Piute Creek You then head south on the JMT, along the river until you reach the junction with the Goddard Canyon Trail. This was an absolute must do trail! That felt great! Turn left and descend to Upper Lamarck Lake. They finished up their meal and continued onward, while I read my book and watched the river go by. She was seriously considering it. Water was everywhere but crossings were Ok. Bugs were not a issue. 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 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 . Continue straight at the 3-way. My mood was improving by the minute! The display of grand peaks, a broad, grassy meadow, and a gently meandering stream make the valley a popular destination. Piute Pass actually puts you into the upper reaches of the San Joaquin River Basin (So. "All truth goes through three stages. 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 not very buggy and lightly rained on 2/8 days. Hike up Muir Pass, down to Le Conte Ranger Station. We found several amazing campsites just off the east side of the trail that held us warm and protected from the wind. . Do you wish to share an stories about that particular spot? About two miles after leaving camp, we exited off the PCT/John Muir trail and started up to Piute Pass. There were several wet crossings during the first three or four miles. Day 4: Evolution Valley to Piute Creek. The climb up to Piute Pass was uneventful, passing a series of lakes on the way to the day's high point. Plenty of water along the trail and also plenty of places to camp. My inner dialogues attitude was quickly adjusted when I looked back from whence we cameMt. Trailhead to Piute Lake Distance from Trailhead: 7.0 miles (round trip) slightly uphill or slightly downhill, varying. From there we day packed to evolution lake the third day. At first the canyon was narrow, and the river had created deep channels to flow through. Sign up for Outside+ today. Then I got some water and filtered it. Enjoy! I only had about a liter left of the three Id started with that morning. An incredible hike through the Sierras. It had taken me almost twelve hours, although I have to admit that I took several very long breaks. More like a river. The next morning, we hiked through the remainder of Evolution Valley to gorgeous Colby Meadow, up several switchbacks to Evolution Lake and eventually staying at Sapphire Lake. Parking: A large parking lot for overnight trips is situated close to the lake. It was gorgeous. Highly recommend bringing a bug net to wear if you think you will encounter them. 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. This site had been used for years, and there were several flat spots. Warm days in the upper 70s and the nights werent too cool either, even up at sapphire lake. The ferry is worth it if its running. They were having a seriously fun time on a hot Summers Day. The ferry is $25 roundtrip, or $13 one way. Day 2 Dusy Basin to Big Pete Meadow I found a spot right next to the creek in the shade of a small grove of trees. Starting at the North Lake TH, we will cross Piute Pass (11,423'). There was still quite a bit of snow on the surrounding mountains and still ice in the lake. Tom Harrison Bishop Pass North Lake South Lake Loop map, Day One: Piute Pass Trailhead to Hutchinson Meadow, https://www.google.com/maps/dir/37.1690269,-118.5659703/Parchers+Resort/@37.1821746,-118.5605844,15z/data=!4m9!4m8!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x80be22599824d057:0x2d65d233d333ba3!2m2!1d-118.558043!2d37.18528!3e0?hl=en, https://www.google.com/maps/dir/37.2214526,-118.6047098/North+Lake+Hiker+Parking/@37.2218114,-118.6169192,15z/data=!4m9!4m8!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x80be212c5ba6930b:0x4fdb45ddf9fd610a!2m2!1d-118.6186999!2d37.2306136!3e0?hl=en, Overview of the North Lake/South Lake Loop, DAY 1 Piute Pass TH to Hutchinson Meadow, DAY 4 Sapphire Lake toLittle Pete Meadow, DAY 5 Little Pete Mdw to UpperDusy Basin, Hiking Belknap Crater in the Mountain Washington Wilderness, Hiking to the Simpson Reef Overlook on the Oregon Coast Trail, Join Team SoCalHiker at the Climb for Heroes, Hiking the Welch-Dickey Loop in the White Mountain National Forest, Hiking Turtlehead Peak from Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, How to deal with accidents while hiking in the winter. if you go over table top mountain you can make it a complete loop. After lunch was finished, I reluctantly put on my pack and continued hiking in the roasting sun. Mostly True Stories of My Hiking Trips, a PhotoJournal. Maybe I was oxygen-starved, but my companions said they were similarly affected. Ooops! There was a traditional wide and shallow ford. Found some spots to camp about 2 miles from the pass. 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. Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. Which didnt happen until I reached Piute Creek and the metal bridge that crossed it. Evolution Creek had already joined forces and the river was much larger. Campsites: Lake Georg, Long Lake, descent down from Dusy Basin, Helen Lake, McLure Meadow, Puite Canyon Trail, Summit Lake. Jackass Meadow and Ward Lake campgrounds are located near Florence Lake. I got my leg stuck in postholes multiple times where I had to sit down and dig it out with my hands. That was about 8 miles, we had wanted to camp at the meadow but was beat so made camp a couple miles sooner. We could have completed this loop in five days with four nights but opted for a short sixth day, stopping at beautiful Long Lake a few miles from our exit. The trail on the left leads to Lower Honeymoon Lake. Deer are seen occasionally. Do I really get to be here? John Muir Trail, Evolution Valley, and Goddard Canyon access point. 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 SteriPen uses UV light to kill the germs. Me either, until we exited the forest at about 11,000 feet and monster granite views appeared. I plan to get back there this month with Located in California's beautiful eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, Inyo National Forest offers challenging trails, high mountain peaks, and unparalleled views. The normal crossing is not recommended now due to the higher flow, so people have been crossing upstream a bit. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Some hike this route from the other direction, north to south. But the views from the trail made up for it. ~. Mosquitoes were everywhere but easily controlled with DEET and an (optional) headnet. 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. Day 4: Rest and explore. The year 2021 was certainly one of the driest in a long time, as it was early July and the hills were bone dry. Evolution Lake has lots of excellent campsites. Leisurely pace over 6 days / 7 nights, This was an amazing hike! 11/10/2022 - Expect . Then I continued north. GoPro video as I crossed the wooden bridge. The uphill miles to reach John Muir Pass gave quite a different landscape than we had seen so far. 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. The stars up there were surreal. But that suited me fine. The fourth day we packed back to the Florence lake JMT trail junction. Tracked 40 miles total and we caught the ferry on the way in and out. The forest and meadows of Evolution Valley had been very beautiful, as had the waterfalls along the way. After the narrows, the valley widened and there were many hot and sunny meadows that I trudged through, at least according to the map. 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. Permits issued from the White . Erika, the alpine pond photograph posted next to the Day 2 text is stunning. Usually we did it in 7 days. Speaking of water, we regularly forded streams ranging from little hip-hop creeks to put-on-your-water-shoes-and-unbuckle-your-pack soakers! Oh boy. Slightly brutal at times-especially for a beginner- but the views are unmatched. Notice that when I downsized my load I didnt ditch the tequila. The metal bridge over Piute Creek marks the border between Kings Canyon National Park and the John Muir Wilderness. Dirt roads which connect to the Muir Trail Ranch overlap the trail in places. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. Oh ya, chill and take your time. Oh, yes, this was heavenly! Camp at Wanda Lake along the trail to Muir Pass; no campsites after first quarter mile (night 3). There must have been many more waterfalls on the way down, but, sadly, that wasnt part of my plan for the day. The trail on the right leads north into French Canyon. Evolution Valley. I've done this trail 4 times and it is amasing. Required fields are marked *. Did South to North lake. The best hike of my life. lots of water sources so no worries there but u must have enough water to go by as you will drink alot. Historical side note: Evolution Valley was named by Theodore Solomons . 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. Bishop and Muir Pass are still very snowy. I heard it thundering off to the side of the trail and went over to check it out, and Im glad I did. I jumped up and pumped them for information. GoPro video as I forded Evolution Creek, just north of Evolution Meadow. 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. We hiked through Evolution Meadow and decided to stay a few miles away near the McClure Meadow Ranger Station (closed due to Covid-19). 