Trekking the Enchantments - Up Before Dawn

This week, Anything Outdoors with Steve is trekking in the Enchantment Mountains of Washington State. Joining this fantastic adventure were Steve, John, Lou, Jeem, and Gao. (Daniel was notably absent, as he was down in South America, getting us some adventure from Colombia. Also, he is our chief editor, and had to stay home like a loser, editing all of the videos from this awesome trek.)

The Enchantments is a region within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area of Washington state's Cascade Mountain Range. At an elevation of 4,500 feet (1,372 m), it is home to over 700 alpine lakes and ponds surrounded by the vast peaks of Cashmere Crags, which rate among the best rock-climbing sites in the western United States. The highest peak, Dragontail Peak, stretches 8,840 feet (2,694 m) high. The Enchantments is located 15 miles southwest of the popular Bavarian-themed town Leavenworth, Washington in the United States and is regarded as one of the most spectacular regions in the Cascade Range.

The population increase in western Washington, specifically in the city of Seattle, marked the region a prime outdoor destination for wilderness lovers. By 2019, 100,000 visitors made their way to The Enchantments annually. The influx in foot traffic and lack of maintenance from forest services and visitors had caused permanent damage to the delicate ecosystems in the region.[6] As a result, the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Society (ALPS) proposed a permit system restricting access to a maximum of 60 people at any given time. In 2019, the system was approved and implemented by the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (OWNF). Since the implementation of the permit system, the area has been less disturbed by human activity and is expected to see significant positive impact in the near future.

There are two primary approaches to the Enchantments Basin. Both trail heads are accessed via Icicle Creek Road. The Snow Lakes trailhead is off Icicle Creek Road at a large parking lot next to the creek. The trail climbs 6.5 miles (10.5 km) to Snow Lakes gaining 4,100 feet (1,200 m). From Snow Lakes the trail ascends over sloping granite rock to the Lower Enchantments. The entire hike is 9 miles (14 km) one-way, with 6,000 feet (1,800 m) of elevation gain to an end elevation of 7,800 feet (2,400 m). This hike usually takes two days each way and is described as "long, steep, and grueling." The alternate route is from the Stuart Lake trail head a couple of miles up Eightmile road off Icicle Creek Road. The trail up to Colchuck Lake is 4.75 miles (7.64 km) long and gains 2,100 feet (640 m); another 1.75 miles (2.82 km) bring hikers to the south end of the lake and Aasgard Pass, which climbs 2,200 feet (670 m) in 0.8 miles (1.3 km).[17] Aasgard Pass is a steep scramble which is dangerous to descend in snow. The Aasgard Pass route has also been described as "in very bad taste" because it bypasses the beauty of the lower basin to get to the upper basin first. The two routes can be combined to form a loop if the hiking party has two cars, a bicycle, or otherwise arranges transportation between the trail heads.

The United States Forest Service restricts access to the Enchantments permit area, which includes five zones. The 1981 Alpine Lakes Wilderness Plan established a quota of 60 people at one time as the carrying capacity of the Core Enchantment Zone. For overnight camping between May 15 and October 31 hikers in any of the five currently established zones must have permits. 75 percent of the permits for each hiking season are awarded in advance by lottery.

On this trek, the Anything Outdoors with Steve team see the Enchantment Peaks, Upper Enchantment Lakes, Perfection Lake, Leprechaun Lake, Lake Viviane, Nada Lake, Snow Lakes, Isolation Lake, Snow Cfeek, Aasgard Pass, Temple Lake, Dragontail Peak, Little Annapurna, Argonaut Peak, Colchuck Peak, and Leavenworth Washington. We will be sharing this beauty with you throughout the week. Thank you for joining us on our adventures!

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