Logistics for climbing in the Stuart Enchantments

Hey guys. Im looking for some beta/recommendations when it comes to climbing in the range. Im hoping to climb up at Colchuck, Aassgard pass, and Mt. Stuart, etc. Logistically it would make the most sense to be able to camp up there but It looks like scoring a permit would be near impossible. Im open for mega day trips and climbing fast but doesn't seem sustainable for the long run. Thoughts?

C2c trips are doable, but take a lot out of you. Stuart will be outside the enchantment zones if you come from the south. Otherwise just check recreation.gov and try to snatch an online walk up permit. I haven’t tried for leavy, but I’ve been having decent luck with grabbing sierras permits.

“The walk-up lottery at the Leavenworth Ranger Station is suspended for the 2020 season. Permits will be randomly distributed online on a weekly basis.”

You can also hike all of your stuff up Aasgard pass and then up again to the backside of Dragontail Peak.  Once you get over that upper col and onto the true south side of Dragontail Peak you can find some level(ish) benches to setup a tent outside the permit zone.  We did this a couple years ago when we climbed Acid Baby one day and then Prusik Peak the next day.  But that is a LONG way up to hump all your gear.  I have also done a couple days back to back of C2C missions and that gets exhausting as well.  I would definitely try for a walk-up lottery permit.

Currently the parking situation at the trailhead for Colchuck, Asgard, and Stuart is a serious problem. Colchuck lake has became a massive tourist draw and people come from far away just to hike up there and snap some pics for their gram.

The local forest service has tried to limit day use by restricting parking to the lot and prohibiting parking along the forest service road. I think they've had varying degrees of success with this but ultimately in the post-Covid19 era that we live in, people are accustomed to ignoring "Closed" signs that have been erected at recreation sites so last I heard it was a total cluster up at the parking area.

This may put a damper on any car to car goals since the crux may be finding a parking spot.
If you are stoked, I suggest investing in Blake's book Cascades Rock (although I just found it on Amazon and it's going for $900).
An alternative to the enchantments zone would be to hit up Washington Pass and check out many of the classics in that part of the range. Ample camping, parking, and less hiking.

Mt Stuart would best be approached by Ingall Lake TH which is outside of Cle Elm.  You can approach it from the Enchantments but that is usually in early season (I believe).   Most objectives can be done C2C but like most comments - it is a haul. Try the "walk-up" permit which right now is done online due to COVID/staffing.  Most of the time the crux of these trips into the Enchantments is just getting a permit.  If you can't obtain one, I'd suggest Washington Pass.  In my opinion, besides Mt Stuart, it is my favorite area in the Cascades.  Climb the Wine Spires or anything at the Pass, go get some food in Mazama/Winthrop and camp for free by a river ... nothing better!

For the Cascades Rock guidebook, buy directly from the man for the normal price and let him keep the profits! blakeclimbs.blogspot.com/p/…;

Bring bug spray.  Got 50+ mosquito bites on Tuesday during my hike out, ended up wearing my hardshell in the sun. It's been an itchy week.

Day trips are the way to go. IMO it's more work to haul overnight gear up and down than just going light and fast. It's also a PITA to get a permit. This works best for single objectives, but if you wanted to do multiple routes it may be worth camping.

Turner wrote: You can camp around the base of Stuart without a permit. The "Big Rock" in the northern moraine field is the boundary. 

Bingo!

Rick Atherton wrote: C2c trips are doable, but take a lot out of you. Stuart will be outside the enchantment zones if you come from the south. Otherwise just check recreation.gov and try to snatch an online walk up permit. I haven’t tried for leavy, but I’ve been having decent luck with grabbing sierras permits.

“The walk-up lottery at the Leavenworth Ranger Station is suspended for the 2020 season. Permits will be randomly distributed online on a weekly basis.”

Does anyone know how this online walk-up permit process actually works? I couldn't figure it out after spending sometime on the recreation.gov site. 

Chris, you're right that it's confusing.  There is lots of permit info here:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/okawen/passes-permits  
but when I went to recreation.gov for online walkups it directed me back to the page above   
Maybe the Wenatchee River ranger Station can sort it out:  (509) 548-2550

A camp at Colchuk or the upper lakes would be awesome for Dragontail, Aasgard, Prusik, and others, but I've always done C2C there to avoid permit issues and maintain schedule flexibility. The cool morning approaches are fine, but the steep knee-jarring de-proaches seem to wear on me.
There are a ton of bivy options for Stuart. One reasonable option for a snow free late season northern approach is to descend by going up and over Sherpa Peak (up to brief 5.7) then class 2 hike and shwack down from the next col to Mountaineer Creek. Coming from the south seems less painful. If camping near the base, this requires a 500 ft re-gain. A northern camp does not make sense for linking the Stuart and Colchuk areas - the approaches diverge an hour hike from the car.

tanner jones wrote:  
If you are stoked, I suggest investing in Blake's book Cascades Rock (although I just found it on Amazon and it's going for $900).

That seems overpriced by at least 50%.

I sell it for $39.

Zach Turner wrote: You can camp around the base of Stuart without a permit. The "Big Rock" in the northern moraine field is the boundary. 

Where's this info coming from? Are there other similar bivy options within other zones?

Hans Webster wrote:

Where's this info coming from? Are there other similar bivy options within other zones?

Just look at a map of the permit area boundaries. LINK

The lottery for enchantment permits just opened the other day and open until Mar 1. https://www.recreation.gov/permits/233273

Walk up permits suspended for 2021 as well, so lottery is your only chance to get a permit