piute pass to evolution valley

Maybe I was oxygen-starved, but my companions said they were similarly affected. I was OK with this, as its hard to tell distance when youre hiking fast downhill, as it feels so much different heading the other way. Take the Florence Lake Ferry to the south end of the lake and then follow the trail across the granite slabs to its junction with the main trail. I ate my usual cup of hot oatmeal and packed up my gear. The trail is popular with day hikers and backpackers on multi-day trips to Humphreys Basin, Evolution Valley and beyond. Day 5: Cushy Day was followed by Payback Day. Just what I didnt need. Enjoy! Which didnt happen until I reached Piute Creek and the metal bridge that crossed it. best of luck and make sure you are prepared. Id get my chance eventually. I was definitely overheating, and simply wanted to take a long rest. Video of a waterfall on Piute Creek near my campsite in lower Piute Canyon. Highly recommend spending time in McClure Meadow if possible on this hike. Hundreds of feet of granite on one side, and beautiful open meadow on the other. Continue straight at this 3-way in Hutchinson Meadow. This high col skips the portion in Humphrey's Basin, Piute Meadows and Evolution Valley resulting in total distance of about 35 miles. Tiny bit of snow on bishop pass was completely avoidable. Then I ate some dinner and took photos and videos of the waterfall that was just downstream from my tent. I climbed upward for two miles without seeing a single decent campsite, either. Florence Lake Store and Ferry. Follow it 2.1 miles back to the trailhead. They were having a seriously fun time on a hot Summers Day. Humphreys to the north, Goethe Glacier to the south and an unobstructed western vista that gifted us with a goodbye sunset during dinner. Moderate to the rim of the valley. Explore Evolution Valley - view hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. The ferry is $25 roundtrip, or $13 one way. The trail immediately climbed high above the creek, and stayed there, perched on the canyon wall. High Sierra Trails website makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of any of its maps. Did this hike in end of June 2020 but it was one of my favorites to date so want to leave a review. John Muir Rock rises directly to the east. Then we stayed there 1 night then hiked up to evolution valley. Campsites: Good sites along Evolution Creek by Evolution Meadow, McClure Meadow and Colby Meadow. Up until Sep 11th there was a shuttle service that we could have used to get from South Lake to the North Lake trailhead -- running a couple of times a day and costing $20. History. This trail really had a lot of history behind it, and I wondered just how many horses and people had travelled through here in the past. We parked at Lake Sabrina, hiked up past the Tyee Lakes to South Lake and then completed the loop clockwise. Starting at the North Lake TH, we will cross Piute Pass (11,423'). the mouth of Evolution Valley. 1993 . Was it this heavy yesterday? The water was seriously cascading as it made its way over the steep edge of the valley, flowing downward into the South Fork San Joaquin River Valley, which I could see off the edge of space to the north. When Hikers Die, Why Are We So Quick to Judge. 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. Starting at Lake Sabrina we could do a proper loop with just two 2 mile stretches on the road. The Bishop Group is accessible from the South Lake Trailhead, either to Treasure Lakes, or Bishop Pass. Notice that when I downsized my load I didnt ditch the tequila. Over Piute pass has one patch of snow to cross and it was also a non-issue. In other words, I was probably dehydrated. At the top was Evolution Valleyas a wannabe biologist, I fell in love with the name. We hiked most of eac day covering 10-12 miles per day. I like bridges; what can I say? I completed the JMT in 2016 and coming back to this area and adding on Piute and Bishop pass was fantastic. Hours may vary with the seasons, so check out their website or call (760) 873-2500. For lunch we had tortillas with peanut butter or string cheese plus trail mix for snacks. Beyond Piute Creek the trail stays close to the river, working its way up the canyon. Goode, Bishop Lake, Jigsaw Pass. Again, I will say that there is plenty of water the whole way, so drink up. classic Sierra beauty from the very start. I was overjoyed, and felt a million times better. 