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awilsondc Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2016 Posts: 1323 | TRs | Pics
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This trip got lost in the shuffle last year and I never wrote it up. I had a lengthy report written up and 80% complete when I had a power outage and I lost everything so I'm going to be brief here.
East Fork Foss River tail to camp at Lower Tank Lake
No, this isn't the Foss River loop or the Alpine Lakes High Route, this trip was a loop around the head of the Necklace Valley with camps at Tank Lakes and La Bohn Lakes and summits of Iron Cap, La Bohn, and Hinman. I started out up the East Fork Foss River trail up to Necklace Valley on a Monday and hiked up to Tank Lakes.
East Fork Foss River Trail Fern row Creek crossing Jade Lake Stepping Stones Nearing the end of the valley Cascade Starting the climb up Waterfall and sunburst Arriving at Tank Lakes Tank Lakes snowed over Lower Tank Lake
I was hoping for a Milky Way shot at lower Tank Lake but it was snowed over. I continued on and camped south of the lake. I found out that I had forgotten my tent stakes at home, so I had to find some sticks and a camp site with soft soil which fortunately I was able to do. Bugs were horrendous but I had a nice sunset and got up in the night for Neowise and Milky Way shots.
Time to relax! Sunset selfie Chimney rock in evening light Sunset Blue hour colors Bear's Breast blue hour Neowise! Milky Way from Tank Lakes area Neowise and my tent Glowing tent shot
Iron Cap --> La Bohn --> Hinman
Tired from getting up for night shots, I slept through sunrise which probably would have been the best light of the entire trip. I headed off for Iron Cap which is way out there! I think it took 2 1/2 hours from Tank Lake to get there. The north ridge class 3 tree section was interesting, and there were great views from the summit. Burnt Boot looked particularly appealing from up there and jumped up a couple pages on my to do list. I stayed a bit and headed back to camp.
Little Big Chief and Summit Chief Iron Cap Bear's Breast Iron Cap - my route went bottom left to mid right Terrain leading to the ridge with the class 3 trees Otter Lake Alpine Lakes Wilderness Iron Cap summit block Huckleberry, Burnt Boot, Thomson, and Rainier Chimney Rock Iron Cap summit pano Looking back at Iron Cap Afterburners
Tank Lakes to La Bohn Lakes high traverse
Back at camp I started thinking about trying a traverse around the south side of La Bohn. I was originally planning on heading back down to Necklace Valley and taking the standard route to Hinman but I'm an elevation preservationist at heart and the route looked like it would go on the topo. Turns out, this route has been done quite a bit and probably documented somewhere but I had no beta and it was all an adventure to me! And a fun one! I traversed between 6150 and 6200 ft and had one class 3 step to deal with but it was mostly class 2 traversing over snow and talus. Once across I headed up to the summit of La Bohn.
Route starts out bottom right and climbs up and left This is the first gully, next photo is from the top and looking to the right Easy section to traverse, around the bend you see... This is the class 3 wall, I climbed up slightly left of center which pops you out to the... Final traverse to La Bohn Bear's Breast The Citadel Necklace Valley from La Bohn La Bohn Lakes and Hinman La Bohn Peak summit pano Necklace Valley
Hinman
Hinman was the gem of the trip. After La Bohn, I set up camp near La Bohn lake (also frozen over still) and was able to find a site that would take my stick stakes. Hinman was a great climb, lots of traversing over snow and talus. I got little too high near the summit which made things interesting. I tagged a few high points on the ridge to make sure I hit the true summit. Views of Pea Soup Lake and Mount Daniel were great with swirling clouds.
Starting up for Hinman Point 6750 Hinman summit ridge Daniel and Pea Soup Lake Hinman summit shadow selfie Hinman summit pano Pea Soup Lake
The descent was magical with golden hour light and long shadows. There was a particular spot close to the lake with a little fairy pool and some krumholtz trees that was really idyllic. I spent a good while there just enjoying the moment. Back at camp, I got up in the night again for more Milky Way and Neowise shots.
Talus field Descending from Hinman Shadows Golden hour is upon us Idyllic Sunset Last light on Bear's Breast Last light over La Bohn Lake La Bohn Lakes Milky Way Later Newoise
La Bohn Lakes back to the trailhead at East Fork Foss River
The morning was moody and overcast, but kind of fun. I put on crampons for the descent but they really sucked wearing only trail runners so I found a class 3 rock route instead to descend back down to Necklace Valley. It was a looooong hike out. This was a much needed trip amidst the stressful changes of COVID world. I really enjoyed it!
Moody morning Descending Opal Lake - from afar Opal Lake - near Cascade far... ...and near Groot?
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reststep Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Posts: 4757 | TRs | Pics
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reststep
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Sat Feb 13, 2021 4:05 pm
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Beautiful, thanks for sharing.
