Trip Reports

West to East Crossing of Alpine Lakes Wilderness

August 28 to Sept. 5

8/28 Necklace Valley/East Fork Foss River. Two of us entered in light drizzle via Necklace Valley trail, camping at Jade Lake. Buggy when no breeze or rain. Wet brush overhanging trail at thigh level.

8/29 LaBohn Lakes. Continued up to head of valley and up way trail to LaBohn Lakes. Well cairned. Take talus slide upward along left edge to near its top. Cairns mark start of trail through trees to left and up. Camped at lower lake. Rain in evening, then clearing and ice on tent fly in morning. Decent cairns up and south to LaBohn Gap.

8/30 LaBohn Gap, Williams Lake, Dutch Miller Gap, Waptus River. Passed through LaBohn Gap and down to Chain Lakes, and on down below. Cairns less frequent, several variations marked, some snow remaining in bottom of valley, hard and thick. Found top of way trail down to Williams Lake at head of gully opening into talus slope below. Trail veers off to left of gully into trees and does not descend talus. Quite a bit of blowdown on this way trail, with fresh work arounds, careful trail spotting. Many bugs at Williams Lake. Good trail down to junction with Middle Fork Snoqualmie and up to Dutch Miller Gap. Trail down to Ivanhoe Lake is good. Bridge crushed below Ivanhoe, badly slanted, unsuitable for horses or easy walking, but passable. Further down, trail is a bit brushy, very noticable when wet. One creek crossing before intersection with PCT needed poles to avoid fording.

8/31 PCT from Waptus River to Cathedral Pass. Good trail, many people, blueberries ripe in a couple places, and no where else on the entire trip.

9/1 Cathedral Pass to Robin Lakes Creek crossings on PCT are fine.

Trial up to Tuck and Robin Lakes clearly marked, well cairned up to Robin Lakes, but need to pay attention or its easy to lose. Bugs not too bad at Robin Lakes. Frost and freezing overnight, but still bugs in morning. Three mountain goats visited our camp in morning.

9/2 Cross country up to ridge of Granite Peak, and south along eastern side of ridge. Descended to unnamed round lake halfway down to Klonaqua Lakes, mostly on heather slopes and talus, connecting ledges to avoid seriously cliffy gullies. Check 7.5 minute Mt Daniels topo for best looking terrain. From unnamed lake, at lower edge and right of outlet, we found a cairn and faint fisherman's trail leading down a ways and then left into a rock slot weakness through first band of cliffs below lake. The route through the second band of cliffs much lower was right of the main stream (facing down)and well right of the initial slot descent. Eventually reached the upper lake shore at its head in a grassy area. Faint fishermans trail (mostly bushwack)leads clockwise around northern shore to campsite on isthmus between the two lakes. Summary of day: Difficult cross country routefinding through potentially hazardous terrain. No ropes or ice ax needed but care and experience. May be other better routes down. About 7 hours from Lower Robin Lake including much map reading, looking, exploring several sections without packs, and enjoying the views.

9/3 Klonaqua Lakes/French Ck/Snowall Ck Followed fishermans trail (good though) from isthmus to Bob Lake, and along outlet of Bob Lake down and left to join official Klonaqua Lakes trail left of outlet creek. Trail has a number of trees across it and is brushy lower down. Crossing of Klonaqua Ck at junction with French Ck trail easy on rocks without ford now. Descended French Ck trail to junction with Snowall Crk trail. Ford of French Ck not difficult at this time, but hiker ford doesn't lead to trail on the other side which is well south of where Snowall Ck joins French Ck. The obvious shallow ford is north of Snowall Ck. Signage, etc could be better. Bushwacked to find trail.

Snowall Ck trail is good turning to brushy further up. Camped in meadow west of Cradle Pass. Not too buggy. Trail easy to lose in some meadows, with horse and elk variations, mud and overgrowth.



9/4 Cradle Lake, Meadow Ck, Jack Ck. Trail up over Cradle Pass and down to Cradle Lk is generally good. Beautiful area with great views of Stuart Pass, Mt Stuart from NW and north side of Ingall's Peak. Unfortunately, 5-6 small forest fires were burning in upper Jack Ck basin, above where Meadow Ck joins Jack Ck. These obstructed our planned exit over Stuart Pass to N Fork of Teanaway. Trail down to Meadow Ck was good, as was Meadow Ck trail from Snowall/Cradle Lake trail junction to junction with Jack Ck trail. Temporary sign at Jack Ck announced closure of Jack Cr Trail and Van Epps Pass Trail south of Meadow Ck. due to fires. (Caused by lightning several weeks earlier we later discovered.) So we descended Jack Ck. to Icicle River Road. Trail generally good. No cars, no people at trailhead or campgrounds at Rock Island or Chatter Ck. Camped at Chatter Ck Campground, not understanding why all was so deserted.

9/5 Icicle River Road Got up early, and began hiking down road to east. After a mile, the river began running over the road and we understood why there were no cars or people. A one lane fairly new dirt road workaround led about half a mile around the washout. It was closed to traffic and had lots of boot prints. At the new road end, two empty cars, two portapotties, and a good view of the river running off the road for the last time. ( We later learned a June 8, 2008 landslide provoked by rain/snow melt came down the northern facing slope into the river, diverting it onto the road on the northern side of the old river bed.) We very luckily picked up a ride almost immediately from a newly arrived car and had a real breakfast in Leavenworth. We were prepared to take the bus home, leaving Leavenworth at 1:10pm for Seattle, arriving 4:30pm, but an anxious family member came to get us instead.

This is a classic crossing of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, linking a number of very scenic lakes, passes and lightly used trails. Except along the PCT over Labor Day Weekend, we saw a total of 8 people, all but two day hikers. Unsettled weather and the Icicle Ck Road washout may have helped us here. We went 48 hours west of PCT seeing no one, and 72 hours east of PCT seeing no one. The difficult cross country section above Klonaqua Lakes could be avoided by descending into the Cle Elum River from Cathedral Pass and ascending over Paddy-Go-Easy Pass to French Ck and Meadow Ck Pass. This has the disadvantage of touching a road, missing Tuck and Robin Lakes, Klonaqua Lakes and Cradle Lake. The exit over Stuart Pass would be most ideal, and we intend to go back to finish our trip properly.

Aug 30, 2008: La Bohn Gap

The past few weeks I have been working my way westwards in the Mount Daniel-Mount Hinman region: Pea Soup Lake, then the West Foss River valley to Iron Cap Lake...now, La Bohn Lakes completes the trilogy. It is an amazing area and La Bohn Gap is a spectacular setting: craggy cliff faces, beautiful lakes and tarns, waterfalls and heather slopes dotting pristine white granite.

Last year, I had looked over at La Bohn Gap as I climbed up to Tank Lakes across the valley. Clouds had been boiling through the gap and spilling over into Necklace Valley. The setting had looked spectacular, so I had vowed to return. I began the hike from the Necklace Valley trailhead at 4:00am, hiking for the first hour and a half by headlamp. The brush was laden with fat droplets of water, just begging to be released at the slightest touch. As the light brightened my spirits quailed as I saw heavy mist hanging in the narrowing valley: “Oh no! Not another rainy hike.” Well, rainy it was going to be...and then some.

The first 5mi through quite pretty lush-green forest (which I enjoyed on the way back, when I could see it) were easy. Then, as I crossed the East Fork Foss River, it was a difficult next 3mi; wet roots, slick rocks and copious amounts of mud on a steep grade were all over me like a cheap suit. Finally, at the 8mi mark I reached peaceful Jade Lake, the first of the Necklace Valley lakes.

I decompressed for a bit and then headed up to the beautiful basin at the head of the valley. Looming high above me was La Bohn Gap and, just like the previous time, clouds hung in the saddle. Streams and talus fields cut through the basin meadow. I picked my way through the meadow and then began to ascend steeply up the talus strewn slopes. Necklace Valley, still sleeping peacefully under dark and angry skies was soon arrayed below me with Lake Ilswoot, far off in the distance, a brilliant splash of blue. Across the valley the Tank Lakes region rekindled some fond memories though these were soon forgotten as I gawked at La Bohn Gap and the crags of La Bohn Peak.

