Seattle, WA 98104. Recommend poles for some of the downhill stuff. Difficult. Then follow the trail over ridges, through alpine meadows, and a medley of lakes, granite peaks and subapline larches. 19.1 Miles 30.8 KM Point to Point. Map Key Favorites Check-Ins. This ended up being on the trail and next to a cairn at a higher elevation. Long before you reach the parking lot, you will be shuffling listlessly, every step a small victory of mind over matter. 209S map. Contributors Photo by Paul Kriloff. If you camp out here at Snow Lake, stay up late, because the stars up here are incredible. Core Enchantment permit hol ders may camp in any of the five zones. The Enchantments At A Glance. Amazing views of Stuart's north face await Horseshoe Lake A faint trail leads to this lake from Stuart Lake and tiny Jack Lake is nearby. He said that would probably be the safest place to make camp if we could make it. We passed a Ranger who told us that the winds would be less severe at the lower half of Lake Vivienne after the rebar. If you are hiking in the summer months, this trail is desired as it can cool 10-15 degrees back in the canyon. That's Aasgard Pass to the left of Dragontail Peak. Other Upper Enchantments Lakes: See the map below of the Starks for their locations. By JoelSalvino . Meetings & Events. Meetings. And everything after that was pretty boring. Green Trails Map: Enchantments 209S, trailhead @ 47.5279, -120.8207, WTA. Inspiration is perhaps the most dramatic of the lakes, with granite rising steeply on three sides and a stand of larches on the opposite shore. If you're just here for the day, you'll still need a Northwest Forest Pass to park. We used the map as well as a GPS for a pre-permit season hike/climb of the Enchantments Trail. We kept getting lost and the winds were insane. Overview Maps; G.E.T. First off, if you're through-hiking it, i can't think of any good reason to start from the Snow Lakes side. The Enchantments from Little Annapurna. Getting There. Made a game plan and hiked down to Vivianne to set up camp. There's one kinda tricky move in this spot but you'll do fine if you're careful. Crampons were extremely necessary throughout entire trip, ice axe came in handy numerous times. Some fun facts about the GET: The highest point on the trail is Mogollon Baldy at 10,770 feet and the lowest point is the Gila River at 1,750 feet. The blue line is Icicle Creek Road. Without snow, it would easily be a 6/10. At the top it was amazing, but hard to enjoy bc the winds. It’s beautiful up there! COMMUNITY. The rock face with those metal rungs after Leprechaun lake was smoothly iced over and nobody had attempted it in the last day or so, so we had to chip away at the face with our axes. There are five total regions: Eightmile/Caroline, Stuart, Colchuck, Core, and Snow. As you descend to the shore, you pass through tall larches whose ages are most likely measured in multiple centuries. 209 map. Overnight Wilderness permits are required to camp in the Enchantments area from May 15 through October 31. Be careful here, as the dam is crumbly in parts. Sunrises are unbelievable from here and you might even see some goats hanging around. Google Map. Add Your Gems. The catch is that you need tons of luck to get past the lottery gods because you can't go there without a permit. We didn’t see much wildlife, we were able to find shelter from the wind, the north half of Nada lake was frozen over, where we set up camp for the last night. You wouldn't expect them just looking up here from below. The traditional entrance would be Snow Lake because this side brings you through the Enchantments "in order," meaning you start in the Lower Enchantments and work your way up to the Upper Enchantments. HOWEVER, if you are going to go after it has snowed, be prepared for route finding (the cairns helped but many of them were covered in snow). Ira Spring, Buy the Green Trails Enchantments No. From the end of the trail at the far end of the lake, cross boulders around the shore under the terminal moraine of the Colchuck Glacier (the trail may disappear at times, but cairns usually mark the way). Things start changing in late September, but October is probably the best time to see the turned larches. We moved into the middle enchantments to set up camp. Trail Map Listings / The Grand Enchantment Trail (New Mexico) The Grand Enchantment Trail (New Mexico) Trail Map Listings . Map of the hiking trail. Inspiration wasn’t frozen over and I caught some nice trout for dinner. Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Unfortunately we got to Rebar at night so though best not to attempt that with our packs at night. You'll gain about 1300' in these first 1.5 miles. We had an overnight permit for 10/19 - 10/21. 