After 4 days on the Chelan Summit trail, we headed back out the next morning for 4 days in the Enchantments. Again, perfect weather, great friends, very few bugs, and lots of goats!

About 30 miles. In at the Colchuck trailhead, out Snow Lakes trailhead.

Night 1 camp - Colchuck Lake
Night 2 camp - Upper Enchantment Basin
Night 3 camp - Leprechaun Lake

Gorgeous stuff Kris, all of it. Thanks much for the reports!

"Gorgeous stuff Kris, all of it. Thanks much for the reports!"

A big +1 Your pics bring back a lot of fond memories. Definitely one of the premier hikes in the Cascades.

Doug - If you ever decide to sample the Cascades, put this one right up at the top of your list.

Nice! Great pictures

I was there a couple years ago. I see the Mountain Goats are still a pesky nuisance : )

Gorgeous! I'm heading up there for 5 days in mid-September. Lottery was good to us this year.

How was the fishing? We're trying to figure out how much of our time will be spent casting.

Thanks for the pics - just what I needed to get me through the next couple weeks until we leave.

Fishing was very good in colchuck and all the lower enchantment lakes. Fishing was also fun in all the outlet streams. Nothing monstrous, but plenty to be had.

Thanks Kris. Those upper tarns by little Annapurna.......

Do they still have the Johns with the great views?

Say Tom what else would be on that list? Share some with an old east coast geezer who has to pick carefully as the sand runs from the year glass.......so to speak.

Maybe I should just close up shop and spend the next few years hiking....tell that to the "boss"

Kris,

Sorry you had such awful weather, no decent views, and obviously an overall terrible time.

;)

Tom

Edited by TomClark on 08/25/2012 19:16:58 MDT.

"Say Tom what else would be on that list? Share some with an old east coast geezer who has to pick carefully as the sand runs from the year glass.......so to speak."

Well, Cola, from one geezer to another: 1) Copper Ridge/Whatcom Pass loop: http://www.summitpost.org/copper-ridge-whatcom-pass-backpacking-loop/335866

2) Section hike the PCT from Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass.

3) Section hike the PCT from Rainy Pass to Stevens Pass.

These three should get you started. The Copper Ridge/Whatcom Pass loop will take you thru some absolutely spectacular country. The views are hard to describe in plain English. I just don't have the words. Suffice it to say, they will blow your mind. The North Cascades are in a class by themselves. I haven't done the exact loop, but have covered the same area via Hannegan Pass and Easy Ridge on a climb of Mt Challenger. The link I posted will give you an idea of what I am talking about. Hiking out and back on Easy Ridge would also be a great trip, but it is a real ball buster that involves a foot wet ford of the Chilliwack River(difficult in early season/high snow years) and a bit of hunting and pecking to find the climbers trail which takes you up onto the ridge. The good thing about Copper Ridge/Whatcom Pass is that it is a loop. The other two would require a pickup or prepositioned car, but are classics that take you thru some of the finest scenery the Central Cascades have to offer. I have done #2 personally and done enough shorter trips, mostly off trail or climbing, in the vicinity of #3 to recommend it wholeheartedly. If you decide on either #2 or #3, let me know in advance and I'll drop you off/pick you up if I am in town. Another classic that is not to my taste, but a classic nonetheless, is the Wonderland Trail that circumnavigates Mt Rainier. I am sure others up here will chime in shortly with their own personal favorites, and you will have quite a list to choose from. It is a candy shop up here
that doesn't get nearly the attention that the Sierra receives, but is every bit its equal when it comes to beauty and challenging hiking.

Edited by ouzel on 08/25/2012 20:16:36 MDT.