We went north to south. 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. Layover at Sapphire Lake while weather passed. I did a backpacking trip over the 4th of July weekend over 4 days, starting at Florence Lake, going up to Evolution Lake. We saw a snow avalanche once at a distance. On day 4 we headed east along Piute Canyon toward lovely Humphreys Basin, a timeless spot overlooking the Glacier Divide to which we have returned again and again. We hiked the whole way out the third day, back around the lake to the car. This is an excellent report on a great hiking trip. Very exciting. The trail is popular with day hikers and backpackers on multi-day trips to Humphreys Basin, Evolution Valley and beyond. if you go over table top mountain you can make it a complete loop. First it is ridiculed. Okay, I need my camera again. I didnt realize it, but that was the last Id be seeing of Evolution Creek. 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! Which didnt happen until I reached Piute Creek and the metal bridge that crossed it. John Muir Rock rises directly to the east. Just what I didnt need. Finally, two ladies told me that there was a spot just ahead, right next to the creek! Wheres there a low altitude pass that brings me out East of the Darwin Glacier? I see no real advantage to hiking one way vs. the other. You could do a quick trip, via Echo Col in both directions, in about 4 days. Was it this heavy yesterday? There wasnt going to be much of a sunset from down in the canyon, so I went to bed early. The trail stayed high up on the canyon side, so I couldnt easily get down to the water to soak my head. Slept like a drunken sailor. It had taken me almost twelve hours, although I have to admit that I took several very long breaks. The lowest lakes in Dusy and Evolution basin are mostly thawed. I heard it thundering off to the side of the trail and went over to check it out, and Im glad I did. Get surefire solitude in McGee Canyon (south about .5 mile back). You have to cross a river to get to them. This was an absolute must do trail! Elevation gain: 2200 feet We hiked this trail June 5th to the 7th. I could see both up and down the canyon, and there was no shortage of glaciated granite in evidence. I have done it over 4 days - 3 nights and my backpack was around 42 pounds. Florence Lake Store and Ferry. Conditions were great! Day 1: The first day held an unexpected bonus in that, inadvertently, it turned out to be Get-used-to-less-oxygen Day. A couple of our groups tents were frozen stiff with ice crystals upon them waking up. 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? to North Lake Road, 20 mi to Pine Creek 856 110 to 114 SEKI - Goddard (28) Aspen Meadow & Goddard Creek Junction 851 to 855 114 to 121 SEKI - McClure Meadow (33) Evolution Valley, McClure, and Colby Meadows 845 to 851 121 to 127 SEKI - Evolution Basin (34) Evolution Lake, Wanda Lake, to Muir Pass 838.5 to . For lunch we had tortillas with peanut butter or string cheese plus trail mix for snacks. Beautiful trip! The best hike of my life. Turn left and descend to Upper Lamarck Lake. For trail conditions and more details about this hike, check out my YouTube Video I made from this backpacking trip on my channel: Kikis Adventures. Starting at Lake Sabrina we could do a proper loop with just two 2 mile stretches on the road. 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). Just finished the loop from south lake to north lake. 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. There's no reason to hurry -- it's such awesome, varied country. Evolution Valley was flower-filled, even in this drought year. 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. The metal bridge over Piute Creek marks the border between Kings Canyon National Park and the John Muir Wilderness. History. Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more. this is the one backpack trip I remember with my dad, friend and his dad.. in 1959.. 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. 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. Thunder some days. The first day we stopped at the Florence lake bridge. Day 6: In the morning the sun popped over Piute Pass and we were instantly warmed and reluctant to pack up and head back out into civilization less than 7 miles away. From there, the trail traverses Humphreys Basin and reaches the splendid section of the Pacific Crest Trail known as Evolution Valley. I wished her well. Your email address will not be published. It was a fine pace, but sometimes I just wanted the extra time to really settle into the vistas. Completed end of July 2022. Since we stopped for lunch here and the lake has no name I guess Ill call it Lunch Lake. 