[TR] Enchantment Slam - Standards 6/13/2015

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Trip: Enchantment Slam - Standards

 

Date: 6/13/2015 - 6/14/2015

 

Trip Report:

 

I hiked up to the Enchantments with 2 friends this weekend. The weather window and low snow level on the last permit-less weekend was just too enticing to resist. Of course a couple hundred other people had the same idea, and it was a veritable party up there, but it was possible to spread out and enjoy the area nevertheless.

 

We hiked in on Saturday via the Colchuck Lake trail and Aasgard. It took about 6 hours to get to our camp near Isolation Lake. Prior to setting up tents we tagged Little Annapurna. Part way up weather came in and we got peppered with graupel and hit with a biting wind. The night was cold - below freezing.

 

Enchantments glory:

 

 

The Teanaway looking pretty and green from Little Annapurna:

 

Descending from Little Annapurna with a storm a threatenin'

 

We arose at 4:15 and headed out to take advantage of the full day. My friends headed for Prusik Peak to tag the W ridge. We had heard that that route had been very crowded the previous weekend and the day before as well. My friends got to the base of the route at 6 am and were queued up as party number 4 (all of two peeps each). They were still able to finish the route and get to camp by 3 pm, and enjoyed it greatly.

 

Ice on Inspiration Lake:

 

Sunrise over Prusik:

 

I headed to Prusik Pass and solo'd Enchantment Peak. I then crossed over to Leprechaun lake and tagged McClellan. I enjoyed that route the best. It's gotten a lot of traffic and there is a good bootpath for the final traverse up to the prong. The snow here is steep and icy. It ends on rock and a short third class scramble gets you to the ridge. The final summit block also has some great class 3 scrambling to get you to an airy summit with fantastic views of the Enchantments. I only met one party of three up there and had the peak mostly to myself.

 

McClellan Peak:

 

View towards Enchantment Peak from high on McClellan's snow slopes:

 

View down to Snow Lakes from McClellan:

 

 

Gear Notes:

Ice axe, crampons, helmet.

 

Approach Notes:

Trail to Aasgard is 99% snow-free. Snow in the upper Enchantments is consolidated and easy to move across.

[Cobrien1125]

I am headed up to do a few peaks this weekend, Prusik south face, Lighthouse Tower, Black Pyramid and Snowcreek wall. I am looking at temps of around 50 degrees on mountain forecast. Would you say it was around 50 degrees or was it substantially cooler during the day?

 

Thanks for the insight!

[TwoFortyJeff]

How were the bugs?

[KaskadskyjKozak]

 

I think our temps were forecast around 55-60 but with windchill it felt cooler. In the morning it was 40's though.

 

Bugs: bad at Colchuck lake. Once up Aasgard I did not notice them, but I did not stay at a melted out lake like Viviane... we were near Isolation