Aasgard Pass

Aasgard Pass is the northern gateway into the Core Enchantments, gaining nearly 2,000 feet in three-quarters of a mile up a loose boulder field above Colchuck Lake. The route follows the drainage between Dragontail Peak and Little Annapurna, climbing through increasingly steep talus until it tops out at 7,800 feet in the heart of the upper basin. There is no maintained trail. You pick your line through the rocks and commit.

This is not a fitness test. Strong legs will get you partway, but the route demands scrambling confidence, solid balance on shifting rock, and the ability to read terrain when the path disappears. Snow lingers well into July, and early-season attempts add ice axe and crampon considerations. People have been seriously hurt here, and search-and-rescue responses are not uncommon. Come prepared or choose a different way in.

The reward is direct access to the most spectacular alpine basin in the Central Cascades. Granite towers, turquoise tarns, and mountain goats grazing among the larch. Most parties use Aasgard as the uphill leg of the Enchantments through-hike, descending via Snow Lakes, which saves knees and sanity. Day-tripping over the pass and back is possible but makes for a punishing 12-mile day with nearly 4,400 feet of gain.