The ferry was not running yet. I wished her well. 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. GoPro video as I forded Evolution Creek, just north of Evolution Meadow. 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. Several of our trails give entry to the John Muir Trail or Pacific Crest Trail with the opportunity to trek in the longest roadless section of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. It was a fine pace, but sometimes I just wanted the extra time to really settle into the vistas. Youll find other good campsites on this knoll. Bear canisters are required and can be rented at the ranger station for $5 per week. The first day we stopped at the Florence lake bridge. . And it was! Didnt know you needed a reservation to drive through Yosemite, so consider going through Sonora Pass (unless you go through after 4pm). Then I ate some dinner and took photos and videos of the waterfall that was just downstream from my tent. More like a river. The trail skirts the northern shore of Loch Leven. Oh, yes, this was heavenly! I ate my usual cup of hot oatmeal and packed up my gear. Monday, they crossed 11,500-foot Piute Pass. 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. Did this 8/8-8/12, 5 days / 4 nights. Reach a footbridge over Jeffrey pine-lined Piute Creek, and camp on designated pads nearby. Apparently, similar although smaller incidents have occurred at other high mountain passes in the region. . At the top was Evolution Valleyas a wannabe biologist, I fell in love with the name. My inner dialogues attitude was quickly adjusted when I looked back from whence we cameMt. Ahead, tackle a class 2 scramble to Lamarck Col. Crest Lamarck Col, then drop down the backside. Warm days in the upper 70s and the nights werent too cool either, even up at sapphire lake. Soon the trail crossed Evolution Creek, which was quite large at this point. It tasted cold and fresh. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. This is one of my favorite trips of many in the eastern Sierra. 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 The ferry usually runs from early June to late September, every day at 2-hour intervals beginning at 8:30 AM at the store end of the lake and making its last run from the far end at 5 PM. Oh well. Follow signs pointing to Kings Canyon National Park. No more High Sierra tundra for me today! Day 2: Continue on Piute Pass to reach the JMT (and enter the national park). We passed more than a dozen lakes some of which I will mention when I upload photos. 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. It follows the south fork of the San Joaquin and Evolution Creek nearly all the way. Beautiful scenery, abundant water, breathtaking vistas. The Best backpacking hike ever! Deer are seen occasionally. Those first four and last four miles are always the hottest. I finally had a chance to use the water shoes Id been carrying! Very nice hike, lots of scenery. $3,395: Description Itinerary Resources The John Muir Trail is one of the finest hikes to be found anywhere in the world. 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. When we came out at north lake we hitched a ride back to south lake (thank you!!). My sincere thanks to the fire fairies who set this up for us. We would love to be back again sometime. 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. Finally, two ladies told me that there was a spot just ahead, right next to the creek! Many hikers enjoy the week-long loop from North Lake, around through Evolution Valley, over Muir Pass, and eventually heading out over Bishop Pass to South Lake. There were several wet crossings during the first three or four miles. But it was still too hot for climbing, I told myself. We had it easy in September, but Ive heard that earlier in the season hikers should be prepared for more difficult fordings. Good campsites can be found there also. 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. Campsite 2: Just past the footbridge over Piute Creek, set up camp on these designated pads. It is a hard one but worth it. Evolution Creek had already joined forces and the river was much larger. This site had been used for years, and there were several flat spots. 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. This famous combo-trail will be our path for the next 26.5 miles. We puzzled about the cause. Even in this dry year of 2021, there seemed to be a decent amount of water in the creek. The forest and meadows of Evolution Valley had been very beautiful, as had the waterfalls along the way. Many thanks to her for this great post and pictures! Hi, Jeff; Thank you for your compliment of my photo. Great hike to explore the backcountry and multiple parks. some forest floor. Your email address will not be published. The North Lake-South Lake loop is there High Sierra at its very best! Moderate to the rim of the valley. The best time ever, I mean. amazing. Mosquitoes were everywhere but easily controlled with DEET and an (optional) headnet. Golden trout present. 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. On the way back, check out the Blayney hot springs - they are magical! Tough climb over the pass at 11,423 and descended into Paiute Canyon where we connected up with the JMT. I got my leg stuck in postholes multiple times where I had to sit down and dig it out with my hands. My AllTrails recording showed 59.4 miles at the termination point (South Lake overnight parking lot) with over 10,000' elevation gain. The lake is 53 miles east of Prather. 1 decision & planning. Life was good again. The rest were lazy snoozers. Then continue up the valley to McClure Meadow. I see no real advantage to hiking one way vs. the other. My [growing] Collection of Top Utah Hiking Trails, Five ways to make enemies at a public campground, Seeking Powder Hounds: Heli-Skiing the Northwest. I only had about a liter left of the three Id started with that morning. Another 1.5 miles up the canyon is the turnoff to Evolution Valley. 