Introduction
I thru-hiked the Enchantments in 2021 with family and friends, my fourth time hiking in the area. We climbed Aasgard, sauntered across the upper core Enchantments, and took a thousand pictures in the middle and lower core Enchantments before shuffling down and past Snow Lakes and Nada Lake.
Similarly, I day-hiked to Eightmile Lake a year or so before with family. Still, my first trip into the area was in 2016 when I hiked up to Colchuck Lake while training to climb Mount Stuart, the tallest peak in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness which is found on a map just outside the Enchantment Permit Area Zones.
I'm trying to say I've been around the block once or twice in this spectacular place in the Cascades, but I had never spent a night in the backcountry there. Mostly due to the fact that I had never won the lottery or obtained a permit to backpack in one of the zones. Well, in 2024, that all changed.
I got a permit to backpack into the Stuart Zone in early September and it was easily one of the most fun trips I had been on. In this article, I'll detail the trip, including:
- How I got a permit
- Parking
- Camping at Lake Stuart
- Hiking to Horseshoe Lake
- Hiking to Colchuck Lake
After spending six nights on the Wonderland Trail in July, two months before this trip to the Enchantments, it's not that I had low expectations, but I already had my big trip of the year under my belt. Therefore, I looked forward to and planned for this trip differently. Ultimately, we had a great trip with so many things working out in our favor.
Getting a Permit
I have never won the Enchantments Lottery. I think I've come up empty-handed four times. I've mostly only applied for the Colchuck Zone, but I tried applying for the Stuart Zone this year with identical results: Unsuccessful.
I've written a lot about the Enchantments Lottery and developed strategies for increasing my chances of winning in the future, but I've only obtained a permit by clicking faster than other people.
In the winter, typically late February or early March, the Enchantments Lottery opens and stays open for a few weeks. Then the lottery closes and applicants are selected. Next, there's a confirmation period for successful applicants. Finally, in April, all unconfirmed or unawarded permits are released to the public on recreation.gov.
I waited for the day the permits became available to the public and quickly clicked my way through to reserve a permit for the Stuart Zone the first weekend in September!
In addition to the advanced lottery and the public release of permits online, hopeful backpackers can obtain a permit by applying the day before their desired start date through the daily walk-up lottery. The walk-lottery is an evolving process so check out the details on the forest service website to get the latest.
Day 1: Stuart & Colchuck Lake Trailhead to Lake Stuart
Destination:
Getting Started
I would meet three other group members at the Stuart & Colchuck Lake Trailhead on the morning of the hike. The hike started on a Saturday and this particular trailhead is known for being a mess. Not only is the road rough, but the lot fills up and parking extends down the road for, sometimes, over a mile.
I contemplated sleeping at the trailhead. When we thru-hiked the Enchantments, staying the night before the trip in Leavenworth made a big difference in getting to the trailhead in the morning.
From Spokane, it would take me nearly four hours to reach the trailhead and I needed to get there early. Three other group members didn't have to drive as far and planned to meet me around 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.
Instead of sleeping at the trailhead I woke up early and left the house around 3:00 a.m. I planned to make it to the McDonalds in Leavenworth when it opened at 6:00 a.m. for some breakfast and coffee. Then, head up to the trailhead as soon as I could.
Leavenworth
Every time I'm in Leavenworth it seems busy. It's busy in the summer and the winter. However, at 6:00 a.m. on a Saturday, it wasn't busy. Driving down the main road the Bavarian-style town seemed more inviting in the early morning when the mountain backdrops were big dark cold blobs in the distance.
I arrived at McDonald's two minutes before it opened and there was one other car in the parking lot. Going to the front door I was surprised to find another backpacker wearing his HMG backpack waiting for the store to open. I wasn't expecting competition. We both entered and went to the back of the store to use the digital kiosk, avoiding the one worker on the ground cleaning around the tables.
I took a risk. I bet I could get my food order in faster at the second kiosk before using the bathroom. Not only would this get my food out first, but it would also allow me first dibs in the restroom. I got the Enchantments permit by clicking faster than others, I would win the morning the same way.
