Ever since I had read some reports, descriptions of Frosty Mountain's trail a few months ago, I intended to pay it a visit, attracted by its golden larches perhaps. Since the weather forecast was looking favorable, I thought that last Friday was as good of a day as any to do that. There was some light rain once in the Hope area that lasted until past Sunshine Village. It soon turned to a white spectacle along the highway, the trees being covered with a thin film of fresh snow. A big healthy looking black bear was munching just by the road. The welcoming comity I thought to myself.
Once arrived at destination , you could really feel the crispness in the air, the body still use to the warm days of summer. The trail was covered with snow right from the get go. It is a beautiful trail, not to compacted.Trying out a new backpack I had to stop for a few gear adjustment along the way.I most have lost 10-15 minutes doing that. After a few ks the knees, being used to shorter and lighter treks where asking me what was the story with the extra weight. I'm fairly new @ this game. I must admit that i was carrying what seems to me like a fairly heavy load just for a dayhike. I weighted my load before i left home and it locked in @ 35 pounds. The bag its self is a bit on the heavy side @ almost 5 pounds but pretty much waterproof. Ad to that another 5 for cameras , monopod, gps, 6 litters of water (i sweat just thinking about exercising :-) ) @ 13 pounds and you're already @ 23 pounds. The rest of it was was the usual and winter layers. I thought it might be isolated up there on a week day at this time of the year. Not sure what i could have done differently. I don't think I qualify as a light or ultralight packer... Anyway, the knees eventually got use to it.
The rest of the trip trough the forest was fairly uneventful except for what seems to be the tracks of either a bobcat or lynx that covered 2-3 ks of the trail. Lunch break @ 9 k and then I was at the base of the summit ready to undertake my first scrambling ever. Nothing that 13 seasons of coastal treeplanting from a distant past have not prepared me for, mind you. I took my time getting to the summit, the ground being mostly covered with snow. I finally reached my destination after 3 hours 25 minutes.
How lucky are we to live in a land like "Beautiful British Columbia"!!! God's country,really. The scenery was more than well worth the effort. "No pain, no elevation gain". (don't think I have ever eared that one before) Definitely want to come back here, snowshoeing this coming winter. Frosty the Mountain was there and judging by the temperature Frosty the Snowman can not be to far behind... :-))
All in all a great solo day.
What looked like to be the same bear was still snacking by the highway on the way back. Same area.
