Date: 2007-10-31
To: Sierra Nevada - Evolution Valley - Part II
Miles today: 0.0

Part II of Evolution Loop      We resumed our eastward course on the Piute Trail, climbing through a forest of Lodgepole, Whitebark, and Western White Pine. Imposing Glacier Divide, to the south, still paralleled our route. The trail left the forest and continued its ascent, attaining wide-open Humphrey¢s Basin and bringing Upper & Lower Golden Trout Lakes into view. Washboard clouds drifted over the vast natural bowl. Piute Pass lay directly ahead, with monolithic Mt. Humphrey¢s (13,986¢) and Mt. Emerson (13,204¢) commanding its northern ramparts. Mt. Goethe (13,264¢) and Muriel Peak (12,937¢) defended the pass from the south. Midway across the basin, Bruce, Mary, and I gathered ourselves in a clump of boulders, out of the wind. We hadn¢t seen Bill or Kim since leaving camp and were anxious to reunite the group, for a final ascent of Piute Pass. Scanning the trail behind with Bruce¢s binoculars, we waited, one hour, two hours, still no sign of our companions. Reports from passing hikers offered little news. (They might have been seen detouring toward the Golden Trout Lakes, possibly for water.) The afternoon was waning. If they were off-trail, there was no point retracing our steps to search for them today. Low on water ourselves, we continued on to Summit Lake (11,255¢) and waited some more, quizzing additional hikers. No one had seen them. The journey had been almost perfect. Was our luck about to change?      The view from Piute Pass (11,423¢), though impressive, was hard to appreciate in our confusion of emotions. There was still no sign of Kim or Bill. I left a message for them at Summit Lake and would leave another here, letting them know we intended to camp at Piute Lake (10,948¢). In the morning, if they were still missing, I would re-cross the pass and attempt to search the area. We had enough food for one day, after that we would have to hike out and alert the Ranger Station.       Suddenly, another hiker came rushing up to the pass, note in hand. It was from Kim. They had already passed through here and were heading to camp. In their minds, WE were the missing hikers. We were relieved and dumbfounded. How on earth had they gotten ahead of us? We had never veered from the trail, even for a moment. There must be another trail, probably the old route or a ¢use¢ trail nearer the lakes. That was the only plausible explanation, though Kim and Bill were adamant that THEY never left the trail themselves.       All were safe and perfection was again restored. My emotional side took temporary sway as I remonstrated Kim and Bill for their innocent navigational error. (An uncharacteristic outburst I later wished I could retract) I felt responsible. I wasn¢t the trip planner or leader, yet still, Kim was my sister and I have far more backcountry experience than my companions. As far as I was concerned, it was my watch and the welfare of everyone in the party ¢ my responsibility. It would be commensurate to losing a child, for me to return home to Michigan without Kim. All I remember of that evening was utter relief.       The next morning was gorgeous. It was our last day and no one was in a hurry to depart. North Lake was only four effortless downhill miles away, but civilization could wait a little longer. The sun¢s warmth soon permeated the canyon and Piute Lake came alive in the illumination. A sunrise stroll, breakfast, water treatment, packing and breaking camp all took place in a quiet, introspective mood. Last days are always bittersweet, and this one was particularly so. Yesterday evening had brought a catharsis. And yet one day¢s emotional turmoil couldn¢t diminish the overall experience. The Evolution Valley Loop was backpacking par excellence. Our odyssey had raised the bar, setting a new standard in backcountry adventure for us. We would be chasing its ghost in all our future exploits.        In high spirits, we left Piute Lake and began shadowing Bishop Creek. We still had a celebration dinner and our first shower in 9 days to look forward to. (And, of course, Kim, Bill and I would enjoy another week of road trip back to Michigan.) Descending steeply at times, the remaining miles of the Piute Trail trended eastward into the morning sun. As we rounded Loch Leven (10,743¢), a lone fisherman stood, silhouetted against the low-angle sun. Limber Pine, the first we had encountered, joined the usual cast of evergreen characters and yellowing aspen. The red rock of Piute Crags, layered like Neapolitan ice cream, enlivened the widening canyon walls as we neared North Lake trailhead. A deep satisfaction was setting in. As memorable as the achievement was, I took more pride in the fact that I could recognize and appreciate the part these kinds of experiences play in the overall quality of my life. John Muir, himself, expressed similar sentiments more than a hundred years ago, when he wrote:¢¢¦. thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountain is going home; that wilderness is a necessity; that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.¢