Ref: Trailpeak.com
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I decided to park here but some people drove further.
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Snowshoe
trip: RT 5.5; 3.5 up. The main goal of this simple trip was to get a
bit of exercise before the temperature drop associated with an Arctic
Front. Mount Lolo Road grants easy access to a lookout where I planned
to spend the night to watch both sunset and sunrise. Staying accustomed
to carrying overnight gear is also important to me as the extra weight
can be overwhelming. I left Milan's place late morning, it was a short
drive from there. The service road was clear of snow for the first
half, which shortened my hike drastically. I could have driven further
but
I opted to park my vehicle to avoid getting stuck and to get a decent
walk. Several trucks drove as far as they could leaving big ruts in
the snow; the passengers were mostly skiers heading for a tour in the
bowl. Higher up, I encountered snowmobilers as well. Mount Lolo is
surprisingly busy! It wasn't too cold during the hike up but at the top, the wind was bone chilling. I took pictures and
set up my tent while I could still feel my fingers. After a cruise
around the cell towers, I retreated to my shelter. The wind increased
throughout the evening sweeping snow under my tent fly and through the
mesh of the door. I struggled to stay warm in my light sleeping bag
with all my layers that included: boot liners, ski pants, ski
jacket, tuque and mitts; I knew it would be a long night... Heat
packs did provide some relief from the cold but around 3AM, they were
no longer sufficient. I had to rub my feet together to prevent them
from freezing. I would doze off briefly then wake up shivering. This
went on until the morning sunlight hit my tent.
At that point, I packed up as fast as I could and engaged in a hasty
retreat. When I reached my truck, the temperature gauge read -19˚c ...I
wonder how cold it got up there with the wind...
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Higher up, the power line offers a shortcut through the south bowl.
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Skiable cutblocks along the service road.
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Mount Lolo Road is also popular with snowmobilers.
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A glance towards the lookout and the south bowl's east facing slopes.
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Nearing the top.
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North-eastern view.
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Cell towers and telemetry.
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Mount Harper's ski area to the south.
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A close up of Mount Harper.
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South-western view towards Kamloops.
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Braving a cold windy night.
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Looking west over Strawberry Hills.
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The cell towers are lit up.
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Morning light on the summit.
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Beautiful sunrise.
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-19˚c lower down, no wonder I was cold.
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