Trip Reports

As a tribute to my late Dad, we decided to do a really early hike. The plan was to keep it easy and close to home so Talapus Lake fit the ticket. There were a couple of cars at the TH when we arrived and many more parked way down the road, when we left. The trail is in excellent condition with some patches of snow in the last tenth of a mile or so from the lake. Bridges all intact. The creek was roaring and the forest was just beautiful in the early morning light. Identified several wildflowers along the way and had the lake to ourselves, then headed back. Picked up some hiking debris "trash" on the way out. All in all, a great hike, and my Dad would have loved it.

Great little hike. Super easy and great for young and old alike. I'm not sure I even broke a sweat all day.

My buddy and I were the first on the trail. Found Talapus under fog. Quite a bit of snow still on the way up to Ollalie but there are some tracks. Even where there aren't, keep the creek on your right right and you'll hit the lake. Easy peasy. The bridge across the creek that you'd take to connect up the Pratt Lake trail is out. Apparently it's been out for a long time according to some rangers we came across later. The water is low enough that a very careful creek crossing would be possible if you were headed to Pratt.

We used microspikes on the snow up to Ollalie but it was more for ease of walking than a necessity. We could have done in it our boots no problem.

Had the trail all to ourselves until we got back to Talapus! From there lots of hikers and a full lot when we got back to the car.

Some pix of the lakes and the snow...

http://www.lemarts.com/[…]/talapus-ollalie-lakes.html

Today it was sunny and about 65 at the trail head. Trail is clear and dry all the way to the top of the ridge ~1.2 miles. You hit snow on the trail for about 1/4 mile before the lake and then about 1/4 afterwards heading to Olallie lake. The lake is clear otherwise and no need for boots unless you go one up to Olallie.

Some sketchy snow awaited us about 15 minutes from Talapus Lake, but it was more fun than dangerous since it was (mostly) away from any rushing water.
Great time of year to head out: few bugs, and lots of sun without too much heat.

We hiked to Talapus and Olallie lakes on Wednesday after work. We arrived at the trailhead around 7pm. The parking lot was empty and we did not see anyone during the entire time.

The first 1.5 miles are snow free. The trail is covered with snow from there until close to Talapus lake (no snow at Talapus for those who plan to camp there). It is fairly easy to find boot marks and follow the trail until Talapus.

It is a little harder to find the trail to Olallie, but it is manageable - there are some boot/snowshoe marks visible (for now). The trails goes alongside the water stream all the way to the lake. The stream actually starts at the lake and it should be on your right hand side when you are going to the lake and on the left side on the way back.

Very nice hike for after work. No need for snowshoes or microspikes, but hiking poles were very useful.

Full 360o panorama (Olallie) can be found here: http://photosynth.net/view.[…]cfd3-48e9-b115-3c53dde6de81

This hike is pretty easy, but the snow near the top is pretty thick. The only way we found Talapus was by following the boot tracks. Some of the snow is covering bridges/waterways and we definitely saw a few areas where people had post-holed into the water. I would recommend taking trekking poles and something warm to wear near the lake. The lake is still partially frozen but gorgeous.

We couldn't find the trail to Olallie as it was completely covered in snow so we only made it to Talapus. Overall, worth the hike but would recommend trying this one later in the season.

I needed to get my fix of the outdoors so a friend and I took off on I-90 with hopes of visiting Island & Rainbow Lakes (two we'd not yet visited despite frequenting this trail). After mildly losing the trail between Talapus and Olallie a few times due to snow and other confused hikers we decided today was definitely not the day to try for Rainbow or Island lakes. I believe the snow on the trail was consistent around 3,400', just before reaching Talapus Lake; 80% of the hike to Olallie was on snow.

My Ice Trekkers definitely helped with traction and I'd wished I'd donned them before lunch and heading back out. :-\ Lesson learned. I also really appreciated having my poles for added stability. The lakes are pretty snowy still, but both have begun to melt out. The outlet waters are definitely flowing pretty good which made for some nice photo opportunities - despite leaving my tripod in my car...on accident! For a holiday weekend, the trail was not too busy. Just the right amount of friends experiencing our backyard with us!

Side Note: if you're writing a trip report in the early season, I'd encourage you to help enlighten us readers on where snow levels are as it was very hard to find in trip reports as we headed out. Happy Hiking!

Due to the closure of Dirty Harry's Balcony, decided to go to Talapus Lake instead. It's a very easy hike and there was snow (it's melting fast though)! Trail was not as muddy as you would think.

By the way, there were a lot of pot holes on the gravel road up to the trailhead.

This report is written as a public service (and perhaps public safety) announcement; conditions on the trail deserve mention at this time.
First, the road to the trailhead is snow free and and good shape. There is some inconsequential snow patches surrounding the parking area and they will melt out quickly.
Now, pay attention: the trail is snow free until the last set of switchbacks leading the the lake basin; the switchbacks are completely covered by snow. The boot beaten path has compacted the white stuff to a very hard surface. In fact, it was icy in several places. Snowshoes would be useless and probably hazardous; creepers or crampons would be better! We did not bring snowshoes, creepers, or crampons, but the poles we brought along made switchbacks tolerable.
Snow depth at the lake is about four feet and the lake is frozen, except for a very small area at the outlet. Venturing off the boot beaten path at the lake will find you post holing quickly, so snowshoes will be required.
Should also mention there is one blowdown before the last switchbacks, but it is easily negotiated.

A rainy but green and lovely hike. Road and parking lot are clear of snow. Snow on trail starts about halfway up. The snow is packed down and the trail is easy to follow. The trail gives great views of a beautiful rushing waterfall along the way. We ended up on the left side of Talapus Lake, not sure if it is possible to cross over the stream and approach from the right side of the lake (where the trail normally continues to Olallie).

Checking out the trailhead I ran into another hiker who had gotten up to and around Lake Ollalie. There is a dash of snow on the road up and the trailhead is still full of snow. The hiker reported the trip into Talapus Lake is no problem. He reported that he was able to completely circumnavigate Ollalie because the snow buried all the underbrush.

We were able to drive to just short of the parking lot which is still snow covered. The first half of the trail up to Talapus Lake is mostly snow free and can easily be hiked with just boots. Talapus lake is still frozen over almost completely.

After Talapus we backtracked to a bridge across the river to Ollalie Lake. The bridge was a little tricky as it is still completely covered in snow but we we able to cross fairly easily. The trip up towards Ollalie Lake required snowshoes but was pretty easy going. Ollalie is also still almost completely frozen over besides the outlet.

Considered trying to continue on to Island and Rainbow Lakes but decided to save that for another day. Recommend this as an easier, beginner snowshoe especially to avoid the crowds this area attracts during the summer months.

The road up to the trail (FR 9030) was clear of snow until about 1/4 mile from the trail head. I parked on the road there and hiked up the short distance. The parking area at the TH has about a foot of snow still but any car could make it up to the 1/4 mile point where I did at this point.

I used poles, and would recommend them along with gaiters, but snowshoes weren't needed to get to Talapus. The snow doesn't get hard to move in (without snowshoes) until close to the bridge that goes to Olallie lake. Btw, the bridge has about 4 feet of snow on it, but I could cross it, although I don't recommend it as it was difficult to climb up the snow bank on the other side of the bridge and the snow drifts are about three feet deep on the other side of the bridge. I'm not sure snow shoes would be much better as the snow is melting pretty rapidly now.

I hiked to the southern end of Talapus following the snowshoe trail and ended my hike at the southern point of the lake. The area looked ripe for an avalanche (indeed, I saw evidence of one or two previous avalanches on the southwestern side of the lake).

All together I hiked about 3 miles, which is probably all you can safely do right now. We'll see what the warm weather brings this week, but for now you're not going to be able to hike safely more than a mile/mile and a half in my opinion.

     This was a very snowy but beautiful hike up to Talapus lake. We had originally planned on going to both Talapus and Olallie but after seeing the amount of snow at the first lake we decided to make it a shorter trip. We had AWD but still parked at the 2 mile marker on the side of the road to the trailhead just to be safe as it was snowing pretty hard and we weren’t sure how much more would accumulate before we got back to the car.
     There was only a couple inches of snow at the trailhead and about 2-3ft at the lake. Snowshoes might have been nice but weren’t necessary. We post holed a couple of times a little past our knees so gaiters came in handy but most of the snow was fresh powder so it wasn’t too hard to walk in.
     The lake was covered in snow and there wasn’t much of a view but we tied a tarp to a group of trees to give ourselves a little shelter from the wind and snow and we used a backpacking stove to make some awesome freeze dried pasta primavera, lasagna and hot cocoa. Afterwards we packed our tarp up and had fun running and sliding in the fresh powdered snow back down the trail.

The road up to the Talapus/Olallie parking area (FS 9030) is good, until about 1/4 mile before the trail head, where you encounter an area of snow covered road that is probably still impassable except for 4WD, and the parking area itself is still buried in heavy wet snow.

Trail starts out clear and turns to packed snow about a mile in. It's easy going to "the bridge" just before the lake. It appears that most people turn around here because there isn't much of a route to follow afterwards and the snow was wet, deep and softish to the lake. Bring gaiters if you must go to the lake, maybe snowshoes. The bridge itself is kind of treacherous, the dogs didn't want to cross it, which was probably smart of them, but I made them anyways, helping them by standing on the exposed wood rails. Eventually that ridge of ice and snow is going to collapse under the weight of a boot, but not today. I used spikes which were helpful but not required.

It was snowing at the lake and I didn't stay long. An easy 4 mile RT, except for the part from the bridge to the lake.

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Do Not Drive up FS9030 in an attempt to get to the Talapus Lake trailhead unless your vehicle is equipped for off-road driving and you are comfortable driving in varied-surface snow conditions. Surface voids caused one carload to get stuck today (1950ft) and they were unable to get a tow; we were blocked coming back down (parked at 2100ft) and were able to help, with a few other passers-by to get them back in motion after they had spent two hours there.

Bring Your GPS and a map if you intend to get from Talapus to Olallie Lake. The trail has been drifted over by snow in places, diverges in many places, and there are several different routes leading to other destinations. From the trailhead to Talapus is an easy route to follow.

The road and lower portions of the trail were sufficiently icy until about 9AM to support body weight with spikes. It was downright balmy to Talapus Lake (45F and bright out), and snowshoes made the going easier past the first mile from the trailhead. Several tracks across Talapus are visible, including some leading to the bowl approach to Rainbow Lake and Pratt. From Talapus to Olallie, the snow drifts increase and generally become more fluffy. The snow at Olallie was high-density powder (standard Pacific Northwest concrete).

Don't even try the road up to the trailhead now without chains and 4wd even then it may be sketchy, especially with more snow falling. It was super slippery on the way down and we had to stop for about an hour and give a hand getting a large truck back on the road that had partially slipped off, but was still blocking traffic. Luckily someone had a come along and tow chain. Trail itself was beautiful. My wife and most other folks were in show shoes, but I did it in my winter boots and it was fine due to a decent packdown. However, after the snow falling tonite it will probably be snowshoes only. Again, please think carefully before attempting the road to the trailhead and be prepared for very slippery conditions and the potential of getting stuck or someone else getting stuck and blocking you.

Beautiful hike in the snow. The trail was stomped down enough that we didn't need snowshoes. The trail starts wet and muddy from the trailhead but quickly changes to all snow.

Dropped of a car at the Mason Lake trail head and started at the Talapus and Olallie Lakes trail head for a loop hike to Mason Lake, hit the trail at 08:00 with low clouds and a light rain/mist in the air. Clear trail half way up to Talapus then light snow started coming down and covered the trail, very easy to follow. Olallie Creek crossing was easy with poles and boots.

Snow deepened to 3 inches along the Pratt Lake ridge, after the Pratt Lake cutoff the wind and snow picked up and I was happy to have my Patagonia down hoody. I was breaking new trail with knee deep snow along the exposed switch backs, put on my micro-spikes and used poles here to avoid sliding on the steeper ones.

Once reaching the Island Lake cutoff the snow got serious. I was breaking waist deep new powder here all the way until the trail entered the trees again past the small pond after Rainbow Lake. Reached Rainbow Lake at 12:30, it was perfectly halfway frozen. I had left the snowshoes in the car so this area was SLOW going. Once I found the trail again past the small pond it was easy going all the way to Mason Lake with 0-3 inches of snow on the trail. I had plans of stopping and eating at Mason Lake but due to the howling wind and snow coming down I decided to hike on past the lake. I found a big tree along the trail not far past the lake that suited for quick shelter just long enough to jetboil some water and scarf down some hot oatmeal.

Once on top on the Mason Lake ridge/pass (3:00) the wind and snow fall was steady. Easy to follow the trail down snow was only 3-4 inches threw here. Got back to the car just before my headlamp was needed.

Overall an awesome hike, definitely bring snowshoes for the couple miles of snow drifted meadows by Rainbow lake.

The day started with rain but the rain stopped as soon as I hit the road with my backpack. I arrived at the trailhead quite late (~10:50am) but there was no other car in the parking lot yet. It seems like I could be the only solo hiker on the trail. (I like it because it makes me feel like I totally own the mountain, streams, lakes, trees….)
 
Trail is in good condition and almost snow free up to Talapus lake. There is a large mud puddle just after the outlet. From Talapus to Olallie has some snow on it and is very wet, with multiple small streams running on the trail. Olallie lake has snow all around it, though the depth on the trail (#1039) is less than one or two inches. It was absolutely fine with just hiking boots to hike up to Olallie lake. (Micro crampons could be helpful when the weather gets cold.) But I decided to hike around Olallie (from Talapus Trail (#1039) to Pratt Trail (#1007)). This route is a little rough, deep snow (more than a foot), and sometimes very muddy. It is not an official trail and I recommend you to put your gaiters on if you want to take this route. As soon as reaching at Pratt trail, I hiked down and took Talapus Cutoff trail (#1039.1). I was supposed to hike all the way up to Pratt lake but I got a call from my 5 year old boy as soon as I got to Pratt Trail and he wanted me to come back. (Yes. Verizon works fine here!) Trail to Pratt lake has snow on it, but the report says hiking up there is still possible and there is heavier snow past the Pratt lake turnoff.

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This hike was beautiful! Lots of forest and old growth, as well as trails lined with streams and waterfalls. The conditions today were wonderful. Encountered snow on the trail a little ways up, but very manageable with just hiking boots. The trail has a definite incline, but is not too steep or difficult. Beautiful scenery at the lakes. Would definitely recommend!

Pratt Lake Trail to Olallie Lake. Glorious sunrise! No snow at trail head. No rain! Snow on trail at about 2 mi mark, increasing to 6-10 inches by the Talapus-Olallie Trail junction. The main creek still can be forded without much trouble and the lake was silent and beautiful.

Was planning on driving just east of the mountains to avoid the rain, then realized it was NOT raining on I90 so got off at exit 45. Only 2 cars at the trailhead. Cloudy, but NOT RAINING! Trail is a little soggy in places. When leaving Talapus Lake snow is covering the trail, but easy to follow the path laid down by hikers. It's cold, bring gloves and head covering. The rain started as I left Olallie, but there is enough tree cover to keep relatively dry. This is a good rainy/cloudy hike

We got to the trail head around 10:15am. Only a few other cars there. There were some snow on the trees but the gravel road leading up was completely snow free as was the parking lot. Once starting on the trail it was pretty clear but about a mile in the snow was covering the trail. It was beautiful! The snow was very easy to hike in as it was hard snow and crunchy. I did however step on a rock that was covered in ice (I could not see the ice as it was clear) and I slipped and fell pretty hard. I did have good snow shoes on but that did not prevent me from slipping and falling. Just a warning to be cautious because the rocks were very icy. Both of the lakes were beautiful! This hike was not very difficult as not much elevation gain. It was great to get out and enjoy nature. I would recommend this hike if you can get out and do it before heavy snow comes.

Being a Fall season hike I wasn't sure what to expect. The ground was wet, and slightly muddy in scattered parts of the trail. However, the trail is in good condition. There were only a few people on the trail so I found it very Tranquil when I arrived at Talapus Lake. The wood bridges were a little slippery, but were easily crossed with the use of my poles.

Light rain. Some log debris on the forest road on the way up. On the way back had to share the forest road with truckers and heavy equipment maintaining the road. Trail still looking good. Mosquitoes still at the lake.

Hike was great! Saw the WTA work party doing their thing, THANKS for all the great work volunteers! Trails were empty in the morning but filled up by mid afternoon with families enjoying the sunshine and the lakes. Only tip would be to avoid the fallen tree at the base of the Olallie Lake direction sign after you head up the trail from the shores of Talapus, found out the hard way there is a ground wasp nest near the log. Happy trails!

Good news on exit 45 - it was open. Whether that was because construction is done or because it was a weekday I don't know; previous reports had talked of detours. 'Twas a fabulous day for a pleasant cooling walk, when so hot in town. Our long dry spell meant the road and parking were plenty dusty. On the other hand, I was surprised at the variety and number of mushrooms popping, including the pictured row of Gomphus. The PSMS annual show is Oct 13 & 14. I also delighted in finding, pictured, tasty tiny raspberries, plus the huckleberries are ripening. The trail is in great shape, and many thanks to WTA (fellow) volunteers - I saw amazing work done in muddy areas, right up to the lake. Only went as far as Talapus; I chose to spend my time circumnavigating the lake - not recommended, on the inflow end. The water was just right for cooling off. A popular short hike, the lot was full, so go early if it's a weekend.

