East Fork Foss - Necklace Valley — Saturday, Jun. 1, 2019

Hiked to Jade Lake via the East Fork Foss TH. First 5 miles was lovely: rolling swales took us up and down through a delightful second growth forest. Wildflowers, birds, babbling brooks and waterfalls, multiple species of fern unfurling all along the way. Upon reaching the river crossing, we had to wade a few feet to get to the log bridge, but this was minor. Head to the left once you reach the other side and find a long, beat-up log that will take you to the bottom of what becomes a grueling ascent up to Jade Lake. Why grueling? Hand over hand (mano a rocca) climbing for a brief spell, followed by a rocky, straight up trail to the lake. The trail is steep and poses various challenges--high steps up boulders, some slippery muddy spots, and towards the lake, a rather dicey little snow field where the snow beneath is carved out and one could easily plunge knee or waist deep. This snowfield should be melted out in a few weeks. I'd suggest not attempting the ascent to Jade unless you're pretty fit and an experienced hiker, as the trail gets a little hard to distinguish in the last 1/2 mile or so. All of this said--it was a fantastic hike. Nothing better than getting dirty and sweaty and tired, and feeling totally alive. Jade was still covered in ice/snow, though this is gradually diminishing. There was just enough space to sit on the granite plinths and sunbathe, snowcapped peaks as the backdrop. Nary  a soul up there, either!