May 6, 2006, Colchuck Lake (Leavenworth)
5/6/06
WA Cascades East Slopes Central
3283
2
The gate is open up Mountaineer Creek and you can drive to within 200 ft of the Colchuck Lake TH before hitting snow. We skiined up through the forest but the route is so uneven with melt spots and boot post-holes that it'd probably be best to just walk up. It was raining in Seattle but the skies parted about 20 miles east of the Snoqualmie Pass. With a late start we didn't even make it up to the lake before heading back. I'd like to start at the same TH but do an overnighter through the Enchantments to the Snow Lake TH. Has anyone done that route before? Is it doable in an easy two days?
Its not too hard to do the Stuart Lake Trhd to Snow Lake Trhd via the enchantments in one day in summer, and as long as you don't mind carrying your skis a lot on the way out it could be done in two days fairly easily this time of year.
Hiking your skis out Snow Creek would be a bad option. Save it for a winter trip.
Skiing to Little Annapurna or Prussik Pass and going back out via Mountaineer Creek on the other hand wouldn't be so bad. If you want to tour the Enchantments, here is a better idea:
Ski in to Prussik Pass via Mountaineer Creek, traverse and yoyo the North side of Temple Ridge, ski to the northeastern side and then drop over around the Black Pyramid to the southeastern side and then traverse back to Dragontail Plateau and then ski out via Colchuck Col. Plenty of good skiing during the traverse and no dry spots unless you wait until June. By June the south side of Temple Ridge will be melting out. There is a couloir from Pogo Col that may stay in for longer though. Not sure.
Skiing to Little Annapurna or Prussik Pass and going back out via Mountaineer Creek on the other hand wouldn't be so bad. If you want to tour the Enchantments, here is a better idea:
Ski in to Prussik Pass via Mountaineer Creek, traverse and yoyo the North side of Temple Ridge, ski to the northeastern side and then drop over around the Black Pyramid to the southeastern side and then traverse back to Dragontail Plateau and then ski out via Colchuck Col. Plenty of good skiing during the traverse and no dry spots unless you wait until June. By June the south side of Temple Ridge will be melting out. There is a couloir from Pogo Col that may stay in for longer though. Not sure.
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