ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
- 9/14/2024
Good to have a sunny day for the big hike. Going solo and autonomous, I opted to do an out-and-back from Stuart Lake Trailhead instead of using shuttle service. The goal is to check out Upper Enchantments (the Core) then return at mid-day to avoid hiking in the dark.
The night before the hike, I slept at the trailhead and didn't get much rest. It's a weekend, and throughout the night there were cars arriving, leaving, or circling the lot looking for parking. Needless to say, the trail is one of the busiest I've seen. First stop is Colchuck Lake, which is one of the few lakes in Alpine Lakes Wilderness still showing glacier turquoise color. Then the climb up Aasgard Pass, albeit non-technical, is a major cardiac test, gaining roughly 2,000' in one mile. After the Pass, I had barely an hour exploring the Core and didn't venture far given the diminishing daylight. Overall it's quite a workout.
Here's my The Enchanted Washington Road Trip playlist -- • The Enchanted Washingt...
======================= The Enchanted Washington Road Trip =======================
During Covid lockdown I read about the Enchantments in WSJ. I heard the name before, but the fact that this beloved hideaway of Seattleites got WSJ's attention got my attention. So I made a mental note. Finally in 2024 I set aside a week and booked the flight to check it out.
The Enchantments by itself, although popular among backpackers, does not pack enough day hikes for my itinerary. So I added a handful of hikes to string together a road trip.
The following is the itinerary --
Day 1 (9/11/2024, Wed)
- fly: LAS to SEA
- drive: SEA to Mt Pilchuck TH
- overnight: Mt Pilchuck TH
Day 2 (9/12/2024, Thu)
- hike: Mt Pilchuck
- hike: Heather Lake
- overnight: Lake Serene TH
Day 3 (9/13/2024, Fri)
- hike: Lake Serene & Bridal Veil Falls
- overnight: Stuart Lake TH
Day 4 (9/14/2024, Sat)
- hike: The Enchantments
- overnight: Stuart Lake TH
Day 5 (9/15/2024, Sun)
- tour: Leavenworth, WA
- overnight: Kendall Katwalk TH
Day 6 (9/16/2024, Mon)
- hike: Kendall Katwalk & Kendall Peak
- overnight: Lake Ingalls TH
Day 7 (9/17/2024, Tue)
- hike: Lake Ingalls
- overnight: Kendall Katwalk TH
Day 8 (9/18/2024, Wed)
- drive: Kendall Katwalk TH to SEA
- fly: SEA to LAS
Here's the overall stats of the 8-day road trip --
Total miles driven = 499
Total miles hiked = 55.2
Total elevation gain/loss = 17,215'
Total expense = $493.53
A few observations from a week of hiking in the Pacific Northwest --
1. Mushroom hunting: I didn't know it's a thing, but mushroom hunting is a popular activity on the trail. It's not just a Native American tradition. I saw Russian hikers do it. I saw Chinese hikers do it. Everyone is doing it. I need to look up mushroom recipes.
2. Russian hikers: PNW draws Russian immigrants and they hike too. I heard Russian language spoken often on the trail.
3. Thank you Safeway: This supermarket chain is well established in Washington state. After each day hike I was able to find a Safeway for dinner and freshen-up, even in small towns like Lake Stevens, Monroe, Leavenworth, and Cle Elum.
