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Cheeks
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PostFri Jul 07, 2006 7:31 pm 
Trip report for Enchantments July 2 thru July 5..We (party of 5) started out for Colchuck lake early Sunday morning. We had planned to make it up Asgaard that afternoon but the hike into Colchuck was enough for the first day. We enjoyed some fishing and had a great camp. Early Monday we started out for the pass and 2 in our party decided they would stay at Colchuck. So the three of us continued up the pass and arrived up top no worse for wear..OK..it kicked our butts, about half way up we ran into BCMountain gal and her mate and talked to them for a bit..they were coming down and looked a lot fresher than us. It was nice to meet a Hiker-forum couple. very nice folks. …We had one snow bridge to cross at the top and it was kind of scary but our Alpha male came back and guided us two gals along. I didn’t have a ice axe and wished I had…the little goat at the top was the welcoming committee. that spurred us on. We also decided to go out Snow Creek route instead of coming down that pass again, so thanks to our friends at Colchuck and their radios we could let them know...we had our friends meet us the last day at the trailhead and we shuttled at the end to get the other truck. We met a nice group at the top..and continued across the upper enchantments, seeing some incredible Cairns..a guy and his two sons made some very unique ones. It was snowed over most the way but the lakes were starting to get little blue melting pools..This was my 4th trip up so it was a nice to see it snowed over. We camped at Perfection Lake the first night and the goats were thick, they were everywhere you looked, coming into the camp a lot and that night there was one that was quite noisy..looking for his mom I think. I also got a close up of a Marmot withing 6 feet who came down and said hi..Two of us left our rain flys off and had to put them on about 1:30 am..rain started.and Thunder and lightning.it cleared up by morning. We decided to hike down to Lake Vivian that morning to make the hike out easier. It was a nice hike but did get a little sporty climbing down some rock faces to get to the lake and there was alot of snow travel but not alot of postholing and gaiters were not required. It was a lot easier in the later summer. We camped below the waterfall that drops into Temple Lake and it was so loud you could barely hear each other. We caught and released some more fish..since we had so much food we had to eat…and then the thunder and lightning started and we started getting hit in the head with ice pellets the size of quarters. So back in the tent..I read the readers digest cover to cover..including the lipitor ads. The next day we got up early and got started out..I was hoping the snowbridges we came down were still firm..they were so we survived that. We had a hard time finding the trail down to Temple lake, we hiked up to Lake Viviane and scouted around and some climbers coming up said you need to follow the trail around the lake so we did and that got us way off course..we ended up backtracking and finding the trail but there was some class 5 rocks to get down to Temple Lake. A couple came over and said we were not as near as entertaining as the group the day before that took 45 minutes to rig up their ropes and rappel down..I guess we didn’t look as exciting without those colorful ropes and Carbiners and chalk bags. We continued down to Snow lake..mosquitos were horrible..I am still recovering. Nada was just as bad. NO body camping there at all. The fjord at Snow lake had very swift water coming over and I noticed some holes in the top of the dam as I walked across. The Alpha male with us started to walk across the logs to save his boots I guess..then he realized he was logger man..spinning the logs..they are floating…he is lucky he didn’t go in, he caught his balance just in time. We arrived at the trailhead and headed for the Big Y for some hard earned fried chicken. I swore I would never take the Snow Creek route ever again but with full packs…Asgaard Pass is a very tough way to go. I decided both ways are hard..but it is well worth the effort. The fourth trip for me was the best..good friends, great pictures and the knees held up. My friends were very impressed with the area and will not soon forget the experience. I didn't see any rangers..we were nervous about splitting the group but we had to be safe too..if someone doesn't want to proceed they should not have too..our friends had a wonderful time at Colchuck and will be returning another day to see the Enchantments. It is the best hike ever. I have alot of pictures here are a couple http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/didntsettle98/goat1.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/didntsettle98/Prusik.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/didntsettle98/AnaPurna1.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/didntsettle98/goattent.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/didntsettle98/Marmot.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/didntsettle98/Hansgoat.jpg Cheeks

"A Small amount of Danger is Essential to the Quality of Life"
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Mark Griffith
(Embrace yourself)



Joined: 14 Mar 2005
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Mark Griffith
(Embrace yourself)
PostFri Jul 07, 2006 10:29 pm 
Great write up and pictures. Heading there at the end of July, looking forward to it! mbg

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bonobo
Owl Juggler for rent



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PostSat Jul 08, 2006 9:13 am 
Great report! Beautiful pics, I especially loved the first one with the goat in motion. Too cool!

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Cheeks
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PostSat Jul 08, 2006 2:09 pm 
Thanks..I was irritated at the time he was running, that is usually the way it works for your best shots.. Cheeks

"A Small amount of Danger is Essential to the Quality of Life"
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Allison
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PostSat Jul 08, 2006 2:12 pm 
Sounds like a horrible trip, so glad I couldn't make it. The scenery up there is just so awful that I want to stab my eyes out with a stick. tongue.gif wink.gif

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Cheeks
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PostSun Jul 09, 2006 10:07 am 
It is funny the reaction I get showing folks like my parents..snow and rocks and goats...oh goats and rocks and snow..my Dad was teasing me..but you know it is hard to get the real effect by pictures. My friends were taken back as we crossed over the pass...it begins there and gets better and better. The other end is about the same..there were some people camped at Temple on our way back and they asked how it was at Lake Viviane...There was a nasty snow bridge to get over to get up there and I think they thought it only got worse with the snow but it wasn't that bad..I am not a real brave soul when it comes to sliding down snow into a frozen lake so I don't think I pushed my nerves too much..but then again, sometimes I just didn't look.....it is better to gaze up at the scenary than to look down.... paranoid.gif I have no regrets packing full packs but I have to say it is alot easier and just as beautiful day hiking up from Snow or even Nada or Colchuck..Asgaard with a day pack is easy. We did see some climbers too..now there's some crazy folks..sure fun to watch though..they were a constant source of entertainment all the way up Colchuck. Keep it on your list of places to go..it is worth it. Cheeks

