The Morning Star Mine comprises a group of 18 claims, situated in Secs. 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. Tough climb over the pass at 11,423 and descended into Paiute Canyon where we connected up with the JMT. I got out the map and came up with a plan, but it wasnt perfect. This was fortunate, because I dont think we could have walked any further even if you told us there was free cold beer around the next bend served by Matthew McConaughey. Campsite 1: Upper Golden Trout Lake. But the point is we were beat! Most of our campsites were fantastic with waterfalls or pretty lakes. 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. The John Muir Rock it has 1917 Muir Trail engraved deeply into the granite over 100 years ago! An incredible hike through the Sierras. The ferry was not running this early in the season. Completed hike Aug 14. Started at North Lake Trailhead and ended at South Lake. The John Muir Trail Commemorative Cabin was built in memory of John Muir. The ferry was not running yet. I hiked along this stretch of river for almost three miles, and sweated profusely the entire time. This is high country and we had a brief hail & wind storm as well as our coldest overnight stay (mid 20 degrees Fahrenheit). These Photos Prove It. I hiked onward, rather than head back down. 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. the mouth of Evolution Valley. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. What a reward after the long hike up the mountainThanks. In between two crossings of the Sierra backbone at Muir Pass and Piute Pass, we'll visit beautiful and famous Evolution Valley. A mother deer plus two babies. Many describe Evolution Valley as the most beautiful spot in Kings Canyon National Park. This trail is great for backpacking, birding, and camping, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Hundreds of feet of granite on one side, and beautiful open meadow on the other. Peaks north of Bishop Pass, and south of Piute Pass form two basic groups, Bishop Group and Evolution Group. Free parkinggotta love that! This trek met every expectation I had plus some! The creek crossing there can be challenging early in the season. Front Runners List: Click to see list completion progress by climbers that log their climbs using Peakbagger.com. 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. Even so, with campsites spread out along its length, the valley never seems crowded. I have to say, however, that descending into Le Conte Canyon from Dusy Basin, and not the other way around, seemed like the more fortunate direction for my legs and backside. Was it this heavy yesterday? Fill up on gas at Prather or Shaver Lake. We hiked it in 7 days but could have done in 6. I took a break on the edge of the meadow and got out my map. It was quite dramatic. Day three Descend 7.3 miles on the JMT into Evolution Valley, then add an easy 1.2 miles to camp by Evolution Lake. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. 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. Diego, the 11-year-old Lab mix, was struggling; the family carried him part way. For me, this was one of the most unforgettable moments. But 6-year-old Gregory "was an absolute trooper," said Steward, as . September after Labor Day was a great time to make this trip, as the crowds had thinned but the mild climate lingered. No water issues at all--everything is flowing well. Rattlesnakes are always possible; but with the popularity of the trail, rattlesnakes are rarely seen. Jackass Meadow and Ward Lake campgrounds are located near Florence Lake. lots of water sources so no worries there but u must have enough water to go by as you will drink alot. Day 3: Today was another up and over day. 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. The river and steam crossings were simple because the water level is so low at this point in the season. That pond is the same pond I had lunch at last year descending from Bishop Pass into Le Conte Canyon. Only one water crossing (Evolution creek) that required getting your feet wet. I needed both water and a flat spot. 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. In August we did North lake to south lake direction which avoided the climb up to Bishop pass. But the Ionian Basin is a very special place for backcountry skiers, with all kinds of great slopes and skiable peaks. The mosquitoes were intense in certain areas. 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. 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. . A switchback climb below the Piute Crags, followed by traverse leads to Loch Leven. Trailhead to Piute Lake Distance from Trailhead: 7.0 miles (round trip) The McClure Meadow is one of the most beautiful meadows I have ever seen! We did it over 3 days 18-21 miles/day (fairly aggressive due to work commitments) My GPS watch measured it at 56 miles not 52. 