Forum Index > Trip Reports > Enchantment traverse, June 27
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coach
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Joined: 22 Feb 2009
Posts: 127 | TRs | Pics
Location: Lost in the mountains
coach
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PostSun Jun 28, 2009 9:40 pm 
Put in at Colchuck trailhead, at 0930. Arrived at Colchuck Lake around 1100. Right side of Aasgard pass still has snow. Made the bottom of Aasgard scree field around 1200. Trail up Aasgard sometimes hard to follow, be on the look out for cairns marking the way. Topped out on Aasgard at 1330. Aasgard did not seem to be the butt kicker I thought it would be, although it could be challenging with a full pack on an 85 degree day. Still plenty of snow at 7500', boot path is very easy to follow. Many of Enchantment Lakes still frozen. 3.5 miles to Vivian took little over 2.5 hours, lost trail a couple times, but relatively easy to follow. Did not really need crampons and ice ax. Completely snow free after dropping off Vivian. Arrived at Snow Lake around 1700. Last 6.5 miles to Icicle Road were long and tiring. Arrived at Icicle 2005, 11.5 hours of hiking and 17 miles later. Great traverse, cannot wait to get a overnight permit, and climb Dragon Tail and Little Annapurna. Hardly anyone seen hiking, saw probably a total of 5 parties camping between Colchuck and Snow Lakes.
Aasgard Pass from Colchuck Lake
Aasgard Pass from Colchuck Lake
Scree field at bottom of Colchuck Glacier
Scree field at bottom of Colchuck Glacier
Mount Daniel from Aasgard
Mount Daniel from Aasgard
Colchuck
Colchuck
View from Aasgard north to the Bake
View from Aasgard north to the Bake
Dragon Tail
Dragon Tail
6.27.2009 Enchantment Traverse 023
6.27.2009 Enchantment Traverse 023
Upper Enchantment Basin
Upper Enchantment Basin
Perfection Lake
Perfection Lake
Waterfall
Waterfall
Snow Lake
Snow Lake

The Coach
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Sennin
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Sennin
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PostMon Jun 29, 2009 9:10 am 
We're headed up there on Thursday, so thanks for the report! Any pics?

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Dayhike Mike
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Joined: 02 Mar 2003
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Location: Going to Tukwila
Dayhike Mike
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PostMon Jun 29, 2009 9:30 am 
1.5 hours from the trailhead to Colchuck is hauling @$$! Sounds like you had a good time. How much snow was up on top? That's typically the reason for slow progress across the plateau.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke "Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
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coach
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Location: Lost in the mountains
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PostMon Jun 29, 2009 5:02 pm 
Just put some pictures up, I had to set up the flickr account. In the upper basin there it is still winter and most everything is cover with snow, I am not sure how deep it was. If you are backpacking through the Enchantments, I recommend at least two nights. There are some nice campsites around Perfection Lake in the Lower Basin, with some tree for wind protection. The best place to camp at Snow Lake is on the spit of land between the two lakes, just next to the masonry dam that separates the two lakes. I recommend lots of sunscreen too, I pretty burned...

The Coach
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Dayhike Mike
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Joined: 02 Mar 2003
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Location: Going to Tukwila
Dayhike Mike
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PostMon Jun 29, 2009 5:13 pm 
Nice pics...looks like you had a great day up there. wink.gif up.gif

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke "Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
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Matt
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Joined: 30 Jan 2007
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Matt
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PostTue Jun 30, 2009 12:20 am 
Melting out awfully fast this year. A month ago, Colchuck Lake was completely ice covered. Now it looks like mid-summer.

“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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Slide Alder Slayer
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PostThu Jul 02, 2009 9:05 pm 
I just got back from a one day trip to Dragontail 8/1/09, I’ve been up Aasgard twice before but this time the route was a bit of a mess with many of the cairns down and much of the trail, such as it was, a shambles and a social patch work of loose choss and scree and personal cairns. So great time up that mess! I stayed over at Leavenworth and before leaving on the 2nd stopped by the ranger station and was informed a crew was going up on 7/3 to reset the cairns.

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Hutch
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Hutch
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PostThu Jul 02, 2009 9:20 pm 
Anybody know if any of the Enchantments are good for fishing? How about Colchuck or Snow lakes? I'm wondering if it's worth hauling the extra couple pounds up there.

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Slide Alder Slayer
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Slide Alder Slayer
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PostFri Jul 03, 2009 9:47 am 
I saw a lot of fish rising in Colchuck as I was descending Aasgard the evening of 8/1/09, I also spoke to a couple coming out as I was ascending Aasgard that morning who stated they had spoke to individuals who had luck at Snow Lake. The "couple" reported no luck in the enchantments themselves fishing.

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Forum Index > Trip Reports > Enchantment traverse, June 27
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