Jill sent me a link to a site I did not know, the Experience Waterton! blog. (I’m now subscribed.)
As I’m thinking of heading down to Waterton this weekend, I was super excited to read this amazing trip report:
… On August 22nd, Shawn Elford and 2 of his friends completed the impressive and noteworthy task of hiking the entirety of the Triple Crown in one whole day! Starting at Crypt Lake, moving on to Akamina Ridge and finishing at Alderson-Carthew …
Note the link to the Triple Crown in the right hand navigation. They are a sponsor of the Best Hike blog.
… (are) located entirely within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Leavenworth, Washington in the United States. The Enchantments is regarded as one of the most spectacular locations in the Cascade Range. …
Dawn broke clear and calm. But I did not get out of the tent early, fearing mosquitoes. It’s buggy close to these lakes, even in August. Climbers told me that mosquitoes chase them all the way to the windy summits.
Once on foot, I needed to keep moving briskly to stay ahead of the bloodsuckers. The scenery was gorgeous, though.
This was the only time I got my feet wet all day. (Lucky, I thought, considering I was trekking ‘alpine lakes’.)
The many waterfalls are impressive.
But for me and most, the highlight are the high, stark lakes. And craggy ridges.
I hiked directly to Aasgard Pass. Then — for FUN — returned by scrambling off-trail high above the regular route.
Surprisingly, I made even better time on the return trip … and suffered no roadblocks … until this point …
I tried descending to the far side of the lake and walking the shoreline. It would not go.
Rather than backtrack I scrambled up the cliff. Not too smart. I was lucky I didn’t splash down in the cold lake.
From there it was an easy out back down to my tent. The double traverse took me about 10hrs walking.
Hiking the Enchantments in Autumn (PHOTOS) is highly recommended. The Larch are golden. And there are NO BUGS.
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The most unusual thing about the Enchantments are the tame mountain goats.
In recent years, they have become a little too friendly with people, in some cases acting aggressively. These are large, powerful animals, and need to be treated with caution. Enjoy them from a distance and don’t encourage them. They are also very attracted to human urine; please use the toilets where provided, or urinate into gaps between boulders or other places that will prevent them from pawing up plants and soils …
Many call it the best hike in Washington State. High praise!
A.H. Sylvester who explored the area for the forest service in the early part of the 20th century, was so impressed with the chain of high alpine tarns and lakes that he named them the ‘Enchantments‘.
Super popular, you need a Permit to camp anywhere near the Enchantments.
Applications are accepted online from February 28 through March 20 for the following summer. A lottery decides the lucky few. (The website also provides a way to decide permits later in the year as cancellations occur.)
As I had none, I tried for the “Walk-in” Permit available 7:45am each morning, excluding Sundays, at the Ranger Station in Leavenworth. Hiking solo, I felt my odds were pretty good.
Unfortunately, my name was not drawn.
Other hikers explained that I could get a Permit for Snow Zone (still available) and day hike the adjacent Enchantments. That’s what I did.
It’s cheap: $5 per person per day (per day, not per night) which funds the on the ground management of the permit area, plus a $6 per permit fee, which funds the reservation system.
From the Snow Creek trailhead to my campsite was less than 6mi, less than 4000ft elevation gain, so I didn’t start until late afternoon.
Snow Lakes Trail #1553
I found it quite a mellow trail to get up to elevation. Certainly easier than the dread Aasgard Pass alternative.
I hung my bear bag almost over the water, lifting it up there with a long branch.
Fishers should bring a rod. The trout were jumping. Washington State license required.
Everything was set for a BIG day on the Enchantments Traverse next morning. …
Many avoid the Permit hassle doing the Enchantments as a long day hike. I’d say starting at the Snow Lakes trailhead, hiking down and out Aasgard Pass to the Colchuck trailhead, is easier than the other way around.
The two trailheads are miles apart so you’ll have to hitchhike unless you stash a mountain bike at the far end. Or have two vehicles.
Louse Canyon is among the most inaccessible places in the West
… It was day three of a four-day, nearly 50-mile exploratory hike through Louse Canyon in the Upper West Little Owyhee Wilderness Study Area of southeastern Oregon, and there was no doubt we were getting spanked. …
About 350 air miles southeast of Portland, the West Little Owyhee River, a rarely visited tributary of the better-known Owyhee River, has cut a squiggle of a gorge through sandy expanses of sage and rye. The canyon is surely among the most inaccessible places in the West.
At its loneliest, the nearest human living under a proper roof is about 24 hours away by four-wheel drive, then horseback and foot. This cool crack in what is known as ION country, where Idaho, Oregon and Nevada collide, is so deep in the back of beyond that it sits in a different time zone from the rest of the Pacific Northwest. …
I’ll be hiking in Asia for about 2 months this Fall.
Where should I go?
Hong Kong is my home away from home in Asia. I’ve hiked there before …
Tim Cheung just posted the best article I’ve seen yet on hiking Hong Kong:
… Tourism campaigns for Hong Kong rarely champion its hiking trails and yet 300 kilometers of designated trails, varying in length and difficulty, traverse the territory and many locals hike religiously.
Rachel Tynan is a hiker who loves Waterton National Park in Alberta, as I do.
She posted at terrific trip report on their scramble of Vimy Peak:
Mt. Vimy is one of my favourite mountains in Waterton as it is the one you always see from the town site. I went online to get information and they SAY it’s a 4 mile bike ride to the trailhead and a 3 mile hike up with the last mile being a scramble. Let me warn you now, they are WRONG! …
… on the Wishbone Trail you can walk or bike this trail for approximately 4 miles (6.5 km) where you will encounter the Vimy trail which is a steep trail up a valley and onto the mountain. …
… about a mile to climb. There is no trail, you have to create your own. By this point I was so tired and had been stopping every 5 minutes, I really didn’t know how I was going to scramble up this steep peak. But we took our time and up we went! …
Myriam Guillot and Jacky Boisset from France are Adventure Racers. Here’s their home made, minimalist 4-person tent used for emergency shelter from weather and bugs.
Captain JASON MAGNESS put together a superb documentary on the ups and downs their team experienced at our week long expedition Adventure Race, a MUST SEE …
besthike.com 