Mt. Margaret Loop-Mt. St Helens area

I went out on my first solo backpack trip of the summer season to Mt. Margaret Backcountry. I started at Norway Pass and climbed up to Bear Pass and down to the Lakes Basin area where I spent my first night by Snow Lake along with some enthusiastic bullfrogs to keep me company. The next day I went down to Coldwater Lake and then back up to the Boundary Trail with exceptional views into Mt. St Helens’s crater. Coldwater, Dome and Margaret peaks rested along the ridge while St. Helens Lake deep blue depths will provide noteworthy memories to my trip. Some lingering snow fields were present along with a fairly nasty washout on the Lakes Trail kept me on my toes. Little to no mosquito action higher up and a few clouds of them were around 2500’ft. and below.