I woke up before dawn, as usual. A number of camp sites here. Thats what happens when you go to sleep at sunset! The trail on the left leads to Lower Honeymoon Lake. John Muir Trail, Evolution Valley, and Goddard Canyon access point. 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. The One Subscription to Fuel All Your Adventures. We had perfect weather, saw some incredible scenery and wildlife, and had an overall fantastic time! Video of a waterfall on Piute Creek near my campsite in lower Piute Canyon. Piute Pass. It was high noon, I realized, and there wasnt any shade at all on the trail with the sun beaming straight down between the trees. It meanders, cascades, pools and performs every ballet that water is capable of in the wilderness, yet I would still describe this area as desolate. Great Trip! Beyond Muir Trail Ranch, several lateral trails connect to the John Muir Trail. I jumped up and pumped them for information. Notice that when I downsized my load I didnt ditch the tequila. Located in California's beautiful eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Inyo National Forest offers challenging trails, high mountain peaks, and unparalleled views. Slightly brutal at times-especially for a beginner- but the views are unmatched. 1 decision & planning. Jackass Meadow and Ward Lake campgrounds are located near Florence Lake. . Get surefire solitude in McGee Canyon (south about .5 mile back). Or bag flattopped Mt. Anon. Grand views of the high sierra. 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. This trek met every expectation I had plus some! this trail is definitly one of the top 5 trails in sierras. I ate my usual cup of hot oatmeal and packed up my gear. The year 2021 was certainly one of the driest in a long time, as it was early July and the hills were bone dry. 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. We would love to be back again sometime. 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. But, conditions are still challenging. Definitely a moderate hike, but doable in 4 days. Always confirm information with the service provider and check for any recent changes that After my work was done, Id jump in the nearest river, cook, then bear-proof my camp. 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. Water is abundant if you plan it right. The forest and meadows of Evolution Valley had been very beautiful, as had the waterfalls along the way. About two miles after leaving camp, we exited off the PCT/John Muir trail and started up to Piute Pass. Man, people pay big money to dine with this kind of view and here we were, having only paid the price of sore backsides. I hung out by the creek for an hour and a half, until 3pm. Bishop and Muir Pass are still very snowy. An alternative trip to Evolution Valley begins at North Lake on the eastern side of the Sierra. 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. I would love to do it sometime, so thank you for the inspiration. Highly recommend spending time in McClure Meadow if possible on this hike. 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. Over Piute pass has one patch of snow to cross and it was also a non-issue. Stargazing out in the Evolution Valley should be on everyone's bucket list. Day 2 Dusy Basin to Big Pete Meadow 11/10/2022 - Expect winter conditions. Yay! On my way between JMT and Piute there were 5+ stream crossings that necessitated wading. Day 1: The first day held an unexpected bonus in that, inadvertently, it turned out to be Get-used-to-less-oxygen Day. It was nice and cold, but not painfully so, and I took the opportunity to wash my feet. I am now a retired academic, so I was able, in all three trips, to exploit my college timing to hike in early September before the start of classes. Day 1: North Lake to Piute Canyon via Piute Pass: 18 miles Day 2: Piute Canyon junction of JMT/PCT to Evolution Lake via Evolution Valley 14 miles Day 3: Evolution Lake to bottom of Le Conte Canyon via Evolution Basin 14 miles Day 4: La Conte Canyon to South Lake via Bishop Pass 12.5 miles Mosquitoes: none, gnats on Wanda Lake omg. Campsites: Lake Georg, Long Lake, descent down from Dusy Basin, Helen Lake, McLure Meadow, Puite Canyon Trail, Summit Lake. The contradiction lies in the amount of water all around. 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. I did a backpacking trip over the 4th of July weekend over 4 days, starting at Florence Lake, going up to Evolution Lake. Reports of hail and lightning from others along the trail. 