Enchantments day hike via Aasgard Pass last weekend. Roughly 14 miles round trip, 4600 ft elevation gain, about 7 hours total including some relaxing time on top. I left the trailhead with a full overnight pack intending to camp, but changed my mind after making quick time and passing many, many people on the way up.
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Dragontail Peak and Colchuck Lake, almost tropical-looking water.
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Colchuck Lake and looking up at Aasgard Pass. I did not go swimming.
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Looking down at Colchuck. Mountain goat heading downslope. I had no issues charging up Aasgard, legs felt sharp the whole way.
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Saxifraga oppositifolia (purple mountain saxifrage) – according to Wikipedia I could’ve eaten this (“The petals are edible. They are bitter at first but after about 1 second, they become sweet.”) Also potentially the highest elevation angiosperm in the world. Thanks Wikipedia! The view northwest from the top of Aasgard Pass.
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Enchantment (frozen) lakes. Glacial blue water with McClellan Peak in the shadowy distance. Snowy unnamed point in front of Little Annapurna.
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Backside of Dragontail. More blue – melted out lakes would’ve made for better photos, but still a nice range of terrain and color on this hike.
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Sledding hill with a hypothermic finish. Me gaitered up in front of frozen Isolation Lake and Dragontrail.
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I hopped around on the snow for about an hour, refueled on Clif shot bloks, then headed back toward the car.
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Ran into my mountain goat buddy again on the way down (he was munching his way back the pass). I stopped to take photos and after a couple minutes he moseyed over to a rock with a view to regurgitate and rechew his food. I sat on a rock about 30 feet away watching the food ripple up and down his throat and enjoying the shared view out over Colchuck Lake.
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Something succulent. Dodecatheon sp. (Shootingstar).
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Looking back at Aasgard. And looking back at Colchuck Pass.
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This is as good as my legs have felt on a hike in years. Weirdly little fatigue or lactic acid burn in the quads. Lovely day.