Boundary West, Boundary Trail & Mount Margaret — Saturday, Sep. 18, 1999

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens

After a 3hr drive I arrived at the Norway Pass TH at 10am to find only 3 cars in the lot. It was already a hot sunny day, but no bugs for a change. The <10% graded trail wanders all over the place to get to Norway Pass and beyond. There are big views but very little shade in the blast zone. A couple of minor snowfields on the trail just below Mt Margaret. Four mountain bikers arrived on the summit as I left. One crashed and burned big-time trying to get across the steeper snowfield. Still some running water but none in the first hot 4 miles. The more western half of the lakes basin loop trail has a TRAIL CLOSED sign at its start in the pass NE of Mt Margaret - why'