Valemount Conditions and Updates

[rknight111]

Find and post the Local conditions and Updates for Valemount here.

[Depsnolvr]

Welcome to another year of snowmobiling in the Valemount area. We are looking forward to another season of hillclimbing, boondocking and some extremely deep powder riding

VARDA usually begins grooming around the 1st of December, although conditions decide on the exact date.

Grooming has NOT begun for the season, but below is the draft schedule for the winter

Tentative Grooming Schedule

Allan and Clemina Creek: groomed on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings !

Keyhole: groomed with Clemina on Fridays

Chappell Creek: groomed on Thursday evenings
(please be aware that due to the length of this trail, we must charge for two days after grooming to even have a chance at covering grooming costs)

It was a great weekend of riding, with the sun even lighting up our day on Saturday in Clemina.

The Allan trail is in ok shape with sufficient cover from the parking area, although some icey patches on the trail up. We will be blocking the new trail in to hold our early season snow so we are able to groom. Once up high we measured and average of 100cm in the alpine. Riders still have to be careful, but the riding was excellent, weather not so good. We still need a good dose of lower valley snow before this trail can be groomed.

On Saturday we were met with 5" of fresh snow in the Clemina lot and had the area to ourselves most of the moring into late afternoon. The meadow infront of the cabin is still showing creeks, so use caution. The trails are made up to Goat Ridge and Hillclimb areas, with good snow, but many rocks still showing. Use caution on the trail as some construction occured in the area this summer and it may not be exactly as you rememberd

Please remember that especially this early in the season,

"Pack out What you Pack in"

Even bring a small bag in with you if possible to keep the trash levels down as I am not able to be on the mountain daily until the season starts.

All in all a good start to the season, but we still need more snowfall to start our grooming operation for the season


We would like to thank all VARDA sponsors past and present and even welcome a few new sponsoring businesses this year.

Please call the VARDA office at 250-566-4817 to get updates on current conditions or visit Valemount and Area Recreation Development Association and click on snow report

Be avalanche aware, make sure you are aware of your surroundings and now the snow conditions in the area.

Check your avalanche conditions before heading out at www.avalanche.ca

Check out our sponsor listings for great places to eat, stay and gather gear.


IT IS ESSENTIAL TO THE FUTURE OF OUR RIDING AREAS THAT ALL WILDLIFE CLOSURES BE RESPECTED. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBLITY TO KNOW THE AREA BOUNDRIES BEFORE HEADING UP THE TRAIL.

This is a link to the Red Pass Web Cam so all the Alberta travelers can assess the highway
http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/bchighwaycam/index.aspx?cam=141

Please report any Caribou sightings to VARDA office at 250-566-4817.

[Depsnolvr]

We had a busy summer at VARDA this year. This is a little list of the maintenance and upgrades completed

-Complete clearing of the trail that parallels the Clemina FSR in case of logging or Canadian Hydro needs access to their plant, snowmobilers will still have access

-Brushing of the Westridge Family Loop

-Maintenance work on the Westridge Family Cabin

-Clearing of the Swamp trail to ease access to Upper Westridge (intermediate skill required)

-Construction of new outhouse at Allan Creek

-Construction of new outhouse and woodshed in the Clemina area

-Continue to work with the Mountain Caribou Recovery Process and protect the Caribou as well as our riding areas.

-Construction of a new trail from the Clemina Staging area over to the Keyhole riding area. Riders will leave from the South end of the Clemina Staging area and instead of proceeding straight into Clemina they will follow the groom trail to the left all the way up to the Keyhole riding area. We ask that riders not park in the old pullout on the side of the highway that was previously used as this is a very large saftey concern from the MOT and this was a leveraging factor in recieving permission to build this new trail. We are meeting VARDA's goals by providing access to more than one riding area from a single staging area, ultimately reducing our impact on the land base. ENJOY THE NEW TRAIL

[bbtoys]

Are you collecting for the Keyhole trail?? I like that area, but may get to busy now due to a good trail in.