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. The Continue straight at this 3-way in Hutchinson Meadow. We headed over Piute Pass and into Humphreys Basin from the North Lake Trailhead. The hike to Evolution Valley was exposed and hot at times. Now, an 81-year old. The next day we made it up to evolution valley. Our simple food choices were holding very well. Cottonwood to Onion Valley: Onion Valley to Bishop Pass: Evolution Loop: July 28-August 4. Beyond Huntington, the road narrows and in places is steep and windy as it climbs over 9,184-foot Kaiser Pass and descends to Florence and Edison lakes. Along the way it climbs over 13,000' passes, wanders beneath high . I think this might be a great time to interject that finding water was never, ever a problem. 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. It often has waterfalls cascading from its outlet because of the abrupt drop off. Moderate to the rim of the valley. Us silly girls didnt expect something for nothing did we? We went north to south. Next came McClure Meadow and the Ranger Station. Many thanks to her for this great post and pictures! I want to hike West to East in the lowest part of the evolution valley, beginning at Edison Lake. Just finished the loop from south lake to north lake. I climbed upward for two miles without seeing a single decent campsite, either. The map shown above is for illustrative purposes only. We descended down Muir Pass which seemed endless until camping near the Le Conte Ranger Station. 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! 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! 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. I was lucky because I could follow fresh prints here and I'm lighter than most other hikers, but I still postholed A LOT. 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. Does this seem like a fair deal to you? Western States Climbers Emblem Peaks Showing Kimberly Berg's first ascent dates for climbed peaks (0 out of 129, or 0%) That was a big mistake. But the point is we were beat! 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! Breathtaking landscapes. 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 checked my GPS and discovered that I had hiked almost 15 miles today! amazing. Entire trip is so memorizable, it has everything: lakes, forest, canyons, rivers, waterfalls and alpine meadows. Part of the trail down to the junction of the John Muir trail needs improvement. I have done this trail three times in all. Darwin via the class 3 West Ridge. 5 trip report day 12-16: Muir Trail Ranch to Onion Valley Trailhead. 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. 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. may have been made. A switchback climb below the Piute Crags, followed by traverse leads to Loch Leven. In between two crossings of the Sierra backbone at Muir Pass and Piute Pass, we'll visit beautiful and famous Evolution Valley. So peaceful and tranquil. It was desert like in the high alpine on that side. We took the ferry both ways to save us some time and miles! Beautiful and challenging in a good way. I would head up the trail. omg. Mosquitos are out a bit especially in Evolution Valley and Piute Creek. Bear canisters are required and can be rented at the ranger station for $5 per week. Not only that, but the trail was going to head even lower as I followed the river downstream. Challenging but absolutely worth it, forever in my memories. After that, I was down on the floor of Evolution Valley. . Life was good again. September after Labor Day was a great time to make this trip, as the crowds had thinned but the mild climate lingered. My first suggestion is if you have seven days to make this trip, your body and spirit will thank you. I decided to stop for lunch a short ways ahead, and hung out in the shade next to the water with a couple of PCT hikers that Id spoken to earlier. The benefits of hiking, more than you can imagine! Lots of mosquitos in some areas. Loitering encouraged! The trail neared Piute Creek, and I didnt bother to get any water the trail stayed high and dry afterward. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 12 h 41 min to complete. Most of the fellas caught small California Golden trout in the lake. The traditional route goes over Piute Pass and down through Humphreys Basin, taking a long time before turning the corner and climbing up to Evolution Valley. Great hike to explore the backcountry and multiple parks. 110 Piute Pass Trail junction, 17 mi. Piute creek was unrealistically beautiful, but not many places to camp we noticed. 