[awilsondc]

I've wanted to visit the Tank Lakes area for several years. I envisioned doing the West Foss to East Foss variation of the Alpine Lakes High Route with the second night at Tank Lakes, and bagging a few peaks along the way. I never really found the time for the 3+ day trip as other objectives always won out when I had the available time. I did however manage a free weekend and invited my friend Trevin who I hadn't done an overnight trip with in maybe 10 years. Way too long. He doesn't hike as much as I do, but he was game for a trip up to the lakes and to bag a peak or two. We didn't really have a specific peak objective in mind, but I gathered beta on Hinman, LaBohn, Iron Cap, and Otter Point and figured we'd just see what we felt in the mood for once we got to the lakes. It was supposed to be hot so we got an "early" start and arrived at the packed trailhead a bit after 8am. There was a family of four milling about as we hit the trail. Mom, Dad, and two young boys who I'd guess were about 5-6 and 1-2. We didn't think much of it at the time, but we would run into this family later and what they would tell me would blow my mind! How's that for a teaser, ehh... ehhh!!!

Trail

Hollow tree roots

The first 5.3 miles are really easy, flat trail with some inevitable ups and downs. It went pretty quick. There were a lot of people camped along the way, some in fairly nice camps and a few where we couldn't understand why anyone would want to camp there, but to each their own. As we neared the log to cross the East Fork Foss River there was a WTA crew doing some trail maintenance. We thanked them for their hard work and began the ascent towards Necklace Valley. Soon we came upon a group of hikers on their way down. The seemed a little distressed and asked where we were headed. "Tank Lakes" I replied. "Oh, we didn't go up there... but the bugs are BAD!" a hiker in the background chimed in "SO BAD". Hiker #1 continued "we stayed at Jade Lake and the bugs were awful, just... so BAD!" They seemed genuinely traumatized by the experience. We were kind of expecting as much, and thanked them for the warning. After a stop at a stream to top off our water and have a snack, we reached Necklace Valley and Jade Lake!

Jade Lake

Jade Lake inlet

Necklace Valley cabin

Cabin

Plaque

Frog

Jade Lake was really cool. I liked how the trail basically traveled at waters edge. It was really cool to hike past. After Jade, we reached Emerald lake and spotted the Necklace Valley cabin which we checked out. There are a maze of user trails around there and I got off on the wrong trail for a hundred feet or so before BACKTRACKING! and finding the correct trail. Thank god I learned that most valuable wilderness skill in my youth, or I may still be out there today. We continued on past the Necklace Valley cabin and past Opal Lake which we didn't see. Soon we emerged from tree line and began the final ascent to Tank Lakes.

Hiking up out of Necklace Valley

Heading towards Tank Lakes

Waterfall

Tarn reflecting LaBohn and Trevin

We were both grateful that the forecasted hot day had been overcast so far. It really helped keep the heat at bay, but it didn't help my buddy eat enough food and he bonked on the final 800 vertical feet up to the lakes. Also, the skeeters were getting worse. They weren't bad when moving, but they'd sure find me quick as soon as I'd stop! I swatted them as long as I could stand it, but I finally gave in. I don't like to use bug spray. In fact the can I had with me was 15 years old, but it was time to DEET up. Trevin had brought Picaridin, which he wasn't having as much luck with. The bugs grew worse as we reached the slabs and a few melt water tarns and soon Lower Tank Lake came into view. What a beaut!

Lower tank 1

Lower tank 2 (our camp site)

Lower tank 3

I was a little bummed to see the place was packed with other campers. Not surprised though, it was Saturday after all. Most of the other campers were down by the lake, which was fine by me. I scouted around a bit and settled on a slabby camp above the lake with great views. There was another tent around the corner and down a bit, but we still had an element of privacy at our camp. Unless you count the mosquitoes that is. Those *%#&ers were everywhere! And by everywhere I mean swarming around Trevin, they were all over him! They left me alone for the time being, but it didn't last long. Soon we were in our down jackets and bug head nets even though the sun had come out and it was hot. It wasn't long before we were seeking refuge from the bugs in the tent, even though we still had three or four hours of daylight left. Trevin was pretty wiped out from the hike up and didn't want to bag any peaks, and I was content to just chill with him at camp. I cruised around a bit and checked out the view of Iron Cap and Upper Tank Lake which was pretty unremarkable compared to the lower lake. I took a few photos at golden hour, we sipped on some adult beverages and ate dinner and basically just hung out until bed time. Oh, and the views didn't suck.