Interesting picture showing Pea Soup Lake and Dip Top Gap.
I will have to get out my map and see if I can name some of the lakes in the Necklace Valley from La Bohn picture.
"The mountains are calling and I must go." - John Muir
"The mountains are calling and I must go." - John Muir
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Nancyann Member
Joined: 28 Jul 2013 Posts: 2313 | TRs | Pics Location: Sultan Basin |
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Nancyann
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Sat Feb 13, 2021 4:37 pm
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That looks like such a fun trip, Aaron, made more interesting by your improvisations. Your pictures are exquisite and magical, thanks so much for taking the time to share them. Too bad we didn’t have a calendar contest this year!
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Gil Member
Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Posts: 4057 | TRs | Pics
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Gil
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Sat Feb 13, 2021 8:25 pm
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Fantaatic report, great photos!
Friends help the miles go easier.
Klahini
Friends help the miles go easier.
Klahini
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Backpacker Joe Blind Hiker
Joined: 16 Dec 2001 Posts: 23956 | TRs | Pics Location: Cle Elum |
Thank you for the wonderful memories. I dont see well enough to ever do that again, but its wonderful seeing you rpictures.
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
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Bootpathguy Member
Joined: 18 Jun 2015 Posts: 1787 | TRs | Pics Location: United States |
Experience is what'cha get, when you get what'cha don't want
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Sky Hiker Member
Joined: 03 Feb 2007 Posts: 1469 | TRs | Pics Location: outside |
Popular area in the summer. Thanks for posting the pics
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GaliWalker Have camera will use
Joined: 10 Dec 2007 Posts: 4916 | TRs | Pics Location: Pittsburgh |
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GaliWalker
Have camera will use
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Mon Feb 15, 2021 12:47 pm
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Spectacular!
This needs to be in the 2022 Calendar (or rather should have been in the 2021 one)!
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Schroder Member
Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 6696 | TRs | Pics Location: on the beach |
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Schroder
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Mon Feb 15, 2021 6:38 pm
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Awesome photos
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awilsondc Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2016 Posts: 1323 | TRs | Pics
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Thank you for the kind words so far!
Sky Hiker wrote: | Popular area in the summer. Thanks for posting the pics |
That seems to be the case, but I only saw about 6 people on the trail in, 2 people passing by Tank Lakes as I was getting ready on the morning of the second day, and nobody else until I was back on the trail to the car. It felt like I had the whole area to myself! It was great!
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puzzlr Mid Fork Rocks
Joined: 13 Feb 2007 Posts: 7216 | TRs | Pics Location: Stuck in the middle |
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puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks
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Mon Feb 15, 2021 11:38 pm
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Great report and really amazing photos.
I've never seen the traverse between Tank Lakes and LaBohn Gap documented so well and I'm always looking for this kind of thing. Several reports have said it's not very hard to find a good way, as you did. Tank Lakes / Camp Robber is still on my to do list -- I keep putting it off. Your report makes me think I should allow time to get Iron Cap from that side. That looks like fun.
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silence Member
Joined: 25 Apr 2005 Posts: 4420 | TRs | Pics
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silence
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Tue Feb 16, 2021 8:31 am
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Perfect time to do this trip! Stunning photography as always. Way to get 'er done!
PHOTOS
FILMS
Keep a good head and always carry a light bulb. – Bob Dylan
PHOTOS
FILMS
Keep a good head and always carry a light bulb. – Bob Dylan
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cascadeclimber Member
Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Posts: 1427 | TRs | Pics
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Great trip, remarkable photos. And way to wait until mid-winter to fuel our stoke for summer.
Do you have any shots down the west ridge of Iron Cap? Have a scheme in mind for this summer and that's one of the puzzles.
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awilsondc Member
Joined: 03 Apr 2016 Posts: 1323 | TRs | Pics
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cascadeclimber wrote: | Do you have any shots down the west ridge of Iron Cap? Have a scheme in mind for this summer and that's one of the puzzles. |
This is the best I got. I uploaded in full resolution, you can view on flickr or download it from there if that helps. Doesn't look too bad from what I can see here.
Big Snow from Iron Cap
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puzzlr Mid Fork Rocks
Joined: 13 Feb 2007 Posts: 7216 | TRs | Pics Location: Stuck in the middle |
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puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks
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Wed Feb 17, 2021 3:39 pm
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Re west ridge route to Iron Cap: Matt's TR is very helpful as usual
With the knowledge that the ridge would go we repeated it 3 years later but in the reverse direction. I didn't write a TR, but I put a lot of info in my captions. The final summit ridge to Iron Cap is an easy scramble. The most difficult section between Wild Goat and Iron Cap is a gap in the ridge with a cliff on the west side of it. But no ropes are needed, just explore around to find a route through the trees.
The cliffs above the gap
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