Day tripping to Windy Pass is a 3 (advanced). From this cutoff is where the real climbing of Mount Cashmere begins. Zach looking out over his kingdom. Washington Trails Association is 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The rugged and beautiful Enchantment Permit Area is contained within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State. But it's not easy to get to, because you need a permit to camp there, and those permits are awarded in a lottery that is becoming harder and harder to win. 8 Mile Lake TH For access to Cashmere Mountain, Big 8 mountain, 8 Mile and Caroline Lakes, this is the one you want. Discover similar stories in these categories: Follow us on a visual tour of the best hikes, backpacking trips, and must-see places in Washington State, the Pacific Northwest, and the Western United States. from the inlet of Upper Snow Lake to Lake Viviane: 1.5 miles / 1400 foot elevation gain. Disclosure: our website is supported in part by affiliate links from Amazon, by which for referral traffic we receive a tiny commission, at no cost to the reader; see our terms of use and our privacy policy for details.Thank you for your support! We found a spot in the Eightmile Campground, but Bridge Creek would have been even closer. Go early to avoid dehydration and take it slow. Parking anywhere else along Road 7601 is not allowed. The grade eases a bit as the trail follows along Eightmile Creek. Nada Lake. Thanks for reading, and happy backpacking folks! Lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness are protected within the Wenatchee National Forest or Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.A list of notable lakes in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness is shown, below. A trip to Eightmile Lake is one of the easiest ways to experience this protected section of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Lake Caroline and a great campsite right on the shore On the shore of Lake Caroline, The Enchantments Here we found our friends Flo and Cornel, who must have arrived at least an hour earlier since they didn't stop down at the lower lake. Hike by WTA Correspondents: We had plenty of opportunities to explore around at Windy Pass, but we chose to just rest and enjoy the views. Eightmile Lake along a burned-out hillside _D3S5587. They had already found a good site and we all set camp. Our legs, backs, and minds were quite thankful for this change of pace. The Enchantments are a very popular place for backpacking, and after your first trip to this incredible area, you will understand why. Axis Peak Near Lake Caroline. Ben at Nada Lake. Above Lake Caroline, the Enchantment peaks in the distance, Trail to Windy Pass from Lake Caroline, entering the alpine zone, A fine view of the Enchantments Peaks from Windy Pass. With alpine lakes, tarns, mountain goats, jagged peaks and mythological fairy-like names, the whole 18-mile trek through the Enchantments rivals the world's best trails and scenery. After crossing a few small streams at 4 miles, the grade eventually relaxes as the surrounding landscape transitions to unburnt forest and then to meadows. Lake Caroline & Eightmile Lake Read More. This was an excellent spot for a snack and a rest break. 8:47. Lake Caroline. Nestled in a basin between Eightmile Mountain and Cashmere Mountain, Lake Caroline is a peaceful place to soak your feet while you soak in the sun. Article by Daniel Zilcsak. After seven miles, the group finally reached Snow Lakes. Hiking the Enchantments, Little Caroline Lake, Windy Pass and Cashmere Mountain - Duration: 8:47. It is just a mile before the Stuart Lake/Colchuck TH described below. pete won the enchantments lottery for this particular area - eightmile lake and lake caroline (if you’re not from washington, the enchantments are a big region of mountains and the most gorgeous alpine lakes that are only accessible via a lottery system that people enter in every year to be able to go hiking & camping there). Copyright © Daniel and Timea Zilcsak. Take this junction to head uphill and meet Lake Caroline. In early season, when large amounts of snow is still present, the North Face of Cashmere can be quite intimidating and the direct ridge scramble is favorable. Lake Caroline & Eightmile Lake Read More. Activities: Hiking or vigorous trail running. Eightmile Lake along a burned-out hillside _D3S5587. There are several first come, first served campgrounds in the area. Rain on Eightmile Lake . Eightmile Lake. It is ten miles and 6000 feet of elevation gain to reach the Enchantments via this route. This medium-size lake sits just below treeline at the head of Pioneer Creek. I do wonder if it makes sense to build an emergency shelter up on the core area given quite a few instances of bad weather related stories over the year. Note: Use ‘Print Preview’ before printing to properly scale this map to a full sheet of paper. We applied like many others and, like many others, failed for the second year in a row. Burnt forest near Little Eightmile Lake in The Enchantments. Colchuck Lake Zone; Stuart Lake Zone; Eightmile/Caroline Permit Zone; Camping is restricted to the zone for which your permit is issued. 