An early start: Hiking the Enchantments Day 2

I wake up around 6 a.m. on my mostly empty sleeping pad. What a terrible night’s sleep. I had to refill the pad every hour or two to get through the night, so I only slept briefly.

I spend most of my first waking hour trying to locate the leak in my pad. It’s slow enough that you can’t hear or feel it, but fast enough that it significantly affects my sleep – the worst combination. I stare at Perfection Lake with bleary eyes, contemplating my decisions. I can’t experience a night like that again. I have the necessary items to repair the leak, but that includes locating it. Since there are many lakes in the area, I could use water to see where air is bubbling, but I’ve never had success with this technique. After a physically demanding day yesterday and a bad night’s sleep, I only have enough energy to do one of two things:

• Spend the morning at a lake finding and repairing the leak
  OR
• Hike the 11-12 miles back with more than 6,000 feet of elevation gain

Due to the nature of the leak, I think it is unlikely that I will have good success in finding water leaks. Do that and then Hiking out would be too much and would lead to injuries on the steep descent. I don’t want to waste my one day fixing a leak in a sleeping pad. And I can’t sleep on the bare floor another night.

Looks like I’m going hiking today.

The reluctant farewell

As I slowly start to pack, I do hiker calculations in my head. It’s about 11-12 miles to my car, depending on which source I believe. 2-3 of the first few miles are mostly flat and through the core, but then the descent begins in earnest. The first part of the descent to Lake Viviane and then to the Snow Lakes will be steep and difficult.

I’ve hiked a lot, but have never descended 6,000 feet in a day. I’m not sure how this will affect me and/or slow me down. When I get back to the car, I have to drive two hours to get home. Sigh. I should start hiking now.

I decide to hike about a mile to Leprechaun Lake, a highlight of the core, and have breakfast there. This will give me a comfortable break in the core before I descend in earnest. I pack up quickly and start the hike at 8 a.m.

View from my campsite of the other end of Perfection Lake. Crystal Lake is accessed through this outlet and below.

Adorable, indeed

In the morning light it is easy to see how this area was named. The lakes, mystical white rocks and enchanting larches give this area something magical. It’s beautiful and ethereal.

Back on the path, I first walk around Inspiration Lake. If Perfection Lake lives up to its name, Inspiration does even more. The reflection is scary. I can barely tell where the creamy stones end and the water begins.

Lake of inspiration

The trail winds back to Perfection Lake, this time on the other side. When you look at the entire lake from this angle, you really feel like you are in a fairy tale. White stones, curling clouds, still water – this area is breathtaking.

Rounding Perfection Lake.

Soon I find myself heading over and past Sprite Lake to the lower core and Leprechaun Lake. (The whimsical names of the lakes really highlight the spirit of Enchantments for me.)

Sprite Lake

Arriving at Leprechaun Lake, I stop on a ledge to filter water and have breakfast. I can finally tolerate the delicious donut that I couldn’t eat yesterday. In fact, I can’t help but notice how normal my stomach feels. Having been upset for so long makes you feel normal, like a weight has been lifted off your shoulder.

This confirms it: yesterday’s stomach problems were definitely fears. Now that the stressful first day of the trip is over, my nerves are gone. I have the concentration that I absolutely have to get through today and that I will absolutely need.

Leprechaun Lake from my breakfast spot.

‘Path’

As I exit Leprechaun Lake I really get a feel for what awaits me. There are moments when I can’t imagine where a path is while walking around the lake. Then I see a pile of stones in an impossible place. And it’s just the beginning.

Lake Viviane from above

I follow a pile of rocks around a bend to see the path drop off a cliff.

How is there a way here? For the hundredth time since I arrived at the core, I think to myself: Should there even be people here? It’s really amazing that we found a way.

This part of the descent takes me down granite slabs and rocky stairs until I reach and cross the outlet of Lake Viviane. From here, the Viviane Falls plunge several hundred meters into the depths and ultimately lead to the Snow Lakes below. They will be my first break from this descent.

