Day 7: Evolution Meadow to Evolution Lake (6.5 mi.)
Aug. 3: It’s sunny!! The sky is clear and blue. It was cold last night; the grass in the meadow was covered with frost until the sun hit it. (Hopefully it’s reduced the mosquito population.)
Our mules and the neighboring mules were loose last night. One of theirs had a bell on it, so you could hear it moving around during the night.
Since we had a late night, and we have a short day ahead, breakfast is later than usual. We don’t leave camp until almost 11 a.m.
It’s a beautiful walk alongside the three meadows of Evolution Valley—Evolution (9,200), McClure (9,600), and Colby (9,800). McClure is the largest of the three, and the view across the meadow with the mountains to the south is spectacular. At Colby Meadow, which is dominated by Hermit Peak, we find a field of wild onions.
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| Evolution Meadow | McClure Meadow | Colby Meadow & Hermit Peak |
As
we climb up from the last meadow, following a stream, we stop to enjoy lunch by
a small waterfall around 1 p.m. After our quick lunches in the drizzle or
between showers of the last few days, it’s wonderful to be able to sit in the
sun and take our time to enjoy the view.
We climb steeply on switchbacks up the cliffs at the head of Evolution Valley and arrive at Evolution Lake (10,850) at 3:25. The mules arrive at 4:15. (Since we are above 10,000 feet, we cannot have a fire. So we are especially glad to see the mules arrive not long after we do.) After all the mules have been unloaded and the kitchen is setup, Vic and Harry leave with the mules to camp back down at Evolution Meadow since saddle stock is not allowed to graze here.
While
we are waiting for the mules, a guy who is camped in the rocks above comes and
asks us to move. We’re detracting from his view! After some scouting around,
we find that there just isn’t any other place to camp; this is the only
semi-flat area big enough for all our tents. Once we start to put up our tents,
he packs up his stuff, complains about us encroaching on HIS territory,
threatens to tell a ranger, and moves on. As dusk is descending, a lone
backpacker arrives at the meadow and asks if we mind him camping near us. Of
course not, and offer him a cup of hot coffee.
At some point during the afternoon, a pack train passes through heading back the way we came. They inform us that all the rains over the last few days caused a landslide on Bishop Pass. It’s now impassable for pack animals, but foot traffic can get through. It could be 2-3 days before it is re-opened. This is not good news. Our resupply is expected over Bishop Pass the day after tomorrow.
This
is a spectacular spot and the sunny skies after six days of rain make it
possible for us to really enjoy it. George goes fishing. Andrew and Dina hike
up an unnamed peak (11576). I go exploring to take photographs from the outlet
of the lake looking west down into Evolution Valley. With the sun low in the
sky, the light reflects off the lakes and streams below. Evolution Lake itself
appears to be quite small from our vantage point since there is a large point of
land that juts out into the lake almost severing it into two. And, of course,
the granite peaks of Mts. Mendel and Darwin to the east and Mts. Spencer and
Huxley to the south provide the perfect backdrop to the calm, blue waters of the
lake. We’re just at the tree line, so there are only a couple of stunted
whitebark pines which appear to be growing out of the rocks of this glacially
scoured basin.
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For the first time on the trip, Debbie can cook without dodging rain drops and at a more reasonable hour—it’s not dark yet. Meanwhile, we get to sit, sip our wine and drink in the scene as the sun sets, casting a pink glow on the surrounding mountain tops. Debbie’s Dijon chicken breasts, served with zucchini & other veggies and pasta with a Parmesan cheese sauce, are a big hit.
With no mules, no rain, and no bugs at 10000+ feet, the night is very quiet.
