Talapus and Olallie Lakes — Friday, Aug. 16, 2002

Snoqualmie Region > Snoqualmie Pass

Started on the Talapus Lake Trail #1039 shortly after 9AM and before the hordes arrived. Beautiful cloudless day, and not too hot. The trail alternates between good condition and exposed roots. It was pretty dry and free of blowdown up to Talapus Lake. Talapus was perfectly still and reflected the surrounding scenery like a mirror. I took some photos and watched a dipper from the logs at the outlet. So far I had seen only two other parties. Continuing up to Olallie, I enjoyed the queen's cup and Canadian dogwood blooming along the trail. There were a couple of blowdowns and some minor muddy spots. The bridge across the Olallie outlet stream that connects to the Pratt Lake Trail was out, though the stream is easy to ford. I continued up to Olallie and found a rock to sit on. I stayed and watched the dragonflies and trout for a bit while enjoying a couple of bagels. A number of groups were camping at Olallie. Spring & Manning mention a route from the end of Olallie to the Pratt Lake Trail #1007. It took a few minutes to find it, as the lower section was overgrown with brush. This steep route put me on the Pratt Lake Trail not far from a great view overlooking Olallie with Mount Rainier framed in the distance. (It's even harder to find going back - someone had marked it with a temporary cairn or I would have missed it). I continued up to the Olallie-Pratt saddle. It seemed that all the bugs in the area had decided to come up here too. The trail was still and quiet until I stopped to adjust my pack at the saddle, when a party came through trying to find Pratt (the trail junction at the saddle is well signed, but they had already confused Olallie with Talapus and weren't sure where they were). I pointed them toward Pratt and started down the same steep trail. I took more photos at the picturesque talus slope halfway down. In the Pratt Lake basin, the trail crosses a wet mid-elevation meadow and there were several real muddy spots. Some grand old trees grow here. Pratt is practically surrounded with talus and brush, so it is not as easy to get to the water. I finished the rest of my bagels on a large boulder overlooking the lake while listening to a very loud pika somewhere close by. Beargrass is common between Olallie and Pratt, but it was apparently just past its prime. Blueberries were not quite ripe yet. After lunch, I began the trek back out - and started running into more and more people on their way in. By the time I got to the trailhead (around 3:15), cars were parked solid for 1/4 mile down the road.