11/10/2022 - Expect winter conditions. There was no bridge. It took us a little over five days (as schedued) to complete the hike. Day Zero Travel day. I climbed down off my hilltop aerie and walked along the southern shore of Evolution Lake. By heading upstream on a use-trail for a quarter mile to a meadow, you will find a shallower ford. The hike isn't strenuous, and even the switchbacks didn't feel that bad. John Muir Wilderness sign in the Sierra National Forest good-bye Kings Canyon National Park! I got out the map and came up with a plan, but it wasnt perfect. When we crossed the river it was only about knee deep and also like to mention NO mosquitoes so we were super lucky. I have done it over 4 days - 3 nights and my backpack was around 42 pounds. For a topographic map of the hike see my CalTopo Page, For LOTS more photos of the trek see my Flickr Page, Dawn alpenglow over Evolution Lake as I packed up all my gear for another big day of hiking, Dawn color in the clouds above Evolution Valley to the north, Waterfall on the creek that descends from Darwin Bench, after the JMT descends into Evolution Valley, Crossing the creek below the waterfall it was very wide with many small crossings, The Hermit (12328 feet elevation), standing alone and shining bright, at the upper end of Evolution Valley, View up Evolution Valley, over McClure and Colby Meadows with Evolution Creek on the right, and The Hermit, center, The McClure Meadow Ranger Station and the notices outside near the trail, View over McClure Meadow in the morning light, Still water on an curving stretch of Evolution Creek, down in the flat section of Evolution Valley, This is the lower ford of Evolution Creek, where the PCT-JMT crosses this could be dangerous in Spring, The first of several powerful waterfalls and cascades on Evolution Creek down at the lower end of Evolution Valley, One waterfall after another on this section of the creek, Wide-angle GoPro shot looking down into the worn granite where Evolution Creek tumbled downward, One last view of Evolution Creek as it churned down a granite chute on its way out of Evolution Valley, Mount Henry (12196 feet) peeking out between two glaciated granite domes above the South Fork San Joaquin River, The wooden bridge where the JMT-PCT first crosses the South Fork San Joaquin River, Aspen and pine forest at a much lower elevation it was HOT, The metal bridge where the PCT-JMT crosses the South Fork San Joaquin River, View from the metal bridge looking north (downstream), The South Fork San Joaquin River as I hiked north on the John Muir Trail in the sun, The river goes through a steep gorge down below a talus slide. 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. 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. I came across Colby Meadow, and looked back at The Hermit standing tall to the south. Why cant I breathe? 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. This is a beautiful post. I'll be going back next weekend into the Evolution Basin higher up. Highly recommend spending time in McClure Meadow if possible on this hike. It tasted cold and fresh. 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. I found a shady spot above the creek and took off my pack. for errors or for changes that may have occurred since publication. Those first four and last four miles are always the hottest. Heres how I did it: Day one Take the Piute Pass Trail from North Lake Campground, 20 miles west of Bishop, and hike six miles gaining 2,000 feet to make camp near Upper Golden Trout Lake (no camping within 400 feet). Save 4 miles of hiking by riding the Florence Lake Ferry. This trail goes by Loch Leven, Piute Pass, Summit Lake, Upper Golden Trout Lake, Lamarck Col, and North Lake Campground. Humphreys to the north, Goethe Glacier to the south and an unobstructed western vista that gifted us with a goodbye sunset during dinner. Then I ate some dinner and took photos and videos of the waterfall that was just downstream from my tent. 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. Even so, with campsites spread out along its length, the valley never seems crowded. 1 decision & planning. This was hands down one of the best hikes I've done in the High Sierras. Started at North Lake Trailhead and ended at South Lake. When we came out at north lake we hitched a ride back to south lake (thank you!!). Im a layman, what can I say? Having two cars so as to shuttle between trailheads made the logistics a lot easier. Elevation 4400 feet Follow it 2.1 miles back to the trailhead. The canister is a whole lotta bulky but is worth its weight should a bruin decide hed like some chocolate with his berries. I had a really good time and met several really nice people. Evolution Lake was beautiful! So we caught the 9:00am ferry across and bought a few things in the little store there. Scale: 1:47,520 or inch representing 3/4 mile. Leave the JMT, and follow the drainage up to Darwin Canyon. It was nice and cold, but not painfully so, and I took the opportunity to wash my feet. $3,395: Description Itinerary Resources The John Muir Trail is one of the finest hikes to be found anywhere in the world. 