Way back when I was a TNAB noob, in 2006, Pratt Mountain was the second trip I did. (Bandera was the first.) Like this year, it was early June, but unlike this year there was far less snow. Back then, we had to contend with brush cutting from Olallie Lake to the trail and then thin snow cover on the talus to the summit. No problems like that this year.
At least we were able to drive to the trailhead. A month ago we were stopped short and had sloppy snow from the beginning. As much as it feels like winter won't end, we didn't really hit snow until about Talapus Lake and it was well consolidated all the way to the summit. No snowshoes tonight.
Instead of climbing the talus like last time (and TNAB trips when I wasn't there) we followed the ridge. It's a much more gentle approach with only one nasty bit where you have to get around a huge rock on the ridge. Nobody had much trouble, but certainly a slip would have been entertaining.
Treen was having a blast with the other dogs. Even Jasper was behaving himself. The summit was under six feet of snow and the views would have been grand, but the persistent fog/clouds/poison gas cloud hid everything but for a few fleeting glimpses. To make matters worse, it was blue if you looked straight up. Or maybe that was an optical illusion. Regardless, no views.
I had high hopes for a 500 foot glissade down the snow covered talus slope, but prudence won out and we retraced our steps along the ridge, down to the lakes, and out the increasingly boring trail. The Pour House was a blast, especially after a birthday shot livened up our end of the table.
Totals: about six miles and 2,400 feet of gain.
