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Mount Margaret

Last modified Dec 14, 2008 03:55 AM
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There are 33 trip reports for this hike. See all trip reports for this hike.
Mount Margaret — Jul 03, 2009 — Paul's wife
Day hike
Features: Wildflowers blooming
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Be warned, don't make the mistake we made. After parking in the designated lot for the trailhead, we naturally...
Be warned, don't make the mistake we made. After parking in the designated lot for the trailhead, we naturally went to the end of the lot over a berm that blocks an old logging road, and started hiking. Fortunately after a half-hour, we met a hiker coming back who told us we weren't on the real trail. There is a small sign at the beginning of the parking lot that tells you to walk up the road another 100 yards (more like 200). Then it is another half-mile on a road before you get to the trail, which is through a 10-yr-old clearcut for most of the trail. Gorgeous views and flowers, but not the hike for a hot day! Not much shade. Snow patches at about 5000', should be gone in a week. Did not encounter snow at all on trail until after intersection with spur to Mt. Margaret. We continued toward Lake Lillian, stopped where trail descends into Lillian basin. Bigger snow patches and brush after this point. Somewhat buggy with the melting snow.
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Mount Margaret — Jun 28, 2009 — Navigator
Day hike
Features: Wildflowers blooming
Issues: Snow on trail
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Will the high country ever melt out??? Be prepared for snow on the trail. We saw a number...
Will the high country ever melt out??? Be prepared for snow on the trail. We saw a number of hikers who were either lost in the snow or had turned back because they could not find the trail. Bring map and gps or wait several weeks. Snow starts just inside the forest above the clear-cuts (~4,900 ft), and the trail was snow covered except in non-shady openings.

Hiking up through the clear-cuts we saw bear grass and nice purple Oregon anemones (Photo 2). We worked our way up to the ridge top and then traversed to the north side of Mount Margaret from where we climbed straight up to the top. Bring gaiters and hiking poles or ice axe.

The top was dry and warm with beautiful views all around. Margaret Lake, Stonethrow Lake and Swan Lake are just finishing melting out (see Photo 1). To the east and south you could see Rainer (Photo 3) and Adams as there was not the usual haze.

Still a lot of snow on the surrounding ridge tops, but we had the mountain to ourselves. Glacier lilys were just blooming, but the wild flowers need another week or two to really get going.
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Mount Margaret — Apr 12, 2008 — Just a skier
Day hike
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It was time to do something besides Amabilis Mt. The problems were twofold. Friends had coaxed me out on a...

It was time to do something besides Amabilis Mt. The problems were twofold. Friends had coaxed me out on a 58 mile bike ride the day before (tiring me out) and the snow was a mix of firm crust and breakable crust.

I was planning on doing the gentle road route up as high as my energy permitted just to be out on a glorious sunny day. But the number of snowmobiles at the turnaround gave me pause. As they revved, I donned my skins and tried to ignore them. Off I went and was promptly passed by two groups of 3-mobiles. No way - gas fumes clung to the snow and the noise was awful although they courteously did slow as they passed me.

So as I reached the Rocky Run bridge I decided to take the direct route up and off the road. Solid crust and debris covered snow awaited me. Then cleaner but still crusty snow as I headed up, shedding clothes, mitts, hat. Occasionally finding older snowshoe tracks and ski tracks. I headed up and right, hitting steeper sections. Hitting sunny spots, yielded crust and breakable crust but reasonable views and mixed sun and shade, into and out of trees. Knowing my knees don't fight this stuff well and that I was tired, I gave up the ghost after climbing about 1,000 feet. Stopped, ate half my sandwich, enjoyed the sunshine, emailed my contacts that I had done the steep route rather than the road in case I found a tree or tree-well.

Down was a breakable-crust adventure when I was not sliding over solid crust. I'm sure if I had started later or climbed high, corn might have resulted.

Still it was a great day to play a bit in the sunny snow. And I got home in time to mow the lawn!

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Mount Margaret #1332.1 — Feb 21, 2008 — slowfoot
Day hike
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I wandered most of the way up Mt. Magaret today, stopping at the upper clearcut just below the summit ridge....

I wandered most of the way up Mt. Magaret today, stopping at the upper clearcut just below the summit ridge. I didn't go to the top because I've already been there and the view was great where I stopped for lunch.

Snow conditions were highly variable. In the morning, I used Yaktrax on an icy crust. On the way down, I used snowshoes after the sun had softened the surface.

