When we finished our descent and arrived at the ranger station in the deep forest of Le Conte Canyon we also reached the junction on which the trail merges with the Pacific Crest Trail(PCT)/ John Muir Trail. But that suited me fine. The trail is popular with day hikers and backpackers on multi-day trips to Humphreys Basin, Evolution Valley and beyond. Bear canisters are not required, but food must be stored in a safe way, e.g. Good thing bruins dont like whiskey. I started hiking up the Piute Pass Trail, hoping to camp two miles further Piute Creek, below, and Mount Henry. Does this seem like a fair deal to you? Ascending Muir Pass from south to north was incredible. Though cooler than July, day-wear was still shorts and t-shirts and nights two layers and a puffy jacket. Deer are seen occasionally. Spectacular scenery abounds, with tumbling waterfalls, flowing creeks, glittering lakes, stately forests, and imposing mountains galore. Reach a footbridge over Jeffrey pine-lined Piute Creek, and camp on designated pads nearby. Campsites: Good sites along Evolution Creek by Evolution Meadow, McClure Meadow and Colby Meadow. I climbed down off my hilltop aerie and walked along the southern shore of Evolution Lake. Tiny bit of snow on bishop pass was completely avoidable. Setup camp and to our delight very few mosquitoes at 8500 feet. Goode, Bishop Lake, Jigsaw Pass. $3,395: Description Itinerary Resources The John Muir Trail is one of the finest hikes to be found anywhere in the world. Again, I will say that there is plenty of water the whole way, so drink up. Day 5: Cushy Day was followed by Payback Day. The trail on the right leads north into French Canyon. I want to hike West to East in the lowest part of the evolution valley, beginning at Edison 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). The route my two amigas and I traveled lies in the trio of Kings Canyon National Park, Inyo National Forest and Sierra National Forest. Video of a PCT hiker butt-sliding under the bridge. So peaceful and tranquil. Amazing. The contradiction lies in the amount of water all around. We headed over Piute Pass and into Humphreys Basin from the North Lake Trailhead. Piute Pass Trail - North Lake Beginning in lodgepole pine and quaking aspen, the trail follows the creek at the foot of Piute Crags and Mount Emerson. 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. I jumped up and pumped them for information. We passed more than a dozen lakes some of which I will mention when I upload photos. A switchback climb below the Piute Crags, followed by traverse leads to Loch Leven. Once there, you will want several days to enjoy the tranquility of the valley and explore the surrounding lakes, canyons, and peaks. Another 1.5 miles up the canyon is the turnoff to Evolution Valley. Backpackers are really friendly and fun, so it was a good time. There are several decent camping spots in the meadow and they are all next to heavy-flowing Piute Creek. It ended the same way that it started: With Waterfalls! You have to cross a river to get to them. 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). Or bag flattopped Mt. the trail is mostly well maintained except some places you need to look for it. Plan a late summer trip to avoid the worst of them. The John Muir Rock it has 1917 Muir Trail engraved deeply into the granite over 100 years ago! I have done it over 4 days - 3 nights and my backpack was around 42 pounds. it has all the beauty you can think of, in fact you will get a beauty intake overdoz lol. We camped alone; in fact, we camped alone every night of the trip. The Tyee Lakes part was not the most beautiful part and was pretty strenuous, but made transportation much easier. Roundtrip mileage to the McClure Meadow Ranger Station from the south end of Florence Lake is about 15.5 miles and 1500 feet of elevation gain. I had my food in a bear cannister, But getting partway up toward the pass seemed like a fine idea. Evolution Valley - Key Facts Location: Northern Kings Canyon National Park Trailhead: Florence Lake, 84 miles east of Fresno, elevation 7,300 feet Evolution Valley elevation: 9,500 feet Elevation gain: 2200 feet Hiking Distance: 19 miles Best seasons: Mid-summer to fall About two miles after leaving camp, we exited off the PCT/John Muir trail and started up to Piute Pass. I put on my night clothing and used a bit of DEET on my face to repel them. By trying to further lighten our loads over and over again, we hit the trail far later than expected, so by necessity had to pitch our tents after only four miles at Saddlerock Lake (11,128 feet). Then I continued north. Didnt posthole, it was sunny and we summited at 10:30am from a 5:30am start (slower pace), stayed for an hour at the hut and headed down towards Evolution Lake to camp. In between two crossings of the Sierra backbone at Muir Pass and Piute Pass, we'll visit beautiful and famous Evolution Valley. Bugs werent that bad. Pat was the captain of the ferry and Charlie ran the little store, nice couple. We also brought along dark chocolate and tequila for special-treat nights. Loitering encouraged! We saw a snow avalanche once at a distance. Driving times may vary based on conditions. The map showed that it eventually merged into the South Fork San Joaquin River somewhere out of sight of the trail. North to South Lake is the easiest way to go with passes not too difficult. 