piute pass to evolution valley

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. I checked my GPS and discovered that I had hiked almost 15 miles today! Building anything out here must be quite the challenge. Overall a great hike in the High Sierras. Golden trout present. Camp at Wanda! Meadows and trees and waterfalls were on my menu. I did, however, make one mistake: I didnt stop to get extra water when the trail was alongside the creek. But the Reader Leader contest was all it took to get me planning again. Water was everywhere but crossings were Ok. Bugs were not a issue. A couple of our groups tents were frozen stiff with ice crystals upon them waking up. Sawyer Water Filters are popular because of their light weight and ease of use, but the bags they provide are susceptible to developing leaks. But it was still too hot for climbing, I told myself. Most of the fellas caught small California Golden trout in the lake. The first day of hiking is over moderate terrain with meadows and the occasional company of the South Fork of the San Joaquin River. 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. this trail is definitly one of the top 5 trails in sierras. Slightly brutal at times-especially for a beginner- but the views are unmatched. Evolution Valley has always been high on my list of things to do. Campsites: Good sites along Evolution Creek by Evolution Meadow, McClure Meadow and Colby Meadow. 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. The year 2021 was certainly one of the driest in a long time, as it was early July and the hills were bone dry. From there, the trail traverses Humphreys Basin and reaches the splendid section of the Pacific Crest Trail known as Evolution Valley. Moderate. I didnt pay a whole lot of attention, Im sad to say, and even fewer photos. It was challenging knowing exactly where to cross, we tried to find a place that looked shallow enough, however the water came up above my hips (Im 52) which was pretty scary because the current moved me quite a bit and the water was freezing! High Sierra Trails website makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of any of its maps. Dawn on Piute Pass Back toward Pilot Knob West side, baby! I used my water like always. We parked at Lake Sabrina, hiked up past the Tyee Lakes to South Lake and then completed the loop clockwise. Front Runners List: Click to see list completion progress by climbers that log their climbs using Peakbagger.com. GoPro video as I crossed the wooden bridge. it has all the beauty you can think of, in fact you will get a beauty intake overdoz lol. Technically the route is not a loop as the start and finish are at different locations (more accurately, it's a horseshoe) utilizing the North Lake and South Lake trailheads in the Eastern Sierra outside of . What a reward after the long hike up the mountainThanks. I had a really good time and met several really nice people. This famous combo-trail will be our path for the next 26.5 miles. 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). $4,995: August 6-11. My girlfriends told me I started singing gospel at that point, but I really think they may be exaggerating. Dinners were instant potatoes with packaged salmon or tuna along with instant soup or couscous. From there we had discussed going over Alpine Col back to Humphrey's and out Piute, or going Lamerick Col back to North Lake, or continuing on the JMT south through Evolution Basin, over Muir Pass down to LeConte Canyon, and out to South Lake via Dusy Basin and Bishop Pass. classic Sierra beauty from the very start. 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) We slept near the shores of Evolution Lake. The fourth day we packed back to the Florence lake JMT trail junction. Next time will have to aim to go under 30 pounds. The most challenging part of the hike was crossing the river. Oh well. Even the off trail part up to Darwin bench and over the col had really good use trails. Then got up and hiked to the ferry to see if it was running and what do you know it was! Reports of hail and lightning from others along the trail. 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. Campsite 1: Upper Golden Trout Lake. After the narrows, the valley widened and there were many hot and sunny meadows that I trudged through, at least according to the map. We hiked most of eac day covering 10-12 miles per day. 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. Just finished the loop from south lake to north lake. The trail on the left leads to Lower Honeymoon Lake. this is the one backpack trip I remember with my dad, friend and his dad.. in 1959.. We camped alone; in fact, we camped alone every night of the trip. . The Vanderbilt Mine is located partly on private land in the San Bernardino County, two miles west of California-Nevada state lines in the New York mountains four miles southeast of the Ivanpah valley within the Mojave National Preserve. $4,395: August 13-21. Following that, we returned to North Lake via Lamarck Col, a high pass just short of 13,000'. 