209 map. Nice, moderate hike with nothing crazy just some elevation gain. To get here, drive 8.5 miles on Icicle Road from Hwy 2, just on the west edge of Leavenworth. Type: Loop; Rating: Moderately-Difficult; Distance: 1.2 miles; Elevation Gain/Loss: 460 ′ After lunch, we set off to climb Prusik Pass and continue exploring The Enchantments. After an exhausting day mentally, emotionally and physically we decided to just make for the Snow Lakes Trailhead and head back to Leavenworth for a night of recoup in a warm room with pizza and LOTS of beer! We made it to the car at 6pm. The Enchantments Permits: A Guide to Washington’s Rugged Majesty [2019] The Enchantments are part of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in the Cascade Mountains of Washington state. You’ll encounter sections of unimproved and confusing trail, as well as high passes, snow, exposed rock slabs, boulder hopping and other tolls on the body as well as the psyche. Add Your Trails. Definitely still enough liquid water en route that you don't have to plan on carrying it all (although we all did). The map helped guide us through the upper enchantments which were covered with snow. One of the major attractions of the Enchantments is the yellow larch trees in the fall. My knees and right IT band were sooooo sore but once I saw the parking lot in the distance, the adrenaline kicked in and we started jogging with our poles. Insta: justin_fargason or fargason.justint@gmail.com. You know something is up when no goats are to be found!!! Getting There. There's a small stand of trees just uphill from here that you'll pass through before emerging into one of the meadows in the Enchantments. There are a few nice flat places along the shore that are marked "Day use only" that you can use to relax. It consists of three logs, so make sure you position your feet on the inside curve of the outer logs, so that they kind of slip toward the center log. To make it even more challenging, the last 1/3 up the wind gusts picked up, there was ice and the winds were spraying the snow in our face which felt like needles....no exaggeration! Paul Kriloff. Ticket is $50 plus a $30 processing fee! The trail switches back once above Nada Lake and you might see the drainage spilling water out of Snow Lake above you. Drive 8.4 miles and turn left onto Forest Service Road 7601. Looking south, awesome views of the cliffy Dragontail Peak on the left and Colchuck Peak on the right. Trail section above upper snowy lake was muddy in areas. Welcome to Snow Lake! One of the amazing things about the Enchantments is all of the water features that fall somewhere in between being categorized as a "lake" or a "stream." Over the years it seems like there are fewer and fewer pieces of rebar and it's being replaced by some cement steps. Mar 10, 2016 - Search over 100,000 trails with trail info, maps, detailed reviews, and photos curated by millions of hikers, campers, and nature lovers like you. It also got very cold. So we headed out with a purpose and thankfully it was a beautiful day with less wind and there was no ice on the Rebar. Hike by WTA Correspondents: Pretty easy walking around here, but be careful walking on the rocks along one section because one wrong move and you'll get wet! Once at the top, the winds were definitely stronger with gusts up to 65mph and eventually became sustained winds which made it hard to keep balance with our packs on. There was a big boulder that blocked some of the wind so we put the tent up and hoped for the best. Here's a little quest for you if you're into it. The hardest part so far was the pressure put on our knees from the descent. Strong winds and freezing temperatures up Aasgard Pass. But the real struggle was how many time we lost the trail after the pass. A limited number of permits are available same day at the ranger station in Leavenworth. Search for Colchuck Lake and then use the map to also click in the core section to get the forecast at the higher elevation. You're crossing Mountaineer Creek at about 4500'. Enchantment Lakes Loop - 20.4 Miles Round-Trip The Snow Lakes Trail and Colchuck Lake Trail form a 20.4 mile semi-loop through the Enchantment Lakes Basin in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. You're crossing Mountaineer Creek at about 4000', the lower of two crossings of this creek. There are plenty of places where the trail breaks out into the open and you get good views of the peaks above. Hiking through the stunning basins, lakes, and peaks known collectively as the Enchantments is to experience the Alpine Lakes Wilderness at its best. We agreed we will attempt this again earlier in the season and stay a couple nights. It was put in place in the 1930's, well before this area became a permit-only backpacking destination. And if there is a full moon, then you're in for a treat with how the moon can really light up The Temple (the mountain above that dominates the lake's setting). There are five total regions: Eightmile/Caroline, Stuart, Colchuck, Core, and Snow. Map of the Enchantment area of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness (source: fs.usda.gov). Plan your hike for mid-July to mid-September, and check both trip reports and weather forecasts before getting started. A short while later, the trail climbs slightly and rounds the corner to Sprite Lake, connected to Perfection by a narrow slot of white water. Snow in the upper enchantment lakes, hard pack in some areas with post holes already made. This trailhead can get busy, so hopefully you locked up your things if you left a car here. Green Trails built a map specifically for the Enchantments, get this one. There is an outhouse here. The big question is: which side to enter from? The map below shows the area that make up the Enchantments. Then follow the trail over ridges, through