Life is a mountain.: The Enchantments via Aasgard Pass - Alpine Lakes Wilderness, WA 9-14-2016

Panoramic view east of the Upper Enchantment from Isolation Lake - Little Annapurna (right) and Prusik Peak with The Temple(center) are seen on horizon.

Absolutely AMAZING hike! The Enchantments was on my bucket list for a long time and I finally made it there. I started the hike from Stuart Lake trailhead to Colchuck Lake and entered the Enchantments via Aasgard Pass. Very challenging hike, indeed. Mark my words....be "prepared/experienced" to do this hike - physically and mentally. But, the hike is absolutely worth the time and effort. One of the best and you'll never forget. Big effort, big reward!

My goal was to hike to the Enchantments and explore as much as I could for a day hike. I already knew it was almost insane, though it’s possible, to make a round trip hike through the entire Enchantments trail (18 miles one way!) in a single day unless you do "thru-hike" by entering from one end exiting to the other. So, I entered from Aasgard Pass and hiked the Upper and the Middle Enchantments, and turned around at Inspiration Lake so that I have enough time to descend Aasgard Pass before sunset as I wanted to avoid descending the steep pass in darkness. I returned to trailhead with my headlamp on. Total hiking time/distance - 12 hrs/16 miles RT. To make a day hike to the Enchantments, the earlier you start, the more you get to see. Attached video describes some details.

The Enchantments is truly an epic hike without exaggeration. It's strenuous and demanding (distance, elevation gain, altitude, variable terrains, route finding, weather) either for a day hike or overnight/backpacking. And yet, not only with "enchanting" beauty of magical landscape (alpine lakes, cirques, waterfalls, creeks, mountain peaks, rock formations, glaciers, meadows), but also wildlife and vegetation, the Enchantments offers the whole nine yards for those who seek pristine alpine lakes wilderness adventure. I saw mountain goats, marmots, pikas, chipmunks, deer and wild birds. Larches look just about to turn colors as temperature drops into autumn....perhaps, in a week or two.

Road condition
Icicle Creek Road is paved and Forest Service Road 7601 is a little bumpy dirt road with potholes. Potholes are not deep and easy to spot as you drive.

Trailhead
Stuart Lake Trailhead is fairly large, but it fills up fast. When I arrived a little after 9am/Thursday, the lot was almost full! There is a restroom. Day hikers must register at trailhead and overnight hikers must obtain a permit by the lottery system.

Colchuck Lake
I have hiked up to Colchuck Lake and snowshoed there before, so the route to the lake was not unfamiliar, but the trail gets steep and rocky as you go. The trail runs through the forest and you hike along a creek for the first half and cross two log bridges. About 2 miles in, you come to a Y section with trail signs on a tree - Colchuck Lake/Stuart Lake. Follow the trail to Colchuck Lake. The trail continues to climb steeply and gets really rocky and some sections have tree roots exposed. There are a couple of viewpoints (granite slabs) along the way. At about 4 miles, you reach the northwest side of the lake and the trail continues along the west side of the lake to the south shore.

Colchuck Lake is gorgeous and has a jaw-dropping scenery with jagged peaks surrounded. The water is so blue/green. The best view point of Colchuck Lake with Dragontail Peak and Colchuck Peak in the background is from the large granite slab about a hundred feet down to the lake from the toilet sign. I took a short break there enjoying the awesome view before continuing the hike to the south shore. You have a few options at Colchuck Lake....turn around and head back to trailhead, trek down to the beach on the north shore or hike to the south shore/beach. If you venture out toward the south side of the lake, you have another option to explore a small lake just west of Colchuck on the way to the south shore. To get to the south side of the lake, continue the main trail to the south along the west side of the lake. There are quite a few side trails branching out to camp sites, so pay attention to stay on the main trail. The trail eventually ends at the southwest end of the lake.

I guess it's up to personal preference, but in my opinion the view of the lake from the north is superior because the lake has a breathtaking backdrop of Drangontail Peak and Colchuck Peak to the south. However, either way, it's worth the effort to hike extra mile or so to reach the beach on the south shore. The beach is long enough to stroll back and forth.

Aasgard Pass
Colchuck Trail ends at the south shore of the lake. To reach the bottom (beginning) of Aasgard Pass, you can either trek down (rock hopping) to the beach or follow the rocky terrain marked with cairns towards Aasgard Pass.

