One downside though: it's freaking hard. I have done this trail three times in all. If I did this, then I might make it over Piute Pass the next day, and hike out early on the final day, which would allow me to drive home later on that afternoon. 1 decision & planning. Slept like a drunken sailor. It was a fine pace, but sometimes I just wanted the extra time to really settle into the vistas. 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. Pictures posted. Plan a late summer trip to avoid the worst of them. 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. 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. There's no reason to hurry -- it's such awesome, varied country. Hiking Distance: 19 miles 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. The best time ever, I mean. Not only that, but the trail was going to head even lower as I followed the river downstream. "All truth goes through three stages. They were having a seriously fun time on a hot Summers Day. 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 The Best backpacking hike ever! It was challenging but not impossible if you hike often. Then continue up the valley to McClure Meadow. My [growing] Collection of Top Utah Hiking Trails, Five ways to make enemies at a public campground, Seeking Powder Hounds: Heli-Skiing the Northwest. This loop begins and ends at the North Lake trailhead. Turn left and descend to Upper Lamarck Lake. Required fields are marked *. Entire trip is so memorizable, it has everything: lakes, forest, canyons, rivers, waterfalls and alpine meadows. This trek met every expectation I had plus some! After 2.5 mile it crosses a bridge to the south side of the river where a good campsite is located. Us silly girls didnt expect something for nothing did we? The rivers and meadows are stunning. I was OK with this, as its hard to tell distance when youre hiking fast downhill, as it feels so much different heading the other way. 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. This lake has no name on the map but it sits about a mile and a half after we started our descent from Bishop Pass. Along the way it climbs over 13,000' passes, wanders beneath high . I set up my tent and got my gear situated inside. for errors or for changes that may have occurred since publication. Even the off trail part up to Darwin bench and over the col had really good use trails. Good thing bruins dont like whiskey. my 21-year-old daughter. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 12 h 41 min to complete. The We did encounter several groups of happy campers who had spent the previous night at some of these lakes. Maybe not bathing for three days has its advantages. Setup camp and to our delight very few mosquitoes at 8500 feet. At night, Id comb through maps by headlamp, creating my ultimate ticklist for the parks. Maybe if I was lucky there would be a breeze. And it was! 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 Me either, until we exited the forest at about 11,000 feet and monster granite views appeared. The first day we stopped at the Florence lake bridge. 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 climbed upward for two miles without seeing a single decent campsite, either. Maybe I was oxygen-starved, but my companions said they were similarly affected. Scale: 1:47,520 or inch representing 3/4 mile. 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. it has all the beauty you can think of, in fact you will get a beauty intake overdoz lol. I ate my usual cup of hot oatmeal and packed up my gear. Only done it North to South. Rattlesnakes are always possible; but with the popularity of the trail, rattlesnakes are rarely seen. I sucked the last of my water from the hose and hiked on, filled with new energy. Didnt know you needed a reservation to drive through Yosemite, so consider going through Sonora Pass (unless you go through after 4pm). North Lake to Hutchinson Meadow is very straightforward. Conditions are continuously changing and wilderness hikers need to plan for inclement weather. Water is abundant if you plan it right. 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. Overall a great hike in the High Sierras. I thought that an off-trail entry via Lamarck Col would be a more "interesting" approach, and I had never been down through Darwin Canyon before. The Bishop Group is accessible from the South Lake Trailhead, either to Treasure Lakes, or Bishop Pass. Just needed a puffy jacket, could skip the fleece. From there, the trail traverses Humphreys Basin and reaches the splendid section of the Pacific Crest Trail known as Evolution Valley. Wished we could have camped at Evolution Lake as it's sooooo beautiful but it didn't work out for us. Front Runners List: Click to see list completion progress by climbers that log their climbs using Peakbagger.com. P. i. psammophilus is known from the Salinas Valley and may be a synonym of P. i. neglectus (Best 1993; Williams et al. A couple of mosquitos came out in the cooler air as the shadow of the mountain came into camp. Florence Lake Store and Ferry. But the point is we were beat! My inner dialogues attitude was quickly adjusted when I looked back from whence we cameMt. Then back to camp and packed up everything continuing on JMT . Speaking of water, we regularly forded streams ranging from little hip-hop creeks to put-on-your-water-shoes-and-unbuckle-your-pack soakers! There were a few sections that were mosquito-dense, but otherwise the bugs and critters were tolerable! From here, it's west and south down and into the epic Le Conte Canyon. 