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JimFox wrote:
Hey Bill,
Thanks for the info. Since you weren't expecting the snow, did you have snow shoes? Or did you just slog up through it in your hiking shoes?
I would like to do a little backcountry backpacking before I head out for Colorado, Evolution Valley is on my list of possibilities, though I really like the Ansel Adams Wilderness area too, so not sure which I will chose.
Jim
Ansel Adams wilderness generally gets you closer to where you want to be much more quickly, at least if you are contemplating the Minarets, Ritter, Banner area outside of Mammoth Lakes.
Getting to Evolution Basin is a more major undertaking and will almost certainly involve a longer trip. From the east one of the most direct routes is over (very steep and very high) Lamarck Col a spectacular climb, but not an easy route. You could come in a bit further north and then track over to Evolution, but this also isn't easy country. You can come over Bishop Pass, drop past Dusy Basin to Le Conte Canyon, and then climb up and over Muir Pass. For normal mortals that is likely a 3 day route to the basin. Many people come in from the west, which is again a long walk.
For anyone who really wants to "get" the true high Sierra the highest and most isolated portions of the range do explore this region between Evolution and the Upper Kern Canyon. The JMT runs through here, but because access requires a commitment of a week or more (or else an awful entrance over some of the worst crest passes) there are not as many people as you might think, and if you can explore off of the JMT a bit you can find true isolation pretty quickly.
Dan
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