Colchuck Lake, Enchantment mtns
Today i want to share a little about Colchuck lake. the lake sits at 5,570 ft elevation. the water is a brilliant turqouis color with many trees around it and steep rugged rock ledges. The glacier is slowly dissapearing behind lake. it use to be mostly covered with glacier. The trail to get there requires a day pass or you can get a camping pass which is obtained only by drawing. it has become very popular. the trail is a round trip of 9 miles in and out. It is a rugged chalenging extreme trail with lots of boulders and tree roots to hike through and is a steep climb all the way there. the elevation gain on trail from the junction of stuart lake is approxamately 4000 ft in 2.5 miles. It requires a person to be in pretty fair shape physically. But i have taken some older fellas up that are in their 70s and they do fine. If you take your time id say any one could make this in a full day to hike in and out. im not possitive of that but i thing thats pretty close. the descent down to the lake is a jaw dropping view of colchuck lake. a place you can fish, camp in some great sites. and by sites i mean it hasnt been developed like other campgrounds are, in fact its not a camp ground, its a nice level smooth rugged natural dirt site wioth a few places to set up camp. The wildlife there is amazing in itself if you get the chance to see any. From mtn goats to mule deer, to whisky jack camp robber bird. it is an exciting venture every time. because of elevation the camping and hiking season is much shorter than most places. snow doesnt leave till sometime in late May. The name of the lake is likely coined by Bill and Peggy Stark, who explored the enchantments extenesively in the mid 20th century and who gave nordicmythological names to many of the lakes previously named by A.H.Sylvester a topographer in the early 1900s. see you next week with an adventure in Quincy Wa.
