[willnich]

I just got my enchantments pass for this summer (after a long wait) and it is for Colchuck Zone for August 24th-27th. I was hoping to get some advice on the best way to approach the long weekend. It’s a group of three of us with a fair amount of backpacking experience but no technical climbing experience who are all in reasonable shape in our low 30s. My initial thoughts: Day 1- Start at Colchuck lake entrance and hike to Lake Stuart and back to Colchuck Lake Day 2- Colchuck Lake to little Annapurna and back to Colcuck Lake Day 3- ?? Day: 4- Hike through the core zone and out the snow lake entrance My question is how to spend the 3rd day? I am not thrilled about doing Aasgard pass twice - much less doing it a third time. I was wondering of Colchuck or dragontail peaks can be done as a non technical hike or if there is another way to spend a day? We can always just relax and enjoy the beautiful area but I wanted to make the most out of the trip. If you have experience in the area I would love your feedback Thanks Nick

[Schroder]

Dragontail and Colchuck have nontechnical routes. Dragontail is from Aasgard Pass and up to the South col and scramble to the summit. Colchuck is also nontechnical from the Dragontail-Colchuck col but in August the Colchuck glacier can be blue ice and it's steep. I wouldn't want to do Aasgard twice in a week. Here's my trip report of that route on Dragontail in June and Colchuck in June

[Tom]

As you said, I wouldn't want to mess with Colchuck Peak in August...

[willnich]

Thanks for the quick and helpful feedback. Based on your advice and beautiful photos I am going to steer clear of Colchuck. Any advice on how to make a good weekend trip out of the colchuck zone permit without doing aasgard multiple times? I know Oregon hikes pretty well but I am unfamiliar with the area. Thanks for all of your help

[Tom]

I don't think there's any way around it. For sure on your last day I would not drag all your gear up Aasgard pass and out Snow Creek. You'd be better off just day hiking through the enchantments without overnight gear. If you are in good shape it shouldn't be that big of a deal to go up and down twice. On day one I would probably drop pack and go up to Horseshoe Lake as well. On day 4 just make it a lazy day and head out the same way you came in.

[willnich]

Sounds like my two best options are to set up a basecamp at Colchuck lake and do two day trips into the core zone and then back out to Colchuck trailhead. or ditch the gear and day hike the enchantments to see the whole loop. I will talk it over with the group but I have a feeling camping in Colchuck and then waiting for our year to come for our core permit is going to be the vote. I don't want to take away anyone's opportunity but how bad of form would it be to try the daily lottery for a core permit? Would be an amazing opportunity if it worked out... Thanks to everyone for helping an out of town backpacker try to be prepared

[Jake Robinson]

Colchuck Lake is a beautiful spot but not a very convenient home base if your goal is to explore the core Enchantments area. I *think* there is some decent camping along the shore of Colchuck Lake right at the base of Aasgard Pass, here-ish. This would save you about a half hour traversing around the lake (each way) vs. staying at the north end of the lake if you want to camp as close to the core as possible. Still, if you wanted to make multiple trips into the core, you'd have to do Aasgard Pass on every trip. It's steep and rocky but the difficulty is a bit overblown IMO. Shouldn't take you much more than an hour if you're in decent shape. Don't get suckered into going right starting up Aasgard; the correct route trends climbers' left until the top third or so and should be well-cairned. Little Annapurna is a great non-technical summit. Cannon and Enchantment Peaks would be a fun daytrip too - they max out at class 3 and take you through some beautiful (and less crowded) country. I'd probably want an ice axe and crampons for Dragontail in late August. Other hikes worth considering while you're in the area: Eightmile Lake and Caroline Lakes, and Mt. Cashmere if you're up for class 3/4 scrambling. These all start from the Eightmile Lake TH, which is only about a mile from the Colchuck TH, so it's an easy detour if you end up with an extra day. Have a great trip! Edit: looks like a couple others beat me to it while I was writing this up

[HitTheTrail]

That time of year you may end up parking down the road near the Eight Mile TH anyway. I have given up on the Stuart/Colchuck TH but my son-in-law who lives locally and trail runs it a lot (with out of town friends who sometimes drop in and want a tour of the core area) tells me it is now almost impossible to park near the actual TH in high season.

[MesiJezi]

You better go, cause I was trying for that specific permit on that specific day yesterday morning and I'm a little salty that I didn't get it! Honestly, Colchuck is beautiful in it's own right and has some great camp sites with big flat rocks right on the lake shore for basking in the sun. It's much more enchantments-esque than Nada or Snow. Get an early start up Aasgard with day hiking gear and everything in the core is easily within reach. Skip Nada and Snow Lakes and head back out the way you came to the Colchuck TH. Once you get out of the upper enchantments and decend to Nada the show is over for the most part, and the 4000' decent down to the Snow Lakes TH is somewhat miserable. Can I get an amen.

[Bootpathguy]

I'm here to throw a turd in your punchbowl Don't get any false illusions And Don't forget to brush-up on your... "Hello" "Good Morning" "Excuse Me" "Thank You" "I Thought Dogs Weren't Allowed" It absolutely, will not, feel like peaceful wilderness there at Colchuck

[Jake Robinson]

If you want solitude do the N approach to Cannon through the Rat Creek burn

[willnich]

Sorry MesiJezi for stealing your day. I am for sure going and I think the verdict is that we will go and do day hikes from Colchuck and then come back in early October for a through hike for photography purposes once we know the trail a little better. Back out Colchuck TH seems to be the way to go as well. I have to say the more I read about Colchuck lake the more I realize it is going to be a happening place on the weekends in August. To be honest I am from Central Oregon and so used to spending a whole week hiking and running across no one that it will be an adjustment. Even needing permits is a huge adjustment. We are hammock campers and from what I have read Colchuck is a good place for this. Will it be possible to get a little more solitude hanging rather than traditional camping? I will be researching rat creek burn and the Coney lake approach as solitude sounds hard to find in the enchantments in August. I am new to the area so keep the advice coming. I can’t wait for the day when I get a core enchantments pass.

[Tom]

[HitTheTrail]

The last time I went traversed Aasgard (definitely the last with it's new popularity) I saw a hammock set up in the big boulder field just before the pass. I was also going to suggest a hammock for camping at the lake. There are way more tree sites than camp sites available in high season. Even a lot of good ones by the side tarn where you could never set-up a tent.

[MesiJezi]