The Enchantments — Tuesday, Sep. 15, 2015

Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area

For those wishing to venture into this wonder. Please read the route introduction and distances. This is a wonderful place and I'm not posting the wonderful photo's but photo's of what it takes to conquer this wonderful hike. The route introduction does it justice, but this is not an well established trail that you just hike. You will need a map and an understanding of the area from the map. Cairns are most valuable reference point you will encounter, but several areas on Aasgard Pass have multiple cairns. Cairns are small stacks of rocks making the general direction of travel, especially as you travel on the rocks were there are ways of establishing a trail. Understand what direction you need to be traveling. There are multiple areas (Aasgard Pass, drop down into Isolation lake, drop down from ledge of Lake Viviane before the water crossing and route down to Snow Lake where there are scramble sections. In addition, you walk along a ledge and cross down the rocks sections, including the famous rebar step section around Lake Viviane. We encountered many folks who were lost and helped point them in the right direction. Our last day, we watch the fine folks of Chelan County Search and Rescue assist some lost folks. Amazing pilot skills of the helicopter pilot to place the ground folks to assist the lost hikers. Understand the weather forecast, this is the Enchantments, 6,500' - 7,800' in elevation, the weather is much different than what is encounter in Leavenworth. It snowed 3" on Thursday, but melted away by the afternoon. Please remember you 10 essentials when venturing into this wonder.