Turn left and cross the South Fork San Joaquin River. Day 1 South Lake over Bishop Pass to Upper Dusy Basin: 7.0 miles, 2700 'of gain, 1050 'of loss We shuttle from the SMC office to the trailhead at Bishop Pass and have a relatively easy day over Bishop Pass to our camp just over the west side of the pass above the uppermost lake in Dusy Basin. This loop begins and ends at the North Lake trailhead. Plenty of water along the trail and also plenty of places to camp. I only had about a liter left of the three Id started with that morning. 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 4 trip report day 8-12: Red's Meadow Resort to Muir Trail Ranch. Im a layman, what can I say? Follow it 2.1 miles back to the trailhead. 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. counter-balance method. 7/19/2014 - 17.03 miles, 2,992 AEG - Piute Bridge to Evolution Creek The day started with a six mile roundtrip hike to Muir Trail Ranch to obtain our resupply. Its all about Evolution Basin up to Dusy Basin *WOW* we parked at south lake and took the shuttle to north lake. Trailhead to Piute Lake Distance from Trailhead: 7.0 miles (round trip) No more High Sierra tundra for me today! Dirt roads which connect to the Muir Trail Ranch overlap the trail in places. Day 4: Today turned out to be a truly cushy one. There was still quite a bit of snow on the surrounding mountains and still ice in the 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Campsite 4: Darwin Canyon. 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. Then it is violently opposed. For me, this was one of the most unforgettable moments. I sucked the last of my water from the hose and hiked on, filled with new energy. She was seriously considering it. The lowest lakes in Dusy and Evolution basin are mostly thawed. It was a smooth and quick process. Absolutely beautiful. Pick up the trail on the eastern edge of Upper Lamarck Lake. I would love to do it sometime, so thank you for the inspiration. The Evolution Loop is a magnificent route through some of the most inspiring terrain in the High Sierra. Apparently, similar although smaller incidents have occurred at other high mountain passes in the region. Day three Descend 7.3 miles on the JMT into Evolution Valley, then add an easy 1.2 miles to camp by Evolution Lake. Finally, two ladies told me that there was a spot just ahead, right next to the creek! 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! 5.1 trip report. This was an absolute must do trail! Highly recommend spending time in McClure Meadow if possible on this hike. Enjoy! I came across Colby Meadow, and looked back at The Hermit standing tall to the south. Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. An epic (almost) loop in the heart of the Sierras. 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. Our group of six left a vehicle at the termination point (South Lake trailhead) then drove to the North Lake overnight parking lot and we started our journey in the late afternoon. The ferry is $25 roundtrip, or $13 one way. Notice that when I downsized my load I didnt ditch the tequila. Campsites: Lake Georg, Long Lake, descent down from Dusy Basin, Helen Lake, McLure Meadow, Puite Canyon Trail, Summit Lake. The river is nice to camp by here. 11/10/2022 - Expect . Video of a waterfall on Piute Creek near my campsite in lower Piute Canyon. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. Then I continued north. Western States Climbers Emblem Peaks Showing Kimberly Berg's first ascent dates for climbed peaks (0 out of 129, or 0%) Turn left and descend to Upper Lamarck Lake. 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 continued down through the forest, not far from the creek, until I neared the northern end of Evolution Valley. Muir Pass The first thing the trail did was cross the river on a wooden bridge, far upstream from its merging with Evolution Creek, so it was still relatively small. Tiny bit of snow on bishop pass was completely avoidable. A boat-taxi across the lake is available from the trailhead in the summer. We got there between 4:30-5 on a week day and there wasn't anyone available -- so we hitched and got a ride pretty easily. Multiple Ascents Grid: Click for a grid showing all of Chris Land Hiked 6/12-6/17. The air seemed to be getting a bit cooler, so I packed up my stuff and headed out. Day four Rest and explore. I was breathing so hard I started to suspect my companions might have embraced some trail humor and stashed their heavy items in my pack when I wasnt looking. Piute Creek You then head south on the JMT, along the river until you reach the junction with the Goddard Canyon Trail. After 2.5 mile it crosses a bridge to the south side of the river where a good campsite is located. July 10 - 14. Always confirm information with the service provider and check for any recent changes that
Life was good again. Layover at Sapphire Lake while weather passed. Good thing bruins dont like whiskey. Did South to North lake. I found a spot right next to the creek in the shade of a small grove of trees. On the way back, check out the Blayney hot springs - they are magical! Now, an 81-year old. We had perfect weather, saw some incredible scenery and wildlife, and had an overall fantastic time! I checked my GPS and discovered that I had hiked almost 15 miles today! A couple of mosquitos came out in the cooler air as the shadow of the mountain came into camp. 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. GoPro video as I forded Evolution Creek, just north of Evolution Meadow. That was about 8 miles, we had wanted to camp at the meadow but was beat so made camp a couple miles sooner. Completed 14-17AUG. Another 1.5 miles up the canyon is the turnoff to Evolution Valley. Next we go through Evolution Valley skirting Darwin Canyon, passing through Evolution Basin and crossing the Goddard Divide just before going over Muir Pass (11,855'). Evolution Creek had already joined forces and the river was much larger. Water was everywhere but crossings were Ok. Bugs were not a issue. 