Page Type: | Route |
---|---|
Lat/Lon: | 46.31208°N / 122.13437°W |
Route Type: | Hiking |
Season: | Summer, Fall |
Time Required: | Most of a day |
Difficulty: | Hike with short scramble |
Rock Difficulty: | Class 3 |
It's a fairly easy hike with no shortage of views, a rock arch you hike through, beautiful lakes and potential for seeing elk. The last hundred yards or so are off trail followed by a short (10-15 foot high) Class 3 pinnacle scramble to the summit. Pinnacles and crags abound and the view down the ridge to Mt. Whittier makes you wish you had more time (and maybe you do).
Total distance is 18.4 miles round trip with about 1700-1800 feet of elevation.
From Harry's Saddle continue north on the trail for two miles up a ridge with some switchbacks to Point 5332.
The trail heads around the west side of the subpeak and ducks down through a natural rock arch to another junction with the Coldwater Trail #230. Stay right here another .4 miles along the east slopes of Coldwater Peak (between it and St. Helens Lake). From here, ignore the trail to the left (unless you are also hiking up to the summit of Coldwater Peak) and angle off to the right. The trail now slowly traverses and ascends the ridge heading east to Mt. Margaret. There are many pinnacles along the way, keep heading east for 3.4 miles until the trail traverses under the actual summit of Mt. Margaret. Refer to the picture below:
If you follow the ridgeline coming in from the left and continue that line to the right, at the point where it hits the horizon is about where you want to exit the trail and head up through mostly open slopes to the summit. You could also hed up the other side which is more open but slightly steeper with gullies and grooves to maneuver, the west side of more open and easier.
Once you get up on the ridge, you will see this pinnacle:
Easy Class 3 in multiple spots, just find the way up that works for you. It's maybe 10-15 feet of scrambling.
Descend the same way.