Hiking Colchuck Peak in the Enchantments
Contents
Colchuck Peak Hike Information
Difficulty: Very Difficult
Distance: 20.30Km (12.60 Miles)
Elevation Gain: 1,665m (5,463 Ft.)
Highest Elevation: 2,654m (8,707 Ft.)
Average Gradient: 16.40%
Effort/Reward Ratio: Very High / Very High
Time Needed:
– Slow: 12 – 14 Hours
– Moderate: 10 – 12 Hours
– Fast: 9 – 10 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: No
Season: ~June to November
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: High Class 2 / Low 3 scramble from the col to the summit. Steep snow/glacier travel to reach the col.
Colchuck Peak Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 47°31’40.9″N 120°49’15.8″W
Colchuck Peak Overview
Along with Dragontail Peak, Colchuck Peak is one of the two distinct summits that hikers to Colchuck Lake will be in awe of, providing a jaw-dropping backdrop to the glacier fed lake. As one of the highest peaks in the Stuart Range, Colchuck Peak offers staggering views from the summit, and indeed for much of the hike to get there.
There are a number of climbing routes to Colchuck Peak, but by far the easiest route up is via Banshee Pass, also known as Colchuck Col. Most people will access Banshee Pass from Colchuck Glacier above the lake, with late spring and early summer the best time for ascending while snow still covers the glacier. As the summer progresses and the snow melts, the glacier transitions to bare ice, becoming a much more involved climb. The glacier itself is a rapidly receding glacier with few crevasses, so most parties don’t see the need to rope up. That being said, any glacier travel comes with inherent risk, so decide for yourself on your risk tolerance. You will of course need to bring crampons, an ice axe and a helmet for this ascent.
Once at Banshee Pass, the remainder of the route to the summit is a short, low exposure scramble (High Class 2 / Low Class 3) on a mixture of rock and dirt that most parties should be comfortable with. That being said, if you go early in the season this scramble can be snow covered, which makes it more challenging. There are a number of other routes up Colchuck, Summitpost describes them all here.
While Colchuck Peak is very much manageable as a day hike, it generally warrants a very early start as most parties will take between 10 – 12 hours round trip. Some parties will also continue on to Dragontail Peak via Pandora’s Box, which is a more technical route with a steep snow gully climb and more challenging scrambling. This would also add several more hours to the day.
While Colchuck Peak is an entirely manageable day hike, camping is also incredibly popular in the area, so some parties will do this as an overnight hike. In order to camp in the Enchantments, recreationalists must win the lottery for a camping reservation that is held on the Recreation.gov website. Entry requirements change from time to time, so best to research on their site how to apply.
Access to the Stuart / Colchuck Lake trailhead is 2WD friendly, requiring around a 15 minute drive on a bumpy FSR. The trailhead requires a Northwest Forest Pass to park your car, so ensure you buy one for your vehicle at both trailheads if you are taking more than one car.
The peak season for Colchuck Peak is usually late spring and early summer once the trail is snow free to the lake, but the glacier is still snow covered. This typically means late May through to early July as the best time to ascend for the easiest conditions, however some parties will go earlier (lots more snow on the approach and the scramble) and some will go later (glacier becomes bare ice and is more technical).
Dogs are not allowed anywhere in the Enchantments, so leave the pup at home.
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Is Colchuck Peak worthwhile?
Colchuck Peak is a massive summit in a truly breathtaking region, so this is bound to offer staggering views from the lake onwards. For many people, Colchuck and Dragontail are two of the finest climbs they will do in any given year. While both can be completed together for capable parties, Dragontail is much easier from the east rather than from the west (Banshee Pass) so some parties may prefer to climb it on a separate outing.
How difficult is the hike to Colchuck Peak?
Colchuck Peak is a big outing with 1,665m (5,463ft) of elevation gain. Most of that elevation gain (~1,000m) comes over just 2.5km once departing the lake. This is all on a mix of boulders, snow/glacier, and scrambling, making for a gruelling trip. Most parties will take 10 – 12 hours for Colchuck Peak round trip from the trailhead.
Technically this is less so a hike and more of a mountaineering trip, with off trail route finding, steep glacier travel and scrambling, so should only be attempted by capable parties. Timing this trip for the right conditions is also important as steep glacier travel obviously comes with inherent risk. There isn’t really any exposure anywhere along the trail, and the scrambling is mostly straightforward assuming the route from the pass is snow free.
Colchuck Peak Route Information
The trailhead for Colchuck Peak is from the Stuart/Colchuck Lake Trailhead, which is at the end of a rugged gravel road. This trailhead is incredibly popular and fills up quickly, so don’t be surprised to see vehicles parked a long way down the road. All vehicles should be fine to get there. You will need to purchase a Northwest Forest Pass to park your vehicle.
From the trailhead you’ll want to first fill out your day hike permit (assuming you’re not camping) and attach it to your pack. These can be found on an information board at the beginning of the trail.