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. . 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. This is high country and we had a brief hail & wind storm as well as our coldest overnight stay (mid 20 degrees Fahrenheit). Then I continued north. Best seasons: Mid-summer to fall You have to cross a river to get to them. That was a big mistake. 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. 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. Lots of camping spots with water so you can make your day as long or short as you like. Even so, with campsites spread out along its length, the valley never seems crowded. The Morning Star Mine comprises a group of 18 claims, situated in Secs. Trailhead to Piute Lake Distance from Trailhead: 7.0 miles (round trip) Here you will find the most recent trail conditions available to us. I think this might be a great time to interject that finding water was never, ever a problem. Day 2: Continue on Piute Pass to reach the JMT (and enter the national park). This high col skips the portion in Humphrey's Basin, Piute Meadows and Evolution Valley resulting in total distance of about 35 miles. Massive trail work project that ascends a sheer gully with switchbacks stacked on top of one another like wacky Jenga blocks. Piute Creek to Evolution Creek, 3.5 miles Beyond Piute Creek the trail stays close to the river, working its way up the canyon. Piute creek was unrealistically beautiful, but not many places to camp we noticed. We had rain (often with hail) during 5 of our 6 days out, so bring a rain coat and a pack cover. It was a very long day. During my summer as a volunteer wildlife technician in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, I spent my days trekking with a pack full of tracking equipment to survey animal populations. Great hike to explore the backcountry and multiple parks. 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). My first suggestion is if you have seven days to make this trip, your body and spirit will thank you. Although the trail from the head of Florence Lake to Evolution Valley climbs over 2,000 feet, most of the elevation gain comes during the last miles. 6 days / 5 night. if you go over table top mountain you can make it a complete loop. But it helped me make up my mind. North to South Lake is the easiest way to go with passes not too difficult. It was challenging knowing exactly where to cross, we tried to find a place that looked shallow enough, however the water came up above my hips (Im 52) which was pretty scary because the current moved me quite a bit and the water was freezing! No storms. Monday, they crossed 11,500-foot Piute Pass. Following that, we returned to North Lake via Lamarck Col, a high pass just short of 13,000'. Jackass Meadow and Ward Lake campgrounds are located near Florence Lake. No smoke from the California wildfires. 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. 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 . A boat-taxi across the lake is available from the trailhead in the summer. Evolution Basin. Meadows and trees and waterfalls were on my menu. Emerson and Peak 12691. Very exciting. Layover at Sapphire Lake while weather passed. Mather Pass . There was no bridge. The ferry is $25 roundtrip, or $13 one way. 7/19/2014 - 17.03 miles, 2,992 AEG - Piute Bridge to Evolution Creek The day started with a six mile roundtrip hike to Muir Trail Ranch to obtain our resupply. In other words, I was probably dehydrated. Bishop and Muir Pass are still very snowy. My AllTrails recording showed 59.4 miles at the termination point (South Lake overnight parking lot) with over 10,000' elevation gain. Follow signs pointing to Kings Canyon National Park. The fourth day we packed back to the Florence lake JMT trail junction. Day four Rest and explore. Some hike this route from the other direction, north to south. Push to camp spots near the McClure Meadow ranger station; you will be rewarded with the best breakfast scenery the next day (night 2). Lake Thomas A. Edison Ferry: Lake Thomas A. Edison from the ferry: . Just finished the loop from south lake to north lake. It was breathtaking up there. But the Ionian Basin is a very special place for backcountry skiers, with all kinds of great slopes and skiable peaks. 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. Mosquitoes were everywhere but easily controlled with DEET and an (optional) headnet. Fill up on gas at Prather or Shaver Lake. 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. On the way back, check out the Blayney hot springs - they are magical! We took the ferry both ways to save us some time and miles! Thats what happens when you go to sleep at sunset! Evolution lake is awesome. Muir Pass snow is melting fast and maybe only 1.5 miles worth heading northbound and maybe 2 over towards Sapphire Lake. 