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On a beautiful, sunny day we began our hike up Mount Frosty in Manning Park. With me were David and my nephew Matt. We left the parking lot at Lightning Lake just after 10:00 am and began our hike. Unlike my hike with David a few years ago, this one was a much easier hike. David is now able to carry a full pack, and his cousin Matt is along so weight is divided three ways. What a relief.
We hiked for over an hour before we stopped. Three years ago it was all I could do to urge David onward. Now as strong as me, he eagerly continued forward, not even asking for a break. This was Matt’s first real backpacking trip and he did a great job, not complaining in the least at carrying his heavy pack up the trail. At our rest stop we had a granola bar, some trail mix and lots to drink, then continued our hike. After another hour we stopped to have lunch on the side of the trail. Although it was a mainly sunny day, it was cool high up on the mountain. We put on shirts to keep us warm as we ate a leisurely lunch, then removed them again when we resumed our trip to Frosty Camp. After lunch we had walked only a couple of minutes when we came to a sign informing us that Frosty Camp, the wilderness camping area where we would spend the next two nights, was only a kilometre ahead. That spurred us into action and we quickened our pace for the last kilometre, arriving at our camping spot just after 1:00 pm. It was a quick hike up considering the weight we were carrying.
Bears and other animals can be a nuisance. If they think they can get food at a campsite they will frequent the area. If there is nothing to eat they stay away. By keeping food out of reach you keep bears away from camp. We found two tall dead trees which were 15 metres apart (50 feet) and threw a rope over high branches on each tree. At night, or when away from the campsite, we lifted our food to a spot almost 5 metres above the ground and 3 metres away from the closest branch on any tree. Bears, or any animal, would have a tough time getting to our food.
In the late afternoon a solo hiker, Gerrick, came into camp and set up his tent. It is nice to be alone in a campsite, but also nice to have someone to talk to. We enjoyed his company during the afternoon and evening.
It began to cool down soon after dinner so we sat around the fire and talked, adding a little wood when necessary to keep the fire small, yet giving us some warmth as we sat around it. Several times we heard thunder rolling around the mountains from a storm only a few kilometres away, but we never received any rain. Finally, as it was getting dark, we hoisted all our food up into the air on the line we had prepared and headed to bed.
Gerrick, the other hiker, packed up his gear, and began hiking up the trail. He was going to go to the summit and descend by another route. Since we were going to return to our camp that night, we only had to clean up before beginning our days’ hiking. Mid-morning we hauled our food cache back up into the air and set out for the top of Mount Frosty. Once again the trail was fairly steep, but without heavy packs it was easy walking. I was carrying a pack with our lunch, juice and some extra clothing. Each of us had rain jackets to put on if it got wet. We started walking with shirts over t-shirts, but even in the cold weather we were too warm and David and I stripped down to t-shirts.
We continued walking and about 11:00 am we came to the tree line, where the Larch forest suddenly ended. Above us the summit was shrouded in cloud. This was a much more spartan area of cliffs and scree slopes. The only vegetation were Lichen and some Cushion plants clinging to any spot where they could find a little rocky soil out of the seemly never ceasing wind. Like the Larch trees, these little plants take years and years to grow. As hikers we had to be careful to not step on a plant and kill something which had taken decades to establish itself. I didn’t want to climb up to the summit in the fog, so we decided to stay where we were until the clouds lifted. We carefully walked across a scree slope to a rocky outcrop which held one of the last groups of stunted Larch trees. Here we sat behind the rocks, out of the wind, and napped, waiting for the cloud to lift. A little before noon I made lunch which consisted of rye bread, Genoa salami and Romano cheese. The boys were not too enthused by the sandwiches, but rye bread and dry salamis and cheeses are the easiest things to take hiking. They keep for a long time without spoiling and don’t crush in a backpack.
