Preparing for Steven's Pass to Snoqualmie Pass hike (S2S)- 74.7 miles, 6.5 days

Tomorrow I leave for my first big solo backpacking trip. I've gone out alone for 3 days (as you can see from the earlier post from the LT Murray Wilderness), but this week I'll be out for six and a half days. At my dad's request, I'll post some details here that he and search and rescue team can use in case I get lost/killed/abducted/eaten/stranded.

Here is a description of the trail from the WTA...

http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/pacific-crest-trail-section-j-snoqualmie-pass-to-stevens-pass-east
Note: I'm doing this trail in the opposite direction as PCT hikers would, so I'm hiking from Steven's Pass to Snoqualmie Pass.

My contact person is my friend Heidi. She will be dropping me off at the trail, picking me up, and she knows this area about as well as I do.
Drop off: Tuesday (8/27) at Steven's Pass Ski Resort at approximately 4:00pm
Pick up: Monday (9/2) at Snoqualmie Pass at 2:00pm. I have a 9-mile hike out on Monday, so I should be at the car between 2 and 4pm.

Here is a link to maps of this hike (in PCT terms it's considered section J in Washington)
http://www.pctmap.net/iphone/wa_section_j_map.pdf
Don't forget that I'm hiking this backwards. It can make it a little confusing when looking at these maps.

I'll also include a visual map that I found and edited.

The Enchantments

I'm going to stop apologizing for my lack of motivation to write about my hikes. The pictures speak for themselves :)

There are two main entrances to the Enchantments, which is located in the Alpine Lakes wilderness and is often regarded as the most beautiful place in the Central Cascades. The first entrance is through Snow Lakes, which crosses 10 miles with 6000 feet of elevation gain. The second way into the Enchantments is through Colchuck Lake, which takes 6 miles with about 4400 feet of gain.

We hiked the Snow Lake route last year, so this year we decided to take the Colchuck Lake route. This route was much, much easier, but it did involve a final stretch of scrambling up 2300 in a single mile up Aasgard Pass.

Our first view of Colchuck Lake and Aasgard Pass in the background.

After about 5 miles in, we found our campsite on a little beach right below the pass. Matthew and I got there first and took the best site (right on the beach) and everyone else had to camp a little inland. Muahaha.

The weather was warm so we all took a dip (except for Matthew- typical).

That night we all sat on a giant rock and watched the sun go down.

The next morning, Matthew and I got up early to hike up Aasgard. Half the group chickened out or was to sore from the day before, so it was great to have Matthew to keep me motivated on the way up.

Almost at the top, that's Colchuck Lake below me.

 After reaching the top of Aasgard Pass, you find yourself on a relatively flat area on top of the surrounding mountains. The area is covered in beautiful lakes. Matthew and I sat for about an hour before heading back down.

Upper Enchantment Lakes. You can see all of the way out to central Washington in the distance.

That's all for now! Only 5 days until my first big solo trip!