Fat Dog

January 15, 2023 - Manning Park

Stats: 16 km / 756m gain / 1978m high point / 4:50 hours MT

Our traditional annual snowshoe up Fat Dog, lured a large crowd out. It was not necessary to break trail and the temperatures were hovering around 0C. So it was an ideal day to get out there.

9:10am and 17 COCers were off. About half of them opted not to wear snowshoes, but took them along just in case.

The traditional photo on the bridge. This is close to the parking lot. From there, instead of the gradual descent, we now were doing a gradual ascent, passing the Cambie Creek Loop trail junction.

Keeping our distance at the brushy section. Well -- I'll admit, I got very close to Dave. In fact, I touched his butt. Either that, or get a face plant when I bent over to pull a twig from his snowshoe.

Carol organized this snowshoe. Thanks Carol.

The usual stop, snack & wait at the open flat area, before the trail veers off to the left (west) and becomes a bit more angled, soon getting us into the open alpines.

Thought I'd take a group shot here, in case not everyone made it to the ridge. But for once, we all did!

Left to right: Iraj, Peter, Mo, Allana, Val, Carol & Dave, Dave, Al, Lucy, Brian, Ingrid, me, Gary

Front row: Fred, Terry & Joe (welcome back Joe!!!)

Silvertip Mt (2400m) -- west

Looking northwest towards the Coquihalla Recreational Park & Tulameen River areas.

Made it! 704m gain and 2:50 hours MT later. The Fourth Brother (2100m) -- north.

south

Just as we had lunch, the jagged peaks of the Hozameens (1981m) exposed themselves.

west to northwest

Joe & Iraj were determined to pose for me for this shot. It was a bit tricky for them to get there, between the evergreens and their tree wells -- northwest.

Nicomen Ridge trail runs along this ridge.

Group shot #2

After a nice long lunch-break, we headed down. That was the fun part.

Bye bye Hozameens.

Back-lit crystalized branches.

Ice lace.

Goofy guys. Did a bit of glissading.

When I was going up the out-house steps back in the parking lot, I first thought, "Odd that those small balls of ice are all the same size." Then I realized, they were snow ducks and snow penguins! How cute. Thanks to whoever put them there. It made going to the out-house a bit more pleasant.

There were no exposed areas, avalanche slopes and very steep sections on this trail.