The Enchantments Day 3

Jun 18

Enchantments Basin to Snow Lakes

After an incredibly windy evening with little sleep, we were blessed with what appeared to be a dry start to the day, despite what the forecast had said. Instead, we were left to deal with remnants of high wind through our morning routine. Unpacking the tent became a multi-person endeavor in hopes of keeping our tent from flying into the wind and down the precipice. Heating up water for coffee and breakfast also proved troublesome. It was just a minor nuisance, as we were undoubtedly grateful for a dry start to our day. Meanwhile mountain goats nearby nearby patiently stalked us on our bathroom trips to the rock across the snow.

At 8:30am in the morning, we were all packed up, nourished, with emptied bladders. We were ready to experience the rest of what the Enchantments Core had to offer as we headed downhill for the remainder of our trip. We made our way down the Enchantments Basin, traversing to the Eastern side of Inspiration Lake. We navigated a steep snow section cautiously to make our day down into Perfection Lake.

The day was cloudy and the sun was nowhere to be seen, but we remained dry and spirits were high. The only moisture we encountered was an occasional misty drizzle. Despite the flat light and low clouds, visibility was decent. We we were able to view the major landmarks and appreciate the grandeur of the Enchantments. The ever prominent Prusik Peak played hide-and-seek along the terrain as we continued on down to Leprechaun Lake.

As we dropped elevation, we could see the landscape slowly changing right before our eyes. Upper lakes fully covered in snow gave place to a mix of snow, ice, and deep blue waters. Trails that tracked on top of frozen lakes were soon melting as we lost elevation, requiring us to find solid ground lest we break through the snow and into the lake. Barren landscapes of granite were slowly giving way to lush green larches in the lower Core zones of the Enchantments.

Mountain goats continued tracking our steps, awaiting for precious pee. Before long, we arrived at the crux of our descent towards Snow Lakes. The traverse around Lake Viviane, the last of the upper lakes, requires crossing a creek with careful steps. Sections of this traverse could be considered a “no-fall“ zone, demanding care and attention with each step. Being followed by mountain goats made this traverse a bit more uneasy.

The rocky steep traverse and descent down into Snow Lakes slowly shifted to a manageable grade. After dropping 1,400ft of elevation from the exposed traverse on Lake Viviane, we were finally reaching solid flat ground. We crossed the Snow Creek bridge, and Snow Lakes greeted us in all its majesty, filled to the brim. We hiked halfway around Snow Lakes and began scouting for a campsite. Many had already been taken, but our luck came through with a lakeside camp, large enough for our party, including gorgeous views and water access.

After our camp was set, I jumped in the water for a brief swim, rinsing off the sweat with good alpine energies. We made dinner, basked in the brief rays of sunshine, and retreated into deep sleep. A long way down awaited us the following day.