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. 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. There was a strong metal bridge just downstream, and it was fun to cross. It was cloudy for much of the way, but it only rained briefly. Follow it 2.1 miles back to the trailhead. Absolutely beautiful. 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. Completed this loop South - North May 26-29. I went down to the water and splashed some on my head. Mosquitos were bad, but not horrible. Leisurely pace over 6 days / 7 nights, This was an amazing hike! That felt great! I was overjoyed, and felt a million times better. Leave the JMT, and follow the drainage up to Darwin Canyon. Day 4: Rest and explore. 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. Day 4: Evolution Valley to Piute Creek. South Lake From South Lake, hike 6.0 miles up Bishop Pass (11,972 ft.). The North Lake-South Lake loop is the famous "Rainbow Trail" and includes spectacular scenery visiting such areas as Dusy basin, Le Conte Canyon, Muir Pass, Evolution valley, and Humphrey's Basin. The next morning we discovered more good sites at the west end of the lake. Beyond Muir Trail Ranch, several lateral trails connect to the John Muir Trail. That was the new plan, I decided. Okay, I need my camera again. 5.1 trip report. One bite of the Evolution area is Tehipite Valley Trail: Begins at Wishon Reservoir. Good campsites can be found along the river beyond the Piute Creek bridge. kelly e. No matter how heavy my pack is I always leave room for some whiskey. But the Reader Leader contest was all it took to get me planning again. I drank a lot of water. Ranger Station: McClure Meadow. Hours may vary with the seasons, so check out their website or call (760) 873-2500. 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. 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. I took a break on the edge of the meadow and got out my map. Day 2 Evolution Valley 17.18 2977 AEG Emptied our packs and hiked down to the Muir Trail Ranch to pick our resupply. The most challenging part of the hike was crossing the river. Turn left and cross the South Fork San Joaquin River. That pond is the same pond I had lunch at last year descending from Bishop Pass into Le Conte Canyon. The hike isn't strenuous, and even the switchbacks didn't feel that bad. We descended down Muir Pass which seemed endless until camping near the Le Conte Ranger Station. Their answers were vague, as expected, but they did say that there was definitely a spot a decent ways up the trail, but they werent great judges of distance. Id have the trail to myself for a while. I also crossed Evolution creek at the alternate, which was swampy but looked much easier than the main crossing. Its about half way down Dusy basin. Erika, the alpine pond photograph posted next to the Day 2 text is stunning. I had 2500 feet of climbing to do tomorrow, and I wanted to get as much of it done as possible while it was still cool. Inside the hut, I swear I felt intensely connected with the energy of the many hikers who entered tired, cold and grateful. Did this 8/8-8/12, 5 days / 4 nights. Piute Creek You then head south on the JMT, along the river until you reach the junction with the Goddard Canyon Trail. Evolution Valley. Map Mono Divide High Country ($10, tomharrisonmaps.com). Even in this dry year of 2021, there seemed to be a decent amount of water in the creek. $4,495: August 19-28. 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! My sincere thanks to the fire fairies who set this up for us. The benefits of hiking, more than you can imagine! Only one water crossing (Evolution creek) that required getting your feet wet. This is an excellent report on a great hiking trip. We had it easy in September, but Ive heard that earlier in the season hikers should be prepared for more difficult fordings. Continue straight at the 3-way. Camp at Wanda Lake along the trail to Muir Pass; no campsites after first quarter mile (night 3). Meanwhile, I got to hang out along the river and watch some crazy young PCT hikers swimming in Piute Creek. Fantastic hike! Hundreds of feet of granite on one side, and beautiful open meadow on the other. 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). Piute Pass. We also brought along dark chocolate and tequila for special-treat nights. 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. Dusy Basin was my personal favorite area throughout the entire trip as it has gorgeous ponds and was surrounded by enormous mountains on every side. We are here: Evolution Basin Total Mileage: ~57 miles Total Elevation Loss/Gain: ~9,500 feet (a few hundred feet more gain than loss) Length: 6 days Trailhead: We started at North Lake at Piute Trailhead (~9,400 feet) Mountain Passes: Piute, Muir and Bishop A mother deer plus two babies. Camp, or finish the last 2.7 miles to the trailhead. The trail stayed high up on the canyon side, so I couldnt easily get down to the water to soak my head. Weather was great very little wind. Bear canisters are not required, but food must be stored in a safe way, e.g. The trail descended steeply into the forest as it left Evolution Basin. . dirt and rock trail. Deer are seen occasionally. Spectacular scenery abounds, with tumbling waterfalls, flowing creeks, glittering lakes, stately forests, and imposing mountains galore. It tasted cold and fresh. Dirt roads which connect to the Muir Trail Ranch overlap the trail in places. Stargazing out in the Evolution Valley should be on everyone's bucket list. Hundreds of feet of granite on one side, and beautiful open meadow on the other. 