Went with my sister - started out for Talapus but decided to keep going to Olallie Lake. Along the way we met a very friendly chipmunk that came very close to us - looked like he wanted to climb our legs! Found little frogs near the lake bed and on then on the way back had a little fat mouse come to say hello. Tons of trees and a lot of shade kept the sun from baking us which made it rather enjoyable considering we were out and about around 1:30pm. Good sets of switchbacks kept us climbing rather steadily on up. Good time!

Parked at the Talapus / Olallie lot and hiked out to Lower Tuscohatchie Lake.... going past Talapus, Olallie and Pratt Lakes.

The weather was supposed to clear up by nine am so I got an early start and made it to Lower Tuscohatchie in 2 hours and 15 minutes.

Once you get to Pratt Lake ... Look for the the Lake Melakwa trail sign ... it will take you to Lower Tuscohatchie Lake.

The clouds did not really break up until I got back to Talapus Lake (11am) or so. But, I was able to visit 4 Alpine Lakes in a single hike.

I fully endorse Meredith's trip report from August 9 below. Exit 45 is closed during the weekdays. We approached Talapus and Ollalie Lakes via Pratt Lake Basin (exit 47) and had a spectacular hike. Distance was 8-9 miles, about 2500 feet elevation gain. First time on such a long hike with my baby, and it was heavenly and gentle. Not a difficult hike. Only one other person at the lake when we arrived, and soon we had it all to ourselves. Serene beauty. Signage is clear. Trail is totally shaded. Mosquitoes were only aggressive at the lakeside. Avalanche detour is short and not hard to cross. A great new mom first hike.

Started this hike from the Talapus Lake Trail head at 9am. Just a few groups a head of us. Trail is in good condition and easy to walk on. A few mud spots but not too bad. Not very steep at all. Being in the shade for the most part kept the temperature pleasant. A few mosquitoes around but weren't annoying. The lakes are beautiful and looked very inviting. The dogs had a good swim in Olallie to cool off before we headed back. Many more groups heading up but never felt crowded. This is a good hike for beginners and families and those needing a break from strenuous climbs. A very pleasant way to spend a Saturday morning.

The road closure at exit 45 has been noted here already. We hiked to Talapus today via the Pratt Lake trail head at exit 47, and I must say that I HIGHLY recommend that route. The trail is in great shape (though significantly longer than the other trail), and today there was no one, and I MEAN no one, around. There were several hikers at the trail head when we arrived, but they all turned off for Granite Mountain. We encountered only two other hikers on the Pratt trail, and none after the turn-off to Talapus. My dad and I had the lake all to ourselves! There weren't too many bugs, either. If you are looking for a fairly mellow hike on a great trail, and you want to experience these lakes without the crowds, hike this trail on a weekday in the next couple of weeks before the more popular trail re-opens.

Talapus and Olallie Lakes trailhead access closed during the week (Monday-Friday at noon) all summer.

Timber thinning closes Mason Lake Road (Forest Service Road 9031) at milepost 2.0 through the middle of August to vehicles and foot traffic during the week, blocking access to Ira Spring Trailhead. Thinning will close Talapus Lake Road (Forest Service Road 9030) July 30 through mid-August, blocking access to Talapus Lake Trailhead. Both roads will remain closed weekdays to vehicles and foot traffic and reopen Fridays at noon through Sundays and on holidays.

Call Snoqualmie Ranger District for updates at 425-888-1421 or stop by the office at 902 S.E. North Bend Way, North Bend, Wash., 98045.

On the hottest weekend of the year (so far), we dove into the Alpine Lake Wilderness for some solitude and refreshing adventure. At least we had an adventure!

We started at the Talapus/Olallie TH after placing a car at Denny Creek. We hiked past a quiet Talapus, raging Olallie and dropped down to serene Pratt. After filling water, we continued to Tuscohatchie which would be our camp for the night. I had been there 2 years ago and it seemed to be an unknown lake, somehow kept secret by a slightly rough and sometimes overgrown trail from Pratt. But as the day grew longer, hikers started appearing and by evening, every flat spot was occupied with a tent. There is now a new toilet there and the lake still stayed quiet, despite the number of people there.

In the morning, we climbed up toward Melakwa Lake and went up to Upper Melakwa which is a fairly easy trail and it surprised me that I hadn't been there before. There were a significant number of people at Melakwa, but no campers since they have now made it a day-use only lake (from being loved to death, no doubt). I ventured uphill to the toilet which was new and provided a peek-a-boo view of the valley and peaks.

Then it was time to descend over rock fields, baking in the hot sun, climbing over a few downed trees and down to water. We knew we were close to Denny Creek because we could hear... not the sound of rushing water... the cries of delighted children. It was a quick re-entry into civilization to see everyone playing at the waterslide creek but soon we joined in the fun, too.

Geezer pal Larry and I tested out my recovering feet to Olallie Lake - seemed like longer than 6 miles RT but it was a fine hike. Trail in great shape, shallow switchback gradients and well shaded. Could probably crawl up this one. Briefly stopped at Talapus to watch a cloud dance on the lake and then hoofed it to Olallie. We continued down the West side of Olallie and accessed the north end beach. Decide to do a little more recon along the beach down the East side but got mired in goo and had to turn back. Do not think there is a fisherman trail on that side. There are several nice sites on the lake on the West side. We lunched at the outlet on racks of old logs - sweet spot - no bugs. Water felt very warm - could be a good swimming hole as well.

  I've done this hike a number of times but it was never as pretty as today. My favorite part of this hike is the lush green section from the Pratt Lake parking lot to the junction with the Granite Mountain trail. Now the lushness is interrupted by a large clearing with a lovely waterfall on the left and dramatic mountains and a valley on the right. Thanks avalanche! It's supposedly about three and a half miles to Talapus Lake, but it always takes me longer than I feel it should to walk three and a half miles. Today it was quite worth it. I found a solitary spot on the shore where I read my book and snoozed.

Trails are in great condition. No snow and what little mud there is is drying up fast. All water crossings are easy and the only 2 blowdowns are on the short spur into Island Lake. The only floral display of any note is between Ollalie saddle and Rainbow Lake. The hike up to that point is totally forest. Note: Forest Road 9031 had barriers up saying it was closed for logging.

This is one of my favorite and always dependable trails. The trailhead is reached by FR 9030 which gains a lot of altitude in the car - a nice bonus. The road is in good shape. The trail starts out on an abandoned road, then winds its way gently up to Lake Talapus. Some good drainage work has been done on the Talapus outlet field. Climbing up past Talapus comes eventually to the Alpine Lakes sign and beyond that is the junction over the Ollalie outlet stream to the connector. The connector is a short path to the Pratt Lake trail.

I usually do the Pratt Lake trail in winter. The inlet stream crossing then is tricky to foolish but today is a piece of cake. The junction at Ollalie Saddle is completely free of snow and it looks like the trail down to Pratt Lake is clear as well. I proceded along the ridge, admiring the stately trees and pretty flowers. Up through 5 sets of switchbacks and over a spur of Pratt Mountain brought me down into lake country. Rainbow and Island lakes are completely clear of ice. There are lots of wandering trails up there, many small lakes and ponds, and good campsites at Island Lake.

The trail does go on to Mason Lake, Mt. Defiance, and Thompson Lake all the way down to the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie. That would make a nice cross country hike with cars at each end.

Round trip with all the side spurs was about 11 miles.

Beautiful mid-week hike. Crews are still working on the road at exit 45 so if you're eastbound, you still need to head to exit 47, get back on the interstate heading west and backtrack to exit 45. Other reports have indicated the presence of logging crews on weekdays, but this was a Thursday and I didn't see any logging activity at all. I've heard that even with the logging crews there it's still possible to get to the trailhead. I arrived at about 2pm to a full parking lot. I can't imagine what it's like on the weekend.

The trail is in good shape apart from several mud holes that require some elementary navigation. Bugs were virtually non-existent until I decided to sit down at the far side of Olallie to have my lunch. Then they all showed up. Most of them were flies and a few bees though, not mosquitoes. I'd say this is a moderate hike at best--I made it to Olallie in about 1.25 hours. Easy on the knees, and you get two lakes for the price of one!

Arrived at 12:30 and parking was pretty tight. Please note that if you're coming from Seattle right now, you have to go to exit 47 and head back west an exit due to some bridge construction.

