[Larry]

Wonderful job on the photos, Bob. Depth of field was outstanding. You really captured the beauty. Thank you.

[MooseAndSquirrel]

A gold star for you, Bob, as the teacher would say. What can I say that hasn't already been said - beautiful images and place, wonderful.

[reststep]

Great pictures Bob If anyone is heading up that way here are some webcams in the Leavenworth area that may give some idea of the snow conditions and then again maybe they will not. Webcam 1 Webcam 2 Webcam 3

[TheClaw]

My picture may not be as good as Bob's .. but I have snow and a view ! Taken in the Enchantments in mid-September.

Toilet in the Enchantments with view of Prussic Peak

[Backpacker Joe]

Good one CLaw-ster. Hey Robert, didnt you get shots of Toketie? I thought that you came up that route from Nada? TB

[Allison]

Nice pictures. There are shots of a lot of the same things, except green, from our trip up that way last year. BPJ, wouldn't it be way out of the way to go to Eitekot from Musky Pass? Bob went in the exact same way we did last year, and we went out via Tok, but it would have been way out of the way otherwise.

[Dayhike Mike]

[Allison]

Yes, I always thought that was Temple Canyon. I'm sure I've said this before here, but the route out from Nada is kind of scary, and I don't recommend it. Our collective footfalls were enough to get a half-dozen or so big burnt snags to go over like matchsticks. It was the closest call I've ever had hiking.

[Backpacker Joe]

Temple Canyon, that clears it up. Thank you. TB

[Bob K]

I have entered via Toketie in the past, but have never been to it directly through Musky Pass or Tamarack/Temple Canyon. Everyone seems to call it Temple Canyon now. 20 or 25 years ago, everyone I knew called it Tamarack, which I think is a better name. Jan also called it Tamarack. Isn't that another name for Larch, or a type of Larch? I wonder what the Starks call it? I guess it doesn't matter, everything up there has a couple of names anyway.

[Dayhike Mike]

Yup... The Tamarack is the Western Larch. A beautiful name for a beautiful tree.

[MooseAndSquirrel]

Sorta like Madrone/Madrona instead of Arbutus?

[pianodirt]

So I thought after all these years I'd make a trip to the Enchantments. I decided to go up via Colchuck Lake/Ass-guard pass . This was Monday 10/27. It was very windy at the pass, guessing 30-40mph with gusts hard enough I couldn't stand up. I didn't realize how long it would take me to get up Aasgard, it was about 3pm. I lost the cairn trail once just over the pass at the first few tarns. I debated whether it would be better to just go back down to Colchuck or continuing on down into the lakes. I wondered if the wind would be better if I went on, at least I knew it was better at Colchuck. I was tired and just wanted to camp. I asked God for a sign as what to do. Just then I saw a trail, so I followed it, then I could see down into the lakes better, I thought I was looking at Isolation Lake. So I started heading down. When I got down enough, I got a better look at the lake. It was Colchuck! I took that as my sign and headed down. It took me 3 hours to get up Aasgard (I had figured 2 hours tops) and it took me as long to get down. It got dark about halfway down and I put on a headlamp and that's when I lost the cairns. I ended up going down a dry creekbed on the SE end of the lake. It was so windy (as i could see the next morning) the wind was picking water off the top of the lake and blowing sheets of it sideways. I ended up camping on a little beach on the lake (it was the only flat spot I'd seen in hours and I was exhausted). My poor little tarptent nearly got blown away and I had to reinforce the already reinforced stakes twice. I woke at 2am and couldn't wait for daylight so I could get out of the place. It was windy all night, all day, but I was grateful no serious rain came in. I learned a couple good lessons: don't mess with steep passes in questionable weather, and bring a gps next time (actually, I wonder if having a gps might've gotten me in more trouble). Next year I try again via Snow Lakes, and a couple weeks earlier! I finally saw a larch. It was a solitary one on the W side of Colchuck lake and still had some needles. Pretty cool! There were several enroute to Aasgard pass but their needles had dropped. I snapped a few pics, if I see any worth posting, I will.

[Backpacker Joe]

PD, well it's hard to approach this without jumping all over you! That said, I think that we have all gotten into situations that we have thought about later. Asgaard is something that I would NEVER want to be caught on in the dark. Having done it six times I can tell you that I'd definitely give myself TIME before I even started it. I wish you could have had somebody with you that has experience on that beast. I'm saddened that after getting up there you found yourself coming right back down. I'd like to know (read pictures) the conditions atop the pass that caused you to get disoriented and find yourself coming down. There actually are many sheltered/semi sheltered areas atop the pass that you could have hidden yourself behind and created a more tarp friendly environment. All that said, being a tarp tent guy myself I wouldn't have chosen that shelter for this time of year. I would have taken my Bibler I-tent or my Stephenson 2X. As Ive said Ive been up Asgaard six times, and into the Chants eight times and I still ask for advice from those more experienced in the Chants than me. Glad nothing happened to you, except exhaustion. I would have preferred that you had a great time up there that's for sure. Next time ask for advice from this very experienced board. Tom B

[Tom]