The hike starts off on the Stuart Lake trail and is easy to follow. The initial couple of kilometers ascends gradually while following a simple trail adjacent to Mountaineer Creek. After around 2.3km (1.5 miles) you’ll cross a sturdy bridge over the creek.
Beyond the bridge the trail becomes more rugged with a brief climb away from the creek before mellowing out. Shortly ahead you’ll reach a trail junction where you’ll want to follow the signage to Colchuck Lake. You’ll now drop down towards another bridge over Mountaineer Creek that leads to a boulder field along the creek’s bank. Here you’ll need to hop across a few rocks while navigating your way through this jumbled boulder field.
Beyond the boulder field you’ll follow a series of switchbacks with several bluffy viewpoints popping up as you progress. Some of the views are simply of the valley you’ve hiked through, but as you near the lake you’ll begin seeing Colchuck and Dragontail Peak.
After one last push the trail will plateau before dropping down slightly towards the lake. After you pass by a toilet, keep an eye out for a trail to your left leading down towards the lake. This trail will lead down to a rocky outcropping offering majestic, jaw-dropping views of the lake with Dragontail and Colchuck Peak behind. This is a good place for your first break, offering insight into your route as the glacier will be visible from here.
Back on the trail you’ll now follow it along to the southern side of the lake. After around 1km you’ll reach another massive boulder field on the northern shores of the lake. This is the point at which you leave the trail and start self navigating towards the glacier. You can climb the boulder field any which way you prefer, but the linked GPX should work fine.
After ascending the boulder field for around 200m (656 Ft.) you should reach the snowline and a creek flowing from the glacier, however this is obviously conditions dependent and the snowline may be much higher (or lower). You should see a gravel rib running up the center of the valley, which you can keep right of, climbing a ramp up to the base of the glacier. At this point you should consider roping up, putting on crampons, taking out your ice axe and donning your helmet.
Once in the gully below Dragontail Peak and the northeast cliffs of Colchuck Peak it’s merely a matter of following it up to the col (Banshee Pass). Most parties will zigzag up the glacier rather than ascending straight up. Dragontail peak is known to shed rocks from its crumbly cliffs, so you may want to keep right of the glacier to reduce the risk of any falling onto you.
The glacier ascent is straightforward if it’s still snow covered, however if it’s bare ice you’ll absolutely need crampons and an ice axe to arrest any slip. Ascending to the pass will be around 550m (1,805 Ft.) of elevation from the base of the gravel rib to the top. The final part of the glacier is the steepest, though still easy enough to just zigzag up.
Once at Banshee Pass you can easily see the scramble up to the summit, and determine whether it is snow free. Some parties opt to leave their crampons/axes here if the route is snow free. You’ll also have pretty nice views to the south of Mount Rainier.
From the pass you’ll have around 100 meters (328 Ft.) of relatively straightforward, low exposure scrambling following a mostly obvious route. The linked GPX should work fine for a snow free ascent, but some parties opt to keep further left to the cliffs and stay on snow. At around 2,550m (8,366 Ft.) you’ll top out of the scramble and the final 100m (328 Ft.) or so will be a simple hike to the summit.
The summit views are staggering, with close up views of Mount Stuart, Sherpa Peak, Argonaut Peak, Dragontail Peak and plenty more. On a clear day you will see a number of volcanoes, namely Rainier, Baker, Glacier and Adams, which is a rarity. You’ll also see the entire Teanaway region, which looks mighty small from up here.
After resting up, enjoying the views and having some food, you simply return back the way you came. Descending the glacier should be easy enough, with some people opting to glissade sections in the right conditions. Once back at the lake it’s merely a case of plodding back out via the Colchuck Lake trail. This will be a little tedious after such a long day, as the trail is not the smoothest.
When should I hike Colchuck Peak?
The best time for Colchuck Peak is between late May and early July, when snow still covers the glacier but the approach to the lake is snow free. Mid to late June seems to be fairly ideal timing. Later in the summer the snow will thaw off the glacier, meaning a steep, icy ascent to the pass. If you’re happy going on bare ice you can summit Colchuck Peak all summer until the winter returns, likely in October/November.
Top Tip
Start very early, ideally around 4 – 5am. This will ensure firm conditions on the glacier ascent and provide plenty of daylight to get back out.
If you want an easier descent you can linger around at the summit to allow the snow to soften up once the sunlight hits the glacier. The glacier tends to be in the shadows until late morning due to being blocked by Dragontail, but after a couple of hours hitting the glacier the snow should soften up and possibly be suitable for glissading. If the snow is still firm, glissading is probably not advisable.
Some parties opt to combine Colchuck Peak with Dragontail Peak via Pandora’s Box from Banshee Pass. This is more involved, with a steep snow gully and trickier scrambling. Add at least 2.5 – 3 hours to your estimated time if you plan for Dragontail.
