3/30, Saturday. 5 of us met at a Eastgate P&R and drove in 2 cars. One from North Bend met us at TH, or not quite, since we all had to park ~1/4 mile out. Talapas Lake TH is very popular: short hike, short drive, despite of the potholes.
We didn't start hiking until well over 11am.
Before Olallie lake, 3 of us (LE, A, and me) put on snowshoes and scrambled up the slope directly towards the ridge for Pratt Mt.
It's my 5th(?) climb to Pratt.
Today, we found a track to follow pretty soon. So quite easy.
However, couldn't find the intersecting trail under the snow.
So set down our backpacks once we reached the ridge.
Some minor adjustment. Then followed the ridge to the summit.
There, we met 3 people.
A bit cloudy today. View is still quite good.
Once we picked up our packs, continued on the ridge down, and intersect the trail. There, going down to the Pratt Lake basin. It must be a swap in the summer. The trail circles around the head basin. The 3 of us opted to go more or less straight, along a creek. Hit the trail on the rightside of the bridge. Then, we followed the track our teammates had made, and we caught up with them. Also found one guy, Brat, who was postholing, and ruined the nice snowshoe track that was just made. He didn't even bring gaiters. Borrowed T's.
By the time we reached the camp area, it was 5:30pm already. We decided to settled here for the night, instead of Lower Tuscohatchie Lake as advertised. As soon as I stopped walking, my feet soon got cold, painfully cold. Sweat and maybe snow was making my socks and boots damp. Boiled water to put in my sleeping bag. Crawled into my tent, and it took awhile for my feet to revive. My regular size sleeping pad doesn't fit my short sleeping bag (which has a nice wrapper).
- Lesson 1: bring camp shoes to swap out of wet boots .
- Lesson 2: bring a short air pad to pair with a short bag, but regular foam pad .
Up at 6:30am, at agreed 7am, A is ready, but LE is not. The rest planned to head out at 8:30.
15 minutes later, A decided to go back. LE and I continued in snowshoes towards Lower Tuscohatchie Lake.
Found the trail soon, but then it was mostly buried in snow.
This is side hill along a fairly steep slope.
LE was breaking the trail. Amazing how capable he is at age 19, with a pair of snowshoes without side walls.
The lake and valley we walked over is quite pretty.
It took 40 minutes there, and faster coming back.
We were surprised to find that everyone was still at camp. Sun didn't shine on us until we left camp. LE and I cooked breakfast. I lifted my tent fly, shaked off the ice, and set it on a tree to dry. Well, had to pack up everything wet. We hiked out at 9:50am.
Going back all the lakes in reverse order, at least now it was sunny. Pratt had dimples on the surface, very interesting. At its south end, the group followed our old prints cutting up the circular detour. At some point, LE considered a slope I treaded on has avalanche risk, and thus risking the group below me.
At Olallie Lake, the rest of the group walked all around via a more gentle trail.
I dropped off to the lake via some boot tracks. Put snowshoes on for that.
Then, walked over the lake near its west edge in snowshoes.
Saw some footprints end in blue water!
I followed some track, no sinking.
Picked up the trail there, and continued to Talapas Lake.
A short break and then out to the car.
The trailhead parking is now more available.
There, LE criticized me endangering the group's safety. Well, we have different assessment of the avalanche risk.
Point taken. - Lesson 3: in a group setting, I should avoid making others' worry, regardless of my own assessment of risk.
