Heading out for a quick overnighter this week and I was wondering if anyone has done a cross country route from Piute Lake down to the Pine Valley trail. Or is it better to go to Gem lake and do the same. I want to make this a loop and I have forgotten which lake I have stayed at and how difficult the travel is as it has been sometime since I have been there. Any information would be appreciated. Thanks!

That's all granite there. You can see where you are going. Just use good judgement in terms of route finding and you should be OK. There are always a few cairns there, to help lead you...to wherever someone else was going.


But if you can read a map, and are careful about not getting yourself into a silly situation that you can't get out of, you'll be fine.

Heya Ken,
Sorry I don't have any tips, but I'm guessing this is in the Evolution area. Can you post some pics and a trip report when ya get back? I'm especially interested in the weather since I'm heading up the 14th.

Have a nice trip!

Oh darn I'm stupid. Just read that this is actually in Emigrant. I just read Piute and got excited. Sorry, I must have had too much wine tonight.

I've hiked from Pine Valley up to Gem Lake once a few years ago. As I recall, it seemed somewhat steep, but not too bad. I had a GPS at the time so route-finding was idiot proof :-).