We knew we wanted to go backpacking — we just couldn’t decide where.
Over a glass of wine, in the dark days of winter, my friend Michelle and I put a three-day trip on our calendars. For months, we guarded the days aggressively and debated where we wanted to go. We wanted to get out of town. We wanted to hike without being rushed. We wanted to have time to sip sweet tea vodka and stare at a mountain lake.
We wanted wilderness, mountain lakes and old growth. We didn’t want heat, crowds or permit lotteries. Basically, we wanted it all.
We found it all on the Foss River. It’s not far from Everett, has a plethora of lakes, doesn’t require a permit lottery and is in the wilderness. Only problem: the Foss River has two forks. Which should we try? Well, we wanted it all, so we went for a bit of both. We decided our weekend would be a sampler, and, if we liked what we found, we’d be back for a longer trip.
We started with the East Fork of the Foss River, which winds through a narrow valley into an area known as Necklace Valley. It’s a wild area full of green moss, curling ferns and blooming wildflowers.
The first five miles were, as advertised, pretty easy. The trail rolled up and down, but only gained about 600 feet. Along the trail, lush salmonberry, bunchberry and bleeding hearts bloomed.
We reached the camp by lunchtime and set up our tent. Then, with lighter packs, we headed uphill for real.
From that point on, the trail changed completely. From an easy stroll, it turned into a breathless slog. The slog started with a short boulder field that was more of a scramble than a hike. The route is shown not by a trail but by cairns (stacked rocks) left by other hikers to mark the way.
The rest of the trail is mostly roots and rocks.
The map told us the trail to Jade Lake was three miles with 2,100 feet of gain. It felt like a lot more. You have to concentrate because nearly every step demands careful placement to avoid rolling an ankle.
By the time we reached Jade Lake, we were exhausted, cranky and ready for a hot dinner. The lake was fogged in so thickly that we couldn’t see more than a dozen yards. We were too tired and hungry to care.
As we ate a hot meal, our moods lifted. Amazingly, so did the fog.
We got a peek at the rest of Necklace Valley, high above us. The valley we were in widens and meets up with another valley. We could see the mountains soaring above that valley. The views up there would be epic. It reminded us of scenes from “The Lord of the Rings.” I expected to see a gigantic eagle soar by with Gandalf on his back.
Clearly, if I was able to dream up mythical eagles, the macaroni and cheese had done its job.
Michelle and I started plotting a return trip with more time to explore. Beyond Jade Lake lie Opal, Emerald and Lockett lakes. All of them called us, but we had a cozy tent below and the light wouldn’t last forever.
As we were heading out, more hikers started to arrive, most of them looking worn out. We commiserated about the trail and expressed our disbelief that it was only eight miles in from the trailhead.
With regret, we headed downhill. Our goal was to make it through the boulder field before it got dark. We had headlamps, but we didn’t want to use them.
The trip down involved sore knees and excessive whining. We reached the boulder field before sunset and were thrilled to see it.
We collapsed into our sleeping bags with gratitude. In the middle of the night, Michelle, still mostly asleep, woke me up to tell me she’d heard a bear. Turned out she’d heard me snoring.
The next morning we took our time as we ate breakfast, packed up and started hiking out. Learning a bit from the previous day, we ate a lot more, which made a big difference.
We hiked out the five miles to our car, then drove the few miles to the West Fork Foss River. Our plan was to hike to Trout Lake and spend the night. But when we reached Trout Lake, it was only 2 p.m.
We debated our plan at Trout Lake for a bit. While it was tempting to stop for the day, swim in the lake and take a nap, we had time, so we headed farther in. We had planned to day hike Copper Lake the next day. But we decided we’d much rather spend the night there.
So up we went. The trail got much steeper and rougher after Trout Lake, but it wasn’t as hard as the Necklace Valley Trail. We reached Copper Lake with plenty of daylight left. There was only one other group camped there. We found a campsite nestled between huge rocks, out of the wind and with a view of the lake. We ate a leisurely dinner, sipped vodka, did a bit of exploring and settled to sleep early.
After a long rest, it was easy to get up the next morning. We packed up and headed down.
Michelle and I have done a lot of hiking together. We’re well-matched hiking partners, and our hikes have a sort of rhythm to them. Usually the trip down the trail is devoted to soaking in the views while lovingly discussing what we’re going to eat on the way home.
On this trip we did discuss food — we agreed we wanted lots of grease and salt —but our brains were also stuck in the mountains. Since we were heading downhill, we had breath to spare. We spent it on strategizing how to come back. We knew before we left that this trip was going to be a mere taste of the Foss River area. Turns out, that taste wasn’t nearly enough for our appetites.
If you go
Both forks of the Foss River are in wilderness. Practice leave-no-trace camping. You must fill out a permit at the trailhead. Fires are not allowed at the lakes at any time and a forest-wide burn ban is in place right now. Backcountry toilets are provided near the lakes. Use them to protect the water and keep the area clean.
Directions: Head east on U.S. 2 towards Stevens Pass. After the Skykomish Ranger Station, turn right on Foss River Road. The trailhead for Necklace Valley is 4 miles ahead, on your left. To get to the West Fork Foss, continue on. After about 0.7 miles, turn left onto Forest Road 6835. Stay on this road to the trailhead, which is at the end of the road. Privies are available at both trailheads.
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