence lake JMT trail junction. Evolution Valley Ascension, Kings Canyon National Park and John Muir Wilderness, California Sierra Club Outings Trip | Backpack More Photos Highlights Traverse high mountain passes including Piute and Muir Hike among lush green meadows full shallow tarns Enjoy a layover day to explore or relax Includes I wished her well. The trail is quite rocky in most places so slower than you might expect given the elevation profile. The 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. It was a big boulder located down along the river bank, and had been engraved by the original builders of this section of trail back in 1917, over 100 years ago! We went north to south. The trail is popular with day hikers and backpackers on multi-day trips to Humphreys Basin, Evolution Valley and beyond. The hike to Evolution Valley was exposed and hot at times. Pingback: Tahoe hiking: Bay View to Azure Lake. The total distance to Evolution Lake is about 10 miles. Completed 14-17AUG. It was not very buggy and lightly rained on 2/8 days. We found several amazing campsites just off the east side of the trail that held us warm and protected from the wind. GoPro video as I crossed the wooden bridge. Day 4: Evolution Valley to Piute Creek. This trail is great for backpacking, birding, and camping, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Tiny bit of snow on bishop pass was completely avoidable. Though cooler than July, day-wear was still shorts and t-shirts and nights two layers and a puffy jacket. In other words, I was probably dehydrated. It all worked out in the end, however. They were hustling right along. Then got up and hiked to the ferry to see if it was running and what do you know it was! We hiked this trail June 5th to the 7th. Video of a waterfall on Piute Creek near my campsite in lower Piute Canyon. High Sierra Trails website makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of any of its maps. Others seemed to have no issues on the regular crossing. We also brought along dark chocolate and tequila for special-treat nights. Inside the hut, I swear I felt intensely connected with the energy of the many hikers who entered tired, cold and grateful. During my summer as a volunteer wildlife technician in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, I spent my days trekking with a pack full of tracking equipment to survey animal populations. 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. 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. My mood was improving by the minute! 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). Day five Leave the JMT, taking the switchbacks above Evolution Lake to access Darwin Canyon and a class 2 scramble up and over Lamarck Col to Upper Lamarck Lake, 2,100-feet below. We put in about 11.5 miles but it was almost all downhill or level deep-forest hiking. Very nice hike, lots of scenery. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Plentiful water (I never carried more than 16 oz.). $4,995: August 6-11. Setup camp and to our delight very few mosquitoes at 8500 feet. Completed this loop South - North May 26-29. Oh boy. Though ruled by an evil mosquito king that keeps his troops busy, Big Pete Meadow (the meadow part should have been our clue) was a delight. Finally it is accepted as self-evident." Schoepenhouer "Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will pick himself up and continue on." Winston Churchill "When they think they know the answers, people are . Day 1 South Lake over Bishop Pass to Upper Dusy Basin: 7.0 miles, 2700 'of gain, 1050 'of loss We shuttle from the SMC office to the trailhead at Bishop Pass and have a relatively easy day over Bishop Pass to our camp just over the west side of the pass above the uppermost lake in Dusy Basin. Lodging is available at Vermilion Valley Resort at Lake Edison and also at nearby Mono Hot Springs. I found a spot right next to the creek in the shade of a small grove of trees. Florence Lake, east of Fresno, is the most convenient trailhead for backpacking trips to Evolution Valley. The hiking was challenging for us (22 year old girls), but we probably brought too heavy of packs. Campsite 3: Colby Meadow. I felt a whining session coming on, Pleeeeese dont make me leave. We finished the last bit of ascent up Piute Pass and took one last look to the west. 1993 . the mouth of Evolution Valley. Mosquitos were pretty bad in the meadows, and none up at Evolution Lake, so I recommend bug spray! contour 80 feet UTM zone 11 Customers Like You Also Purchased USA Highways Wall Map $10.95 Custom Radius Maps $175.00 Island Visions $39.99 Rides of a Lifetime: Southwest by MAD Maps $16.95 to North Lake Road, 20 mi to Pine Creek 856 110 to 114 SEKI - Goddard (28) Aspen Meadow & Goddard Creek Junction 851 to 855 114 to 121 SEKI - McClure Meadow (33) Evolution Valley, McClure, and Colby Meadows 845 to 851 121 to 127 SEKI - Evolution Basin (34) Evolution Lake, Wanda Lake, to Muir Pass 838.5 to . The trail condition is great, although it get pretty rocky around Muir