Enchantments Traverse
Cascades, WA
Elevation Profile
Current Conditions
Bottom Line
Rain and snow through Tuesday with 95% precip probability — you're going to get wet and cold at elevation. The traverse is doable but commit to an early start each day: sunset at 4:34 PM leaves almost no margin for route-finding delays in the alpine zone. Stream flow data for this trip is coming from California gauges (not relevant to the Enchantments) — treat crossings as unknown and scout everything.
44°/34°F · Rain And Snow
No Rating (0/5)
0" depth
Elevated flows · 5 gauges
No active fires within 50 miles
9h 33m daylight · Sunrise 7:01 AM · Sunset 4:34 PM
Full Briefing
The forecast is the main story here. Tonight through Tuesday you're looking at rain and snow with 75-95% precip probability and temps in the 34-44°F range — classic Cascades November misery window. At the elevation of the core Enchantments (7,000-7,800 ft), tonight's 34°F low means that precipitation is likely falling as snow. Expect accumulation on the traverse and potentially on Asgaard Pass. Tuesday improves slightly by evening (62% precip, trending toward mostly cloudy overnight), and Wednesday and Thursday look clear and calm — 44°F highs with 1-2 mph winds. If you can gut out the first two days, the back half of the trip is likely excellent.
Snowpack data from nearby SNOTEL stations shows essentially zero snow depth at the stations that reported (Annie Springs at 6,021 ft has just 1 inch). That said, any new snow falling on the traverse tonight and Tuesday is falling onto bare or near-bare ground — it won't bond to an existing snowpack, so early accumulation may be unconsolidated and slippery on steep terrain. Asgaard Pass and the upper traverse will be the highest-consequence zones. No avalanche rating is in effect yet for the season, and the NWAC discussion is a standard early-season advisory to watch for signs of instability. With this little base, slab risk is negligible — the concern is simply footing on fresh snow over rock.
Daylight is the other non-negotiable constraint. You have 9 hours 33 minutes of usable light, with sunset at 4:34 PM. That's a hard stop. The Enchantments Traverse is not a place to be route-finding after dark in November — the talus in the core zone is brutal without visibility. Plan to be established at camp no later than 3:30 PM each day. That means early starts (7:00-7:30 AM off the trailhead) are mandatory, not optional. On Tuesday specifically, the combination of low visibility from active precip and compressed daylight makes the traverse through the core zone the highest-risk window of the whole trip.
Stream flow data returned in this briefing is from California gauges and is not applicable to the Enchantments area — disregard those numbers entirely. Icicle Creek and outlet crossings in the basin after snowmelt and fall rain can be meaningful; scout each crossing and have a bailout plan. No active fires within 50 miles, air quality is not a concern. If the weather holds through Tuesday evening as forecast, Wednesday and Thursday will be cold, calm, and clear — the kind of late-season Enchantments day most people never see.
Waypoints
Stuart Lake Trailhead
Start from the Stuart Lake trailhead off Icicle Creek Road.
3,445 ft
Colchuck Lake
Stunning turquoise alpine lake. Camping available with permit.
5,151 ft
Aasgard Pass
Brutal 2,000-ft talus scramble. The crux of the traverse.
7,700 ft
Core Enchantments Zone
The heart of the Enchantments. Lakes Viviane, Leprechaun, and Sprite.
7,218 ft
Snow Lakes Trailhead
Long descent to the Snow Lakes trailhead. Arrange car shuttle.
1,798 ft
Route Details
Distance
18.0 mi
Elevation Gain
6,801 ft
Elevation Loss
7,799 ft
Max Elevation
7,700 ft
Estimated Days
2
Trailhead
Stuart Lake Trailhead
Best Season
July through early October. Larch color in late September is spectacular.
Permit Required
Overnight permits through lottery at recreation.gov. Apply in February-March. Day use does not require permit.
About This Route
The Enchantments is a stunning alpine area in Washington's Alpine Lakes Wilderness, featuring crystal-clear lakes set among golden larch trees and granite peaks. The through-hike from Stuart Lake to Snow Lakes is one of the most sought-after overnight trips in the Pacific Northwest. The core zone contains over a dozen named lakes, each more beautiful than the last, connected by granite slabs and alpine meadows. In late September, the larch trees turn golden, creating one of the most photographed landscapes in Washington. The traverse crosses Aasgard Pass, a grueling 2,000-foot climb up loose talus. Overnight permits are extremely competitive—the lottery typically has a 2-5% success rate. Day hikers can do the traverse as a long day (18 miles, 4,500 feet of gain), but it requires starting before dawn. The terrain is rugged and exposed with limited water sources in the upper zone.
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