209S map. They lost an incredible view and an opportunity for a dive/swim! Those camping at the lake might wish to explore the high country more by continuing on the trail for another 2.3 miles to Windy Pass. 4K Nature Documentary Film - Enchantment … Brad Snodgrass 445 views. Nada Lake from above. Lake Caroline and a great campsite right on the shore, On the shore of Lake Caroline, The Enchantments. One of the lesser-visited lakes in the Enchantments, Lake Caroline is a hard-earned reward for those seeking a bit of solitude in this immensely popular region. The Enchantment’s Eightmile/Caroline zone is a perfect weekend backpacking trip, with clear lakes, mountain views, secluded camps and scrambling opportunities. After a short break, some of us continued on for another half mile to Eightmile Lake, while the rest took the fork going north towards Lake Caroline. The Alpine Lakes Wilderness is a large wilderness area in the North Cascades mountain range, located in northern Washington state, the Northwestern United States. Pretty views up here too! On the first part of the trail, before the lake, we found signs of a recent fire that has reshaped the forest. The trail to Windy passes by smaller Little Caroline Lake and, shortly thereafter, it enters the alpine zone, leaving the trees behind. Lake Caroline: Eightmile Trailhead to the lake. Dayhikers will want to enjoy the lake’s shore before returning the way they came. At Little Eightmile Lake, a trail heads skyward to Lake Caroline, Little Lake Caroline and Windy Pass, two other fabled beauty spots of the Cascade Range. Lake Caroline is one of the less frequented lakes but the views are nothing short of spectacular. Fire has hit this area in 1994, 2010, 2012 and 2017 _D3S5589. Be prepared with sun protection and plenty of water as the trail switchbacks upward. Eightmile Lake & Lake Caroline A strenuous hike or backpack of up to 16 miles and 4,600 feet of elevation gain in The Enchantments area of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. It is a little steep and the sun bearing down can be a burden. Green Trails Maps: The Enchantments No 209S, trailhead@ 47.5360, -120.8139 - WTA, Permit information: Enchantment Area Wilderness Permits (US Forest Service). From this point, we only had about another half mile of elevation gain before it leveled out. Here we found our friends Flo and Cornel, who must have arrived at least an hour earlier since they didn't stop down at the lower lake. Subscribe to our free email newsletter for hiking events, news, gear reviews and more. From SR 2 in Leavenworth drive Icicle Creek Road (Forest Road 76) drive 4.2 to the trailhead and large parking lot on the left (south) side of the road (1,350 ft). They had already found a good site and we all set camp. It is held in late winter and the few lucky winners are announced sometime in March. Thanks to this being the Enchantments, the trail is well cut the entire way and makes for an “easy” walk. The next day we traced our steps back to the car and drove back home, but not before stopping for the mandatory German sausage in Leavenworth. Park on the left side of the road and cross to the trailhead. Little Eightmile Lake, a great spot for a snack and rest break. Later, we returned to camp, prepared a good dinner, then, once darkness set in, stashed our remaining scented items in our bear cans and went to bed. If you can get one of the widely sought after backcountry permits, or are a strong hiker who can pack in the miles in a single day, this is a part of the country—and the world—you shouldn't miss. More information Trail to Windy Pass from Lake Caroline, entering the alpine zone From the Eightmile Lake trailhead, the trail ascends steadily through a burn area before entering the Alpine Lakes Wilderness at 1 mile. Permits are required for day and overnight use in this area. It took us about an hour and a half to reach the first of the two lakes in this valley, called Little Eightmile Lake. Eightmile Lake . Continue past Lake Caroline to Little Lake Caroline and then Windy Pass to extend your trip. The next day I hiked to Lake Caroline, which meant backtracking about half a mile down the trail and then heading straight up a mountain for what seemed like years. From Leavenworth, WA head down Icicle Creek road … Rain on Eightmile Lake . It's the holy grail of backpacking in the Northwestern United States. A new generation of plants had already started to grow, fueled by the rich soil. The only exception is for the Core Enchantment Permit, which allows you to camp in any of the zones. Since it was only two in the afternoon and nobody was really tired, we decided to go check out Windy Pass, another maybe 2 miles with some elevation to gain. It wasn't a Core Enchantments permit, but rather one for a satellite zone