Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
PCT 2002 - June 12th
Day 57: Wednesday 12th June
Middle Fork, Kings River – Evolution Meadow
I left at 6.20am to try and get over Muir Pass before the snow softened too much as
the temperature rose. I reached the snow line at 10,500ft. At the frozen desolate Helen
Lake, I met the first JMT southbound hikers of the summer, two youngsters walking
from Tuolumne to Whitney. Helen Lake and Wanda Lake, on the other side of the Muir
Pass, are named after the daughters of John Muir. The first time I had made this climb
was in August 1993 when I had battled up through a blizzard to find Helen Lake still
frozen over; A big contrast to the heat of 2000 when I had even managed a chilly swim in
the lake, at 11,595ft the highest lake in which I have ever swum.
I reached the 11,955ft Muir Pass after 3 hours walking. Muir Pass was fairly gentle
on both sides, but it was hard work climbing up through the softening now at this altitude.
Two years ago I met Dennis just below Muir Pass. He had had a double lung
transplant and was backpacking at altitude against the advice of his doctors. Inevitably
he was finding it hard going, but his was a marvellous achievement of mind over body. I
gather he managed to cross the 13,200ft Forester Pass in 2001.
On the summit of the pass there is a stone shelter built in 1930 by the Sierra club
dedicated to the memory of John Muir. All that could be seen from the pass were snow-
covered mountains and valleys and in most years snow lingered here throughout the
summer.
I was entering Evolution Basin, where the peaks are named after the main
protagonists in the debate on the evolution of man, such as Darwin and Huxley. I came
across a snow condition that I had not met before, snow cupping. Rather than melting
uniformly there were craters in the snow up to a couple of foot deep, with the surface
resembling a giant egg-box. This happened when the snow was exposed to the hot sun for
long periods. This, together with the softening snow, made the descent even more tiring
than the ascent. There was continuous snow and no sign of the trail for many miles down
to Sapphire Lake and then extensive snow patches down to Evolution Lake at 10,850ft
where I stopped for lunch and my afternoon siesta. At least the snow enabled me to cross
what would otherwise have been difficult creeks on snow-bridges.
On the descent from Evolution Lake I met “Got to Go Linda”; a very fit 57 year-old
from California, she had been doing about 25 miles/day through Southern California.
She had planned on 17 miles/day through the High Sierra but had found this rather
unrealistic and was now running low on supplies.
Tom and Katie, and Helene also passed while I stopped to take some photographs in
McClure Meadow. Below the meadow it was necessary to cross Evolution Creek. This was
the first difficult and potentially dangerous ford of the trail. The normal ford was fast
moving water, at least thigh deep, flowing over a rocky streambed with deep holes having
formed behind the larger boulders. I didn’t fancy this so I crossed higher up on the old
PCT route at the lower end of Evolution Meadow. Here the water was slower moving with
a gravel bottom. Being slower moving the water was deeper and I stripped off completely
and put my clothes in my rucksack before attempting to cross. Being on gravel I was
able to wear my sandals, which meant I could keep my boots dry. The water was very cold
and came up to my waist but I managed to get across safely. I dried off and camped by
the crossing as the sun was setting. For the first time mosquitoes were a real nuisance
and I had to shut myself up in my tent to escape their attention.
Day 57: 15.2 miles 9.05 hours Camp: Evolution Meadow
Middle Fork, Kings River – Evolution Meadow
I left at 6.20am to try and get over Muir Pass before the snow softened too much as
the temperature rose. I reached the snow line at 10,500ft. At the frozen desolate Helen
Lake, I met the first JMT southbound hikers of the summer, two youngsters walking
from Tuolumne to Whitney. Helen Lake and Wanda Lake, on the other side of the Muir
Pass, are named after the daughters of John Muir. The first time I had made this climb
was in August 1993 when I had battled up through a blizzard to find Helen Lake still
frozen over; A big contrast to the heat of 2000 when I had even managed a chilly swim in
the lake, at 11,595ft the highest lake in which I have ever swum.
I reached the 11,955ft Muir Pass after 3 hours walking. Muir Pass was fairly gentle
on both sides, but it was hard work climbing up through the softening now at this altitude.
Two years ago I met Dennis just below Muir Pass. He had had a double lung
transplant and was backpacking at altitude against the advice of his doctors. Inevitably
he was finding it hard going, but his was a marvellous achievement of mind over body. I
gather he managed to cross the 13,200ft Forester Pass in 2001.
On the summit of the pass there is a stone shelter built in 1930 by the Sierra club
dedicated to the memory of John Muir. All that could be seen from the pass were snow-
covered mountains and valleys and in most years snow lingered here throughout the
summer.
I was entering Evolution Basin, where the peaks are named after the main
protagonists in the debate on the evolution of man, such as Darwin and Huxley. I came
across a snow condition that I had not met before, snow cupping. Rather than melting
uniformly there were craters in the snow up to a couple of foot deep, with the surface
resembling a giant egg-box. This happened when the snow was exposed to the hot sun for
long periods. This, together with the softening snow, made the descent even more tiring
than the ascent. There was continuous snow and no sign of the trail for many miles down
to Sapphire Lake and then extensive snow patches down to Evolution Lake at 10,850ft
where I stopped for lunch and my afternoon siesta. At least the snow enabled me to cross
what would otherwise have been difficult creeks on snow-bridges.
On the descent from Evolution Lake I met “Got to Go Linda”; a very fit 57 year-old
from California, she had been doing about 25 miles/day through Southern California.
She had planned on 17 miles/day through the High Sierra but had found this rather
unrealistic and was now running low on supplies.
Tom and Katie, and Helene also passed while I stopped to take some photographs in
McClure Meadow. Below the meadow it was necessary to cross Evolution Creek. This was
the first difficult and potentially dangerous ford of the trail. The normal ford was fast
moving water, at least thigh deep, flowing over a rocky streambed with deep holes having
formed behind the larger boulders. I didn’t fancy this so I crossed higher up on the old
PCT route at the lower end of Evolution Meadow. Here the water was slower moving with
a gravel bottom. Being slower moving the water was deeper and I stripped off completely
and put my clothes in my rucksack before attempting to cross. Being on gravel I was
able to wear my sandals, which meant I could keep my boots dry. The water was very cold
and came up to my waist but I managed to get across safely. I dried off and camped by
the crossing as the sun was setting. For the first time mosquitoes were a real nuisance
and I had to shut myself up in my tent to escape their attention.
Day 57: 15.2 miles 9.05 hours Camp: Evolution Meadow
Helen Lake
Ancient Brit at
Helen Lake, 2000
Helen Lake, 2000
Helen Lake
Muir Pass
Wanda Lake,
Evolution Basin
Evolution Basin
Katie and Tom
Evolution Lake
Got to Go Linda
Helene
McClure Meadows
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