Lots more work and finally I was in the heavenly La Bohn Lakes basin. The rain abated for a bit and even a few fleeting (very fleeting) patches of blue skies appeared - it seemed that God was with me and all was right with the world. I spent 2 hours wandering around the lakes, before heading over towards Chain Lakes. Unfortunately, around this time it started to snow (quite heavily at times, though it wasn’t sticking) so that was that. I turned around, picked my way carefully down the steep descent back into Necklace Valley, and then even more carefully along the muddy and completely saturated trail back to the car.

Additional Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shahiddurrani/sets/72157607047254400

Cumulative stats:

- Distance: ~22mi

- Elevation gain: 5,500ft

- Hiking time: 14hrs

- Total trip time: 17.5hrs

Trail conditions:

- Extremely muddy conditions; slick rocks and roots made for slow going.

- No bugs.

- Snowing, though not sticking, at La Bohn Gap; Yup, this is summer in the Northwest.

- Rained for most of the hike; brush alongside the trail was completely wet, so I never took my rain-gear off.

My goal was the Tank Lakes above the Necklace Valley, but I only made it to the end of the valley due to poor planning (took longer than I thought), exhaustion, and MOSQUITOES !

The first 4+ miles of the trail is an up and down wooded trail that crosses several streams and begins to give you a taste of the bugs to come. The next 3 miles take you up one of the worst ‘trails’ I’ve been on. Roots, rocks, wet, overgrown, bugs, and straight up with no switchbacks. When the trail sort of levels out at the entrance to the Necklace Valley, the major bug attack starts. The trail then goes by 3 lakes and then ends with up options for La Bohn lakes or Tank Lakes. The lakes and the valley are beautiful, but the boggy areas and the wetness of the valley are a great breeding ground for mosquitoes. I met a man and his son who were on the way out after spending the previous day and night ‘hiding in our tent’. At the end of the valley, I could see the 1000 feet I needed to travel to the tank lakes and decided to just camp in the valley. The next morning I awoke to a howling wind that made breakfast a wonderful experience without inhaling bugs. The sunrise was spectacular and the weather warm. On the trail out, I passed 5 groups headed up – all saying they were going to the tank lakes. I didn’t say anything. I will return later in the fall when the weather turns colder and perhaps the bugs will have had their fill for the year.

Trail starts very easy for the first 5 miles, park-like at times if not a little boring even. Meandering along the East fork of the Foss River. When you get to the foot bridge at the 5 Mile mark take a rest as your trail is about to change. Just after the bridge over the Foss you hit a log that looks like it goes into a rocky area. Look close you will see some Cairns marking the trail up. From here you test your boots, thighs and ankles as you head up and up and up.

The trail is ok in spots but about where the flimsy foot bridge is it gets tougher- many roots and muddy trail impede your progress. The problem with the uphill portion of this trail is the lack of switchbacks, the trade-off being that you make a faster go with each step.

You eventually break out at the outfeed of Jade Lake. We were going to Ilswoot which is rather hard to find, the best way to describe getting there is go to the outfeed of Emerald Lake cross the logs and rocks piled into a foot bridge,turn right about 30 yards then left and you will see it down in a valley to the East. Beautiful and hidden is this little gem of a lake. Very few tent spots here the best being the first one you come to. Had some clouds and mist most of Saturday night, very cool evening, woke to sun and warmth (of course only-when you are leaving) Fair amount of people given the distance from the trailhead.

