Conditions Report: Dec 19 – Feels Like Winter
Snow coverage in Golden is starting to feel a lot like a normal winter and sledders had a good time with another 30-ish cms of snow that fell in the storm this week. There’s still another 19cms in the forecast and the temps are mild for winter standards. Avalanche conditions are dependent on how the new snow settles and forecasts are posted from considerable to moderate as the weekend goes on. Grooming operations are full force in Quartz and Gorman and we hope to get a cat into Silent before Christmas.
Quartz Dec 19
Quartz on Dec 19
Silent Pass on Dec 16
Quartz Parking Lot info UPDATED
Please beware of the upcoming Selkirk Mountain – Quartz Creek Rest Area Clearing & Brushing Project located on Highway 1 and Quartz Creek FSR. Kenpesq’t Construction has been contracted by the Ministry of Transportation and Transit to carry out this work. Please be advised that the start date for this work has been postponed and is now scheduled to begin on January 6th, 2025, and is expected to be completed on January 10th, 2025 (weather permitting).
Project Details:
- Estimated Project Start Date: January 6th, 2025
- Estimated Project End Date: January 10th, 2025
- Work Hours: 6:00 AM – 6:00 PM Monday to Friday
- Affected Areas: Selkirk Mountain – Quartz Creek Rest Area / Snowmobile Staging Area
- Traffic Impact: Expect traffic delays and intermittent road closures during the project, which may cause disruptions to travel along HWY 1.
- Golden Snowmobile Club Impact: Restricted access for snowmobile staging during active tree clearing operations.
- Estimated Duration of Delays/Closures: Intermittent east-bound traffic delays on HWY 1 up to 10 minutes in duration.
SledGolden will be updating our website and social media channels in terms of how this project will affect our operations. At the very least, the truck parking lot near the kiosk will be closed during this time.
Quartz parking lot logging information
Travel
TCH-1 Highway
Highway 1 is fully open east of Golden with NO scheduled stoppages and overnight closures. Nothing beats cursing at 100km/hr on the last 4 kms into town. The new highway shaves 10-20 mins off a trip from the east these days.
Dogtooth FSR (Gorman)
Whiskeyjack Logging will be hauling down from the 7.5km for the next 2-3 weeks, and until they’re done PWT will continue to plow up to the top parking lot. Please be aware about the increased traffic and be extra vigilant.
Looks like come January, PWT will have a logging crew and hauling from the West Main road as well so will be maintaining the Dogtooth FSR to the 3.5km lot most of the winter.
North Fork Spillimacheen FSR (Silent Pass)
A lot of forestry work is transpiring on the North Fork between 31 and 36kms. Please yield to all logging trucks and use a radio to call your kms (RR3)
Hauling logs on the ‘Main’ on Spillimacheen FSR -use RR3
Snow & Weather
SNOW AND WEATHER
Golden woke up to 10 cms on snow on Wednesday Dec 18 and it kept snowing hard all day. In the end approximately 30 cms fell in that storm and another 10-15 is expected on Dec 19. The temps coming up are forecasted to be in the single digit negatives and little bits of sun may show up here and there. There’s 19 cms in the forecast.
Forecast near Quartz Creek on Dec 19
Quartz Dec 9
Avalanche Safety
Avalanche Conditions
Please check Avalanche.ca everyday you ride!
Avalanche.ca screen shot on Dec 19
From Avalache.ca on Dec 19 for Dogtooth Range area: “It is uncertain how quickly the new snow will stabilize. Watch for shooting cracks and whumpfs, these are clear signs it needs more time.”
Travel and Terrain Advice from Dec 19:
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- Keep your guard up as storm slabs may remain sensitive to human triggering.
- Continue to make conservative terrain choices while the storm snow settles and stabilizes.
- Make observations and continually assess conditions as you travel.
Grooming
Grooming
Grooming at Quartz is in full swing and applied as necessary. Gorman is also getting weekly grooms and we will add more as necessary. We still don’t have a cat down in Silent but we’re trying to get it there before Christmas.
Quartz parking on Dec 19
Quartz parking lot on Dec 19
All 3 kiosks will be open this weekend. You can pick up your passes and if the trail has been groomed then we will be charging for day passes.
Staging Areas Latest Info
Quartz Creek
Silent Pass
Gorman Lake
Whiskeyjack Logging will be hauling down from the 7.5km for the next 2-3 weeks, and until they’re done PWT will continue to plow up to the top parking lot. Please be aware about the increased traffic and be extra vigilant.
Looks like come January, PWT will have a logging crew and hauling from the West Main road as well so will be maintaining the Dogtooth to the 3.5km lot most of the winter.
