Evolution Loop
Notes by piero scaruffi | Travel resources | Other California destinations | California hikesPictures of the hikes
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The Evolution region of the Eastern Sierra can be reached from Bishop on a
day hike via either Lake Sabrina or North Lake.
Assuming that you park one car at Lake Sabrina, you can design a loop that takes you through three of the most spectacular places of the Evolution region: Darwin Canyon, Evolution Lake and the lakes south of Lake Sabrina. Lake Sabrina is located at the end of 168, west of Bishop, about 1.5 hours driving time south of Mono Lake, i.e. 6/7 hours from the Bay Area. From Bishop, take 168 west, aka West Line St, all the way to the end. You need to park one car by the Lake Sabrina campground (as far into 168 as the law alows you). Then head for nearby North Lake with another car (the North Lake turnout is on the right just before the Lake Sabrina campground). The road to North Lake is only 3km but mostly unpaved. The only way to leave the car at the North Lake trailhead is to take campsite for two nights. Otherwise you have to leave the car at the hikers' parking lot 2kms before the trailhead.
The North Lake trailhead splits almost immediately: the main trail goes up
towards Piute Pass, the left fork goes to the Lamarck Lakes. Take the left to
the Lamarck Lakes. In early summer or after a big rainy season you have to
cross the creek in a non-trivial manner. Then
in about one hour you reach the lower lake. Continue
following the trail.
Unfortunately the trail is not easy to follow.
You need to know where it continues. If uncertain, just climb the hill that
you are ascending and you'll find it on the other side.
From there on that use trail is usually easy to follow. It enters a canyon and
follows it to the plateau of Mt Lamarck. To the southwest of Mt Lamarck is a
snow field. Depending on the season, it might be easy to coast it to the south.
Lamarck Col is the prominent chimney west of it.
When you reach the top of
Lamarck Col (almost 4000m) you are welcomed by the sign of the Kings Canyon
national park and you have a great view of the lakes of Darwin Canyon,
Here the use trail is no longer useful. Descend into Darwin Canyon coasting the
lakes to the south. There are five main lakes. After the fifth one, the landscape
clearly changes and the creek starts bending south instead of east.
You want to cross the creek and head south before the creek does, trying to
maintain elevation. You should be able to see the John Muir trail ascending the
other side of the drainage as you head south. A bit of boulder hopping and
bushwhacking takes you to a place near Evolution Lake where you can easily
cross the drainage and meet the John Muir trail. Use this highway to coast
Evolution Lake and continue south on it towards Sapphire Lake. Before this lake
(past Mt Spencer on the left), head up the ledges. If you keep Mt Spencer to
the left as a reference point, you will be heading up west towards unnamed lake
right below Mt Haeckel. From this lake look up north (left) and you should
identify a prominent moraine that, unlike the nearby slippery granite slabs,
allows to climb (class 2) towards a chimney (also class 2). When the chimney
ends, you are above the granite slabs. Move up and right towards the crest
that connects Mt Haeckel and Mt Darwin. You should see a U-shaped boulder.
Climb towards it and onto it. It allows you to cross over into the Haeckel basin. There is a small lake underneath. Coast to the left of it (lots of boulder hopping) and finally reach better ground, but stay as much to the left as possible to minimize the up and down ridges of this plateau. If you head for the northeastern corner of the plateau, you will enter a steep chute with much loose scree that goes straight down to Midnight Lake. While it looks scary and requires great care not to fall, it is feasible if there is no snow inside. If this chute is not feasile, head for the ridge to its right, that overlooks Midnight Lake to the left and Hungry Backpacker Lake to the right. Continue on that ridge until a chute on the left (south) of the lake that allows you to zigzag to the lake over gentler terrain. Once at the lake coast the south side until you his the trail. The trail goes down to Dingleberry Lake and Blue Lake and finally Lake Sabrina. The trailhead for Lake Sabrina is located on the paved road before the dam. When you are coming down the trail, you'll end up on the paved road halfway between the campground and the dam. Just walk down a short distance on the paved road and you should find your car in a few minutes. 
(Topoquest) My 2008 time:
Note that a shorter loop can be made from Lake Sabrina southwest along Bishop Creek through a series of lakes to Bottleneck Lake (3400m). Then bend west through the Schober Holes (another series of small lakes) and climb the ridge (3800m) to the north of the moraine. Continuing straight west one reaches Darwin Canyon bypassing Lamarck Col. But this is a completely cross-country route. |
Pictures of this hike
See also: Weather forecast for the Evolution region |
