If you have a Core permit
Your permit. Camp in any zone and start or finish at either trailhead.
Suggested plan. Colchuck Lake, a night in the Core, Nada Lake, then out at Snow Lakes Trailhead. One report followed this camp sequence.
| Day | What to do | Mapped miles, about | Sleep at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stuart Lake Trailhead to Colchuck Lake, about 2,200 ft up | 4.0 | Colchuck Lake |
| 2 | Up Aasgard Pass with full packs, about 2,300 ft up, into the Core | 3.1 to Inspiration Lake, 4.2 to Leprechaun Lake | Inspiration or Leprechaun Lake |
| 3 | Through the Core and down past the Snow Lakes to Nada Lake | 5.0 from Inspiration Lake, 3.9 from Leprechaun Lake | Nada Lake |
| 4 | Nada Lake to Snow Lakes Trailhead | 5.8 | Home |
Another way. Colchuck Lake the first night, two nights in the upper Core, then back down Aasgard Pass to Stuart Lake Trailhead. One party did this because they could not arrange a second car. The writer did not recommend going down Aasgard with a full pack.
Or. Two nights at Inspiration Lake, then out to Snow Lakes Trailhead, about 10.8 mapped miles. One party did this and called the last day long and hot.
Trip reports. WTA writer clandry, gemhikes, Alec Sills-Trausch.
If you have a Colchuck permit
Your permit. Every night at Colchuck Lake or elsewhere in the Colchuck Zone. Day hikes into the Core are allowed. You cannot camp right below Aasgard Pass.
Suggested plan. Camp at Colchuck Lake all three nights. Spend one day up in the Core and one at the lake.
| Day | What to do | Mapped miles, about | Sleep at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stuart Lake Trailhead to Colchuck Lake, about 2,200 ft up | 4.0 | Colchuck Lake |
| 2 | Day packs up Aasgard Pass to Inspiration Lake and back | 6.2 round trip | Colchuck Lake |
| 3 | Stay at Colchuck Lake, or walk to Lake Stuart and back | Lake Stuart is not on the app's map | Colchuck Lake |
| 4 | Colchuck Lake to Stuart Lake Trailhead | 4.0 | Home |
Another way. A second Core day to Tranquil Lake, about 3.6 mapped miles round trip. That is up and back down Aasgard Pass again.
Trip reports. WTA writer ebonifaci.
If you have a Snow permit
Your permit. Every night at or below Upper Snow Lake. Day hikes into the Core are allowed.
Suggested plan. Two nights at Upper Snow Lake, then one at Nada Lake on the way out.
| Day | What to do | Mapped miles, about | Sleep at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snow Lakes Trailhead to Upper Snow Lake | 6.9 | Upper Snow Lake |
| 2 | Day packs up into the Core, as far as Inspiration Lake | 7.9 round trip | Upper Snow Lake |
| 3 | Down to Nada Lake. Rest of the day at the lake | 1.1 | Nada Lake |
| 4 | Nada Lake to Snow Lakes Trailhead | 5.8 | Home |
Trip reports. Moderately Adventurous.
If you have a Stuart permit
Your permit. Every night in the Stuart Zone, around Lake Stuart. Day hikes into other zones are allowed.
Suggested plan. Camp at Lake Stuart all three nights. One day hike each full day.
| Day | What to do | Mapped miles, about | Sleep at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stuart Lake Trailhead to Lake Stuart | 4.5, per the Forest Service | Lake Stuart |
| 2 | Day hike to Colchuck Lake | Not on the app's map | Lake Stuart |
| 3 | Day hike to Horseshoe Lake | Not on the app's map | Lake Stuart |
| 4 | Lake Stuart to Stuart Lake Trailhead | 4.5, per the Forest Service | Home |
If you have an Eightmile/Caroline permit
Your permit. Every night in the Eightmile/Caroline Zone. It is a separate trail system from the traverse.
Suggested plan. One night at Eightmile Lake, two at Lake Caroline.
| Day | What to do | Mapped miles, about | Sleep at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eightmile Trailhead to Eightmile Lake | 3.6 | Eightmile Lake |
| 2 | Move to Lake Caroline | 3.3 | Lake Caroline |
| 3 | Day hike up to Windy Pass and Little Caroline Lake | 5.0 round trip to the pass | Lake Caroline |
| 4 | Lake Caroline to Eightmile Trailhead | 4.8 | Home |
Before you go
These plans are built from 30 overnight trip reports dated 2013 to 2026, read September 28, 2026, and the app's mapped line. Mapped miles read a little short of what a GPS watch shows. The Forest Service says “Camp only at previously impacted sites.” Read the permit rules.
Recreation.gov says “Use extreme caution when climbing or descending steep snow slopes, exposed and hidden creeks and waterfalls are present.” This is the agency's Aasgard Pass caution. Read it in full. Neither agency chooses a traverse direction for you.
The free self-issued day-use permit, your overnight permit and your parking pass are three separate things.
See the plan picker and the map. Compare one night with two nights, or read four to seven nights. See packing and the app. Road closures and the drive in are on the roads page.