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Alpinejo.tripod.com: Backcountry Trails Guide
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Washington Backcountry Trails

View around Pratt Lake

 

Pratt Lake Loop

Along Pratt Lake

Definition of terms below
Location: Alpine Lakes Wilderness
Directions: On I-90, take exit 47 on the Denny Creek Road and hang a right and drive to the end where you will find the trailhead
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation +/- 5500 ft elevation gain
Distance: 15+  Miles Roundtrip
Rating: 9 out of 10, this is one of my favorite hikes
Fishing: Great 
Scenery: Great, big mountains, forest and going under I-90 
Map: Printable Topo Map

 

Pratt Lake Loop is well worth a weekend visit. The trail is a bit of a struggle.

It was quite strange walking under I-90 as we meandered through the forest most of the morning until we got to Melakwa Lakes where we had a lunch break and enjoyed some fishing. We had started hiking at first light (suggested) and at Melakwa we were by ourselves for a little while then it seemed like half of Seattle was up there so we cut our fishing time short and headed down the trail.

Once at Lower Tuscohatchie Lake we were alone again, it is a very peaceful valley. The views are great and the lake big, I would suggest taking a raft on this hike to increase your odds of getting a big ole Alpine Lakes Trout. We napped a bit and caught a mess of fish which we ate for dinner that evening, we must have been cooking something the critters in the woods liked because there were some big branches breaking just behind camp-nothing came close enough so we could see it.

Our hike out was uneventful and slighting exhausting through the big rock gardens approaching Pratt Lake.

An after thought would have been to take two cars and put one at either trailhead, so you don't have to walk up the Denny Creek Road a couple of miles back to the other trailhead.

Fishing-- It was great. We fished Melakwa Lakes without much success, but when we got to Lower Tuscohatchie Lake our luck changed. We caught fish on power Bait and spinners.

 Do it again? Yes

Other Links:

Melakwala Hike 7/15/2000

 


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