East Fork Foss - Necklace Valley — Saturday, Jul. 23, 2022

Overnight backpack to Opal Lake. As promised, first 5 miles are very mild in terms of elevation. There are some sections that are very overgrown (and a few sections that look like they’ve recently been cutback), so I was glad to be wearing long pants.

Crossing the river was a bit sporty. The log across the river (no intact railing, although it looks like there once was one) was separated from the trail by a shin-deep pool. I put on sandals, but some other hikers were able to climb climb up and over an embankment to reach the log without getting their feet wet.

Shortly you across another arm of the river, and then the trail starts getting tough. Immediately you are on a talus slope that has no discernible trail or easier path up - only cairns show you where to go, climbing up huge boulders. Then, sections of the trail are really overgrown but have large rocks, making it difficult to see your footing and important to take it slow.

The trail keeps climbing up steep sections with tricky footing all the way to Jade Lake. After the creek crossing (bridge is in good shape), you still have 0.5-1 miles to Jade Lake- I made the mistake of thinking it was right around the corner :)

Perhaps because this was my first overnight of the year and I’m not in pack shape yet, but this entire section of the hike, both up and down, really kicked my butt. The challenging footing and large steps made for very sore muscles and the talus slopes and hidden rocks made for beat up and achy feet.

Jade Lake made for a pretty late-lunch spot, albeit with lots of mosquitoes. The lake level is still high, so the trail around Jade lake is submerged in places and required top notch balance or just wading to get around.

Browsed around at campsites at Jade Lake, Opal Lake, and beyond Opal Lake but everywhere was massively buggy so I picked a pretty spot at Opal Lake and spent most of the evening in the protection of my tent as swarms of mosquitoes tried to get inside. I saw only a handful of other groups, so maybe the other nearby lakes were less buggy and everyone was congregated there.

Overall, a pleasant hike and nice to be away from the crowds, but don’t underestimate the second half of the hike if you’re carrying a pack, be prepared to get your feet wet, and be prepared for swarms of mosquitoes.