Melt water reflection

Our camp and mosquito refuge

Tent views

Evening reflection

Heading to fill up on water

Slabs for days!

Evening light from the slabs

Boulders

Lower Tank Lake Reflection

I didn't get much sleep that night. The moon was so bright, no headlamp was needed at night, and my air mattress got a hole in it. I did get to try out a new 40 degree EE quilt which I really like however, so that was cool. The bugs were just as bad in the morning, and we pretty much just packed up and left as soon as we were finished with breakfast. Many things were crappy about this trip. We didn't climb any peaks, the bugs were horrible, the lake was crowded, and I got a hole in my air mattress... but I still had a great time! The way out was a bit of a slog, especially the last 5 miles, but we got back just in time to sit in traffic through Gold Bar for an hour! Woo hoo!

This is it. This is why I wanted to go here.

G'mornin!

Opal "lake"

Crossing back to the final 5.3 miles out

OHHHHH! Lets bring this full circle, shall we? That family I mentioned that we saw at the trailhead... as we were passing some mellow water running over gentle slabs near Emerald Lake on the way out, there they were! The oldest boy was bare foot walking through the running water with the Dad in 'copter mode close behind. We were both like, dang... nice job getting those two little ones all the way up here! The Dad just looked at me with wide eyes while pointing to his oldest. "Did he hike all the way up here by himself?!" I asked, and the Mom replied "Yeah, and he did most of it bare foot!" "He kept saying 'shoes off' so we just let him". My mind was blown. I couldn't believe the little guy could hike all that way by himself, much less bare foot! My wife couldn't even make it up there in boots! Ok, she probably could, but I still thought that was impressive. ~23 miles 4500k gain. The end.

[omhk]

Great photos of such a beautiful place! I did this mid July a couple of years ago and the bugs were pretty horrific too. I would recommend the La Bohn area as well (including the eponymous peak). I did it last summer and can't believe it took me so long to get out there. Also, the thought of hiking barefoot any part of the Necklace Valley trail after crossing the river is mind-blowing...

[mbravenboer]

I think everybody goes wrong where you had to backtrack, that's why that side-trail is so well-traveled .

[awilsondc]

[ozzy]

Ive never been out this way but la bohn and hinman have always been on the radar! Sweet pics as usual man! When do you think the bugs will die off?!

[ozzy]

Ive never been out this way but la bohn and hinman have always been on the radar! Sweet pics as usual man! When do you think the bugs will die off?!

[awilsondc]

[Chief Joseph]

I don't have a lot of experience backpacking, but I think one has to be a bit of a masochist. Nice report and photos!

[DadFly]

In my experience, the bugs die down over the course of the summer. The hatch peak is often a week or two before the flowers are in full bloom. After that there are more hatches at different elevations and over time but even those decline in size. Bats, birds frogs and other insects contribute to decreasing swarm size.

[contour5]

Really nice photography, awilsondc. You got some way better shots than I was able to squeeze out of the rapidly deteriorating drugstore nikon. Amazing to see how fast conditions change this time of year. I especially enjoyed hearing that you experienced a bit of confusion near the old cabin. A few days earlier I went totally berzerk in the same area- I actually boulder-ed down the creek to Emerald inlet, and then continued all the way down the wrong side of the lake, much to the amusement of some campers at the outlet. Then I slipped into the outlet while collecting water. And yet, I had a great trip too. What a beautiful area!

[awilsondc]

Thanks contour5! I thought you got some GREAT shots! In fact I recently re-read your report and wondered if you added photos later. I don't remember seeing some of the awesome shots you got the first time around. But yeah it's a great area. I wish I had the amount of time to explore around that you did! Definitely planning on going back up there in the future.

[wanderwild]