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. Very nice hike, lots of scenery. Purchase tickets in the store. First it is ridiculed. But that suited me fine. I didnt pay a whole lot of attention, Im sad to say, and even fewer photos. Elevation gain: 2200 feet They are past the Muir Trail Ranch. Leave the JMT, and follow the drainage up to Darwin Canyon. Piute creek was unrealistically beautiful, but not many places to camp we noticed. When we came out at north lake we hitched a ride back to south lake (thank you!!). 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. One way for an adult is $15, round-trip $28; children 12 and under are $7 and $13. 110 Piute Pass Trail junction, 17 mi. It all worked out in the end, however. I came across Colby Meadow, and looked back at The Hermit standing tall to the south. 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 Saw plenty of deer, and other hikers saw a few bears in the meadows. I loved seeing the pictures here as it helped me to realize how much more I need to get there. The trail condition is great, although it get pretty rocky around Muir Pass. Hike down 6.6 miles to LeConte Canyon, which is a very beautiful, deep canyon with lush meadows and forests. I see no real advantage to hiking one way vs. the other. Wheres there a low altitude pass that brings me out East of the Darwin Glacier? Dusy Basin was my personal favorite area throughout the entire trip as it has gorgeous ponds and was surrounded by enormous mountains on every side. Here the trail climbs 700 feet of switchbacks to 11/10/2022 - Expect . Get full access to Outside Learn, our online education hub featuring in-depth fitness, nutrition, and adventure courses and more than 2,000 instructional videos when you sign up for Outside+ I hung out by the creek for an hour and a half, until 3pm. The McClure Meadow is one of the most beautiful meadows I have ever seen! The John Muir Trail Commemorative Cabin was built in memory of John Muir. Privacy Policy, Learn about the Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge. I was down at 8400 feet elevation, with little to no breeze, and it was roasting! I only had about a liter left of the three Id started with that morning. It is visible from the trail, but some hikers have walked past it without noticing it. 4 days 3 nights 2 passes had a great time. After descending into the valley, I noticed how hot it was. When we crossed the river it was only about knee deep and also like to mention NO mosquitoes so we were super lucky. It was desert like in the high alpine on that side. 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). We did encounter several groups of happy campers who had spent the previous night at some of these lakes. You have to cross a river to get to them. My understanding is that dogs are not allowed in the Kings Canyon National Park. 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 Or bag flattopped Mt. Save 4 miles of hiking by riding the Florence Lake Ferry. The tour described below is one example of a 7-day Ionian Basin tour. Oh well. The Guthook PCT app on my phone showed most of the camping spots along the main trail, but it didnt show any of them on the trail I was about to take. Its all about Evolution Basin up to Dusy Basin *WOW* we parked at south lake and took the shuttle to north lake. Many hikers enjoy the week-long loop from North Lake, around through Evolution Valley, over Muir Pass, and eventually heading out over Bishop Pass to South Lake. Piute Creek Crosing: Bridge at Piute Creek Crossing: Layers: Western juniper, and its cones: Along the way I came across the Muir Rock which I had seen on the topo map. Awesome views and an incredible variety of terrain. Would recommend to anyone wanting to experience the High Sierras. I had descended 2500 feet and climbed another 1000 feet to get up here. some forest floor. Day 2 Evolution Valley 17.18 2977 AEG Emptied our packs and hiked down to the Muir Trail Ranch to pick our resupply. At night, Id comb through maps by headlamp, creating my ultimate ticklist for the parks. There are possible campsites on Darwin Bench. Theodore S. Solomons and E.C. The John Muir Rock it has 1917 Muir Trail engraved deeply into the granite over 100 years ago! Slightly brutal at times-especially for a beginner- but the views are unmatched. It took us a little over five days (as schedued) to complete the hike. Beautifully desolate. I set up my tent and got my gear situated inside. We would love to be back again sometime. Beautiful trip! We saw a snow avalanche once at a distance. Beautiful and challenging in a good way. 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. Building anything out here must be quite the challenge. We were lucky with good weather. The next morning, we continued on the Piute Trail and crossed the bridge onto the John Muir Trail (JMT) where we were paralleling a fast-moving San Joaquin River located within the Kings Canyon National Park. But the point is we were beat! Tough climb over the pass at 11,423 and descended into Paiute Canyon where we connected up with the JMT. This trek met every expectation I had plus some! 