I'm 60 in August, so I could fly over for an early hike, shower, nice food and mediocre sex if that's any use?
Comment intended for amusement purposes only.

I love reading about your hikes. And the pictures.
I lived in the Sierra Nevada Range around Mammoth Lakes when I in my 20's and hiked into the back country often during the summer and fall. So wild and beautiful. I'll never forget it.

Thank you again for sharing! My heart yearns to explore the wilderness, but my body denies me.

Beautiful!!!

I used to do a lot of hiking in Washington State when I was younger. Pretty sure Necklace Valley was one from before I had kids, so when I was in my mid-twenties. So many beautiful hikes! So long ago now, I don't remember exactly which ones, only that the scenery always had me in awe of such majestic nature!

The Necklace Valley was my first WA hike. It sure is beautiful. You're right.

When we went there a tech from our company brought his two adolescent sons and the trail was almost too much for them. By the time we got to the top he was carrying three packs -- theirs along with his (he refused to let us help. Ha, ha, sort of, I guess).

The other two things that struck me over the weekend were how many people we saw. I was used to northern AZ -- being the only folks for miles in any direction.
A couple of times growing up my family pulled up stakes and moved when we ran into someone. My mother was very afraid of cowboy senses of humor. Ha, ha.

At Necklace Valley our group saw probably 20 people over the weekend -- I was shocked. At least the folks seemed to be contentious hikers -- the area didn't have any noticeable wear and tear that I saw.

The other thing I remember about the weekend was right at the top we met two couples staying in a canvas tent, drinking wine out of bottles. We wanted to ask them how they got that stuff up there -- did they use a helicopter, or what?

Ah, memories.