Conditions Report: Winter Positives

The good news is that this winter has stayed cold, which means that the snow we have is well preserved. It also means the groomed trails are staying in really good shape. We’ve received 15-20 cm of new snow in the past week and there is 6 cms forecasted. The sledding can be quite good out there right now if you search for it, the little snowfalls every night have started to add up.  Looks like there’s some sun coming for the week so it could be a good time to make the trip to Golden.
Keep reading to hear more about sledding in Golden this week.

Catching some air in Quartz on Feb 2, 2023

Powder in Quartz on Feb 2, 2023

Playing in the trees on Feb 2, 2023

 

Travel

TCH-1 Highway

Highway 1 is open east of Golden with scheduled stoppages and overnight closures. It’s always good to check : Kicking Horse Canyon Calendar 

SNOW AND WEATHER

We got 15-20 cms in the past week and the wind has made for some nice pockets in the trees. There’s 6 cms in the forecast along with some sun. The temps will remain quite cool and that is preserving the snow that we have. If you get off the beaten track, there is some nice honey holes out there.

 

Avalanche

Please make sure you check  Avalanche.ca  everyday you ride.

“The snowpack remains weak, requiring diligent terrain travel for a safe day.” – copy and pasted from Avalanche.ca on Feb 2.

There have been 5 avalanche deaths this year in Canada. Our thoughts are with those affected and we urge continued and utmost vigilance when riding.

 

Grooming

Grooming operations for all 3 staging areas Quartz, Gorman and Silent are in full swing with grooms on the main trails scheduled as needed.

 

Trail Area Conditions Reports

Quartz Creek

Conditions: packed powder - honey holes exist
Grooms scheduled: Regularly / As needed. Wed/Fri/Sun
Fees: $30
Parking: At main lot - Trucks in the upper west, Trailers in the upper lots to the east.
Road: groomed
Additional notes:

Quartz is fully operational. Regular grooming to the cabin is occurring. Day tickets will be sold and passes checked 7 days a week.

 

Gorman Lake

Conditions: powder at treeline - mountain passes are wind scoured
Grooms scheduled: Friday
Fees: $30
Parking: 3.5km lots
Road: Watch for ice spots
Additional notes:

DFD warming cabin has been installed on Dec 8. Very thin snowpack.

Group shred on Jan 29, 2023

Gorman on Jan 29, 2023

Silent Pass

Conditions: powder off the beaten track
Grooms scheduled: Thursday/Saturday - as required
Fees: $30
Parking: 31km - leave room for large trailers to turn around.
Road: active logging on road.
Additional notes: Silent is pretty good right now. There’s been some accumulations in there and it has been playing out really nice.

East Quartz

Conditions: Early season but doable
Grooms scheduled: waiting for avalanche clearance
Fees: $30 as per Quartz
Parking: Main Quartz
Road: N/A
Additional notes: The road to East Quartz has not yet been groomed this season but several groups have been up there. We’re waiting on avalanche clearance to proceed.

Old Man

Conditions: still thin
Grooms scheduled: Waiting for more snow
Fees: $0
Parking: At Quartz Creek upper lot
Road: N/A
Additional notes: We took the cat up Oldman without the drag but it’s not ready yet for a groom. We will access as we get more snow.

Westbench Trail

Conditions: not passable
Grooms scheduled: N/A
Fees: $0
Parking: Gorman or Quartz
Road: N/A
Additional notes: not open at this time

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: (works on Chrome but may not work on Safari. iPhones may or may not work properly)

  • 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

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