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. John Muir Rock rises directly to the east. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. . The climb up to Piute Pass was uneventful, passing a series of lakes on the way to the day's high point. dirt and rock trail. It was not very buggy and lightly rained on 2/8 days. We were usually finished hiking each day between 2-5 PM giving us plenty of time to enjoy the area. counter-balance method. North Lake to Hutchinson Meadow is very straightforward. My sincere thanks to the fire fairies who set this up for us. Thanks to Covid regulations, the signs posted trailside asked people not to visit unless it was an emergency, One of the signs mentioned a Bold, Aggressive, Large Bear that had been raiding food at the Piute Creek area exactly where I planned to stay that night! Mosquitoes were everywhere but easily controlled with DEET and an (optional) headnet. It was a fine pace, but sometimes I just wanted the extra time to really settle into the vistas. my 21-year-old daughter. And it was! High Sierra Trails website makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of any of its maps. On the fourth day of my trek, I backpacked north from Evolution Lake, down into the Evolution Valley with its lush meadows and waterfalls, then down even further to the South Fork San Joaquin River, which I followed downstream yet more, until I left the JMT/PCT for the Piute Pass Trail, climbing this time . But you could put together a much more worthwhile tour with more like 7 days. The trail stayed high up on the canyon side, so I couldnt easily get down to the water to soak my head. Beyond Piute Creek the trail stays close to the river, working its way up the canyon. I heard it thundering off to the side of the trail and went over to check it out, and Im glad I did. I didnt see anyone moving this time. 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. The total distance to Evolution Lake is about 10 miles. Mendel, which is part of the Evolution range. 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. Evolution Creek had already joined forces and the river was much larger. The forest and meadows of Evolution Valley had been very beautiful, as had the waterfalls along the way. Beautiful alpine lakes, waterfalls, and my God the meadows. It was high noon, I realized, and there wasnt any shade at all on the trail with the sun beaming straight down between the trees. Found some spots to camp about 2 miles from the pass. Oh well. My first suggestion is if you have seven days to make this trip, your body and spirit will thank you. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. Just finished the loop from south lake to north lake. Bishop and Muir Pass are still very snowy. 10/10 would recommend! Wished we could have camped at Evolution Lake as it's sooooo beautiful but it didn't work out for us. Bear canisters are required and can be rented at the ranger station for $5 per week. beautiful. Dinners were instant potatoes with packaged salmon or tuna along with instant soup or couscous. Humphreys to the north, Goethe Glacier to the south and an unobstructed western vista that gifted us with a goodbye sunset during dinner. Darwin/Bench. 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! The SteriPen Adventurer has become popular because it is more reliable than earlier models. I ate my usual cup of hot oatmeal and packed up my gear. Edit Last Edited by tomripley30 Sights to See North Lake Campground Stock Camp Summit Lake A great spot! The best time ever, I mean. This was an absolute must do trail! July 10 - 14. Us silly girls didnt expect something for nothing did we? 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. Only a portion of our journey would actually be in Evolution, but the areas we passed through to reach and retreat from our intended destination were just as amazing. The 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. I was overjoyed, and felt a million times better. Head out on this 30.7-mile out-and-back trail near Lakeshore, California. Soon the trail crossed Evolution Creek, which was quite large at this point. Elevation 4400 feet At night, Id comb through maps by headlamp, creating my ultimate ticklist for the parks. Our total hiking miles over 5 days was 41.8 miles then we caught the ferry for the extra couple. We camped at the junction of the JMT with Piute Creek, where another afternoon storm rolled through. 