Be careful with water supply if you want to spent the night at Muir pass as there is none. 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. Definitely a moderate hike, but doable in 4 days. 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. The climb up to Piute Pass was uneventful, passing a series of lakes on the way to the day's high point. My understanding is that dogs are not allowed in the Kings Canyon National Park. I highly recommend this one. My sincere thanks to the fire fairies who set this up for us. Would definitely do again from the other direction to see the parts of the main loop we missed. Enjoy! Then got up and hiked to the ferry to see if it was running and what do you know it was! Even so, with campsites spread out along its length, the valley never seems crowded. 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. . Campsites: Good sites along Evolution Creek by Evolution Meadow, McClure Meadow and Colby Meadow. There were several wet crossings during the first three or four miles. Challenging but absolutely worth it, forever in my memories. We did a variant of north lake to south lake over 3 days by cutting over Lamarck col from Darwin bench and skipping piute pass. Water is abundant if you plan it right. Only done it North to South. 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 rivers and meadows are stunning. Then continue up the valley to McClure Meadow. meadows, granite peaks, off-trail accessibility, water plentiful. We did it over 4d/3n (south lake to le conte, le conte to sapphire lake, sapphire lake to the junction with Piute pass trail, and then out to north lake on the last day). We headed over Piute Pass and into Humphreys Basin from the North Lake Trailhead. Pat was the captain of the ferry and Charlie ran the little store, nice couple. No smoke from the California wildfires. may have been made. It was only 1:30pm, and I had a decision to make: Was I going to camp near here (where the large, aggressive bear might be prowling) or was I going to continue hiking on the Piute Pass Trail, uphill for miles in this roasting heat? Our camps were very high, all above 11,300', and we took two and a half days layover, hiking and exploring . 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. Definitely one of my favorite trips ever. 11/10/2022 - Expect . 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. Maybe not bathing for three days has its advantages. I did a backpacking trip over the 4th of July weekend over 4 days, starting at Florence Lake, going up to Evolution 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. We put in about 11.5 miles but it was almost all downhill or level deep-forest hiking. An alternative trip to Evolution Valley begins at North Lake on the eastern side of the Sierra. Day 1: The first day held an unexpected bonus in that, inadvertently, it turned out to be Get-used-to-less-oxygen Day. Others seemed to have no issues on the regular crossing. The hike up to Evolution Lake is steep, but reasonably graded. My mood was improving by the minute! Plenty of water along the trail and also plenty of places to camp. I sat down on a boulder near my gear and got out some snack. Crest Piute Pass, then drop down toward Summit Lake. I continued down through the forest, not far from the creek, until I neared the northern end of Evolution Valley. Was it this heavy yesterday? I had descended 2500 feet and climbed another 1000 feet to get up here. 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. At night, Id comb through maps by headlamp, creating my ultimate ticklist for the parks. I should just quit messing around and tape the thing to my face. I took a break on the edge of the meadow and got out my map. The lowest lakes in Dusy and Evolution basin are mostly thawed. It was not very buggy and lightly rained on 2/8 days. The The best hike of my life. Distance: 8.8 miles Time: 5-7 hours Difficulty: Strenuous Gain/Loss: +498'/-1,537 Dogs: No When to go: Late July-Early October It may be called a 'creek', but Piute Creek was raging! Following that, we returned to North Lake via Lamarck Col, a high pass just short of 13,000'. An incredible hike through the Sierras. "Ridicule is the tribute that mediocrity pays to genius. Our total hiking miles over 5 days was 41.8 miles then we caught the ferry for the extra couple. The mosquitos were relentless though. Here you will find the most recent trail conditions available to us. 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. John Muir Rock rises directly to the east. Well worth every step! . Did this a decade ago and want to do it again! The trail to Piute Pass (11,423-ft.) ascends the lovely North Fork of Bishop Creek, passing photogenic Loch Leven and Piute Lakes along the way. The hike to Evolution Valley was exposed and hot at times. 5 trip report day 12-16: Muir Trail Ranch to Onion Valley Trailhead. Muir Pass snow is melting fast and maybe only 1.5 miles worth heading northbound and maybe 2 over towards Sapphire Lake. 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. Near the head of Evolution Valley the trail climbs another steep bench to reach Evolution Lake, one of the most picturesque lakes on the trail . Or bag flattopped Mt. Good campsites can be found there also. 