East Fork Foss - Necklace Valley — Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015

Central Cascades > Stevens Pass - West

My trip to the East Fork of the Foss River began at Wallace Falls, where I originally ventured with the thought that I'd real off my monthly tromp there. But, on arriving, I found that not only was the parking lot completely full, but the sides of the roads leading up to the state park gorged with cars and a steady stream of people walking to the road. I was a little shocked...there were more people than on a busy summer weekend! Having no desire to join the throng, I decided to go elsewhere. After running through a mental list of possibilities, I selected the East Fork Foss River, where I figured the crowds would be minimized. The trail was in good shape overall, with just a little mud to contend with. The first five miles of this trail aren't my favorite; they make for a nice forest walk, but little else. But, it was pleasant rambling anyway, better than tripping over 300 of my closest friends at Wallace Falls! I know from past experience that it gets better once things start going uphill, but I hit a huge jetlag-induced brick wall about the time I got to the river crossing, so I turned around and went home (the drive back was a bit of a struggle).