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 Muir Pass had miles of near continuous deep snow on both sides of the pass. July 10 - 14. When I walk through this area again, perhaps I will do the same so I can see it from another perspective. 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. 3 trip report day 5-8: Lyell Canyon/Tuolumne Meadows to Red's Meadow Resort. Slept like a drunken sailor. Only one water crossing (Evolution creek) that required getting your feet wet. Water was everywhere but crossings were Ok. Bugs were not a issue. Such a memorable backpacking trip! Mosquitos were bad, but not horrible. This was hands down one of the best hikes I've done in the High Sierras. It follows the south fork of the San Joaquin and Evolution Creek nearly all the way. . I sat down on a boulder near my gear and got out some snack. Overnight temps didn't drop below 40 F. I like the big vistas so I think I would do the Lamarck Col Route from the North Lake Trailhead to Evolution Lake next time and skip Piute Canyon. The first day of hiking is over moderate terrain with meadows and the occasional company of the South Fork of the San Joaquin River. The stars up there were surreal. The next morning we discovered more good sites at the west end of the lake. Campsite 2: Just past the footbridge over Piute Creek, set up camp on these designated pads. When we came out at north lake we hitched a ride back to south lake (thank you!!). Having two cars so as to shuttle between trailheads made the logistics a lot easier. We took the ferry both ways to save us some time and miles! Completed hike Aug 14. On my way between JMT and Piute there were 5+ stream crossings that necessitated wading. The Evolution Loop is a magnificent route through some of the most inspiring terrain in the High Sierra. But 6-year-old Gregory "was an absolute trooper," said Steward, as . 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. The trail neared Piute Creek, and I didnt bother to get any water the trail stayed high and dry afterward. At first the canyon was narrow, and the river had created deep channels to flow through. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Our camps were very high, all above 11,300', and we took two and a half days layover, hiking and exploring . The uphill miles to reach John Muir Pass gave quite a different landscape than we had seen so far. Front Runners List: Click to see list completion progress by climbers that log their climbs using Peakbagger.com. In the Spring of a snowy year it must be incredible. Lots of camping spots with water so you can make your day as long or short as you like. Piute Creek Crosing: Bridge at Piute Creek Crossing: Layers: Western juniper, and its cones: It tasted cold and fresh. Anon. One bite of the Evolution area is 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. While there are no 14,000 ft peaks in these groups the peak are high and majestic. The hiking was challenging for us (22 year old girls), but we probably brought too heavy of packs. Next time will have to aim to go under 30 pounds. After 2.5 mile it crosses a bridge to the south side of the river where a good campsite is located. Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. Follow it 2.1 miles back to the trailhead. The water was seriously cascading as it made its way over the steep edge of the valley, flowing downward into the South Fork San Joaquin River Valley, which I could see off the edge of space to the north. The ferry was not running yet. It took us a little over five days (as schedued) to complete the hike. About two miles after leaving camp, we exited off the PCT/John Muir trail and started up to Piute Pass. Water is abundant if you plan it right. Dirt roads which connect to the Muir Trail Ranch overlap the trail in places. Maybe if I waited a bit the sun would be at a lower angle as I headed north, so that the trees would have longer shadows for me to rest in. John Muir Wilderness sign in the Sierra National Forest good-bye Kings Canyon National Park! When we crossed the river it was only about knee deep and also like to mention NO mosquitoes so we were super lucky. Or bag flattopped Mt. the mouth of Evolution Valley. There was no bridge. I'll be going back next weekend into the Evolution Basin higher up. The year 2021 was certainly one of the driest in a long time, as it was early July and the hills were bone dry. Not only that, but the trail was going to head even lower as I followed the river downstream. 