Conditions Report: Happy New Year

December 30, 2020

Snowmobile conditions in Golden remain quite good. There is excellent coverage this year. We look forward to an exciting 2021.

Holt – Dec 30, 2020 | Photo: Tim Grey

COVID Protocol:

The latest orders, restrictions and advisories for Covid 19 are here 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

The club has posted our COVID protocols here

Please advise yourself and abide by all provincial public health advisories. Sled Golden has a strong contingent of local members and participants and we are focusing on serving them during this time.

Snow and Weather

Approximately 10-20 cms of snow fell this week. There’s also 25 cms in the forecast. Looks like temps will remain quite cool and there will be a mixed bag of sun and clouds with some snow coming. There’s still a lot of great snow in the trees where no has been.

Avalanche

There’s a high amount of uncertainty in the snowpack right now. Please check https://www.avalanche.ca/ for all updated avalanche forecasts.

Are you new to the backcountry?

Check out Avy Savvy, a newly launched program designed to be a precursor to the Avalanche Canada Training program.

Grooming

Things are mostly back to normal after the big storm a week ago. We had some trouble in with the cat in Gorman but we hope to have things fixed up by the weekend.

Insurance and Registration

Just a heads up, the Conservation Officers have been quite active this year checking for both insurance and registration on sleds. The CO are also checking for DOT approved helmets and have been at all areas. People going sled skiing/boarding might need to consider a DOT-approved helmet for the snowmobiling aspects.

Trail Area Conditions Reports

Quartz Creek

Conditions: Good coverage.

Grooms scheduled: Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun.

Fees: $25

Parking: Main parking is plowed.

Road: Groomed from parking lot.

Additional notes: The creeks are filling in. A lot of traffic in the main areas. Trail is in excellent shape.

Gorman Lake

Conditions: Still thin.

Grooms scheduled: Wed, Fri, Sun.

Fees: $25

Parking: Park at lower lot 3.5km

Road: Road is in good shape to 3.5 km.

Additional notes: A lot of active log hauling this week. The kiosk attendant can call up the road for you if you don’t have a radio. RR 27 is the channel. Please yield to logging trucks. The Gorman cat broke down on the trail this week and we have been actively solving the problem. If everything goes right, the trail should get groomed on Wednesday and then back to normal Friday and Sunday grooms (fingers crossed).

Silent Pass

Conditions: Good coverage.

Grooms scheduled: Tues, Thurs, Sat

Fees: $25

Parking: Please DO NOT park at the 27. Please park ON THE ROAD (not in the turn around) at the 30 km. Please keep the turn around free at the 30km so that trucks with trailers can turn around.

Road: The loggers working west of the 27 km point have asked us to please NOT park at the 27km. We’ve made a good turn around at the 30 km mark but ask that people do NOT park in the turn around. Reminder, give loggers the right of way. Call your KMs on your VHF radio! Channel RR-3

Additional notes: Still easy to find fresh.

East Quartz

Conditions: Deep in the trees.

Grooms scheduled: Friday.

Fees: $25

Parking: Quartz Creek parking will be plowed for weekend.

Road: n/a

Additional notes: The road got built in to E Quartz this week. We will try to get a drag groom in there on Friday.

Old Man

Conditions: Unreported.

Grooms scheduled: Delayed due to Gorman cat breaking.

Fees: None.

Parking: Quartz Creek parking will be plowed for weekend.

Additional notes: The broken Gorman cat soaked up our available energy for Oldman this week. We will get to it when we can.

Westbench Trail

Conditions: Quartz to Wiseman corner is pretty bumpy.

Grooms scheduled: See Old Man info

Fees: Fees are $25 at either Gorman or Quartz

Parking: Park at Gorman or Quartz

Road: n/a

Additional notes: WBT is not a continuous trail this year due to logging operations. You can ride from Gorman to just before Wiseman Corner. You can ride from Quartz to Oldman. For both sides, it’s a there and back trail.