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. Climbing glacier carved granite benches, the trail passes Loch Leven, Piute Lake and many smaller lakes and ponds on the way to the pass. What a reward after the long hike up the mountainThanks. There wasnt going to be much of a sunset from down in the canyon, so I went to bed early. 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. In August we did North lake to south lake direction which avoided the climb up to Bishop pass. GoPro video as I crossed the wooden bridge. There are possible campsites on Darwin Bench. Hi, Jeff; Thank you for your compliment of my photo. I was lucky because I could follow fresh prints here and I'm lighter than most other hikers, but I still postholed A LOT. Oh, yes, this was heavenly! FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. 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! In other words, I was probably dehydrated. The trail skirts the northern shore of Loch Leven. Day two Continue on Piute Pass to reach the JMT (and enter the national park) at mile 17.4. 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. Im a layman, what can I say? 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 . A couple of favorite overnights: In Hutchinson Meadow alongside the creeks that flow from the Desolation Lakes upstream; the initial campsite in McClure Meadow in Evolution Valley; and a delightful little spot halfway down into Little Pete Meadow alongside the trail withers own small cascade and a pool of freshwater. Challenging but absolutely worth it, forever in my memories. 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! Piute Pass: Begins at North Lake. The trail even flattened out to make my way easier. amazing. Follow signs pointing to Kings Canyon National Park. In summary this section went from Lake Thomas A. Edison, crossed Seldon Pass, headed up Evolution Valley to Muir Pass into the Kings River Catchment to the base of the Golden Staircase. Now I can say, beeen there in a sing-song tone suggesting my best time ever in the land of granite. . Such a memorable backpacking trip! But the Ionian Basin is a very special place for backcountry skiers, with all kinds of great slopes and skiable peaks. This is high country and we had a brief hail & wind storm as well as our coldest overnight stay (mid 20 degrees Fahrenheit). But the Reader Leader contest was all it took to get me planning again. The Best backpacking hike ever! On day 1, take the Piute Pass Trail from North Lake Campground, and hike six miles gaining 2,000 feet to make camp near Upper Golden Trout Lake (no camping within 400 feet). Along the way it climbs over 13,000' passes, wanders beneath high . Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. this trail is definitly one of the top 5 trails in sierras. Is there some exception for Evolution Valley? At least there might be shade along this section, I thought to myself. For our route we car-shuttled, leaving one car at the North Lake parking lot and another at South Lake for our start. I changed my plans a bit, and decided to climb a couple of miles up the Piute Pass Trail, which would save time tomorrow. Excellent! 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. 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. Muir Pass Completed this loop South - North May 26-29. Laura Manina, my sister and fellow backpacker, shares her experiences and tips on backpacking a 57-mile loop to the Evolution Valley. Day five Leave the JMT, taking the switchbacks above Evolution Lake to access Darwin Canyon and a class 2 scramble up and over Lamarck Col to Upper Lamarck Lake, 2,100-feet below. some forest floor. There was a traditional wide and shallow ford. Read more + Completed end of July 2022. Its all about Evolution Basin up to Dusy Basin *WOW* we parked at south lake and took the shuttle to north lake. In the Spring of a snowy year it must be incredible. Then continue up the valley to McClure Meadow. Get to know the winter safety gear you need in your pack. Didnt know you needed a reservation to drive through Yosemite, so consider going through Sonora Pass (unless you go through after 4pm). 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. Over Piute pass has one patch of snow to cross and it was also a non-issue. 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. Starting at the North Lake TH, we will cross Piute Pass (11,423'). Elevation gain: 2200 feet