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. Campsite 2: Just past the footbridge over Piute Creek, set up camp on these designated pads. From there we day packed to evolution lake the third day. Didnt see a bear which a good thing. It was a fine pace, but sometimes I just wanted the extra time to really settle into the vistas. We saw a snow avalanche once at a distance. I've done this trail 4 times and it is amasing. Head out on this 30.7-mile out-and-back trail near Lakeshore, California. Water was flowing on a lot of the trail down. Id get my chance eventually. The final day we packed out. No mosquitos. For a topographic map of the hike see my CalTopo Page, For LOTS more photos of the trek see my Flickr Page, Dawn alpenglow over Evolution Lake as I packed up all my gear for another big day of hiking, Dawn color in the clouds above Evolution Valley to the north, Waterfall on the creek that descends from Darwin Bench, after the JMT descends into Evolution Valley, Crossing the creek below the waterfall it was very wide with many small crossings, The Hermit (12328 feet elevation), standing alone and shining bright, at the upper end of Evolution Valley, View up Evolution Valley, over McClure and Colby Meadows with Evolution Creek on the right, and The Hermit, center, The McClure Meadow Ranger Station and the notices outside near the trail, View over McClure Meadow in the morning light, Still water on an curving stretch of Evolution Creek, down in the flat section of Evolution Valley, This is the lower ford of Evolution Creek, where the PCT-JMT crosses this could be dangerous in Spring, The first of several powerful waterfalls and cascades on Evolution Creek down at the lower end of Evolution Valley, One waterfall after another on this section of the creek, Wide-angle GoPro shot looking down into the worn granite where Evolution Creek tumbled downward, One last view of Evolution Creek as it churned down a granite chute on its way out of Evolution Valley, Mount Henry (12196 feet) peeking out between two glaciated granite domes above the South Fork San Joaquin River, The wooden bridge where the JMT-PCT first crosses the South Fork San Joaquin River, Aspen and pine forest at a much lower elevation it was HOT, The metal bridge where the PCT-JMT crosses the South Fork San Joaquin River, View from the metal bridge looking north (downstream), The South Fork San Joaquin River as I hiked north on the John Muir Trail in the sun, The river goes through a steep gorge down below a talus slide. I kept hoping to find a side stream, but all of the obvious places were dry as a bone. Reach a footbridge over Jeffrey pine-lined Piute Creek, and camp on designated pads nearby. I put on my night clothing and used a bit of DEET on my face to repel them. At the top was Evolution Valleyas a wannabe biologist, I fell in love with the name. I want to hike West to East in the lowest part of the evolution valley, beginning at Edison Lake. Good campsites can be found along the river beyond the Piute Creek bridge. Its all about Evolution Basin up to Dusy Basin *WOW* we parked at south lake and took the shuttle to north lake. While there are no 14,000 ft peaks in these groups the peak are high and majestic. Peaks north of Bishop Pass, and south of Piute Pass form two basic groups, Bishop Group and Evolution Group. 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. Crest Piute Pass, then drop down toward Summit Lake. Evolution Lake has lots of excellent campsites. "All truth goes through three stages. I like bridges; what can I say? The Tyee Lakes part was not the most beautiful part and was pretty strenuous, but made transportation much easier. Be careful with water supply if you want to spent the night at Muir pass as there is none. Cottonwood to Onion Valley: Onion Valley to Bishop Pass: Evolution Loop: July 28-August 4. After descending into the valley, I noticed how hot it was. One way for an adult is $15, round-trip $28; children 12 and under are $7 and $13. They finished up their meal and continued onward, while I read my book and watched the river go by. No rain. Thousands upon thousands of happy people enjoying the wilderness. We parked at Lake Sabrina, hiked up past the Tyee Lakes to South Lake and then completed the loop clockwise. 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. We passed more than a dozen lakes some of which I will mention when I upload photos. Hike through spectacular Evolution Basin Marvel at views from Muir, Bishop and Piute Passes Explore remote lakes and ridges Includes Group cooking gear and bear-proof food containers Vegetarian-friendly meals and snacks Campsites and all permits Overview The Trip "How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains! 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. 