Took us 6 hours to get up and 3-1/2 to get back, we kept a pace that appeared at times like an organized fall rather than a hike. 16.7 miles total round trip. Only wild life seen were my friends the Mosquitoes- and they are always welcome at my camp :o)

More like early spring than midsummer. Lowland forest wildflowers in full bloom. Bugs & flowers go together, remember. Unnamed heroes have removed virtually all windfall, one of them 3' [see photo, loud cheer]. Just before the log crossing the E. Fork Foss is a campsite with a few pieces of ancient machinery (Pat. 1897); see if you can figure out what they are. Trail to here is a lovely, fragrant lowland forest walk. After the crossing, the honeymoon is over and the trail gets rougher as it climbs the old glacial sidewall into the stunning hanging valley. Rocks, roots, water on trail, old puncheon turning to soil. Snow starts above 4000', just before Jade Lake; it's firm, no post-holing, and melting fast, not a serious impediment if you're OK with snow. At about 3800', the trail crosses the stream on a log bridge that is potentially dangerous at high water (i.e., now) and the handrail is just a trap; I belayed the dog although the footing is easy when it's dry [see photo]. Jade lake had some open water, but for a week or two yet you could get really wet if you slip there. Opal Lake is 1/2 open. Trail kind of hard to follow here but you don't need it, it's snow travel still. Know how to use your compass if visibility is poor. Locket Lake is nearly open.

Snow conditions were firm but not too hard, ideal for ascent up the snow chute to La Bohn Lakes; steep, ice axe required, but not crampons yet. In later season, this is a much less pleasant talus slog and scramble (ascends talus, then curves left and follows the outfall). La Bohn Lakes completely frozen. One can camp on snow, or there is at least one marginal site for a tiny tent on bare bedrock for a near-zero-impact bivvy. Please avoid moving rocks; this creates permanent unsightly scars. Snow travel conditions for ascent of Hinman or skiing are ideal.

Tank Lakes/Foehn Lakes area still has lots of snow, but if you don't mind this, it's a great time to be there, and maybe an easier ascent than on the talus later on.

I had time to remove several small logs, rocks, brush, windfall debris, and open some drains. A couple strong parties I passed hadn't bothered. Consider: if we all form the habit of just a little do-it-yourself trail maintenance, these trails would practically take care of themselves. A 3"" locking blade with a 1.25"" serated section allowed me to clear many branches up to 2.5"".

Salute to the trail crews; the Necklace Valley trail has seen some great recent work. My original plan had been the Alpine Lakes High Route from the West Fork Foss R., but I'd worried about the washed-out river crossing there at high water. Recent front-page press about poor kids needing summer work; there's plenty to be done out here. Write your senators and congress people; there are more worthwhile things than tax cuts for the super-rich.

Necklace Valley #1062 June 25 2008

We left around 12:30pm on a sunny day, about 70 degrees. At about 3 miles in, we ran into a series of fallen trees that had completely covered the path. At the 5 miles point we camped on the flattest ground we could find.

Bug rating on the way in: 2/10 (one bug landing on you every 5 minutes)

Dropping the gear at the 5 miles point, we hiked up toward the lakes at about 4pm. Steep climb, ran into snow cover at mile 6, just before the branch-off of the river. The trail disappeared at this point and we wandered up the riverbank until it was too dark to return and make camp. Just as you reach the first of the snow cover (at the top of the steep climb) the trail continues a little more to the right than you'd think. Look for the saw-cut logs as a marker. The trail picks up again for 200 yards, then you reach a point where a lot of wood cutting had been done. Beyond this point, the trail is unnoticeable - but looking at a map we can see that it crosses the river almost immediately.

Cold night camped at 5 mile point. Headed out around 9am. Lots of bugs in the late morning. Sunny, but not much sun comes through the trees as you traverse the 5 miles back to the trailhead.

Bug rating on the way out: 8/10 (one bug landing on you every 15 seconds)

Enjoyable all-around, will go back when snow has melted more. Saw volunteer crews out on the way back working on the small stuff that had fallen between trailhead and mile 3. Thanks to you all.

Out of time to hike, after going up to Heybrook Lookout but we wanted to check on a possible hike for next time. We drove up road Foss River road #68. The trail head for the Necklace valley trail #1062 looked fine. (I have read reports that the logs to cross the river at 5 miles in, were washed out, so not sure about that part.)

Then we drove on to road #6835 to see the Trout Lake trail #1064. There was a sign at the trail head reporting that the first bridge at 1/2 mile is missing.

Both roads were in very good condition, dusty as usual!