Apple Bowl

November 19, 2024 -- Manning Park

Stats: 8.4 km / 545m gain / 1956m high / 3:05 hours MT

This was our second snow excursion in this month of November. Quite unlike last winter when we didn't get fresh powder and coated evergreens till mid February. The day started out bitingly cold with temps at about 8 degrees below 0. But it never fails, that after about 20-minutes of snowshoeing, the first layers comes off, before the other layers get wet from the sweat.

Irene, the organizer of this expedition, thought to get up to the Apple Bowl before the ski slopes open mid December and we'll no longer have access to the downhill ski slope. Good idea!

The gates were shut by the ski resort area so we parked at Strawberry Flats where a trampled path with a gradual grade led northwest to the downhill ski slope.

Snowcamp, Lonely Goat and Red Mountains -- south.

The Blue chairlift and Mara Peak to the right.

We crossed under the idle chairlift, only to cross under it again a little higher up.

The jagged Hozameens were partially exposed between the two peaks.

This was the steepest section, right of the chairlift on the ski slope. Someone had trampled the path right up to the building at the end of the chairlift.

Approaching the ridge -- north.

Once on the ridge, we left the trampled path and went east, to untouched territory.

north

The Three Bros. Mountains -- north.

southwest

The Hozameens.

northwest

On the other side of the ridge we got these views of Frosty Mt.

Looking down at the top of the chairlift.

Me, Patty, Carol, Cal, Dave, Denise, Don, Sari, Irene at the lunch spot.

Heading back.

The final steep drop to the ski slope.

Now came the fun part, half running and even some glissading down.

Group shot: me, Carol A, Cal F, Denise D, Sari K, Dave B, Irene H, Karri Haagen (newbie), Paul L, Don F, Lori B & Patty A