The trail is in fantastic shape. Once you cross into the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, the trail is a bit muddier. Nothing you cannot avoid, though. It's tempting to just stay at Talapus Lake, though if you want to get away from some of the noise, keep going to Olallie. Seems like most families with children stop at Talapus.

Even on a gray day, this was very pretty. The clouds hanging over the mountain ridges and all. Now snow to speak of anywhere on this particular stretch.

My sisters and nieces wanted an easy hike and Talapus Lake fit the bill. The trail has dried out nicely over the last few weeks and crews have been hard at work filling in the boggy spots on the trail just before the lake. There are a couple of spots left to fill and they need help lugging planks up from near the trailhead. The outlet creek from the lake is flowing nicely and makes a great place to rest young and old legs alike.

There were a number of hikers clustered on and around the log jam that forms at the south end of the lake. We found room to sit and eat lunch while watching one teenager practice his log-rolling skills and two others crossing the lake on a make-shift raft "Huck Finn" style.

We made our way back to the car mid-afternoon and stopped for treats at the Tasty Freeze in North Bend. It was another great day in the hills!

Another update: We tried this hike again yesterday and found the road to the trail head closed due to logging. A ranger at the Snoqualmie Pass Visitor Center told us that the logging will continue on weekdays through most of the summer. The trail is accessible on the weekends, however (and from what we have heard, VERY crowded). On weekdays, the lakes can only be accessed via the Granite Mountain/Pratt trail head at Exit 47. Last week, there were a couple of tricky creek crossings on that trail. I would imagine that the creeks are a bit lower now and that a lot of the mud had dried up. We will probably go back and complete the hike within a couple of weeks.

It was a beautiful, sunny, warm day for a hike with the Basic Wilderness Travel course with the Mountaineers.

We arrived around 9am and the lot and 1/4 mile before the trailhead on the road was filled with cars. A WTA work party was getting instructions as we passed by the trailhead. Thank you WTA volunteers!

The road to the trailhead has some potholes but the drive was relatively easy. It does get narrower towards the trailhead and with all the cars parked there, it was a tight fit.

The first part of the trail to Talapus Lake is good but there is some mud. Halfway between Talapus Lake and Olallie Lake at about 3500 feet the trail has large snow patches and slick mud for about 1/4 of a mile. The last 1/2 mile or so before Olallie Lake is snow free.

We ate lunch by Olallie Lake and enjoyed the view of the water and Granite Mountain before heading back down the trail.

Pleasant grade, soft trail. A bit muddy with about 400 meters of snow still about 5/6 of the way through, easily navigable, but tennis shoes are not a great idea (though many people's feet featured them). No views to speak of and both lakes are small, so good for not clear days.
  
There's about 1/4 mile to 1/2 mile of unpaved road on the way in, not too many potholes.

WTA volunteers were working on the trail today. Thanks volunteers!

DETOUR ROUTES
Driving from Seattle, Exit 45 had a detour to exit 47. The trailhead at 47 had signs stating that this trail to Talapus/Olallie Lakes was difficult with high water volume at crossing and recommended exit 45, ForestRoad 1039. So I got back on I-5 and took 45 which is open from the Eastern side.

1039 TRAIL CONDITIONS
The trail to Talapus and Olallie was extremely muddy, but very do-able with boots. There was just a little snow on the trail. I got to the trailhead at 12 and stayed extremely cool (even though it was 70 degrees) due to the tree cover.

Our destination was Talapus/Olallie Lakes. Detour signs on I-90 directed us past exit 45 to exit 47, and we began at the Pratt Lake/Granite Mountain trailhead instead. The avalanche area has been noted before. Follow the markers and you should have no problem finding the trail. Quite a few wet/muddy/slippery spots as you near the turn-off for the lakes. The streams and creeks are running high right now. We had no trouble fording them until we reached a fairly large creek just before Talapus Lake. My dad (in his 70's) slipped on a wet rock and ended up with a skinned knee and very wet shorts and boots. Another misstep left me with a soaked boot as well. We stopped to have lunch and change into dry socks before turning back. A beautiful hike for the most part, but as the melt-off continues, some parts may be tricky for some hikers. Wear good boots and bring plenty of extra socks!

We did this hike instead of a few others that we'd considered (Annette Lake, Denny Creek, Tinkham Peak) for a variety of reasons. Mostly because the other trails were reportedly covered in snow.

The road to this trailhead was fine. Some big potholes but nothing that can't be avoided. There was no problem finding the trail and making it all the way to the lake, which is 100% clear of ice and zero bugs.

The trail was absolutely fine until about a mile below Olallie lake at which point is covered in very mushy snow but still totally passable. We didn't even try to find a spot to cross the river and look for the trail to Pratt Lake. Instead we just stayed on one side and went to Olallie.

Gorgeous view across the lake of wispy clouds floating up the mountainside. On the way up there were some great spots to stand alongside the very fast river and lots really pretty, wet, flora all throughout the forest. Great to see spring starting again.

Well worth a day hike in the early season, though bring good boots because everything is muddy and wet.

Road to trail and Trail in great shape. Very little mud and very little snow on trail. No problem hiking to North side of Olallie along the West shore of Lake Olallie.

No ice on Talapus and only about 5% ice on Olallie - should be gone by the weekend.

Lakes as beautiful as ever. No bugs. Water in streams high and fast. We did not cross outflow stream South of Olallie from Talapus trail to Pratt Lake trail. Crossing would result in some wet boots.

Took this hike with my entire family. We had no significant issues on our way to Talapus Lake, just a little snow and some mudholes. Make sure to watch your footing- there are some parts where the going gets slippery. We probably passed two to three dozen other hikers, but the trail was relatively quiet for a Sunday.

The oldest and youngest members of the family picnicked at Talapus as a couple of us ventured to Olallie. We went quickly (about an hour round-trip) despite the snow, which was deep in areas. At times, the trail was somewhat difficult to follow but within a couple yards we always found ourselves back on track.

The lakes did not disappoint. They were stunning, with perfect reflections of the already-spectacular landscape.

A great family hike and day-hike! I definitely recommend checking out Talapus and Ollalie Lakes!

The road up to the trailhead was snow free and just fine for my camry. It was raining a little and I forgot my jacket which made me choose this hike since it has a good amount of tree cover the whole way.

The trail up to Talapus lake was great but the lake was covered in fog, I almost didn't see it. After the trail up from Talapus lake, where the trail levels-off that's where the snow starts. It's compact and pretty easy to walk over. I had a little trouble finding the trail to Olallie lake since the area is covered in snow and recent boot marks are hard to find.

I think the bridge to Pratt lake is still out because I still didn't see it over the river.

Olallie lake is about 80% covered in ice. Someone left their nice Ramen cup at the shores edge but it looked dangerous to grab without a pole. I forgot my camera too :(

The trail has muddy spots and after the switch backs around 1.5 miles there is snow on the trail. Its hard and compact and in most spots easy to walk on. It dries out as you get close to the lake. Once past the lake the trail becomes muddy and not far after talapus lake you start walking on deep snow for the rest of the hike. At the fork for Pratt or Olallie lake we went left to Olallie and the trail is not visble except in some parts. There are foot prints which is what we followed along with the help of our GPS.

Pratt Mountain was a hastily cobbled together plan C after the failures of plans A & B. I started from the Talapus Lake TH and hiked the Talapus Lake trail past Talapus Lake. The trail is snow free until shortly before creek crossing, close to the lake. The lake is almost completely thawed out. There is a fair amount of bare ground near the lake, but also plenty of snow.

I continued up toward Olallie lake, soon loosing the trail under the snow. About half way to Olallie, I angled left and ascended the ridge toward Pratt Mountain. The ridge was mostly snow covered. The ridge wasn't too steep, and the snow conditions were good, but it was in a cloud. At the top of the ridge I picked up a trail boot trail in the snow that led to the Pratt summit. There is one or two places that require some caution, but it wasn't too bad. Ice axe is useful, but not absolutely required.

The summit was clouded over. On occasion, a break in the clouds revealed a small bit of one of the surrounding mountains, but quickly vanished. I went back the same way.

The snow was just right. Firm enough that snow shoes were not needed, and soft enough that I didn't bother putting on the microspikes. Ice axe came in handy, but it's not absolutely required. Stiff boots for kicking steps in snow are recommended.

Good hike, could not make it all the way to the lake, due to the snow trail kind of drifting off and I could not see it anymore. Trail has a detour about .2mi in. follow the trail up, really steep and slippery. alot of water on trail and 1 very poor stream crossing.

The I-90 underpass is closed, so to get to Talapus Lake trail head, we drove to the next exit and made a U-turn. The forest road up to the trail head is in good shape. We arrived at the trail head around 1pm and found only 5 cars were in the parking lot. Maybe the cold damp day had something to do with the low turn-out of hikers.

