Golden larches and Prusik Peak, the Enchantments, Washington

© Jim Patterson/Tandem Stills + Motio

The magic of the Enchantments. Golden larches and Prusik Peak, the Enchantments, Washington

That jagged granite summit is Prusik Peak, an icon of Washington state's Enchantments region, high in the Cascade Mountain range. Getting here means a long, strenuous hike, and for much of the year it is covered in snow. But from midsummer through the fall, hikers and climbers arrive here as the larch trees turn golden. The granite peaks and autumnal colors are not the only attractions. The Enchantments boasts more than 700 alpine lakes and ponds, as well as herds of grazing mountain goats that roam this corner of the scenic Alpine Lakes Wilderness.