[Depsnolvr]

Yes, We will be grooming and collecting for the Keyhole Trail. It will be a great network for the average rider. There are lots of spots off the beaten path for the more adventerous folks

[sheldon11]

Booked at the canadian today to ride the 5th 6th and 7th of dec looking forward to the first ride of the year and hope the conditions are good there will be 5 to 7 of us going. Never rode keyhole before and am looking forward to checking it out, anyone else going to valemount that weekend?

[The Snowman]

hoping to head out that weekend, will wait till next week to see what the conditions are like before commiting. I seem to believe that by checking this website 15 times a day it will miraculously make it snow for next weekend

[sheldon11]

Isn't that the truth i do the same thing i bet i am on here a total of at least 2 hours a day just waiting for some new pics and any news of new snow.....lol....i guess i am not the only eager one i think my wife looks at me like i am crazy.

[scotts]

Conditions as of 4:00 yesterday afternoon at allen creek. Old trail up getting pretty bad on the lower sections.I counted 10 creeks open,a couple switch backs are very icy,should be a real gong show today. Snow up top was actually pretty good but getting very tracked up with sleds all the way back in the premier.
Seen a couple trucks in milledge lot but never heard how they made out.
Went to blue river yesterday morning but came back to allen, less snow there in the hills than in vale, most areas are unaccessible.
2009 m1000 still weighs a ton, i hate it, rode the xp second day. cat for sale 47km.

Mountains need snow very very badly.

[Depsnolvr]

Hey Scotts, too bad about your M, I made the same switch and am loving my XP

Conditions

Clemina Trail is snow covered, but getting very bumpy. The snow up top is blowing around and there seems to be more exposed rock than last week. Hoping to groom by next weekend, but we need SNOW !

Chappell has a very willowy trail in on the upper section, snow covered, but minimal. Lots of rocks showing down on the far sides of the lakes, but the meadows were great, bottomless with 115cm total. A few creek crossings on the trail, but again the area is is desperate need of snow.

ALLAN, this one is the kicker. As soon as I had installed our fence to block the new way in and to lead riders up the old way, it was destroyed. I had a snowfence up, with a rope and signage before it, stating please respect as it is for the better of everyone. This is very discouraging. WHY ICE UP TWO TRAILS ? If you cant ride the trail, go to Clemina. We are now weeks behind on grooming of Allan creek due to ice buildup, the blocking of this trail to preserve the snow, benefited all visitors . I dont understand why some folks think they can come here and destroy what we have built ?

A ride is a ride, but we need snow all the way from Mcbride to Blue River !

Start praying !

[Work2Ride]

Originally Posted by sheldon11

Isn't that the truth i do the same thing i bet i am on here a total of at least 2 hours a day just waiting for some new pics and any news of new snow.....lol....i guess i am not the only eager one i think my wife looks at me like i am crazy.

Lol im the same way, checkin different snowmobile forums, weathernetwork.com, and facebook.

[karbz700]

Originally Posted by Depsnolvr

Hey Scotts, too bad about your M, I made the same switch and am loving my XP

Conditions

Clemina Trail is snow covered, but getting very bumpy. The snow up top is blowing around and there seems to be more exposed rock than last week. Hoping to groom by next weekend, but we need SNOW !

Chappell has a very willowy trail in on the upper section, snow covered, but minimal. Lots of rocks showing down on the far sides of the lakes, but the meadows were great, bottomless with 115cm total. A few creek crossings on the trail, but again the area is is desperate need of snow.

ALLAN, this one is the kicker. As soon as I had installed our fence to block the new way in and to lead riders up the old way, it was destroyed. I had a snowfence up, with a rope and signage before it, stating please respect as it is for the better of everyone. This is very discouraging. WHY ICE UP TWO TRAILS ? If you cant ride the trail, go to Clemina. We are now weeks behind on grooming of Allan creek due to ice buildup, the blocking of this trail to preserve the snow, benefited all visitors . I dont understand why some folks think they can come here and destroy what we have built ?

A ride is a ride, but we need snow all the way from Mcbride to Blue River !

Start praying !

How ignorant is that. Why are people such morons. I think we should set up up in the trees and when some dumbass blasts through the fence we shoot at him with bb guns or paintball guns. Better yet we catch them and tie them to the front of the groomer naked.