Trip Advice: Ionian - Evolution - Darwin Loop
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 4:00 pm
Many thanks to the HST community for posting inspirational trip reports and detailed route plans. As a result of the information and experience that has been shared here I have become more confident in planning a mostly cross country trip for next summer.
I am comfortable with trail and x-country travel. I have 20 years experience with class 2 terrain and spent my 20's and 30's climbing up and down the granite valleys and domes (especially Dinkey Creek and Dinkey Dome) in the southern Sierra. My recent class 3 climbing experience is limited to the southwest approach up Mt. Nelson (a steep class 3 boulder scramble).
I am comfortable with river crossings. I thru hiked the JMT solo last summer and my pace on the trail is usually 15 miles/day with a few 20 mile days (max). I am comfortable hiking and climbing solo and carry a SPOT II just in case.
My snow climbing experience is limited. I climbed the snow field along the east slope of Vogelsang in June last summer. It was afternoon and I was comfortable kick-stepping along the snow while wearing trail runners on the way to the top (and fun sliding/postholing on the way down). I do not have experience with crampons or an ice axe.
My main interests are big mountain scenery, lakes, climbing, photography and I really enjoy being above treeline.
I am planning an eight day solo loop trip through Ionian Basin, Evolution Basin and Darwin Canyon starting and ending at the North Lake TH. This is my basic itinerary:
Day 1: North Lake TH to Moonlight Lake (+- 9 miles)
Day 2: Moonlight Lake over Echo Col to Helen Lake (5 miles)
Day 3: Helen Lake, climb Black Giant, camp at lake below Scylla (6 miles)
Day 4: Climb Scylla, over Goddard Pass to lakes west of Mt. Goddard (6 miles)
Day 5: Lakes west of Mt. Goddard to Davis Lake (4 miles)
Day 6: Climb Goddard, over Davis Pass to Sapphire Lake (6 miles)
Day 7: Sapphire Lake to Darwin Bench (4 miles)
Day 8: Darwin Bench, over Lamarck Col, to North Lake TH (8 miles)
The daily mileage is low to leave room for extra side trips or possible contingency plans. I can see days 4 and 5 being combined into a single day, but I'm just not sure.
Day 6 includes climbing Mt. Goddard via Starr's Route. I've read that Starr's Route is supposedly class 2, but any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.
Day 7 is a short day to leave room for exploring the lakes to the east (Lakes 11,398, 11,808, 12,021) and checking out the approach to Haeckel-Wallace col for later.
I have read a lot about Echo Col and although I have limited class 3 experience it seems reasonable. I travel light and will be carrying under 20 lbs over this pass, unless I need to bring crampons or an ice axe. Secor recommends crampons and an ice axe for the northeast side of Echo Col, but I've read trip reports with pictures showing people climbing it without (probably in late season). I am hoping for a low snow year, and would be making this trip in late July/early August this summer.
Any advice or tips would be very much appreciated. I realize this is probably a novice loop hike in relation to the trips many of you have made.
Thanks again to all here at HST. Andy.
Here are a few maps of the route:
I am comfortable with trail and x-country travel. I have 20 years experience with class 2 terrain and spent my 20's and 30's climbing up and down the granite valleys and domes (especially Dinkey Creek and Dinkey Dome) in the southern Sierra. My recent class 3 climbing experience is limited to the southwest approach up Mt. Nelson (a steep class 3 boulder scramble).
I am comfortable with river crossings. I thru hiked the JMT solo last summer and my pace on the trail is usually 15 miles/day with a few 20 mile days (max). I am comfortable hiking and climbing solo and carry a SPOT II just in case.
My snow climbing experience is limited. I climbed the snow field along the east slope of Vogelsang in June last summer. It was afternoon and I was comfortable kick-stepping along the snow while wearing trail runners on the way to the top (and fun sliding/postholing on the way down). I do not have experience with crampons or an ice axe.
My main interests are big mountain scenery, lakes, climbing, photography and I really enjoy being above treeline.
I am planning an eight day solo loop trip through Ionian Basin, Evolution Basin and Darwin Canyon starting and ending at the North Lake TH. This is my basic itinerary:
Day 1: North Lake TH to Moonlight Lake (+- 9 miles)
Day 2: Moonlight Lake over Echo Col to Helen Lake (5 miles)
Day 3: Helen Lake, climb Black Giant, camp at lake below Scylla (6 miles)
Day 4: Climb Scylla, over Goddard Pass to lakes west of Mt. Goddard (6 miles)
Day 5: Lakes west of Mt. Goddard to Davis Lake (4 miles)
Day 6: Climb Goddard, over Davis Pass to Sapphire Lake (6 miles)
Day 7: Sapphire Lake to Darwin Bench (4 miles)
Day 8: Darwin Bench, over Lamarck Col, to North Lake TH (8 miles)
The daily mileage is low to leave room for extra side trips or possible contingency plans. I can see days 4 and 5 being combined into a single day, but I'm just not sure.
Day 6 includes climbing Mt. Goddard via Starr's Route. I've read that Starr's Route is supposedly class 2, but any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.
Day 7 is a short day to leave room for exploring the lakes to the east (Lakes 11,398, 11,808, 12,021) and checking out the approach to Haeckel-Wallace col for later.
I have read a lot about Echo Col and although I have limited class 3 experience it seems reasonable. I travel light and will be carrying under 20 lbs over this pass, unless I need to bring crampons or an ice axe. Secor recommends crampons and an ice axe for the northeast side of Echo Col, but I've read trip reports with pictures showing people climbing it without (probably in late season). I am hoping for a low snow year, and would be making this trip in late July/early August this summer.
Any advice or tips would be very much appreciated. I realize this is probably a novice loop hike in relation to the trips many of you have made.
Thanks again to all here at HST. Andy.
Here are a few maps of the route: