History. Then I ate some dinner and took photos and videos of the waterfall that was just downstream from my tent. The Section maintains historic summit registers at Bancroft Library on the University of California, Berkeley campus.. Would definitely do again from the other direction to see the parts of the main loop we missed. 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 . Do I really get to be here? . My girlfriends told me I started singing gospel at that point, but I really think they may be exaggerating. . Those who use the SteriPen, or any other filter system, are wise to carry a backup such as Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets. 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. We camped by the river just passed JMTR the first night and set up camp in the Evolution meadow the second night. 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 didnt see anyone moving this time. About two miles after leaving camp, we exited off the PCT/John Muir trail and started up to Piute Pass. 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. counter-balance method. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. I got my leg stuck in postholes multiple times where I had to sit down and dig it out with my hands. There were only 2-3 times where I needed to use my AllTrails app to figure out the correct way to continue. All in all, it had been another great day in the High Sierra. When we crossed the river it was only about knee deep and also like to mention NO mosquitoes so we were super lucky. this is the one backpack trip I remember with my dad, friend and his dad.. in 1959.. The total distance to Evolution Lake is about 10 miles. 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. We were lucky with good weather. I took off my shoes and let my damp feet dry out in the breeze. if you go over table top mountain you can make it a complete loop. This is high country and we had a brief hail & wind storm as well as our coldest overnight stay (mid 20 degrees Fahrenheit). Wanda(sorry if mistaken) is full of mosquitos, prepare mesh covering for you face. mostly exposed to the sun so take a good cover. Piute Creek You then head south on the JMT, along the river until you reach the junction with the Goddard Canyon Trail. The creek crossing there can be challenging early in the season. Now I cant breathe for another reason. I climbed upward for two miles without seeing a single decent campsite, either. The mosquitos were relentless though. however, if you are an average backpacker like me, expect some brutal acents and decents. These Photos Prove It. After we got a bit past Summit Lake, we left the trail and headed to Lower Desolation Lake, Desolation Lake and Mesa Lake, where we camped for the night. Its all about Evolution Basin up to Dusy Basin *WOW* we parked at south lake and took the shuttle to north lake. 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. Multiple Ascents Grid: Click for a grid showing all of Chris Land Highly recommend bringing a bug net to wear if you think you will encounter them. 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. 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. At least there might be shade along this section, I thought to myself. Massive trail work project that ascends a sheer gully with switchbacks stacked on top of one another like wacky Jenga blocks. Along the way I came across the Muir Rock which I had seen on the topo map. 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 had rain (often with hail) during 5 of our 6 days out, so bring a rain coat and a pack cover. 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. I had heard from many thru hikers that Evolution Valley was the absolute best. Beautiful scenery, abundant water, breathtaking vistas. Crest Piute Pass, then drop down toward Summit Lake. Was it this heavy yesterday? Turn left and descend to Upper Lamarck Lake. Well, yeah, maybe then. Great trail, not all of it is technically dog friendly since you enter Kings Canyon NP for the 2nd half. Mosquitos were pretty bad in the meadows, and none up at Evolution Lake, so I recommend bug spray! Piute Pass was comparatively easy with just a few snow patches. We hiked it in 7 days but could have done in 6. Shortly after passing Colby Meadow and reaching McClure Meadow, we were served the best views of The Hermit, a distinctly steep monolith, and Mt. Or bag flattopped Mt. Just finished the loop from south lake to north lake. This loop begins and ends at the North Lake trailhead. 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). Darwin/Bench. Pictures posted. Pick up the trail on the eastern edge of Upper Lamarck Lake. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. It is my favorite all-time Sierra hike. The hike up to Evolution Lake is steep, but reasonably graded. Erika, the alpine pond photograph posted next to the Day 2 text is stunning. We found several amazing campsites just off the east side of the trail that held us warm and protected from the wind. After 2.5 mile it crosses a bridge to the south side of the river where a good campsite is located. Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. Sign up for Outside+ today. There are possible campsites on Darwin Bench. Did this 8/8-8/12, 5 days / 4 nights. dirt and rock trail. I plan to get back there this month with Front Runners List: Click to see list completion progress by climbers that log their climbs using Peakbagger.com. 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! 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. I sat down on a boulder near my gear and got out some snack. After lunch was finished, I reluctantly put on my pack and continued hiking in the roasting sun. A couple of mosquitos came out in the cooler air as the shadow of the mountain came into camp. Great camping along the creek once you cross the several streams in Hutchinson Meadow (night 1). Continue straight at the 3-way. Here is a brief summary of our route: South Lake Trailhead - Bishop Pass - Dusy Basin - LeConte Canyon - Muir Pass - Evolution Valley - Puite Creek Canyon - Humphrey's Basin - Piute Pass - North Lake Trailhead. Fork), from which you access Evolution Valley via Piute Creek down to the River, then back up the river and Evolution Creek to McClure Meadow and beyond; stated simply, from the pass this is a down-up. I never made it that deep into the backcountry that summer. Amazing. Even the off trail part up to Darwin bench and over the col had really good use trails. From the junction with Piute Canyon/Piute Pass Trail, the JMT crosses into Kings Canyon National Park and begins the long ascent up to Muir Pass, paralleling the South Fork of the San Joaquin River. 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 . Does this seem like a fair deal to you? Day 5: Cushy Day was followed by Payback Day. Another 1.5 miles up the canyon is the turnoff to Evolution Valley. Plan a late summer trip to avoid the worst of them. My wife and I did the trek in June with our 9 month old in tow. Push to camp spots near the McClure Meadow ranger station; you will be rewarded with the best breakfast scenery the next day (night 2). The JMT headed off to the west before switchbacking its way down to the valley floor (700 feet of descent) while the creek simply dropped straight down over the side of the canyon. The trail on the right leads north into French Canyon. Solomons christened these mountains the Evolution Group because I could think of none more fitting than the great evolutionists, so at-one in their devotion to the sublime in Nature.. Wished we could have camped at Evolution Lake as it's sooooo beautiful but it didn't work out for us. Okay, I need my camera again. Parking is tough right now because of construction on south lake rd, but it looks nearly done. They were having a seriously fun time on a hot Summers Day. It was uphill all the way, and there was occasional shade, as I had hoped, so I didnt get heat stroke or anything. 2 trip report day 0-4: getting in & Yosemite National Park warm up. We had it easy in September, but Ive heard that earlier in the season hikers should be prepared for more difficult fordings. It tasted cold and fresh. Evolution Valley was flower-filled, even in this drought year. I did, however, make one mistake: I didnt stop to get extra water when the trail was alongside the creek. Truthfully, I wasnt all that worried about a bear. Note: Bishop Pass hikers will encounter dozens deer skeletons on the steep slope below Bishop Pass. Beautiful and challenging in a good way. Purchase tickets in the store. Me either, until we exited the forest at about 11,000 feet and monster granite views appeared. Only one water crossing (Evolution creek) that required getting your feet wet. Reach a footbridge over Jeffrey pine-lined Piute Creek, and camp on designated pads nearby. Then got up and hiked to the ferry to see if it was running and what do you know it was! Maybe I was oxygen-starved, but my companions said they were similarly affected. This famous combo-trail will be our path for the next 26.5 miles. Good campsites can be found along the river beyond the Piute Creek bridge. Anon. 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. I did a backpacking trip over the 4th of July weekend over 4 days, starting at Florence Lake, going up to Evolution Lake. I just finished this trip with a few friends, it was one of my favorite trips. Then it was hot, and I sweated out what little water I had. We camped at the junction of the JMT with Piute Creek, where another afternoon storm rolled through. Beyond Piute Creek the trail stays close to the river, working its way up the canyon. There were a few sections that were mosquito-dense, but otherwise the bugs and critters were tolerable! Moderate. 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 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. That was about 8 miles, we had wanted to camp at the meadow but was beat so made camp a couple miles sooner. 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 Peaks north of Bishop Pass, and south of Piute Pass form two basic groups, Bishop Group and Evolution Group. Good campsites can be found there also. 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