Trip Report
CHS 2 Hike - Rainbow & Island Lakes
Beautiful hot day for this 2.2 mph paced CHS-2 hike to two alpine lakes that still have snowbanks around the edges and in the Basin. Perfect day for a polar plunge.
Courtenay Schurman
- Tue, Jun 10, 2025
- CHS 2 Hike - Rainbow & Island Lakes
- Pratt Lake Trail
- Day Hiking
- Successful
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- Road rough but passable
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That pothole coming into the parking lot is getting worse, just slow down coming off the pavement. Deep but doable. Portapotty was open and stocked, and the other 7 cars must have had people ascending Granite Mountain as we only saw one hiker all morning. There were 20 cars by the time we returned at 2:30. Pay station now available at the trailhead. Northwest Forest Pass if you have one.
Trail conditions: the snow at the high stream is virtually all melted since my scouting trip two weeks earlier - which means MUD and BUGS. The worst bugs (no-see-ums, can you say CHOKERS?) were at the Olallie-Rainier overlook, so we grabbed a few photos and kept moving. Not fun feeling like a bug is stuck in your windpipe. Zero mosquito bites, though. Huge ants. Be careful where you sit. A sit pad is a great idea. So is a foot towel/wading shoes!
I was concerned we'd have to do a touch-and-go at the lakes (I had bug netting for my face just in case). Fortunately by the time we made our way into Rainbow and Island basin around 10:10 a.m. there was still plenty of snow so the bugs weren't too bad. Yet. I imagine in this heat there will be rapid melt-off and then watch out. Bug city. I'll be up there again on June 29, I'm guessing by then the snow will be gone.
We had a couple slips and trips. Places to watch for falls: Postholing in the snow (I tried stamping through the worst offenders to help with melting); dry dusty dirt on slopes; stream crossings (5 hikers used poles); roots; and loose boardwalk boards. The boardwalk before the 3 mile junction with Talapus/Olallie is getting pretty weathered and has loose boards and exposed nails. Good WTA project in coming summers, I imagine.
Our party of 8 started up from the Pratt Lake Trailhead at 7 sharp. I collected all the spider webs which meant we were first on the trail beyond Granite Junction sign. Total moving time for this Conditioning for Hiking Series (2) group with the Mountaineers (according to AllTrails) was 12.5 miles and 3,150 elevation gain in 5 hr 40 minutes (2.2 mph pace.) Strong showing on a hot day.
We had a lovely morning with 21 bird species, including hermit, Swainson's, varied thrushes, a black-headed grosbeak, olive-sided flycatcher, and a few warblers among them. Water is running high; two of us dipped scarves and hats to keep cool on this hot and humid day. By the end everyone was thankful we started out so early.
Camp sites: We visited Rainbow first and took a brief photo / snack break there. You can still see snow patches across the lake, but the lake is free from snow. The ponds between Rainbow and Island are all covered in pond scum - pollen? Same stuff we saw last week on Snoqualmie Lake. Then we returned to Island Lake where we took a 45-minute break for wading, swimming, and lunch.
Island Lake still has plenty of snow but the trail before the basin is pretty much snow-free (couple of patches here and there). The two large campsites right by the lake are free of mud and snow, but anywhere else still has standing water. If you want to backpack, go early to grab one of these spots. The rest will be wet and uncomfortable. All ponds and both Island and Rainbow lakes have a thin layer of scum (pollen?) that started moving south as the breeze (ah, so welcoming!) picked up.
I imagine melting will be fast this week but right now footing is a little dicey. No traction necessary; 5 of our team used trekking poles. I wore gaiters but took them off for the return trip as they were too hot and unnecessary.
We had a couple of slips - dry, dusty slopes can roll like marbles so be aware of footing on the snow and dry terrain. And it was HOT and 80% HUMIDITY - one participant turned back around mile 2.3. I carried an entire gallon of water and only had 20 ounces left by the time I got down.
All in all, a beautiful day, with decent conditions. We saw one backpacker headed for the privvy at Island lake, 3 trail runners, two backpackers headed for Pratt, a group of four heading up to Granite, and no dogs. So where did those two poop bags I picked up come from? Lovely Tuesday outing.