I slept between gusts of wind, which is to say not frequently nor for very long. My tent fluttered gently despite the freight train roaring through the trees around me. Protected by a large boulder likely deposited as the Ice Age receded into the history books, and the stout larch and pine clinging desperately to the thin bedrock soil, I was never concerned about the strength of my stake placement.
The Enchantments have been well advertised on this site and in many hundreds of other places. I will simply share the conditions I experienced with the idea conditions will change rapidly and this report will be “inaccurate” nearly as soon as it is published.
I chose to cheat and enter and exit via Aasgard Pass—personally I prefer the build-up approach of Snow Lakes. Aasgard is clear of snow except for a short steep patch about ¾ of the way to the top. Once descending through the Core, large patches of snow intermixed with dry and wet segments of “trail” exist. The steepest snow I encountered is the descent to Inspiration Lake where I camped for two nights. Temps were on the chilly side with a mix of sun and clouds, so the snow was sloppy but not enough to cause many issues for me and my boots. Many of the lakes are melting or mostly thawed. Lots of dry campsites in the Core, but not a lot of melted out toilets. Plan accordingly.
I spent my time wandering to the tops of mountains and exploring some other less traveled areas. The goats were quite comfortable with my presence, visiting my camp each morning—remember to relieve yourself on rocks or snow and not vegetation. Having become a father in the last year and a half, I found sitting and watching the young kids interacting with their environment and their mothers particularly special. The mother goats laying on the rocks staring pensively into the surroundings while their kids climbed on them or requested milk. Or maybe, the moms were just tired.
Unlike my son at home who is a good sleeper, the sun goes to bed late and wakes early this time of year. After an exceptionally leisurely morning my last day, I slowly retraced my steps up to Aasgard Pass and then took the plunge back to the trailhead.
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