Boundary West — Tuesday, Jun. 20, 2000

South Cascades > Mount St. Helens

mt margaret backcountry Bring an ice axe or poles if hiking early season!! I started the hike on south coldwater (#230) about one mile down the road from the coldwater visitor center in the mt st helens national volcanic monument. It is only 3 miles to the first campsite, Ridge Camp. The hike goes through pre eruption clear cuts which demonstrate the incredibly destructive potential of weyerhauser. Logged slopes do not seem to recover as quickly as non-clear cut areas (surprise). On the way to Ridge camp wrecked logging equipment is visible on and near the trail. There is very little water available at Ridge Camp. You might want to bring enough for your first night camping. There is a stream about 100 yds before camp but as the snow is almost gone it may dry up for summer. From the Ridge camp I took the coldwater trail to the intersection with the boundary trail. There are some minor snow patches. They will be gone soon. At the boundary-coldwater junction the sign pointing towards mt margaret has blown down. Just take a left over the saddle at the sign that says restricted area. There is lots of snow in the area above St Helens lake but great views. The trail goes around the peaks and over the saddles between Coldwater, Dome and Mt Margaret. There is snow all over but none of it too bad until you get around Dome. There the snowfields get steep and an ice axe will be necessary until the trail melts out. I camped at Dome Camp and managed to get around the the side of Mt Margaret but would not reccomend that unless it has melted out a little more. I spent a some of the time traversing 45 degree snow fields. slid down one into a tree melt out (ouch). The trail is supposed to descend after mt margaret but I was done in by that time and retreated to Dome Camp.