Author's Note

Usually blogs need to be read from the bottom to the top to keep the correct chronological order. That is not the case here!

I've managed to set this blog up to view starting from here at the top of the page. So just start reading. Experienced blog readers might be momentarily confused, but hopefully that will pass quickly.

In order to view the rest of the entries, click on "Older Posts" at the bottom of this page (even though they aren't really "older"...).

You can click on any of the photos to see them in a larger size.

Sunday, September 4, 2011 - Stuart Lake Trailhead to Lake Colchuck

The Enchantments are outside Leavenworth, Washington with two trailheads on the Icicle Road.  We planned to enter on the Stuart Lake trailhead and exit on the Snow Lakes trailhead after traversing the Enchantments - a total distance of about 20 miles.  This requires the climbing of Aasgard Pass (a name that sends shivers down the spine of many Northwest hikers) and then a leisurely downhill jaunt through the various lakes to our exit point. 

There were three of us hiking (Jack, Ken, and Mike) and we left two cars at the exit trailhead (Mike was leaving on Wednesday and Ken and I were hiking out on Thursday) and all piled into Ken's car to head to our starting point.

On arriving at the Stuart Lake trailhead on the Sunday before Labor Day we managed to find a parking spot for the car:  

The weather was beautiful and the trail soft:

We were still smiling even when reaching our first rockfall to climb over:

More friendly trail:

And eventually camp near Colchuck Lake after just 5 miles or so:

The view of Colchuck Lake was impressive. That's Aasgard Pass (Monday morning's challenge) in the middle of the photo and Dragontail Mountain on the right:

Monday, September 5, 2011 - Colchuck Lake to Tranquil Lake via Aasgard Pass


We started out early on Monday to climb Aasgard Pass (before it got too hot).  Here's a photo of me with the pass in the background:

It's rugged hiking.  Here's Mike above and Ken below heading up to the pass:

Colchuck Lake was still in shadows as we climbed:

And it got smaller as we climbed:

Still a long way to the top:

Alpine Scenery:


To the right of the pass is Dragontail Mountain :

As we climbed we had some spectators:

Onwards!

The lake got even smaller:

More rocks, more alpine scenery:

More alpine scenery:

More alpine scenery:

 To find our way up the pass we followed rock cairns built by volunteers (I worked on them for a week with the Washington Trails Association about 15 years ago) - you can see a cairn on the left side of this photo.  Here are Mike and Ken and a mountain goat (the goat is on the left):

More alpine scenery:

Almost to the top:

 Finally at the top!  Four hours later.  That's Dragontail in the background:

Through the snow:

Our campsite on Monday night:

Our campsite with the mountain goat inspectors (these are different goats than the ones that we saw on the way up Aasgard Pass):

Another view of our campsite (can you spot the goats?):

Some scenery while walking around on Monday:

Some scenery while walking around on Monday (that's Ken):

Some scenery while walking around on Monday:

Some scenery while walking around on Monday:

Some scenery while walking around on Monday:

Some scenery while walking around on Monday:

Some scenery while walking around on Monday:

Some scenery while walking around on Monday:

Some scenery while walking around on Monday:

Some scenery while walking around on Monday:

Some scenery while walking around on Monday:

Some scenery while walking around on Monday:

Some scenery while walking around on Monday:

Preparing dinner in the kitchen on the shore of Tranquil Lake (7,700 feet of elevation):

Eating dinner:

Here's our campsite - Ken and Mike (the smarter two of the three in the expedition) cut down on weight by sharing a tent and cooking supplies.  We settled in for a restful (but cold) night:

Tuesday, September 6, 2011 - Tranquil Lake to Leprechaun Lake

In the morning our goat inspectors were on the job.  Actually, these goats often hang around the camps for a less glamorous reason.  They crave the salt in urine.  So hikers in the Enchantments are told to pee on large flat rocks instead of into the undergrowth to stop the goats from pawing up the ground.

We packed up and headed downhill.  The goats looked over the deserted campsite.  Dragontail in the background.

 Another perfect day for hiking:

Some flora taking advantage of the short growing season:

Scenery:

A goal for the day was conquering Little Annapurna:

 On the way up we spotted an unusual ("non-goat") fauna:

Eventually the snow got to be too much for Ken and I (it's a big snow year and Mike is more of a mountaineer who even carries an ice axe!) and we settled in to await Mike's return from the summit:

Here's a view down to the next lake in the chain:

Mt. Adams in the distance:

A comfortable spot to await Mike's return:

Play Where's Waldo errr... Mike:

Mike reaching the top:

Mike returned and we headed down the snowy flanks of Little Annapurna:

 Alpine scenery:

Alpine scenery:

Alpine scenery (Prusik Peak and The Temple in the background - a cairn in the foreground):

Down the treacherous rockwall trail to Inspiration Lake:

Inspiration Lake:

The snowslide to lakeside:

Inspiration Lake with the snowslide in the background - a false turn on that slide could mean a cold wet arrival at the lake:

Next lake in the chain is Perfection Lake:

Onward!  Prusik Peak in the background:

Perfection Lake and Little Annapurna:

Perfection Lake:

 Sprite lake in the foreground, Perfection Lake further back:

Onward!

Camp next to Leprechaun Lake:

My tent and Prusik Peak:

Sunset:

With time on our hands until "Hikers' Midnight" (9pm with hikers usually toddle off to their sleeping bags if they manage to stay awake that late!) we tried out some night photography with various settings on our cameras:

Night photo:

Name that constellation: