Conditions Report: ❄️Deep Winter Days

A New Year is upon us, and the month of January has been stellar so far.  With cold temps lifting, and our grooming back on track, there is no doubt conditions are fantastic on our trail networks. If you’ve been waiting for the right time to head our way, NOW is that time! The pow tap continues to deliver, and the cooler temps combined with the hard work of our grooming staff have helped keep the trails in great shape! 

 


 

Call out for Volunteers!

Interested in being a park of Avalanche Awareness Days this year? We are hoping to host a small event Saturday, January 29th and would like a couple keen sledders to help out! Thank you gifts included! Email sled@sledgolden.com to get involved.

Plan before you Play!

Plan before you play!

Check the latest advisories for Covid 19  for both BC and Alberta:

BC: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/covid-19-provincial-support/restrictions

AB: https://www.alberta.ca/enhanced-public-health-measures.aspx


TCH-1 Highway status

Check the latest conditions as it relates to the Kicking Horse Canyon highway project here:

Kicking Horse Calendar


 

SNOW AND WEATHER

The last while has been really cold, but it looks like it will be slightly more reasonable into this weekend.  An increase in temps and a couple storms have set us up nicely for the New Year. We might see some sun over the weekend (which will keep you cozy), however temps will continue to be in the negative double digits.

There’s approximately 15-30 cm’s in the forecast (depending which zone you’re going to), a fresh dump before the weekend! The sun will make various appearances so be ready with your camera for those money shots when it does!

Avalanche

Remember that the cold weather means things can go wrong quickly! Be prepared in case of any incident.

With more snow and wind in the forecast over the next few days, watch for increasing avalanche danger.  Watch out for areas where the persistent slab may be shallow, including steep/rocky areas.

Did you know! Show you AST (Avalanche Skills Training) Certification for $5 off a day pass at any one of our kiosks. Make sure to check https://www.avalanche.ca/ for an up to date avalanche forecast each day.

Grooming

We’re happy to see temperatures warming up and snow in the forecast again. Grooming ops are back in full motion to provide smooth trails.  A friendly reminder that our groomers are tracked in real time, and can be accessed 24/7 by everyone. To check it out, scroll down to see the grooming map. As logging continues into the week, we invite you to explore other areas besides Quartz at this time due to our current 40 vehicle capacity limit. Fingers crossed it won’t be for much longer!

 

 

Insurance savings

A reminder that your club membership allows you to access discounted rates when insuring your snowmobile for the season. This is for BC residents, but feel free to inquire at your local registry office

 

We wanna hear from you!

You may have noticed on social media our callouts asking for member photos. We love featuring your photos in our social posts and conditions reports! Submit your fave pic to media@snowmobilegolden.com and you’ll be entered into our draw for a spring swag bag!

Trail Area Conditions Reports

Quartz Creek

Conditions: Good
Grooms scheduled: As needed
Fees: $25
Parking: Parking at the 9k until logging is finished. 40 vehicles permitted.
Road: Plowed and graded
Additional notes: There is still active logging at Quartz creek, and we are currently staging at the 9k.  Weekends are BUSY at Quartz, and we do have a maximum capacity in effect. This is for the safety of the loggers and the sledders. Check in at the Quartz gate for the most up to date info, and fingers crossed it won’t be for much longer. Travel with a radio & call up your k’s!

Gorman Lake

Conditions: Excellent
Grooms scheduled: As needed
Fees: $25
Parking: Park at the 3.5km lot
Road: Road has been in good shape!
Additional notes: Conditions up at Gorman have been excellent. Equipment hauling happening on the Dogtooth FSR as local contractors perform right of way ( road building) Lots of room for parking at the 3.5km.

Silent Pass

Conditions: Pow and more to come!
Grooms scheduled: As needed
Fees: $25
Parking: Parking at the 31k
Road: Intermittent grading of the road happening. Be prepared for snowy conditions.
Additional notes: The road to Silent is in good shape at the moment, and don’t forget we have a parking lot at the 31 k which is new this year.

East Quartz

Conditions: In great shape!
Grooms scheduled: N/A
Fees: $25
Parking: As per Quartz
Road: n/a

Old Man

Conditions: Good coverage
Grooms scheduled: N/A
Fees: $25
Parking: At Quartz Creek main parking lot
Road: n/a

Westbench Trail

Conditions: Cleared but not groomed...
Grooms scheduled: TBD
Fees: $25
Parking: Gorman or Quartz
Road: n/a
Additional notes: Logging occurring on the Donald FSR. This is a Non-continuous trail for now. We will provide updates once the trail is groomed and ready for use.

Grooming Map

The map below is linked to the safety InReaches we have in our groomers and we have been able to make the tracks public.  How to use the map:

  • Press on the + next to the groomer/zone you want the latest information for.
  • Once the line is visible, press on the line to see the date & time the groomer was last in action.

This map only shows the most recent groom. You can inquire at any of our trailheads for additional grooming information, including number of riders since the last groom.

Weather & Avalanche Conditions

Sponsors

Please support our sponsors:

Our projects and operations would not be possible without the support of these organizations: