[Lakes&Summits]

I have been remiss in my trip reporting of late, but it would be criminal not to report on the last trip to the Enchantments. Four years after my first journey to that magical place in August, I found a different but no less enchanting world on this fine October weekend. Our party of four dropped a bike off at the Snow Lake trailhead, then started up the trail to Colchuk close to 11:00 a.m. on Friday morning. The drive reminded me, the eager volunteer to do the biking, just what was in store for me at the end of our trip. I was the most insistent that we not descend Aasgard, being mindful of my aging and increasingly achy knees.

Looking up at Asgaard Pass

The hike in and up Aasgard was entirely in shade, though the day was spectacularly clear and sunny. Getting across the boulder field at the end of Colchuk took care. There were patches of treacherous ice that made the going slow.

Once past the field we started up too far to the right, following some boot prints which only one in our party questioned, took a hard look at the map and peeled off left. By then, we were well up and traversing left seemed like a lot of extra work. But in hindsight it would have been worth it. Following a difficult trail is still always easier than making up your own route, or following the tracks of some other clueless folk. At any rate, I chose a much more difficult and strenuous route up, and only joined the main trail about 9/10s of the way up, where it became prudent to don the crampons I’d been hauling along. Two of us had crampons, two microspikes, and I’d say the latter were definitely the preferable option this time (I just don’t happen to own any). I saw people doing it without any kind of traction footwear, but I also spent a lot of time with a friend in ICU this summer after a near-fatal fall on a snowfield and a call out to SAR, so I still believe that just because some people treat mountain travel like a trip to a theme park, it doesn’t mean it’s recommended. The more judicious of us waited at the top for the other three for a while, and we got up to the top of Asgaard at about 5:00, leaving us not a lot of time to find camp and set up before dark.

Chris, Pam and Ben at the top of Asgaard...

We spent the first night on the shores of the no-name lake near Isolation. We never did catch up to the sun and I quickly became the object of our party’s envy in my down pants and booties (thank you, T!).

Dragontail from our 1st camp

It was a beautiful, still, clear night just below freezing, and a breath-taking sunrise.

Dragontail aglow and Chris, abrother

Saturday was a leisurely day. Ben and Pam summited Little Annapurna, while Chris and I chose to meander around the lakes, moving in a state of blissful awe down the basin, eventually making camp at Leprechaun. We and the dozens of others who arrived that day. Leprechaun felt crowded, and some among the hordes felt the imperative to speak at top volume well after the quiet of the night would have compelled most to adopt the appropriate calm hush. It was irksome, and I felt glad that the permit system had been introduced.

Perfection

Perfection

E

That night brought gusts that nearly collapsed the tent. Larch needles flitted through the air, catching the light like flakes of snow, a harbinger of what was in store for us the next day. By morning the upper peaks were socked in, the promised sunny Sunday eluding us. We got packed and out hastily, our sense of urgency stoked by the prospects of making our way down the granite slabs on a thin layer of slick snow. To our great fortune, the snow started coming down after we were safely past the rebar, though there was one icy patch which necessitated the donning of crampons , if only for a 30-foot stretch.

Sunrise behind Leprechan, old larch and Chris

It continued to snow all the way down to Snow Lake, making the going slow on some of the granite made slick by the fresh snow. The fresh dusting of snow hid some treacherous patches of icy trail. In the back of my mind all the way loomed the prospects of the 8 mile 2000’ bike climb in cold rain. Enough so that I had the gumption to ask a pair we caught up to at Snow Lake if they’d be willing to give one of us a lift back to the Colchuk trailhead. To my great delight they generously agreed. While Chris and I waited for Ben and Pam to catch us, we concluded that one of us needed to make sure we stayed with them, lest they weary of waiting for us and drive off. Not sure how it happened that Chris designated himself and hurried off behind them. Little did we know that he had signed up for a nonstop brisk-paced trot to the trailhead. I didn’t see him again till he appeared miraculously in the car just five minutes after I popped up at the Snow Lake trailhead. Thanks to him and that gracious, if relentless, pair!! Despite the seemingly endless descent, I am grateful we didn’t have to descend Asgaard in those conditions (or any for that matter). After reaching Snow Lake, the trail is just long but easy.

At the end of the long slog out via Snow Lake.

Lots of time to reflect on the perfect day we had in an enchanted land. Thanks to everyone who made this possible. You know who you are.

[Magellan]

Lovely story telling. Any pictures to share?

[Lakes&Summits]

I do! And I can't get them to upload from picasa... Still working on it

[Backpacker Joe]

Looks chilly willy up there. Nice trip.

[nandyn]

Hey! That was us! We do tend to be speed demons on our hike back/out as all we have on our minds is the junk food we keep in our car for the ride back. Chris kept pace with us and even passed us at the last mile or two when we stopped to snack and peel off some layers. I'm glad you guys asked for the lift because the bike ride up to Colchuck would've been tough and it would've gotten dark before you reached the car! It's impressive that Chris has done it before. I've got some pretty decent star pictures with your tents illuminated in the foreground, I'll post them when I get home from work! In the mean time, here's the blog my fiancé keeps up with some pictures: AN/AL on The Trail

[Lakes&Summits]

Thank you again! Yes, my brother is one tough guy. I only felt bad that I got out of both the ride and the speed hike (again). Great photos on the blog. Fun to hear from your perspective. I've been eyeing the tarptent as well. How do you like it? Is it the Double Rainbow? Look forward to seeing the photos. Thanks for sharing!

[sticky buns]

Nice report, L. Thanks to you for organizing the trip. And Nandyn, thanks for the ride you gave Chris, and the cool night photos. I JUST saw a photo by your honey in a WTA email. Small world.

[nandyn]

The Double Rainbow is awesome. We had it out in the storm that caused all the mudslides on highway 20 in early August, right under the thunderclouds at Granite Pass, and it took it like a champ. It's a very well though out tent. We originally had it in free standing mode, using trekking poles for the bottom ends (with the tip extenders from TT) and rocks to guyout the vestibules. The vestibules also have a space/grommet to extend another set of trekking poles through vertically outside of each door (inside the vestibule), then we tie a guyline to the tip (or handle, depending on which way we have pointed up) and guy that out along with the vestibule tie out. This gives it some REALLY good support when the wind really starts punishing the tent. It didn't do so well on the rock slab because the rocks we had up there to weigh the guylines down weren't enough, but once we moved to the better location and staked down the tent/guylines/trekking pole support inside each vestibule, the tent didn't budge. We left the optional liner at home, and had no condensation, since plenty of wind was blowing past to carry it all away.

[LC Ingalls]

Nicely done! Trip and report! Glad you had your down gear ... nice place for it.

[Gil]

Nice TR -- what luck to get the ride!

[Lakes&Summits]

Thank you! Yup. We found some pretty nice folks!