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. 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. Reach a footbridge over Jeffrey pine-lined Piute Creek, and camp on designated pads nearby. But the views from the trail made up for it. My understanding is that dogs are not allowed in the Kings Canyon National Park. North to South Lake is the easiest way to go with passes not too difficult. The Guthook PCT app on my phone showed most of the camping spots along the main trail, but it didnt show any of them on the trail I was about to take. This is about the halfway spot. My wife and I did the trek in June with our 9 month old in tow. We took the ferry both ways to save us some time and miles! We are slow hikers. I set up my tent and got my gear situated inside. Free parkinggotta love that! The Best backpacking hike ever! 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. From there, you head back west and up up up to Evolution Valley and then Evolution Basin - finally topping out at the summit of Muir Pass. North Lake to Hutchinson Meadow is very straightforward. The canister is a whole lotta bulky but is worth its weight should a bruin decide hed like some chocolate with his berries. Historical side note: Evolution Valley was named by Theodore Solomons . Ahead, tackle a class 2 scramble to Lamarck Col. Crest Lamarck Col, then drop down the backside. Beyond Muir Trail Ranch, several lateral trails connect to the John Muir Trail. I got out the map and came up with a plan, but it wasnt perfect. Only one water crossing (Evolution creek) that required getting your feet wet. 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. Though cooler than July, day-wear was still shorts and t-shirts and nights two layers and a puffy jacket. No storms. Backpackers are really friendly and fun, so it was a good time. I had descended 2500 feet and climbed another 1000 feet to get up here. Absolutely beautiful the whole time! My first suggestion is if you have seven days to make this trip, your body and spirit will thank you. The views along the way make up for it. Video of a PCT hiker butt-sliding under the bridge. Or bag flattopped Mt. The climb up to Piute Pass was uneventful, passing a series of lakes on the way to the day's high point. That night we enjoyed a campfire in Aspen Meadow since we were below 10,000 feet and there were already the makings for a fire ready to go! Day 4: Rest and explore. Reports of hail and lightning from others along the trail. 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. Grand views of the high sierra. Beautifully desolate. What seemed like an irritating setback at the time, ended up giving us a chance to acclimate a bit before hauling ourselves, and 40 unaccustomed pounds, over Bishop Pass. When we crossed the river it was only about knee deep and also like to mention NO mosquitoes so we were super lucky. 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 . This high col skips the portion in Humphrey's Basin, Piute Meadows and Evolution Valley resulting in total distance of about 35 miles. The trail leads through Double and Blayney meadows. By heading upstream on a use-trail for a quarter mile to a meadow, you will find a shallower ford. There were only 2-3 times where I needed to use my AllTrails app to figure out the correct way to continue. 10/10 would recommend! 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. Every effort is made to provide accurate and up to date information, but we cannot be responsible for errors or for changes that may have occurred since publication. straightforward trail. Water is abundant if you plan it right. 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. This famous combo-trail will be our path for the next 26.5 miles. The trail wandered along through the forest, not far from Evolution Creek, which was flowing peacefully and slow. Note: Bishop Pass hikers will encounter dozens deer skeletons on the steep slope below Bishop Pass. Once over Bishop Pass, we descended down approximately 5-6 miles to South Lake where we ended our journey. They were having a seriously fun time on a hot Summers Day. Following that, we returned to North Lake via Lamarck Col, a high pass just short of 13,000'. There's no reason to hurry -- it's such awesome, varied country. Piute Creek to Evolution Creek, 3.5 miles Beyond Piute Creek the trail stays close to the river, working its way up the canyon. Day Zero Travel day. Jessie Wheeler. 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! Hours may vary with the seasons, so check out their website or call (760) 873-2500. The trail distance from the junction of the San Joaquin River and Evolution Creek to the summit of Muir Pass is 15.4 miles / 24.8 kilometres (mile 113.2 to mile 128.6 in the Blackwoods Press John Muir Trail Atlas). Man, people pay big money to dine with this kind of view and here we were, having only paid the price of sore backsides. I have done it over 4 days - 3 nights and my backpack was around 42 pounds. Wanda(sorry if mistaken) is full of mosquitos, prepare mesh covering for you face. I highly recommend this one. GoPro video as I crossed the wooden bridge. Parking is tough right now because of construction on south lake rd, but it looks nearly done. 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. My AllTrails recording showed 59.4 miles at the termination point (South Lake overnight parking lot) with over 10,000' elevation gain. While the passes were more challenging and toward the beginning going CW, we loved the direction we chose. 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? We slept in our vehicle at the trailhead the night before starting. Of course, the unforgettable moments started to pile up as we descended into Evolution Basin and then officially into the hanging valley of Evolution. 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. Oh well. 