What I think is our first look at the Enchantments - on highway 97 driving up Driving through Leavenworth - you can see all the smoke from the fires Stuart Lake Trailhead - getting ready for the big trip This is a BIG parking lot, although today it was only about half full - Expected for early on a Monday morning The beginning of the Stuart Lake trail - goes through small timber Crossing Mountaineer Creek Mountaineer Creek upstream from the bridge Mountaineer Creek downstream from the bridge Crossing Mountaineer Creek for the second time Waterfall on Mountaineer Creek Taking a break on the way up to Colchuck Lake Waterfall on un-named creek below Colchuck Lake Another waterfall on un-named creek below Colchuck Lake This is trail? Pretty rough Dad in his dorky outfit - knee braces and all First view of Colchuck Lake - Aasgard pass to the left and Dragontail Peak in the center North end of Colchuck Lake North end of Colchuck Lake Cool diving rock in Colchuck Lake - looks like it is hard to get to, though Our first goat sighting Aasgard pass - our challenge for Tuesday Dragontail Peak Colchuck lake from our campsite Colchuck Peak Kirk swimming in Colchuck lake Colchuck Lake - Dragontail Peak in the middle and Aasgard Pass to the left - our challenge for the next day Aasgard pass from our campsite at Colchuck lake Colchuck lake from our campsite - you can see the big rock that was just underwater - it was great for wading in the lake! Heading out early on Tuesday to tackle Aasgard pass - before the sun hits it Early in the morning - getting ready to ascend Aasgard pass - we wanted to do it before the sun hit the rocks Navigating the first boulder field - those were BIG boulders! Navigating the big boulder field South end of Colchuck lake - looking north - you can see the smoke from the fires in the distance Perspective on where we have to go Some of the boulder field was tough going - tight in spots And we start up Aasgard pass - it is as steep as it looks Looking back at Colchuck Lake - we have climbed a bit We came across the boulder field at the south end of the lake Alpenglow on Colchuck Peak Beginning the ascent of Aasgard pass Dragontail peak from below Colchuck lake Climbing higher - Colchuck Lake from above some of the scrubby trees Where we still have to go - a long ways up Cool rock outcroppings part ways up We have climbed quite a ways above Colchuck - but not even halfway yet The trail gets steeper, the farther up you go Dragontail peak - it looks even more impressive when you are right next to it Huge crack in the wall - Kirk for scale Marmot we encountered part way up Aasgard pass - he wasn't too interested in us. He was hungry and looking for food That was quite a crack in the rock - Kirk shows the scale of the crack - part way up Aasgard pass Colchuck lake Dragontail peak Getting there Proceeding up Aasgard pass Keeps getting steeper Continuing up Aasgard pass - Colchuck lake is getting smaller! We still have to get UP that! Last peek at Colchuck Lake from Aasgard pass - Canon mountain in the distance? Looking down on Colchuck lake - almost to the top Dragontail Peak from the east side - looks a lot different from this angle The unnamed peaks south of Dragontail Peak Small tarn/snowmelt at the top of Aasgard pass View from Aasgard pass Panorama from Aasgard pass - see people for scale Looking down at Colchuck lake from Aasgard Pass I think that is isolation lake in the distance Our second view of the goats - they were quite abundant Aasgard Pass Navigating the snow fields I think that is McClellan peak in the distance Making our way down to Tranquil Lake - where we will have lunch - we were looking for some shade Mama goat and her twins Mama goat and her twins - they hung out above where we ate lunch for a bit Upper Lakes Basin - Enchantments - McClellan Peak Un-named lake in upper Enchantments Some strange colors in this photo - I don't remember those pinks Prusik Peak to the left, McClellan to the right Un-named lake in upper basin Heading across the upper basin Un-named lake in upper basin Prusik Peak in the background Pretty barren at this elevation - trees have to be pretty hardy to survive here Crystal Lake Crystal Lake from above Little waterfall feeding Crystal Lake Quite a snowbank still - you can see goat tracks on it Panorama of Crystal Lake Dropping down into Inspiration Lake Perfection Lake looking South Meadows around Perfection Lake Meadows around Perfection Lake North end Waterfall on