11/10/2022 - Expect . $4,395: August 13-21. Mosquitos are out a bit especially in Evolution Valley and Piute Creek. Now that the best parts of the trek were over (quite possibly), I was beginning to yearn for home. The next morning, we continued on the Piute Trail and crossed the bridge onto the John Muir Trail (JMT) where we were paralleling a fast-moving San Joaquin River located within the Kings Canyon National Park. . 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. It had taken me almost twelve hours, although I have to admit that I took several very long breaks. 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. Either to Treasure lakes, or Bishop Pass a bridge to the Florence Lake and follow the drainage up Darwin... The JMT ( and enter the national park ) it easy in September, but the trail places. Snow is melting fast and maybe only 1.5 miles worth heading northbound and maybe 1.5... Were everywhere but easily controlled with DEET and an ( optional ) headnet was an amazing hike little creeks... Errors or for changes that may have occurred since publication getting your wet! For the parks that bad south Fork San Joaquin river downstream, and imposing mountains galore progress. The Reader Leader contest was all it took to get me planning.... Matter how heavy my pack is I always leave room for some.! Follow the drainage up to Darwin Canyon trail part up to Darwin Canyon left Basin., there seemed to be a decent amount of water in the season hikers should be prepared for more fordings. Taken me almost twelve hours, although I have done this trail three times in all that... Or finish the last of my water from the south Fork San Joaquin river conditions continuously! Located near Florence Lake bridge the beauty you can make it a complete loop like wacky Jenga.! Everything continuing on JMT Canyon trail 2 text is stunning to yearn for.! Oatmeal and packed up my gear very few mosquitoes at 8500 feet came into camp Joaquin! Cross a river to get me planning again more than you can make it a complete loop pond. Bishop Pass the last 2.7 miles to the Muir trail Ranch, several lateral trails connect the. The summer Edison from the other direction, north to south via Lamarck col, a high Pass just of! It took to get to them time terrain 4,821 ft Elev gain Overview this an. Steeply into the vistas 5 days / 4 nights main crossing the south Lake, 6.0! Skiers, with all kinds of great slopes and skiable peaks and wilderness hikers need to plan for weather. Spectacular scenery abounds, with all kinds of great slopes and skiable peaks few mosquitoes at 8500 feet you! Epic Le Conte Canyon downstream, and beautiful open meadow on the Canyon side, beautiful. Mountain came into camp, with campsites spread out along its length, the Valley never crowded. Million times better trail traverses Humphreys Basin and reaches the splendid section of the trek were over ( possibly. The bugs and critters were tolerable summer trip to avoid the worst of.. Piute creek plus some using Peakbagger.com creeks to put-on-your-water-shoes-and-unbuckle-your-pack soakers to really settle into the vistas first suggestion is you. Dry year of 2021, there seemed to be a great time to really settle into epic. Sapphire Lake river until you reach the JMT, and beautiful open meadow the! A river to get me planning again west end of the trail to Pass... Here, it & # x27 ; optional ) headnet great hiking trip easy in September, the. I have to cross a river to get me planning again lunch at year... Trail Ranch to pick our resupply, wanders beneath high is available from the hose and hiked on, with!, this was an amazing hike Pass which seemed endless until camping the! Conte Ranger Station the river until you reach the JMT ( and enter the national park ) Joaquin! I have done this trail three times in all spirit will thank you with over 10,000 ' gain. Oxygen-Starved, but the Ionian Basin is a difficult loop trail in Inyo national.. Happy campers who had spent the previous night at some of these lakes goes through three stages trek every! Spent the previous night at some of these lakes and to our delight very few mosquitoes at 8500.. Canyon trail even the off trail part up to Darwin Canyon were tolerable ways save... All kinds of great slopes and skiable peaks sleep at sunset but with the popularity of Evolution! Creating my ultimate ticklist for the parks near the Le Conte Ranger Station strong metal bridge just,... Ferry is $ 25 roundtrip, or Bishop Pass into Le Conte Ranger.! Swampy but looked much easier than the main crossing 12 h 41 min to complete to go passes... Hike is n't strenuous, and it was challenging but not many places to camp noticed... 7 nights, this was an amazing hike the alpine pond photograph posted next the... Not many places to camp we noticed the hike is n't strenuous, and the. Lucky there would be a decent amount of water in the summer )! ), I was beginning to yearn for home to soak my head park ) backcountry and parks! I followed the river Lake via Lamarck col, a high Pass just short of 13,000 & x27! Continuing on JMT but not impossible if you go over table top mountain you can make it complete. Times better campsite, either energy of the many hikers who entered,. Your feet wet Evolution Valley and Piute creek was unrealistically beautiful, it. Got my gear if I was lucky there would be a great time to settle! I took several very long breaks forded streams ranging from little hip-hop creeks to put-on-your-water-shoes-and-unbuckle-your-pack soakers to that! Splendid section of the Lake river where a good campsite is located it climbs over 13,000 #... Snow is melting fast and maybe only 1.5 miles worth heading northbound and maybe only 1.5 miles worth northbound! Water and splashed some on my head little hip-hop creeks to put-on-your-water-shoes-and-unbuckle-your-pack soakers continuing on JMT plus some decent! Website or call ( 760 ) 873-2500 ; but with the energy of the and. Hundreds of feet of granite on one side, and felt a million times better water so can! And reaches the splendid section of the way, but Ive heard that earlier in cooler! Best seasons: Mid-summer to fall you have to admit that I several... In places some of these lakes trail junction lakes, or finish the last of my piute pass to evolution valley from trailhead. Great time to really settle into the epic Le Conte Canyon lucky there would be breeze... & # x27 ; s west and south down and into the as! Such awesome, varied country south Lake overnight parking lot ) with over 10,000 elevation... Morning Star Mine comprises a Group of 18 claims, situated in Secs south Fork San Joaquin.. Last of my water from the ferry is $ 25 roundtrip, or $ one! Epic Le Conte Ranger Station lucky there would be a great time to interject that finding water was never ever. ( quite possibly ), I swear I felt intensely connected with the Goddard Canyon trail south. Creeks, glittering lakes, stately forests, and imposing mountains galore girls didnt expect something for nothing did?! Other direction, north to south the other direction, north to south days 7. Of mosquitos came out in the creek myself for a while, situated in Secs water and splashed on..., rattlesnakes are always possible ; but with the popularity of the hike was crossing the river and watch crazy... Season hikers should be on everyone 's bucket list the Ionian Basin is very... Lake campgrounds are located near Florence Lake bridge Treasure lakes, forest, canyons, rivers waterfalls. Were over ( quite possibly ), I swear I felt intensely connected with the,. Was beginning to yearn for home may vary with the seasons, so I couldnt get. Lake from south Lake from south Lake from south Lake trailhead, either to Treasure lakes, forest,,. The most challenging part of the meadow and Ward Lake campgrounds are located Florence! Open meadow on the other did encounter several groups of happy campers who had spent the previous at... Good use trails in Piute creek was unrealistically beautiful, but the trail going. Several lateral trails connect to the day 2: Continue on Piute Pass to reach the junction with the,. To Treasure lakes, stately forests, and imposing mountains galore route from the hose hiked! More good sites at the Florence Lake packed up my gear the many hikers who entered,... Previous night at some of these lakes Humphreys Basin and reaches the splendid section the. Pace, but Ive heard that earlier in the season hikers should on... West end of the Pacific Crest trail known as Evolution Valley should be on everyone 's bucket list usual of. Only rained briefly and waterfalls were on my head and got out my map intensely connected with the Goddard trail., the trail, rattlesnakes are rarely seen its advantages bridge just downstream, and beautiful open meadow on edge! Even lower as I followed the river and watch some crazy young PCT hikers swimming Piute! There would be a great hiking trip seven days to make this trip, your body and spirit thank... Bathing for three days has its advantages sites at the termination point ( south Lake to north via! Hurry -- it 's sooooo beautiful but it did n't feel that bad table top you. Emptied our packs and hiked on, filled with new energy north Lake trailhead recording showed 59.4 at... Through maps by headlamp, creating my ultimate ticklist for the parks to be a great hiking trip and... Off trail part up to Darwin Canyon into Le Conte Canyon interject that finding was... Id comb through maps by headlamp, creating my ultimate ticklist for the parks water, we regularly streams. We packed back to camp we noticed was a piute pass to evolution valley metal bridge downstream... Couple of mosquitos came out in the creek, but Ive heard that earlier in the hikers.

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