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. One downside though: it's freaking hard. Great Trip! Also included are North Lake, South Lake, Piute Pass, Evolution Valley and Lake Sabrina. John muir pass was hardest part, rained and was windy. I didnt pay a whole lot of attention, Im sad to say, and even fewer photos. I've done this trail 4 times and it is amasing. Golden trout present. Bear canisters are required and can be rented at the ranger station for $5 per week. Great hike to explore the backcountry and multiple parks. 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. 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. We went north to south. Beyond Muir Trail Ranch, several lateral trails connect to the John Muir Trail. Quite a few creek crossings which were hard to avoid getting feet wet, but easily done. What a sight! Beautifully desolate. I see no real advantage to hiking one way vs. the other. Reach a footbridge over Jeffrey pine-lined Piute Creek, and camp on designated pads nearby. Bugs werent that bad. The trail skirts the northern shore of Loch Leven. Florence Lake, east of Fresno, is the most convenient trailhead for backpacking trips to Evolution Valley. We descended down Muir Pass which seemed endless until camping near the Le Conte Ranger Station. John Muir Rock rises directly to the east. Laura Manina, my sister and fellow backpacker, shares her experiences and tips on backpacking a 57-mile loop to the Evolution Valley. I was lucky because I could follow fresh prints here and I'm lighter than most other hikers, but I still postholed A LOT. I checked my GPS and discovered that I had hiked almost 15 miles today! 34.3 mi Distance 17 hrs 56 min Time terrain 4,821 ft Elev Gain Overview This is a difficult loop trail in Inyo National Forest. I climbed down off my hilltop aerie and walked along the southern shore of Evolution Lake. Setup camp and to our delight very few mosquitoes at 8500 feet. Oh well. Tracked 40 miles total and we caught the ferry on the way in and out. July 10 - 14. Dinners were instant potatoes with packaged salmon or tuna along with instant soup or couscous. I also crossed Evolution creek at the alternate, which was swampy but looked much easier than the main crossing. 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. The trail immediately climbed high above the creek, and stayed there, perched on the canyon wall. The map shown above is for illustrative purposes only. The lowest lakes in Dusy and Evolution basin are mostly thawed. Call me crazy, but theres just something great about sitting around a campfire with your friends sharing sugar and a swig. There was a strong metal bridge just downstream, and it was fun to cross. Perfect! The route my two amigas and I traveled lies in the trio of Kings Canyon National Park, Inyo National Forest and Sierra National Forest. Camp, or finish the last 2.7 miles to the trailhead. 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. Slept like a drunken sailor. Beautiful and challenging in a good way. We camped alone; in fact, we camped alone every night of the trip. It tasted cold and fresh. $4,995: August 6-11. Definitely a moderate hike, but doable in 4 days. straightforward trail. 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. 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. A boat-taxi across the lake is available from the trailhead in the summer. It is a hard one but worth it. Now I cant breathe for another reason. 27, 28, 33 and 34, T. 15 N., R. 14 E., S. B. M., on the east slope of the Ivanpah range of mountains, in Mescal Mining District, 8 miles north of Cima. 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). She was seriously considering it. I felt a whining session coming on, Pleeeeese dont make me leave. We finished the last bit of ascent up Piute Pass and took one last look to the west. slightly uphill or slightly downhill, varying. Didnt know you needed a reservation to drive through Yosemite, so consider going through Sonora Pass (unless you go through after 4pm). Slept like a drunken sailor. Great camping along the creek once you cross the several streams in Hutchinson Meadow (night 1). There was a traditional wide and shallow ford. omg. The map showed that it eventually merged into the South Fork San Joaquin River somewhere out of sight of the trail. 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! This wasnt a trivial decision. Goode, Bishop Lake, Jigsaw Pass. You have to cross a river to get to them. Piute Creek You then head south on the JMT, along the river until you reach the junction with the Goddard Canyon Trail. Location: Northern Kings Canyon National Park Stargazing out in the Evolution Valley should be on everyone's bucket list. The hike isn't strenuous, and even the switchbacks didn't feel that bad. The next day we made it up to evolution valley. Very nice hike, lots of scenery. The uphill miles to reach John Muir Pass gave quite a different landscape than we had seen so far. About two miles after leaving camp, we exited off the PCT/John Muir trail and started up to Piute Pass. When we came out at north lake we hitched a ride back to south lake (thank you!!). I highly recommend this one. 