July 26, 2012 – San Joaquin River to Evolution Meadows

 Title: July 26, 2012 – San Joaquin River to Evolution Meadows

Hike Info:

Trail: John Muir Trail

Destination: Evolution Meadows

Distance: 8.3 miles

Travel Time: 8:11

Moving Time: 4:41

Elevation Rise: 1,824'

Maximum Elevation: 9,257'

Description:



Got up around first light. But Andrea and Sherri are still sleeping. I just wander and sit and write. Around 8:30 there is stirrings and they get up and pack and we have our usual breakfast of oatmeal.



We hit the trail at 10:10. The trail is an easy to moderate grade up this morning. But we are in the sun. Seat comes easily to me as we go on—pretty good clip so far. We reach Piute Creek around 11:15 and have a gorp stop.



We get going again around noon and it is a long hot, but moderate uphill. But the sights are improving. The gorge which the San Joaquin River runs through is narrowing and the water rushes down. We stop again about 1:30 at an unknown place for lunch. There is shade and access to water. We have lunch there and continue on. A little later, we cross the San Joaquin River, on a bridge. Not there is shade for us, as we walk along the western side of the river. After a mile we come to the Goddard Canyon Junction.. We cross the river—on a bridge, once again. It is time for a decision and a break. Do we go up to Evolution Valley? Or stay here and camp? We decide to go up.

We meet a group of females—eight in all. They are doing the JMT—there are some other women in the group as well, doing a section of the trail. They are called WILD. The trail up is step—one step, one breath. Good part is there is lots of eye candy on the way up. First it is up and down the canyon views. Then there is a creek coming off the side of the canyon walls opposite us. As we climb, the view change and grow deeper. It takes my mind off of the heat and weight.



We stop at some falls, a couple of hundred feet below Evolution Valley. Nice to watch. I go up next to the creek to watch the water flow—good rock and the ascent Is fast. Before we know it, we are walking level. We meet a winemaker from Gallo who lives in Fresno—good talking with him.



We need to cross Evolution Creek. It is time to take off our shoes and wade. Not a bad crossing. Once on the other side, we hike 10 minutes and find a good spot around 6pm. Dinner is a mashed potato, cheese, and jerky combination. Got everything clean.. Andrea gets a fire going to burn some moldy pepperoni sticks and then it is off to bed.

Trail Lesson: Early stars makes for good walking.