Trip Date: June 9-10, 2001
The Enchantment Temple Climbing Attempt
Snow Creek Valley
Nada Lake
Temple Canyon
Tamarack Saddle
Temple Notch
The Enchantment Temple aka The Temple (8292/8290 ft) attempt
Trip Report Summary
Region: Central Washington Cascades
Sub-Region: Icicle Mountains
Area: Alpine Lakes Wilderness
Starting & Ending Point: Snow Lakes Trailhead on Icicle Creek Road (Elev. 1350 feet)
Way Points: Icicle Creek Bridge & Snow Creek & Nada Lake & Nada Creek & Temple Canyon (trail hike & rock scramble)
Campsite: Temple Canyon (Elev. 6200 feet)
Sidetrip: Tamarack Saddle (off-trail hike & rock scramble)
Summit Attempt: The Enchantment Temple (snow climb & rock scramble to West Face platform via North Chute)
Approximate Stats: 18 miles traveled; 7400 feet gained & lost.
Related Post
>>> Enchantment Temple via Nada Lake—North Chute—West Face – October 26, 2002
Full Trip Report
Text by Laura Zimmerman…
Day 1: Trailhead to Temple Canyon
To get out of the rain, our group of five (Jim, Kevin, Dee, Mike, and me) headed east on Saturday. The weather in Leavenworth was warm and only partly cloudy as we headed up the Snow Lakes Trail. The trail was in great shape – no blowdowns to speak of, and a few areas where rock slides once again tumbled across the trail.
Our goal was to establish a high camp in Tamarack Meadows at 7200 feet and then climb Mt. Temple via the standard route. Jim had been to the Meadows twice before, the most recent time being 17 years ago. He remembered a nice, but steep, climber’s trail from Nada Lake up to the Meadows. We anticipated a fairly uneventful hike to camp. We were mistaken!
After basking in the sun at the edge of Nada Lake, fending off Camp Robbers and fat, aggressive Chipmunks, we shouldered our burdens and headed around the lake to the “waterfalls” to find the climber’s path.
- The Temple From Nada Lake
Just beyond the camps, we saw a path heading up into a small tree stand near a talus field that turned out to be the climber’s path Jim remembered – except where the gully ended, we were faced with a thin stream of water and an 80-foot rock face. We scrambled over fourth-class rock to gain the top of the granite outcrop above the waterfalls. From here, not finding an obvious path, we headed up the steep hillside, using roots and branches along the way. Dee, not finding this part too glamorous, vowed to find a different way back down.
We found a climber’s path, well marked with cairns and boot tread shortly after topping out on the bench at 5,600 feet. Weary from ascending 5,200 vertical with overnight packs, we made camp at about 6,200 feet elevation on a great rock bench near a small stream (7.2 hours from TH).
- Dee, Laura, Mike, and Kevin At Camp
Day 2 (AM): The Enchantment Temple Summit Attempt
Sunday morning we woke to blue skies, frozen water droplets on the tent flies, and an inch of snow on the ground. Not a very inspiring morning for a climb, but we headed out anyway to see how far we could get. Four of the five continued; Dee chose to head back and explore the possibilities of a better route down.
Although the weather alternated between sun and snow squalls, we ended up at Temple Notch (3.4 hours from camp). This tiny notch sits at the base of the summit tower.
- The Temple Access Chute
However, after leaving the snow and scrambling up 4th class rock to the ledge below the start of fifth class climbing, we were faced with a blank face (reported to be 5.3 rock), a manky quarter-inch bolt, and lingering doubts about whether this was the route.
- Looking Down At Temple Notch
There was also ice in places, and Jim decided that we would come back under better weather conditions with rock shoes. We turned around a mere 100 feet from the summit.
Day 2 (PM): Temple Canyon to Trailhead
The descent from camp went remarkably well. Dee scoped out a route that avoided the unpleasant, steep, “beauty bark over slabs” that we ascended. It actually looked like the vestiges of a way trail. Jim, convinced there was an easier way past the 4th class rock, headed off down the waterfall area. It wasn’t any easier. Dee, Mike and I rappeled over the 4th class section (two ropes), while Kevin chose to downclimb. We made it out in good time (4.4 hours from camp), with just one half hour to spare before Gustav’s closed the kitchen.
Photo Gallery
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