Jan 19, 2017 Golden BC Snowmobile Conditions

Wow! What a winter we’re having. A fresh reset of 30+cms this week, combined with a return to much more friendly temperatures means the snowmobile conditions  in Golden BC are really good. Avalanche conditions have spiked during the storm and road conditions have been super sketchy, but if you can manage risk properly, a good time can most definitely be had. Keep reading to get the latest.

Snow Beta

The week started out with very cold temps and high winds. Then, a warm storm came in and  deposited 30-50cm with  the temps spiking above 0 degrees in town. The conditions can be good out there but also there should be heightened avalanche awareness.

Always  remember to check the avalanche conditions.  

**Please acquaint yourself with this important blog from Avalanche Canada regarding the recent snowmobiler avalanche death in Valemount. Our hearts go out to the affected friends and families of this tragedy.**

Weather

Looks like it’s cooling down again and going blue. Is this the 4th or 5th time it’s  gone this way this winter? We’re not complaining.

Travel and Active Forest Road Safety

We had ANOTHER truck off the road on the  Dogtooth FSR (Gorman Lake access). That’s the 3rd one this year. We do regularly sand the road but we can’t possibly do it every time it snows. PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY on this road and double up on common sense. Gorman is a steep, winding, mountain road with big exposure off the sides. By the time you realize you’re going too fast, it’s too late. The smart driver pops it in the 1st gear and let’s their engine do the breaking.

The highways also continue to be full winter driving conditions (Jan 18, 2017 was especially gnarly). The warmer temps, that hover right on the freezing line are a recipe for black ice.  Please travel with care. Check out DriveBC for current conditions.

Logging Road Travel

There have been numerous incidents in the last couple of years between logging trucks and snowmobilers. Please read the following guidelines and watch the new video we just made.

• When entering onto an active logging road proceed with extreme caution.  
• Never attempt to pass a logging truck. If it pulls over, it is most likely preparing to meet another truck.  
• Every log truck has radio communication. If you do not have a radio, you are safest to follow behind a log truck and it will call your position for you.  
• If using a radio, call your kilometre locations and indicate whether you are traveling ‘up’ or ‘down’ .
• Always call your location when starting out from the parking lot, starting onto a new road and at the ‘must call’ signs.  
• Always yield the right-of-way to logging trucks.  
• There are many wide spots along the way. Anticipate the location of the loaded truck and pull into a wide spot before you meet and wait for the truck to pass.  
• When pulling over into a wide spot, park as far up as possible to leave room behind you for others.  

Looking to buy a VHF radio so you can communicate properly on forest roads? Please call Alpine IT in Golden BC.

Riding Areas

A fresh reset of 30-50cms this week gave us a clean slate. The temps in town went above 0 degrees but our riding zones remained above the freezing line. There’s awesome, deep powder to be had this week but PLEASE be careful with the avalanche risk.

Quartz Creek

Conditions:  Great riding. Good powder and deep in the trees where others haven’t been.
Grooms scheduled: Thursday, Saturday, Sunday evenings (Fridays and Wednesdays, if needed).
Fees: Everyday  ($25/rider).
Parking:  Parking lot cleared Jan 18th, 2017. Lots of room for enclosed trailers. Portable toilets in parking lots.
– Propane and firewood have both been restocked.  Please use conservatively.

Gorman Lake

Conditions: Great riding. Good powder and deep in the trees where others haven’t been.
Grooms scheduled:  Thursdays and Saturdays
Fees:  Everyday ($25/rider).
Parking:  3.5km ‘lower lot.’ There’s plenty room for enclosed trailers.
Road:  Is really bad (steep and icy). We had 3  trucks over the bank this year! PLEASE drive slow.

Silent Pass

Conditions:  Great riding. Good powder and deep in the trees where others haven’t been.
Grooms scheduled:  Thursdays (Saturdays if required)
Fees:  Everyday ($25/rider).
Parking:  Parking is about 100m  after the McMurdo turn off at 46.5km. Try not to box anyone in.  NO PARKING on the main road on weekdays please.
Road: Road is  currently maintained by logging interests and there is active logging all week long. It gets plowed on Sundays. Please stay out of these guy’s way. We’re working on better communication from our kiosk to avoid any collisions.

Please watch our road safety video.

West Bench Trail

Conditions:    Riding from Gorman to Wiseman corner is good. Wisemen Corner to Quartz is  has not been groomed and is still thin.
Grooms scheduled:  Gorman to Wiseman was last groomed on  Jan 8.
Fees:  Everyday ($25/rider) payable at Gorman trailhead (or Quartz, but access is not recommended from Quartz as of yet).
Parking:  Park at Gorman parking lot.  (Quartz end not recommended)

Sponsors

Without our sponsors we couldn’t operate. Please support them when you come in to town and tell em we sent ya!

Mountain Motorsports is an Arctic Cat, Polaris, Yamaha and Timbersled dealer. They service all major brands of sleds and can kit you up from head to toe for your next adventure. Golden is lucky to have them.

 

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PS- If you ever needed incentive to wear your tether, this is it.