Hiking, kayaking, biking, skiing, camping, hunting and other outdoor activities. Show me your pictures

#1,079
#1,079
Tin Man said:
Once, I was an avid hiker and going above the tree line in the rockies was a high point. Alas, my knees cannot take it anymore. Haven’t been up a mountain since the mid 90s.
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I loved going above treeline. That's when you start really noticing all the little plants, the delicate little flowers and all.

Here the mountains are lovely, but much of them classify as temperate rain forest. A whole 'nother thing. Pack your poncho!
 
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#1,087
#1,087
BartW said:
Hoi fellow Hollander! I’m happy to share my tips. What time of year are you coming? There’s lots of great backpacking with less restrictive or no permit system that I can suggest too. Here is info on the Enchantments hike and permits.

We started our journey at the Lake Stuart trailhead and made it a one-way trip to the Snow Lakes trailhead. This requires coordinating with a second car or shuttle, hitchhiking between trailheads, or an extra 8 mile road walk. I’ve also stashed bikes at the Lake Stuart TH and drove back to start at Snow Lakes, so we could coast the 8 miles back to the car after hiking one way from the Snow Lakes side to Lake Stuart TH. To reach the top of Aasgard Pass and the upper Enchantments from the Lake Stuart TH is about 6 miles and 4500’ elevation gain, including a pretty rough 2000’ in ¾ mile climbing the pass itself. From the Snow Lakes side it’s a total of 6500’ gain but more mileage (10 miles and 5500’ before you’re up in the core). Still scrambly sections coming from Snow but not as rough as Aasgard with a pack. You can also hike this as an out-and-back from either trailhead. Or if you’re fit you can get an early start and run/hike it all in a day with a light pack. If you’re day-hiking you only need to fill out a free self-issued permit at the trailhead. The competitive permits are only for overnight camping (for now anyway...).

For the Enchantments the primary way to get camping permits is through an annual lottery on recreation.gov. But it’s very competitive. Every person in your party can submit an entry though so if you have a decent sized party one of you may win the lottery for the entire group. I participate some years but have never won this lottery. I consider it a donation to the forest service.

There are also a number of permits reserved for a walk-up in-person lottery every morning at the ranger station. During covid the “walk-up” permits were released online weekly at a random time on Sundays and I got one that way. If you do try the lottery at the ranger station, I would wait at the back of the line to submit my location request last. That way you can see which zone everyone else is applying to and try to get one with less competition.

The best way to get a permit for next year (the system I finally nailed down this year) is to create an account on recreation.gov and be online April 1 7am PST looking at the available permits. All the permits that go unclaimed from the initial lottery are all released back to the system simultaneously at this time. If you’re scrolling through the dates you’ll see it suddenly go from zero availability to numerous permits. But you have to click fast – they all disappear in about a minute! Some permits may also randomly show up throughout the year as people cancel. It doesn’t hurt to check the website now and then.

Late June is about as early in the year as I’d want to camp there. Prime season is August-September. Although if the weather cooperates, roughly the second or third week of October is an absolutely magical time to make this trip as the larches turn colors (aka the larch march). It’s also right at the end of permit season so you’re more likely to find them available. From my previous trip -

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Bart I missed this post somehow. We haven't been able to make it out there yet. I appreciate the information, we are looking to go sometime next fall. Thanks again.
 
#1,090
#1,090
GroverCleveland said:
@UT_Dutchman

Heading to Europe this fall. Planning on going to Arnhem after a river cruise. Any advice/suggestions?
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Are you cruising the Rhine? There are so many museums in that area, they have odd names , but the bridge museum and the Koller something are very good. There is also a great Cafe called Stations.
 
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