called the Eightmile/Caroline Zone, which is also part of the Enchantments but not at the very heart of it. Turn left on Eightmile Road and continue 3.1 miles to the trailhead. Erkunde die beliebtesten Routen in meiner Liste 'Enchantments ' und lasse dich von detaillierten Beschreibungen, Bewertungen und Bildern inspirieren. Seattle, WA 98104. Walk-in permits for the the Eightmile / Lake Caroline zone of the Enchantments are generally available at the Leavenworth Ranger Station should you want to overnight. We stopped too early and started up the Eightmile Lake trail, 1554 instead. Lake Caroline Hike - The Enchantments Labels: hiking, washington. Lindsay Leffelman. Eightmile Lake . Core Enchantment Zone (also permits camping in any other zone) Colchuck Zone; Stuart Zone; Eightmile/Caroline Zone; Application for the lottery takes place in February and March. Lake Caroline (6,190') is located 5.1 miles from Eightmile Trailhead in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Length 18 miElevation gain 6984 ftRoute type Out & back Lake Caroline and Windy Pass is a 18 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Leavenworth, Washington that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult. Feb 17, 2017 - The Enchantment’s Eightmile/Caroline zone is a perfect weekend backpacking trip, with clear lakes, mountain views, secluded camps and scrambling opportunities. The Enchantments in Washington are well known for drawing a lot of people to them for their beauty and endless lakes. we brought tom dad with us for the four-day journey. The trail continues climbing, steeply now, through the brushy recovering burn area. Maps: Green Trails #2905 (The Enchantments) or use our map below. Core Enchantment permit hol ders may camp in any of the five zones. Aug 14, 2014 - Lake Caroline (left), Snags on the Way Up To the Lake (right) We meant to go to Colchuck Lake but we didn’t go far enough down road 7601 to pick up the right trailhead. After a short break at the lake, we returned to the Little Eightmile Lake junction and took the other fork, heading uphill towards Lake Caroline. We didn’t discover our mistake until we ran into a nice lady who gave us a … WTA Pro Tip: Overnight trips to Lake Caroline between May 15 and Oct. 31 require an Enchantmentspermit. Dispersed camping is not allowed between the road and Icicle Creek, Backcountry camping permit. This trip is a great weekend escape into the mountains. Cresting a high point at 5.5 miles, the forested trail now drops steeply for a quarter mile to the shores of Lake Caroline. 705 2nd Ave, Suite 300 The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from July until October. We stopped too early and started up the Eightmile Lake trail, 1554 instead. Snow Lakes. we brought tom dad with us for the four-day journey. A colleague of mine, though, got one that she could not use, so I immediately offered to help pick up her permit, and so we got our chance. From the Eightmile Lake trailhead, the trail ascends steadily through a burn area before entering the Alpine Lakes Wilderness at 1 mile. Sun, Jul 9, 2017, 6:00 AM: The description of the event, Windy Pass, Lake Caroline Enchantments (Extreme Day Hike), is available only to members. The views increasingly improve as you climb, with the Stuart Range and the Enchantment peaks coming into view. Rain on Eightmile Lake. Lake Caroline (left), Snags on the Way Up To the Lake (right) We meant to go to Colchuck Lake but we didn’t go far enough down road 7601 to pick up the right trailhead. Core Enchantments: from Colchuck Lake to the top of Aasgard Pass: 2.5 miles / 2500 foot elevation gain. 5.6 miles / 3100 foot elevation gain. Nearest Town: Leavenworth Skill: 2 (intermediate) Fitness: Day tripping to Lake Caroline is a 2+ (strong intermediate). Core Enchantment Zone Snow Lake Zone Colchuck Lake Zone Stuart Lake Zone Eightmile/Caroline Zone View a map of the permit zones. While our expectations were not very high, I was far from being disappointed and came back home with some great memories and some great shots. At 2.8 miles, just after Little Eightmile Lake, is a signed trail junction. Lake Caroline does make for a great overnight destination, but you will still need permits since it’s in the Enchantments area. We spent Friday afternoon driving the 2.5 hours to Leavenworth and setting up camp a few miles down from the Eightmile trailhead. pete won the enchantments lottery for this particular area - eightmile lake and lake caroline (if you’re not from washington, the enchantments are a big region of mountains and the most gorgeous alpine lakes that are only accessible via a lottery system that people enter in every year to be able to go hiking & camping there). It’s really only about three miles, but it’s steep. The Enchantments is one of the most beautiful backpacking location in the country. Nyki on The Enchantments, Colchuck Lake, Snow Lakes Glad to hear you guys made it out safely (after reading about the guy's fate while descending from Camp Muir earlier this week). The Enchantments, Eightmile/Caroline Zone Map (for information only). At an elevation of 4,500 feet (1,372 m), it is home to over 700 alpine lakes and ponds surrounded by the vast peaks of Cashmere Crags, which rate among the best rock-climbing sites in the western United States. Nada Lake – Enchantments. You can improve or add to this guidebook entry, Washington Trails Association Fire has hit this area in 1994, 2010, 2012 and 2017 _D3S5589. Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Wenatchee River Ranger District, Buy the Green Trails Enchantments No. Remnants of a forest trimmed by a recent fire. The trail follows Eightmile Creek steeply to Lake Caroline after Little Eightmile Lake. Parking Restriction on Road 7601: Parking allowed at trailheads and only on the right side of Road 7601 between Eightmile Lake and Stuart Lake trailheads. Unburned end of the lake _D3S5593. We gained 1,100 ft. over the 2.8 miles stretch from the trail head. From the western edge of Leavenworth (milepost 99 on US 2), follow Icicle Creek Road for 8.4 miles. Rain Falls on EightMile Lake _D3S5584. The lottery, held by Recreation.gov, is open to entries for about a month. Ben and Adam. All rights reserved. Our camp on the east side of Lake Caroline. The Enchantments is a region within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area of Washington state’s Cascade Mountain Range. After about two hours from the Little Eightmile trail junction, a little over 2,000 ft. of elevation and a trail wide open, we finally reached Lake Caroline. The Eightmile Trail runs 2.65 miles to the Eightmile Trout Creek Trail, which splits NW on a … Groups must camp together each night in the zone for which the permit is issued. Go to recreation.gov/permits/233273 for information. One of the lesser-visited lakes in the Enchantments, Lake Caroline is a hard-earned reward for those seeking a bit of solitude in this immensely popular region. Eightmile Lake, The Enchantments (view west). Unburned end of the lake _D3S5593. Alpine, Backpacking, Backcountry, Camp, Creek, Favorite, Forest, Hiking, Lakes, Meadows, Multi Day, Olympic National Park, Nature, Olympic Peninsula, Pass, Ridge, Summit, Trail, Washington, Wildlife, Most Popular, Article, Views, Featured, Loop, National Park, Yosemite, Yosemite Village, CA 95389, USA, Alpine, Backpacking, Backcountry, California, Camp, Creek, Favorite, Forest, Canyon, Guided, Hiking, John Muir Trail, Lakes, Meadows, Multi Day, Nature, Pass, Ridge, Sierra Nevada, Summit, Trail, Wildlife, Yosemite National Park, Article, Views, Featured, National Park. From here, stellar views of the surrounding mountain peaks will take your breath away. Since our permit was for one night only, we broke camp early on Saturday and hit the trail before 8:00 am. Eightmile Lake. Contributions to WTA are tax deductible, and we are committed to making the best use of every donation to our mission. Apply online (fee). While Eightmile gains 1400ft, Lake Caroline gains 3100ft.The views are unbelievable on the way up. (The trail straight ahead makes its way to Eightmile Lake.). Our tax identification number is EIN 91-0900134. To reach Lake Caroline, take the trail to the right. Be prepared with sun protection and plenty of water as the trail switchbacks upward “ easy walk... Contained within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in the Northwestern United States in late winter the! Year in a row Eightmile Creek Windy Pass, but we chose to just rest enjoy...: overnight trips to Lake Viviane: 1.5 miles / 2500 foot elevation gain unbelievable. The way up best used from July until October Zone Colchuck Lake Zone Colchuck Zone. Fire has hit this area in 1994, 2010, 2012 and 2017 _D3S5589 and plenty of opportunities explore! Winter and the sun bearing down can be a burden spot in the Enchantments:... 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Used from July until October permits since it ’ s in the Northwestern United States few miles down from Eightmile! Caroline between may 15 and Oct. 31 require an Enchantmentspermit drawing a lot of people to them their... Continues climbing, steeply now, through the brushy recovering burn area before entering Alpine... Cross to the trailhead into the Mountains are required for day and overnight use in this area in,. All set camp ( for information only ) the brushy recovering burn area before entering the Alpine Wilderness! It slow und Bildern inspirieren before returning the way they came before entering the Lakes... 1994, 2010, 2012 and 2017 _D3S5589 held in late winter and the peaks... ( intermediate ) Fitness: day tripping to Lake Caroline lake caroline enchantments the trail before 8:00.... Wilderness in the Enchantments is a 2+ ( strong intermediate ) Fitness: day to... Via this route, WA 98104 three miles, the Enchantments Labels:,., backs, and minds were quite thankful for this change of pace and 6000 feet elevation!
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