The beginning of the descent. The rebar is supposed to help, I guess? The upper and lower snow lakes can be seen in the distance.

Cairn to Cairn to Cairn

The descent to Snow Lakes is only 1.3 miles but loses over 1300 feet of elevation. Most of it runs over steep granite slabs. I’m very grateful that I started yesterday with fresh trail runners – grippy tread is absolutely necessary to maintain traction over these rock faces.

I also made sure to use the heel lock lacing technique this morning, which prevents my toes from hitting the front of my shoes. They still slip a little in my shoes, but I know it could be a lot worse. I wish I had had the foresight to grab the rubber tips of my trekking poles – that would be helpful so they could grip the rock a little better.

May the cairns show you the way

It takes me well over an hour to complete the 2.1 kilometer hike from Lake Viviane. Since I’m alone, I handle it carefully and don’t regret anything. But when I got to the lakes, I was never happier to see flat trails. The trail winds quickly around Upper Snow Lake and I pass four abbey. Apparently this is a popular area for camping.

The Snow Lakes are man-made lakes, and Upper Snow shows this clearly. It feels worlds different than the wonderland I was in this morning. I immediately understand why the core is the most sought after area.

The dam between upper and lower Snow Lakes. Hikers cross this as part of the trail. During spring runoff, water may cover the dam.

Nada

The easy hike around Snow was a nice break, but now begins another steep descent to Lake Nada. Luckily these are not granite slabs. Just lots of loose rock, steep ground, and an extremely loud and powerful man-made waterfall gushing out of a pipe beneath lower Snow Lake. I couldn’t get a good picture of it, but it sounded like a jet engine taking off.

However, the path soon calms down and I find myself in a beautiful spot for lunch at Lake Nada. While Snow Lakes seemed too artificial for my taste, Nada is a beautiful deep teal and makes for a peaceful lunch. (The lack of sleep and the big descent caught up with me at this point, so I never took a photo.)

I’m seriously considering setting up my tent and staying there, fixing my sleeping pad and staying overnight, but the area where I eat lunch says “Day Use Only”. The campsites nearby are not nearly as nice.

I decide to move on and look at the stats in front of me. I have already hiked over 6 miles with 2700 feet of descent. However, the majority of my descent still lies ahead of me.

I still have over 5 miles and 3700 feet of loss to go.

My toes twitch as I realize the stats are still left. You are already sensitive from descending steep granite slabs. Good thoughts for my knees I guess – my left knee has been known to start clicking audibly on long descents.

Most of the remaining hike is steep and rocky and full of switchbacks. At some point I slip on a loose rock and land directly on my elbow. I can tell straight away that it’s going to bruise, but I’m glad I’m not hurt any worse. The fall means fatigue is setting in, so I have to concentrate.

I stop for water and take a final break 2.5 miles from the end. I’m glad I did because the last 2 miles are out of the trees and in direct, hot sunlight. I would have completely run out of water if I hadn’t stopped to refill it.

With a mile to go I can see my car shimmering in the parking lot. I had been warned that this would happen, so I was actually looking forward to this milestone. The last mile is a soulless climb up about 20 switchbacks that gets closer and closer to the cars. This Strava segment is called “20 Switchbacks of Disillusionment,” which feels completely right.

Another shot of Snow Lakes from above.

I end up getting back to my car in time to enjoy my surroundings. Just this morning I was in a beautiful fairytale land and now I’m surrounded by dusty cars and smelly porta-potties. My first reaction is disappointment at the enchantments themselves and questioning whether they really live up to the hype. In hindsight, I know it was frustration stemming from a long, hard, unwanted hike.

The Enchantment Core Zone is a beautiful area. I can’t wait to go again and have learned lessons that will make my next trip even better. (More on these lessons coming soon!)

The floor of my tent. Oh, that’s why my sleeping pad leaked. More to come…