The trail is clear and in good shape. We encountered snow on the trail at elevation 3200 feet near the fast flowing creek. The snow is about 8” to 3’ deep but is hard pack and easy to walk on. We did not use our Yak Trax, even though we brought them. Hiking is the snow and watching out for the snow bridges over the small creeks made for an extra fun hike.

Talapus Lake is about 80% covered in thin ice. We did not go past Talapus Lake.

We (girlfriend, dog, and I) backpacked to Olallie Lake from the Talapus Lake Trailhead. There were 7 other cars there when we arrived Saturday morning. Road up was snow free and well maintained, only a few small branches across the road. We registered in the backcountry log and hit the trail at 9am.
No snow the fist .5 mile or so, then about 3600 feet we hit it. About 3-8 inches packed on the trail - microspikes and gaiters helped tremendously although plenty of people had none. The snow was partly slushy and we punched through a bunch of times. The path up until Talapus was easy to follow.
After Talapus it became much harder to navigate, luckily we had been here before and new our way up to Olallie. We helped another couple with a dog and a guy already on his way. We made quick work of the switchbacks and caught the river at the top. We followed the river until the Pratt/Olallie trail intersection. The bridge is out here - so we were unable to go towards Pratt Trail. By default we continued to follow the river upstream towards Olallie and made it easily. There was nowhere to cross other than a snow bridge at the south end of Olallie - although it is quickly becoming unstable.
We camped at the north end of Olallie and had no neighbors. We attempted to ascend the north slope and jump on the Pratt Trail. It was steep and after about 400-500 feet we should have seen/been on the trail. It was non-existent, seems like very little traffic has been up this way recently. We hiked on the side hill for a little while - and quickly found it unsafe. We descended with heel kicks and long trekking poles. I would not recommend this without an ice axe (which I did not have and slid a good 45 feet before self arresting).
The lake is still mostly ice although it is slowly receding from the banks. We camped on about 2-3 feet of snow but the tree wells show it's about time to melt. I figure another month and it will be much easier to traverse.
The hike out was uneventful although we were happy to be on solid ground at the 3600-3700 foot mark.


My pack/gear for the weekend looked like this: http://imgur.com/a/0XdhA
The GPS track of our weekend is here: http://goo.gl/3FLJu
Pictures of the weekend are here: http://goo.gl/AeIQE

Great hike, snow on trail when we got closer to Talapus. Trail to Olallie from Talapus was very difficult to find and follow, and I've done this hike before. We searched in vain for a while then gave up, just too much snow! Overall though, a great, and fairly gentle hike, as long you have waterproof boots for the snow.

Great evening hike in to Talapus lake. Had wanted to continue on to camp at Olallie, but couldn't find the trail over the river in the snow, so stayed at Talapus instead. Beautiful site on the edge of the lake. Saw a river otter and an owl. Cold and clear, great show of stars.

Started around 3:30 after having to cut the hike to Mason Lake short due to snow. Only one car at the trail head. Trail was great, looks like wooden bridges have been constructed over the muddy parts at the beginning. Snow began after about a mile but was very compact and hard and the trail was very easy to follow. Closer to the lake the trail got a little tricky when having to cross the streams. Still many feet of snow which required climbing down the snow banks to cross the foot bridges. Made it all the way to the lake which is still pretty much snow covered. Was beautiful and warm by the lake.

The road is clear to the trailhead, aside some overhanging trees/branches and a few on the edge of the road. Trail was free of snow, although very wet/muddy for the first mile or so. Snow after then. The footbridges at the stream crossings at the lake outlet are a little interesting because of all the snow on top them, but not too difficult to manage with some patience. We used waterproof boots/gaiters and poles. Snowshoes weren't needed, not much postholing or sinking in the snow. Microspikes could be helpful once you hit the snow and on the descent, but we didn't end up putting them on because we had poles.

We started out around 3pm and had the lake to ourselves, but saw three parties heading up on our way down. Several of the men were wearing shorts despite the fact that there is 6-8 feet of snow at the lake!

Forest service road is passable to just below the trailhead parking lot, with only a couple areas of 8" deep snow in the last 1/2 mile. Need high-ground clearance vehicle to get all the way to the TH. Trail is clear of snow for the first 1/2 mile, then patchy snow. Deep snow beyond the first mile. I put on snowshoes where the trail reaches the creek and was glad to have them. Creek was beautiful, running full and fast. Talapus lake quiet and almost completely covered in snow and ice.

This is a winter go-to hike for me since the road is paved and extremely short, and always plowed (it's not the NFS taking care of hikers - there is a gravel pit up the road past the locked gate that they need access to).

Conditions on this trail are about what you'd expect this time of year - deep, hard snow in the morning, then deep, soft snow when it warms up. And slippery.

Note that there was a recent avalanche that has done considerable damage to the trail, right at the switchback that skirts the avalanche chute. It's very short, though, just 20-30 feet. The real problem is that the trail is hidden under debris and there are little boot paths leading every which way. Just look around and you'll find the main trail soon enough. But take a quick climb up the debris pile and have a look at what an avalanche can do to the landscape (careful - there are lots of voids under the surface snow!).

I made it to just past the ALWA boundary sign; at that point, the deep, wet, and very heavy snow was too much work without snowshoes (which I sometimes use but dislike). For each step, my boots would pick up a pound or two of snow each, and trekking poles with baskets another pound or two. It was like slogging through wet concrete.

So, of you're going, bring snowshoes and / or traction devices.

We went up into the clouds - hiked past Olallie Lakes, up the ridge north of it and followed it till the summit of Pratt. Glorious views of the clouds we were within, with a brisk enough breeze to dull the enthusiasm of potential summit shot takers. We dropped back down - looped around the other side of Olallie, found some tenuous log crossings across the drainage and then found our way back to the trail. Nice, fun winter day out - even though the snow up high turned to rain as we headed to the cars.

There is a significant avalanche that's come down onto the trail about 300 vertical feet (~ 15 minutes) from the trail head, just before it switches back. If you head straight up just short of the avalanche debris - you'll catch the trail again within a few dozen feet.

The trail was easy to follow even though the last visitor was more than a few days back and there were no footprints going in. There is a creek crossing past the Talapus/Olallie junction with a 3 foot step on both sides. If you carry a shovel, it's useful to cut up steps there!

We started at the Pratt Lake/Granite Mt trailhead donning snowshoes right from the start. They were not really necessary then but I guess we needed the extra ankle weight for training purposes. There was one brushy blow down at the switchback near the avalanche gully (15 minutes from the cars). Bill and I cut a hole through but others may wish to bring a hand saw and improve the head clearance.

The creek crossings prior to the junction down to Talapus are still OK. There is one area with summer time bridges and the snow bridges are narrowing; a couple of people took an unpleasantly big step in one or two places.

We continued about 1/3 mile past the trail junction to Talapus and then cut cross country down to the Ollalie Lake which was only 200 yards from the main trail at that point. Snowshoes were needed for this section. We enjoyed solitude and a nice lunch on the east side of the lake. At least 3 other groups were on the west side of the lake probably arriving via the exit 45 route.

After lunch, Bill and I wanted to see how the crossing of the "creek of no return" looked; Jacque and Bob started back to the car. The punched in track quickly ended and nobody had been across the creek yet. The "hole" getting in and out of the creek bed was about 8 feet but at least it was not a vertical drop.

On the way out, tons of people were still coming in. One person asked how far it was to the lake - sometimes there are questions that you just do not want answered.

        Our party of three reached the trailhead around 10:30AM. There was no snow on the road up till we got to the parking lot. No need for 4WD at this point--there were only a few potholes and only one major one that needed some maneuvering around. Do NOT park in the parking lot though if you don't want to get stuck!
        The trail was clear for the first mile or so, with a few patches of minor snow. Snowshoes really aren't necessary on the trail to Talapus Lake; however, since the snow got a little icey, we opted to put ours on in order to use the crampons on the bottom to maintain traction because none of us brought other means of traction this time. There were several snow bridges to cross, one of which was a very small log across a little creek. Use care when crossing that one, as it is very easy to fall in. The snow got deeper as we neared the first lake and then perfect snowshoeing conditions presented itself at Olallie Lake. We did not encounter anyone till we reach the second lake. The trail is very obvious, although I did note a lot of tracks heading off the trail in other directions. We encountered about four other people on our way out.
        Perfect snowshoe outing! Hiked/snowshoed about 6 miles RT, with 1220ft in elevation gain, and a lot of gorgeous alpine scenery.

  

Starting at Granite Mountain trailhead my girlfriend, husky, and I hiked to Talapus Lake to camp for the weekend.
 