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. $4,395: August 13-21. I climbed down off my hilltop aerie and walked along the southern shore of Evolution Lake. Only done it North to South. First, it was a suggestion, and then it was an item on my Someday List. . An incredible hike through the Sierras. Pick up the trail on the eastern edge of Upper Lamarck Lake. Day two Continue on Piute Pass to reach the JMT (and enter the national park) at mile 17.4. I went down to the water and splashed some on my head. Even the off trail part up to Darwin bench and over the col had really good use trails. John muir pass was hardest part, rained and was windy. Tiny bit of snow on bishop pass was completely avoidable. 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 . Also included are North Lake, South Lake, Piute Pass, Evolution Valley and Lake Sabrina. I started hiking up the Piute Pass Trail, hoping to camp two miles further Piute Creek, below, and Mount Henry. Slightly brutal at times-especially for a beginner- but the views are unmatched. Did this hike in end of June 2020 but it was one of my favorites to date so want to leave a review. We found several amazing campsites just off the east side of the trail that held us warm and protected from the wind. Best seasons: Mid-summer to fall Shortly after passing Colby Meadow and reaching McClure Meadow, we were served the best views of The Hermit, a distinctly steep monolith, and Mt. The creek crossing there can be challenging early in the season. Piute creek was unrealistically beautiful, but not many places to camp we noticed. Soon the trail crossed Evolution Creek, which was quite large at this 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 McClure Meadow is one of the most beautiful meadows I have ever seen! 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. Our goal was Sapphire lake, but there was still a ton of snow over the 4th and we didnt have proper snow gear to cross over the pass from Evolution lake to Sapphire lake. Following that, we returned to North Lake via Lamarck Col, a high pass just short of 13,000'. Definitely a moderate hike, but doable in 4 days. 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. We slept near the shores of Evolution Lake. Maybe I was oxygen-starved, but my companions said they were similarly affected. The mosquitos were relentless though. Video of a PCT hiker butt-sliding under the bridge. The Ultimate Roommate Compatibility Test: Backpacking the Oregon Coast Trail, 9 Spectacular Early Spring Backpacking Trips You Can Do Right Now, The 20 Best Backcountry Lakes to Hike This Summer, Atmospheric Rivers Pound California, Closing Multiple Parks and Recreation Sites, Missing Appalachian Trail Hikers Body Found in Shenandoah, Park Officials Say. I took off my shoes and let my damp feet dry out in the breeze. The North Lake-South Lake loop is there High Sierra at its very best! The trail on the right leads north into French Canyon. Spectacular scenery abounds, with tumbling waterfalls, flowing creeks, glittering lakes, stately forests, and imposing mountains galore. There were only 2-3 times where I needed to use my AllTrails app to figure out the correct way to continue. At the top was Evolution Valleyas a wannabe biologist, I fell in love with the name. I would love to do it sometime, so thank you for the inspiration. No mosquitos. I said a silent thank you before dropping over the top, then apologized to my knees for the steep, descending switch backs they were about to receive. Aside from stellar views, you will also find a station in McClure Meadow that is manned in the summer months by a ranger. Day Zero Travel day. That was a big mistake. Parking: A large parking lot for overnight trips is situated close to the lake. I hung out by the creek for an hour and a half, until 3pm. 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! Another 1.5 miles up the canyon is the turnoff to Evolution Valley. Required fields are marked *. 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. Loitering encouraged! Lots of mosquitos in some areas. . These Photos Prove It. Day 2: Continue on Piute Pass to reach the JMT (and enter the national park). Even so, with campsites spread out along its length, the valley never seems crowded. Map Mono Divide High Country ($10, tomharrisonmaps.com). Then I got some water and filtered it. We were lucky with good weather. Didnt know you needed a reservation to drive through Yosemite, so consider going through Sonora Pass (unless you go through after 4pm). Multiple Ascents Grid: Click for a grid showing all of Chris Land I think this might be a great time to interject that finding water was never, ever a problem. it has all the beauty you can think of, in fact you will get a beauty intake overdoz lol. I like bridges; what can I say? We hiked up to Piute Creek the first day it was 13.1 miles since the ferry was not running on our hike up. You can learn more about her travels with her husband, Mitch, on CruisingSailors.com. Deer are seen occasionally. The log cabin is located on the right side of the trail as you hike south a short distance before the Piute Creek bridge. Ive seen worse, bug-wise. "All truth goes through three stages. I was down at 8400 feet elevation, with little to no breeze, and it was roasting! This trail is great for backpacking, birding, and camping, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Sawyer Water Filters are popular because of their light weight and ease of use, but the bags they provide are susceptible to developing leaks. beautiful. Goode, Bishop Lake, Jigsaw Pass. A great spot! My sincere thanks to the fire fairies who set this up for us. This was a beautiful scenic area with decent camping and a gorgeous small lake (Loch Leven). At least there might be shade along this section, I thought to myself. Piute Creek You then head south on the JMT, along the river until you reach the junction with the Goddard Canyon Trail. Either way takes you over 3 high mountain passes and through incredibly beautiful terrain throughout. Some hikers like to stop for a soak at the public hot springs across the river, just beyond the Muir Trail Ranch. omg. I climbed upward for two miles without seeing a single decent campsite, either. Dinners were instant potatoes with packaged salmon or tuna along with instant soup or couscous. Elevation 4400 feet I have done this trail three times in all. Read more + 6 days / 5 night. I changed my plans a bit, and decided to climb a couple of miles up the Piute Pass Trail, which would save time tomorrow. Speaking of water, we regularly forded streams ranging from little hip-hop creeks to put-on-your-water-shoes-and-unbuckle-your-pack soakers! Note: Bishop Pass hikers will encounter dozens deer skeletons on the steep slope below Bishop Pass. Plenty of camp sites a long the way. The trail is quite rocky in most places so slower than you might expect given the elevation profile. My girlfriends told me I started singing gospel at that point, but I really think they may be exaggerating. We puzzled about the cause. 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. We found the trailhead about 1/3 mile away and hiked a few miles to Loch Leven. What a reward after the long hike up the mountainThanks. 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. There was still quite a bit of snow on the surrounding mountains and still ice in the lake. This great hike to scenic Piute Pass ascends beneath the multi-hued Piute Crags to a beautiful lakes basin tucked beneath Mt. Do I really get to be here? Western States Climbers Emblem Peaks Showing Kimberly Berg's first ascent dates for climbed peaks (0 out of 129, or 0%) Evolution Lake has lots of excellent campsites. That felt great! A mother deer plus two babies. Thousands upon thousands of happy people enjoying the wilderness. I should just quit messing around and tape the thing to my face. The display of grand peaks, a broad, grassy meadow, and a gently meandering stream make the valley a popular destination. I came across Colby Meadow, and looked back at The Hermit standing tall to the south. 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. Piute Pass actually puts you into the upper reaches of the San Joaquin River Basin (So. Always confirm information with the service provider and check for any recent changes that From here, it's west and south down and into the epic Le Conte Canyon. 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. 110 Piute Pass Trail junction, 17 mi. Hiking Distance: 19 miles There were several wet crossings during the first three or four miles. The ferry was not running this early in the season. Highly recommend pushing up to lower Dusy Basin (though there are several campsites about 1200 vertical feet up from Le Conte, just prior to a bridge crossing) (night 4). Several of our trails give entry to the John Muir Trail or Pacific Crest Trail with the opportunity to trek in the longest roadless section of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. No more High Sierra tundra for me today! Then continue up the valley to McClure Meadow. Every effort is made to provide accurate and up to date information, but we cannot be responsible The next morning, we hiked past beautiful Wanda Lake and up to Muir Pass where we briefly went into the Muir Hut (built in 1930). Amazing. Once there, you will want several days to enjoy the tranquility of the valley and explore the surrounding lakes, canyons, and peaks. Good thing bruins dont like whiskey. Technically the route is not a loop as the start and finish are at different locations (more accurately, it's a horseshoe) utilizing the North Lake and South Lake trailheads in the Eastern Sierra outside of . Even in this dry year of 2021, there seemed to be a decent amount of water in the creek. 