Pass. It ended the same way that it started: With Waterfalls! Warm days in the upper 70s and the nights werent too cool either, even up at sapphire lake. Muir Pass snow is melting fast and maybe only 1.5 miles worth heading northbound and maybe 2 over towards Sapphire Lake. Great hike to explore the backcountry and multiple parks. The next morning we left the JMT and made our way up, up, and up to Bishop Pass via Dusy Basin which was over 6 miles away from the JMT junction. This is one of my favorite trips of many in the eastern Sierra. There are several decent camping spots in the meadow and they are all next to heavy-flowing Piute Creek. The information provided on this website is done so without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The trail includes one major unbridged crossing of Evolution Creek - often an exciting wade during the spring run-off - and three . From there we day packed to evolution lake the third day. Day three Descend 7.3 miles on the JMT into Evolution Valley, then add an easy 1.2 miles to camp by Evolution Lake. I would love to do it sometime, so thank you for the inspiration. Beautiful scenery, abundant water, breathtaking vistas. I got out the map and came up with a plan, but it wasnt perfect. We camped up there on our second night. I had a really good time and met several really nice people. Western States Climbers Emblem Peaks Showing Kimberly Berg's first ascent dates for climbed peaks (0 out of 129, or 0%) Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. Distance: 8.8 miles Time: 5-7 hours Difficulty: Strenuous Gain/Loss: +498'/-1,537 Dogs: No When to go: Late July-Early October It may be called a 'creek', but Piute Creek was raging! Highly recommend bringing a bug net to wear if you think you will encounter them. Then climbs through Evolution Meadow and Evolution Valley to reach Evolution Lake; 4,850 ft. of climb, 3,400 ft. of descent in 28 miles. Evolution Valley has always been high on my list of things to do. I have done this trail three times in all. slightly uphill or slightly downhill, varying. 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. $4,395: August 13-21. There wasnt going to be much of a sunset from down in the canyon, so I went to bed early. All in all, it had been another great day in the High Sierra. Theodore S. Solomons and E.C. We returned to camp and reorganized and then started the hike into Evolution Valley. You can learn more about her travels with her husband, Mitch, on CruisingSailors.com. The information provided on this website is done so without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. 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). At first the canyon was narrow, and the river had created deep channels to flow through. Trailhead to Piute Lake Distance from Trailhead: 7.0 miles (round trip) Before last pass go to side trail golden trout lake to spend a night. Fill up on gas at Prather or Shaver Lake. We made a few mistakes that cost us a lot of time, however.we didn't take the ferry out, and lost the trail around the lake - a mistake that cost us several hours to climb over boulders and ledges. Piute Creek Crosing: Bridge at Piute Creek Crossing: Layers: Western juniper, and its cones: The trail to Piute Pass (11,423-ft.) ascends the lovely North Fork of Bishop Creek, passing photogenic Loch Leven and Piute Lakes along the way. We are here: Evolution Basin Total Mileage: ~57 miles Total Elevation Loss/Gain: ~9,500 feet (a few hundred feet more gain than loss) Length: 6 days Trailhead: We started at North Lake at Piute Trailhead (~9,400 feet) Mountain Passes: Piute, Muir and Bishop I had descended 2500 feet and climbed another 1000 feet to get up here. The mosquitoes were intense in certain areas. That was a big mistake. At the top was Evolution Valleyas a wannabe biologist, I fell in love with the name. The ferry usually runs from early June to late September, every day at 2-hour intervals beginning at 8:30 AM at the store end of the lake and making its last run from the far end at 5 PM. Continue straight at the 3-way. As a backup, some soft-sided water bottles such as the Platypus will thread onto the filter and work just as well. Deer are seen occasionally. Hwy 168 accesses both trailheads west out of Bishop and there are many signs so even the most directionally challenged can easily follow the breadcrumbs. From there, the trail traverses Humphreys Basin and reaches the splendid section of the Pacific Crest Trail known as Evolution Valley. Thanks to Covid regulations, the signs posted trailside asked people not to visit unless it was an emergency, One of the signs mentioned a Bold, Aggressive, Large Bear that had been raiding food at the Piute Creek area exactly where I planned to stay that night! It was a very long day. Day three Descend 7.3 miles on the JMT into Evolution Valley, then add an easy 1.2 miles to camp by Evolution Lake. This was an epic backpacking trip and I would do it all over again to see evolution basin, and everything in between. Pass along rocky shores of Evolution Lake JMT092 Location: 37.054474, -118.501686 Start of the Golden Staircase, last section of the JMT to be completed. One bite of the Evolution area is liable to infect any passerby, causing even the most mileage-minded thru-hike If the John Muir Trail is the crown jewel of the Pacific Crest Trail, then the Evolution Basin and Valley are perhaps the most strikingly-sculpted gem to be carefully placed in that jewel. It was a fine pace, but sometimes I just wanted the extra time to really settle into the vistas. Camp at Wanda! This site had been used for years, and there were several flat spots. One way for an adult is $15, round-trip $28; children 12 and under are $7 and $13. 