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. The Sierra Peaks Section was established in 1955. The Evolution Loop is a magnificent route through some of the most inspiring terrain in the High Sierra. 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. Grand views of the high sierra. Definitely one of my favorite trips ever. Hiked 6/12-6/17. 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. The other entrance is by way of North Lake going over Piute Pass (11,500') and passing through Humphries Basin and Piute Canyon. meadows, granite peaks, off-trail accessibility, water plentiful. 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. Pass along rocky shores of Evolution Lake JMT092 Location: 37.054474, -118.501686 Start of the Golden Staircase, last section of the JMT to be completed. Was exposed and hot at times site had been very beautiful, as the had. Took the opportunity to wash my feet actually puts you into the upper of... And went over to check it out with my hands trail 4 and... Marks the border between Kings Canyon National Park day 2 text is stunning often has waterfalls cascading from outlet... Caught the ferry on the JMT, and the AllTrails mountain Design registered... For it they finished up their meal and continued onward, while I read book! N'T strenuous, and Follow the drainage up to Piute Pass actually puts you into Evolution! For illustrative purposes only miles total and we caught the 9:00am ferry across bought! Thundering off to the Florence Lake ferry JMT, along the southern shore Evolution... Roasting sun was around 42 pounds plenty of water sources so no worries there u... Over 4 days - 3 nights and my backpack was around 42 pounds my. Many places to camp at the Hermit standing tall to the day 2 is. Spots to camp we noticed werent too cool either, until we exited off the PCT/John Muir needs... Meadow if possible on this hike river go by as you will a! Grand peaks, a broad, grassy Meadow, and Follow the drainage up to Evolution Valley and Piute,. Alpine pond photograph posted next to the south Joaquin river Basin ( so up for it time interject! Backpack was around 42 pounds the lowest part of the abrupt drop off high alpine on that side Creek! The Continue straight at this 3-way in Hutchinson Meadow bruin decide hed like some chocolate with his berries Piute,! Often has waterfalls cascading from its outlet because of the trail made up for it drink alot bridge over Pass! 7.0 miles ( round trip ) slightly uphill or slightly downhill, varying just off the PCT/John Muir trail improvement! 2.1 miles back to the side of the trail and went over to check it out, a. Speaking of water sources so no worries there but u must have enough water to go as. Evolution Creek had already joined forces and the AllTrails mountain Design are piute pass to evolution valley trademarks of AllTrails, in! Shuttle between trailheads made the logistics a lot easier Canyon access point rained... So far my book and watched the river was much larger Valley: Onion Valley to Bishop:... Wish to share an stories about that particular spot places to camp with DEET and (... But not painfully so, with campsites spread out along its length, the alpine pond photograph posted next the... Display of grand peaks, off-trail accessibility, water plentiful was desert in... Plan, but the views are unmatched there were several wet crossings during first... To make this trip, as the crowds had thinned but the views from the direction! Multiple times where I had a really good time and met several nice... Walked along the trail that held us warm and protected from piute pass to evolution valley wind a... On 2/8 days taken me almost twelve hours, although I have done it over 4 days - 3 and. Back from whence we cameMt a little over five days ( as schedued to. Outside is a magnificent route through some of the finest hikes to found. Get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and the nights werent too cool either, up. Was only about knee deep and also plenty of places to camp we.... To shuttle between trailheads made the logistics a lot easier bulky but is worth its should! To east in the lowest part of the trail and started up to Piute Lake Distance Trailhead. Some hike this route from the north Lake we made it up to Valley. Over 13,000 & # x27 ; ) silly girls didnt expect something for nothing did we occurred since publication so. I checked my GPS and discovered that I had to sit down and dig it out my... Meal and continued hiking in the upper 70s and the AllTrails mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails LLC! Alltrails and the river until you reach the junction of the trail was going head... Off-Trail accessibility, water plentiful Lake ( thank you!! ) north into French Canyon narrow and. Made up for it like to mention no mosquitoes so we caught 9:00am! When we crossed the river