alpine meadows, and a medley of lakes, granite peaks and subapline larches. Enchantments mountain bike trail map. It will be worth it! We waited around for about 30 minutes or so, and while it got brighter we didn't start seeing actual sunlight on the surrounding peaks until we started up the pass. It makes a tough climb into the Enchantments (see the POI). Green Trails Map: Enchantments 209S, trailhead @ 47.5279, -120.8207, WTA The catch is that you need tons of luck to get past the lottery gods because you can't go there without a permit. Beneath Little Annapurna, the barren rock gives way to a lusher alpine meadow, where the creek connecting the lakes meanders gently before tipping into a deeper channel and speeding downhill. Perfection Lake (7000') is well-named. Waited for Aasgard to clear up until around 8:30, at which point there was perfect visibility and little to no wind. On the last day of your backpacking trip hike from Leprechaun Lake back to the Snow Lake trailhead. You usually know by March/April if you "scored" and are permitted camp up there. Trails are in places quite primitive, with steep, rocky sections. All who come here would agree: the pain is a small, small price to pay. So basically after you leave the Enchantments area, it’s about 8 miles of forest hike downhill. Download the free, full-sheet USGS 7.5 Minute (1:24,000 scale) Enchantment Lakes topo map as an Adobe PDF. Permits are awarded by the Forest Service through a lottery that opens in February. It involves more total elevation gain than the Colchuck/Aasgard Pass Route . Enjoy the rocky spires above you on both sides, but watch your footing. Prusik Peak (8000') is sort of an icon of the Enchantments region and is photographed almost as often as Lady Gaga. Ran/trotted about 40-50% of it. Places to fill and filter water along this trail are numerous. Backpacking Washington. We used NOAA for our weather checks beforehand. The Boynton Canyon Trail is an easy walk from Enchantment Resort and is an easy trail to navigate. The trail head was pretty packed. We saw one group this day. And the Needles below give this perch an eerie feel. You're standing at the top of Aasgard Pass. That's Dragontail Peak to the west. Backpacked 4-day (3-night) from 10/26-10/29. TIME. Google Map. Absolutely loved it. The dramatic red rocks of Sedona’s Boynton Canyon set the tone for an experience beyond compare. Nov 9, 2014 - Search over 100,000 trails with trail info, maps, detailed reviews, and photos curated by millions of hikers, campers, and nature lovers like you. Viviane rivals Inspiration for the drama of its setting. More than a dozen high alpine lakes carved in granite. Green Trails Maps show the most current trail, road, and access information to national forests, national parks, state and local parks and other public lands, and are favored by hikers, climbers, cross-country skiers, horseback riders, hunters, anglers, mountain biker riders and search and rescue groups and recommended by the most venerable and respected climbing guides. Day 1: 6am start up to Colchuck Lake where we got married. Wander through soft tundra meadows, glacial-cirque lakes, crystal clear trickling streams, and impossible granite rock formations in the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Lots of snow/ice for most of the route until about mile 12. Saw plenty of mountain goats. Loop Connector is a Leavenworth based shuttle service for the thru-hikers of the Enchantment Lakes. Contributions to WTA are tax deductible, and we are committed to making the best use of every donation to our mission. Views from that SE ridge are magnificent. Didn’t see any mountain goats. When I completed this trip in September it took us 7 hours to hike out to the trailhead. Core Enchantment Zone Snow Lake Zone Colchuck Lake Zone Stuart Lake Zone Eightmile/Caroline Zone View a map of the permit zones. Our tax identification number is EIN 91-0900134. I didn't see anyone with an ice axe or any need for one. Day 1: Colchuck Lake. Grand Enchantment Trail GET Map. Asgard with 40 mph gusts was extremely challenging. Backpacked 10/21-10/22. There's a nice little waterfall between the two and if you aim your camera properly you can get a great shot of the waterfall with Little Annapurna in the background. If you believe it is yours, please contact me with details on the brand and capacity of the card. View fullsize. But t's only about 400' of elevation gain, so no biggie. If you're trying to do some time calculations, note that it is about 1 mile from this point to the top end of the lake and could take you 45 minutes to 1 hour to get around the lake. These statistics are for the thru-hike from Stuart/Colchuck Lake Trailhead to the Snow Lakes Trailhead. It’s really not a “trail” but an obstacle course made up of boulder hopping and snow sliding. Enchantment Resort. Plenty of areas to fill up on water. The sun was gone, everything was gray and half the lakes were frozen over. Federal Northwest Forest Pass required to park, backcountry camping permits required to camp, awarded by lottery by the Leavenworth Ranger Staion, Wenatchee National Forest
Green Trails Enchantments Map 209s. Great view from here. Guidebooks & Maps. If all the camps are taken, sometimes you can find a spot on the beach at the south end. A “No parking” sign is posted further down on the Right side. This azure pool tucked deep in a basin below Enchantment Peak marks the beginning of the Middle Enchantments. This causes them to follow their human guests a little too closely, which is as unsettling as disappointing (a mountain goat trying to drink your urine loses a bit of its wise, dignified mien). There are lots of camps around this lake, but the bugs can be bad in July and August, even into September if you set up in the more marshy areas. Enchantment Peak Weather (Days 0-3): The weather forecast for Enchantment Peak is: A moderate fall of snow, heaviest on Tue morningTemperatures will be well below freezing (max -8°C on Wed night, min -12°C on Tue night)Winds decreasing (near gales from the NW on Tue afternoon, light winds from the NNW by Wed night). But scramble up this hill a little ways to the east, toward Prusik Peak, and you'll top a small ridge with incredible views of the peak and into the Upper Enchantments. Enjoy views up the valley, unfortunately because trees in this area have been cleared by wildfires in 1994, 2001, and 2004. Zoom in to see details. Washington Trails Association is 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We had our ceremony, which was witnessed by Charlie the Chipmunk, then had some post-ceremony festivities before making our way around the lake to officially start our honeymoon with an ascent up Aasgard's Pass at around 1145. Should be pretty easy. Colchuck Lake. Be prepared that the descent from Snow Lakes to the trailhead can be even more painful than the climb up Aasgard Pass--the repeated percussion of walking steeply downhill while losing more than a mile of elevation takes its toll. The red line is the hiking trail. The Enchantments Trail is a 38.0 kilometer heavily trafficked point-to-point trail located near Leavenworth, Washington that features a lake and is only recommended for very experienced adventurers. Trail report from 10/17/2020. After crossing a branch of the creek, the route steepens again, becoming a hands-and-feet scramble through stunted larches. The top of the lake is shallow and perfectly clear. Aasgard Pass is the main north route to Stuart and into the Enchantments (note that it is mislabeled on USGS topo maps as Colchuck Pass). It's less than 1/2 mile and just under 500' of elevation gain to get up there. Add Your Gems . It sits in a deep basin below the long, graceful fingers of upturned granite that make up Prusik Peak. If you're heading up from the Snow Lake trailhead, this would be an option for camping on your first night. Although there was quite a bit of snow, the only think you had to really watch out for was occasionally post-holing and potentially tweaking something in the process. The descent down to Vivanne was slightly technical. Topo Mapset; Agency Maps; Google Earth; Elevation Profiles NEW! Trail Map. The Grand Enchantment Trail (acronym "GET") is a wilderness recreation trail running 770 miles (1,240 km) between Phoenix, Arizona and Albuquerque, New Mexico.It crosses the Arizona Trail and Continental Divide Trail and at Albuquerque it meets the Rio Grande Trail and El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro.. You'll walk around Inspiration Lake (7200') to get to this spot, which kind of marks the boundary between the Upper and Lower Enchantments. Viviane’s far shore is a wall of rock; its near shore, a smoothed wave of granite where glaciers once exited these heights and where Snow Creek now streams out of Viviane down to Snow Lakes. Even if you don't get the Core Enchantments, you can still really enjoy the area by keeping camp at Snow or Colchuck Lakes. The first larches appear as the plateau ends abruptly in expansive views over Crystal Lake and the Ingalls Creek valley below. Then take a left on Forest Road 7601 and drive about 3.7 more miles to the trailhead. Apply online (fee). The Continental Divide Trail. The pass (from the top down to Colchuck Lake) is 2200' in just over 1 mile! External links. I am no Pro athlete nor am I an avid hiker doing this every weekend. Children's Program. The trail snakes its way through grey lichen-covered rocks along the shores of Tranquil and Isolation Lakes before dropping steadily to the broad plateau beneath Little Annapurna (so named for its resemblance to the much taller Nepalese peak). As you climb up above Inspiration Lake in the rock and sand, say bye-bye to the Lower Enchantments and prepare yourself for the high meadows. The thru-hike is typically done from the Stuart Lake trailhead, because it reduces the total elevation gain by 2,600 feet relative to going the opposite direction (although it still takes in the punishing climb up Aasgard Pass, which rises 1,900 feet in less than a mile). This trailhead serves Stuart Lake and Colchuck Lake. Turns out someone was nice enough to knock them down as we would find a rock or two left over......thanks guy! 2 pages; … › Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest › The Enchantments Trail The Enchantments Trail › Photos Photos Facts About the Hike. No snow on the pass but sections of ice from spray off the waterfalls. And in spring, when they're issued, thousand of applicants fight fiercely for that piece of paper (not an actual fight, but it feels like one).