◦ This trail is for experienced hikers - if this is your second hiking trip, consider a different area first.
◦ You can day hike with a free permit, but one day is really not enough to enjoy the area. Getting through the entire thing in one day is also quite tough. I'd suggest staying at least 3 nights if you can - getting an overnight permit is notoriously tricky, so make it worth your time if you secure one.
◦ Pack light, you'll thank yourself for it. There is plenty of water available all over the place, so just bring a small filter and you won't have to carry too much water weight. If you're a photographer and need your DSLR, consider bringing only the bare essentials - a camera can weigh as much as half of your other gear!
◦ Bring insect repellant! Even Florida's mosquito swarms are tame compared to those of the alpine lakes.
◦ There is a shuttle service you can book to take you between the trailheads so you don't have to do what I did and walk. Alternately, have a friend pick you up, or just go in and out the same way.
◦ Aasgard Pass is tough no matter how you slice it. I think I would prefer to go up than down. You can also avoid the pass entirely by going in from the Snow Lakes area, but it's a much longer hike and not quite as scenic.
◦ You'll want to arrive no earlier than July if you really want to explore the core zone - earlier than that and you'll find it covered in deep snow. For fantastic fall colors stop by in October, but beware of the changing weather.
