Sept 2016. Next up was a somewhat convoluted attempt to see more of the North Lake to South Lake terrain that I have such fond memories of (1981). Also wanted to see some new terrain so I added a trip up Goddard Canyon with a exit back to the JMT via the north fork of Goddard Creek and Davis Lake. A comfortable 4 night trip with a serious dislike of the rough conditions over the last couple of miles of the Piute Pass trail as it approaches it's end at the JMT. Darwin Bench and Canyon was as expected a wonderful place to be. The real surprise was how nice the terrain leading up to and around Davis Lake was. Alot less talus and scree than I had been prepared for.
ONE OF THE FEW SHORT SECTIONS OF REAL TALUS
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT THE TRAVERSE WAS LIKE THIS
CROSSING A GIANT SLAB
STARTING THE GRADUAL ASCENT TO DAVIS LAKE PASS
MT GODDARD FROM DAVIS LAKE PASS
TYPICAL TERRAIN ON THE WAY TO DAVIS LAKE PASS
ANOTHER VIEW OF MT GODDARD FROM DAVIS LAKE PASS
LAST VIEW OF MOST OF DAVIS LAKE ON THE RIGHT.
THE SOMEWHAT ANTI-CLIMATIC VIEW OF EVOLUTION BASIN FROM DLP
DAVIS LAKE PASS FROM WANDA LAKE
BONE DRY CONDITIONS ALONG THE JMT AT SAPPHIRE LAKE
THE NORTH END OF EVOLUTION LAKE
SPENCER AND HUXLEY FROM THE NORTH END OF EVOLUTION LAKE
ON THE UN-OFFICIAL TRAIL TO DARWIN CANYON
PASSING THE FIRST SMALL LAKE AT THE MOUTH OF DARWIN CANYON
DAY 4 CAMPSITE AT THE FIRST LAKE IN DARWIN CANYON
UP CANYON VIEW TOWARDS LAMARCK COL FROM FIRST LAKE
LATE AFTERNOON LIGHT ON PEAK 13,360 FROM DARWIN CANYON
LATE DAY HIKERS ON THE WAY TO THE COL
MORNING MACRO VIEW OF ? PLANT
MORNING DAY 5 - HEADING FOR THE COL
CALM MORNING AT THE EAST END OF THE FIRST LAKE
PEAK 13,360 (MT GOULD) FROM DARWIN BASIN
2ND AND 1ST LAKES IN DARWIN CANYON
FALL COLOR IN DARWIN CANYON
THE MENDEL COULOIRS
THE PATH CONTINUES
THE NORTH SIDE OF MT MENDEL
STARTING THE GRIND UP TO THE COL
TYPICAL TERRAIN ON THE WAY TO THE COL
ANOTHER VIEW OF ONCE PROUD MENDEL COULOIRS
ONE OF MANY PATH TO FOLLOW ON THE 1200 FT RISE TO THE COL
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE LAKES IN DARWIN CANYON
THE GENTLENESS OF THIS ROUTE TO THE PASS CONTINUES TO AMAZE ME
DARWIN AND MENDEL