Pratt Lake Trail was relatively free of snow/ice until 3000 feet. We put on microspikes at that point and they helped us keep pace. The junction that breaks off to Pratt Lake was well marked. We continued west (Pratt Lake is north) until reaching another sign/junction for Olallie Lake. Just past a challenging stream crossing. The trail to Olallie was less traveled – but we were able to quickly make our way out and even walked across the frozen lake. The hike back from Olallie down to Talapus was well traveled. We put our snowshoes on to keep from post holing here, but the trail was almost packed enough where they were unnecessary.
 
Talapus Lake was quiet and we saw no other campers Saturday or Sunday night. There is about 8-12 inches of snow on the ground, which was becoming increasingly icy with sunshine melting the top layer and re-freezing over night.
 
On Christmas morning we started a hike out to the Island Lakes. The trail to Pratt Lake Basin was well packed and easy to follow. It appeared that the majority of hikers went down into the basin at the fork – we chose to follow the ridge and stay high. We made it about a half-mile of the 1.1 section and we decided to turn back. The tail must have gone up, but it was hard to find.
 
Overall the trip provided spectacular lake scenery and solid winter trails.

My wife and I headed up to Lake Olallie for an overnight snowshoe trip. Starting at the Pratt Lake-Granite Mountain parking area, we hit the trail at 11:00 AM. There was not much snow below 3000 feet. We strapped on the snowshoes at the Alpine Lakes Wilderness sign just before the Talapus Lake trailhead sign. We stayed right at the "Y" and followed the path up to the Olallie Lake overlook. We found a decent place to set up camp a couple hundred yards passed the Pratt Lake Trail sign, at about 3PM. Our elevation was 4150'. The NOAA.gov weather forecast called for warm and wet conditions, which was tough to believe as my home in Auburn was in a deep freeze just the day before. But the forecast was right on. The temp was 37 degrees at 6PM, much warmer than ideal. So instead of peaceful snowy night, we got rain. I will respect the NOAA forecast in the future. The overnight rain chewed up the trail pretty good. Let it Snow!

this is one of our favorite trails but we rarely get to make it because of the road condition. Today was no exception. Off of the exit 45, we were driving toward the trail head bu immediately faced the logging equipment obstacle as the previous hiker reported. Combined with the slush icy/mud, I didnt want to take a chance with my two little girls. Instead we headed on NF9031 but soon found ourselves in a slush/muddy road again. We will have to come back again, and hope for a better road condition.

Flickr: http://bit.ly/olallie-lake

Olallie Lake needed a visit from me today, and the morning sun was too good to refuse. After yesterday's 10-miler to Kelcema Lake, I almost didn't get out this morning. Weather turned for the better to my surprise, even with the horrible forecast we've been getting.

It was 11:30 when I got to the trailhead and started hiking at a quarter til. For those who aren't familiar, the hike to Olallie and Talapus lakes can also be reached through the Granite Mountain/Pratt Lake trailhead at exit 47 just to the north off the freeway. This route adds an additional mile to the hike, making it six miles round-trip. The Exit 45 trailhead requires additional three-mile drive to the end of NFD Road 9030, which is usually closed in the winter due to road conditions. This route in wintertime would make an eight-mile hike round-trip, so it's better off taking the six-mile route due to shorter daylight this time of the year.

The trail was in great conditions despite of the amount of snow. By the time I started hiking, there had already been enough traffic on the trail to pack the snow down. The party I met on the way in turned around at the Alpine Lakes Wilderness sign about two miles in. From there I broke trail in boots in two feet of snow, past the Talapus/Olallie Lake trail junction at 2.5 miles and to the turn-off down to Olallie Lake half a mile beyond the junction. Unable to see the trail at the turn-off, I put on snowshoes and traversed westerly to drop 100 feet down to the lake.

The clouds were slowly dissipating and the sun was shinning brightly. I got to the lake at 2 PM, in time for great photo opps in the gorgeous afternoon weather. I stayed half hour savoring the views and befriending a few Gray Jays chirping on nearby tree branches. Got back to the car at exactly 4 PM, 20 minutes before sunset.

Three of us headed out the I90 corridor in our usual predicament - where to go. The farther east we went, the harder it rained. I suggested Talapus and Olallie from the upper trailhead off of exit 45 in the hope of starting the hike at the snow line. Immediately after the junction for Talapus versus Mason Lake trailheads, there was a road closed sign. We determined that it certainly could not apply to us. There was one unpleasant piece of logging equipment to dodge with a slight skid and wheel spin into and out of the muddy ditch. I also wussed out about 1/4 mile from the trailhead with the snow on the road. It seems everyone else just plowed onward as I should have.

The trail to Talapus was a mix of conditions: some bare dirt sections but not many; some soft snow sections but only a few; and a lot of sloppy, soupy, slushy goop to plop through. The creek at the switchbacks was running hard and loud - very nice. The bridges just into the wilderness area were OK; the middle single log bridge was slick but short.

We had a nice break at Talapus Lake which is just starting to freeze over. From there the trail snow was virginal and mostly fluffy with only occasionally sloppy mud sections. We picked up foot prints again at the junction which comes down from the Pratt Lake trail. It took us a while to find a wind free lunch spot at Olallie Lake. We even tried the way trail back to the lake outlet. That snow was the deepest at over 1 foot deep. We ended up at the main day area tucked away in a little grove of trees.

The trip may sound bad based on the trail conditions but it is always nice to visit these 2 great lakes and the nice creeks along the way.

Started hike at the Pratt Lake trail head. Trail clear for the first mile or so. One to six inches of snow the rest of the way. No traction devices needed. Beautiful snow hike.

The last Saturday in October was a nice day for hiking. The morning saw a little rain, but by the time we started our hike, the rain had stopped and the day became nice. Our plan was to take two cars, leaving one at Ira Springs Trailhead and the second at Talapus Trailhead. Our hike began at Talapus. Our total hike would be around 10 miles. Soon the snows will be here, making much of this hike out of reach for us. A recent report stated there is snow on the trail. We did find some remnants of snow near Island Lake, but nothing to be concerned with.

The total hike has many types of scenery. Starting with gentle slopes to Talapus and passing by mushrooms, and cascading water falls. From Talapus we gazed at the fall colors and listened to the water falls coming down from Island Lake. As we climbed toward Pratt Lake turn-off, we began with the high mountain views. We gazed down to Ollalie Lake, and later to Talapus Lake. Once reaching the turn to Island we were in a new land with many small lakes, and meadows. We expected to see deer or Elk, but they must have been in hiding.

After passing mason, we descended down the side of Bandera with the fall colors all around us.

Great time to hike, with the temperatures in the 40’s, no snow yet, no bugs, but plenty of water falls and lakes. Note: there is water and mud on the trails between Island Lake and Mason Lake. Our total altitude gain was 2800 ft.

The day was fair, if cool, with excellent trail conditions if you avoided the occasional mud hole.

I would estimate we did about 8.5 miles RT to the ridge/saddle between Olallie and Pratt Lakes in crisp, sunny, fall weather. The trail starts on an abandoned road which turns to trail in about a 1/2 mile and then a series of switch backs leads to "Talapus"? creek and then to the lake. Talapus lake offered a enchanting reflection of Bandera Mt. as we walked by. Mud is evident in the usual places near Talapus Lake but can usually be gotten around.

We then continued on toward Olallie Lake but did not stop at the lake, rather taking the spur trail to the Pratt Lake trail and from there to the ridge. Some snow on this section and the ridge area but it was not slick. Current weather suggests more snow in the next few days for this altitude so these trails may not be open to the ridge much past early November.

We walked a bit on the Mt. Defiance trail and got limited views of Talapus and Olallie Lakes from this trail which goes over to Mason Lake via Rainbow and Island Lakes.

We took about 4 hours to hike the trails and gained 1400 to 1500 feet of elevation. More snow than fall foliage on the hike at this point but still worth the effort.

This is one of my favorite trails and it did not disappoint today. Contrary to rumors, FR 9030 is clear and in good shape. FR 9031 has some logging activity going on and this may cause delays driving to the trailhead, but it is very passable as well. Trail 1039 climbs 400 feet through quiet forest to Lake Talapus with no obstructions and a nice soft tread of evergreen needles and duff. Where the trail crosses the outflow basin of the lake, there are lots of mudholes. This would be a good place for turnpikes.

From Talapus the trail gains another 400 ft in half a mile to a junction. Go left to the shores of Lake Ollalie. Go right across the stream to the connector to the Pratt Lake trail #1007. This trail is also in very good shape, gently gaining 600 ft. to the Ollalie Saddle. Here it follows the ridgeline over a spur of Pratt Mountain to Island, Rainbow, and eventually Mason Lakes. This ridgeline portion is one of the most charming parts of the trail. Moss draped trees rise from sunlit carpets of bright green moss, dappled with sunlight and contrasted with the blazing autumn vine maples beyond.

