Mt Margaret Loop & Snow Report
Posted: June 5th, 2019, 6:46 pm
I did a Mount Margaret loop yesterday, June 4. Coldwater Lake TR clockwise along the lake to Snow Lake, Whittier Ridge and then back westbound on the Boundary Trail, Coldwater Ridge Trail and finally Hwy 504 for the last mile to complete the loop.
https://www.gaiagps.com/public/1ASoc1EYf6H9UJRVF6XSb2HM
Saw a few elk and a herd of goats from Whittier Ridge, and a bobcat (or baby cougar - it was very light tan?) near Mt Teragram. But not one person until I was walking on Hwy 504.
Patches of snow started a bit before Snow Lake at about 4.6k. Widespread snow as the trail approached the base of Whittier Ridge, and I switched from trekking poles to crampons & ice axe to ascend the short, steep northern end of the ridge. Once on the ridge I hiked the entire stretch with just trekking poles - as expected/hoped the top of the ridge and SW-facing side of the ridge were entirely melted out. No new rock slides or issues on the ridge, just the typical Class 3 sections. This ridge has some exposure and scrambling not everyone enjoys, so research before committing.
Approaching the southern end of the ridge where the trail is more consistently on the NE face, I switched back to crampons and axe for several small sections with snow, and then kept them on for the heavier snow coverage approaching the Boundary Trail and past Mt Teragram and Mt Margaret (most of this wasn't steep but it was easier to just keep the crampons on). The trail went back to mostly dirt from Dome Camp, past St Helens Lake and further west.
Overall about 2 miles in crampons out of 22 miles for the loop, some of that on dirt because it kept switching, and the crampons are not as quick to switch out as microspikes. I would have been comfortable with microspikes rather than crampons except when initially attaining the northern end of Whittier Ridge, mostly because it was still early and frozen solid (and probably the steepest slope all day). But the axe was essential, at least for me. I cut steps several times just to attain the ridge.
Dome Camp is the most melted out other than Ridge Camp, which is of course wide open. Snow Camp is close to being melted and has a flat sandy area near the normal camping pad, but the pad itself still seemed snowy from a distance. Margaret Camp has heavy snow.
For comparison in future years, Swift Creek SNOTEL at 4.4k had 24 inches of snow depth.
Coldwater Lake at 6 AM: The Dome (left) and Coldwater Peak from the North: Snow Lake: North side of Mt Teragram and Mt Margaret: Snow on the NE-facing side of Whittier Ridge: Bobcat or baby cougar at Mt Teragram (light object near center - already heavily cropped so blurry): St Helens Lake: Mt Rainier: Mt Adams:
https://www.gaiagps.com/public/1ASoc1EYf6H9UJRVF6XSb2HM
Saw a few elk and a herd of goats from Whittier Ridge, and a bobcat (or baby cougar - it was very light tan?) near Mt Teragram. But not one person until I was walking on Hwy 504.
Patches of snow started a bit before Snow Lake at about 4.6k. Widespread snow as the trail approached the base of Whittier Ridge, and I switched from trekking poles to crampons & ice axe to ascend the short, steep northern end of the ridge. Once on the ridge I hiked the entire stretch with just trekking poles - as expected/hoped the top of the ridge and SW-facing side of the ridge were entirely melted out. No new rock slides or issues on the ridge, just the typical Class 3 sections. This ridge has some exposure and scrambling not everyone enjoys, so research before committing.
Approaching the southern end of the ridge where the trail is more consistently on the NE face, I switched back to crampons and axe for several small sections with snow, and then kept them on for the heavier snow coverage approaching the Boundary Trail and past Mt Teragram and Mt Margaret (most of this wasn't steep but it was easier to just keep the crampons on). The trail went back to mostly dirt from Dome Camp, past St Helens Lake and further west.
Overall about 2 miles in crampons out of 22 miles for the loop, some of that on dirt because it kept switching, and the crampons are not as quick to switch out as microspikes. I would have been comfortable with microspikes rather than crampons except when initially attaining the northern end of Whittier Ridge, mostly because it was still early and frozen solid (and probably the steepest slope all day). But the axe was essential, at least for me. I cut steps several times just to attain the ridge.
Dome Camp is the most melted out other than Ridge Camp, which is of course wide open. Snow Camp is close to being melted and has a flat sandy area near the normal camping pad, but the pad itself still seemed snowy from a distance. Margaret Camp has heavy snow.
For comparison in future years, Swift Creek SNOTEL at 4.4k had 24 inches of snow depth.
Coldwater Lake at 6 AM: The Dome (left) and Coldwater Peak from the North: Snow Lake: North side of Mt Teragram and Mt Margaret: Snow on the NE-facing side of Whittier Ridge: Bobcat or baby cougar at Mt Teragram (light object near center - already heavily cropped so blurry): St Helens Lake: Mt Rainier: Mt Adams: