Welcome to the Evolution Valley--one of the gems at the heart of the Sierra Nevada and the John Muir Trail. I'm stretching the Valley up into the Evolution Basin--the whole drainage of Evolution Creek. It's a 15.3 mile stretch of the JMT--a long day's hike, if you are crazy enough to hurry through (that's one reason I've been rethinking my desire to do a through-hike: I want to linger in the good places. The need to do 20-mile days means you can run through some of the best spots in the middle of single day).
The explorers who first entered the valley (while scouting a route more or less along the Sierra Crest that eventually became the JMT--and the PCT) named it, and the mountains that pushed them into the valley, after the great early evolutionary thinkers because--it just seemed right to them? By any name, it is well worth the lengthy hike to get there!
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| Looking down on the upper part of the lower valley, if that makes sense! Photo is taken from the edge of the Darwin Bench. |
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| Looking down from the Darwin Bench to Evolution Lake |
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| Evolution Lake--the heart of the Evolution Valley. |
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| To my surprise, even in September there were some flowers. At these elevations, plants waste none of the snow-free months! |
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| Looking back from the top end--just below Wanda Lake, and seeing only the jagged ridge that defines the east side of the Valley. |
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| Wanda Lake at sunrise. Still not dead calm, but beautiful in the low light. The change of drainage is at Muir Pass, just off the picture to the left. |
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| Immense white-bark pine in the Evolution Valley |
©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2015
Look at those hidden lakes and streams--beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAn amazing place. There are so many beautiful and stunning spots in the Sierra.
DeleteBeautiful views. I'm not sure I would like the thru-hike's either. I like to stop and dawdle along the way too much. I also carry a semi-large camera so stopping to take pictures is a must. I would love to see this in person.
ReplyDeleteWe did it in a 6-night near-loop, taking fairly short days (I was going to say "short and easy," but there was a lot of climbing, and that wasn't easy). Pretty much every step was amazing.
DeleteBeautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThat tree! It's gorgeous. The whole of the Sierra Nevada is just stunning. Hard to believe how many types of topography exist along the western coast towards the Rockies.
ReplyDeleteAlex Hurst, A Fantasy Author in Kyoto
A-Z Blogging in April Participant
I am totally in love with the Sierra juniper, white pine, and (a range to the east), the bristlecone. Just amazing trees, with that lovely red bark.
DeleteAs for variety of topography...we spent the last week in the deserts and mountains, from SF to Zion via Death Valley. Amazing variation of amazing lands, and temps from 83 deg down to 21 deg.
Interesting name - Evolution Valley. Lovely pictures.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte @My Green Nook
Yeah, I had to do some looking to see why. Just an explorer with Darwin on the brain, I think :)
DeleteI enjoyed sharing that Sept hike with you. You are a great hiking partner, and a wonderful photographer. We had mostly good weather, but even the afternoon storms on that last day were not bad. This trip down E lane has brought back some delicious memories.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Vince! That was a great trip, and I'm hoping to get back and do more soon. You are welcome to join us any time!
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