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The Enchantment Lakes area is the official (and appropriate) name of a large area of spectacular mountains, lakes, forests and glaciers in the Cascade Mountains in western Washington. It belongs to the U.S. Forest Service and is part of the Okanogon-Wenatchee National Forest.

Just before this trip, I went on an incredible whale-watching tour in Puget Sound, where I saw 5 orcas, and various seals, dolphins and bald eagles.  See my photos on Facebook if you haven't already.

This adventure started in Leavenworth, WA, to pick up my permit.  The number of campers allowed in this area is very limited, to protect the ecology.  As a result, permits are hard to get and sell out months in advance.  I was very fortunate to get one.

Note:  You can enlarge any photo by clicking on it.

This is a very cute city done entirely in a Bavarian/Alpine theme.  They have really outdone themselves. Virtually every building is in this style, and all of the signs are wooden with script lettering.  There are no backlit or neon signs.  Even the national chains like Safeway or Starbucks have had to modify their logos to a style that fits in.

 The trail begins along the banks of the rushing Wenatchee River.  On Sunday I hiked a grueling 5.9 miles, gaining 3580 feet in elevation.

 Some parts of the trail were steep and rocky like this...

 ...while others were more level and went through lush forests.

 Sometimes the trail was nothing but rocks.

"Ground level" slowly disappeared from view, and I went through several different and fascinating ecosystems as I trekked higher and farther. 

Not only was the climb long and uphill, but the air got thinner as the altitude increased.  I got "out of breath" more easily and had to take some breaks.  This lovely stream provided a nice place to rest for a few minutes.

 This is just one of the many waterfalls I encountered during my trip.

When I reached Nada Lake I was exhausted, but it was worth all the effort!  This is where I set up camp.  Elevation 4880 feet.

Nada Lake

I have no idea why they named it "Nada," as this lake is definitely something!

I camped right by the lake.  This is what I woke up to each morning.

You can see a sort of geyser of water on the mountainside.  This is coming out of a 36-inch diameter pipe that transfers water from Snow Lake higher up.  This improves the water flow in Icicle Creek which feeds off the lake and ultimately helps support the state fish hatchery downstream.

This is driven simply by gravity.  There is no pump.  When the sun hits it at the right angle it has a rainbow effect.

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On Monday I hiked from my base camp at Nada Lake up to Snow Lake, 3.8 miles round trip with 520 feet of elevation gain.  Here is Nada Lake slowly disappearing from view.

Notice the other hikers along this trail.

Snow Lake

Snow Lake was equally beautiful.  Elevation 5400 feet.  There is actually snow on the mountains in the distance.

A dam made of native stone bisects Snow Lake into upper and lower sections and creates a beautiful scene as water cascades over the top.  Behind the dam is the intake for the 36 inch pipe that carries water down to Nada Lake.  The dam was built in the 1940s and is virtually the only manmade structure in the entire region.  There are no buildings, utilities, roads or communications in the area, and the only way to get here is on foot.  You have to bring everything you need with you, and carry it all back out, including your trash.  The "Leave No Trace" wilderness ethics are mandatory here.

The dam is actually part of the trail.  It serves as a bridge across the lake.

A logjam forms behind the dam.

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The water everywhere was just crystal clear.  This is the mountain spring water that costs lots of money in bottles.

Here I could just dip my water bottle any time I wanted some.  A great device called the Steripen sterilizes the water with ultraviolet light in just 2 minutes.  The water was always ice cold and delicious.

People come here for the atmosphere, but the food is excellent, too.

Here is my tent.  Note the mountain goat in the background, center.  I actually took the rainfly off at night so I could see the vast array of stars above me as I went to sleep.

This mountain goat and kid wandered around the campsite for about half an hour one night while I was cooking dinner.  They paid no attention to me or my food.

Bears, however, would be very interested in my food.  Like all campers in the area, I had to hang my food in a tree to keep it out of reach.

Bathrooms are clean and airy, and have great views.

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On Tuesday I hiked back up to Snow Lake and then beyond, a 7.8 mile round trip with 1520 feet of elevation gain.  There I reached the highest point of my trip, at 6400 feet.

Temperatures stayed in a comfortable 60's-70's range.  At night it dropped as low as 45 but quickly warmed up as soon as the sun came up.  I was cozy and warm in my down sleeping bag.

Throughout my trip, I saw a dizzying amount of spectacular scenery.  Around every turn was something that seemed even more incredible than the one before it, and the waterfalls always dazzled me the most.  

I lost count of how many waterfalls I saw.  

On Wednesday I packed up and hiked back to the trailhead, 5.9 miles.  It was all downhill, but difficult because every muscle was sore and tired.  At the end I had hiked a total of 23.4 miles and gained 5620 feet in elevation.

While driving back to Seattle, I couldn't resist stopping for a little more alpine wonder at Deception Falls, along the Tye River.  I don't know what is deceptive about these; they are spectacular!

Here the Tye River hits a wall of solid rock and abruptly turns 90 degrees, a very unusual but natural formation.

And that concludes an incredible trip!
I can't wait until next year!