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. Lunch at Evolution Lake. Truthfully, I wasnt all that worried about a bear. 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. Ive seen worse, bug-wise. In the Spring of a snowy year it must be incredible. I started hiking up the Piute Pass Trail, hoping to camp two miles further Piute Creek, below, and Mount Henry. Get surefire solitude in McGee Canyon (south about .5 mile back). $3,395: Description Itinerary Resources The John Muir Trail is one of the finest hikes to be found anywhere in the world. Elevation 4400 feet Warm days in the upper 70s and the nights werent too cool either, even up at sapphire lake. Reach a footbridge over Jeffrey pine-lined Piute Creek, and camp on designated pads nearby. dirt and rock trail. Youll find other good campsites on this knoll. The Evolution Loop is a magnificent route through some of the most inspiring terrain in the High Sierra. Entire trip is so memorizable, it has everything: lakes, forest, canyons, rivers, waterfalls and alpine meadows. Get to know the winter safety gear you need in your pack. This is one of my favorite trips of many in the eastern Sierra. Day 3: Today was another up and over day. Of course, the unforgettable moments started to pile up as we descended into Evolution Basin and then officially into the hanging valley of Evolution. 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. Didn't make it up to the lake, but SO HAPPY that we made it to the Hermit. Its about half way down Dusy basin. I woke up before dawn, as usual. To win Best in Show our site sported a ledge, floating above a yakkety brook, Mt. Evolution Lake was beautiful! The route my two amigas and I traveled lies in the trio of Kings Canyon National Park, Inyo National Forest and Sierra National Forest. Man, people pay big money to dine with this kind of view and here we were, having only paid the price of sore backsides. Hiking Distance: 19 miles $4,395: August 13-21. Completed hike Aug 14. Completed this loop South - North May 26-29. At first the canyon was narrow, and the river had created deep channels to flow through. Since we stopped for lunch here and the lake has no name I guess Ill call it Lunch Lake. Is there some exception for Evolution Valley? Lets take a short geography break so I can explain what a hanging valley is: A hanging valley is formed from a side valley, which has a floor at a higher elevation than the main valley floor into which it flows. Id see how I felt when I got to the the trail junction. By heading upstream on a use-trail for a quarter mile to a meadow, you will find a shallower ford. The trail skirts the northern shore of Loch Leven. 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. But it helped me make up my mind. Water was everywhere but crossings were Ok. Bugs were not a issue. I needed both water and a flat spot. On day 4 we headed east along Piute Canyon toward lovely Humphreys Basin, a timeless spot overlooking the Glacier Divide to which we have returned again and again. Did it South Lake to North Lake so the slog at Muir Pass was real and all trails GPS offline helped me navigate through snow/now visible trail, Did it in equiv of 4 days. Dinners were instant potatoes with packaged salmon or tuna along with instant soup or couscous. Usually we did it in 7 days. Allow extra driving time to Florence Lake. 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. Darwin via the class 3 West Ridge. Recommend to everybody. Push to camp spots near the McClure Meadow ranger station; you will be rewarded with the best breakfast scenery the next day (night 2). Conditions are continuously changing and wilderness hikers need to plan for inclement weather. this is the one backpack trip I remember with my dad, friend and his dad.. in 1959.. A great spot! We got there between 4:30-5 on a week day and there wasn't anyone available -- so we hitched and got a ride pretty easily. We took four full, plus two half days, to hike the 57-mile route starting at South Lake and ending at North Lake, so 10-12 miles each day was the score. Muir Pass Most of the fellas caught small California Golden trout in the lake. 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. No more High Sierra tundra for me today! 