Mount Margaret Lakes Loop

[mrblisterdundee]

I had never been around the lakes in the Mount Margaret Backcountry north of Mount St. Helens. Trying to remedy the situation, I planned an overnight trip but noticed all the designated campsites were reserved on Fridays and Saturdays for the foreseeable future. Not wanting to wait or take days off of work in the middle of the week, I decided to day hike out on the Boundary Trail and back on the Lakes Trail. And what a very long day it would be.
I started Saturday morning at the South Coldwater Lake trailhead and climbed up Coldwater Ridge. After about 3.5 miles of gradual climbing, a connector trail cuts off east to the Boundary Trail. Shortly thereafter, the trail passes above St. Helens Lake and below Coldwater Peak.

The views on the Boundary Trail are always epic, with Spirit Lake, Mount St. Helens, Mt. Adams and other peaks/lakes off in the distance.

There was a sea of lupine near Dome Camp, which looks like an awesome place to spend the night.

While crossing a snow drift, I spotted a mountain goat for the first time. It saw me and took off jogging up and over a ridge before I could get across and take my camera out. Closer to Margaret Camp, there were periodic snow drifts, albeit nothing impassable.

After 6 miles on the Boundary Trail, I cut off north onto the Lakes Trail. This was the first time in a while I hadn't worn hiking pants and a long-sleeve hiking shirt, and of course there ended up being probably a cumulative mile worth of serious bushwacking with a lot of thorns.

By the time I was done with the first section, my legs were torn up and bleeding in about eight different spots.

Grizzly Lake was the first I passed in the lakes country.

The trail cleared up a bit by Obscurity Lake, near which I came across a fairly sizeable mound of what appeared to be black bear pooh.

There were some very picturesque streams and small waterfalls running through lake country.

After more bushwhacking comes a climb up a ridge to the north of the lakes. There were some nice views looking east, such as Panhandle Lake below Mt. Adams.

Above Panhandle Lake is Shovel Lake, which was probably my favorite.

By this point, I was chasing the sun, trying to reach Coldwater Lake before it got too dark. I was slowed down by a really steep snow drift I had to bushwack my way around. Below Snow Lake, which I hurried right past without stopping for a photo, the light from the setting sun was up to the tips of the ridges, leaving a very ominous-looking valley around Coldwater Creek.

I crossed some washouts and zigzagged down a ridge along Coldwater Creek in the dusk. It was dark by the time I reached the junction at Coldwater Lake. Luckily, considering how beat up I felt by that point, the last 6 or so miles was a fairly gentle up-and-down.

My headlamp guiding the way, I got into a zone and busted out the last 4.5 miles ot trail along the dark lakefront. I stopped at the Coldwater Lake visitors area, where mercifully, the bathroom was still open. After washing my face off, sitting and eating some ranch Fritos, I hobbled my way down Highway 504 the last 1.2 miles to my car at the South Coldwater trailhead. My head hit my pillow at around 3:15 a.m., and I didn't get up until noon Sunday, running about a half day behind everyone else.
The hike came out at around 26 miles. I recommend starting by 6 a.m. (a few hours earlier than me) and bringing long-sleeve clothing unless you like getting cut up a bit.

[Bosterson]

Nice one! That area is a really fabulous place for a big loop. If you're looking to do a similar loop in the future, I highly recommend doing a version that utilizes Whittier Ridge (rather than the Lakes area) to connect from the top of Coldwater Canyon over to the Mt. Margaret ridge. Whittier itself is always a blast, and then you get to loop around from Whittier, looking across at Margaret, to Margaret, looking back at Whittier. (You already did the second part: the southern ridge running from Margaret to Coldwater Peak.) If you want to shave a little distance off it and don't mind retracing your steps, you can start at the S. Coldwater TH and do it as a lollipop loop. (I recommend going down the connector trail from S. Coldwater Ridge to the bottom of Coldwater Canyon, as that happens at the beginning - rather than having to go up it at the end.) This is a really killer hike to do in September, as the huckleberries in the upper part of Coldwater Canyon and up by Snow Lake are super plump! I've done variants on that big loop three times, and I'd say it's solidly the best dayhike within a few hours of Portland in any direction.

[Peder]

Great loop! I did a similar one with my daughter last year: We parked at the Coldwater Lake (those road miles are not noticed in the morning!) - Hummocks TH - Boundary Trail - Mt Whittier - Lakes Trail. We added in an attempt on the Dome and the summits of Mt Margaret and Mt Tomroy. Obviously reversing the direction is another way of getting some variation! It is my favorite area.

[johnspeth]

Nice one! That area is a really fabulous place for a big loop. If you're looking to do a similar loop in the future, I highly recommend doing a version that utilizes Whittier Ridge (rather than the Lakes area) to connect from the top of Coldwater Canyon over to the Mt. Margaret ridge.

I will wholeheartedly second this advice. I've lived in the area for 25 years and Whittier is my most favorite hike ever. Any long loop that includes Whittier will be journey that will be remembered for the rest of your life.

[saskia]

I am heading there in early August. Can I expect water at the Dome and Ridge Camp sites or is the Boundary Trail from Bear Pass through to the Ridge Camp on the Coldwater Trail dry?

Thanks in advance,
Saskia

[mrblisterdundee]

I would say it's most likely dry, unless you're willing to make a side trip and work your way down to St. Helens Lake below Coldwater Lake.

[joeld]

Nice one! That area is a really fabulous place for a big loop. If you're looking to do a similar loop in the future, I highly recommend doing a version that utilizes Whittier Ridge (rather than the Lakes area) to connect from the top of Coldwater Canyon over to the Mt. Margaret ridge.

I will wholeheartedly second this advice. I've lived in the area for 25 years and Whittier is my most favorite hike ever. Any long loop that includes Whittier will be journey that will be remembered for the rest of your life.

"The rest of your life" is an interesting way to end a recommendation of the Whittier Ridge "trail." Brian Yang's family would probably find it especially ironic. I'll just quote from the Washington Trails Association: "The Whittier Ridge Trail has been called “The Scariest Hike in Southwest Washington.” It has narrow ledges, sheer drop-offs, and rocky scrambles requiring the use of your hands. The route is not really a trail; it demands your focus, attention, and route-finding skills for two full miles. In wet or icy conditions, it may be impassable. Exposure is extreme; don’t attempt this in foul weather."

https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/whi ... lakes-loop

I have done it twice, and that's once or twice more than is probably prudent. I would not recommend it to a friend, let alone in a public forum. It seems unwise of Monument staff to even include it on trail maps.

[joeld]

Nice one! That area is a really fabulous place for a big loop. If you're looking to do a similar loop in the future, I highly recommend doing a version that utilizes Whittier Ridge (rather than the Lakes area) to connect from the top of Coldwater Canyon over to the Mt. Margaret ridge.

I will wholeheartedly second this advice. I've lived in the area for 25 years and Whittier is my most favorite hike ever. Any long loop that includes Whittier will be journey that will be remembered for the rest of your life.

"The rest of your life" is an interesting way to end a recommendation of the Whittier Ridge "trail." Brian Yang's family would probably find it especially ironic. I'll just quote from the Washington Trails Association: "The Whittier Ridge Trail has been called “The Scariest Hike in Southwest Washington.” It has narrow ledges, sheer drop-offs, and rocky scrambles requiring the use of your hands. The route is not really a trail; it demands your focus, attention, and route-finding skills for two full miles. In wet or icy conditions, it may be impassable. Exposure is extreme; don’t attempt this in foul weather."

https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/whi ... lakes-loop

I have done it twice, and that's once or twice more than is probably prudent. I would not recommend it to a friend, let alone in a public forum. It seems unwise of Monument staff to even include it on trail maps.

This Reddit post is also worth reading: https://www.reddit.com/r/PNWhiking/comm ... s_no_joke/

[adamschneider]

I have done it twice, and that's once or twice more than is probably prudent. I would not recommend it to a friend, let alone in a public forum. It seems unwise of Monument staff to even include it on trail maps.

When did you hike it? I've heard that in the past, the northwest end of the Whittier Ridge Trail — where it joins the Lakes Trail — was truly sketchy and terrifying. But it was re-routed about 10 years ago (?), and the current alignment didn't seem especially treacherous when I did it in 2013 and 2017. Yeah, it's a little more scrambly than most USFS trails, but never goes beyond Class 2.

(Personally, I thought it was awesome, and I would love it if we had MORE trails like this! )

[Bosterson]

I have done it twice, and that's once or twice more than is probably prudent. I would not recommend it to a friend, let alone in a public forum. It seems unwise of Monument staff to even include it on trail maps.

I've heard that in the past, the northwest end of the Whittier Ridge Trail — where it joins the Lakes Trail — was truly sketchy and terrifying. But it was re-routed about 10 years ago (?), and the current alignment didn't seem especially treacherous when I did it in 2013 and 2017. Yeah, it's a little more scrambly than most USFS trails, but never goes beyond Class 2.

I think the old alignment at the Snow Lake end used to go south down the ridge and now goes north to join the trail below. That's the flat end of the ridge though. Back in the day (c. 2010) people freaked out about that one spot before you leave the ridge on the east end that has a dropoff, but it's really just a normal trail. (You could easily stop paying attention at Tunnel Falls in Eagle Creek and misstep and fall off the cliff and no one wrings their hands about that trail.) I don't really remember anywhere on the ridge that actually requires using your hands (unless you're trying to make your own fun), though the last time I was there in 2019 I think maybe there was a lot of braiding in the middle of the ridge from more people doing it since it was repatriated back into being an official trail, so that could be steering people off the regular route. I hope those stupid "trail" arrows the FS spray painted at the east end have washed away by now though.