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. Started at North Lake Trailhead and ended at South Lake. Then continue up the valley to McClure Meadow. We were usually finished hiking each day between 2-5 PM giving us plenty of time to enjoy the area. However, on the way back from Forsyth, I had some time to think about it while dealing with trail miles.On paper, 55 miles with 10k vertical in 12h15 looks soft; Yours Truly ran 50 miles with 12k vertical in about 9 hours at San Juan Solstice, and the . 1993 . 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. Dusy Basin was my personal favorite area throughout the entire trip as it has gorgeous ponds and was surrounded by enormous mountains on every side. The rest were lazy snoozers. No mosquitos. Okay, I need my camera again. It ended the same way that it started: With Waterfalls! The log cabin is located on the right side of the trail as you hike south a short distance before the Piute Creek bridge. Hi, Jeff; Thank you for your compliment of my photo. As I hiked along, I met several PCT Through-Hikers heading north. One way for an adult is $15, round-trip $28; children 12 and under are $7 and $13. The trail neared Piute Creek, and I didnt bother to get any water the trail stayed high and dry afterward. Me either, until we exited the forest at about 11,000 feet and monster granite views appeared. Great camping along the creek once you cross the several streams in Hutchinson Meadow (night 1). 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. It happens from glacial erosion that widens and deepens the main valley leaving the geographic feature that seems to float above it. 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 North Lake-South Lake loop is there High Sierra at its very best! Day 2: In the morning, we broke camp early and switch-backed up to Bishop Pass. Piute Pass. Evolution Valley was about four miles long, and descended from 10,000 to 9,000 feet elevation, which was quite a mellow grade, and definitely below the treeline. 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 is one of my favorite trips of many in the eastern Sierra. Day 1: The first day held an unexpected bonus in that, inadvertently, it turned out to be Get-used-to-less-oxygen Day. So prepare rain And wind covering if comfort is a must. And it was! The One Subscription to Fuel All Your Adventures. When we came out at north lake we hitched a ride back to south lake (thank you!!). The trail descended steeply into the forest as it left Evolution Basin. The forest and meadows of Evolution Valley had been very beautiful, as had the waterfalls along the way. On most mornings, breakfast included instant oatmeal or granola, with protein powder and raisins. 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. Beautiful and challenging in a good way. No water issues at all--everything is flowing well. Actually now that we've gone to North to South, I'd hope to go the opposite direction someday, as the ascent to Muir Pass via LeConte Canyon would be thrilling. It was also one of the last areas explored by early park pioneers. I was overjoyed, and felt a million times better. Quite a few creek crossings which were hard to avoid getting feet wet, but easily done. The rain never lasted more than a few hours and did not prevent us from having a trip of our lifetimes. I left the trail to follow right along the creek, and took way too many photos and videos. I didnt see anyone moving this time. 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. Tehipite Valley Trail: Begins at Wishon Reservoir. In August we did North lake to south lake direction which avoided the climb up to Bishop pass. There must have been many more waterfalls on the way down, but, sadly, that wasnt part of my plan for the day. Good campsites can be found there also. It was a fine pace, but sometimes I just wanted the extra time to really settle into the vistas. 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! Muir Pass snow is melting fast and maybe only 1.5 miles worth heading northbound and maybe 2 over towards Sapphire Lake. Did this 8/8-8/12, 5 days / 4 nights. Evolution Lake was beautiful! Humphreys to the north, Goethe Glacier to the south and an unobstructed western vista that gifted us with a goodbye sunset during dinner. Beautiful trip! 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! At least there might be shade along this section, I thought to myself. 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. The McClure Meadow is one of the most beautiful meadows I have ever seen! A mother deer plus two babies. lots of water sources so no worries there but u must have enough water to go by as you will drink alot. Just finished the loop from south lake to north lake. Day two Continue on Piute Pass to reach the JMT (and enter the national park) at mile 17.4. Moderate. 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. Moderate to the rim of the valley. We hiked this loop from North to South Lake. It was desert like in the high alpine on that side. Sign up for Outside+ today. This is a beautiful post. Your email address will not be published. The trail includes one major unbridged crossing of Evolution Creek - often an exciting wade during the spring run-off - and three . Soon the trail crossed Evolution Creek, which was quite large at this point. Hike up Muir Pass, down to Le Conte Ranger Station. A mother deer plus two babies. This was the most difficult day as we ascended over 3200 with 30+ & 40+ lb packs. 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. The Sierra Peaks Section was established in 1955. Just what I didnt need. Get full access to Outside Learn, our online education hub featuring in-depth fitness, nutrition, and adventure courses and more than 2,000 instructional videos when you sign up for Outside+ Thunder some days. Found some spots to camp about 2 miles from the pass. Maybe not bathing for three days has its advantages. 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