Lake Stuart, Colchuck Lake — Friday, Jun. 9, 2000

Central Cascades > Leavenworth Area

Great early season hikes...get to it before it gets crowded! Surprisingly, there weren't that many cars at the trailhead, and we didn't meet many people on the trail or at the lakes. THE QUICK LOW-DOWN: both trails to the lakes are snowfree, very accessible, with some very small sections of snow, nothing that'll hinder your progress. Small parts of the trail are muddy, few small stream crossing. The trails are maintained very, very well (thanks to the work crews that maintained these trails! You did a great job!) Be prepared for sudden weather changes. Be ready to refresh your soul on these hikes, YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED! THE JOURNAL: Started out at 11 am under semi-cloudy conditions. Took my friend and I about an hour to get to the trail junction (a little over 2 miles) through some rather flat terrain in the forest. We chose Lake Stuart first. Not more than a half-mile from this junction, you break out of the forest and into the beginning what I consider one of the best-kept scenery in the U.S.! This view is quite reminiscent of the Maroon Bells of Colorado. Gaze at Mt. Stuart and Sherpa Peak above a lush green meadow, tall grass, a small meandering creek, and a mix of trees (firs, cedars, hemlock, aspen, etc.) The green coloration is absolutely amazing! Would someone please create a watercolor or oil painting of this area' Guaranteed seller! I'd love to come back here in the fall when the leaves change colors! Continue along the trail (mostly flat), passing by some quiet, smooth fly-fishing creeks and grander views of the Stuart Range. During this stretch of travel, the sun broke out for about 30 minutes before a furious snow flurry storm hit us for about 5 minutes. It then became cloudy. You encounter very patchy snow near the lake, but it's traversible and shouldn't be a problem. Reached Lake Stuart after 4 miles (and 2 hours) of travel from the trailhead. The sun returned! Awesome views of the magnificent mountains and valley, especially the contrast in colors. Sat on a rock at the opposite edge of the lake for some lunch. We were the only ones there the entire time. And...wouldn't you know it, after about 20 minutes, yet another flurry storm hit us! Didn't last long. Campsites seem plentiful, but the USFS will begin requiring permits next week. Left Lake Stuart at 2:30. Encountered our first group of people fishing (trout, walleye, sockeye'!) Backtracked to the trail junction and continued to Colchuck Lake. Very different hike, it's a bit steeper and you must travel over small boulders. Stop every now and then and look at the valley below you--it's so refreshing to know you're miles and miles away from civilization (especially the Seattle area!) We saw a storm approaching from Mt. Stuart and the clouds quickly filling the valley there. Amazing. Reached Colchuck Lake at 4:15 -- it's about an hour from the junction. This lake is bigger than the other one, and it's hard not to appreciate its beautiful blue-green color. Dragontail and Colchuck Peaks dominate your skyline...the scattered clouds hiding portions of these peaks add a touch of mysticism to the environment. Colchuck Glacier is amazing--we even saw a nice set of ski tracks. The way to Aasgard Pass is under considerable snow...we saw a lone mountaineer slowly make his/her way up. Flurries began to come down after 10 minutes, but it was no where near the magnitude of the one at Lake Stuart. Left the lake at 4:45 and made it back to the trailhead at 6:30. What an incredible way to spend your day! This should be on your ""must"" hike list. I've been told the Enchantments are even more spectacular. Can't wait to see it!