Exploring the American Wilderness and Other Adventures

The Enchantments, Central Cascades Mountains, Chelan County, Washington

The Enchantments, in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, is exactly as magical as its name suggests. It is a rugged alpine backcountry paradise for trail runners, hikers, and backpackers. There are over 700 alpine lakes here. Depending upon side quests and your GPS, it is approximately 20-miles point-to-point, with nearly 5,000′ elevation gain. You can access the trails from sunrise to sunset for day hiking and running, but for overnight experiences you must have a permit. The permit can be gained through a very competitive lottery system on recreation.gov, or by getting a permit when you arrive, which is just about as competitive. Permits require you to do your homework because you have to commit to a “zone” (Core, Colchuck, Stuart, Snow, Eightmile/Caroline) to set up your tent, as well as the specific dates you will be there. Once you start discussing The Enchantments you are probably going to hear from many people how they have tried for years and years to get a permit and have never succeeded.

Snow Lakes Trail

I was very fortunate to win a permit for the Snow Zone. That meant that I could camp in that zone, but it does not restrict hiking. There are two ways to access to the Snow Zone: to enter from the Stuart Lake Trail trailhead or from the Snow Lakes Trail trailhead. Beginning at the Stuart Lake Trail trailhead, the distance would be approximately 8 miles to Snow Lakes, with 4,500′ elevation gain, but half of that elevation occurs in less than one mile at a spot called Asgard Pass. I used the Snow Lakes Trail entrance, which was “only” an 8-mile hike with over 4,000′ elevation gain.

The trail is pretty brutal. It is all elevation and ten billion switchbacks. If it were not so beautiful I think I would be writing very different things right now. Snow Lakes Trail follows Snow Creek until the trail diverts to Nada Lake.

Nada Lake was a brief break from the constant elevation gain, but quite the mosquito haven. I tried to sit and eat some food, but it was impossible. Maybe not impossible, but the mosquitos made it so uncomfortable that not eating any food felt better than trying to battle them.

Following the Nada Lake Battle of Mosquitos, there is one last incredible climb to finally get to Snow Lakes to camp. By the time I got there it was dark. I am not intimidated by the dark, even in the backcountry, but I am intimidated by interacting with humans, especially after they are tucked in their tents. I walked up and down the trail where my map said the campsites were and I could not see any open spots, which is not really possible because one of the points of permits is to ensure there is space for everyone. Look at me, once again saying something is not possible that is possible. There are ways for all the sites to be occupied if all individuals did not follow the permitting restrictions. So, in the dark, in my exhaustion, I made the choice to camp on the beach, hoping I was making the least environmentally impactful choice.

The following morning I woke up to several mountain goats on my beach, which was pretty fun for me. I am not sure I have interacted with mountain goats prior to this trip. Since then, there have been many. I packed up my tent and scooted off the beach before I could be caught violating my permit, and easily found an open spot in an authorized spot. How embarrassing.

I spent the day hiking to Lake Viviane. It was a straight climb up granite slides and it was really difficult. It was 1.5 miles with 1,400′ elevation gain. Hard. It was hard.

Lake Viviane was probably my favorite part. It completed my tour of the lower Enchantments – I knew I was not going to go further on the trail because it only gets more difficult to cross into the upper Enchantments. It was really cold at Lake Viviane, but I found a crevice between two huge rocks to burrow and eat my food and have some coffee. And then the goats found me. I was a little scared of them at that time because of the stories of how mountain goats can bore people, ripping out their guts. Now I know that if I am not harassing them (getting into their space, even) and am not tempting them with my food, that they do not give two fucks about me or you. So, I packed up my food and made my way, only to encounter another goat blocking the trail between me and Snow Lakes. Goats are ridiculous.

After I made my way safely out of Lake Viviane, I was passing my pack down the granite slides because it was really awkward (and exhausting) to try to descend while wearing it. I ended up hitting my bear spray on a rock, making it develop a small leak. I did not even realize it until my eyes were watering from the now spicy air. I put the bear spray into a sealable plastic bag where I was storing my candy, thinking it was fine. I did not put it into my bear bag because why would I think I need to if it is covered in bear spray? That night goats got into my tent and ate it all! Those fellas are nuts. I love it.

Colchuck Lake Trail

Later, Barbarian Scientist and I went to explore The Enchantments from the Colchuck Lake side. It was a blast. It is a four-mile hike up to the lake, with 2,300′ elevation gained. It is a very busy trail. People come from far to climb the mountain to the pristine turquoise lake. It is probably the most famous part of The Enchantments.

The trail follows the Mountaineer Creek that has several small waterfall sections. Like the Snow Lakes Trail from the other side, it is a rugged trail, however it feels less so because of how trafficked this section is.

Less than two miles up the trail has a junction, with a sign, for Colchuck Lake and the Stuart Lakes Trail. Even if you are thru-hiking the entire trail, take the junction for Colchuck Lakes. Even if it is too populated for my liking, it is a special place.

Barbarian Scientist has this thing about nearly always having his phone in his face, even when we are hiking. “I am just deleting notifications” is what he always says. So, his first mountain goat encounter involved him literally running into this goat because he was paying attention to his phone and not the incredible world around him. So, like me, he had his first mountain goat experience in this incredible piece of wilderness, just on the other side!

Icicle Gorge Trail

Leavenworth, Washington, which is the town connected to the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and the South Cascades that house The Enchantments, is such a magical town. It used to be a trading post for several native tribes before white people came in and did what white people do. Like most towns that were colonized for the sake of mining and railroads and such, it eventually tanked and the once thriving town needed other ideas to survive. Their answer was to turn the town into a Bavarian-style village, and with its setting being at the base of these incredible mountains, it worked. It remains a German-inspired town and is a go-to location for magical Christmases. Every building is decorated and it looks like a gigantic gingerbread village, with loud Christmas music, public ice skating spaces, carriage rides, and the smell of specialty coffee and candy shops.

Being located at the base of such a beautiful mountain range also means there is more hiking than The Enchantments. I do not remember what inspired us to try it, but we found our way to the Icicle Gorge Trail, in Icicle Canyon, which rapidly became Barbarian Scientist’s favorite running trail ever.

The Icicle Gorge Trail crisscrosses over the Icicle River in the Icicle Canyon. Icicle icicle icicle. And it is beautiful every step of the way. You can make your trip as long or as short as you want because of the bridges crossing the river. We did about 5 miles, and it was less than 1,000′ of elevation gain.

I still hope to complete a one day thru-hike of The Enchantments. It is famously a really difficult feat. To do this, people usually begin on the Colchuck side because the elevation gain overall is less savage (but still savage). But, it has to be started prior to sunrise, which means you miss the beautiful vibrant lake views. I will have the advantage that I have already been there, though. I do not think I have ever seen a trail report where someone began their thru-hike in the light and/or completed it in the light. Many people require the full 24 hours of the day to do it. It would be an epic adventure.

I want it.