Denny Creek #1014,Pratt Lake #1007,Mount Defiance #1009,Thompson Lake #1009.1,Granite Creek

This was an interesting one-way trip of about 24 miles with a total elevation gain of about 5700 feet.

I parked my car at the Mailbox Peak parking area on the Middle Fork Road and had my wife drive me to the Denny Creek trailhead. I hiked over Hemlock Pass and down past Tuschohatchie and Pratt Lakes. From Pratt, I went up to the ridge trail and along it past Rainbow and Blazer Lakes and camped at Mason Lake. A total of about 12 miles for the day and 3900 feet elevation gain.

On Day 2 I hiked over the shoulder of Mt. Defiance through the incredibly beautiful flower field there and then took the lonely, little traveled trail to Thompson Lake. This section turned-out to be very pleasing--a mix of meadows and mature forest. If not for the low clouds, the views would have been good, too.

Thompson is a large, attractive and not often visited lake. The trail up from the lake is obscured by blow-down in places and not always easy to follow. I did some clearing with my pruning saw, but the really big stuff needs chainsaw work.

The Thompson Lake trail emerges on a rough logging road with lots of bear poop. In about a mile, it connects to the Granite Creek road-trail which I always enjoy for its flowers, easy walking, and this time of year abundant Thimbleberrys.

This was a quiet journey: between Melakwa Lake and the Middle Fork Road, I saw no one.

Some trail maintenance notes: the trail between Melakwa and Pratt lakes has a lot of large blowdown as does the trail from Thompson Lake up to the logging road.