Visited the Mt Margaret backcountry for a peaceful two nights (staying at Bear Camp and Dome Camp), and wow, did this trip exceed expectations! Minimal crowds and peak wildflowers.
Coming down from Seattle, I was unsure whether the Google maps route would be reliable after highway 12, so I followed the driving directions described here and went through Randle. The forest roads were paved with various areas of uneven bumps and gravel patches. Suitable for sedans. The signage for the forest roads was remarkably clear, making it easy to get the Norway Pass TH. The final stretch of FR 99 was especially dramatic winding along cliff sides.
7/30/2020 (Thursday)
Arrived at 9:40am on a hot Thursday, and there were only a few cars in the lot. This hike is very exposed, so be prepared with plenty of water, a hat, and sunscreen! Carrying heavy packs with the sun beating down on us made the way up to Bear Camp very strenuous. The heat definitely upped the difficulty of this hike. There were some bugs which necessitated some bug spray, but it seemed like most weren't biting. Lots of wild strawberries on the trail, enjoy them! Based on previous trip reports, I was a nervous about the narrow/washed out section of trail along a ledge after Norway Pass. However, I crossed without issue by proceeding slowly on the washed-out dirt and leaning against the rock face to step across a few footholds. A beautiful wildflower show started soon after this section.
Campsites have to be reserved in advance, and they are few in number. This equates to amazing solitude! We had Bear Camp all to ourselves on Thursday. The water source was still running at a good level, it was easy to refill our water sacs. We took the further campsite, which picturesquely overlooks Mt. Rainier on one side, and Mt. St. Helens (slightly obscured) on the other. Fields of lupines flooded the campsite, leading to a beautiful stroll just to go to the toilet (which btw is super convenient and in great shape)! Bugs were present, but not that bad here. In the evening we saw a group of about a dozen mountain goats frolicking on the nearby hills. Perfect sunrise views.
Campsites have to be reserved in advance, and they are few in number. This equates to amazing solitude! We had Bear Camp all to ourselves on Thursday. The water source was still running at a good level, it was easy to refill our water sacs. We took the further campsite, which picturesquely overlooks Mt. Rainier on one side, and Mt. St. Helens (slightly obscured) on the other. Fields of lupines flooded the campsite, leading to a beautiful stroll just to go to the toilet (which btw is super convenient and in great shape)! Bugs were present, but not that bad here. In the evening we saw a group of about a dozen mountain goats frolicking on the nearby hills. Perfect sunrise views.
7/31/2020 (Friday)
Friday we proceeded to Mt. Margaret. There are two small snow patches that were straightforward to cross - we just used poles and no spikes. The first patch has running water underneath, so watch out for snow bridges! The meadows between Bear Camp and Mt. Margaret were a joy to hike through. The trails curves, bends, and dips, leading to a variety of views. Flowers abound, with fields after fields of lupines flooding the senses. Interesting rock faces add to the scenery. The side trip to Mt. Margaret is quick and a nice view. After this, it was a mostly straightforward journey to Dome Camp. There is one section that steeply switchbacks along a cliff-side meadow, but the trail is otherwise gentle.
We got to Dome Camp quickly, which meant plenty of time to relax! We yet again had the camp all to ourselves. Spent the day relaxing amongst the fields of lupines. This day was less hot than Thursday, and we even needed our pants and jackets for the evening. Bugs weren't bad here either. The trail to the toilet at this camp is a scenic walk flooded with beautiful wildflowers. The water source left some to be desired, however. The small spring was barely dripping, so we had to skillfully scoop up water with our sacs. It was hard to get the sacs completely full. It was sufficient for this trip, but I would be wary of it in the near future.
We got to Dome Camp quickly, which meant plenty of time to relax! We yet again had the camp all to ourselves. Spent the day relaxing amongst the fields of lupines. This day was less hot than Thursday, and we even needed our pants and jackets for the evening. Bugs weren't bad here either. The trail to the toilet at this camp is a scenic walk flooded with beautiful wildflowers. The water source left some to be desired, however. The small spring was barely dripping, so we had to skillfully scoop up water with our sacs. It was hard to get the sacs completely full. It was sufficient for this trip, but I would be wary of it in the near future.
8/01/2020 (Saturday)
Saturday was the most cloudy, which was a welcome change. All peaks were still visible (both Adams and Rainier, as well as Mt Hood and Mt Jefferson). Leaving camp before 8:30am, there was a nice breeze and no need for sunscreen. Didn't notice bugs either. This cooling weather persisted until about Norway Pass. Saw progressively more people the further down the trail we went. Going down was a complete breeze in comparison to going up on Thursday. The lack of sun in our faces made it feel like a different hike! Got down to the parking lot by noon, and saw that most spots were taken.
Crowds: Thursday only saw about 6 groups. Friday at Dome Camp only saw about 3 groups pass this section of the Boundary Trail (it seemed like some were visiting Mt. Margaret from the Johnston Observatory side). Saturday saw maybe about 20 groups, mostly after Bear Pass. Never felt too crowded!
Comments
gardaeh on Mount Margaret
What did you do for food storage - are there bear poles or trees tall enough to hang bags near the campsites?
Posted by:
gardaeh on Aug 29, 2022 09:32 AM
mountain-view on Mount Margaret
I used a bear canister, so I didn’t scope out the trees for hanging bags. There were no bear poles.
Posted by:
mountain-view on Aug 29, 2022 11:19 AM