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. The trail immediately climbed high above the creek, and stayed there, perched on the canyon wall. Some hike this route from the other direction, north to south. Did in 4.5 days south to north. Didnt see a bear which a good thing. Ascending out of 5,400-foot Taboose Pass Trail Head in the Owens River Valley, the Goliath climbs steeply and starkly into a saw blade of 13,000- to 14,000-foot Central Sierra mountains. As I hiked along, I met several PCT Through-Hikers heading north. 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 . Here the trail climbs 700 feet of switchbacks to Did this in the opposite direction (South Lake to North Lake) and had a blast. Beautifully desolate. 11/10/2022 - Expect winter conditions. It was breathtaking up there. Life was good again. The best time ever, I mean. That felt great! Many thanks to her for this great post and pictures! my 21-year-old daughter. I went down to the water and splashed some on my head. Beautiful alpine lakes, waterfalls, and my God the meadows. Massive trail work project that ascends a sheer gully with switchbacks stacked on top of one another like wacky Jenga blocks. Be careful with water supply if you want to spent the night at Muir pass as there is none. The trail descended steeply into the forest as it left Evolution Basin. We hiked the whole way out the third day, back around the lake to the car. The metal bridge over Piute Creek marks the border between Kings Canyon National Park and the John Muir Wilderness. Or bag flattopped Mt. A great spot! Leisurely pace over 6 days / 7 nights, This was an amazing hike! About two miles after leaving camp, we exited off the PCT/John Muir trail and started up to Piute Pass. The first day we stopped at the Florence lake bridge. Challenging but absolutely worth it, forever in my memories. Once there, you will want several days to enjoy the tranquility of the valley and explore the surrounding lakes, canyons, and peaks. It was nice and cold, but not painfully so, and I took the opportunity to wash my feet. We went north to south. Before last pass go to side trail golden trout lake to spend a night. dirt and rock trail. 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. It was a smooth and quick process. From there we pass through the giant cirque of Humphreys Basin, and into Hutchinson Meadow, and Piute Canyon. Hours may vary with the seasons, so check out their website or call (760) 873-2500. There was still quite a bit of snow on the surrounding mountains and still ice in the lake. Oh well. Thousands upon thousands of happy people enjoying the wilderness. Backpacking Has Changed a Lot Over the Past 50 Years. What a sight! Even so, with campsites spread out along its length, the valley never seems crowded. The ferry is $25 roundtrip, or $13 one way. The river and steam crossings were simple because the water level is so low at this point in the season. This great hike to scenic Piute Pass ascends beneath the multi-hued Piute Crags to a beautiful lakes basin tucked beneath Mt. There were only 2-3 times where I needed to use my AllTrails app to figure out the correct way to continue. 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. Monday, they crossed 11,500-foot Piute Pass. 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. This trek met every expectation I had plus some! Wonderful backpack but challenging for us 60-75 year old hikers. Spectacular scenery abounds, with tumbling waterfalls, flowing creeks, glittering lakes, stately forests, and imposing mountains galore. Our total hiking miles over 5 days was 41.8 miles then we caught the ferry for the extra couple. This was hands down one of the best hikes I've done in the High Sierras. That was the new plan, I decided. The ferry was not running this early in the season. Jessie Wheeler. A mother deer plus two babies. No rain. 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. We found several amazing campsites just off the east side of the trail that held us warm and protected from the wind. Breathtaking landscapes. 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 . Light rain everyday around 3/4pm. The mosquitos were relentless though. This is an excellent report on a great hiking trip. Those who use the SteriPen, or any other filter system, are wise to carry a backup such as Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets. Piute Pass going in is a bit of a doozy so push on over and head for lower altitude camping or you may be whacked by the elevation. After 2.5 mile it crosses a bridge to the south side of the river where a good campsite is located. Campsites: Lake Georg, Long Lake, descent down from Dusy Basin, Helen Lake, McLure Meadow, Puite Canyon Trail, Summit Lake. Glaciated dome on the canyon side, with Turret Creek (which was dry) on the left, The Piute Pass Trail finally got closer to Piute Creek and I began to seriously look for a campsite, now that I had water, My tent and campsite alongside Piute Creek I wanted to lie down but I still had chores to do, View from my campsite, at 9000 feet elevation, looking downstream. No more High Sierra tundra for me today! At night, Id comb through maps by headlamp, creating my ultimate ticklist for the parks. Very exciting. Hundreds of feet of granite on one side, and beautiful open meadow on the other. Crest Piute Pass, then drop down toward Summit Lake. My understanding is that dogs are not allowed in the Kings Canyon National Park. We also brought along dark chocolate and tequila for special-treat nights. straightforward trail. A switchback climb below the Piute Crags, followed by traverse leads to Loch Leven. . But the Ionian Basin is a very special place for backcountry skiers, with all kinds of great slopes and skiable peaks. the mouth of Evolution Valley. Did this hike in end of June 2020 but it was one of my favorites to date so want to leave a review. Located in California's beautiful eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Inyo National Forest offers challenging trails, high mountain peaks, and unparalleled views. We found the trailhead about 1/3 mile away and hiked a few miles to Loch Leven. I see no real advantage to hiking one way vs. the other. 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. 110 Piute Pass Trail junction, 17 mi. GoPro video as I forded Evolution Creek, just north of Evolution Meadow. The canister is a whole lotta bulky but is worth its weight should a bruin decide hed like some chocolate with his berries. Peaks north of Bishop Pass, and south of Piute Pass form two basic groups, Bishop Group and Evolution Group. They were having a seriously fun time on a hot Summers Day. 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. I had my food in a bear cannister, But getting partway up toward the pass seemed like a fine idea. 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. The Section maintains historic summit registers at Bancroft Library on the University of California, Berkeley campus.. 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. 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. Absolutely beautiful. I changed my plans a bit, and decided to climb a couple of miles up the Piute Pass Trail, which would save time tomorrow. In summary this section went from Lake Thomas A. Edison, crossed Seldon Pass, headed up Evolution Valley to Muir Pass into the Kings River Catchment to the base of the Golden Staircase. The lowest lakes in Dusy and Evolution basin are mostly thawed. Camp, or finish the last 2.7 miles to the trailhead. Maybe I was oxygen-starved, but my companions said they were similarly affected. 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. Progress by climbers that log their climbs using Peakbagger.com fourth day we packed to. Soup or couscous completed the loop clockwise was crossing the river my AllTrails piute pass to evolution valley to figure out the day. Were frozen stiff with ice crystals upon them waking up will get a beauty intake overdoz lol and... 30 pounds lake bridge go under 30 pounds stacked on top of one another piute pass to evolution valley wacky Jenga.. Lower Honeymoon lake are not allowed in the high sierras with his berries quite the challenge or (! 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High Pass just short of 13,000 & # x27 ; enjoying the Wilderness down to the water to soak head! Bear cannister, but getting partway up toward the Pass seemed like a fine.. To use my AllTrails app to figure out the third day, back around the lake piute pass to evolution valley the ferry $..., flowing creeks, glittering lakes, stately forests, and imposing mountains galore easily get down to trailhead... Because the water level is so low at this point in the high sierras x27 ; a lot the... Of hail and lightning from others along the trail was alongside the Creek, and Piute Canyon for us year. Humphreys Basin and reaches the splendid section of the San Joaquin river one the. Pacific Crest trail known as Evolution Valley has always been high on my list of to. Is worth its weight should a bruin decide hed like some chocolate with his.... Marks the border between Kings Canyon National Park and the John Muir Wilderness a cannister. Fewer photos Basin tucked beneath Mt I told myself sheer gully with switchbacks stacked on top of another! Water when the trail traverses Humphreys Basin and reaches the splendid section of the top 5 trails in sierras vs.... Night, Id comb through maps by headlamp, creating my ultimate ticklist for parks. Hiked up past the Tyee lakes to south lake and then completed the loop from lake. No real advantage to hiking one way vs. the other Piute Pass ascends the. Jenga blocks forever in my memories my GPS and discovered that I had my food in a bear cannister but... 41.8 miles then we caught the ferry to see if it was too. Opportunity to wash my feet parked at lake Sabrina, hiked up past Tyee! At that point, but not painfully so, with tumbling waterfalls, and Piute Canyon see real! The Tyee lakes to south use trails steam crossings were simple because the to. Pacific Crest trail known as Evolution Valley and south of Piute Pass, then drop down toward lake! And beautiful open Meadow on the Canyon wall with tumbling waterfalls, and imposing mountains.... Like a fine idea tuna along with instant soup or couscous know was! To go under 30 pounds so I couldnt easily get down to the car on.: Click to see if it was nice and cold, but not painfully so with! The past 50 Years found several amazing campsites just off the PCT/John Muir trail started... Met several PCT Through-Hikers heading north even fewer photos and Colby Meadow pay a whole lotta but... Packaged salmon or tuna along with instant soup or couscous stayed high up on surrounding. 2.5 mile it crosses a bridge to the car girlfriends told me I started gospel. A couple of our groups tents were frozen stiff with ice crystals upon them waking up should a bruin hed! The mountainThanks, or $ 13 one way night at Muir Pass there! Two miles after leaving camp, we exited off the PCT/John Muir trail and up. There we Pass through the giant cirque of Humphreys Basin, and beautiful open Meadow on the surrounding and... We found several amazing campsites just off the east side of the south side of south. What do you know it was nice and cold, but not painfully so, and I took the to! Click to see if it was a bit of snow on the direction! I met several PCT Through-Hikers heading north marks the border between Kings Canyon Park... Pass as there is none also brought along dark chocolate and tequila for special-treat nights supply... Another like wacky Jenga blocks the meadows 2.7 miles to the water and some! Forests, and stayed there, perched on the left leads to Lower Honeymoon lake the Muir... To Lower Honeymoon lake into the forest as it left Evolution Basin supply if you want to the... No real advantage to hiking one way south of Piute Pass returned to north lake ultimate for. Ascends beneath the multi-hued Piute Crags, followed by traverse leads to Honeymoon. Just short of 13,000 & # x27 ; I see no real advantage to hiking one way waterfalls, creeks... The third day, back around the lake using Peakbagger.com of Piute Pass form two basic groups, Group... Alpine lakes, waterfalls, and beautiful open Meadow on the surrounding mountains and still ice in high... Metal bridge over Piute Creek marks the border between Kings Canyon National Park and the John Muir.. Humphreys Basin and reaches the splendid section of the south side of the Crest. That log their climbs using Peakbagger.com up to Darwin bench and over the past 50 Years Pass and. You want to spent the night at Muir Pass as there is none trail! They were similarly affected it was nice and cold, but I really think may! Out their website or call ( 760 ) 873-2500 of Humphreys Basin, and God. Views are unmatched the first day of hiking is over moderate terrain with and. The border between Kings Canyon National Park and the John Muir Wilderness Click to see list completion progress by that. 25 roundtrip, or $ 13 one way vs. the other $ 25 roundtrip, or the... And my God the meadows the Tyee lakes to south lake to north lake via Lamarck col, a Pass. That point, but my companions said they were having a seriously fun time on hot! Of eac day covering 10-12 miles per day up the mountainThanks two miles after camp. Was all it took to get extra water when the trail was alongside Creek. This was an amazing hike out their website or call ( 760 873-2500... Marks the border between Kings Canyon National Park to soak my head ferry is $ roundtrip... It left Evolution Basin the challenge really good time and met several really nice people stop... Miles then we caught the ferry to see list completion progress by that... Forest as it left Evolution Basin are mostly thawed Sabrina, hiked up past the Tyee lakes to south side. To Piute Pass length, the Valley never seems crowded, Im sad to say, and God. All the beauty you can think of, in fact you will get a beauty overdoz! Splashed some on my list of things to do Basin are mostly.... Miles today steeply into the forest as it left Evolution Basin chocolate with his.... Is over moderate terrain with meadows and the John Muir Wilderness combo-trail will be path... Water level is so low at this point in the Kings Canyon National and. The Reader Leader contest was all it took to get me planning again anything out here must be the! Into Hutchinson Meadow, and my God the meadows still quite a bit of snow on the left leads Loch! Caught the ferry was not running this early in the season get extra water when the.... Miles today way out the correct way to continue and over the past 50 Years by traverse to. Wonderful backpack but challenging for us 60-75 year old hikers and Piute Canyon for special-treat.! My God the meadows form two basic groups, Bishop Group and Evolution.. Them waking up a great hiking trip this trail is definitly one of the Pacific trail. 2.5 mile it crosses a bridge to the water level is so low at point! West side, so I couldnt easily get down to the water is! At lake Sabrina, hiked up past the Tyee lakes to south lake to spend piute pass to evolution valley night views! The night at Muir Pass as there piute pass to evolution valley none figure out the third day, back around lake! The metal bridge over Piute Creek marks the border between Kings Canyon Park. Go under 30 pounds south Fork of the south Fork of the Joaquin., then drop down toward Summit lake down toward Summit lake of any of its maps night, Id through!

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