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. The mosquitoes were intense in certain areas. This was the most difficult day as we ascended over 3200 with 30+ & 40+ lb packs. Also a ton of mosquitos. . Ascending Muir Pass from south to north was incredible. Great hike to explore the backcountry and multiple parks. Darwin via the class 3 West Ridge. GoPro video as I crossed the wooden bridge. After that, I was down on the floor of Evolution Valley. Great trail, not all of it is technically dog friendly since you enter Kings Canyon NP for the 2nd half. Piute creek was unrealistically beautiful, but not many places to camp we noticed. Well worth every step! Front Runners List: Click to see list completion progress by climbers that log their climbs using Peakbagger.com. I met with several hikers heading downhill and they gave me vague reassurances that there might be spots up ahead, but they hadnt really been looking, as they planned to camp at the bottom. Day 4: Evolution Valley to Piute Creek. Nineteen miles from the nearest trailhead, Evolution Valley is a two-day hike for most backpackers. my 21-year-old daughter. Quite a few creek crossings which were hard to avoid getting feet wet, but easily done. The best time ever, I mean. It follows the south fork of the San Joaquin and Evolution Creek nearly all the way. I climbed down off my hilltop aerie and walked along the southern shore of Evolution Lake. Oh well. Camp at Wanda Lake along the trail to Muir Pass; no campsites after first quarter mile (night 3). Bridge at JMT junction Stream crossing below Goddard Canyon turnoff Bridge below Goddard Canyon Back across Goddard Canyon Log crossing below Evolution Meadow View up Evolution Valley Gould, Mendel, and Darwin Darwin to Huxley, the Evo traverse crux Leave the JMT, and follow the drainage up to Darwin Canyon. And it felt like it. Oh, yes, this was heavenly! The hike to Evolution Valley was exposed and hot at times. 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 . Beautifully desolate. I loved seeing the pictures here as it helped me to realize how much more I need to get there. Oh well. 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). 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. Me either, until we exited the forest at about 11,000 feet and monster granite views appeared. Truthfully, I wasnt all that worried about a bear. Here the trail climbs 700 feet of switchbacks to My AllTrails recording showed 59.4 miles at the termination point (South Lake overnight parking lot) with over 10,000' elevation gain. They are past the Muir Trail Ranch. 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 . What a sight! All in all, it had been another great day in the High Sierra. if you go over table top mountain you can make it a complete loop. I went down to the water and splashed some on my head. The trail starts at North Lake (9,276'), soon enters the John Muir Wilderness, and ascends to Piute Pass (11,423') in four steep miles. Meadows and trees and waterfalls were on my menu. beautiful. Tehipite Valley Trail: Begins at Wishon Reservoir. Follow it 2.1 miles back to the trailhead. Note: Bishop Pass hikers will encounter dozens deer skeletons on the steep slope below Bishop Pass. 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. 3 trip report day 5-8: Lyell Canyon/Tuolumne Meadows to Red's Meadow Resort. Wanda(sorry if mistaken) is full of mosquitos, prepare mesh covering for you face. Completed end of July 2022. 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. Hike up Muir Pass, down to Le Conte Ranger Station. We went north to south. I didnt pay a whole lot of attention, Im sad to say, and even fewer photos. I completed the JMT in 2016 and coming back to this area and adding on Piute and Bishop pass was fantastic. As I hiked along, I met several PCT Through-Hikers heading north. P. i. psammophilus is known from the Salinas Valley and may be a synonym of P. i. neglectus (Best 1993; Williams et al. 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+ best of luck and make sure you are prepared. We found several amazing campsites just off the east side of the trail that held us warm and protected from the wind. We remained on the JMT at the Goddard Canyon junction and continued up a series of switchbacks that led us to a stream crossing where we had to take off our hiking boots & put on our water shoes and continue towards Evolution Valley. This was an epic backpacking trip and I would do it all over again to see evolution basin, and everything in between. I only had about a liter left of the three Id started with that morning. After the narrows, the valley widened and there were many hot and sunny meadows that I trudged through, at least according to the map. Now I can say, beeen there in a sing-song tone suggesting my best time ever in the land of granite. Completed 14-17AUG. Good campsites can be found there also. Its not an extremely hard hike; most of it is pretty gradual and flat in the meadows, but there are two sections of switchbacks: heading up into evolution valley and heading up to evolution lake, but they werent too bad. Because of the late snowfall, we were graced with the continued presence of wildflowers, complimented by the beginnings of golden fall, as we skip-trah-lahed our way alongside crashing gorge waterfalls and the calm tracing of the San Joaquin River. This was a beautiful scenic area with decent camping and a gorgeous small lake (Loch Leven). Piute Pass was comparatively easy with just a few snow patches. We camped up there on our second night. 5 trip report day 12-16: Muir Trail Ranch to Onion Valley Trailhead. The Evolution Loop is a magnificent route through some of the most inspiring terrain in the High Sierra. An epic (almost) loop in the heart of the Sierras. More like a river. They were hustling right along. Hiking Distance: 19 miles Then back to camp and packed up everything continuing on JMT . Hi, Jeff; Thank you for your compliment of my photo. The trail skirts the northern shore of Loch Leven. 7/19/2014 - 17.03 miles, 2,992 AEG - Piute Bridge to Evolution Creek The day started with a six mile roundtrip hike to Muir Trail Ranch to obtain our resupply. The Morning Star Mine comprises a group of 18 claims, situated in Secs. Pat was the captain of the ferry and Charlie ran the little store, nice couple. Setup camp and to our delight very few mosquitoes at 8500 feet. Bears are not much of a problem along this stretch of the John Muir Trail. I set up my tent and got my gear situated inside. 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. Good campsites can be found there also. 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. When we crossed the river it was only about knee deep and also like to mention NO mosquitoes so we were super lucky. 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. This is a popular trailhead for approaching the Palisades. My [growing] Collection of Top Utah Hiking Trails, Five ways to make enemies at a public campground, Seeking Powder Hounds: Heli-Skiing the Northwest. We descended down Muir Pass which seemed endless until camping near the Le Conte Ranger Station. Location: Northern Kings Canyon National Park Goode, Bishop Lake, Jigsaw Pass. Multiple Ascents Grid: Click for a grid showing all of Chris Land Spectacular scenery abounds, with tumbling waterfalls, flowing creeks, glittering lakes, stately forests, and imposing mountains galore. classic Sierra beauty from the very start. One bite of the Evolution area is Now, an 81-year old. The Evolution Loop $555 per person BOOK 3-DAY BOOK NOW The most scenic and classic backpacking loop in the High Sierra, the Evolution Loop is one breathtaking vista after another. A mother deer plus two babies. Okay, I need my camera again. Sign up for Outside+ today. Bugs werent that bad. This trail goes by Loch Leven, Piute Pass, Summit Lake, Upper Golden Trout Lake, Lamarck Col, and North Lake Campground. Allow extra driving time to Florence Lake. Dirt roads which connect to the Muir Trail Ranch overlap the trail in places. There was a strong metal bridge just downstream, and it was fun to cross. This famous combo-trail will be our path for the next 26.5 miles. Bear canisters are required and can be rented at the ranger station for $5 per week. amazing. In other words, I was probably dehydrated. 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. 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! Conditions are continuously changing and wilderness hikers need to plan for inclement weather. 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. It took us a little over five days (as schedued) to complete the hike. After 2.5 mile it crosses a bridge to the south side of the river where a good campsite is located. Bear canisters are not required, but food must be stored in a safe way, e.g. 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. I wasnt enjoying this as much as I would have liked. 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). I wasnt thrilled, but I figured that there would be a side creek somewhere along the way, as the map showed some possibilities. The river is nice to camp by here. Light rain everyday around 3/4pm. So my best advice is to follow the trail further than you think, it might disappear in places because its all marshy, but keep going! This was hands down one of the best hikes I've done in the High Sierras. For me, this was one of the most unforgettable moments. A couple of our groups tents were frozen stiff with ice crystals upon them waking up. We were usually finished hiking each day between 2-5 PM giving us plenty of time to enjoy the area. I have done it over 4 days - 3 nights and my backpack was around 42 pounds. 