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kitya
Fortune Cookie
Joined: 15 Mar 2010
Posts: 842 | TRs | Pics
Location: Duvall, WA |
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kitya
Fortune Cookie
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 Sun Jan 19, 2020 10:30 pm |
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I think this was the most beautiful (and easy!) snowshoe I ever had. Drove to BC Saturday through Sumas border crossing. There was a winter storm warning in effect, hwy 1 had ditched cars all over it, it was snowing hard and very-very-very cold, but, on the plus side, nobody in line for the border crossing at all.
Stayed overnight in very snowy Hope, BC. Because there is no way to drive anywhere into interior BC without passing through the town of Hope, the area is generally known as 'Beyond Hope'. It is a long drive, but it turned out completely worth it.
Sunday morning Coquihalla hwy was still covered in compact snow/ice, but generally good. Coquihalla summit is such an amazing area - a few granite domes are rising directly above, they kind of have Yosemite vibes, but with lots and lots of snow. Snow was soft and powdery. Very-very soft.
I followed the Needle peak trail up through the trees (well marked by red tree markers) and than traversed right (west) to the broad summit of Flatiron. It is really snowshoeing paradise up there. Rolling terrain, generally avalanche safe. 360 views. Amazing snow. Easy access year round.
After we reached the summit, we made a circle on the summit ridge around the lake and returned back from the other side.
While the area is popular with back-country skiers, nobody else went to Flatiron, most skiers seem to just enjoy skiing the snowy bowl below it.
At around that time another snow storm came in, but this time it was very warm. It started raining at around 5000 ft, snow quickly became very sticky and lots of it was coming down from the trees.
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Snowdog
Member
Joined: 21 Jul 2006
Posts: 1028 | TRs | Pics
Location: on (& off) the beaten path |
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Snowdog
Member
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Mon Jan 20, 2020 9:46 am |
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Thanks Kitya for the photo dump! I'm heading there in a few weeks - can't wait!
'we don't have time for a shortcut'
'we don't have time for a shortcut'
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kitya
Fortune Cookie
Joined: 15 Mar 2010
Posts: 842 | TRs | Pics
Location: Duvall, WA |
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kitya
Fortune Cookie
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Mon Jan 20, 2020 10:59 am |
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| Snowdog wrote: | | Thanks Kitya for the photo dump! I'm heading there in a few weeks - can't wait! |
It is an amazing snow play place. I already cannot wait to go back there again later, hopefully to catch another powder snow day. Have fun, hope you like it too!
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Bosterson
Member
Joined: 12 Sep 2019
Posts: 294 | TRs | Pics
Location: Portland |
Amazing snow photos, Kitya! Do you know what this very prominent peak in the background of a lot of your pics is?
Go! Take a gun! And a dog! Without a leash! Chop down a tree! Start a fire! Piss wherever you want! Build a cairn! A HUGE ONE!
BE A REBEL! YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE!
(-bootpathguy)
Go! Take a gun! And a dog! Without a leash! Chop down a tree! Start a fire! Piss wherever you want! Build a cairn! A HUGE ONE!
BE A REBEL! YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE!
(-bootpathguy)
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Gimpilator
infinity/21M
Joined: 12 Oct 2006
Posts: 1684 | TRs | Pics
Location: Edmonds, WA |
Thanks for the report. Fun to see pictures of this area with snow.
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kitya
Fortune Cookie
Joined: 15 Mar 2010
Posts: 842 | TRs | Pics
Location: Duvall, WA |
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kitya
Fortune Cookie
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Mon Jan 20, 2020 6:36 pm |
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| Bosterson wrote: | | Amazing snow photos, Kitya! Do you know what this very prominent peak in the background of a lot of your pics is? |
Yes, I do! This peak is called (rather unoriginally) Needle peak. The ridge you see is a long ridge connecting Flatiron and Needle. There is an established trail/scramble (with a some fixed lines) accessing it in summer. In fact I used this very trail (but obviously now under snow) to get to this ridge, but than instead of going to Needle I turned right (west) to Flatiron. Scrambling Needle in winter is probably way beyond my skill level (I'm sure Cookie could have done it, but not me). In summer several peaks in the area have pointy polished granite look, Gimpilator had an excellent trip report about them last year: https://www.nwhikers.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8030009
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Bosterson
Member
Joined: 12 Sep 2019
Posts: 294 | TRs | Pics
Location: Portland |
Thanks! I remember that TR of his but didn't realize this was the same place. Going to have to bump that area up the list. 
Go! Take a gun! And a dog! Without a leash! Chop down a tree! Start a fire! Piss wherever you want! Build a cairn! A HUGE ONE!
BE A REBEL! YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE!
(-bootpathguy)
Go! Take a gun! And a dog! Without a leash! Chop down a tree! Start a fire! Piss wherever you want! Build a cairn! A HUGE ONE!
BE A REBEL! YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE!
(-bootpathguy)
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kitya
Fortune Cookie
Joined: 15 Mar 2010
Posts: 842 | TRs | Pics
Location: Duvall, WA |
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kitya
Fortune Cookie
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Mon Jan 20, 2020 7:00 pm |
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| Gimpilator wrote: | | Thanks for the report. Fun to see pictures of this area with snow. |
I remember your summer report from the area too. When I saw so many granite slabs, I was already sure these would look great in snow too
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raising3hikers
Member
Joined: 21 Sep 2007
Posts: 2344 | TRs | Pics
Location: Edmonds, Wa |
Thanks for the TR, great idea for a snowshoe trip!
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