Just after noon the clouds lifted and the peak was visible. It was time to continue. We now had to negociate over a kilometre of steep switchbacks which climbed the steep, rocky side of the mountain. At the bottom of this section is a sign warning that from here up the trail is hazardous and extreme caution should be used. When we made it to the top of this ridge we had only half a kilometre to walk, continuing up along the top of the ridge to the summit of the mountain. I decided it was time for David to carry the pack so gave it to him for the final section of the trail. Soon we were standing on the summit at an elevation of 2408 metres (just under 8000 feet) and had an incredible view all around us. To the north we could see the Heather Meadows area and the Three Brothers, an area where we had hiked as a family two years ago. As the cloud continued to lift we could see many of the nearby mountains including Snass, Outram, Silvertip and others. The sun even broke through the clouds a few times as we stood at the summit and surveyed the scene before us.
The first half kilometre of the trail, descending the summit ridge, was an easy walk. However when we came to the steep switch backs, leading off the summit ridge towards the tree line, I suddenly began to experience severe pain in my left knee. I knew right away what it was - a reoccurrence of a hamstring injury which had occurred 14 years before. Each small step I took down the steep trail was agonizing and slow. Through my mind raced the thought, “How am I ever going to get off this mountain? Even if I get to our camp, will I be able to carry a pack tomorrow?” It was very hard for me as I walked down the steep switchbacks, almost a staircase of loose slippery rocks and stones, but once we were into the Larch forest, and the trail flattened somewhat, the pain in my knee subsided. I found that as long as I took long strides, and didn’t bend my knee a lot, I was able to walk without too much pain. Only in the steep places, where I had to take small steps and bend my knee a lot, did I have a reoccurrence of the excruciating pain. In spite of my knee we made a quick descent to Frosty Camp where we again made a small fire, sat and talked. In the late afternoon two hikers came up the trail and pitched their tent in the camping area. A little latter two more joined us. Tonight we would have three groups of hikers at Frosty Camp. For dinner we had soup and an Italian pasta dish, followed again by chocolate pudding and fudge cookies. David and Matt played cards for a while but a few minutes after 8:00 Matt asked if it would be okay to go to bed. He had not slept well the previous night. That, combined with the days climb up to 2400 metres and back, had him exhausted. David and I sat and talked and soon were joined by the other four hikers. We talked with them until 10:00 pm when we all headed to bed. Our third morning was another overcast one. It had again drizzled a bit during the night but at least was dry when we awoke. Matt was up about 7:15 am and I followed him 15 minutes latter. Once out of his sleeping bag he was cold. The other hikers were also up and had a tiny fire going for cooking, unfortunately not throwing enough heat to warm Matt. David popped out of the tent not too long after me and I made myself coffee and the two boys hot chocolate. Then I cooked a pancake breakfast for us. When we were finished, and the dishes done (the boys dried while I washed) I began to pack up everything in the tent and get the packs ready. When the tent had been emptied and swept, David and Matt helped fold it and put it in it’s carry bag. At this point I already had almost everything packed so within a few minutes we were ready to go. It was mid-morning. We hoisted our packs onto our backs and began the hike down the mountain, retracing the route we had taken two days earlier. I was very concerned about my knee, but surprisingly, it was fine as long as the trail was flat, or descending or rising moderately. The first two kilometres were fine as the trail was flat or rolling. It was a pleasure to walk through the forest and meadows full of beautiful flowers. However the more we descended, the steeper and rougher the trail became and the more my knee began to hurt. The boys pulled away from me and many times had to stop and wait for me to catch up as I struggled down the trail. We stopped to take a picture of the Lightning Lake chain and David suggested I go first. I did so, and walked as fast as I could. Finally, with two kilometres to go I let David and Matt go ahead. The trail was steeper and had many roots and rocks to step over, each one a source of excruciating pain to my left knee. Matt went ahead, but David hung back keeping close to me in case I needed help. The last two kilometres were the most painful and the slowest, but finally we were down and walking around the end of Lightning Lake on a nice flat trial. The pain subsided and I was able to finish the last few minutes of the hike in relative comfort. The Sun even began to break through the clouds as we ended our hike and sat at a picnic table eating lunch. Although part of the hike was very painful for me, it had been great.
I love the Frosty Mountain hike because the flowers are so beautiful and
the view from the top magnificent. Hopefully, next time, Sandra and
Christy can join us.