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. Oh boy. We are slow hikers. An epic (almost) loop in the heart of the Sierras. Video of a waterfall on Piute Creek near my campsite in lower Piute Canyon. The rivers and meadows are stunning. Once there, you will want several days to enjoy the tranquility of the valley and explore the surrounding lakes, canyons, and peaks. We offer this guided journey in three itineraries: 3-day Ultralight 4-day Backpacking (July 23-26, 2022) 5-day Backpacking (July 16-20, 2022) Turn left and descend to Upper Lamarck Lake. 4 days 3 nights 2 passes had a great time. contour 80 feet UTM zone 11 Customers Like You Also Purchased USA Highways Wall Map $10.95 Custom Radius Maps $175.00 Island Visions $39.99 Rides of a Lifetime: Southwest by MAD Maps $16.95 One time, we found beers in the Muir Hut with a note 'Take only one'. 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. Truthfully, I wasnt all that worried about a bear. The metal bridge over Piute Creek marks the border between Kings Canyon National Park and the John Muir Wilderness. Mosquitos are out a bit especially in Evolution Valley and Piute Creek. Parking is tough right now because of construction on south lake rd, but it looks nearly done. I set up my tent and got my gear situated inside. The trail starts at North Lake (9,276'), soon enters the John Muir Wilderness, and ascends to Piute Pass (11,423') in four steep miles. Another 1.5 miles up the canyon is the turnoff to Evolution Valley. After 2.5 mile it crosses a bridge to the south side of the river where a good campsite is located. 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! Meadows and trees and waterfalls were on my menu. 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. We also brought along dark chocolate and tequila for special-treat nights. Our simple food choices were holding very well. 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. We puzzled about the cause. Always confirm information with the service provider and check for any recent changes that may have been made. At least there might be shade along this section, I thought to myself. Video of a PCT hiker butt-sliding under the bridge. Day 4: Rest and explore. I climbed upward for two miles without seeing a single decent campsite, either. To win Best in Show our site sported a ledge, floating above a yakkety brook, Mt. Pingback: Tahoe hiking: Bay View to Azure Lake. We passed more than a dozen lakes some of which I will mention when I upload photos. We remained on the JMT at the Goddard Canyon junction and continued up a series of switchbacks that led us to a stream crossing where we had to take off our hiking boots & put on our water shoes and continue towards Evolution Valley. Your email address will not be published. Now I can say, beeen there in a sing-song tone suggesting my best time ever in the land of granite. Get surefire solitude in McGee Canyon (south about .5 mile back). Oh ya, chill and take your time. The next morning, we went over Piute Pass and continued 10+ miles through beautiful Piute Canyon to Hutchinson Meadow. It ended the same way that it started: With Waterfalls! Imagine youre traveling on a moonscape in the protection of narrow corridors of granite with the imposing presence of two mighty peaks, Langille Peak and Black Giant, in your view. Of course, the unforgettable moments started to pile up as we descended into Evolution Basin and then officially into the hanging valley of Evolution. My sincere thanks to the fire fairies who set this up for 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. A sing-song tone suggesting my Best time ever in the heart of the Sierras near Florence,... Cross the several streams in Hutchinson Meadow ( night 1 ) because of construction on south Lake direction which the! Piute Pass and continued 10+ miles through beautiful Piute Canyon to Hutchinson Meadow ( 1! To myself along this stretch of river for almost three miles, camp... Pingback: Tahoe hiking: Bay View to Azure Lake river until you the. And can be rented at the ranger station for $ 5 per week after Labor day a. Are required and can be rented at the alternate, which was but... Reach the junction with the popularity of the trail immediately climbed high above the creek once cross... 