Autumn Enchantments
In mid October we spent three days in the Enchantments. I avoided the place for years because of the strict permit system and restriction to dogs. Recent attempts outside the permit season were thwarted by weather. In Feb 2012 I finally applied for a permit in the lottery. I wanted to go late in the season to see the larches, so I applied for several dates from late September to mid October. I assumed we didn't win until we noticed a $55 charge from recreation.gov. We'd scored a permit and they hadn't bothered to tell us.
As the date approached, the trip was in question. Air quality was rated hazardous due to the numerous fires started by the lightning storm we'd witnessed from the side of Mt. Hood on Sept 8th. The Cashmere Mountain Fire closed the Assgard Pass approach, leaving only the longer Snow Lakes approach. They offered to refund our permit. But then the smoke improved, and the first rain was forecast for the weekend.
We decided to go. Due to the distance & elevation gain, time constraints, and a cold and wet forecast, we let Ethan sit this one out. Our friends Mark & Kari who live in Wenatchee offered us a place to stay, which helped out with logistics. I felt like I was coming down with a cold Thursday. Impeccable timing. I bought some drugs before we made the five hour drive after work.
We had breakfast in town with Mark Friday morning and then headed to the permit station. It was closed, and our permit was in a box out front. We hadn't been to Icicle Canyon for a few years, and never in mid autumn. The colors were outstanding. It was around 10:30am by the time we were headed up the initial switchbacks of the Snow Lake trail.
I'm not sure that the Snow Lakes approach deserves it's reputation. It's a stout hike for sure, but there are plenty of other difficult hikes to be found. The climb out of Icicle canyon is scenic, but the Snow Lakes themselves are not particularly attractive, thanks to the dam and the low water levels. Perhaps that's part of the objection to the hike.
We arrived at Lake Viviane around 4:30pm. The change in scenery when you top out above Snow Lakes and enter the lower Enchantments basin is dramatic. A landscape dominated by white granite and golden larch, punctuated by blue-green water, dwarf evergreens, and red huckleberries. It's even more enthralling than all the pictures lead you to believe.
After setting up camp at Leprechaun Lake we spent the night listening to a snag creak in the wind. In the morning we packed up so we could spend our second night in another corner of the basin. We found a nice spot above Perfection (Rune) Lake to pitch our tarp, and headed to the upper basin in a cold drizzle. The precipitation turned to snow at Assgard pass.
We'd been hoping to climb Dragontail Peak, but everything above the pass was hidden in the clouds. We decided that exploring the basin would be a more enjoyable way to spend the day. After some lunch in the lee of a huge boulder at the pass, we meandered off-trail back thru the upper basin, then descended a class 3 gully to Crystal Lake. We eventually made our way back around the east side of Perfection Lake to camp, as the rain picked up and became a cold angular downpour.
Our campsite didn't drain as well as it had appeared it would, and there was some water pooling under the Mid. We set off in opposite directions looking for a dryer site while waiting for the rain to let up. Once it did, we moved to a small bench directly above the lake's west shore, with an exceptional view. Dinner was a chilly and slightly damp affair. Rain fell continuously all night, but we remained warm and dry under the DuoMid. In the morning, Linette commented that she was "really starting to like this tent". It had taken a long time to convince her to even try a floorless shelter.
We packed up rather leisurely under grey skies and set off around 9:30, walking slowly and enjoying our last morning surrounded by granite and larch. The descent of Snow Creek Canyon went quickly and we were back at the car by mid-afternoon. Followed by a thankfully uneventful 5 hour drive home.
Trip total around 27.5 miles and 7800 ft of elevation gain.