On the saddle is also the junction down into the Pratt Lake basin. Here some good work has been done on the trail and it is clear at least to the boulder slope where I admired the bright colors of autumn and dominate Kaleetan Peak before turning around. My total distance was 8 miles roundtrip.

Beautiful day for a hike. Trail conditions were great minus a couple of muddy spots that were easily avoided.

Watch out for rocky and rooty areas. Also, the wooden bridges can be a bit slick when wet.

Only a few cars at the trailhead so not too crowded. Made it to Talapus and on to Olallie and back in 2.5 hours. Gray Jays at Olallie were entertaining.

No bugs for us today. Lakes were clear and pristine.

Check out my full trip report and pictures at
http://livinthehikelife.blogspot.com/[…]/talapus-and-olallie-lakes.html

Busy day on this trail. Parallel parking only along the dirt road in. Weather was hot and favored a short hike to a lake.

Trail was in good condition, the mud was at a minimum. Not many bugs to complain about. Spent much of my time navigating around others on the trail.

Was hard to find a place without people near the shore of Talapus lake. There are not many rocky places to get in at. When we did find a spot the water was not painfully cold, so it was lovely for a quick swim!

I would recommend this hike on a hot weekDAY.

Oh and I did pass a few WTA people on the way up! :) GO WTA!

My pictures from this hike on my blog:
http://mangopowergirl.com/[…]/alpine-lakes-wilderness.html

We hiked up to Talapus Lake and then on to Olallie Lake. The trail overall was in good condition with muddy spots closer to Talapus Lake and beyond. Immediately after the split of the trail from Pratt/Olallie Lakes, the trail was very muddy but navigable.

Bugs were almost non-existent for our brief stop at Talapus Lake but were out in force at Olallie Lake.

Looks like most of the blowdowns people mentioned are gone. We hiked to just before the Alpine Lakes Wilderness boundary to set up camp, then went to Olallie to take pictures and have dinner. After the split from Pratt Lake Trail, the trail is much much worse. Pratt Lake Trail is almost pristine compared to Olallie, and the deerflies and mosquitoes are awful up there. Our camp was next to a sinkhole but the bugs weren't anywhere near as bad as by the lake. Saw three dogs off leash.

I loved this hike! Trail is muddy in alot of spots but its easily navigated. Ran into a WTA work crew working on trail upkeep on our way up. Bugs were not all that bad at Talapus, worse at Olallie but we've been in worse bug areas by far. Its actually a little further than the trail info states, closer to 6 miles from what the sign at the trailhead showed. Still its doable in a day easy, moderate hike but not too hard. Its only really steep on the switchbacks the rest of it is obviously uphill but more moderate. Passed lots of familys and couples on the trail both going up and coming down. There are 2 snowcovered parts but they are easily navigated just watch where you walk on it.

We began our hike at the Pratt Lake/Granite Mountain TH on Friday afternoon. The weather was beautiful and the trail was dry and clear for most of the way. We left trail #1007 at the #1039 fork and continued on to Ollalie Lake. Trail #1039 was muddy and had water on the trail.

The camping areas at Ollalie Lake were dry. There were patches of snow in the basin, but nothing on the trail. The bugs were out in force. Bring netting or spray.

We hiked up to Talapus Lake and then continued on to Olallie Lake. The hike up to Talapus was clear with no snow - closer to the lake there were patches of mud in places. The trail up to Olallie was about half covered in snow and there was a lot of mud.

The view of both lakes and waterfalls going up to the top are beautiful. The hike up to Olallie is difficult because of the snow and mud, but well worth it.

Easy going to a little before Talapus Lake. Then muddy to lake. Trail on to Ollalie is intermittently muddy and snow covered, but doable with some caution. These conditions are changing fast as the snow melts. Fantastic views at both lakes of surrounding patchy snow/rock/tree covered slopes.

We got an early start, hoping to head up to Rainbow-Island Lakes. However, there was still a little too much snow in that direction for our liking, so we just went to Olallie Lake. Because it was early, there were only a few other groups of hikers, all of them friendly and personable. Up until a little past Talapus there isn't any snow, but much of the trail between Talapus and Olallie lakes are snowfields in various stages of melting. If you aren't part of the midday crowds, it can be hard to find the trail at times. I imagine this changes later in the day, as we passed a lot of people heading up in the snow on our way back. The snow was getting slushier and slicker by the minute as it warmed in the sun, and any exposed trail was a mud pit. Be prepared for cold, dirty feet and muddy, slippery conditions.

We stayed at Olallie for lunch, and it was very beautiful. Still mostly frozen over, our dog had a blast swimming in the ice-cold lake. There were a few bugs buzzing around, but none were biting. Overall a great hike on a beautiful day.

Arrived at trailhead 8am, drizzling rain, no other cars. Trail to Talapus was a bit muddy with snow towards the end, but no problem following boot tracks. Hummingbird checked us out as we checked out the lake. Trail from Talapus to Olallie was mostly snow, again no problem following the myriad boot tracks; poles and gaiters would have helped, but not essential. Olallie Lake was beautiful, serene, still mostly snow covered. Found a $10 bill sitting on the snow at trail's end (not sure what to make of that). Had a chilly lakeside snack, ca 38 degrees, before heading back down. Passed 5-6 parties on their way up, several with fishing gear. Arrived back at parking lot around 11:15, home in time for lunch.

An interesting walk to a much visited and loved lake. The road to the trail head has been recently graded and is in excellent shape. The trail, for the most part is also in good shape. Some mud holes at the start and just before the snow are present but not difficult to walk around or through.

According to the recent report by a ranger the way is open to Olallie Lake but traction devices are suggested beyond Talapus. Snow over the last 1/4 mile to the lake is melting and should be gone in two weeks if we get somewhat normal weather and temperatures. Keep an eye out in the snow section for the summer trail. It is present near the lake and beats walking over steams draining the melting snow around the lake.

The Talapus Creek crossing bridges are free of snow but once beyond these two structures snow covers most of the bog/swamp bridges to the upper trail. Not much in the way of flowers but the skunk cabbage is coming out and offered a bright contrast to the brown recently uncovered areas near the lake.

A fair number of vehicles were at the trail head but we did not see anyone at the lake when we arrived.

Started at trail head around 11pm. A little late but the parking-lot was only half full, probably due to the dreary weather which was damp and a tad chilly with periodic sprinkles. The trail was pretty muddy for the first 3/4 and then, for about the last 1/4, pretty darn snow covered. We would suggest gators to keep things clean and extra socks for the kids! Additionally, some might appreciate the use of a sturdy hiking pole as it can be pretty slippery on the snow pack. Also, while pretty safe, be careful when walking on the snow because there are section were it has really begun to melt and it would be easy to set your foot down and have it fall through (post holing?).
Low fog at the lake made for interesting photos and the water's stillness allowed for a beautiful reflection of the hills on the lake's surface. There is blow-down at the very beginning of the trail, but I feel like it might have been there last season too. Either-way, not too difficult to pass over but root at base may be slippery. All total great hike for such a wet June. Enjoy!

The Hike of the Week Club thought that with the official start of summer on Tuesday, maybe it was time to venture into slightly higher terrain, so we headed for Talapus Lake. As the Irish would say, it was a "soft" day. Never really raining, but still moisture coming out the sky, which made for glorious mud on the trail. At least until the trail left the last switchback and headed along the stream to the lake at which point the trail was covered with about 2 feet of snow that continued all the way to the lake. The trail is easy to follow, though, given the number of people who have been in to the lake, and the snow is firm. The bridges over the stream just before the lake are free of snow, so those are fine as well.

We had planned to continue on to Olallie Lake, but several hikers coming down reported that they could not find the trail past Talapus and that the snow was serious, and the one group that had spent the night at Olallie recommended against proceeding due to continual post holing in the snow. So we turned around and headed to REI to buy MicroSpikes for the remaining months of the summer hiking season.

The parking lot was only half full and few were out on the trail to Talapus lake. The snow begins about half way to Talapus and is compact and slick. The boot path is easy to follow and one quickly arrives at Talapus. The boot path is a little less clear up to Olallie, branching out in different directions often. The cutoff to the Pratt lake trail is difficult to find with several feet of compacted snow on both sides of the fast flowing creek. Crossing the creek further up the Pratt trail is dicey and it's a good turn around spot for most. You have to scramble your way down to the creek above overhanging snow banks being cut away by the creek. Finally, near the top of the balcony, the trail disappears altogether, which is where I turned around. Hard to believe it's June.

