Route:  Enchantments/Winter approach via Snow Creek
Climbed:  February 1998


Approach: We had snow from trail head.  Started out about 8:30AM.
Following trail was easy till about 1/2 or 3/4 miles before bridge
crossing.  Here the trail traverses high above open talus slopes,
below cliff faces then traverses flat to bridge crossing.  We failed
to follow trail up, crossed creek too early, and got into some steep
sections on the west side of creek, but were able to rejoin tail
shortly beyond bridge.  

Slopes going up to Nada lake and above Nada lake have significant
avalanche hazard.  

We camped at the outlet of upper snow lake and were able to take
running water from the outlet stream.  Made camp about 4:00 PM.

Upper basin can be reached by crossing Snow Lake.  From the inlet
stream we ascended steep slopes to right (N) to shelf then traversed
that.  This was generally open and easy travel.  The initial slopes up
to the shelf were quite exposed to avalanche hazard but beyond that
route seemed fairly safe.  A safer route would be to say in valley
floor.  If the trail can be found it will provide easy travel through
the sometimes thick trees.  Don't follow trail up to upper basing as
it crosses some more avalanches slopes.  Instead, climb the west end
valley headwall, which I believe has lower avalanche hazard.  There
are some open slopes but much of the route can be done in open-treed
ridge crests.  

Travel in upper basin is easy and it is generally possible to avoid
large avalanche slopes and stay on moderate slopes or ridge lines.
Snow is likely to be wind blasted.

We summited Little Annapurna and returned to camp well before dark.  On
the way down we took the valley floor route but did not find the trail
and found the travel through the thick trees to be tedious.  

From snow lake to the trail head is about a half day.





[Route description written by Tom Unger]