The first 20 miles are on a paved road (Icicle Creek Road), but after you take a left into the Bridge Creek Campground area, the road turns to dirt, which is National Forest Road 7601. In summer, cars fill not only the trailhead parking lot, but the road leading to it. Total time 11 hours C2C. Parking for about 20-30 cars and a toilet are available in the lot. Approach. To find the trail from Leavenworth, take US2 from the western side of Leavenworth. With snow cover on the glacier, it is an easy 3 to 4 hour undertaking from a camp at Colchuck Lake, or can be done in a day from the trailhead. 4.5 miles with 2,300 ft. elevation gain Starting at the Stuart Lake trailhead, we hiked in to our campsite at Colchuck Lake. Contributions to WTA are tax deductible, and we are committed to making the best use of every donation to our mission. Occasional breaks in the trees offer glimpses of the steep walls of the valley. This is a compacted dirt and gravel road that is suitable for standard cars. The last pic shows the road condition just below the upper TH. Please remember there are people with different skill levels and athletic ability. Cross the creek on a bridge and the next mile begins to ascend a little more steeply. My advice - aggressive microspikes and poles at a minimum. Colchuck Lake used to be a hidden gem but is now quickly gaining in popularity. Hiking to Colchuck Lake The hike to Colchuck Lake begins at the Stuart Lake trailhead (no. Looking forward to hiking this again next summer! The view of the lake is definitely worth it. Conditions were good - no wind, no precip, decent visibility - could see all the peaks but clouds obfuscated the sun. Stuart Lake and Colchuck Lake share the same trail for about 2 miles. Reach Colchuck Lake as per the main page. This glacier melt lake is a tucked away gem within with the Enchantments trail. Saw many people fall, good hiking shoes recommended. While the final ascent to the lake is steep and rough in places, Colchuck’s overall elevation gain of 2,300 feet makes its spectacular scenery accessible to hikers of almost any ability. Different, but still very beautiful and quiet. Leavenworth is quirky little town filled with Bavarian facades—very touristy. The trail continues past Colchuck Luck up Aasgard Pass to the Enchantment Lakes if you choose to extend your hike. Please note that it's a heavily ticketed and towed area so be sure to park properly. The road was frozen and slick in the AM, and a Ford Pickup was in the ditch past the lower TH. 3.9 miles | 5,570' - 3,440' | 2,130' net elevation loss. Douglas S. Squirrel on Colchuck Lake The land is public and everyone can use it, but the improvements to it are classified differently. Some people enjoy a fast hike and some slow. The trail gradually climbs through forest along Mountaineer Creek and crosses creek at 1.5 miles on a log bridge. At first, the trail switchbacks gently, but the closer it gets to the lake, the steeper and rockier it gets. Park at the Stuart Lake trailhead. Carried axes and some MSR snowshoes just for extra weight. Seattle, WA 98104. There are beautiful views of the lake -- with Dragontail Peak and Colchuck Peak rising 3,000 feet above south end of lake. A magical day. Parking is only allowed in the Eightmile and Stuart/Colchuck Trailhead Parking Lots. While the final ascent to the lake is steep and rough in places, Colchucks overall elevation gain of 2,300 feet makes its spectacular scenery accessible to hikers of almost any ability. Northwest Forest Pass required. From the junction, it is 1.6 miles to Colchuck Lake. The incline is challenging and walking poles are helpful. The junction of the Stuart Lake and Colchuck Lake trails is about 2.5 miles from the trailhead. My friend Austin and I reached the Stuart Lake Trailhead around 10:30/11:00 PM on Monday night. www.nimitpatel.com. Subscribe to our free email newsletter for hiking events, news, gear reviews and more. I hit the start of this at 3:30 in the am, so most of my hike was done in the dark with headlamps. We had the place to ourselves most of the day until a trio of snowshoes passed us by on the way to the lake, turning around however as they were at their turnaround point. This is truly a brutal trek with 4,500 feet gain and 6,500 feet descent on not so easy terrain. Part of its magic was induced by hiking in 102 degree heat. The lake was completely snow covered, frozen and arctic-like. We ended up snowshoeing down with the last 6 miles in the dark with the moon illuminating the snow here and there. The summer route had a single summit when we got to the top, and about 5 of us took the route down. I slept in the back of his truck in the open and, notably, cold air. I've heard it's a 9 mile round trip hike. Good tracks and boot steps were left, and about 6 people were on the way up as we descended, so I expect both routes prior to new snowfall will be in very good condition - very firm bootpack. The winter route is in super condition. You can improve or add to this guidebook entry, Washington Trails Association On July 2nd we headed to Colchuck Lake near Leavenworth. Take a left onto Forest Road 7601. There is only one trailhead for both hikes. Begin on the Stuart La… A short distance later you near the creek again, but here its waters turn suddenly glassy smooth; a nice spot for a meditative pause before starting to climb once again. Hiked in: Saturday, October 5, 2019 Colchuck Lake + Upper Enchantments Alpine Lakes Wilderness Roundtrip: ~16 miles Highest pt: 7,841 ft Elevation gain: 4,300 ft Ah, October… the perfect fall hiking conditions for dramatic yellow larches, super comfortable trekking temperatures and a high prob I went past the TH to Washington, and the hairpin turn to the upper TH prior to turning around as my hiking partner did not like the road conditions. And all this is within relatively easy reach. A little slower of a start than we anticipated, but early enough not to fret. I was stoked to hike to see Colchuck for myself and I dragged my family members with me. After the bridge the trail begins to climb, switchbacking its way up to a junction at 2.5 miles. We opted for summer climbing boots and 12 points. Enjoy the scenery and stop bitchin ladies! I used one hiking pole which with the spikes made the hike a lot better. A northwest forest pass is required. 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