It was a very quiet day on the mountain--no one else was up there though there are plenty of tracks mostly from snowmobiles.

I ignored the snowmobiled roads as much as possible, choosing a direct line up through the various clear-cuts where ever this was possible. No threat of avalanches today, though there were previous avalanches visible in many places.

NOTE: I originally intended to go up Keechelus Ridge from the Price Creek Sno-Park, but it has not been plowed-out yet.

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Mount Margaret #1332.1 — Mar 18, 2007 — Sadie's Driver
Day hike
Issues: Snow on trail
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Actually - we did this hike yesterday - with the luck of the Irish! Margaret must be Irish for ""the...

Actually - we did this hike yesterday - with the luck of the Irish! Margaret must be Irish for ""the weather folks don't have a clue!"" This St. Paddy's Day found Hiker Jim, cousin Clover and the driver joining me for a romp up the long road for a hike up the short trail. The initial thought was to go all the way east to something likely to be a dry hike - since the prediction was 60% of rain in the mountains on the west. But we took our chances. Planned a 7:00 a.m. departure (someone[?] was hoping for an early start so they could get back and watch the Cougs, but someone[?] forgot their snowshoes and we had to make a detour back to grab them - good thing too.) Got to the parking turnaround about 8:20 a.m. and we were hitting the road at 8:30 a.m. - half dozen trucks/trailers for snowmobubblers parked with us. Seems all of the passenger cars were down at Gold Creek (why?) and none at the Kendall Lake trailhead. The temperature was mild and the skies were blue with a few clouds.

The road Zamboni had done a great job of grooming for the snowmobiles - and it was early enough that the snow was still hard - booting it was easy. You know the drill - you walk a long way on the road (got to get the driver some XC skis to do these long road walks so she will quite whining). Got up the road a piece - with snowmobiles zipping by - Clover did her darnedest to try and catch one of them - never did. Hiker Jim brought out the shades and didn't have to take them off until about a mile from the car on the way out. The walk up was relative quick because the snow was hard - we made good time. Took us about an hour to get to the summer trailhead parking lot. From there, it's just a 100 yards or so to the spur road and the actual trail up is about a mile or so from where you take the spur. Thinking we had finally left the noisy snowmobiles behind as we made our way up to the clearcut and put our snowshoes on, because the snow was soft. Unfortunately, we were joined by a few of the 'bubblers as they came to play in open areas.

We continued a steady climb up and entered the trees higher up than we did last year - cutting a lot of the ups and downs from that trip a little more than a year ago. We crossed some old ski tracks and a few snowmobile tracks - but finally we were alone. We reached the ridge in almost no time and followed it - crossing what would have been the summer trail down to Lake Margaret and getting peek-a-boo views as we headed toward the false summit. The trickiest part of the whole day was right when we were about 25' below the false summit - last year it had been a little icy at this spot, but it was pretty much straight up; this year, there was this odd cornice, with a little shelf under it - the lip of the cornice was about 5' or so above the shelf. Clover figured out exactly how to navigate to the summit - walking along the shelf. The snow was in good shape - nice and solid - but if you should lose your footing, there was a chute with a drop-off waiting for you! So the driver went first and edged along the shelf. Then Hiker Jim also inched along the shelf, breaking off some of the cornice to widen the traverse route. This is the third snow trip to Margaret in the past three years - and each time the snow at the false summit has been different. The first year, we had to take our snowshoes off, because it was all exposed rock; last year was icy and this year was just fine. We continued along the ridge and then dropped down about 87' to the saddle between the false summit and the actual summit and then climbed up through the trees about 100' to the top of Margaret. The winds had picked up a little before we reached the summit - but they weren't bad, so we stopped for some lunch - about 3 1/2 hours to reach the summit (approx. 5+ miles). The weather was very mild and we took in the views - the clouds were rolling in. After about a 1/2 hour, we decided it was time to head back - hoping to beat the rain. Once we reached the clear cut area again, the snowmobilers were gone - and the snow had softened a lot. We got a couple of glissades in (wet butt glissades) and kept the 'shoes on until the end of the road back at the parking area turnaround. Not a drop of rain on us! Stats: 10+ miles; 3100' gain; 5 1/2 hours. We were heading out by 2:30 p.m. and hit rain right at the summit and all the way to Issaquah. Glad we opted for Saturday instead of Sunday!

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Location
Mount Margaret (#1332.1)
Snoqualmie Pass
4.50 out of 5
Based on 2 votes

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Red Marker Mount Margaret
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