Peder and I hiked from Johnston Ridge visitor center (north side of Mt. St. Helens) to Mt. Margaret last Sunday, 9/21. It was about 18 miles round-trip and took us from about 7:15am to 4:00pm at a relaxed pace. The weather forecast had a chance of showers but we figured future weekends would not be much better.
This was the first time I met Peder. He is a wonderful hiking companion, and an experienced mountaineer and hiker of several continents. He set a comfortable steady pace and we made good time.
On the way into the National Monument area we encountered a bull elk (about a 6 pointer) and his harem of four cows just crossing the road. Too bad my camera was stuffed in my pack! We arrived at the trailhead around 7:00am and it was THICK fog. I discovered I had forgotten my boots so I just hiked in my trail runners. This turned out OK since the entire trail has a lot of sand on it making for soft footing. This is an ominous start to a long hike.
- Peder heading into the fog from Johnston Ridge visitor center 7:30am
At first it was just cool and foggy so we hiked in long pants and long sleeve shirts. We could not see anything, including the Toutle River basin nor Mt. St. Helens. Visibility was about 50 yards. The trail was fairly level, slight declines and inclines following Johnston Ridge and then up the valley west of Harry's Ridge.
We didn't stop but a few times for photos on the way out because the fog was so thick--there was nothing to be seen. A brisk wind occasionally cleared the fog for a few seconds and we would both rush to snap off a picture. Many times it was foggy again by the time the camera snapped.
- Brief clearing of fog for a glimpse of St. Helens Lake.
The hike outward was fairly uneventful. The trail is well graded up and down, and winds along both sides of the ridge toward Coldwater Peak, past The Dome and on to Mt. Margaret. Peder and other hikers we met heard lots of elk whistling in the valleys far below, but we could never get a view of them through the thick fog. My hearing is pretty bad as I never heard a thing.
- Peder "summitting" Mt. Margaret
The approach to Mt. Margaret was anti-climatic. It is a beautiful and awe inspiring journey, but the trail ascends this section so gradually that you arrive at the summit without just one short steep section. As the trail climbs higher on the ridge we got blasted by a wet crosswind from the west so we both eventually donned jackets and wool hats.
- Jeff on Mt. Margaret summit about 11:30am
It was at the summit that I realized I had left me GPS unit on the roof of Peder's car. It had been a birthday gift from my wife and kids several years ago so it was more a kick in the pants for sentimental reasons than just the loss of a nice piece of gear. Dang. Getting up at 3:30am just didn't bode well for me remember essentials like boots and GPS!
- Peder on summit of Mt. Margaret
There was no view at the summit since visibility was still about 50 yards, so we snapped a couple of victory photos and headed down to find a place out of the wind to have lunch.
- Landscape heading back toward Coldwater Peak
It is awesome to walk along ridges and valleys just stripped of the old trees. I find it hard to comprehend a wind so strong from the blast that it ripped trees out of the ground near the volcano. As you get further north in the blast zone you begin to see stumps that survived to remain in the ground, and further still you see taller snags standing bare of limbs. But for the blast to do this over a width of many miles and several miles in depth is hard to imagine. The forces of nature dwarf to mightiest efforts of man.
- Another brief clearing in the fog in Mt. Margaret backcountry
Twenty eight years after the eruption and the land still struggles to support meager signs of vegetation. Mostly moss, small bushes and a few hardy trees here and there. Somewhere along here we found a small copse of fir trees to use for a windbreak and take our lunch break. No place to sit, everything dripping wet, so we stood up for lunch.
A pleasant surprise was that Peder pulled out of his pack aa full bottle of red wine! Man, if you are going to eat lunch standing in the rain, then having a few glasses of wine sure makes it more fun. Sharing wine, bread, dried fruit and cheese with a hiking buddy is much more pleasant than wolfing down something alone in the rain.
The photo above shows a typical ridge slope the trail wanders along northeast of Coldwater Peak.
- Peder approaching the rock arch
The section of the trail around the rock arch, which is just southwest of Coldwater Peak, is the only section where the trail gets narrow as it winds along the razor back ridge and rock outcroppings.
- Rock arch
- Eroded trail and slope exposure just south of rock arch
The section of trail just south of the rock arch has eroded down the steep slope. The trail has relocated just uphill of the washout. This may not be a section you want to take kids across. Otherwise the trail is pretty easy.
- Peder looking over another fleeting clearing of fog that exposes northern portion of Spirit Lake
On the return trip the fog cleared up a bit more in places. Even then, more fog would quickly roll in and obscure the view once more. On the way out we did not see Spirit Lake. Finally on the way back Spirit Lake was partially revealed. By now the wind was brisk, cold and wet with rain from the west. The wet bushes had soaked our pants and socks the way out, and now on the way back our entire bodies were pelted with rain. I put on my GoreTex jacket which was great, but neither of us bothered with rain pants so from the waist down we were getting soaked.
- Looking south from Johnston Ridge across Toutle River basin toward Mt. St. Helens, which is hidden behind clouds/fog
Arriving back on the south side of Johnston Ridge we finally were able to see the thoroughly scoured Toutle River basin. No matter how many times I have visited Mt. St. Helens I am still awe struck by the sheer power and devastation wrought on the landscape. Looking over the basin is a lesson in volcanoes, river birth and erosion of the land, as well as vegetation regaining a foothold on bare rock. Wow.
- Heading up the last stretch of trail on Johnston Ridge toward the visitor center.
All of the ridge slopes are fairly steep, but except for near the rock arch the trail is reliable and easily traversed.
- A soggy Peder arrives back at the visitor center parking lot around 4:00pm. It is pouring down rain.
Just at the last half mile of the hike the occasional showers turned into a hard down pour of sheets of driving rain. I had removed my rain jacket a couple of miles back when it started to warm up. We both were sopping wet head to toe when we finished the hike.
SURPRISE! When we arrived at the car I saw that my GPS was still sitting on the roof! Yippee. Maybe it was such bad weather nobody noticed it. Or maybe the folks visiting the park on Sunday were just a bunch of nice people. I am grateful to have recovered my treasured gift. Thanks!!!
We decided that the earlier trip report here on Mt. Margaret with pictures of the mountain and herds of elk was total fantasy (see
Mt. Margaret Backcountry 9/13-9/14). Poster "14270" must have heavily Photoshopped those pictures to insert elk, sunshine, and panoramic views! Peder and I testify that our photos of fog, rain, and no indication of a mountain anywhere reflect the true Mt. Margaret Backcountry.
Seriously, this is a wondrous hike and I highly recommend it even with zero visibility. If you are fortunate to hook up with Peder then it is even more fun. we look forward to exploring the area coming in from the Windy Ridge (east) side, going up around the lakes loop and even around Coldwater Lake. Maybe next time there will be enough visibility to make the side trip up to coldwater Peak worthwhile, too.
