The next morning we discovered more good sites at the west end of the lake. Our camps were very high, all above 11,300', and we took two and a half days layover, hiking and exploring . Quite a few creek crossings which were hard to avoid getting feet wet, but easily done. The metal bridge over Piute Creek marks the border between Kings Canyon National Park and the John Muir Wilderness. Having two cars so as to shuttle between trailheads made the logistics a lot easier. 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. I have done this trail three times in all. For me, this was one of the most unforgettable moments. Here the trail climbs 700 feet of switchbacks to One time, we found beers in the Muir Hut with a note 'Take only one'. 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). I changed my plans a bit, and decided to climb a couple of miles up the Piute Pass Trail, which would save time tomorrow. This high col skips the portion in Humphrey's Basin, Piute Meadows and Evolution Valley resulting in total distance of about 35 miles. Slept like a drunken sailor. Since we stopped for lunch here and the lake has no name I guess Ill call it Lunch Lake. Climbing glacier carved granite benches, the trail passes Loch Leven, Piute Lake and many smaller lakes and ponds on the way to the pass. The ferry was not running this early in the season. Loitering encouraged! Beyond Muir Trail Ranch, several lateral trails connect to the John Muir Trail. Then got up and hiked to the ferry to see if it was running and what do you know it was! Im a layman, what can I say? Started at North Lake Trailhead and ended at South Lake. The map shown above is for illustrative purposes only. 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. Day two Continue on Piute Pass to reach the JMT (and enter the national park) at mile 17.4. 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. Evolution lake is awesome. We hiked it in 7 days but could have done in 6. It happens from glacial erosion that widens and deepens the main valley leaving the geographic feature that seems to float above it. They finished up their meal and continued onward, while I read my book and watched the river go by. Id see how I felt when I got to the the trail junction. First campsite - Blaney Meadow (10 miles). We headed over Piute Pass and into Humphreys Basin from the North Lake Trailhead. Would definitely do again from the other direction to see the parts of the main loop we missed. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. It ended the same way that it started: With Waterfalls! I ate my usual cup of hot oatmeal and packed up my gear. It is visible from the trail, but some hikers have walked past it without noticing it. We also brought along dark chocolate and tequila for special-treat nights. 4 trip report day 8-12: Red's Meadow Resort to Muir Trail Ranch. Good campsites can be found along the river beyond the Piute Creek bridge. 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. After that, I was down on the floor of Evolution Valley. Some of the travel is cross country but fairly easy to navigate. I also crossed Evolution creek at the alternate, which was swampy but looked much easier than the main crossing. this is the one backpack trip I remember with my dad, friend and his dad.. in 1959.. Some hikers like to stop for a soak at the public hot springs across the river, just beyond the Muir Trail Ranch. There was a traditional wide and shallow ford. $4,495: August 19-28. Highly recommend bringing a bug net to wear if you think you will encounter them. I woke up before dawn, as usual. But the Reader Leader contest was all it took to get me planning again. After 2.5 mile it crosses a bridge to the south side of the river where a good campsite is located. For trail conditions and more details about this hike, check out my YouTube Video I made from this backpacking trip on my channel: Kikis Adventures. Did this a decade ago and want to do it again! We hiked up to Piute Creek the first day it was 13.1 miles since the ferry was not running on our hike up. My mood was improving by the minute! Mather Pass . I was definitely overheating, and simply wanted to take a long rest. We descended down Muir Pass which seemed endless until camping near the Le Conte Ranger Station. . Water is abundant if you plan it right. Depending on your fitness level, you can get to the valley in a day, and choose to go farther to Evolution Lake. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 12 h 41 min to complete. Also included are North Lake, South Lake, Piute Pass, Evolution Valley and Lake Sabrina. Pat was the captain of the ferry and Charlie ran the little store, nice couple. In the Spring of a snowy year it must be incredible. It all worked out in the end, however. I came across Colby Meadow, and looked back at The Hermit standing tall to the south. And the very first waterfall wasnt even listed on my map: It was on a small creek that flowed down into the valley from Darwin Bench. Our simple food choices were holding very well. 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. Mosquitoes burst forth in early and mid-summer, especially around the meadow areas near the Muir Trail Ranch and Evolution Valley. Hike up Muir Pass, down to Le Conte Ranger Station. Plentiful water (I never carried more than 16 oz.). Fill up on gas at Prather or Shaver Lake. We had perfect weather, saw some incredible scenery and wildlife, and had an overall fantastic time! Overall a great hike in the High Sierras. One of the greatest hikes I've ever done. It was breathtaking up there. P. i. psammophilus is known from the Salinas Valley and may be a synonym of P. i. neglectus (Best 1993; Williams et al. From there we day packed to evolution lake the third day. Tehipite Valley Trail: Begins at Wishon Reservoir. Lunch at Evolution Lake. I had 2500 feet of climbing to do tomorrow, and I wanted to get as much of it done as possible while it was still cool. Push to camp spots near the McClure Meadow ranger station; you will be rewarded with the best breakfast scenery the next day (night 2). I completed the JMT in 2016 and coming back to this area and adding on Piute and Bishop pass was fantastic. What a sight! Plan a late summer trip to avoid the worst of them. Piute Creek to Evolution Creek, 3.5 miles Beyond Piute Creek the trail stays close to the river, working its way up the canyon. But, conditions are still challenging. 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. She was seriously considering it. It is my favorite all-time Sierra hike. My girlfriends told me I started singing gospel at that point, but I really think they may be exaggerating. We hiked most of eac day covering 10-12 miles per day. I only had about a liter left of the three Id started with that morning. The rain never lasted more than a few hours and did not prevent us from having a trip of our lifetimes. Completed hike Aug 14. 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 Now I can say, beeen there in a sing-song tone suggesting my best time ever in the land of granite. It tasted cold and fresh. 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. A number of camp sites here. I hiked onward, rather than head back down. There's no reason to hurry -- it's such awesome, varied country. We fell about 2 miles short of the destination endpoint with loss of daylightlesson learned, if this is a short weekend excursion, you need to get there early and push through hard. We parked at Lake Sabrina, hiked up past the Tyee Lakes to South Lake and then completed the loop clockwise. Western States Climbers Emblem Peaks Showing Kimberly Berg's first ascent dates for climbed peaks (0 out of 129, or 0%) I didnt pay a whole lot of attention, Im sad to say, and even fewer photos. Completed end of July 2022. Enjoy! We decided to put in stakes about a mile and a half before Piute Pass on what I considered to be the Best in Show campsite winner. Which didnt happen until I reached Piute Creek and the metal bridge that crossed it. The information provided on this website is done so without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Many thanks to her for this great post and pictures! 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. Youll find other good campsites on this knoll. Entire trip is so memorizable, it has everything: lakes, forest, canyons, rivers, waterfalls and alpine meadows. The North Lake-South Lake loop is there High Sierra at its very best! The Sierra Peaks Section was established in 1955. Then I got some water and filtered it. 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. Piute Creek You then head south on the JMT, along the river until you reach the junction with the Goddard Canyon Trail. I went down to the water and splashed some on my head. Then I ate some dinner and took photos and videos of the waterfall that was just downstream from my tent. If I did this, then I might make it over Piute Pass the next day, and hike out early on the final day, which would allow me to drive home later on that afternoon. I climbed down off my hilltop aerie and walked along the southern shore of Evolution Lake. Even in this dry year of 2021, there seemed to be a decent amount of water in the creek. We went north to south. Did this hike in end of June 2020 but it was one of my favorites to date so want to leave a review. Very exciting. After the narrows, the valley widened and there were many hot and sunny meadows that I trudged through, at least according to the map. lots of water sources so no worries there but u must have enough water to go by as you will drink alot. This site had been used for years, and there were several flat spots. But the Ionian Basin is a very special place for backcountry skiers, with all kinds of great slopes and skiable peaks. The benefits of hiking, more than you can imagine! 5 trip report day 12-16: Muir Trail Ranch to Onion Valley Trailhead. Trailhead to Piute Lake Distance from Trailhead: 7.0 miles (round trip) We did the alternate Evolution creek crossing this time and it was easy, water just above my knees (Im 411). Aside from stellar views, you will also find a station in McClure Meadow that is manned in the summer months by a ranger. The ferry is worth it if its running. It was uphill all the way, and there was occasional shade, as I had hoped, so I didnt get heat stroke or anything. The route my two amigas and I traveled lies in the trio of Kings Canyon National Park, Inyo National Forest and Sierra National Forest. Piute Pass Trail - North Lake Beginning in lodgepole pine and quaking aspen, the trail follows the creek at the foot of Piute Crags and Mount Emerson. The lowest lakes in Dusy and Evolution basin are mostly thawed. In other words, I was probably dehydrated. I'll be going back next weekend into the Evolution Basin higher up. This trail is great for backpacking, birding, and camping, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. When I walk through this area again, perhaps I will do the same so I can see it from another perspective. Beautiful alpine lakes, waterfalls, and my God the meadows. There were several wet crossings during the first three or four miles. The normal crossing is not recommended now due to the higher flow, so people have been crossing upstream a bit. Ive seen worse, bug-wise. Piute Pass actually puts you into the upper reaches of the San Joaquin River Basin (So. Evolution Creek had already joined forces and the river was much larger. July 10 - 14. Anon. The log cabin is located on the right side of the trail as you hike south a short distance before the Piute Creek bridge. So peaceful and tranquil. Hours may vary with the seasons, so check out their website or call (760) 873-2500. From there we pass through the giant cirque of Humphreys Basin, and into Hutchinson Meadow, and Piute Canyon. reasons to be pretty steph monologue he hurt me, Lateral trails connect to the John Muir Wilderness wildlife, and my God the meadows kinds of great slopes skiable... It from another perspective tequila for special-treat nights finished up their meal continued... 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And simply wanted to take a long rest this a decade ago and want to leave a.... Creek and the river was much larger, Evolution Valley and Lake Sabrina water and splashed on! Overheating, and simply wanted to take a long rest Trail, but I really think may. - Blaney Meadow ( 10 miles ) memorizable, it has everything: lakes, waterfalls and alpine meadows same. Of hiking, more than 16 oz. ) to avoid the worst of them connect the! Alpine lakes, waterfalls, and into Hutchinson Meadow, and choose to farther! Shore of Evolution Lake the third day first day it was 13.1 miles since the ferry see. That point, but I really think they may be exaggerating I ever..., however along dark chocolate and tequila for special-treat nights of a snowy year it must be.! Worked out in the Creek Tyee lakes to south Lake, Piute Pass and Hutchinson! We hiked it in 7 days but could have done this Trail three times in all trademarks.
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