TreeHugger
08-07-2006, 10:47 AM
Well, it's not Utah, but it was an amazing trip! Here is a little write up, and a handful of photos to peak your interest. If you are interested in more photos you can find them here: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/kmillar62/album?.dir=c6f7re2&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos
Enchantment Lakes
We had an amazing trip to Washington, July 23-31! We started out with a long, but beautiful road trip through Idaho to end up in Leavenworth, WA. As we drove we marveled at the expanse of farmland, simple but so pretty! We couldnt help but stop and take a few photos! We followed some amazing rivers all along the drive which was really nice. HOT. It was 106 and even 111 in Boise depending on the particular spot you were standing in! When we reached Leavenworth, it was around 102! We enjoyed the little town, which is fashioned to look like a Swiss village and strolled around taking it easy before our big hike the next day. The next morning we woke bright and early and hit the trail about 8 am. It was perfect as it was still cool and shady. The hike was long and steep, but incredibly beautiful! We had to go just under 7 miles to our camp. We hiked through some areas where a fire had burned out the trees and left blackened poles. This allowed enough sunlight through to grow the underbrush and flowers very nicely. The hike then went through some green, lush forest and then onto some rocky, scree areas. We finally got to a great camping spot and dropped our hugely heavy packs with a sigh. Rich's pack was about 75 pounds and mine, about 45. Too much!! Well, Rich was carrying two bottles of wine, two cameras and gear, and a day pack among the normal necessary gear!
The next day we hiked up to the Lakes. It was a relatively short hike but very technical and steep - very fun!! Climbing over boulders and rocks and in and out of forest and among many waterfalls. The water was everywhere - creeks, falls, etc. Very very nice. We finally get to the Enchantment Lakes area. WOW. We came to one lake, then another, then another.... each one more remote and more beautiful (if that were even possible!) then the one before it. It is really hard to describe the area, other than to say "enchanting" as it's name implies. We were in constant awe at the majesty and beauty of the place. The pictures, of course, cant even do it justice because they are just snapshots of sections, imagine putting all those sections together in one big area and that's what it is like. Water everywhere, snow, hugh craggy peaks, and wildflowers. We hiked around for six hours that day, not wanting to leave.
We headed down the next day, that was brutal. Our heavy packs took their toll on our legs and back on the long descent - going down is always worse then going up! Add to that, the heat... as we got lower and lower it got hotter and hotter to about 100 degrees toward the end. Well, we did make it, of course and look forward to doing it again. Next time, one night at Snow Lake, and then two nights in the Enchantments. Perfect.
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W10.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W16.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W18.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W21.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W30.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W34.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W37.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W46.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W47.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W51.jpg
Enchantment Lakes
We had an amazing trip to Washington, July 23-31! We started out with a long, but beautiful road trip through Idaho to end up in Leavenworth, WA. As we drove we marveled at the expanse of farmland, simple but so pretty! We couldnt help but stop and take a few photos! We followed some amazing rivers all along the drive which was really nice. HOT. It was 106 and even 111 in Boise depending on the particular spot you were standing in! When we reached Leavenworth, it was around 102! We enjoyed the little town, which is fashioned to look like a Swiss village and strolled around taking it easy before our big hike the next day. The next morning we woke bright and early and hit the trail about 8 am. It was perfect as it was still cool and shady. The hike was long and steep, but incredibly beautiful! We had to go just under 7 miles to our camp. We hiked through some areas where a fire had burned out the trees and left blackened poles. This allowed enough sunlight through to grow the underbrush and flowers very nicely. The hike then went through some green, lush forest and then onto some rocky, scree areas. We finally got to a great camping spot and dropped our hugely heavy packs with a sigh. Rich's pack was about 75 pounds and mine, about 45. Too much!! Well, Rich was carrying two bottles of wine, two cameras and gear, and a day pack among the normal necessary gear!
The next day we hiked up to the Lakes. It was a relatively short hike but very technical and steep - very fun!! Climbing over boulders and rocks and in and out of forest and among many waterfalls. The water was everywhere - creeks, falls, etc. Very very nice. We finally get to the Enchantment Lakes area. WOW. We came to one lake, then another, then another.... each one more remote and more beautiful (if that were even possible!) then the one before it. It is really hard to describe the area, other than to say "enchanting" as it's name implies. We were in constant awe at the majesty and beauty of the place. The pictures, of course, cant even do it justice because they are just snapshots of sections, imagine putting all those sections together in one big area and that's what it is like. Water everywhere, snow, hugh craggy peaks, and wildflowers. We hiked around for six hours that day, not wanting to leave.
We headed down the next day, that was brutal. Our heavy packs took their toll on our legs and back on the long descent - going down is always worse then going up! Add to that, the heat... as we got lower and lower it got hotter and hotter to about 100 degrees toward the end. Well, we did make it, of course and look forward to doing it again. Next time, one night at Snow Lake, and then two nights in the Enchantments. Perfect.
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W10.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W16.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W18.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W21.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W30.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W34.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W37.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W46.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W47.jpg
http://www.megalungmtnfreaks.com/images/W51.jpg