Horseshoe Lake and Dudley Spire
Updated: 18 hours ago
10/5/2026
I was able to get an early start from the Lake Stuart Trailhead, arriving to the parking area around 5:15. It was a Monday, but the hype around the Enchantments was palpable as I drove past significant activity at the Snow Lakes trailhead on my way up from Leavenworth. The Lake Stuart trailhead was also filled with hikers climbing out of their fancy adventure vans and donning headlamps in preparation for their Enchantment through-hikes. Despite the early morning hubbub, I was still able to park in one of the closest spots to the trailhead, a rarity at this often-crowded spot.
I passed several groups on my way up to the Colchuck cut off, after which the trail became very quiet. I wasn’t surprised to find that the vast majority of hikers were heading to Colchuck and beyond, especially during larch season. I enjoyed the relatively flat walk to Lake Stuart with its peek-a-boo views up to the north side of the Stuart Range in the pre-dawn light.
Beyond the lake, there was still a clear trail heading toward Horseshoe, but the number of blowdowns to be contended with began to steadily increase. The burn zone in the valley right before you start climbing up to the lake is well-documented and was indeed congested with several large areas of downed trees. My threshold for what an area of bad blowdowns is like reached a new maximum recently on Nason Ridge during my Howard and Mastiff trip, so this was a breeze in comparison. There were only a few moments where I had to stop and relocate the path after scrambling up and over some of the bigger logs.
When I reached the head of the valley, cairns started to mark the way, the frequency of blowdowns decreased, and the trail became quite clear. 1000 feet of climbing later, I stumbled into the Horseshoe Lake basin just as the first rays of sun were hitting the lake and the surrounding peaks. It was a truly glorious morning, with golden-yellow larches gleaming and the still waters of the lake reflecting the rugged cliffs behind it. Experiencing gloriously still mornings like this one are part of why I love exploring the mountains so much.
After a bunch of pictures, I set off toward Dudley Spire, a rarely climbed peak above the lake. I began rock hopping on huge, granite boulders toward the 6600’ bench above the lake. After which, some easy cross-country travel brought me up to another boulder field that deposited me near the summit. At the saddle below the aptly named “Beagle Head”, I turned east and skirted some cliffs, pushed my way through some low-lying trees, and was confronted with the final, short scramble.
The first bit was a slanting chimney formation with solid holds, followed by one class 4 move past a small pine tree that was a bit awkward. Beyond that, the final 20 feet consisted of a narrow, exhilarating ridge scramble. This was an awesome little summit with big views of Mount Stuart, and it had just enough room for me to stand comfortably (I’m not sure it would be possible to comfortably fit two climbers on the summit at one time).
I couldn’t find a register, so after taking some photos and appreciating the awesome, exposed summit I carefully downclimbed the summit ridge and retraced my steps back to Horseshoe Lake. It was a warm day by October standards, so I went for a quick dip in the lake – not every day you get to swim in a lake surrounded by golden larches!
The hike out was straightforward and fast, and the blowdowns in the valley seemed slightly easier to navigate in daylight. Before long I was cruising back down the familiar Colchuck Lake trail. The parking lot was now quite full, with cars parked along the road – it was another busy day in the Enchantments. This was a pretty reasonable day trip (round trip took me 7 hours and 22 minutes) but it would be incredible to spend more time exploring near Horseshoe Lake. It is a great alternative to the Enchantment Core Zone for those looking for a quieter experience.
14.3 miles / 4030 feet of gain
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