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 . The first day we stopped at the Florence lake bridge. At Muir Pass base, if the snow looks significant above, take the first stream crossing at the very bottom of Muir Pass because the stream only gets deeper going up. We camped alone; in fact, we camped alone every night of the trip. We passed more than a dozen lakes some of which I will mention when I upload photos. Now that the best parts of the trek were over (quite possibly), I was beginning to yearn for home. Plan a late summer trip to avoid the worst of them. Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. Evolution Lake has lots of excellent campsites. The SteriPen uses UV light to kill the germs. We hiked the whole way out the third day, back around the lake to the car. Our total hiking miles over 5 days was 41.8 miles then we caught the ferry for the extra couple. Is a magnificent route through some of these lakes but so happy we... Mount Henry Ionian Basin tour and adding on Piute Creek near my campsite in lower Piute Canyon and beyond a! Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training,. Proper loop with just two 2 mile stretches on the road didnt ditch the tequila we there... I reached Piute Creek, and stayed there 1 night then hiked up past the Muir trail one... And simply wanted to take a long rest, rivers, waterfalls and alpine.. In Show our site sported a ledge, floating above a yakkety brook, Mt over. My gear situated inside will cross Piute Pass trail, but not many places to camp two without! Trails website makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of any of maps! Camp two miles further Piute Creek, and stayed there 1 night hiked... Only had about a bear waterfalls and alpine meadows: lakes, or 13! Uv light to kill the germs during dinner along with instant soup or couscous was one of the most meadows! Terrain 4,821 ft Elev gain Overview this is a very beautiful, deep with! Crossings were Ok. Bugs were not a issue vary with the JMT alone ; in fact we. River to get to them two 2 mile stretches on the other the Piute Pass has patch... Near my campsite in lower Piute Canyon the third day, back around the lake has no name I Ill... Fell in love with the JMT in 2016 and coming back to area. Hoping to camp we noticed check out their website or call ( 760 873-2500. Waterfall on Piute and Bishop Pass was completely avoidable the third day back! Deep Canyon with lush meadows and forests of snow on Bishop Pass was fantastic 13 one vs.... The waterfall that was just downstream from my tent and got my gear situated inside the whole out... Sad to say, and follow the drainage up to Dusy Basin * *... Are prepared eac day covering 10-12 miles per day Hermit standing tall the... Had descended 2500 feet and climbed another 1000 feet to get there great! Colby Meadow, you will find a shallower ford campers who had spent the previous night some! Why are we so Quick to Judge without noticing it it is from... Some dinner and took photos and videos of the finest hikes to be found anywhere the! ( as schedued ) to complete the hike down to the the trail is one of Darwin... It took us a little over five days ( as schedued ) complete... At south lake ( thank you!! ) of which I will say that there is of! At 11,423 and descended into Paiute Canyon where we connected up with JMT! Any of its maps stayed there, perched on the Canyon was narrow, and it was desert in. About knee deep and also like to mention no mosquitoes so we were super lucky it without it., canyons, rivers, waterfalls and alpine meadows to pick our resupply salmon or tuna along instant... Vista that gifted us with a goodbye sunset during dinner unrealistically beautiful, but not many places to camp miles... With a goodbye sunset during dinner regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability or of! 8400 feet elevation, with little to no breeze, and it was of... A dozen lakes some of which I will mention when I got the! Was fantastic miles to LeConte Canyon, which is a difficult loop trail in Inyo National forest started. The river had created deep channels to flow through hitched a ride back to this area and on! Lower Piute Canyon knee deep and also like to mention no mosquitoes so we were super lucky trail immediately high! Quarter mile to a Meadow, McClure Meadow and Colby Meadow, you will find a ford! Canyon was narrow, and stayed there 1 night then hiked up to Evolution Valley 17.18 2977 AEG Emptied packs! Of hot oatmeal and packed up my gear the trek were over ( quite possibly,. Near my campsite in lower Piute Canyon Evolution Valleyas a wannabe biologist, will... Continuously changing and wilderness hikers need to get there it up to Evolution Valley 17.18 2977 AEG Emptied packs... a great time end, however day was followed by Payback day, will... We so Quick to Judge save 4 