4 days in the Mt Margaret Back Country (1&2)

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K.Wagner
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Joined: June 2nd, 2013, 1:25 pm
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4 days in the Mt Margaret Back Country (1&2)

Post by K.Wagner » July 30th, 2014, 8:00 pm

I had read so many great TR's about the MMBC Lakes Basin, and the craggy peaks surrounding it that I resolved that this year was going to be my time to visit. I started planning in March / April. Revised plans, and then revised them again. I looked at this map in both topo and aerial views so many times that I felt like I had it memorized. MMBC Map
Was going to start out early on a Thursday at the Coldwater Lake trail head, hike in to Snow Lake, and then do the Whittier west ridge. I made my campsite reservation and put in for some time off, and started waiting. Well, that was all good until my days were approaching. I hadn't factored in weather, because after all, this was the middle of summer, and its always sunny here in the middle of summer!

It became apparent that there was not going to be an early Thursday start, because the weather guys kept the forecast constant at: “Rain Thursday morning, mostly before 11:00 AM”. OK, first change of plans. I would leave Vancouver about 9:00, and start hiking about 11:30 – Noon.
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That part went fine and the clouds looked like they were breaking up. I put my rain pants on, because I knew all the vegetation along the trail would be wet. Within about 1/2 hr, I pulled off my fleece shirt. At about 3/4 hr, I pulled my rain pants off. Then in about 5 minutes felt the first drops. I turned and looked west back down the lake, and it looked like the grey blob of doom was about to overtake me. So, stopped again, put the pants back on and my jacket on and prepared myself for the deluge. It never happened. But there was mist blowing around the rest of the day, particularly as I climbed the long traverse under Peak 5207.
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But in all this there was a beauty, with the clouds swirling around the cliffs, the damp floral aromas, the water falls across the canyon and the bird calls echoing around. In many ways, the scene reminded me of the wet side of the Big Island of Hawaii, with it's steep valleys. But was still wet.
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I finally crawled into Snow Lake, after the 3,000 foot climb. (It turns out that you gain about 550 feet along the lake without any gain in altitude) Set up the tent, found some water, pulled my soggy boots and socks off and crawled in. Whittier was obviously going to have to wait for me until Friday. Ate a quick Mountain House dinner, and then tried to get warmed up. My ultra light bag wasn't doing it, and both of my thighs were threatening to cramp up. It was a long night!

Friday morning did come. Unzipped the tent door, and reached for the fly zipper. My hand was immediately wet, because the fly was dripping wet. I carefully rolled it open and pinned it back. The sky was blue, and the view was amazing!
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However, at 6:30 am, the sun was just touching the top of the ridges. Not much drying was going to happen until the sun hit the ground, which would be about 8:00, and I had to get my boots somewhat dried out before I was going to be sticking my feet into them. At about 9:00 I heard a coyote howl across the ridge to the east, then a reply just up the ridge from camp, then up on the Whittier ridge. It went on for almost a minute, and echoing off the rock faces. It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up, but what a treat! When I finally did crawl out, this was the view of Coldwater Peak across Snow Lake.
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Finally left camp about 10:00, and could not find the 211 trail on up to Pleasant Pass! I looked and looked! Finally decided to just play elk and head in the general direction, hoping to cross it somewhere. This is looking back west.
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Finally did cross the trail, about 200 yards before the pass. Found the Whittier Trail (complete with sign!) and started climbing. Because of earlier discussions, I knew to look for the new user trail that bypasses a section of the original trail that had slid down the mountain. Found it about 125 yards up, at a snow field and a large slab of rock just above. It is marked by a series of red flags that are easy to see if you are looking. This new trail climbs pretty steeply, and offers amazing views to the east down across Shovel Lake, which has some really impressive cliffs along both shores. I could pick out the trail as it traversed over to the top of the cliffs on the north side of the lake.
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Mount Rainier shows up across the Goat Mtn ridge line, and Mt Adams is off the east. Goat Rocks and all the peaks in the Dark Divide are there too. Soon, I got to the top of the ridge, and there was St Helens, Mt Teragram, Mt Margaret, The Dome, Coldwater Peak, and Peak 5020! What a sight!
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The trail along the top of the ridge was pretty easy to follow, until you come to this notch, and it seems to disappear. Finally the dim bulb begins to glow, and the realization sets in that you have to descend down this very exposed ridge to a ledge traverse that brings you back to the primary ridge. Wasn't all that bad, but it did feel good to have my ax in hand, and not my light weight trecking poles! (More on the ax later...)
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After crossing the notch, I looked east along the ridge, and thought, “the summit is really close up ahead, this going pretty fast!” Until I topped that next knob and realized that no, it was still quite a ways on this jagged ridge line to the summit. Somewhere in there, I saw a figure up ahead. We soon met, and turned out to be cfm! Had a good chat. Saw 2 goats while talking, and she told me about a bunch of elk bedded down on the west side of Holmstedt Lake.
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She had quite a ways to go yet, so said “Goodby”. Finally got to the summit, did a quick scramble up on the block and looked south. What? A second pinnacle that looked to be a few feet taller than the one I was on! OK, gotta do it!
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So, dropped down to the notch, did a little airy traverse, used the ax again for some portable hand holds, and was soon standing on the south summit. The GPS said I was 4 feet higher than before (anybody else get similar readings?) so this had to be the “real” summit. So could now add another X to my spread sheet without any reservations.

