Frosty Mountain Trail
Length: 21.6 km
Elevation Gain: 1,245 m
Difficulty Level: hard
Summary
Frosty mountain trail is in E.C. Manning Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada. With an elevation of 2,426 meters (the trail leads to a false peak at 2,408 meters), Frosty Mountain is the tallest peak in E.C. Manning Provincial Park. Because of its length and elevation gain, and steep, rocky, narrow path in the last 2 kilo-meters of hiking to the peak, this trail is rated as hard.
The most famous thing on this trail is golden larch that turns into golden/yellow color in the early fall. The golden larch peaks for two weeks. During those 2 weeks, hikers flock to the mountain trail to enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Details
There are three parts to Frosty Mountain Trail. The first part, which lasts about 6 kilometers, is a steady ascent through the forest. You will have occasional views of mountains and Lightning Lake. At the approximately 3 km mark, there is a lookout with a clear view of Lightning Lake. Weather permitting, you can see the reflection of the mountains on the lake. It’s a great spot for photos. This part of the trail is narrower compared to other popular trails in the Vancouver area. At the end of this section is a campsite where you can take a rest and a bio-break.
The second part is at about the 7 km mark. This is where the golden larch trees start to golden/yellow in early fall. This section lasts about 2 km. Hikers will be treated to a glorious display of golden larch in this meadow. You will have plenty of opportunities to take photos of the golden larch in this area. You can also venture a bit off the main trail to enjoy views of the mountains from the edge of the cliff, but be careful and watch your footing.
After the meadow, you are preparing for the most challenging part of the trail. It’s a 2 km steep ascent to the peak. This section consists mostly of rocky terrain. It’s not particularly dangerous if you stick to the main trail. This part has no cover, so make sure you have sun protection. No water source along the trail when I hiked it in early October.
At the peak, you will have 360-degree views.
E.C. Manning Provincial Park has some fantastic hiking trails, like Three Brothers Mountain Trail, Windy Joe Mountain Trail and Lone Goat Mountain.
Lightning Lake in Winter
In Winter, Lightning Lake is frozen and the snow scene turns the lake and the surrounding area into a Winter wonderland. I saw people playing hocky, ice skating, skiing, snowshoeing, or just in general enjoy the area.