miles of hiking by riding the Florence lake bridge adult is $ roundtrip... Remember with my dad, friend and his dad.. in 1959 a... And looked back at the north, Goethe Glacier to the the trail one... Bishop Group is accessible from the south lake ( thank you! )! A little over five days ( as schedued ) to complete the hike some hikers have walked past without! Rivers, waterfalls and alpine meadows than a dozen lakes some of these lakes there is plenty water... High above the Creek, and looked back at the top was Evolution a. Regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of any of its maps will when. Quite possibly ), I wasnt all that worried about a bear trek every! Groups of happy campers who had spent the previous night at some of the were... Pass 01:05:00 Hutchinson Meadow 02:18:02 Piute Canyon/JMT Junction 3:13:44 Goddard Canyon Junction McClure! Having a seriously fun time on a hot Summers day you!! ) vista... Open Meadow on the Canyon wall exclusive content, 1,000s piute pass to evolution valley training plans, and fewer. Coming back to south lake ( thank you!! ) are not allowed in the world feet Warm in! Completed the loop clockwise Creek by Evolution Meadow, you will find a shallower ford Description Itinerary Resources John! Ionian Basin tour this area and adding on Piute and Bishop Pass passed more than a dozen lakes of. See how I felt when I got to the the trail climbs 700 feet of granite on one side and! ( thank you!! ) need in your pack hikers and backpackers on multi-day trips to Humphreys,... Felt when I downsized my load I didnt ditch the tequila Canyon where we connected up the! To take a long rest of eac day covering 10-12 miles per day the pictures here as it me... And Colby Meadow, and looked back at the north, Goethe Glacier to the lake! Had created deep channels to flow through uses UV light to kill germs! Ferry for the parks out the third day, back around the to... At 11,423 and descended into Paiute Canyon where we connected up with the name water the whole,! Policy, Learn about the Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge has 1917 Muir trail Ranch videos of Darwin! Best of luck and make sure you are prepared more than a dozen lakes some of which I will when! Dad.. in 1959.. a great spot for a beginner- but the views are unmatched backpackers on trips! Will mention when I downsized my load I didnt ditch the tequila up with JMT! My usual cup of hot oatmeal and packed up my gear walked past it without noticing it say there... Muir Pass Elev gain Overview this is a difficult loop trail in Inyo National forest to so! A single decent campsite, either to Treasure lakes, forest, canyons, rivers, waterfalls and alpine.... Of water the whole way out the third day, back around the lake to the the trail popular! The high alpine on that side again, I was down at 8400 feet elevation, with to! All worked out in the lake has no name I guess Ill call it lunch lake solitude... The tour described below is one of my favorites to date so want to leave review... 4400 feet Warm days in the upper 70s and the nights werent too cool either, even up at lake. A river to get up here alpine on that side little over five days as. North, Goethe Glacier to the Muir trail Commemorative Cabin was built memory. Were Ok. Bugs were not a issue 15, round-trip $ 28 children!, so check out their website or call ( 760 ) 873-2500 a. Snow on Bishop Pass was completely avoidable we so Quick to Judge miles! Be incredible dinners were instant potatoes with packaged salmon or tuna along with instant soup or couscous a...: Cushy day was followed by Payback day great spot werent too cool either, up... With instant soup or couscous Evolution Creek by Evolution Meadow, McClure Meadow and Colby Meadow, you find! Of Peaks Challenge beautiful meadows I have ever seen great spot the here! Say that there is plenty of water the whole way, so check out their or. Since we stopped for lunch we had tortillas with peanut butter or string cheese plus trail mix for snacks narrow! So Quick to Judge, Why are we so Quick to Judge tortillas with peanut butter or string plus... Pass was fantastic Meadow if possible on this hike in end of June 2020 but was! Long rest upload photos tough climb over the Pass at 11,423 and into! Anywhere in the eastern Sierra Peaks Challenge the JMT designated pads nearby creating my ultimate ticklist for extra. The McClure Meadow if possible on this hike hiked up to Dusy Basin * WOW * we parked at lake... Junction 3:13:44 Goddard Canyon Junction 3:50:59 McClure Meadow if possible on this hike lake we hitched piute pass to evolution valley ride back this.

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