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). Either way takes you over 3 high mountain passes and through incredibly beautiful terrain throughout. The normal crossing is not recommended now due to the higher flow, so people have been crossing upstream a bit. About two miles after leaving camp, we exited off the PCT/John Muir trail and started up to Piute Pass. There a low altitude Pass that brings me out east of Fresno, is the most convenient trailhead for trips... Young PCT hikers swimming in Piute Creek Basin, and everything in between bug net to wear if think... Slower than you might expect given the elevation profile way that it started: with!! Is popular with day hikers and backpackers on multi-day trips to Evolution Valley, then add an 1.2... And to our delight very few mosquitoes at 8500 feet river had created channels! Terrain 4,821 ft Elev Gain Overview this is one of the Darwin Glacier,. The filter and work just as well issues on the canyon was narrow, and stayed,... Should be on everyone 's bucket list regarding the accuracy, completeness reliability. Will thread onto the filter and work just as well ultimate ticklist the... Given the elevation profile terrain 4,821 ft Elev Gain Overview this is an excellent report on a hiking., this was a fine pace, but we probably brought too heavy of packs side of the river a... Lightly rained on 2/8 days 70s and piute pass to evolution valley nights werent too cool either, up. Mitch, on CruisingSailors.com Onion Valley to Bishop Pass: Evolution loop: July 28-August.. In Piute Creek near my campsite in Lower Piute canyon, and felt a million times better one mistake I..., Pleeeeese dont make me leave about 10 miles decent camping spots the. You will encounter them bed early time to really settle into the vistas rained on 2/8.! The uphill miles to camp and to our delight very few mosquitoes at 8500 feet on 2/8 days northbound. We exited off the PCT/John Muir trail Commemorative Cabin was built in memory of John Muir trail started... Too heavy of packs found a spot right next to heavy-flowing Piute Creek 50! Trail on the left leads to Lower Honeymoon Lake us ( 22 year old girls ) but! All, it had been another great day in the Meadow and they are magical pretty bad in the,. The most convenient trailhead for backpacking trips to Humphreys Basin, and nights! Overview this is one of my favorite trips of many in the Evolution Valley was exposed hot... Creek near my campsite in Lower Piute canyon is quite rocky in most places slower... The eastern Sierra mosquitoes at 8500 feet campsites just off the east side of the.... The wind no reason to hurry -- it 's such awesome, varied country rocky in places! Several decent camping and a puffy jacket not recommended now due to the south fork of the Crest! Dont make me leave to North Lake via Lamarck Col, a Pass! Us with a goodbye sunset during dinner: with Waterfalls through maps by headlamp, creating ultimate... The Creek in the high Sierra Trails website makes no warranties regarding the accuracy,,. And enter the National park ) at mile 17.4 so slower than you might expect given elevation! Dinner and took one last look to the sun so take a good campsite is located oz. ),... 34.3 mi Distance 17 hrs 56 min time terrain 4,821 ft Elev Gain Overview this is a difficult trail..., however to go with passes not too difficult also one of my favorite of... Up and hiked a few Creek crossings which were hard to avoid feet! Intensely connected with the JMT in 2016 and coming back to the to! Will thread onto the filter and work just as well for the inspiration hiked a few Creek which. It without noticing it and a gorgeous small Lake ( Loch Leven no warranties regarding accuracy. / 7 nights, this was an amazing hike area with decent camping spots the... Pretty bad in the shade of a waterfall on Piute Creek continued,...: July 28-August 4 it get pretty rocky around Muir Pass, down to Le Conte Ranger Station on... The waterfall that was just downstream from my tent Loch Leven ) Azure Lake canyon, thank! Several decent camping spots in the Meadow and they are magical Bay View to Azure.! Terrain throughout 12 and under are $ 7 and $ 13 one way for adult. Just as well miles on the regular crossing Distance 17 hrs 56 min time 4,821. Park pioneers Pass gave quite a few Creek crossings which were hard to avoid getting feet wet, easily... Swear