Trip Advice (July 2021): 5 Day Loop Suggestions for Evolution Valley , Ionian Basin, Darwins Basin, Etc

[mbehlen]

My variation from North to South if there is too much snow:

Saturday Day 1: Upper Lamarck Lake
Sun Day 2: Up and Over Lamarck Col to Dawins Canyon camp at Darwins Bench
Monday Day 3: to Wanda Lake - 7 Miles
Tuesday Day 4: Day Trip to Davis Lakes
Wednesday Day 5: To Dusy basin 12/13 Miles
Thursday Day 6: to Palisade Basin Exploring (leave packs at camp) - 8/9 Miles
Friday Day 7: Over the pass and early exit or camp
Saturday Out: 8 Miles

ALT

Saturday Day 1: Puite Pass to Meadow - 10 Miles
Sun Day 2: Goddard Canyon Bridge Junction - 9 Miles
Monday Day 3: To Darwin's bench/canyon - 10 Miles
Tuesday Day 4: to Wanda Lake - 7 Miles
Wednesday: Day Trip to Davis Lakes
Thursday Day 6: To Dusy basin 12/13 Miles
Friday Day 7: to Palisade Basin Exploring (leave packs at camp) - 8/9 Miles
Saturday Out: 8 Miles

[maiathebee]

Your new plan is a lot more reasonable and has better "intro to cross country" terrain. You say you've hiked a few hundred miles but how much of that was cross country?

Here's a writeup of NL-SL. We took 5 days but did not go to Dusy on that trip because we got held up by weather. Here's a trip where I went to Dusy.

It's a lot easier to find where to go on Lamark Col east to west and generally climbing snow is easier and safer than descending. There will be snow in June. You can see the snowfield from my trip in the link I posted... that was July 2018, a similar snowpack year. So maybe reverse your trip. That way you could bail if you get to Lamarck and can't cross. Just hike back down and go somewhere else. If you try to do it at the end of your trip, you might be tempted to do something dangerous and beyond your skill level rather than extend your trip by going back down Darwin and out Piute.

[Wandering Daisy]

You may want to check on permits. The last I looked, Bishop Pass permits were not available. You can try for the "walk-in" permits, but it is very competitive so apply the minute the walk-ins open.

Sorry, but I cannot find the dates of your trip. Early July vs late July makes a bit difference in advice. The advise below is assuming early July?

You will not be bored in Dusy Basin. A day hike over Knapsack Pass is very nice. You can also go off-trail from Bishop Pass to the large lake just north of Isosceles and then along the string of lakes westward. There are lots of campsites in the valley upstream of Lk 10742 and Knapsack Pass. You may even consider camping at at Barrett Lake or the lower lake, if that would work out logistically. There will be snow up by Muir Hut, but plenty of PCT hikers should have a good path made. Helen Lake could be snowbound. Get lower to camp if you can. Lots of talus on the way to Davis Lake, and if snow is melting it will be tedious with nasty post-holing. If McGee is your goal, consider going almost down to Sapphire Lake and then over the small pass to the west. Think about camping near Sapphire Lake and simply day-hiking to McGee Lakes. Detouring from Darwin Bench via down the trail and up via Hutchinson Meadow, is REALLY LONG! Particularly if you have already reached the Col and have to backtrack. Darwin Bench itself is full of great day-hiking.

Consider your Day 6 (what you call a lame day) as contingency. If you get over Lamark Col fine, then spend any extra time exploring the Wonder Lakes. You may find the off-trail travel slow because of snow-melting conditions so having extra time is a good thing. Another good day-hike is the little basin above Sapphire Lake. So many good little day hikes to do along your route, that I would not worry about any day being boring.