Pratt Lake

We got out of work at 2:30 on Friday and were hiking at 4:30 on the Pratt Lake Trail. We seemed to start out slow, but the miles slowly peeled away as we gained 2,300 feet to the saddle between Granite and Bandara Mountains, then dropped into the Pratt Lake basin.

We found a sweet campsite right on the lake and Rex took up guard duty to protect against the ‘enemies’. In this case, the enemy was troop 664, twelve year olds all, from South Seattle. They were pretty well behaved kids, and just far enough away that we really didn't hear them much, but Rex on watch ‘just in case’ (of what we weren’t really sure).

Jodi made a real nice meal on my nearly 50 year old primus camp stove and we began to slowly unwind on a Friday night in the wilderness, guarded by Rex and comforted by each other, a nice chianti, and some bourbon. The sun gave way to twilight and then the moon came out in spectacular fashion. Owing to the wine and the bourbon, the moon wasn’t digitally captured, but was certainly enjoyed and is etched in the memory banks.



The evening was pretty comfortable. We learned from the earlier backpacking experience. Better pack, light weight sleeping bag and two sleeping pads. All of which made for a nice nights sleep.  Rex did provide a little excitement during the night.



The morning was spectacular and Starbucks instant coffee sleeves make backpacking mornings WONDERFUL!!

We did see two trail runners at about 7:30 in the morning and many more throughout the day.  They all were taking the loop route from Melwaka lake (see the post two weeks ago).  It was a bit odd waking up in what some would say the wilderness, but at the same time be on somebody's jogging route.

The trail runners we would encounter throughout the day were a diverse, but impressive group. We saw perhaps 20 in all.  One couple was gearing up for a race in Italy that was over 180 miles long with nearly 60,000 feet of vertical elevation in 8 days.  Wow. 

We took an excursion off to lower Tuscohatchie lake and found much better campsites. Nobody was there and that’s our next destination, perhaps next weekend.  We also ran into a ranger and after the obligatory 'put yer dog on a a leash' request, he told us of a fishermans trail to upper Tuscohatchie lake as well as a story about 'My Lake', that apparently has an old trappers cabin. Perhaps some exploring is needed....

A great start to the weekend. And it’s only half way done!!