Aasgard Pass
Encyclopedia
Aasgard Pass, officially identified as Colchuck Pass, (elevation 7841 feet (2,389.9 m)) is a mountain pass
on the east side of the Cascades
in Washington's Alpine Lakes Wilderness
southwest of Leavenworth
. It is the shorter and steeper of two primary hiking routes into The Enchantments
, one of Washington's most popular hiking areas. It separates Colchuck Lake (elevation 5570 feet (1,697.7 m)) to the northwest from the Upper Enchantment Basin (elevation ~7500 feet (2,286 m)) to the southeast. Aasgard Pass is located at the saddle between Dragontail Peak
and the Enchantment Peaks.
Attempts to change the name officially in 1967 and 1988 were both turned down by the US Board on Geographic Names, thus the name "Colchuck Pass" is retained on USGS maps. Mountaineers have long referred to the feature as Aasgard Pass, the name favored by famed climber and guide author Fred Beckey
. The name was likely coined by Bill and Peggy Stark, who explored The Enchantments extensively in the mid-20th Century, and who gave Nordic mythological names to many of the lakes that previously had been named by A. H. Sylvester, a U.S. Geological Survey topographer supervisor of Wenatchee National Forest in the early 1900s who is credited with discovering the region. The official naming rulings of the US Board in the 1960s resulted in a mixture of the two name sets being adopted as official. The current policy of not adopting new names for geographic features in wilderness areas probably precludes the rest of the names identified by the Starks from ever achieving official status.
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
on the east side of the Cascades
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
in Washington's Alpine Lakes Wilderness
Alpine Lakes Wilderness
The Alpine Lakes Wilderness is a large wilderness area spanning the Cascade Range of Washington state in the United States. The wilderness is located in parts of Wenatchee National Forest and Snoqualmie National Forest, and is approximately bounded by Interstate 90 and Snoqualmie Pass to the south...
southwest of Leavenworth
Leavenworth, Washington
Leavenworth is a city in Chelan County, Washington, United States. It is part of the Wenatchee–East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,965 at the 2010 census. The entire town center is modelled on a Bavarian village.-History:...
. It is the shorter and steeper of two primary hiking routes into The Enchantments
The Enchantments
The Enchantments is an area comprising an upper and a lower basin, the lakes and tarns contained within them, and the peaks of the Stuart Range bounding the basins. The area is located entirely within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness about southwest of Leavenworth, Washington in the United States...
, one of Washington's most popular hiking areas. It separates Colchuck Lake (elevation 5570 feet (1,697.7 m)) to the northwest from the Upper Enchantment Basin (elevation ~7500 feet (2,286 m)) to the southeast. Aasgard Pass is located at the saddle between Dragontail Peak
Dragontail Peak
Dragontail Peak, also known as Dragon Tail, is a mountain in the Stuart Range, in Chelan County, Washington. While climbing an adjacent peak, Lex Maxwell, Bob McCall, and Bill Prater remarked that the needles on the crest, southwest of the summit, resembled a "dragon tail". The name was officially...
and the Enchantment Peaks.
Attempts to change the name officially in 1967 and 1988 were both turned down by the US Board on Geographic Names, thus the name "Colchuck Pass" is retained on USGS maps. Mountaineers have long referred to the feature as Aasgard Pass, the name favored by famed climber and guide author Fred Beckey
Fred Beckey
Fred Beckey is an American mountaineer and author, who has made hundreds of first ascents, more than any other North American climber.-Early years:...
. The name was likely coined by Bill and Peggy Stark, who explored The Enchantments extensively in the mid-20th Century, and who gave Nordic mythological names to many of the lakes that previously had been named by A. H. Sylvester, a U.S. Geological Survey topographer supervisor of Wenatchee National Forest in the early 1900s who is credited with discovering the region. The official naming rulings of the US Board in the 1960s resulted in a mixture of the two name sets being adopted as official. The current policy of not adopting new names for geographic features in wilderness areas probably precludes the rest of the names identified by the Starks from ever achieving official status.