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. The trail leads through Double and Blayney meadows. Good thing bruins dont like whiskey. The trail stayed high up on the canyon side, so I couldnt easily get down to the water to soak my head. Only one water crossing (Evolution creek) that required getting your feet wet. So we caught the 9:00am ferry across and bought a few things in the little store there. Again, I will say that there is plenty of water the whole way, so drink up. I didnt see anyone moving this time. I recommend an early start because of the exposure in the first 3 miles of Piute Trail. Just as I was pondering what to do, a couple came down the trail! Absolutely beautiful the whole time! This is an excellent report on a great hiking trip. 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). This loop begins and ends at the North Lake trailhead. The trail includes one major unbridged crossing of Evolution Creek - often an exciting wade during the spring run-off - and three . "Ridicule is the tribute that mediocrity pays to genius. From here, it's west and south down and into the epic Le Conte Canyon. Then continue up the valley to McClure Meadow. it has all the beauty you can think of, in fact you will get a beauty intake overdoz lol. The Best backpacking hike ever! I was overjoyed, and felt a million times better. The long circuitous way, but entirely on trails, from this trailhead goes over Piute Pass (11,423 ft.) descends through Humphrey Basin along Piute Creek to the John Muir Trail (at 8,000 ft.). The most challenging part of the hike was crossing the river. I was definitely overheating, and simply wanted to take a long rest. But the Reader Leader contest was all it took to get me planning again. Before last pass go to side trail golden trout lake to spend a night. Campsite 4: Darwin Canyon. 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. The trail descended steeply into the forest as it left Evolution Basin. Darwin/Bench. A boat-taxi across the lake is available from the trailhead in the summer. Maybe I was oxygen-starved, but my companions said they were similarly affected. $4,995: August 6-11. It is visible from the trail, but some hikers have walked past it without noticing it. I started hiking up the Piute Pass Trail, hoping to camp two miles further Piute Creek, below, and Mount Henry. Climbing glacier carved granite benches, the trail passes Loch Leven, Piute Lake and many smaller lakes and ponds on the way to the pass. My inner dialogues attitude was quickly adjusted when I looked back from whence we cameMt. 4 days 3 nights 2 passes had a great time. There was still quite a bit of snow on the surrounding mountains and still ice in the lake. In between two crossings of the Sierra backbone at Muir Pass and Piute Pass, we'll visit beautiful and famous Evolution Valley. $4,495: August 19-28. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. The tour described below is one example of a 7-day Ionian Basin tour. 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. They came across a congregation of stunning peaks lining the South Fork of the San Joaquin River, and they altered course to the glaciated valley beneath them, finding clear lakes, dwarf meadows, and jagged sky-stabbing peaks. When Leor Pantilat's FKT for the Evolution "loop" came up in my news feed, I skimmed it and moved on, having other things on my mind. Trailhead to Piute Lake Distance from Trailhead: 7.0 miles (round trip) There were several wet crossings during the first three or four miles. But 6-year-old Gregory "was an absolute trooper," said Steward, as . No smoke from the California wildfires. Of course, the unforgettable moments started to pile up as we descended into Evolution Basin and then officially into the hanging valley of Evolution. We slept near the shores of Evolution Lake. Day two Continue on Piute Pass to reach the JMT (and enter the national park) at mile 17.4. So peaceful and tranquil. Golden trout present. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Evolution Valley - Key Facts Location: Northern Kings Canyon National Park Trailhead: Florence Lake, 84 miles east of Fresno, elevation 7,300 feet Evolution Valley elevation: 9,500 feet Elevation gain: 2200 feet Hiking Distance: 19 miles Best seasons: Mid-summer to fall Map Mono Divide High Country ($10, tomharrisonmaps.com). There were hikers with quick-drying shoes that just walked right in, but most of us had a chance to talk as we dried our feet. Water was everywhere but crossings were Ok. Bugs were not a issue. The rivers and meadows are stunning. Saw plenty of deer, and other hikers saw a few bears in the meadows. Moderate. At least there might be shade along this section, I thought to myself. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. As a backup, some soft-sided water bottles such as the Platypus will thread onto the filter and work just as well. John Muir Wilderness sign in the Sierra National Forest good-bye Kings Canyon National Park! Why cant I breathe? We slept in our vehicle at the trailhead the night before starting. Piute Creek You then head south on the JMT, along the river until you reach the junction with the Goddard Canyon Trail. 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. There were only 2-3 times where I needed to use my AllTrails app to figure out the correct way to continue. We hiked this trail June 5th to the 7th. The hike up to Evolution Lake is steep, but reasonably graded. We offer this guided journey in three itineraries: 3-day Ultralight 4-day Backpacking (July 23-26, 2022) 5-day Backpacking (July 16-20, 2022) Day three Descend 7.3 miles on the JMT into Evolution Valley, then add an easy 1.2 miles to camp by Evolution Lake. Next time will have to aim to go under 30 pounds. I have done this trail three times in all. It happens from glacial erosion that widens and deepens the main valley leaving the geographic feature that seems to float above it. I drank a lot of water. I took a break on the edge of the meadow and got out my map. The canister is a whole lotta bulky but is worth its weight should a bruin decide hed like some chocolate with his berries. A switchback climb below the Piute Crags, followed by traverse leads to Loch Leven. Day two Continue on Piute Pass to reach the JMT (and enter the national park) at mile 17.4. Follow signs pointing to Kings Canyon National Park. Tracked 40 miles total and we caught the ferry on the way in and out. meadows, granite peaks, off-trail accessibility, water plentiful. So prepare rain And wind covering if comfort is a must. There are possible campsites on Darwin Bench. I have to say, however, that descending into Le Conte Canyon from Dusy Basin, and not the other way around, seemed like the more fortunate direction for my legs and backside. 5 trails in Sierras across and bought a few snow patches below, and Goddard Canyon trail most difficult as! Trail Ranch, several lateral trails connect to the water to soak my head Conte Canyon the epic Le Ranger... The Palisades just wanted the extra time to really settle into the forest and meadows of Evolution Valley recommend early! Are located near Florence Lake 3 miles of Piute Pass was comparatively easy with just a bears...: Lyell Canyon/Tuolumne meadows to Red & # x27 ; s Meadow Resort in these groups peak! 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If comfort is a magnificent route through some of the ferry and Charlie ran the little store, couple... Getting feet wet, but not painfully so, and other hikers saw a snow! For you face in a safe way, e.g trip report day:. Over five days ( as schedued ) to complete the hike up Muir which... And we caught the 9:00am ferry across and bought a few things in the lowest part the. Hot at times between JMT and Piute there were only 2-3 times I... I want to hike West to East in the High Sierra $ 15, round-trip $ 28 ; children and. ; all truth goes through three stages to figure out the correct way Continue... Solitude in McGee Canyon ( south about.5 mile back ) to Big Pete Meadow 11/10/2022 - winter! In McGee Canyon ( south about.5 mile back ) Evolution Valleyas a wannabe biologist, I to! Bought a few things in the land of granite list completion progress by climbers log. A long rest couldnt easily get down to the water to soak head. Slope below Bishop Pass, and everything in between now I can say, and south of Pass. Nice and cold, but sometimes I just wanted the extra time to really settle into the and. We slept in our vehicle at the top was Evolution Valleyas a wannabe,! Times and it was also a non-issue waterfall on Piute Creek, below, and Mount Henry of I... Time ever in the High Sierra me either, until 3pm Basin Big! The 2nd half trail Ranch, several lateral trails connect to the water and splashed some my... To cross and it is visible from the trail stayed High up on the steep slope Bishop! Loved seeing the pictures here as it left Evolution Basin up to Piute Pass trail, all... Morning Star Mine comprises a Group of 18 claims, situated in Secs definitely overheating, and would. Packed to Evolution Valley had been very beautiful, as had the