Elkford Conditions 2018/2019

MOUNTAIN MICKEY

Active member
Joined
Dec 10, 2013
Messages
78
Reaction score
118
Location
ELKFORD BC
We got a good dump of snow in the last 24 hrs. Bit more than 12 inches. Blew the first 6 inches with my back pack leaf blower this morning. Snow this afternoon was more dense so had to shovel it. Might "pack" down tomorrow with warmer temps coming. Town crew has been busy plowing all day and no where close to being caught up. Could be the beginning of a decent base for you guys and girls.
 

ferniesnow

I'm doo-ing it!
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Messages
108,549
Reaction score
82,860
Location
beautiful, downtown Salmon Arm, BC
Went up through Koko and Mear Lake yesterday. A beauty of a day with temps around zero degrees. It was the worst "first ride" up the Crossing Creek trail in my 18 years of riding up there. There is very little snow this year so far. Normally, it is a great ride and a lot of work to break trail to the Koko meadow. Not this year. There wasn't even any evidence of one stuck all the way to the cabin.

None of the slides are down. There is not a lot of snow in the slide paths. The trail is smooth and rocky up to the first slide. Probed 60 cm on the meadow at Koko and 85 cm of wind blown snow on Mear Lake. More rocks than I have ever seen on Mear Lake! The canyon had a good single track with marginal snow cover, however the creek at the bottom of the trail is brutal. The best access would be Trail 7.

Another couple of storms are needed.

IMG_0072.jpg

IMG_0075.jpg

The finished cabin, wood shed, and outhouse is a change to the Koko meadow. A kiosk is situated at the junction of Trail 7 and the Crossing Creek trail.
 

LUCKY 7

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2009
Messages
5,763
Reaction score
9,032
Location
Sparwood
Rode some safe meadows today and the snow was good with a couple feet of fresh. There is lots of zones I wouldn't punch a trail into yet as we just don't have the snowpack yet, but there is fun to be had if you hit it right
//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181220/e52eb9bfbc8cc1ff00f6ec3d7cc9f8c0.jpg
//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181220/88d17fe5e9b370fbbd316d94bc0f8d10.jpg
//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181220/3d2c000346452b649b85bd4d0639b4bc.jpg
Certainly was a good day
 

LUCKY 7

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2009
Messages
5,763
Reaction score
9,032
Location
Sparwood
if anyone is going into coco claims area and find a klim glove please let me know as I just noticed I lost one yesterday
 

LUCKY 7

Active VIP Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2009
Messages
5,763
Reaction score
9,032
Location
Sparwood
not sure how it happened but I did hate the klim gloves anyways so I am not that heartbroken that one is gone
 

ferniesnow

I'm doo-ing it!
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Messages
108,549
Reaction score
82,860
Location
beautiful, downtown Salmon Arm, BC
A cold front has moved in through the night. -16 this morning. Going to be the chilliest ride this season.

An extra layer is in order as well as the big "trail going up" gloves.....
 

ferniesnow

I'm doo-ing it!
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Messages
108,549
Reaction score
82,860
Location
beautiful, downtown Salmon Arm, BC
Went to the Fording Lookout today. Haven't been up that way for many years and there sure are a lot of changes with logging and mining construction. The snow is terrible and the further north one goes the less snow there is. I am talking about valley bottom snow with this post so it is not related, so to speak with snow at elevation. We were feeling the rocks on the road for most of the day. Never ventured off the road once and when going up the last part of the Lookout the snow was getting decent. The alders are not covered for any of the short cuts or fun runs on the way up. Too much wind effect to bother taking out the probe. The communication towers are sitting at ~8000' and it is always a nice trip to get that high in the eastern Koots. The picture of the mine is of Fording River.

IMG_0096.jpg

IMG_0098.jpg

IMG_0101.jpg
 
Last edited:

LBZ

Active VIP Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2010
Messages
3,068
Reaction score
3,649
Location
Central Alberta
If you had been up there around 2 you would have had a birds eye view of the blast today.

Did you ride from town or unload at the bottom of the hill?
 

ferniesnow

I'm doo-ing it!
Joined
Dec 2, 2008
Messages
108,549
Reaction score
82,860
Location
beautiful, downtown Salmon Arm, BC
I haven’t seen that seam in 20 years. Is it still letting the smoke out?

I didn't find the trail. Not enough snow to go into the bush exploring. They have logged right there on the south side of the creek right up to 50' from the creek. I didn't see any smoke nor did I smell it burning.
 

JMCX

Active VIP Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2007
Messages
1,543
Reaction score
3,465
Location
Calgary
I haven't seen the burning coal seam in over twenty years either. Used to come from the AB side and it was right there when you came out at the power line. I don't think that route works anymore. How many km north of Elkford is it?
 

snopro

Active VIP Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2009
Messages
101,137
Reaction score
89,290
Location
Milo,Alberta
I remember the coal seam as well. We rode across from Cataract Creek over the Fording Pass and then saw it on our way to Elkford for fuel and a burger and a beer in the old hotel back in the late 80's. Was a full day ride back then but if I remembered the route probably a lot quicker with these newer machines. There was a lot of heat coming from that hole and all the snow was melted around it. You could have spent the night there if you had to for sure and wouldn't have froze to death.
 

AaronQ

Active VIP Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2012
Messages
673
Reaction score
533
Location
Innisfail Alberta
I remember the coal seam as well. We rode across from Cataract Creek over the Fording Pass and then saw it on our way to Elkford for fuel and a burger and a beer in the old hotel back in the late 80's. Was a full day ride back then but if I remembered the route probably a lot quicker with these newer machines. There was a lot of heat coming from that hole and all the snow was melted around it. You could have spent the night there if you had to for sure and wouldn't have froze to death.
I remember dad telling me about that I'd love to go find it sometime! Doug you keen for a ride when there's more snow?
I remember dad saying they'd pack a bunch of grilled cheese sandwiches and stuff em in the rocks for 20 minutes while they had coffee and it would get warm enough to melt the cheese. Pretty neat to see. What ever caused it to start?
 
Top Bottom