July 8, 2013 - Sapphire Lake

Title: July 8, 2013 - Sapphire Lake

Hike Info:

Trail: John Muir Trail, Day Fourteen

Starting location: Colby Meadows

Destination:   Sapphire Lake

Distance:  5.1 miles ¹

Start Time:  9:00

End Time:  3:30

Travel Time:  6:30 (0.78 mph)

Moving Time: 3:06 (1.65 mph)

Elevation Rise:  1,186' ¹

Maximum Elevation:  10,966' ¹

Description:

Evolution Valley

Cold last night. Stayed snuggled in my bag until 6. Everybody else is also slow coming our of their cocoons. Normal breakfast. Enjoyable morning with Ray and Rachel. We left around 9-they left about half an hour before us.

The Hermit and Friends

 I felt a bit sluggish going up the rest of Evolution Valley. I do not think Sherri was doing much better. We came to the creek, coming off of Darwin's Bench.  Mike and Anna from Fresno were there already. Beth and Victor joined us a few minutes after we arrived. This is probably the last meeting we will have with them.

Mt Mendel and Mt Darwin

By our performance, we pretty much have decided on going only to Sapphire Lake. At this point, we start our climb for the day. This is 800' to Evolution Lake.  Somehow the pack feels heavier than yesterday, even though I know it is lighter, and it should be.  But I am still huffing and puffing. The scenery helps. As we rise, we see Evolution Valley in its entire length. Such a sight! Also the cataract of the creek beside us, is wonderful.

Gary sucking air

As we approach 10,600', two things happens. First, the trail becomes less steep. Second, my GPS loses 500'. We catch up with Ray and Rachel who is talking to Bam Bam, a PCTer. A trail runner had just passed us all, and we were talking about him. We walk to Evolution Lake, where we have a nice, leisurely  lunch. Laying around for an hour or so before taking off.

Evolution Lake

The trail goes around Evolution Lake on the east side, high on the slope. This causes more heavy breathing, and good views of the lake. It also puts us in direct sun light, without much protection, n a warm, but breezy day.

Lakeside Walk

We cross the creek at the end of the lake. There are big stone boulders to assist us. Then it is up a couple more hundred feet to get to Sapphire Lake, our camping spot (37.15210, -118.69545). Ray and Rachel are already searching for a place to sleep, but without success. So we assist a team from the USGS, putting up a tarp. They say we can sleep in some places around them. They are counting Yosemite toads in the area and are going on to Davis and Martha Lakes.

More of Evolution Lake

We lounge around the rest of the afternoon. I manage to do a bit of wading, cleaning myself off. As the shadows creep across our camp, we have an early dinner. The wind is blowing pretty good, sending the temperature down. Right before we go to bed, a ranger come by and checks our permits. She notes that it is better not to pitch our tent on the grass. But Leslie  is gracious and informs us why-the "fairy grass" is over 25 years old. Bed time is 8:00.

Mt Mendel

Our slightly illegal tent

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Oatmeal and add-ins, such as dried peaches, strawberries, nuts, granola. Tang.	Peanut Butter and Nutella on crackers	Beef and Cabbage Wrap	Clif Bar, Jelly Bellies, CytoMax, Propel, GORP, Bank Balls

 ¹The supplied figures above come from either the book John Muir Trail: The essential guide to hiking America's most famous trail by Elizabeth Wenk or from topo maps. There was only partial tracks for today in my GPS. Below is the readings from today's status on the GPS. I view it as only somewhat accurate.

Distance:  5.38 miles

Elevation Rise:  714'

Maximum Elevation: 10,991'

July 7, 2013 - Colby Meadow

Title: July 7, 2013 - Colby Meadow

Hike Info:

Trail: John Muir Trail, Day Thirteen

Starting location:  San Joaquin River

Destination: Upper Evolution Valley

Actual Destination: Colby Meadow

Distance:  11.6 miles

Start Time: 8:05

End Time:  6:15

Travel Time: 10:10 (1.09 mph)

Moving Time: 7:13(1.53 mph)

Elevation Rise: 2,540'

Maximum Elevation:  9,850'

There are a great many pictures today. Many of them can be found at the bottom of this page.

Description:

Piute Creek area

After yesterday, we are moving a bit slower. Normally, we would be dividing out the food at night for the trail today. But we were so tired, we said we would do it today. Even with that, we got started on the trail a little after 8. Not bad for a slow day.

We move at a pretty good clip, about 2.5 mph to Piute Creek. We pick up another person, Jim from Chico, whom we hike with for about a mile. Sherri and Jim talk about cooking on the Trail. He suggests freeze dried chicken from Honeyville Farms.

San Joaquin River

At the creek we leave him, as he takes up with Mike, Gene, Noble and Hannah, people whom we have played tag with for the past couple of days. We make good progress going up the canyon, stopping occasionally to relieve our backs from the packs. When we get to the first footbridge across the San Joaquin, we stop for elevenses. As we finish up lunch, Nicole comes by. We chat for a time this may be the last time we see her on the trail, as she wants to finish things up sooner than later.

North from our Evolution Climb

We stop one more time before the climb out of the canyon, into Evolution Valley. This is a 800' ascent up the shear side of the canyon. One person calls Evolution a hanging valley. On the way up, we take plenty of breathers. After about 400', we stop and take off our packs for awhile. Ray and Rachel catch up with us there. It is a joy to see them again. We tell them to save us a camp spot up at Colby Meadows.

Rachel, Ray and Gary

After this break, we still have 400' to climb, but it is not as steep. We get to walk by Evolution Creek from here on up. It's crashing sounds as it leaps down into the canon are great to hear.  Once in the Valley, we need to cross the creek, it is a wade. Several other people are making this as well. Once on the other side, we all take about an hour to relax. One of the people is Beth, whom we hear about at Duck Creek. She is a first year teacher in Oakland.

Sherri Crossing Evolution Creek

I will confess here, that as great as Evolution Valley is, it is a bit of a trudge walking after our beak. I still appreciate its beauty, but now the back aches some with the heaviness of the pack, reducing the enjoyment of the surroundings. But there is still plenty to fill the senses, the shape of the valley, the meadows we pass along the way, the stream pleasant meandering, then crashing along.

We finally get to Colby Meadows (37.18358, -118.73100). This is the upper meadow in Evolution Valley. In a mile or two, we will be going up to Evolution Basin. This will mark a long time up above timberline. We set up camp, right before the meadow, giving us a great view. It is good to have the pack off the back. We rest a bit, then set up camp. Rachel and Ray comes in and joins us.

Evolution Valley at McClure Meadows

We eat, enjoy a small fire, and talk. There is the hanging of excess stuff, which is always fun and exciting. Then off to bed right around 9. We are discussing where to go tomorrow. Not sure yet what kind of day we want. Short up to Sapphire Lake, or over Muir Pass, into the Middle Fork of the Kings. We may not decide until we are on the trail.

Today's JMT Lesson:  Be prepared for equipment failure.

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snacks
Oatmeal and add-ins, such as dried peaches, strawberries, nuts, granola. Tang.	Peanut Butter and Nutella on crackers	Black Beans with Tortilla	Clif Bar, Jelly Bellies, CytoMax, Propel, GORP

Pictures:

Sherri on our Evolution Valley Climb

Rachel M

Ray M

Evolution Creek

Place: CA-Sapphire Lake

Sapphire Lake (quad)
(Long, Lat)

Description:


Trips:

• July 8, 2013 - JMT Trip
• July 2012 - Camped here on the way to Davis Lakes and Goddard Canyon
• July 2007 - Andrea and Sherri JMT Trip

Pictures:

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References:

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