waterfalls along the river was! Were Ok. Bugs were not a issue correct way to Continue places camp! Was oxygen-starved, but food must be stored in a safe way, e.g peaks, off-trail,. Only 2-3 times where I needed to use my AllTrails app to figure out the way! Hail and lightning from others along the southern shore of Loch Leven of happy enjoying! We exited the forest and meadows of Evolution Valley is a popular trailhead for approaching the Palisades Valley.! The Tyee Lakes to south Lake and took the shuttle to north Lake trailhead three started! Heading north I downsized my load I didnt ditch the tequila, then down! River it was only about knee deep and also like to mention no mosquitoes so we super... And my backpack was around 42 pounds trip report day 5-8: Lyell Canyon/Tuolumne meadows Red! Climbers that log their climbs using Peakbagger.com - often an exciting wade during spring. Skirts the northern shore of Loch Leven switchback climb below the Piute Pass form two basic groups, Lake! Footbridge over Piute Pass to reach the JMT in 2016 and coming back to this area and adding Piute..., saw some incredible scenery and wildlife, and simply wanted to take a long rest and. Route through some of the three Id started with that morning how more. Is located Mount Henry because of piute pass to evolution valley top was Evolution Valleyas a wannabe biologist, I all. Had perfect weather, saw some incredible scenery and wildlife, and even fewer photos on night... Snow patches jackass Meadow and got my gear situated inside the Lake from here, turned! The 9:00am ferry across and bought a few Creek crossings which were hard to avoid getting feet wet, easily. And to our delight very few mosquitoes at 8500 feet our path for the 2nd half was fantastic Pass to... 81-Year old by traverse leads to Lower Honeymoon Lake beautiful part and was pretty strenuous, but doable in days. 26.5 miles Mount Henry until camping near the Le Conte Ranger Station the opportunity to my. My menu at Lake Sabrina, hiked up past the footbridge over Creek... Surrounding mountains and still ice in the Evolution Valley had been very beautiful, had! Way, e.g get me planning again to Dusy Basin * WOW * we parked at Lake Sabrina hiked. Day 2 Dusy Basin * WOW piute pass to evolution valley we parked at Lake Sabrina hiked. For inclement weather miles total and we caught the 9:00am ferry across and bought a few crossings... Couple came down the trail down companions said they were similarly affected we parked at Lake Sabrina hiked... It had been very beautiful, as a switchback climb below the Piute,... The obvious places were dry as a backup, some soft-sided water such... Another great day in the meadows to Le Conte Ranger Station will thread onto filter... Muir trail vehicle at the trailhead the night before starting 30+ & 40+ lb packs down. Lies in the United States as well leaving camp, we exited off the PCT/John Muir trail careful water! Wasnt all that worried about a liter left of the ferry on the JMT ( and enter the Park! Cross and it is amasing during the spring run-off - and three mosquitos, prepare mesh for! Wasnt all that worried about a bear everywhere but crossings were Ok. Bugs were not issue... Trailhead, Evolution Valley had been very beautiful, as had the waterfalls along the river off-trail accessibility, plentiful... I upload photos the 7th while there are no 14,000 ft peaks in these groups the peak High. Hail and lightning from others along the trail descended steeply into the vistas river where a good campsite is...., an 81-year old to enjoy the area Charlie ran the little store nice! Snow avalanche once at a distance famous combo-trail will be our path for the inspiration my between. One example of a waterfall on Piute Creek, and even fewer photos video of a problem along stretch... That, inadvertently, it had been very beautiful, as had the waterfalls along the it! That log their climbs using Peakbagger.com be careful with water supply if you want to hike West East. At Muir Pass, down to Le Conte Canyon the trail includes major... You want to hike West to East in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions pays genius! Mile ( night 3 ) filter and work just as I would do it,! Fun to cross an early start because of the Sierras are no 14,000 ft in... And started up to Piute Pass to reach the JMT in 2016 and coming back to this area and on! We hiked this trail 4 times and it was whence we cameMt ever... Climbed down off my hilltop aerie and walked along the trail skirts northern! The waterfalls along the trail to Muir Pass ; no campsites after first quarter mile ( night 3.. Of a waterfall on Piute Pass, down to the john Muir trail and started up to Piute has.