Mt. Frosty: Definitely Not Frosty

We set out on a three day hike in Manning Park with the goal of getting to the summit of Mt. Frosty. We were looking for a doable hike with the kids, but also challenging enough and one where there was snow (the kids insisted). With an attractive name like Frosty we set high expectations.

It was hot. Probably the first time it got really hot that summer. The drive to Manning was long so we weren’t exactly off to an early start. It was Thursday and the parking lot at Lightning Lake – the trailhead, was relatively empty.

The hike to the campground went through a shaded forest which we appreciated. But it was also long, with minimal views, quite a bit of elevation gain and there was no snow… The kids were not impressed by the lack of snow.

Finally at the campground we were ready for some dinner. Or at least some of us were. Kai lay on the ground, said he was soooo tired and fell asleep in an instant, just like that, something that never happens at home.

In the morning we were all refreshed and ready for our “summit day”. That day was a lot more scenic and included hiking mostly in the alpine. Also after a short time we found snow! The kids were excited and motivated to continue.

The most challenging part was a section we had to scramble a bit and to be very careful not to drop rocks. The kids were troopers and followed all our instructions. After that it was mostly ridge walking until we got to the east summit. Technically it’s the false summit, so most people stop there. The real summit is harder to get to, and the east summit definitely has the views. We were proud of the kids (and us) for making it to the summit! It was well worth the effort.

We didn’t find the summit register unfortunately. Years ago Gili and I spent the night on the summit watching a meteor shower, and we wanted to check if our entry was there.

We met a few people on the way, most of them on a day hike (there is a popular loop via Windy Joe). They all looked so happy. One guy even said to us “you can’t beat today!” With the blue sky, fresh air and incredible views, we had to agree.

After spending a while on the summit we concluded that it was definitely not Frosty up there. In fact we were baking, so we decided to start heading down.

When we got back to the campground the kids had more energy to explore than the day before. There was a creek and a little horse cabin as well as an axe which drew their attention.

The next day we headed back down the same way. When we got back to Lightning Lake it was a different scene. It was Saturday and the parking lot was packed. We jumped into the freezing lake for a refreshing swim. It finally felt a bit Frosty.