"A Small amount of Danger is Essential to the Quality of Life"
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CJW
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PostTue Jul 18, 2006 4:10 pm 
Enchanting
I will be heading up to do the trail from end to end starting at the Stewart trail head next Monday (7-24-06) with 6 other people. I was really glad to see your report and that there is still some snow up there. It's going to be hot as hell here in Spokane so the high country will be a good escape. Lucky me! I'll be doing the same hike again from the opposite direction 11 days later with a smaller group or 4. The information in your report is going to be really helpful to some of the less experienced hikers in my party. Thanks very much and keep up the good work.

You have the power to change someone's day. Show them kindness and watch what happens.
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McPilchuck
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PostTue Jul 18, 2006 7:05 pm 
A nice trip report, enjoyed reading it and the pics. Me thinks I know this fellow who was on your trip at the "Helm." Me thinks he spent some time up Shuksan way with me a few years back... McPil

in the granite high-wild alpine land . . . www.alpinequest.com
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Cheeks
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PostWed Jul 19, 2006 9:18 am 
The lakes should be unfrozen in most areas now..except the very top. There are some precarious areas of climbing and getting down from areas that could be dangerous so make sure your party is ready for this. It helps to have a person below showing where to put their feet..even better if packs are removed and lowered down..safer because alot of folks don't have the upper body strength to do this. I am definetlty a advocate of Asgaard going up with full packs but coming down, I think now it is almost as tricky getting down from the lower lakes to Snow Lakes..that is slow going for sure. Walking sticks are a must too..really helps keep the load off the knees coming down. Be sure they are prepared for all weather too..we had everything thrown at us...used rain gear one minute and sunscreen the next. Good luck be safe, looking forward to the reports. Cheeks

"A Small amount of Danger is Essential to the Quality of Life"
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MountaingirlBC
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PostWed Jul 19, 2006 2:38 pm 
Hey Cheeks! Was great to meet you on Aasgard. Man... the last thing I need is another message board to waste time on but I was lurking and saw your TR so I wanted to say hi. You're right about Aasgard with heavy packs but it was still better than Snow imho. I'd do Aasgard twice before I'd go out Snow again but if you aren't comfortable with just about every step you take moving under your feet, Snow is probably a better bet. Our pics are here: http://westcoastclimbers.com/gallery/index.php?cat=10002 I think the order is messed up but i have them albums by day. We did Dragontail, Colchuck and Prusik while we were up there. Perfect time of year for climbing but I have to admit that I missed the scenery that was still hidden under the snow.

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Foist
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Foist
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PostWed Jul 19, 2006 5:51 pm 
I don't know why everyone's always raggin' on the Snow Lakes route, I think those lakes and Nada are pretty. Also that way you get to see the whole progression from low to high. And when I was on Aasgard and took one look at that boulderfield, I was thankful I went the other way. Although I haven't actually tried it, so obviously I don't REALLY know how hard it is... If anyone's interested in seeing my Enchantments photos from last summer... http://www.flickr.com/photos/jontoren/

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MountaingirlBC
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PostWed Jul 19, 2006 6:40 pm 
It's the last 5 miles of Snow that just kills me. Switching back through burned out forest when I can see the parking lot is just too demoralizing. But hey.... lots of people do it and like it better than Aasgard so to each their own. I just don't like to spend a lot of time in the forest so I'll take the shortest route up to the alpine and then back to my car. I find that my knees are better with a short period of punishing elevation drop than over a longer period of more moderate descent. You lose more elevation going out Snow too. Unfortunately it looks like we can't view your pics right now. will check again later. I love the Enchantments. Can't get enough of it smile.gif

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Foist
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Foist
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PostWed Jul 19, 2006 6:44 pm 
MountaingirlBC wrote:
It's the last 5 miles of Snow that just kills me. Switching back through burned out forest when I can see the parking lot is just too demoralizing. But hey.... lots of people do it and like it better than Aasgard so to each their own. I just don't like to spend a lot of time in the forest so I'll take the shortest route up to the alpine and then back to my car. I find that my knees are better with a short period of punishing elevation drop than over a longer period of more moderate descent. You lose more elevation going out Snow too. Unfortunately it looks like we can't view your pics right now. will check again later. I love the Enchantments. Can't get enough of it smile.gif
Yeah, flickr is havin' some problems. By the way, there's only one thing I can think of to draw in those circles. I wish there was something else, but there isn't. Damn hormones. I took 5 rolls of pictures in 4 days on the Enchantments trip, and I could have taken more. Yeah, the burnt out part in the beginning is kind of annoying, but it's less than 5 miles (you were probably just exaggerating).

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Cheeks
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PostThu Jul 20, 2006 7:10 am 
HI...Great PIX's!! I am with you...fast and furious going up. I can't get enough of the place either, I will be back. Great to hear from you..I will be keeping a eye on your travels online! Our other friends had a couple carry their packs up to Stuart..we thought it might have been you?? They got tired..... Cheeks

"A Small amount of Danger is Essential to the Quality of Life"
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MountaingirlBC
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PostThu Jul 20, 2006 11:01 am 
Had someone else carry their packs? Where can I get that kind of service? You know... if I were a young, enterprising type with good knees I'd park myself at the base of Aasgard Pass and sell my sherpa services.

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