Perfection Lake west side Better view of waterfall Little Annapurna from Perfection Lake Perfection Lake - Cool waterfall on the west side of the lake Leprechaun Lake Interesting pools below Sprite Lake Little Annapurna in the background center Perfection Lake feeding into Sprite Lake Goat in the distance waiting and watching On top of the hill near Sprite lake looking down into the strange "pools" below Sprite Lake Perfection Lake emptying into Sprite Lake - view from the hill above our campsite - night 2 Prusik Peak the the left and "The Temple" to the right. One of the many goats that "patrolled" our campsite Waterfall below our campsite Goats were a constant irritant - they patrolled regularly - looking for pee A small goat family patrolling together Perfection Lake emptying out into Sprite Lake - Heading back up the trail to Prusik Pass McClellan Peak above Sprite Lake Waterfall from Perfection Lake into Sprite Lake Little Annapurna in the background to the left - this was on our short morning side trip - sans backpacks - to Prusik Pass Prusik Peak from below - near Perfection Lake Little Annapurna above Perfection Lake - from Prusik Pass Shield Lake from Prusik Pass Perfection Lake from Prusik Pass Looking NW from Prusik Pass - Smoke from the fires is visible in the distance Little Annapurna from Prusik Pass Shield Lake from Prusik Pass Prusik Peak View of the perfection lake area from Prusik Pass McClellan Peak Panorama of McClellan Peak and Little Annapurna Gnome Tarn Lake Viviane? Prusik Peak Prusik Peak Panorama from Prusik Pass Gnome Tarn, Leprechaun Lake and Lake Viviane Little Annapurna and Perfection Lake Below Little Annapurna above Perfection Lake Meadows above Perfection Lake Meadow above Perfection Lake Meadow above Perfection Lake Waterfall below Sprite Lake Pools below Sprite Lake Crossing over one of the creeks Creek heading down into Leprechaun Lake First view of Leprechaun Lake Looking back to where we camped on Tuesday night Un-named pool - McClellan Peak in the background Water draining into Leprechaun Lake Neat waterfall above Leprechaun Lake Waterfall above Leprechaun Lake Leprechaun Lake McClellan Peak above Leprechaun Lake Leprechaun Lake Making our way around Leprechaun Lake McClellan Peak above Leprechaun Lake Leprechaun Lake with McClellan Peak in the background Prusik Peak and "The Temple" from the outlet of Leprechaun Lake Lake Viviane with Prusik Peak in the background Lake Viviane with Prusik Peak in the background Prusik Peak and part of "The Temple" above Lake Viviane Prusik Peak and "The Temple" above Lake Viviane Snow Lakes - our destination for Wednesday night Our destination for Wednesday night - Snow Lakes The first of many steep rock walks - there was rebar epoxied into the rock for traction I won't lie - this was a bit scary - but everything was dry, so it wasn't as bad as it looked - you just had to take it slow and carefully. Navigating our way down the rocky hill Lake Viviane - Prusik Peak above Crossing the outlet of Lake Viviane What a view! Part of the waterfall = the outlet of Lake Viviane More waterfall on the outlet from Lake Vivieane - Snow Creek I believe it is called at this point Looking back up at some of the waterfalls on Snow Creek It is steeper than it looks - a long ways down to Snow Lakes Working our way down some more rocky sections - these were very steep Upper Snow Lake The Temple above upper Snow Lake The dam at Snow Lake - this was our "bridge" to cross on. Not too bad - the water was only 1-2" deep. Hard to see, but this was the helicopter that buzzed the lake twice then swooped in near the dam and hovered about 10' off the water for about a minute - we weren't sure what the deal was. It kicked up a lot of spray from the lake Our campsite on Wednesday evening - that rock was HUGE! Looking at our campsite from the other angle - it was pretty big, unlike our other two nights. Walking across the dam - our last day in the wilderness Snow Lake from the dam Nada Lake from above on the trail Heading down the rocky trail Footbridge across snow creek We have to keep going down this valley - lots of elevation loss on this day - about 4000' These were the final switchbacks down to the trailhead - you can barely see the parking lot in the center of the photo - this went thru a burned area. Aqueduct above the trailhead Last footbridge across icicle creek (more of a river really) Icicle Creek Icicle creek Panorama from Prusik Pass Panorama from Prusik Pass