Climbing route of Aasgard Pass begins in steep terrains of screes. Follow cairns and obvious traces of the route. Soon you start to see dirt exposed trail with switchbacks, and the route begins to climb very steeply gaining almost 2,000 feet in less than 1 mile. I found hiking poles useful, particularly when I was descending (saved my knees!). Although cairns are placed along the way, navigation skills are helpful for route finding. I noticed there are a few different routes leading up to the top of the pass. I read WTA's trail description and watched some YouTube clips to study the routes beforehand, and found ascending to the left of a cluster of the vegetation would be the best way. I actually tried two different routes as I ventured out to the right part of the way (the route close to the running stream) to see the waterfall. However, I soon realized it was steeper and eventually became impassable facing to big boulders at the waterfall. I had to trek back to the left again. So, I suggest to stay left as the trail description advises. I saw a mountain goat by the waterfall. He was munching grass and climbed up and down boulders. It was quite amazing to see the goat's athleticism before my eye! The trail relentlessly keeps going up and the climb seems endless!...and gets rockier and steeper. It also crosses the running stream a few times and a little scrambling (not so bad, no worries!) is needed for some sections for the last 1/3 of the climb. Just pace yourself and enjoy the view as you go. I know it's a metal challenge as well as physical. The higher you go, the better it gets. It took me 1.75 hrs to go up and 2 hrs to come down.

No pain, no gain. Celebrate and take in the breathtaking views from the top of Aasgard Pass at 7,800 feet....yahoo! What a view!! Before your eye are Colchuck Lake, Dragontail Peak, Colchuck Peak, Cashmere Mountain and Eightmile Mountain and high peaks of the mountain loop highway/Glacier Peak/Mt. Baker/N. Cascades range juxtapose on the northwestern skyline.

The Enchantments
This is one of the most magical landscapes I've seen. It reminds me of somewhat Sierra Crest - High Sierras, and yet it’s different. Towering peaks and granite rock formations, cirques, tarns/alpine lakes and crystal clear streams, glaciers and snowfields, tundra meadows and vegetation, wildlife and larches....none of them seem to exist there by themselves, but each element is needed, connected and synchronized by nature’s own ecosystem and cycles. Wow, is this real? Yes, indeed. One of John Muir's quotes sinks in: "When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe." It's something beyond description, something remarkably profound more than beautiful...."entrancing". I am glad the permit system is put in place to protect fragile ecosystems and reduce environmental impacts from potential human destruction and keep it wild and pristine.

Stopping by a little tarn (so green!) behind the pass, I began the journey to the Upper Enchantments. The main trail marked with cairns gently curves down toward Tranquil Lake and Isolation Lake. Moonscape-like landscape is just stunning…rocky and barren, but there is water here. The water of Isolation Lake is so clear and blue reflecting the sky. I scoped out the lake and crossed the snowfield a bit trekking toward the ridge of Dragontail (Witches Tower).

Leaving Isolation Lake behind, the trail gradually descends to an open plateau where small lakes and meadows are connected by streams. I could see Little Annapurna looming to the right and Prusik Peak on the eastern horizon. I saw two goats (mother and baby) on the lush alpine meadow where they were busy munching grass.

There is a snowfield to traverse on the way down to the next lower area where I experienced a little difficulty with route finding because somehow I couldn’t find (I missed?) cairns to guide me on. I had a GPS map on my phone, but didn’t provide me a clear clue for directions. Then, I saw a few backpackers traversing the other side of the snowfield. So, I followed their way. Right on! Back on track, I reached Crystal Lake's view point on the granite slab. The lake is deep blue and tucked in right by McClellan Peak and the Ingalls Creek valley down below.

The trail continues to drop down steeply and now I entered the Middle Enchantments. I noticed larches along the trail and their colors are slightly changing to light green/yellow. It’ll be spectacular to see golden larches in the Enchantments. Inspiration Lake looks very dramatic in such a deep blue color and surrounded by Enchantment Peak and massive granite walls with larches growing. Perfection Lake is also seen just down below in a short distance and Prusik Peak looms over the eastern skyline. At this point after 4 pm, I decided to turn around and head back to Aasgard Pass so that I would have enough time to descend the pass before sunset.

It took a little longer to descend the pass because of its steepness. Although the downhill was really exhausting (it took 2 hrs!), when I reached Colchuck Lake, I saw spectacular alpenglow over Aasgard Pass and peaks....wow! My exhaustion was almost gone when I saw that. I trekked on the beach back to catch the main trail and got back to trailhead around 10 pm....my legs were sore, to be honest! I’d like to go back to the Enchantments again to see fall colors and I’ll start the hike from Snow Lake trailhead instead. By doing so, I can get to see the Enchantments from lower to upper next time.

As a side note, I ran out of water right before descending Aasgard Pass....schmuck! :( Luckily I met a generous couple (Lizzy and Theo) at the pass who had a filter and gave me some of their water. THANK YOU, guys! You really saved my life, no kidding. Otherwise, without that, I might not have made it back to trailhead. So, I highly recommend bringing a filter for this hike unless you want to carry gallons of water. There are many lakes and streams in the Enchantments. Also, it would be wise to bring a headlamp and enough food and gear just in case. And, a map and a compass....you never know. Safe journey and happy hiking! :)


(L-R:clockwise) Mountain Goat on Aasgard Pass, Colchuck Lake seen from the half way up to Aasgard Pass, Little Annapurna, Larch turning colors, Crystal Lake with McClellan Peak, Prusik Peak with The Temple seen from the MIddle Enchantments; (center) Aasgard Pass.