With names like Gnome Tarn, Dragontail Peaks, and Aasgard Pass, you’d think I’d stumbled into a land of Norse Sagas. But instead I walked through a land of water and granite surrounded by the fall color of subalpine larch. The Enchantments are a small section of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in northern Washington’s Cascade Range. This is a land of high valleys and beautiful aqua-marine lakes, all lying under the ever-present view of Prusik Peak.

While an Enchantments hike can offer rewarding views, getting there in the first place is the first challenge to knock off the list.

Hiking & Backpacking the Enchantments

There really is no easy way into the Enchantments. The route up Aasgard Pass is shorter, but the 2,220 foot elevation gain in under a mile is difficult (especially in bad weather). So I’d recommend the longer route from the east instead. To get there, you’ll arrive by driving west from the town of Leavenworth, Washington up Icicle Creek Road to the trailhead parking area. Here you’ll need a valid Northwest Forest Pass to park during your stay. You will also need an overnight backcountry permit from the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest from June 15-October 15. This is a popular place among backpackers so they created an overnight permit lottery system for the majority of the distributed permits, but a few permits are also given out on a daily first-come, first-serve basis. Only the lucky ones get to proceed to the next leg of the journey.

The trail begins as an endless series of switchbacks climbing out of the valley before heading up canyon a while, then it resumes with the switchbacks. Once you’ve gained a bit of elevation, the trail becomes slightly straighter and heads towards the forested Snow Lakes area. You may opt to camp here for the night and ready yourself for the climb ahead; we chose to hike on to spend more time photographing the Enchantments. The last segment is an approximate 1,400 foot climber’s route in 1.5 miles to the first lake, and there is no water along the way so I filled up before starting. Once you reach Lake Viviane the fun has just begun, because a series of rock cairns and routes will take you to even higher remote lakes, tarns, and vistas. If you have more than one car, a nice trip can be put together by traveling up the Snow Lakes Trail and then up and over Aasgard Pass to your alternate vehicle.

The real draw for me was to photograph the subalpine larch stands scattered throughout this stark landscape. The larch is the only conifer to change color and drop its needles in the fall. The beauty of these trees against a backdrop of emerald waters and granite mounds is a photographer’s dream, and mine was coming true.

There is a bit of wildlife in the area, but the most common large mammal siting is the mountain goat. In the alpine country the forest service instructs everyone to urinate on rocks, supposedly to avoid the mountain goats from tearing up the backcountry on their ever-vigilant search for salt. The mountain goats were constantly licking the rocks around our camp, but left the pit toilets alone. They were known to also get a bit aggressive as one camper found out when chased up a large boulder.

Of course day hikes on side routes can be made to explore the country further. A walk up Little Annapurna Peak will give you views all the way to Mount Rainier to the south and Canadian views to the north. A walk over the Prusik Pass route will bring you to even more lakes, but before you go up and over make sure to stop at the reflective Gnome Tarn. If you’re a mountain climber then you’re in the right place to bag a number of peaks.

If you’re here for the fall color, chances are you’re also here during fire season and the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest always seems to burn during the late summer and early fall months. Smoke can be a problem at times for the lower elevations, but as you ascend you’ll probably rise above the valley smog and into the fresh air of the high country. Any way you slice it the Enchantments are a backpacker’s paradise, so dust off your gear and enjoy the high country of northern Washington’s North Cascade Range.

Need to Know

Information

Contact the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest 509-548-2550.

Getting There

For an eastern approach drive highway 2 west from the town of Leavenworth, turn left on road 76 (Icicle Creek road) to the Snow Lakes Trailhead parking area. To approach from the west drive highway 2 west from the town of Leavenworth. Turn left on 76 (Icicle Creek road) and pass the Snow Lakes Trailhead parking area. In a few miles you’ll turn left on forest road 7601 and proceed to the Stuart Lake trailhead.

Maps and Books

I used the National Geographic Trails Illustrated Alpine Lakes Wilderness Map. Green Trails also offers their The Enchantments Map. In regards to books, the Backpacking Washington guidebook by Craig Romano covers hiking in the Enchantments. See also Alpine Lakes Wilderness: The Complete Hiking Guide.

All images in this article © David M. Cobb Photography.

Editor's Note: This article by contributor David Cobb originally appeared in Issue 6 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here for additional photos and content. See more of David’s photography at dmcobbphoto.com.