Embedded Files
Crew: Lucien, Hailin, Ty
Date: Oct 13, 2024
Total time on trail: 11 h 30min
Start time: ~3:00 am
Finish time: ~2:30 pm
We started the day early (~3 am) with the goal of making it to the core by sunrise. The trail to Colchuck Lake was easy and fast as we got warmed up for the day. We ran into a solo hiker who joined us for a while, and we saw a couple of headlamps behind us, but for the most part, we had the trail to ourselves. Aasgard Pass is by far the most physically demanding part of the climb as it is quite steep and there are lots of loose rocks to slide on, but we were still feeling quite good at this point, and the sky was beginning to light up, which was all the motivation we needed. A little after an hour of climbing since the base of Aasgard Pass, we were able to reach the core section of the Enchantments, just before sunrise. We took our first break here to grab a bite to eat while we watched the sun come up and admired our surroundings.
The sky beginning to light up as we ascend Aasgard Pass.
Ty waiting for the sun to rise
The first beams of light hitting the core.
Hailin making his way through the core.
With practically the whole day ahead of us, we decided to take a quick detour to summit Little Annapurna. We first thought we would be able to head around the south side of Isolation Lake and then follow the ridgeline up to West Annapurna before traversing over, however, the scramble looked easier if we took the trail around the lake and then just headed straight up the face. It was quite an easy scramble and only took us around 25 minutes to reach the top. The views from the core are absolutely stunning, but if you have the energy and the time, the views from the top of Little Annapurna are even more picturesque. They give you a view of the entire region from Dragontail Peak down to Snow Lakes, where thousands of larches were shining with color.
Ty looking out off the summit of Little Annapurna
From here, we took the official climbers' trail down, which turned out to be in great shape and appears to be used frequently, which is really no surprise given the popularity of this region. This took us back into the main core where we continued our traverse towards the Snow Lakes.
Lucien on the summit of Little Annapurna
The views from Little Annapurna looking back on the Enchantment's core
This is the easiest part of the trip as you have a gentle downhill grade for three miles filled with some of the most spectacular views in Washington. There are plenty of places to fill up with water here, and we ended up running into some mountain goats while we stopped. If you're feeling bad at this point, these goats are happy to carry your pack the rest of the way down if you have some tasty treats to supply.
Some more photos from the core:
Since the trailheads are approximately a 30-minute drive apart, we had dropped our second car off the night before. If you don't have another car, there is a shuttle that you can reserve, but it seems like most people are happy to give rides if they have an extra space.
The Enchantments Traverse during peak "Larch Madness" certainly lived up to its reputation. It is easily one of the most picturesque places in Washington and is well worth visiting if you have a couple of free days in late September to early October.
The larches this weekend were possibly just a day or two past their peak. Below are some photos from the same hike on the previous weekend for comparison. The difference shows just how much larches vary week to week and how important timing is if you want to hit it spot on. From our experience, you have 2-3 weeks where you can nail the larches, and the best way to stay updated on when they are turning is to read current trip reports.
Author: Lucien
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse