The Evolution Basin in the Sierra Nevada Mountains
The most beautiful place I’ve ever visited.
The Evolution Basin is easily the most beautiful place I have ever had the fortune to visit. During my through hike of the John Muir Trail, I spent the night at this spot on June 17, 2012 (my eighth night on the trail). This was the view facing west as the evening began.
The way the sun danced across the surrounding peaks (Mt. Mendel, Mt. Darwin, the Lamarck Col) was breathtaking. I was lucky enough to enjoy seeing the sun set that evening and rise the next morning from this vantage point.
The Evolution Basin is in pretty remote location. Getting there is quite a challenge, requiring at least three days of hiking through rugged mountainous terrain. But the effort is definitely worth the trip.
A version of this was originally published on the now-defunct Findery on April 8, 2013. Findery was something of an Instagram for places, and a site I really enjoyed. It went offline sometime in early 2022. I’ve decided to reproduce a few of my Findery posts for posterity.
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