The plan was to drop down the NE ridge to the 211 trail between Panhandle Lake and Twin Lakes, and then go NE to the summit of Peak 5012. It didn't even come close to happening! The thought of the 700 foot climb back up out of the basin was just plain too intimidating to me. I am sure that the ridge would go, and probably more easily done than the ridge route that I just finished. I know that the loop through the lakes basin and back over Whittier is popular. If I were doing it, I would definitely go for this NE ridge. It looks like it would be really fun, and would shorten the distance by several miles.

Oh, so the return hike went smoothly. I replanted several of the red flags at the bypass trail so they would be more visible, then started back towards Snow Lake, wondering where this trail would pop out, that I could not find in the morning! What do ya know??!! It comes out at the “Snow Lake” sign. Just stand there with your back to the sign and start walking forward. In about 25 feet, you are on it.

That evening, was joined at the lake by 2 sisters, one from Portland and one from Seattle. They were having such a good time, joking and laughing! Added a pleasant new factor to this rocky landscape. (By the way, they made the hike up to the lake in 1 hour less than this rough, tough, old mountain man did!)

I slept much better that night.
(See "4 days in the Mt Margaret Back Country (3&4)" for second half)
Last edited by K.Wagner on August 1st, 2014, 6:30 am, edited 2 times in total.
Kelly
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cfm
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Joined: June 18th, 2008, 6:49 am

Re: 4 days in the Mt Margaret Back Country (1&2)

Post by cfm » July 30th, 2014, 9:10 pm

Nice narrative Kelly, it was fun to run into you on that nutty trail. It is a beautiful area!
treeholeview.jpg

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Roy
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Re: 4 days in the Mt Margaret Back Country (1&2)

Post by Roy » July 31st, 2014, 8:32 am

That is a great report and you ran into the elusive cfm I have been close a couple of times. I know what you mean about the axe when I cross places like you refer to I shorten one pole and put the other in my pack. Not as good as your axe but I feel better. Ive thought about buying one of those fancy axe combo pole set ups.

Thanks for sharing.
The downhill of the mind is harder than the uphill of the body. - Yuichiro Miura

Jim Wagner
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Joined: December 2nd, 2013, 7:52 pm

Re: 4 days in the Mt Margaret Back Country (1&2)

Post by Jim Wagner » July 31st, 2014, 6:31 pm

I have long had trepidations about going into that area, post eruption. But, last years trip to Goat Rocks pretty well took care of that. It looks as beautiful as I had long heard rumors of, and "majorly rugged", as a Dutch friend would say.

Great to read the report,

Jim

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