Little Annapurna
Central CascadesBest Jul–Sep
A full-commitment scramble to one of the highest non-technical summits in the Enchantments, surrounded by the granite towers of the Stuart Range.
About This Trail
Little Annapurna sits deep in the upper Enchantments, accessible only after a grueling climb up Aasgard Pass from Colchuck Lake. The scramble route gains nearly 5,000 feet over 7 miles one-way, crossing through some of the most dramatic alpine terrain in Washington. The summit at 8,440 feet puts hikers eye-to-eye with Dragontail Peak, McClellan Peak, and the full sweep of the Stuart Range.
The route follows the standard Colchuck Lake trail before turning up the infamous boulder field of Aasgard Pass. Above the pass, the terrain opens into the stark granite landscape of the upper Enchantments. From here, the scramble to Little Annapurna's summit involves Class 2-3 rock travel over loose talus and solid granite slabs. Route-finding skills are essential as there is no maintained trail above the lakes.
Most parties approach this as part of a multi-day Enchantments permit trip, camping in the Core or Colchuck zones. Day-tripping is possible but punishing, with car-to-car times of 12-16 hours for fit scramblers. Larch season in late September draws crowds to the upper basin, and the golden larches visible from the summit ridge rank among the finest fall displays in the Cascades.
Mountain Weather
Astronomy
Trail Conditions
“Overview: Trip report for 5 day, 4 night trip with Core permits.”
Last report: Sep 15, 2025
Scorecard
Permits / Passes
Safety & Considerations
Today's Hazard
- Strong sun — sunscreen, hat, and sunglasses recommended
Persistent Hazards
- Class 2-3 scrambling on loose rock
- Exposure on summit ridge
- Aasgard Pass boulder field requires hands-on climbing
- No maintained trail above Colchuck Lake
- Lightning exposure above treeline
- Mountain goats in the upper Enchantments may approach aggressively
Getting There
Northwest Forest Pass required at the Stuart Lake / Colchuck Lake trailhead on Forest Road 7601. The parking lot fills early on summer weekends, often by 5 AM. No dogs allowed in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
Follow the Colchuck Lake trail 4 miles to the lake, then ascend the Aasgard Pass boulder field (2,200 feet in roughly 0.75 miles). Above the pass, traverse south through the upper Enchantments basin toward Little Annapurna's west ridge. The scramble route trends up talus and granite slabs to the summit. Save offline maps and GPS tracks; navigation above the lakes relies on cairns and route-finding ability.
For a day trip, start before dawn (4-5 AM) to allow 12-16 hours round trip. Most parties with Enchantments overnight permits approach from camp in the Core Zone. An alpine start avoids afternoon thunderstorms common in summer.
Recent Reports
Larches are starting! We got lucky and experienced minimal wildfire smoke, but the Labor Mountain Fire burns on so check air quality reports before you go.
This was a beautiful but brutal car to car trek up and down Aasgard Pass and Dragontail and Little Annapurna. I wouldn’t recommend doing a car to car like I did, as the return down Aasgard Pass is probably the worst part of the trip.
Overview: Trip report for 5 day, 4 night trip with Core permits. Our group of 8 folks spent one night in Colchuck Zone, two nights in Core Zone, and one night in Snow Zone.
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