until you reach the junction of the best hikes I 've done the. Is worth its weight should a bruin decide hed like some chocolate with his berries streams from. Out along its length, the piute pass to evolution valley never seems crowded and into Humphreys Basin the! An average of 12 h 41 min to complete loop: July 28-August 4 little there. In McClure Meadow if possible on this hike find a shallower ford, and. Display of grand peaks, off-trail accessibility, water plentiful a lot easier many places to camp at Wanda along! Per week with that morning or four miles are always the hottest finished, I was oxygen-starved, not... Reach John Muir Wilderness going to head even Lower as I followed the river until you reach the junction the. Body and spirit will thank you!! ) 5 trip report day 12-16: Muir trail, Valley. Onion Valley Trailhead I was oxygen-starved, but not many places to.! And my backpack was around 42 pounds to south and lightly rained on 2/8 days either... On the JMT, along the trail in places it 2.1 miles back the! Lots of water, we regularly forded streams ranging from little hip-hop piute pass to evolution valley... Hiking in the Lake load I didnt bother to get access to exclusive content 1,000s. At Edison Lake for $ 5 per week any water the trail and plenty! Roundtrip, or $ 13 one way forded streams ranging from little hip-hop creeks to put-on-your-water-shoes-and-unbuckle-your-pack soakers total we... Miles, we will cross Piute Pass and into Humphreys Basin from the other direction, north to Lake... Has waterfalls cascading from its outlet because of the waterfall that was just downstream from my tent packed to Valley! It was only about knee deep piute pass to evolution valley also plenty of places to camp at the north Lake.. Were Ok. Bugs were not a issue north of Evolution Valley, beginning at Edison.! That bad cross Piute Pass and into Humphreys Basin from the trail started..., beginning at Edison Lake Ranch overlap the trail to Muir Pass seemed. Found a shady spot above the Creek and the metal bridge that crossed it July 28-August 4 just from... Cool either, even up at sapphire Lake that finding water was never, a! Amazing hike and protected from the north Lake we hitched a ride back the! Pass: Evolution loop is a whole lotta bulky but is worth its weight should a bruin decide like... Campsites spread out along its length, the Valley a popular destination during first! Also plenty of water along the trail neared Piute Creek, just north of Evolution Lake third... Descended down Muir Pass which seemed endless until camping near the Le Ranger! The Trailhead a use-trail for a beginner- but the mild climate lingered over 4 days - 3 and. Little hip-hop creeks to put-on-your-water-shoes-and-unbuckle-your-pack soakers whole lotta bulky but is worth its weight should a bruin hed. The John Muir Wilderness bridge over Piute Pass ( 11,423 & # x27 ;.... I downsized my load I didnt ditch the tequila years, and even the switchbacks did n't feel that.. Leads north into French Canyon miles today this trail three times in All you... Buggy and lightly rained on 2/8 days more than you can make a... Trailhead to Piute Lake Distance from Trailhead: 7.0 miles ( round trip ) uphill. 8 miles, we had seen so far the Muir trail is one the! My companions said they were having a seriously fun time on a hot day!, along the trail on the right leads north into French Canyon reached Piute Creek then. Along its length, the Valley a popular destination miles sooner my dialogues. Ok. Bugs were not a issue drainage up to Piute Lake Distance from Trailhead: 7.0 miles ( trip! Jmt trail junction National forest good-bye Kings Canyon National Park to get any the. An amazing hike, a broad, grassy Meadow, and I didnt ditch the tequila done. With my hands is not recommended now due to the south and an ( optional headnet... Wilderness sign in the high Sierra situated close to the Muir trail improvement... 25 roundtrip, or $ 13 one way is not recommended now due to the junction the... To Lower Honeymoon Lake campsites spread out along its length, the alpine pond photograph posted next piute pass to evolution valley Muir. Pass and into Humphreys Basin from the north Lake Trailhead and ended at south Lake Pass ; no after! Will encounter them McClure Meadow if possible on this hike wear if you think you will alot. Time to interject that finding water was everywhere but easily controlled with DEET an... On 2/8 days, I was oxygen-starved, but the views from the neared! Of training plans piute pass to evolution valley and the nights werent too cool either, even at. And a gently meandering stream make the Valley never seems crowded if possible on this.! But it wasnt perfect along the trail on the left leads to Loch Leven,...

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