Started this hike at around 9:30am with a handful of cars in the lot. As the previous report stated, snow still starts at about 1 mile in; much to the chagrin of the hiker who wore shorts hoping to enjoy a warm Washington day! Trail was slick even in hiking boots and post-holing started to become an issue at Talapus and even more so during the journey up to Olallie. Reaching Talapus is quick and easy; finding the trail to Olallie proved a little more difficult as everything at that point is covered in snow. We followed foot prints of previous hikers which lead us astray on a couple of occasions but we eventually made our way to Olallie. Take special care near trees and creek crossing as the stable snow surface quickly gives way if you step in the wrong spot. If you are planning to rest at Olallie I would recommend bringing something to sit on or plan to hunker under one of the few trees that have bare dirt/bushes at their base. We made it back to the parking lot at 1:30pm where cars now lined the road leading to the lot. A lot of people were hiking with small children at this point; none of whom were prepared for the multiple feet of snow you end up encountering.

Got to the trailhead around 11:00am, a handful of cars were in the parking lot. The dogs and I headed up the trail to see how far we could get in the snow. The trail is in good shape and in about 1 mile we started hitting the snow. The trail was easy to follow but very packed down and very slick. Once again I was glad I had my pole with me. We hit a couple of parties on our way up to the lake and once we hit the lake, we headed around the west side to do a little exploring. I followed the faint boot path that angled up the hill away from the lake and was able to find the trail that went to Ollalie lake but decided to save that for another day. Once again the dogs had a blast in the snow and the lake made for a pretty stopping place to ponder away the afternoon.

Road to the trail head was completly clear and in great shape. We made it to Tallapus lake with no problems. Encounter snow on the trail about h1 mile in. The trail was well worn so easy to follow. Didn't need any type of traction devices on our boots. After a brief stop at Talapus lake we tried to fin Ollalie lake. The snow was very deep and we ended up having to abort. We just couldn't figure out were the trail was. If we had snow shoes and a GPS cord of the lake we would have made it.

Beautiful day and the road to the trailhead not too rough. Snow on trail starts at about one mile. No post holing but the trail is beginning to get soft. The creek crossing near Talapus is covered with ice and snow and is dangerous, so I followed the left bank all the way to the lake. Lake still frozen over for the most part. Pretty woods hike all in all. Someone with a shovel could clear the creek crossing quite easily. Otherwise, it’s a long hike around Talapus to get to Olallie.

As usual, when I meet Bill on a weekday, there is absolutely no advance plan. After some discussion, we decided to try Talapus and Olallie Lakes via the exit 45 trailhead. It is now possible to drive to the trailhead although there are 3 or so blowdowns which partially block the road - cars can still squeeze by.

I try to treat the start like the Price Is Right and guess things like: elevation of steady snow; elevation where snow shoes are needed; first spot on the trail where we will get lost (I mean, off route). So the answers are as follows. There were snow patches right from the start but snow was pretty much continuous from the 3000' level just before the trail starts switchbacking up next to the creek. The creek is really running right now. The footing up the switchbacks was good but the boot track was "thin" on at least 2 of the switchbacks. By "thin" I mean, slip and you are going for a ride. Then entering the wilderness area, there are 3 creek crossings. In the summer there are nice bridges or a log. There was a nice coat of ice on the log and the other 2 had adequate footing - only adequate.

We made it to Talapus Lake without snowshoes. After a nice break, we put on the snowshoes and promptly lost the trail. Snow tracks did appear periodically but the snow angle was low and the snow coverage was good so the straight up approach was fine.

Our destination was Olallie Lake but we looked at the creek crossing area at the trail junction south of Olallie Lake. Nobody had crossed recently; getting in and out of the creek bed will be very exciting; and the actual crossing will be wet. We did find 2 acceptable snow bridges right at the outlet of Olallie Lake. I did not feel that it was necessary to load test those briges so I can't attest to their condition.

After a nice lunch we headed down meeting 2 groups of 2 coming in.

Beautiful day for a hike. Drove to within a short walk (1/3 mile) to the trail head. Too much snow on the road to make it all the way.
Started w/o snowshoes but put them on when to keep from post holing.
A little crisp in the morning but turned very mushy by early afternoon. I made it to Olallie, took a little break and then headed back.
I definitely took the path least (probably Never) traveled. I Love hiking in the snow.

Able to park a little farther up the road than a couple of days ago, and maybe only 1/4 mile from the trailhead. There was maybe an inch or two of new fresh snow in areas that weren't covered by tree canopy. Still a substantial amount of snow and postholed up to my upper thigh in one place when we were taking a shortcut through the snow. We tried to cross over the creek to head to Ollalie Lake which required a somewhat sketchy crossing of two log foot bridges which were snow covered, and then there seemed to be a snow bridge where prior footprints were leading and we didn't feel comfortable crossing this and weren't sure how conditions would be higher up in any case. We therefore opted to enjoy Talapus Lake for a few minutes before heading back down. Skunk cabbage was just coming out fairly early into the hike.

The drive up to the trailhead is cut short by snow on the dirt road. We had to park off to the side about a half mile before the trail actually starts. There is snow from beginning to end, but it has been well trodden so it is relatively compact the entire way except for a few areas where we postholed by about 2 feet. My companion was wearing normal running shoes and I wore simple snow boots, and although we were slipping and sliding half the time, we still made it to Talapus Lake in about 2 hours. There were a few sketchy (slippery) areas where I thought I might fall off the edge onto the steep slope and posthole up to my midsection, but it never actually happened. The lake is still frozen, but with the sun shining it proved to be well worth the effort. There is no accessible trail onward to Ollalie Lake at this time. We started the trail around 2:30pm and made it back to the car just after 5pm, with about 15 minutes spent at the top. Great trip, highly recommended to those with no fear of falling/slipping/sliding, but those with the faint of heart or weak ankles beware. Fantastic trip - I can't wait to do it again after the snow has melted.

The hike to Talapus lake seemed like it'd be a good spring hike, and for the most part it was. Unfortunately there was snow starting about 1/2 mile below the trailhead making it inaccessible by car so I had to park below and hike up. Ran into a couple on the trail who said it was much better a month ago.

The trail itself was in good shape, all things considered, it has been fairly well beat down by snowshoers and hikers so there is a clearly beaten path through the snow all the way up. No traction devices or snowshoes necessary. I wore boots and only sunk in when I got too close to the lake.

One thing to watch out for is about 1/2 mile from Talapus lake when you run into the overflow stream from Talapus - which was flowing really well today - it is very easy to miss the switchback. You hit the stream, the trail turns back to the left and uphill, about 200ft later you need to turn up and back to the right, but many people have continued straight and it's tough to tell the difference between the main trail and the divergent one. Even if you miss the turn, you will eventually meet back up with the real trail right before the lake.

Went up to see how the trail was, road was snowed over after about a mile and a half in. Snow was firm so I cruised up it walking in my boots with no problem. At the trailhead saw that some snow shoe prints and regular boot prints going up the trail and figured that i would give it a try. Got to the lake with no problems in hiking boots and i'm 250lbs.

Lake was still snowed over, the views were beautiful, and there was no one else there. The only thing that could have made it better was if there a nice dry place next to the lake to have lunch.

We selected a moderate snow shoe trip for the day and ended up at the Granite/Pratt/Ollalie trailhead off of exit 47 on I-90. There were snow patches here and there up to the Granite Mt junction and pretty much "firm" snow from there on. Traction devices were helpful but not really necessary on the way up. The first few creek crossings were relatively uneventful but they became progressively more "problematic" as we neared the Talapus/Pratt junction. One snow bridge was narrow and a little airy but solid. I am always skittish at this one section since a few years back, I ended upside down in the creek bed with my nose facing a fresh sprout of Devils Club - but that is another war story for another day.

At the Talapus/Pratt junction, we decided to continue up and try to get to our usual view point which overlooks Olallie Lake. Unfortunately, the packed trail gradually curled west and down to Olallie Lake with no trail punched in towards the Pratt saddle. We descended for a nice lunch on the east side of Olallie Lake where the camp robbers were exceptionally agressive. On the return trip, we donned snow shoes and detoured a little bit towards the lake outlet. Usually, there are good snow bridges across the outlet but no longer for this year. We punched in a short trail back to the main trail and cruised back.

Anyone with a small saw could do some trail handiwork by cutting the blowdown very near to the trailhead.

The road to Talapus lake trail headwas impassible, but the parking lot at the Pratt Lake trailhead was nicely plowed. The trial was well broken up to the saddle above Pratt lake and Olallie, and snow shoes were not really needed until the Talapus lake cutoff. Broke trail down to Olallie and had the lake to myself. Deep, dry powder made the going difficult and I overnighted there. Others on the trail mentioned people going down to Pratt lake, but not sure that's very safe.