[2] At an elevation of 4,500 feet (1,372 m), it is home to over 700 alpine lakes and ponds surrounded by the vast peaks of Cashmere Crags, which rate among the best rock-climbing sites in the western United States.

The Enchantments is located 15 miles southwest of the popular Bavarian-themed town Leavenworth, Washington in the United States and is regarded as one of the most spectacular regions in the Cascade Range.

[4] The population increase in western Washington, specifically in the city of Seattle, marked the region a prime outdoor destination for wilderness lovers.

[5] The influx in foot traffic and lack of maintenance from forest services and visitors had caused permanent damage to the delicate ecosystems in the region.

[6] As a result, the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Society (ALPS) proposed a permit system restricting access to a maximum of 60 people at any given time.

[6] Native American tribes, Yakima, Chinook and Wenatchi, traveled and thrived in and around The Enchantments region before it was ever discovered by western civilization.

[5] It was during this time that The Enchantments was named by European American, A.H. Sylvester, a topographer for the US Geological Survey in the Snoqualmie Ranger District from 1897 to 1907.

[13] The number of visitors to the Enchantments has exponentially increased largely due to the fast growing population in the western region of Washington state.

[17]  At such high elevation, vegetation are particularly vulnerable to foot traffic due to their short growing season, sparsity and low resilience to changes in their environment.

[17]  In 2016 the ALPS proposed a permit-system that would regulate the number of visitors allowed to stay overnight in the region in order to prevent further landscape destruction.

The Icicle Strategy directly impacted seven subbasin lake reservoirs in The Enchantments, optimizing, modernizing and automating the outlet works and gate infrastructures.

[21] The two routes can be combined to form a loop if the hiking party has two cars, a bicycle, or otherwise arranges transportation between the trail heads.

The United States Forest Service restricts access to the Enchantments permit area, which includes five zones.

[2] The 1981 Alpine Lakes Wilderness Plan established a quota of 60 people at one time as the carrying capacity of the Core Enchantment Zone.