Day 63 : Muir Pass

21st June 2013
Mile 827 to mile 844 : Simpson Meadow Campground to Evolution Lake
Mileage : 17

Today was by far my best and favorite day on the trail. I was on form all day, and if at all possible, the scenery was even more stunning than the day before. Over the previous 2 days or so I have been struggling with my energy levels, not so today. I had had a big dinner the night before, and had another big breakfast that day, and that showed. The climb up Muir Pass was long and steep, and finished with the crossing of several snow fields, but none of it seemed to matter. I think it took about 5 hours to cover the 7 or so miles, and climb the 4000ft to the top, but it seemed to me much shorter. On the way up we passed Mr Green, who unsually was still in his hammock in the late morning. He had been feeling pretty ill having eaten something the night before that disagreed with him and so was taking a day off to recover. Pan and I wondered whether or not we should keep him company for a while, but eventually decided against it. Mr Green hikes faster than most people and would have out paced us quickly had we stayed with him, and plus Mr Green never waits for anyone himself so I didn't feel bad about leaving him there. As I was feeling strong I was out in front during the climb, and relaxed at the top of the pass with other hikers while I waited for the others to catch me up. The muir pass also has the disctinction of hosting the Muir Trail hut, the only shelter I've seen on the trail thus far, (barring the Mt Whitney shelter, which isn't actually on the trail) and was errected in memory of John Muir, who's name is also given to the section of the PCT through the Sierra Nevada. John Muir was a Scottish naturalist who spent a long time exploring the Sierra Nevada, and who was one of the earliest advocates of wildnerness preservation in the late 1800s. When Muir was first exploring the range, the Sequoia trees were being felled for timber, and the mountains were being used for grazing by sheep herders. Muir was instrumental in the founding of both Yosemite and Sequoia national parks, and his contribution to the safeguarding of the wilderness in the area cannot be overstated. From the top of Muir Pass, the trail wound its way gently down to Evolution lake, which lies at the edge of another hanging valley, the Evolution Valley. As the sun set we sat on the edge of the lake and watched the day slowly give way to night. The colours were changing with every minute that we sat wathcing the sunset, and I've added a few pictures to try and show the transition. As well as being the solstice, there was a supermoon, which is when a full moon coincides with the closet approach of the moon to the earth, meaning it appeared larger in the sky than usual, and significantly brighter, it was almost light enough to read by in fact, and so i did a little reading by moon light wrapped up in my sleeping bag before passing out after only a page or two.

The John Muir Hut with Pan, Dishcloth and Hoop Dreams

Peter Pan on the trail following Muir Pass

Shotput and Evolution Lake

Evolution Lake evolving

Evolution Lake on fire