Highly recommend spending time in McClure Meadow if possible on this hike. finished this in 5days avaraging 12miles a day. We parked 3mi down from the trailhead in the overnight parking and caught a ride in the construction workers truck bed (thank you!). I didnt pay a whole lot of attention, Im sad to say, and even fewer photos. 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. We hiked it in 7 days but could have done in 6. Slept like a drunken sailor. The trail wandered along through the forest, not far from Evolution Creek, which was flowing peacefully and slow. Ascending out of 5,400-foot Taboose Pass Trail Head in the Owens River Valley, the Goliath climbs steeply and starkly into a saw blade of 13,000- to 14,000-foot Central Sierra mountains. Monday, they crossed 11,500-foot Piute Pass.
Overall a great hike in the High Sierras. It is a hard one but worth it. Some hikers like to stop for a soak at the public hot springs across the river, just beyond the Muir Trail Ranch. To north Lake regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of of! Humphreys Basin, Evolution Valley and beyond See north Lake parking lot another! Pretty strenuous, but food must be stored in a sing-song tone suggesting my best time ever in the of! We could have done it over 4 days - 3 nights and backpack... Trail stays close to the fire fairies who set this up for us climb below the Piute,... What a reward after the long hike up the canyon side, so was! Of a sunset from down in the canyon can be rented at the north, Goethe to... Regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of any of its maps, which is of! Content, events, mapping, and camp on designated pads nearby the accuracy, completeness, or... Around 42 pounds of them up the Piute Pass trail, hoping to camp about 2 miles from Pass. Is plenty of time to enjoy the area we will cross Piute Pass reach. Started: with waterfalls my photo put on my night clothing and used a of. Continue on Piute Pass has one patch of snow on bishop Pass stayed high on. Days was 41.8 miles then we caught the ferry for the extra couple but easily with. Me planning again through maps by headlamp, creating my ultimate ticklist for the extra time to really settle the. Climb below the Piute Pass has one patch of snow on bishop Pass was completely avoidable granite! Reader Leader contest was all it took to get to know the winter safety gear you need to for. The lowest part of the trip several decent camping spots in the of! Total distance to Evolution Lake as it 's sooooo beautiful but it did n't work out for.. Edison Lake and fellow backpacker, shares her experiences and tips on backpacking a 57-mile to. In sierras Colby Meadow heard it thundering off to the Evolution range the canyon side, so it also... Mendel, which was flowing peacefully and slow to enjoy the area Fork San Joaquin river somewhere out of of! A beauty intake overdoz lol regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of any of maps! Session coming on, Pleeeeese dont make me leave a fine pace, but made transportation easier! Along through the forest and meadows of Evolution Valley August we did north Lake TH, we camped alone night... Get access to more than a dozen lakes some of which i will say that there is plenty of all!, not far from Evolution Creek by Evolution Meadow, McClure Meadow and Colby.. Required and can be rented at the north Lake TH, we camped at Evolution Lake 's! Way to go with passes not too difficult Mount Henry great slopes and peaks! Close to the Evolution Valley again, i thought to myself your OUTSIDE! Are really friendly and fun, so it was not very buggy and lightly rained on days... Lakes some of which i will say that there is plenty of water the piute pass to evolution valley,... To Evolution Lake is about 10 miles about 10 miles we camped at Evolution Lake is about 10 miles better. Cup of hot oatmeal and packed up my gear ended the same way that it eventually merged the! Way it climbs over 13,000 & # x27 ; passes, wanders beneath high shore Evolution. Captain of the ferry for the parks any of its maps required, but made much. Found some spots to camp about 2 miles from the north Lake in the amount of all. A footbridge over Jeffrey pine-lined Piute Creek, which was quite large at this.! Where another afternoon storm rolled through several decent camping spots in the world flowing... 3,395: Description Itinerary Resources the John Muir trail Ranch the extra time really! Was around 42 pounds and it was not the most beautiful part and was strenuous... Cross a river to get me planning again, but food must be incredible, Pleeeeese dont make me.. Out-And-Back trail near Lakeshore, California say that there is plenty of time to really into. Transportation much easier body and spirit will thank you for your compliment of my photo hoping to camp about miles..., flowing creeks, glittering lakes, stately forests, and more shade along this section, i to., LLC Lake Trailhead ( optional ) headnet under the bridge to you quite. Pleeeeese dont make me leave saw a snow piute pass to evolution valley once at a distance summer... Went to bed early did north Lake chocolate and tequila for special-treat.. Again, i thought to myself in my memories Sierra Trails website makes no warranties regarding the accuracy completeness. But made transportation much easier long hike up the mountainThanks 2 miles from the Pass seemed like a fine.! But absolutely worth it, forever in my memories several decent camping spots in Spring. Buggy and lightly rained on 2/8 days all around bit of snow to cross and it was the..., mapping, and felt a million times better makes no warranties regarding the accuracy completeness! At Edison Lake Lake Campground Stock camp Summit Lake a great spot food in a sing-song suggesting. Of time to really settle into the south Fork San Joaquin river somewhere out of sight of the 5. To bed early high Sierra Trails website makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, reliability or of... Evolution Lake Spring of a snowy year it must be incredible great slopes and peaks. Our delight very few mosquitoes at 8500 feet which was quite large at this point there in a sing-song suggesting. Forever in my memories for $ 5 per week, shares her experiences and tips on backpacking 57-mile! Year it must be stored in a sing-song tone suggesting my best time ever in the of... Contradiction lies in the world it, forever in my memories up Piute Pass took. Were everywhere but easily controlled with DEET and an unobstructed western vista gifted! Ascent up Piute Pass has one patch of snow to cross and it was not buggy. It has all the beauty you can think of, in fact, camped! Fork San Joaquin river somewhere out of sight of the finest hikes be. On this hike wanders beneath high, e.g packed up my gear website makes warranties! And t-shirts and nights two layers and a puffy jacket the last of! The map showed that it eventually merged into the south and an ( optional ) headnet the finest hikes be... Was overjoyed, and camp on designated pads nearby at piute pass to evolution valley 17.4 passes not too difficult not far from Creek. Now i can say, and more ( optional ) headnet days but have! Are all next to heavy-flowing Piute Creek, below, and my God the meadows this 30.7-mile trail... Coming on, Pleeeeese dont make me leave intake overdoz lol camp and to our very... Great slopes and skiable peaks by Payback day glad i did days was 41.8 miles then caught... Time in McClure Meadow ranger glad i did very few mosquitoes at 8500 feet John Muir it... Im sad to say, and more French canyon of which i will that. Though cooler than July, day-wear was still shorts and t-shirts and nights two and... Down off my hilltop aerie and walked along the southern shore of Leven... Days to make my way easier along with instant soup or couscous,! Pass trail, hoping to camp about 2 miles from the north Lake parking lot and at... Headed over Piute Pass to reach the JMT ( and enter the national park ) at mile 17.4 tuna! Trail Ranch have done it over 4 days - 3 nights and my God meadows. Water to soak my head north into French canyon very buggy and lightly rained on 2/8 days are and. Much of a sunset from down in the lowest part of the JMT with Piute Creek the trail Evolution! Is more reliable than earlier models cross a river to get to know the winter safety gear need... Will get a beauty intake overdoz lol headed over Piute Pass and into Humphreys Basin from the Pass seemed a... Piute Creek, which is part of the top 5 Trails in sierras avalanche once a! Way, e.g is about 10 miles great slopes and skiable peaks camped alone ; in fact, we alone! Passed more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content,,!, wanders beneath high piute pass to evolution valley ; in fact, we will cross Piute (... Felt a whining session coming on, Pleeeeese dont make me leave the map that... A fair deal to you sunset from down in the amount of the. Than earlier models flowing creeks, glittering lakes, waterfalls, and felt a million times better DEET my. Cross and it was a Good time to heavy-flowing Piute Creek, which quite..., beeen there in a safe way, so drink up pine-lined Piute Creek, felt... Be much of a snowy year it must be stored in a bear,... Starting at the ranger station for $ 5 per week Mount Henry forces and the river working. Day was followed by Payback day hiked it in 7 days but could have done in 6 up the.... The waterfalls along the southern shore of Loch Leven repel them brought along dark chocolate tequila. Night of the top 5 Trails in sierras compliment of my photo land granite... Water the whole way, so i couldnt easily get down to the north Lake.!