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. 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! One of the greatest hikes I've ever done. From there we day packed to evolution lake the third day. We camped up there on our second night. Another 1.5 miles up the canyon is the turnoff to Evolution Valley. Historical side note: Evolution Valley was named by Theodore Solomons . $4,995: August 6-11. We parked 3mi down from the trailhead in the overnight parking and caught a ride in the construction workers truck bed (thank you!). 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. That was a big mistake. The trail on the left leads to Lower Honeymoon Lake. The most challenging part of the hike was crossing the river. Crest Piute Pass, then drop down toward Summit Lake. I want to hike West to East in the lowest part of the evolution valley, beginning at Edison Lake. The Bishop Group is accessible from the South Lake Trailhead, either to Treasure Lakes, or Bishop Pass. Camp at Wanda! Always confirm information with the service provider and check for any recent changes that The next morning, we went over Piute Pass and continued 10+ miles through beautiful Piute Canyon to Hutchinson Meadow. 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! Completed hike Aug 14. I started hiking up the Piute Pass Trail, hoping to camp two miles further Piute Creek, below, and Mount Henry. Overall a great hike in the High Sierras. Many describe Evolution Valley as the most beautiful spot in Kings Canyon National Park. Others seemed to have no issues on the regular crossing. Lots of camping spots with water so you can make your day as long or short as you like. I told them to skip Oregon, because it sounded mostly like boring forest with no views, and a hiker named Strawberry told me that there was a thing called Oregon in Two Weeks which skips the lame parts. This was the most difficult day as we ascended over 3200 with 30+ & 40+ lb packs. Starting at Lake Sabrina we could do a proper loop with just two 2 mile stretches on the road. straightforward trail. Did in 4.5 days south to north. Oh well. Some hikers like to stop for a soak at the public hot springs across the river, just beyond the Muir Trail Ranch. 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 . Erika, the alpine pond photograph posted next to the Day 2 text is stunning. I took a break on the edge of the meadow and got out my map. Parking: A large parking lot for overnight trips is situated close to the lake. I needed both water and a flat spot. 3 trip report day 5-8: Lyell Canyon/Tuolumne Meadows to Red's Meadow Resort. The trail neared Piute Creek, and I didnt bother to get any water the trail stayed high and dry afterward. The trees were also providing good shade, except for a couple of bare places where avalanches had swept the forest away, leaving only chest-high chaparral. 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. Muir Pass ~. 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. After lunch was finished, I reluctantly put on my pack and continued hiking in the roasting sun. 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. They finished up their meal and continued onward, while I read my book and watched the river go by. Driving times may vary based on conditions. Florence Lake Store and Ferry. I had descended 2500 feet and climbed another 1000 feet to get up here. Hours may vary with the seasons, so check out their website or call (760) 873-2500. But it helped me make up my mind. The trail stayed high up on the canyon side, so I couldnt easily get down to the water to soak my head. Id have the trail to myself for a while. Plenty of camp sites a long the way. Privacy Policy, Learn about the Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge. John Muir Rock rises directly to the east. One downside though: it's freaking hard. Maybe if I was lucky there would be a breeze. Be careful with water supply if you want to spent the night at Muir pass as there is none. Piute Pass was comparatively easy with just a few snow patches. It often has waterfalls cascading from its outlet because of the abrupt drop off. The first 36 miles from Prather to Huntington Lake via Highway 168 are over good mountain road. Florence Lake, east of Fresno, is the most convenient trailhead for backpacking trips to Evolution Valley. Lots of mosquitos in some areas. Day four Rest and explore. Evolution Valley has always been high on my list of things to do. 2 trip report day 0-4: getting in & Yosemite National Park warm up. There's no reason to hurry -- it's such awesome, varied country. Day three Descend 7.3 miles on the JMT into Evolution Valley, then add an easy 1.2 miles to camp by Evolution Lake. Well worth every step! Video of a PCT hiker butt-sliding under the bridge. By the time I was ready to hike I looked down at the tents below me on the shore of the lake and only one person had crawled out of their tent. Day 4: Rest and explore. 11/10/2022 - Expect . Quite a few creek crossings which were hard to avoid getting feet wet, but easily done. I sat down on a boulder near my gear and got out some snack. Tiny bit of snow on bishop pass was completely avoidable. Bishop Pass Trail to John Muir Trail to Piute Trail. 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. Breathtaking landscapes. 1993 . 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 This loop begins and ends at the North Lake trailhead. the mouth of Evolution Valley. We passed more than a dozen lakes some of which I will mention when I upload photos. 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). 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