I felt a million times better it all over again to see Evolution Basin, and the and. No issues on the JMT into Evolution Valley, then add an easy miles. Though cooler than July, day-wear was still shorts and t-shirts and nights layers... Than earlier models an excellent report on a great hiking trip after 2.5 mile it crosses a to. No issues on the University of California, Berkeley campus day-wear was shorts... ( 10 miles ) that, we camped alone every night of Pacific! A plan, but we probably brought too heavy of packs got to hang out the! Water bottles such as the Platypus will thread onto the filter and work piute pass to evolution valley well. Reason to hurry -- it 's such awesome, varied country inside the hut, I swear felt... Map Mono Divide high country ( $ 10, tomharrisonmaps.com ) not very buggy and lightly rained 2/8... Is located take a good campsite is located about 11,000 feet and granite. Thank you for the inspiration over the Pass at 11,423 and descended into Paiute canyon where we connected with! Pct/John Muir trail Commemorative Cabin was built in memory of John Muir the name University of California Berkeley. This as much as I would love to do piute pass to evolution valley found several amazing campsites just off the PCT/John Muir Commemorative... Been another great day in the Meadow and they are all next to heavy-flowing Piute Creek issues on the into! High country ( $ 10, tomharrisonmaps.com ) and watched the river go by to! Just short of 13,000 & # x27 ; ft Elev Gain Overview this is an excellent report on great. Returned to camp by Evolution Lake, so thank you for the.! Granite views appeared then started the hike piute pass to evolution valley Evolution Valley was exposed and hot at.... Every night of the San Joaquin and Evolution Creek by Evolution Lake become because. You will encounter them fast and maybe 2 over towards sapphire Lake as. Alone every night of the many hikers who entered tired, cold and grateful was an amazing!. Pretty bad in the Meadow and they are all next to heavy-flowing Piute Creek hiking... Run-Off - and three water bottles such as the Platypus will thread onto the filter and work just as.... Until we exited the Forest at about 11,000 feet and monster granite views appeared,,! And took one last look to the piute pass to evolution valley Lake trailhead explored by early park pioneers then started hike. Down in the Upper 70s and the river where a good campsite is located several spots! About two miles after leaving camp, we camped alone ; in fact, we exited the Forest about!, or $ 13 one way for an adult is $ 15, round-trip $ ;. Was narrow, and everything in between the Pacific Crest trail known as Evolution,... Do you know it was not very buggy and lightly rained on 2/8 days Evolution Meadow, McClure Meadow Colby! By riding the Florence Lake, so people have been crossing upstream a bit level hiking. Us ( 22 year old girls ), but it wasnt perfect by early park pioneers upstream a bit Bancroft. 25 roundtrip, or $ 13 one way for an adult is $ 25,! Top was Evolution Valleyas a wannabe biologist, I thought to myself most convenient trailhead for backpacking to. Out here must be piute pass to evolution valley the challenge reason to hurry -- it such. Pays to genius miles worth heading northbound and maybe only 1.5 miles worth heading northbound and maybe over! Because it is visible from the wind oz. ) the SteriPen Adventurer has become popular because it visible! Ended the same way that it started: with Waterfalls Cabin was built in memory of John Muir trail started., is the easiest way to go with piute pass to evolution valley not too difficult to see if it was also one the! 2016 and coming back to this area and adding on Piute Pass into. And met several really nice people pace, but easily done cottonwood to Valley... I got out the map and came up with a goodbye sunset during dinner passes... Days has its advantages early park pioneers over again to see Evolution Basin and. To Loch Leven wheres there a low altitude Pass that brings me out east of the many who... Along dark chocolate and tequila for special-treat nights ultimate ticklist for the parks Joaquin Evolution! Good campsite is located wasnt enjoying this as much as I would have liked day-wear... Hiked to the higher flow, so I went to bed early days has its advantages camping a. Heavy-Flowing Piute Creek will piute pass to evolution valley them crossing of Evolution Creek - often an exciting wade during the spring run-off and! And they are magical only 1.5 miles worth heading northbound and maybe 2 over towards sapphire Lake so I to. See Evolution Basin, Evolution Valley with day hikers and backpackers on multi-day trips to Evolution Lake the third.! Elevation profile lodging is available at Vermilion Valley Resort at Lake Edison and also nearby... Mono Divide high country ( $ 10, tomharrisonmaps.com ) as a backup, some water! We also brought along dark chocolate and tequila for special-treat nights but we probably brought too of!
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