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. Many thanks to her for this great post and pictures! Historical side note: Evolution Valley was named by Theodore Solomons . Loitering encouraged! best of luck and make sure you are prepared. We started at 8,200 feet and camped at 11,200 feet. Day 4: Today turned out to be a truly cushy one. My [growing] Collection of Top Utah Hiking Trails, Five ways to make enemies at a public campground, Seeking Powder Hounds: Heli-Skiing the Northwest. In fact on the trail coming up to Piute pass from the JMT, there was no water source near the trail for nearly 7mi because the stream beds are dry. Day 2: Continue on Piute Pass to reach the JMT (and enter the national park). I also crossed Evolution creek at the alternate, which was swampy but looked much easier than the main crossing. Edit Last Edited by tomripley30 Sights to See North Lake Campground Stock Camp Summit Lake This is about the halfway spot. There are several decent camping spots in the meadow and they are all next to heavy-flowing Piute Creek. classic Sierra beauty from the very start. We saw a snow avalanche once at a distance. We passed more than a dozen lakes some of which I will mention when I upload photos. Didn't make it up to the lake, but SO HAPPY that we made it to the Hermit. Ranger Station: McClure Meadow. Day 3: From camp, descend 7.3 miles on the JMT into Evolution Valley, then add an easy 1.2 miles to camp by Evolution Lake. It was a big boulder located down along the river bank, and had been engraved by the original builders of this section of trail back in 1917, over 100 years ago! Trailhead to Piute Lake Distance from Trailhead: 7.0 miles (round trip) Massive trail work project that ascends a sheer gully with switchbacks stacked on top of one another like wacky Jenga blocks. it has all the beauty you can think of, in fact you will get a beauty intake overdoz lol. 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. Our goal was Sapphire lake, but there was still a ton of snow over the 4th and we didnt have proper snow gear to cross over the pass from Evolution lake to Sapphire lake. Completed end of July 2022. Call me crazy, but theres just something great about sitting around a campfire with your friends sharing sugar and a swig. Evolution Basin. 3 trip report day 5-8: Lyell Canyon/Tuolumne Meadows to Red's Meadow Resort. No storms. Ive seen worse, bug-wise. Jessie Wheeler. Completed this loop South - North May 26-29. Which didnt happen until I reached Piute Creek and the metal bridge that crossed it. It happens from glacial erosion that widens and deepens the main valley leaving the geographic feature that seems to float above it. 110 Piute Pass Trail junction, 17 mi. The uphill miles to reach John Muir Pass gave quite a different landscape than we had seen so far. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. Warm days in the upper 70s and the nights werent too cool either, even up at sapphire lake. I didnt realize it, but that was the last Id be seeing of Evolution Creek. 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. 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. Bugs werent that bad. Life was good again. Multiple Ascents Grid: Click for a grid showing all of Chris Land Now I cant breathe for another reason. South Lake From South Lake, hike 6.0 miles up Bishop Pass (11,972 ft.). We made a few mistakes that cost us a lot of time, however.we didn't take the ferry out, and lost the trail around the lake - a mistake that cost us several hours to climb over boulders and ledges. But that suited me fine. Thunder some days. Ouch! To win Best in Show our site sported a ledge, floating above a yakkety brook, Mt. The first day of hiking is over moderate terrain with meadows and the occasional company of the South Fork of the San Joaquin River. I loved seeing the pictures here as it helped me to realize how much more I need to get there. They are past the Muir Trail Ranch. Those who use the SteriPen, or any other filter system, are wise to carry a backup such as Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets. 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. I was lucky because I could follow fresh prints here and I'm lighter than most other hikers, but I still postholed A LOT. Didnt know you needed a reservation to drive through Yosemite, so consider going through Sonora Pass (unless you go through after 4pm). . 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. Camp, or finish the last 2.7 miles to the trailhead. I found a shady spot above the creek and took off my pack. 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. 1993 . The rest were lazy snoozers. ~. The best time ever, I mean. Beautiful trip! The trail skirts the northern shore of Loch Leven. 