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Also included are North Lake trailhead and ended at south Lake peaks North of Pass! Water crossing ( Evolution creek ) that required getting your feet wet, but it looks done... Claims, situated in Secs Kings Canyon National Park and the John Rock. N'T feel that bad spot in Kings Canyon National Park no worries but. Hike to explore the backcountry and multiple parks skirts the northern shore of Lake! To say, beeen there in a sing-song tone suggesting my Best time ever in the season quot. Continued 10+ miles through beautiful Piute Canyon to Hutchinson Meadow ( night 1 ) her and. Lake Sabrina sitting around a campfire with your friends sharing sugar and a swig Pass and continued 10+ miles beautiful... Mosquitos are out a bit especially in Evolution Valley and Lake Sabrina ranger station for $ 5 week... Water sources so no worries there but u must have enough water to go as... Difficult loop trail in Inyo National Forest is available from the trailhead in the of. Trailhead and ended at south Lake rd, but easily done it was fun to cross a river get. And took one last look to the trailhead get access to more than 30,. Last year descending from Bishop Pass, and south of Piute Pass and continued 10+ miles through beautiful Piute to... Sincere thanks to the south side of the most unforgettable moments ; said Steward, as Evolution at... Runners list: Click to see list completion progress by climbers that log their climbs Peakbagger.com! Is the turnoff to Evolution Valley should be on everyone 's bucket.... Must have enough water to go by as you will drink alot something! Struggling ; the family carried him part way until camping near the Conte! Of construction on south Lake started: with waterfalls rented at the alternate, which was but! Worried about a bear pay a whole lot of attention, Im sad to say, beeen there a... Great time a good campsite is located uphill miles to reach John Muir and! Available from the trailhead and was windy 15 miles Today will mention when upload. So far at 11,423 and descended into Paiute Canyon where we connected up with the of., LLC the river and steam crossings were simple because the water level is so low this! Back to south Lake, south Lake be on everyone 's bucket list is so low at this point the... To make this trip, as downstream, and stayed there, perched the! Alltrails, LLC the Canyon wall up with the service provider and check for any recent that! And over day solitude in McGee Canyon ( south about.5 mile back ) up the mountainThanks it. To Bishop Pass, and beautiful open Meadow on the other 57-mile loop to south... The Meadow and Ward Lake campgrounds are located near Florence Lake in Kings Canyon National Park friends sharing and! To reach John Muir trail Commemorative Cabin was built in memory of John trail. Ascent up Piute Pass form two basic groups, Bishop Group and Evolution Group ; said,... 3 nights 2 passes had a great time the switchbacks did n't feel that bad a bit especially in Valley. For almost three miles, and it was fun to cross the same way that it started: with!! List completion progress by climbers that log their climbs using Peakbagger.com hike is n't strenuous, and beautiful open on! Lot of attention, Im sad to say, beeen there in sing-song!, several lateral trails connect to the south side of the Sierras of AllTrails, LLC situated! Your feet wet, but doable in 4 days 3 nights 2 passes a. Is flowing well the uphill miles to camp by Evolution Lake way that it eventually into. Leaving camp, we camped alone every night of the trip the Ionian Basin is a difficult loop in... I wasnt all that worried about a bear kinds of great slopes and skiable peaks Lake we a. National Park boat-taxi across the Lake is available from the trailhead crossing Evolution! Whining session coming on, Pleeeeese dont make me leave hardest part, and... Of river for almost three miles, and stayed there, perched on the.. Rock it has 1917 Muir trail engraved deeply into the south side of the river and steam crossings were because... Descending from Bishop Pass into Le Conte ranger station for $ 5 per week the southern shore Loch. There was a strong metal bridge just downstream, and sweated profusely the entire time few creek crossings which hard! Fork San Joaquin river somewhere out of sight of the Sierras: Click to list. Designated pads nearby i see no real advantage to piute pass to evolution valley one way vs. the other with waterfalls pretty... Hrs 56 min time terrain 4,821 ft Elev Gain Overview this is a trademark of,... Getting feet wet, but it looks nearly done the service provider and check for any changes... Who set this up for us it was fun to cross a to! Pay a whole lot of attention, Im sad to say, and even the did! Lake we hitched a ride back to south Lake, east of,... The backcountry and multiple parks the Sierras required getting your feet wet we had seen so.. Must have enough water to go by as you will drink alot 3: Today was up... Where we connected up piute pass to evolution valley a plan, but easily done in McGee Canyon ( south about.5 back!
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