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It
was sunny and warm as we began our hike. We were wearing t-shirts
so we didn’t overheat as we walked. Leaving the parking lot the trail
quickly led us around the end of beautiful Lightning Lake and then began
to climb up the mountainside through a forest of Engelmann Spruce and sub-alpine
Fir. Below the trees was a blanket of wild Rhododendrons, Falsebox,
tall Mountain Huckleberry and Trailing Rubus. Unfortunately we were
past the blooming time for the Rhododendrons so enjoyed only the leaves.
The first four and a half kilometres of the trail were fairly steep as
we had to climb a series of switchbacks to get to the top of a mountain
ridge. Although the temperature dropped as we climbed higher, our
t-shirts were soaking wet from the exertion of the climb.
As
we climbed, we periodically had glimpses of lake and mountain vistas through
the trees. At first we could see parts of Lightning Lake, but as
we climbed higher we could get glimpses of Strike and Flash Lakes as well.
The higher we climbed, the more magnificent the view. Once on the
ridge the hiking was much easier. Although the trail continued to
climb for another kilometre it was more gradual and the forest began to
open. We walked through wonderful meadows of Lupine, Arnica and Mountain
Valerian complete with their spectacular blossoms. The last
kilometre and a half to Frosty Camp was more rolling terrain and we walked
it very quickly.
Frosty
Camp is set in the midst of a forest at an elevation of 1850 metres (about
6100 feet). It is beside a tiny creek and is at the beginning of
the next steep section of trail. There was no one else at Frosty Camp when
we arrived so we picked a nice spot, close to the fire ring, where we set
up our large tent. Since it was not a really long hike to the campsite
I carried our 6 man tent up the mountain. It gave the three of us
lots of room. We put a light nylon tarp up over the entrance way
of the tent which would give us a dry spot in front of the tent if it began
to rain. We also put up the rope we would use to hold our food more
than 4 metres above the ground while we were sleeping or away from the
campsite.
The
boys wanted a campfire, so while I was arranging things, I sent them looking
for wood. There was no shortage of wood, but most of it was damp.
David and Matt came back with armloads of wood and I sent them back twice
more. As they searched for wood, I began to use our hatchet to cut
it and stack it. Once cut and stacked it would dry more quickly.
I started a small fire and put some of the wet wood on the metal grate
above the fire where it was warm enough to dry the wood but far enough
from flames so it didn’t catch on fire. By evening we had dried a
great deal of wood which we piled up in front of the tent under the nylon
tarp which served as our protection against any possible rain.
Our
first dinner was chicken patties and rice, followed by chocolate pudding
and cookies. Nothing like roughing it! I may not be able to
guarantee good weather, but I can guarantee enough to eat. I had
plenty of food along and no one was going to go hungry.
We
awoke the next morning to find a solidly overcast sky - an overcast that
was not too far above us! It had rained very lightly during the night
and now was very cool. I made myself a cup of coffee and started
a small fire. Soon David and Matt were out and I began cooking hashbrowns,
eggs and toast. They ate their fill and there was food to spare.
After breakfast I had the two boys wash the dishes. I had been cooking
and washing everything and thought they should get to share the task.
They were not too impressed but did a good job.
We
walked up the once again steep trail through forest and meadow on the steep
mountainside. The meadow areas were covered with flowers in bloom
and were a beautiful sight. Soon we crested another ridge and the
trail levelled out somewhat. At this point the trees changed species.
We were in a forest of ancient Larch trees. Although none had very
large diameters, they were up to 2000 years old! This was a very
open forest with large areas of meadow where Pussytoes, Partridge Foot,
Red Heather, Wood Rush and other small, hardy plants grow. Again,
there were many brightly coloured flowers. The tiny, delicate, red
heather flowers were especially beautiful. Soon we arrived at a spot
where we should have been able to look up and see the summit of Mount Frosty.
Instead, we saw a mountain disappearing into the clouds.
While
we were eating I suddenly spied a slight movement about 6 metres in front
of us. It was a tiny little pika, an animal about the size of a gerbil.
He looked at us for a while then turned and scurried quickly back across
the scree slope to wherever he made his home.
The
summit was a busy place in spite of it being a cool, overcast day.
There were a total of seven of us there resting and looking at the view.
When we finally left, to descend once again to our campsite, we passed
many more groups of hikers ascending the mountain even as we were descending.