Valemount Area Recreation Development Association
"World Class Snowmobiling and Hospitality"
AREA GROOMING REPORT
(low user numbers and unforseen circumstances may cause changes to the schedule)
ALLAN & CLEMINA CREEK will be groomed FRI, SAT, SUN, WED evenings.
CHAPPELL CREEK will be groomed Thursday evening and run for Friday and Saturday. Please be understanding as we try to maintain access to this area in a cost effective manor KEYHOLE access is no longer recomended from the Clemina parking area due to no snow on the connector portion. The main road is plowed, but I am not certain as to how far. I will post more info when I receive it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPTATED March 10, 2010
The fresh snow brought to us on the weekend along with beautiful weather have made for awesome conditions this week. Blue skies and some fresh snow, what more can we ask for. Riders should expect spring like conditions with good pockets of untouched snow easily found.
Google Earth is a great tool for finding "in bounds" secrets that you may not know are there. The three managed all have links to Google Earth below.
Please play safe out there. Check the CAA ratings and fully read the explanations and recomendations before heading out this weekend. You can always have a safe trip if you make the correct terrain choices throughout the day.
Please contact our office for further information 1-250-566-4817 or email at varda@valemount.ca
Managed Snowmobiling Areas
VARDA Managed riding areas
Elevation ranges from 5500-7500’
Cabin GPS location: N52.577228lat W119.160908long
To view the area in Google Earth click HERE
The Allan Creek trail is the first to open each season in the Valemount area and its lakes, bowls, meadows, and steep hills make it a favorite. This is a very large area and only the experienced should travel to the far ends. Family riding can be found around the cabin and lakes as soon as you enter the alpine. Please sign in and out in the cabin record book.
The trail head parking lot is just off the west side of Highway 5, 35km south of Valemount. There is an 8km trail that is regularly groomed with a fast elevation gain that gets you up top in a hurry. This can be done by children, but expect some steeper sections.
This area has Wildlife Closure areas for the endangered Mountain Caribou. To be safe, any treed area between the main Allan alpine area and the highway should be considered Caribou terrain. Please watch for signs.
NOTE: The forest service road know as the “back way in” is closed for Wildlife and will be patrolled by Conservation Officers who are authorized to ticket on infractions. Second offenses may be subject to equipment confiscation
Elevation ranges from 6000-8000'
To view the area in Google Earth click HERE
Valemounts prized jewel, as this area can hold some of the best snow in the valley. The Chappell Creek Trail is easy to ride under normal, groomed conditions. The trail is located 58km south of Valemount to the west side of Hwy 5. The trail system partially uses the FSR roads, fire and skid trails to gain acces to alpine areas at the headwaters of Chappell Creek. The scenic 26km long trail leads you up to some of the most abundant snow in the Valemount area.
This is a VARDA managed area, although there is no cabin or outhouse facilities located in the alpine. This is a long trail in and we do our best to keep it maintained to standard, although due to high grooming costs, the area only gets groomed once a week and can get a bit rough.
Chappell Creek is a Caribou Sensitve area, please follow the area boundaries, encourage other riders to do the same and report any witnessed infractions to the drop box in the parking area.
CLEMINA Creek
Elevation ranges from 5500-8000'
Cabin GPS location: N52.538042lat W118.946563
To view the area in Google Earth click HERE
The trails to the alpine of Clemina Creek are wide and easy to ride. The large parking lot and trail-head are located east of Highway 5, 30km south of Valemount.
A regularly groomed 17km trail will take you to the Clemina Cabin and another 4km to the Goat Ridge Bowl alpine areas. This area is very accessible to all levels of riding ability and all levels can find suitable terrain. In times of poor weather and visibility, this area can produce some excellent tree riding.
The first access trail to the alpine is left up Morning Glory at 15km and the 19km mark behind the cabin will take you up the Windtunnel trail. Proceeding to the 21km mark will the valley trail swings left to access the Goat Ridge system of bowls.
Please watch for the Dixon Glacier Snowmobile Closure signs on the Windtunnel trail
WESTRIDGE Family Loop
Directly accessible form the West side of town, the Lower Westridge area provides an area for snowmobile touring. The trail is a low-elevation, 22-km-loop with lovely views of the valley and town below. A warming hut is located at the far end of the recreation area to fight off winter chills. This trail is also an excellent place for first timers to “hone” their snowmobiling skills before heading into the mountains.
This trail is not yet on the grooming schedule, but there are development plans for the future.
Westridge also offers some extremely technical and advanced mountain riding. It is accessed from the lower loop via an undeveloped trail that is extremely technical and not recommended for anything but advanced riders. Once into the alpine, riders are greeted by enormous bowls, spectacular scenery and incredible snowfall. Contact the VARDA office for more info on this area
