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Pratt Mtn. - 5099'
Miles RT: Elevation Gain: Route/Trail:
9 3300' S3-T2
Map: GT - #206 Bandera
USGS - Bandera
Season: winter
Pratt Mtn. is one of the lower peaks in the I-90 corridor / Snoqualmie Pass area and otherwise unremarkable except that in the winter, it has a pretty much bullet proof route that can usually be done in poor avy conditions.  That and the fact that the parking area for the Ollalie Lake Trail ( #1007) is right off I-90 and is plowed and maintained during the winter make this a good choice for some exercise when most everything else is inaccessible or inadvisable.
We started up the trail, passing the Granite Mtn. Trail Junction at about 1.2 miles.  At about 3.1 miles you'll find a junction for the Talapus Lake trail #1039.  Take it a short distance (.1or .2 mile?) as it drops down and just after crossing a creek find the junction for the Ollalie Lake Trail.  This trail starts on Pratt's SE shoulder and you'll leave the trail where it begins to bear more north / northeast to remain on the shoulder.  Follow the shoulder as it climbs northwest toward Pratt's summit ridge.  Along the way the ridge will narrow and even get interesting in two spots (watch for cornices).  Once above the trees, it's an exposed (to the weather) walk along the ridge top to the summit.  Descent was the reverse of the ascent.  Ran into some friends on a Mountaineers snowshoe trip to Talapus Lake as we we heading out.  Looked like they were having a lot of fun.
  December 16, 2006      
 Creek Crossing
Near Talapus/Ollalie  
Corniced SE ridge
View to the summit from ridge  
Ollalie Lake  
Mt. Rainier
Snow plumes  
On the SE ridge  
Summit in sight
A little breezy  
On top  
Talapus Lake
     
Route Map
 

Directions:
Drive I-90 to exit 47.  On the north side of the overpass, go left on the frontage road toward Ollalie Lake Trail head. Lots of parking, usually plowed in the winter and a toilet. Can probably also access the route from exit 45, Rd 9031/9030 to the Talapus Lake Trail head, if the roads are driveable.

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