7 friends and I camped for three nights at Colchuck lake. As a flatlander from Chicago, the hike in was tough but manageable; I lugged a 45 lb pack up the half mile ascent over 4 miles laterally- took 3 hours and change.
We camped at the second of three marked campsites on Colchuck lake. This one was set on the small lake just west of Colchuck lake and had room for our 5 tents. The third and most southern campsite was prettier, but could only fit maybe 2 or 3 tents. It was sunny the first day and the view was exquisite. Bob Ross could not have painted a more classic or more beautiful alpine scape.
It rained the second day and was a great day for wild life. We saw mountain goats, Osprey, Bald Eagle, chipmunks, Marmot, frogs, and trout. The Osprey was my favorite with a huge wingspan that she tucked tight to her body when diving for trout. We fished to, catching 5 trout in 2 hours. The log jam in a small western bay on Colchuck lake was great for fishing with trout visible below the water chasing our lures. They hit on every spinner in my tackle, preferring the smaller spinners as the majority of trout were small. If you want to catch trout for food, I recommend trying a larger spinner to filter for the bigger, juicier trout.
The third day we climbed Aasgard pass (cue Lord of the Rings Two Towers Theme). This was a GRUELING hike. Half a mile of elevation gain over 3/4 of a mile made the pass steep. It was not a groomed trail like summiting Kilimanjaro, no; It was a jagged pile of rocks with each step demanding mental energy that would be better spent on your quads. On the descent, one of our friends stepped on an off balanced boulder and had to jump in front of it, only for it to roll down over her ankle. She luckily made it down with a slight sprain and bruises. I've read other hikers are not so lucky, traversing melting snow packs only to fall into the invisible river running underneath. Avoid the snow packs for safety. We had to cross a couple snowpacks to get to the top, and so we walked gingerly in the packed boot prints of previous hikers: hikers braver than ourselves. Reaching the top plateau, the Enchantment Core, was like entering another planet. Vast snow expanses contained robin blue iced lakes all framed by tremendous peaks. A well deserved pull of whiskey marked the achievement. The flask would have been better filled with water as we ran out on the sun drenched descent. The melting snowpack was so clean, we cupped hands and drank from the stream, never getting sick. Quite the adventure!
That night was clear and full of shooting stars, cresting the mountains. A fantastic end to a fantastic week. The Enchantments are breathtaking because of the white granite rocks, lush pine trees, and calm alpine lakes. The wildlife was plentiful and not phased by human presence. What a blessing it was to stay in this alpine paradise.
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