4 days 3 nights 2 passes had a great time. straightforward trail. It was nice and cold, but not painfully so, and I took the opportunity to wash my feet. A number of camp sites here. It often has waterfalls cascading from its outlet because of the abrupt drop off. Its all about Evolution Basin up to Dusy Basin *WOW* we parked at south lake and took the shuttle to north lake. Elevation gain: 2200 feet Pick up the trail on the eastern edge of Upper Lamarck Lake. I set up my tent and got my gear situated inside. Goode, Bishop Lake, Jigsaw Pass. Every effort is made to provide accurate and up to date information, but we cannot be responsible Water was everywhere but crossings were Ok. Bugs were not a issue. But 6-year-old Gregory "was an absolute trooper," said Steward, as . I just finished this trip with a few friends, it was one of my favorite trips. What a sight! $4,495: August 19-28. The ferry is $25 roundtrip, or $13 one way. Starting at Lake Sabrina we could do a proper loop with just two 2 mile stretches on the road. Thousands upon thousands of happy people enjoying the wilderness. It tasted cold and fresh. Only a portion of our journey would actually be in Evolution, but the areas we passed through to reach and retreat from our intended destination were just as amazing. The Section maintains historic summit registers at Bancroft Library on the University of California, Berkeley campus.. Piute Creek Crosing: Bridge at Piute Creek Crossing: Layers: Western juniper, and its cones: Entire trip is so memorizable, it has everything: lakes, forest, canyons, rivers, waterfalls and alpine meadows. The trail wandered along through the forest, not far from Evolution Creek, which was flowing peacefully and slow. Western States Climbers Emblem Peaks Showing Kimberly Berg's first ascent dates for climbed peaks (0 out of 129, or 0%) On most mornings, breakfast included instant oatmeal or granola, with protein powder and raisins. After that, I was down on the floor of Evolution Valley. The North Lake-South Lake loop is the famous "Rainbow Trail" and includes spectacular scenery visiting such areas as Dusy basin, Le Conte Canyon, Muir Pass, Evolution valley, and Humphrey's Basin. In the Spring of a snowy year it must be incredible. The tour described below is one example of a 7-day Ionian Basin tour. Then I continued north. Membership. 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. I only had about a liter left of the three Id started with that morning. I didnt see anyone moving this time. North to South Lake is the easiest way to go with passes not too difficult. My two recommendations. The normal crossing is not recommended now due to the higher flow, so people have been crossing upstream a bit. While there are no 14,000 ft peaks in these groups the peak are high and majestic. I was down at 8400 feet elevation, with little to no breeze, and it was roasting! It took us a little over five days (as schedued) to complete the hike. Highly recommend spending time in McClure Meadow if possible on this hike. Slightly brutal at times-especially for a beginner- but the views are unmatched. Piute Pass: Begins at North Lake. One bite of the Evolution area is To become a member of the SPS, one must be a Sierra Club member and have climbed at least six peaks on the SPS List; it is not necessary that the peaks be Emblem peaks. You could do a quick trip, via Echo Col in both directions, in about 4 days. I recommend an early start because of the exposure in the first 3 miles of Piute Trail. 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. 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 . Allow extra driving time to Florence Lake. 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 But the Reader Leader contest was all it took to get me planning again. I went down to the water and splashed some on my head. amazing. 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. These Photos Prove It. Even the off trail part up to Darwin bench and over the col had really good use trails. I'll be going back next weekend into the Evolution Basin higher up. beautiful. A couple of our groups tents were frozen stiff with ice crystals upon them waking up. The hike isn't strenuous, and even the switchbacks didn't feel that bad. 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. Its about half way down Dusy basin. The other entrance is by way of North Lake going over Piute Pass (11,500') and passing through Humphries Basin and Piute Canyon. 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. . 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). mostly exposed to the sun so take a good cover. 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. Required fields are marked *. The ferry was not running yet. The fourth day we packed back to the Florence lake JMT trail junction. Hike up Muir Pass, down to Le Conte Ranger Station. Mosquitos were bad, but not horrible. No rain. Just needed a puffy jacket, could skip the fleece. Driving times may vary based on conditions. This famous combo-trail will be our path for the next 26.5 miles. That was the new plan, I decided. From there, the trail traverses Humphreys Basin and reaches the splendid section of the Pacific Crest Trail known as Evolution Valley. We camped there 2 nights and day hiked up to the top of the valley and fished near the meadows where we were lucky to see a large Buck and some deer grazing in the meadow. We camped up there on our second night. Beyond Muir Trail Ranch, several lateral trails connect to the John Muir Trail. Okay, I need my camera again. Piute Pass. To avoid the risk of getting sick, most Sierra backpackers filter or treat their drinking water. I think this might be a great time to interject that finding water was never, ever a problem. I wasnt enjoying this as much as I would have liked. We hiked it in 7 days but could have done in 6. Location: Northern Kings Canyon National Park The trail is quite rocky in most places so slower than you might expect given the elevation profile. Mather Pass . Tracked 40 miles total and we caught the ferry on the way in and out. 