Two years after Mt St Helens erupted in 1980, the Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument area was established to protect the surrounding 110k acres and allow the land to recover naturally. One year later visitors were able to drive to Windy Ridge four miles northeast of the crater. It was from this road that I connected to Boundary Trail 1 which traces the monument perimeter leading first to Norway Pass and then on to the Mt Margaret Backcountry area.

The view from the hillside above Norway Pass looking south to Spirit Lake and the crater

The first section of the hike is a 2.4 mi upward trek to Norway Pass along a well-maintained sand and pumice trail through recovering forest. Upon reaching the pass you get your first stunning view of Spirit Lake and the into crater of Mt St Helens. I arrived at the trailhead at 5:30pm and was unsure about the exact location of Bear Camp where I had a permit to spend the night, so I kept moving at a good pace to beat the light and hopefully capture some of the sunset.

Turning around brings Mt Rainier into view as well

The landscape quickly changes past Norway Pass as the trail ascends into the backcountry. There were three other cars in the parking lot and a whole lot of land to get lost in, so I never saw a single person until the next day back at the pass. There were plenty of elk, mt goats, eagles, coyotes and other critters to keep me company. It's wonderful to see how the land is recovering from the clear devastation the volcano caused.

I needed to be here an hour earlier to catch the full sunset... Next time!

Due to my excitement over the sunset combined with low light, poor signage, and no clear map to follow, I walked right past Bear Camp without seeing it. I was expecting to see a camp sign, other tents or tent footprints (wood frame filled with soil), but the only clear sign of the camp turned out to be a backcountry toilet tucked in the trees which I saw on my way out the next day.

Bear Camp. No tent footprints. No sign. Just mounds of soil and a toilet. Easy to miss in the dark

With low light and no hope of reaching the camp before dark, I decided to set up my tent at the intersection of the Boundary Trail and the Whittier Trail in a flat, open area. It turned out to be a cold location unprotected from the wind whipping through the pass, but it was the best alternative at the time.

My tent is visible in the center at the trailhead to Mt Whittier beyond

The following morning I awoke to the calls of nearby coyotes and the bugling of a herd of elk. I poked my head out of the tent and into a shroud of morning mist with the halo of the rising sun over the outline of Mt Adams. I knew I must be close to Bear Camp, but thought I had not passed it yet, so I grabbed my coat and camera and headed out to capture the sunrise and try and find the camp site.

Each turn in the trail was more beautiful than the next and I ended up walking another mile before finally finding a deserted Margaret Camp. At the time I thought this was Bear Camp. Once again, there were no signs but there were a couple of tent footprints and another toilet.

Margaret Camp. Easier to spot because the toilet is obvious. There are also a couple of tent footprints here

I turned around here because I was getting hot, hungry and thirsty. I had not planned to walk this far and foolishly left my water behind. An hour later I arrived at my tent and fired up the JetBoil for some much needed breakfast before breaking camp and heading back to the trailhead.

Lots of dew on the tent in the morning. It was a pretty cold night

This is a stunning, unearthly landscape full of wildlife and solitude. From a single viewpoint you can easily see Mt Rainier, Mt Adams, Mt Hood and Mt St Helens. It feels like you are completely immersed in nature. I'll be back to spend more time in this area for sure. If you go, allow three hours to Bear Camp from the trailhead and bring water. This is a dry trail.