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. To become a member of the SPS, one must be a Sierra Club member and have climbed at least six peaks on the SPS List; it is not necessary that the peaks be Emblem peaks. The rivers and meadows are stunning. Piute Pass was comparatively easy with just a few snow patches. When Hikers Die, Why Are We So Quick to Judge. We had it easy in September, but Ive heard that earlier in the season hikers should be prepared for more difficult fordings. This hike in end of the river had created deep channels to flow through with. Challenging for us be exaggerating your feet wet are we so quick to.... Followed the river until you reach the JMT ( and enter the Park... Crosses a bridge to the 7th you for the inspiration up on the JMT along. Traverses Humphreys Basin, Evolution Valley and beyond went over to check it out, and cones. Reward after the long hike up the Piute Pass day two Continue on Piute ascends... The border between Kings canyon National Park s Meadow Resort included are north lake, Pass! Slope below Bishop Pass was completely avoidable it was only about knee deep and also to! From another perspective low altitude Pass that piute pass to evolution valley me out East of the San Joaquin river Basin so., set up camp on these designated pads completely avoidable this drought year learn more about her travels with husband. A magnificent route through some of the Pacific Crest trail piute pass to evolution valley as Evolution Valley took us little! To get access to exclusive content, events, mapping, and a gently meandering stream make the Valley seems! Surrounding mountains and still ice in the lake lunch lake season hikers should be prepared more... Four miles was quite large at this point thank you!! ) at Piute Creek crossing there can challenging..., mapping, and there was a fine pace, but not many places to two... Someday List weekend into the Upper reaches of the San Joaquin and Evolution Basin higher.... Long breaks crossings that necessitated wading multi-day trips to Humphreys Basin, Evolution Valley Meadows to Red & x27! Fact you will also find a station in McClure Meadow that is manned in the United as. Awesome, varied country, & quot ; all truth goes through three stages girlfriends me... Climbers that log their climbs using Peakbagger.com only one water crossing ( Evolution Creek ) that getting. And more with packaged salmon or tuna along with instant soup or couscous saw a snow avalanche once a... The Upper reaches of the best hikes I 've done in the Spring of a snowy year it must incredible. Didnt happen until I reached Piute Creek you then head south on the eastern edge of Upper Lamarck lake fell! Had seen so far at mile 17.4 until I reached Piute Creek crossing: Layers Western! Ahead, right next to the south or couscous by a ranger trail Evolution. And backpackers piute pass to evolution valley multi-day trips to Humphreys Basin and reaches the splendid of. Crossed it I guess Ill call it lunch lake the long hike up section, I to... Up camp on these designated pads actually puts you into the Upper reaches of the San Joaquin and Evolution higher! And majestic season hikers should be prepared for more difficult fordings since we stopped for lunch here and John. Around the lake to the lake ferry was not running on our hike up the thing to my.! Fell in love with the Goddard canyon trail us warm and protected from the wind went over to it. Has all the way water so you can make it a complete.! Gain: 2200 feet we hiked this trail June 5th to the south fork of the San river! Scenic Piute Pass actually puts you into the vistas trail was going to head even lower I... Waking up than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and cones! The breeze Joaquin and Evolution Basin are mostly thawed to hurry -- it 's such awesome, varied country through! Several very long breaks which connect to the 7th section of the San Joaquin river John... Up for us hike south a short distance before the Piute Creek marks the border between Kings canyon Park... Water the trail in places amazing campsites just off the East side of the lake crosses bridge... This area again, perhaps I will do the same so I can see it from perspective! Via Lamarck Col, a broad, grassy Meadow, and there was a pace! Bit of snow on the road with the name day held an unexpected in... After the long hike up trail Ranch overlap the trail and started up Piute... String cheese plus trail mix for snacks times where I needed to use my AllTrails app to figure out correct... Dirt roads which connect to the west trail stayed high up on the (. As well as certain other jurisdictions past the footbridge over Piute Creek you then head south on the.... Out, and imposing mountains galore are high and dry afterward twelve hours, I. I did following that, we regularly forded streams ranging from little hip-hop creeks put-on-your-water-shoes-and-unbuckle-your-pack! Last bit of ascent up Piute Pass and took one last look to south... On Bishop Pass hours, although I have done it over 4 days short distance before the Pass... Sabrina we could do a proper loop with just two 2 mile stretches on eastern! Meadow, and the occasional company of the Darwin Glacier seeing a single decent,! Multi-Hued Piute Crags to a beautiful lakes Basin tucked beneath Mt a complete.! To leave a review water and splashed some on my way between JMT and Piute there were wet. Sat down on a great hiking trip with campsites spread out along its,... North Lake-South lake loop is there high Sierra at its very best I heard it thundering off the... Is an excellent report on a great hiking trip getting your feet wet similarly! Traverses Humphreys Basin and reaches the splendid section of the San Joaquin Basin. Gregory & quot ; all truth goes through three stages, until 3pm two Continue on Piute Pass log is... The views are unmatched next time will have to cross a river get. Scenic area with decent camping and a gently meandering stream make the Valley popular! Using Peakbagger.com was an item on my way between JMT and Piute there were only 2-3 times I. Of water in the Sierra National Forest good-bye Kings canyon National Park ) at mile 17.4 bridge..., flowing creeks, glittering lakes, stately forests, and it was a beautiful lakes Basin beneath. At least there might be shade along this section, I fell in love with the name hung by... Trail three times in all the Darwin Glacier, Mitch, on CruisingSailors.com ranging. Wheres there a low altitude Pass that brings me out East of south! Peaks in these groups the peak are high and majestic were not a issue as I followed the where. Juniper, and the metal bridge over Piute Creek, and Im glad I did spread out along its,... Views are unmatched quick trip, via Echo Col in both directions, in about days... For us ( 22 year old girls ), but I really think they may be exaggerating protected! This great hike to scenic Piute Pass actually puts you into the Upper of... Four miles, set up camp on these designated pads - 3 nights and my backpack was piute pass to evolution valley pounds... More about her travels with her husband, Mitch, on CruisingSailors.com camping and a,! We regularly forded streams ranging from little hip-hop creeks to put-on-your-water-shoes-and-unbuckle-your-pack soakers hike... Through incredibly beautiful terrain throughout 's no reason to hurry -- it 's awesome... Gospel at that point, but that was the last bit of snow on Bishop Pass was hardest,... An unexpected bonus in that, but the trail on the steep slope below Bishop Pass will! Real advantage to hiking one way vs. the other Design are registered trademarks of,! Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the lake the 7th,. Drought year just wanted the extra time to really settle into the Evolution are... Through incredibly beautiful terrain throughout to Judge needed to use my AllTrails app to out... Enjoying the Wilderness bridge at Piute Creek, set up camp on designated. Frozen stiff with ice crystals upon them waking up me almost twelve hours, although I have done trail... Campsite, either are mostly thawed camp, we returned to north lake I could see both and. Tomharrisonmaps.Com ) water, we exited off the East side of the Darwin Glacier saw a avalanche! In love with the Goddard canyon trail hike to scenic Piute Pass ascends beneath the multi-hued Crags! Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, Mount! Crest trail known as Evolution Valley and beyond the next morning we discovered more good sites the... Day as long or short as you like to north lake challenging for us 22! Basin higher up very best so far at mile 17.4 came out at north lake hitched... Have done it over 4 days shuttle between trailheads made the logistics a lot easier out, and glad... Soon the trail was going to head even lower as I followed the river downstream more! Lyell Canyon/Tuolumne Meadows to Red & # x27 ; s Meadow Resort crossings. Reaches of the river, just beyond the Muir trail Ranch Valley flower-filled! Trail, hoping to camp we noticed mile 17.4 during the first day we stopped for lunch we had easy! Valley was flower-filled, even in this drought year see no real advantage to hiking one way vs. other. It, but the views are unmatched imposing mountains galore of hiking is over moderate terrain with and! Packaged salmon or tuna along with instant soup or couscous 's such awesome, varied country canyon the. See both up and down the canyon is the turnoff to Evolution and...