R03/R04/R01 TR: Piute-Rust-Puppet-Alpine-Lamarck: June 20-30 2017

[DanishClimber]

cgundersen, thank you for the great trip report and photos - the only ones I've seen of Evolution Basin so far this year. I will attempt the Evolution Traverse July 8-10 - any TRs and photos of Lamarck Col, Evolution Basin, Darwin Bench, Peak 4145, and Mounts Lamarck, Darwin, Haeckel, Wallace, Fiske, Warlow and Huxley are much appreciated!

[giantbrookie]

The state of thaw of the Darwin Cyn lakes is rather surprising. Whereas most lakes you showed won't be thawed out anytime soon, looks like Darwin Cyn lakes are open now or very very soon (if we allow for the days between the visit and now).

[cgundersen]

Near the top of Lamarck col looking into Darwin Canyon

To follow up on the 2 preceding posts, I'll append 3 more photos of Lamarck and looking down Darwin canyon. We did not peer around the corner to get an idea of the situation in Evolution basin, but from my experience there in the last big snow year (2011), I'm guessing gobs of snow with a track cut by PCT hikers, but nothing else much touched. In 2011, we went over Fiske col, so if that's on your itinerary, let me know and I can probably dig up photos.
Cameron

View down Darwin Canyon

Near the top of Lamarck col looking into Darwin Canyon

East side of Lamarck col June 29th

[DanishClimber]

cgundersen, thank you for the additional photos - very helpful! With the temps we're seeing right now, it seems thawing and snowmelt is really happening real time from day to day. I'll be sure to post an update when we return from our traverse attempt!

[RiseToADry]

EDIT: You posted pics as I was writing this question... THANKS!


Amazing trip. Thanks for the overview and some photos.

I'll be heading over Lamarck Col in 10 days, curious how much snow there was on the east side of the pass? Any pictures? The Darwin canyon side is thawing nicely...

[cgundersen]

Hi,
There were 4 major snow fields between Upper Lamarck Lake and the above photo (which shows the final short snow ascent to the col along with the pond at the base of the snowfield). The uphill continuation of the maintained trail that runs on the ridge a bit south of Upper Lamarck Lake was separated from the main trail by a substantial amount of snow, but it almost certainly will be worth the trouble to track down this segment of the trail, because it will save you a lot of boulder hopping and general bushwhacking. My best suggestion for finding that segment of the trail is to aim for the area around the southernmost of the 4 little ponds south of Upper Lamarck Lake. The trail winds tightly on an exposed ridge in that area, and it should be visible. Also, bring plenty of DEET. The bugs should be in their prime! Cameron

[beamountainman]

I am taking this route in mid August. Would love TRs from anyone that has done these areas since

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[cgundersen]

b-man,
I'm not exactly sure which route you're alluding to (the Rust/Puppet end or Alpine/Lamarck, or both), but there are decent descriptions of the off-trail passes in that separate, HST forum and if you're a bit patient, you can track down old trip reports which should give you a better idea of what the terrain looks like in a "typical" summer. For how the snow had already vanished in Darwin canyon in June, I'm guessing it will be pretty much snow-free in 4 weeks, but there will still be patches of snow in other spots that are less exposed, but nothing that should cause problems.
cameron