Two Sausage & Egg McMuffins, one McCafe, and a credit card tap. I got my order entered first. Whether the other backpack knew we were racing is beside the point. I was the first to use the newly cleaned (and only) stall in the men's restroom. Walking out of the bathroom I saw my order sitting on the counter waiting for pickup. I exited the store and took a breath of cold fresh air. It was a beautiful morning.
Driving to the Stuart & Colchuck Lake Trailhead
I had to slow down coming around the corner near the—also very busy—Snow Lakes Trailhead. Many cars were just on the side of the road, and people were moving along the shoulder and across the street.
I turned off Icicle Rd., drove past the campground, over the bridge, and was on gravel. One of the reasons I bought a Subaru Outback was that back in 2021, my cousin drove his Outback on this very road, and it handled it so well. Now, it was my turn.
The car bounced around, but I was in control and making good time. Part of my McCafé made a puddle in my cup holder—all things I could deal with later. I took my coffee out of the cup holder, holding it in the air to stop it from spilling and to have a few sips: pinkies out.
My fun ended when I hit a backup of 5-6 cars all stuck behind a very slow-moving van. I know the shuttles will pass people on this road but I sat back to wait it out.
Cars were already parked along the road a quarter of the mile down at 6:30 a.m. Most of the cars in front of me peeled off to get a spot along the road. However, I knew there was reserved parking further up for overnight backpackers.
Overnight Parking Permit
The Enchantment's permit comes with two Overnight Parking Permits. I took one and gave the other to my sister who was riding in the other car of three. It made all the difference for most members of our group.
Overnight Parking at the Enchantments Trailhead
The parking lot and road were very full. Cars squeezed into spots, people walking around in the dark, cars who had tried to find spots further up shamefully coming back down the road.
My hopes were very low. One car in the caravan stayed in front of me, poised to scoop up any last spot available, at least that's what I thought. The overnight parking starts after the bathrooms and wraps around the outside of the main parking area.
Just in front of a large camper vehicle, I couldn't believe it, a spot! I pulled in. I was stoked. It was 6:40 a.m. Finding a spot this close to the start of the trail with so many other cars in and around the area was amazing.
The other car that stayed in front of me coming up the road, instead of pulling off with the other cars in line, pulled into a spot further up. Eventually, they would leave and drive down the road. Presumably, they did not have an overnight permit.
I counted almost ten spots available for overnight permit holders after getting out to walk around. Two of which were right at the very front. When the car carrying three group members pulled in a half hour later into a very slopped spot I was happy to tell them a better spot was available further up.
Four out of the five members of our group were now parked, in a great spot, and ready to go. The last member of our group would not be so lucky with parking.
Parking Midday on a Saturday
My friend Chase couldn't start the hike with us but planned to meet us after we set up camp. He would arrive between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on the same day (Saturday). This was unfortunate for two reasons. The first was that I only had two overnight parking permits, and the second was it would be much busier at that time of day.
He made good time but had to park all the back by the Eightmile Lake Trailhead more than 0.7 miles away.
Similarly, on our hike out Monday morning after the trip, a group of backpackers passed us on the trail, also hiking out. After we got all our gear back into our cars and started driving down the road they were still walking to their cars beyond the Eightmile Lake Trailhead. They had to park almost a mile away because parking was full even for overnight permit holders.
The moral of the story is to try to not start trips on the weekend, but if you do, get there early.
The Hike
Our hike-in would be pretty casual. It's about four miles to Stuart Lake with approximately 2,000 ft. incline. Furthermore, we got an early start and weren't in a rush.
The hike starts with a gradual ascent. The trail is large in places, which makes groups passing each other easier. The trail parallels Mountaineer Creek at the beginning.
About a mile into the hike, the trail crosses over a creek via a small footlog. However, we didn't stop to get water here because the trail crosses Mountaineer Creek further up and no one needed any water.
At 1.5 miles we came up on the large bridge crossing Mountaineer Creek. I stopped to filter the water here. It also provided a bit of rest before the trail turns uphill and gets more rough.
There are multiple places to filter water before and at the trail junction to Colchuck Lake. However, after the trail junction, there aren't options until Stuart Lake.
Colchuck Lake Trail Junction
Two miles into the hike the trail splits. To the left is the trail to Colchuck Lake. The trail to the right continues to Lake Stuart. What makes this different from normal junctions is people aren't paying attention and the trail signs are small and difficult to see. On two separate occasions, we had to help people who went the wrong way.
When we first came up to the junction, two guys who spoke English as a second language started heading toward Lake Stuart. I had spoken with them earlier so felt comfortable stepping in and letting them know they were probably going the wrong way. They realized their error and headed toward Colchuck.
The worst of the two situations was on our last day of the trip. A solo hiker walked into our camp and asked for directions because he was lost. My cousin saw him earlier in the morning on the trail heading toward Horseshoe Lake. Now, he was coming back because he ran out of trail. He was doing the thru-hike of the Enchantments but missed the turn to Colchuck, maybe because it was darker when he passed it.
I told him he was a few miles off course and needed to head back to the junction a couple of miles away. He didn't have a map and told me he didn't even have a map on his phone. A little shocked, I gave him the best directions I could. The mistake cost him about six miles on a day he was already planning to hike almost 20 miles. This is not an uncommon story in The Enchantments.
Colchuck Trail Junction to Lake Stuart
The trail is wonderful after splitting off to Stuart Lake. It has a gentle grade, moves through the forest, and is peaceful. Everyone was going to Colchuck, except us. The only people we saw were a couple hiking out from Stuart Lake who jokingly told us there was an open spot.
In between the trail junction and Lake Stuart, before the incline to the lake, is a large meadow with a nice big view of the Stuart Range. It was a little bit smokey, but the views were still good. I read multiple reports of people seeing bears in this meadow, but there were none when we passed through.
We enjoyed our soft and gradual trail for a little longer but soon were back on an incline for our final push up the lake. The trail became something closer to gravel and was a bit more exposed. However, knowing we were close to the lake made it not as bad.
Leveling off in the trees the trail comes in on the northeast side of the lake and works around the north end. Now that we were at the lake I was anxious to find a great campsite. The stats for the hike-in are below:
- Distance: 4.64 mi.
- Incline: 1,767 ft.
- Decline: 216 ft.
- Max. Altitude: 5,139 ft.
- Min. Altitude: 3,519 ft.
- Duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Camp
I researched online where the camp spots were around Lake Stuart. The first thing to know is permit holders are required to camp in established sites:
Camp only at established campsites-do not camp or travel on vegetation, move rocks, build walls, or disturb soils to improve a site.
Enchantment Permit Area Rules and Regulations
After reading up on a few trip reports, and examining Google Maps, I determined there were two places we wanted to camp. The first, and highest on my list, is on the far (west) end of the lake above a large rock. The second, and also desirable spot is by the middle of the lake, when crossing east to west, and has a nice beach and view of Mount Stuart.
Once we arrived at the lake, my priority was finding a spot. I didn't want to rest, eat, or use the bathroom until we had one locked up. I posted my sister up in an open spot near the east end of the lake just in case I didn't find anything else.
Moving quickly I followed the trail west until I came to the site with the beach: it was taken. Undeterred I continued, I ran down two splitter trails that I thought led to the site with the rock. I was working pretty hard.
Finally, coming to the end of the lake I saw a clearing just beyond the trail to the last backcountry toilet: found it. Amazingly, no one was in the large site and it was all ours.
It was about 10:30 a.m. and the day had been going well.
Toilets
There are three backcountry toilets at Lake Stuart. The first is right when the trail comes in and you get a view of the lake. It was easy to miss. The next is close to the middle of the lake. The last of the three is close to our camp, which is another bonus for this camp.
I only took one picture of the backcountry toilet near our camp and it was at 6:30 a.m. The wooden box structure was a bit wobbly, but if you could get past the feeling of falling backward down the hill when squatting it was a pretty nice toilet.
Bear Hang
Bear canisters are as heavy as they are convenient. Knowing animals won't have easy access to my food supply gives me peace of mind. Similarly, having to hang and unhang a bear bag is cumbersome. That said, they take up a lot of space in my backpack and are heavy.
I decided to hang my food this trip. Everyone else brought bear canisters. Consequently, when everyone else started setting up their tents, I went looking for a good tree.
In 2023, when backpacking at Pete Lake, we found a large Western Hemlock providing a branch to hang our food from. Up around Stuart Lake, many of the trees were tightly branched fir trees that didn't have long extending branches. Likewise, the pine trees didn't have good access because they were filled with so many small, dense, and dying branches.
The one exception I found, which would have worked, was a large Douglas Fir up near the toilet by camp. It had a few good branches but the one I wanted to use was out over the ledge of a rock. Another good branch on this tree was stymied by a branch lower down.
I decided to do a two-tree hang, which I didn't want to do because it's not as easy to accomplish as the "PCT hang". Anyway, I found two trees up on the slope on the other side of the trail and struggled to get my rope around the gnarled branches to the trunk. Then, I had to make adjustments to keep the food bag in the center. After an hour and a half, and a few concerned check-ins from the other group members, my bear bag was up.
Part of me enjoys working on this stuff in the woods. The ability to confidently hang food in the backcountry is a good skill. On the other hand, this took a long time and I hope next time I'm a bit more efficient.
I had an hour to set up my hammock before we started our hike to Horseshoe Lake.
Horseshoe Lake
Destination:
I spent almost as much time researching Horseshoe Lake as the entire rest of the trip. The trail to Horseshoe Lake was once better traveled. A literal horseshoe was nailed to a tree marking the start of the trail up through the forest to the lake. Although unmaintained and steep, there was a trail and enough traffic to warrant a "No campfires above 5000 ft" sign nailed to a tree on the ascent.
The Jack Creek fire of 2017, which also burned the Eightmile Lake drainage, burned a large portion of the trail beyond Stuart Lake. I have pictures from the summit of Mount Stuart that partially show the area before the fire. With the new exposure to the elements and many downed trees, I think the trail became less desirable. However, trip reports still floated in from backpackers staying at the lake and hikers going up. I mapped the route at around 3.5 miles and 1,500 ft. elevation change. With our early start and proximity, we had all afternoon to make our way up and down and it seemed like a fun side trip.
To hike to Horseshoe Lake just continue on the trail past the campsites at Lake Stuart. The trail is flat and moves through the shade of the forest before entering the old burn zone.
Half a mile from camp we crossed a small creek that flows into the inlet stream for Lake Stuart. This water was good enough to filter but we didn't need a refill since we had just left camp.
We had to navigate around, over, and under many downed trees. I came back with more scrapes than I thought I would at the end of this hike. The start of the climb would be around a mile from our camp.
We passed a backpacker coming back from Horseshoe Lake who had hiked up the trail the previous night in the dark. It was reassuring knowing that he did it with a pack on, in the dark, and told us there were cairns to follow.
Using my GPS I located the general area where we should start climbing and we found what looked like the start of the ascent. We would now gain all our elevation in the next half mile.
Pretty quickly after starting our hike, we saw a sign marking 5,000 ft. elevation. This was a "good sign" because it meant we were on the right track. Additionally, we started looking for and identifying cairns to guide us up the slope.
It was steep and exposed but the scrambling and step-ups were way more preferable than dealing with the blowdowns of the lower trail, in my opinion. We paused on a few occasions to catch our breath because we were working pretty hard. Knowing we would swim at the lake was a comforting thought.
The trail returns to sub-alpine evergreens closer to the lake. The trail also became easier to follow. We were making good time and I could tell we were close. The last part of the trail is, apparently, a very steep slope just off the outlet stream. My calves were burning, but I couldn't identify any other route. In heavy rain or snow, this section would be tricky.
Reaching the top was a relief and I was excited to get a first look at the lake. After locating a spot I would be ready to eat, swim, rest, and fish.
Our Very Own Enchantments
Horseshoe Lake is deceivingly large and deep with many areas around the shore with character.
Sub-alpine firs are scattered around the edge of the lake, gnarled and scarce in some areas but more dense on the northern shore. The lake pushes up against a large jagged peak with with white and dark rock formations characteristic of the "Cashmere Crags".
The trail enters on the east end of the lake and moves along the south shore in a mesh of side trails, potential campsites, and water access points.
We didn't explore much of the area around the lake, nor did we check out Jack Lake. Instead, we headed for one of the granite peninsulas on the south side that would give us easier access to the deeper part of the lake.
The granite peninsula had shelves of rock just below the water making getting into and out of the water less strenuous. They also made for a good sit in the water to cool down.
The peninsula had a nice view of the main part of the lake. To the west, were other areas of granite, sharp and smooth around the shore of the lake. North was the dark peak, which I don't know the name of. Moving west from the dark peak and away from the lake the ridge wraps around forming the valley. It connects to Mount Stuart across the valley to the south.
On a day when hundreds of people were crowding the shore around Colchuck Lake, or hurriedly moving through the core Enchantments, it felt like we had our very own Enchantments up at Horseshoe Lake.
Waiting for Chase
We were still waiting to meet up with the last member of our group. He got a later start, and after dealing with the crazy parking, was on the trail a couple of hours behind us. I told him he would probably find us on our way up to, or at Horseshoe Lake, and shared the GPS route I planned to follow.
I began setting up my fishing gear. I hadn't used it yet, and I'm not much of a fisherman. Regardless, I was able to get a spoon rigged up and send a few unsuccessful casts out in the deep clear water of Horseshoe Lake.
Just before 3:00 p.m., we heard the calls of a Chase and he came stepping around the lake to join us. The whole group had made it.
We spent a good extra hour at the lake, still all by ourselves, before packing up and heading back down to our camp at Lake Stuart. The smokey haze was clearing, so we retook some pictures now that some blue sky was visible.
Going down can be more dangerous than going up. It's easy to slip, put your hand on something sharp, or succumb to any other sort of weird injury. Despite slipping, and running into dead trees we made it down and back to camp without too much damage.
From our camp, the stats I recorded on the hike are below.
- Distance: 3.38 mi.
- Incline: 1,436 ft.
- Decline: 1,436 ft.
- Max. Altitude: 6,328 ft.
- Min. Altitude: 5,071 ft.
- Duration: 2 hours and 33 minutes
Back at Camp
We rolled back into camp around 5:00 p.m. with a couple of hours of daylight left. After some food and settling in we headed out onto the large rock that looks out over the lake. Following a few lines in the rock we could access the lake water for filtering.
I tried fishing at Lake Stuart from the rock and caught a small cutthroat on my first cast with a small yellow and red spoon. Unfortunately, I hooked him in the eye and we don't think he survived.
It was fun hanging out around camp in the evening. I fished while others rested in ultra-light chairs catching up on life as many of us hadn't seen each other in some time. Getting my flask from the food hang I was completely startled by deer bounding down the trail.
There was something like a deer highway in the back of the camp. We saw them multiple times in the morning and the evening. We encountered quite a few deer around Lake Stuart and on the trail to Lake Stuart.
Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of my hammock set up but it was one of my better setups. I brought a small line level for stringing it up and the space between the trees, combined with the soft ground, made staking easy and effective.
The area out on the rock had a flat dirt spot that was great for preparing food away from camp. I can't say enough about the campsite, it was one of my absolute favorites. Later, a group of women walked over to see how good we had it. They were camping back in a different spot and were jealous of our view from the rock and spacious site. They asked when we arrived. They had hiked in the same day but were a few hours behind us. It's hard to understate how important an early start was to our day.
It began to get dark, but not cold. We went back into the trees and camp to get our things in order. I'm not a huge fan of camp lights. On the other hand, they're pretty cool. Especially when they're in my camp.
My sister brought some camp lights and a charger. My cousin helped her string them between the trees by some of our tents terminating at a tree by my hammock. They add such a warm vibe to the camp. We didn't have them on for long and got to bed at a good time. The next day we planned to day hike to Colchuck Lake.
Day 2: Day Hike to Colchuck Lake
Destination:
Getting Started
The overnight low was a balmy 55°F. I don't always sleep amazingly in my hammock, but I rarely sleep badly. It's pretty comfortable. With the change from a sleeping pad to an under quilt it's hard to imagine doing anything other than hammock camping.
I woke up just after 6:00 a.m. and made my first trip to the backcountry toilet up the hill from camp. I was excited to make some coffee and watch the sunrise. Unfortunately, it was a bit hazy from some smoke that moved in during the week.
My uncle was also up early and a few camp robbers joined us out on the rock. The majority of the group didn't have a great night's sleep. Additionally, we were just day hiking so we weren't in a big rush to get out of camp.
I estimated the round trip hike to Colchuck Lake and back at around 7.5 miles with 2,329 ft. incline/decline. My uncle planned to hike up Aasgard while we hung out by the lake so the trip would take up most of the day.
After breakfast by the lake, we gathered our things and hit the trail at 9:00 a.m.
The Hike
It was nice out on the trail without a big pack on, and we were hiking either downhill or on a flat trail on our way to the trail junction to Colchuck Lake.
There was a spot on the trail which was popular with the deer. We stopped in this area twice and waited while the deer made their way around the trail.
We stopped to filter water and use the restroom near the trail junction to Colchuck. I wasn't sure where our next spot to filter would be so I advised we filter water at Mountaineer Creek before the junction. After taking the junction I realized there were much better spots to filter water from after splitting off to Colchuck Lake before the climb started.
The first spot is just after the junction at the bridge. Then, after the bridge the trail follows the creek with easy water access points.
Ascending to Colchuck Lake
We hit the crowds as soon as we got on the Colchuck Lake Trail. Making our way past backpacking groups and day hikers. Not long after crossing the bridge over Mountaineer Creek, the trail started going up.
Having just a day pack on felt nice. Also, the trail is well maintained. The trail crosses the outlet stream of Colchuck Lake multiple times. Consequently, we had opportunities to filter water on the ascent. The first was around 0.4 miles from the junction, and the second was around 0.7 miles from the junction.
The trail was crowded with hikers of all kinds of experience levels. We were stuck behind some groups and watched other hikers wander off or hike up areas cutting the trail. There are switchbacks or turns that are easy to miss if not paying attention.
Many trip reports I read of Colchuck mention how difficult the push is to reach the lake. It's steep, but at only 1.5 miles and approximately 1,200 ft. elevation, it's pretty reasonable. It took our group about 50 minutes on the ascent from crossing Mountaineer Creek to a level trail above the lake.
Colchuck Lake
There's no bad place to be at Colchuck. Everywhere on the shore seems. to have its benefits and share amazing views. I remembered from our thru-hike hopping boulders on the south shore and seeing people camped out on the beach.
I wanted to be over at the south shore beach because I thought it would be a less crowded area of the lake with places to access the water, lay about, and fish.
What I didn't anticipate was how much more distance or work it would take to get to the other side of the lake. It took us half an hour to get around to the south shore covering about 0.6 miles. Not all of that was hiking time. We had to, of course, stop and take pictures.
Then, leading the group around a trail I saw pure white fir. A mountain goat and a baby mountain goat were just off the trail. It was amazing how unfazed they were by the people on the trail. I immediately stopped and backed up around the corner to give them space.
My uncle wasn't as patient, he was on a mission to get up Aasgard Pass. He quietly continued on the trail, as if passing a resting group of fellow travelers. It was cool to see goats, although a little closer than I would like. Similarly, near the restroom, we saw another goat. The goat was likely seeking some salt.
The trail continued up and down moving through the trees. Now and then a side trail shot down toward the water. Sometimes I saw tents, other times it was hikers down by the water.
Colchuck's South Shore
The trail gets very steep dropping down to the boulder field on the south side. We wished my uncle good luck on his hike up Aasgard while we bouldered our way to the beach. Some of the rocks were massive, but not all were stable.
Only a pair of day hikers and some backpackers were on the beach, which was sandy in some spots and muddy in others. The boulders made for excellent resting spots for gear and bodies.
After taking a break I was ready to set up my fishing gear and try my luck fishing at Colchuck. The day hikers moved on and I found a perfect little rock near the water. I invited Brent and Chase over to enjoy my find while Reilly, who slept poorly the night before, found some shade to take a nap.
A benefit of being on the south shore, which I didn't realize until after I discovered it, was the cold stream coming down through the rocks and entering into the lake. It was an excellent spot to filter water from that was fresh, clear, cold, and moving.
Fishing at Colchuck Lake
Moving over to my new fishing rock I rigged up a 1/8 oz. rooster tail. I tried casting from the rock but couldn't get the lure out over the shallow area. Next, I stepped into the water and was able to cast out over the drop-off into the deeper water.
It didn't take long before I was able to catch a few fish! Getting the lure out over the dropoff got the attention of a few rainbow trout.
It was an awesome feeling to catch some fish and validate carrying around all the fishing gear on this trip. Also, it was a nice way to pass the time to fish while we waited at the lake.
Waiting Around
The view from the south shore is spectacular. The water is teal and runs up to the base of the ridge that's home to the Jabberwocky Tower and Colchuck Balanced Rock, which I believe is considered part of Cannon Mountain. It's an endlessly interesting ridge with peaks, multi-colored rocks, and sheer cliffs.
The centerpiece of most views at Colchuck Lake is Dragontail Peak. The huge rock is flanked by Aasgard Pass to the hikers' left and the Colchuck Glacier on the right.
Despite being at the base of the Colchuck Glacier, the views up toward the glacier and over to Colchuck Peak behind are still good. The ridge is dotted with spires providing an underrated view.
We split from my uncle around 11:45 a.m. At the time, he figured he'd be back around 3:00 p.m. from his sojourn up Aasgard pass. However, as 3:00 p.m. came and went I became a bit concerned. It was difficult to see hikers coming down the trail and they were trickling down at a decreasing rate.
Not all of us were prepared for hiking in the dark and as the time approached a quarter to four, Chase asked at what point do we start looking for him? He carries a Garmin InReach, so I was a little less worried but it was getting close to decision time.
Thankfully, we spotted him coming down around 4:00 p.m. using the zoom on my cousin's iPhone camera. It would still take him 15 minutes to reach us but it was a relief to know he was close. After a swim, and a refill on the water my uncle was ready to continue moving. At 4:30 p.m. we began our 4.5-mile hike back down and over to Lake Stuart.
The Hike Back
It was a later than I anticipated when we started back, and it was a little longer, but the group was together. Furthermore, I estimated we wouldn't have to hike in the dark.
The lake and trails were quieter now that it was later in the afternoon in terms of people. The loud noises came from a rescue helicopter circling the area for 20-30 minutes. Stopping on the trail above Colchuck we saw the helicopter hover at the base of Dragontail Peak. It looked like a rescue of some kind. We could see other climbers below in addition to the one being helped.
Most of us spent close to four hours hanging out on the shores of Colchuck. My uncle hadn't stopped moving all day, but we were more sluggish than he was. The trail was steep and I was eager to get back on the flat trail to Lake Stuart.
Surprisingly, we saw hikers still heading up to Colchuk. Some looked fully unprepared to hike in the twilight or dark, which they were surely going to do based on the time of day and where they were on the trail.
A few of us were in a giggly mood and the hike down was pretty fun. I was a little bummed by how much smoke was still lingering into the afternoon. The forecasted haze got worse and worse as our trip approached despite looking good a week out. However, the views were still pretty good and the haze didn't feel like smoke.
I enjoyed the flat trail after turning back onto the Lake Stuart trail and was surprised by a few deer on the trail again. It was about 6:30 p.m. and everyone was ready to get back. The final push to the lake wasn't very welcome but it was necessary.
We arrived back in camp around 7:00 p.m. hungry, tired, and thirsty. The sun was setting and the vibes were good. It had been a fun, successful, and safe day for everyone. The data from my GPS tracking is below:
- Distance: 9.20 mi.
- Incline: 2,093 ft.
- Decline: 2,094 ft.
- Max. Altitude: 5,621 ft.
- Min. Altitude: 4,483 ft.
- Duration: 5 hours and 19 minutes
Back at Camp
One by one we made our way out on the rock to make dinner. By now most of the daylight was gone so we wore headlamps. I sipped my flask and prepared my freeze-dried meal. This was the first time I've ever eaten dinner in the dark while backpacking.
After our meals, we turned on the camp lights and sat up by the tents. Normally, we would have just gone to bed. My uncle went to bed a little sooner after his longer and more difficult day. However, the camp lights invite staying up a little later and having important discussions, like whether or not a smash burger is just a normal burger. We got to bed a little later but with the short hike out the next day, it was no problem.
Day 3: Lake Stuart to Stuart & Colchuck Lake Trailhead
Destination:
Getting Started
After another solid night of sleep, I was awake at 6:00 a.m. The sky was getting lighter and I didn't want to miss the sunset. It felt a little colder but the overnight low was only 51°F, another warm night in early September at 5,000 ft elevation.
It was an immensely beautiful morning. All the smoke and haze had gone and the views were crystal clear. It hadn't been this clear all trip. I planned to have a similar morning to the previous one. I would make my way up to the bathroom before making coffee and breakfast.
I set up my phone for a timelapse to catch the sunrise across Lake Stuart, it took me a little time to balance the camera. Standing up I turned around and the sun was hitting the top of Mount Stuart. I decided to wait a bit and watch the show.
A Peaceful Morning
I stood on the rock where we enjoyed views of the lake and prepared meals. It was a cool morning but I was comfortable wearing long pants, wool socks, sandals, a warm hoodie, and a bright, "metric orange" color rain jacket.
The lake water was dark and quiet, only disturbed by trout hitting the top of the water to catch flies. My back was to the lake, so most of the water was out of sight except for a sliver of still water on the west end that runs into a thick band of reeds.
Across the lake, on the south side, a steep ridge layered the view up to Stuart's summit. The surrounding mountains were a mix of dark green and purple reflecting the small amount of light making its way into the lake's basin. Looking up, the grey rock visible at the top of Mount Stuart had a slight tint from the sunrise.
The reeds near the lake's inlet stream and directly down from my view of Mount Stuart were forest green where the water was deepest. As the reeds's distance from the lake increased they turned a stunning golden color until meeting the shore where a thin layer of firs stretched out from the mouth of the inlet stream.
I watched a doe walk cautiously from the trees to my right and stand between the green and yellow reeds. A woodpecker rattled off a burst and the sound echoed off the ridge across the lake. The deer stood for a long time in the reeds.
I once looked down at Lake Stuart from the peak of Mount Stuart. Now, eight years later I was looking at the summit from the lake.
Normally, I'd be crushing the camera button on my phone. However, I was using it for a timelapse. I stood in place for over half an hour before my uncle came out to join me on the rock and I needed to head up the hill to use the toilet.
We prepared breakfast in our normal spot. The sun blinded us after making it over the mountains. We didn't break camp until 9:30 a.m., taking our time to pack up and not in a rush to abandon the best views of the lake thus far. It would be a short but glorious hike out.
The Hike
It was our fourth time hiking the trail from Lake Stuart to the Colchuck Lake trail junction. Even though we had hiked this stretch multiple times, the weather was better, so I had to retake some pictures of the lake and mountains.
The hike out was downhill, but the majority of us were sore and tired from the previous two days so I wouldn't call it a breeze. The trail was busy with many groups hiking in and out and still many day hikers.
The most eventful part of coming back down was I convinced myself for a second I forgot my keys on a rock at camp. It would have been a six-mile error. After a mini-freak out I thankfully found them in a hip pocket.
After completing the major descending parts, the trail was gradual and wide back to the parking lot. The stats for the hike out are below:
- Distance: 4.55 mi.
- Incline: 217 ft.
- Decline: 1,791 ft.
- Max. Altitude: 5,138 ft.
- Min. Altitude: 3,495 ft.
- Duration: 2 hours and 16 minutes
Apré Hike
We finished the hike just before noon. Back at the car, I was excited to change into my "wear-it-homes", as my uncle calls them, and drink some of the cold coffee I left myself from Saturday. I dropped Chase off at his car at the Eightmile Lake Trailhead and set my course for Leavenworth.
It was a perfect time to head into town for a post-trip meal. Having spent time in Leavenworth before it was imperative we go to the Leavenworth Sausage Garten.
There was plenty of open seating midday on a Monday. We grabbed a table in the middle and I think everyone got two sausages. The food is already great at the Sausage Garten, but it was on another level after the backpacking trip.
Conclusion
After the meal, we went our different ways. I hopped in my car for the couple-hour drive back to Spokane while the others went back to the west side.
This was easily one of the best trips I've been on. It was fun and many things went well. Getting a good parking spot, camping at the large site with the rock, catching fish, and good weather were all things that could have gone differently. Instead, they all worked out. Additionally, we had amazing day hikes, seeing deer and mountain goats along the way.
I don't know when, or if, I'll backpack in the Enchantments again but it'll be hard to beat this trip.