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! The Best backpacking hike ever! Get surefire solitude in McGee Canyon (south about .5 mile back). But you could put together a much more worthwhile tour with more like 7 days. The next morning, we hiked past beautiful Wanda Lake and up to Muir Pass where we briefly went into the Muir Hut (built in 1930). Wanda(sorry if mistaken) is full of mosquitos, prepare mesh covering for you face. Notice that when I downsized my load I didnt ditch the tequila. The final day we packed out. Your email address will not be published. The Morning Star Mine comprises a group of 18 claims, situated in Secs. 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. About two miles after leaving camp, we exited off the PCT/John Muir trail and started up to Piute Pass. An occasional patch of snow sets off the deep azure of the alpine lakes but there is very little vegetation. . Man, people pay big money to dine with this kind of view and here we were, having only paid the price of sore backsides. But the views from the trail made up for it. I found a spot right next to the creek in the shade of a small grove of trees. Parking: A large parking lot for overnight trips is situated close to the lake. So peaceful and tranquil. The year 2021 was certainly one of the driest in a long time, as it was early July and the hills were bone dry. We passed more than a dozen lakes some of which I will mention when I upload photos. the trail is mostly well maintained except some places you need to look for it. 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. Over Piute pass has one patch of snow to cross and it was also a non-issue. Follow signs pointing to Kings Canyon National Park. Though cooler than July, day-wear was still shorts and t-shirts and nights two layers and a puffy jacket. I needed both water and a flat spot. Truthfully, I wasnt all that worried about a bear. Tiny bit of snow on bishop pass was completely avoidable. Lodging is available at Vermilion Valley Resort at Lake Edison and also at nearby Mono Hot Springs. Didnt see a bear which a good thing. This high col skips the portion in Humphrey's Basin, Piute Meadows and Evolution Valley resulting in total distance of about 35 miles. We camped by the river just passed JMTR the first night and set up camp in the Evolution meadow the second night. Day 2 Dusy Basin to Big Pete Meadow Me either, until we exited the forest at about 11,000 feet and monster granite views appeared. 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. On the way back, check out the Blayney hot springs - they are magical! We did the alternate Evolution creek crossing this time and it was easy, water just above my knees (Im 411). Front Runners List: Click to see list completion progress by climbers that log their climbs using Peakbagger.com. We hiked through Evolution Meadow and decided to stay a few miles away near the McClure Meadow Ranger Station (closed due to Covid-19). The Evolution Loop is a magnificent route through some of the most inspiring terrain in the High Sierra. The map shown above is for illustrative purposes only. Again, I will say that there is plenty of water the whole way, so drink up. 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. Shortly after passing Colby Meadow and reaching McClure Meadow, we were served the best views of The Hermit, a distinctly steep monolith, and Mt. Did in 4.5 days south to north. We hiked most of eac day covering 10-12 miles per day. We had it easy in September, but Ive heard that earlier in the season hikers should be prepared for more difficult fordings. Hiked 6/12-6/17. Pictures posted. We found the trailhead about 1/3 mile away and hiked a few miles to Loch Leven. Meanwhile, I got to hang out along the river and watch some crazy young PCT hikers swimming in Piute Creek. Good thing bruins dont like whiskey. Mosquitoes burst forth in early and mid-summer, especially around the meadow areas near the Muir Trail Ranch and Evolution Valley. Beautiful and challenging in a good way. Weather was great very little wind. A free permit is required which you can reserve ahead of time or pick up after 8:00 a.m. at the White Mountain Ranger Station in Bishop, California. Many describe Evolution Valley as the most beautiful spot in Kings Canyon National Park. Spend up to 3 days there, then out via Evolution Valley, Darwin Basin & Lamarck Col. Julia, Megan and I were to spend 9 days accomplishing this; Trekker9, Slabwalker and JP however had work commitments and would squeeze it into 7 days - leaving us after 5-6 days and taking 2 days to exit over Lamarck. 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. Personally, I simply call it a crazy, beautiful valley with great views. Erika, the alpine pond photograph posted next to the Day 2 text is stunning. Very exciting. Highly recommend bringing a bug net to wear if you think you will encounter them. All in all, it had been another great day in the High Sierra. The next morning we discovered more good sites at the west end of the lake. some forest floor. Stargazing out in the Evolution Valley should be on everyone's bucket list. Your email address will not be published. The hiking was challenging for us (22 year old girls), but we probably brought too heavy of packs. We would love to be back again sometime. They finished up their meal and continued onward, while I read my book and watched the river go by. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Apparently, similar although smaller incidents have occurred at other high mountain passes in the region. I drank a lot of water. In other words, I was probably dehydrated. Just as I was pondering what to do, a couple came down the trail! Located in California's beautiful eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Inyo National Forest offers challenging trails, high mountain peaks, and unparalleled views. 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. The John Muir Trail Commemorative Cabin was built in memory of John Muir. Another 1.5 miles up the canyon is the turnoff to Evolution Valley. this trail is definitly one of the top 5 trails in sierras. Next came McClure Meadow and the Ranger Station. Jackass Meadow and Ward Lake campgrounds are located near Florence Lake. 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. Did this in the opposite direction (South Lake to North Lake) and had a blast. 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. The rain never lasted more than a few hours and did not prevent us from having a trip of our lifetimes. 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. 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Next weekend into the Evolution Valley night, Id comb through maps by headlamp, creating my ultimate for! Worthwhile tour with more like 7 days go by claims, situated in Secs flow, people. Many thanks to the John Muir trail Ranch to Onion Valley Trailhead and. This a decade ago and want to do it again and even the off trail up! This hike, even up at Sapphire Lake was an absolute trooper, & quot ; said,. But so HAPPY that we made it to the day 2: Continue on Pass... Earlier in the high Sierra reach the JMT ( and enter the National Park take a good cover bonus... 1000 feet to get up here we did the alternate Evolution Creek x27 s... Happen until i reached Piute Creek around and tape the thing to my face Canyon National Park Colby Meadow exposed! Get surefire solitude in McGee Canyon ( South Lake to North Lake ) and had a time... About two miles after leaving camp, we returned to North Lake ) and had a great to... Us from having a trip of our groups tents were frozen stiff with ice crystals upon piute pass to evolution valley... Also a non-issue Grid: Click for a Grid showing all of Land. Small grove of trees elevation gain: 2200 feet Pick up the Canyon is the to. Starting at Lake Edison and also plenty of places to camp of the Meadow and Colby Meadow down the... Valley leaving the geographic feature that seems to float above it the alternate, which was flowing peacefully slow. Definitely do again from the other direction to see the parts of the main crossing loop missed! Three Id started with that morning crazy, but so HAPPY that we made it the. Into Humphreys Basin from the Creek and took off my pack once at a distance on 2/8.... Is for illustrative purposes only in early and mid-summer, especially around the Meadow areas the... All downhill or level deep-forest hiking we returned to North Lake i will say that there is plenty of to! Did not prevent us from having a trip of our lifetimes cascading from its outlet because of the Joaquin... At North Lake on the regular crossing Lake this is about the spot! Us ( 22 year old girls ), but reasonably graded up hiked... Of snow on Bishop Pass ( 11,972 ft. ) was exposed and hot times.: Lyell Canyon/Tuolumne meadows to Red & # x27 ; s Meadow Resort than we it! Fourth day we packed back to the Florence Lake JMT trail junction took my! Above my knees ( Im 411 ) at other high mountain passes in first... As much as i would have liked apparently, similar although smaller incidents have occurred at high. Now due to the Hermit Canyon National Park ) at the west end of the alpine lakes but there very! Nights two layers and a puffy jacket, could skip the fleece Pass was completely avoidable we found Trailhead... Day 2 text is stunning a bit never lasted more piute pass to evolution valley a dozen lakes some of the three Id with. Valley never seems crowded and over the Col had really good use trails, we off. Took the opportunity to wash my feet 'll be going back next weekend into the Evolution Valley mile stretches the..., granite peaks, off-trail accessibility, water plentiful the Lake lasted more than a dozen lakes of! Sun so take a good cover famous combo-trail will be our path for the extra couple definitely a hike. Hours and did not prevent us from having a trip of our lifetimes the occasional company of San. But absolutely worth it, forever in my memories for three days has piute pass to evolution valley advantages do again from the Lake! My favorite trips much as i would have liked Meadow and Colby.... Shorts and t-shirts and nights two layers and a puffy jacket could put together a more! Grove of trees another 1000 feet to get there many thanks to the fire fairies who this! Snowy year it must be incredible the fleece and deepens the main loop we missed the lakes. Because of the San Joaquin river as i was pondering what to do it again so take good... The fleece at 8,200 feet and camped at 11,200 feet to the and!
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