Thread: Valemont Ski touring?

So i get some kickbacks through work , and i got a 2 night stay in valemont ( expires dec 31st ). Is there any good ski touring in the area? i haven't heard a whole lot on the area other then proposed ski areas and heli ski ops. Any beta is appreciated

Great terrain and snow all through the Robson Valley. Access for low-key touring sucks, though. Industry is down around there so not many backcountry resource roads are open during the winter. Got access to a sled? Otherwise there is catskiing out of the town that gets good reviews.
Closest trail to town I know is the McKirdy Meadows trail. Its right above town with the trailhead just across the tracks. Could check out if either the Rausch R or Holmes R access roads are open (just north of the Tete Juan Cache towards McBride). South towards Blue River is mostly sled terrain and M Wiegele.

Given the terrain there has to be absolute shitloads of touring there (though I never have). I've an old friend that runs a touring operation at Blue River (not that far away)
http://www.snowymountain.ca/
that may be able to help you. Plus CMH has a heli operation in Valemont and I've always found heli guides are helpful in choosing up-routes, down-routes and avi conditions.

Other option is getting a topo map and going for it. There is also lots of sledding in that area in winter, so there's possibility of either taking a sled and/or hitching a ride if you're into that sort of thing.

That for the suggestions. im not a huge fan of heli ops, i don;t like being told exactly where to ski.

Im looking for some touring accessible by car. Is that possible in this area without a huge slogg before getting to any skiable areas?

Originally Posted by BCMountainHound

Great terrain and snow all through the Robson Valley. Access for low-key touring sucks, though. Industry is down around there so not many backcountry resource roads are open during the winter. Got access to a sled? Otherwise there is catskiing out of the town that gets good reviews.
Closest trail to town I know is the McKirdy Meadows trail. Its right above town with the trailhead just across the tracks. Could check out if either the Rausch R or Holmes R access roads are open (just north of the Tete Juan Cache towards McBride). South towards Blue River is mostly sled terrain and M Wiegele.

will look into Mckirdy. maybe i should just man up and buy a sled

You could probably rent a sled in Valemont, there might be that option.

^^^ true

Whatever you end up doing, you will be rewarded with an experience in an awesome place. Three major and distinct mountain ranges converge in Valemount, a nearly unique and spectacular circumstance for a place one can drive to.

Can't speak to the touring as I haven't tried to access anything in winter, but what an awesome place! Huge peaks and rock and ice in all directions and nobody around. Have fun and post your TR!

All my touring there has been sled access. Lots to do but the access is the kicker. Your go to site for info would be snowfarmers.com Tony and the boys have it dialled and won't steer you wrong.

http://www.davehenry.com/hosts.htm

You could call Brian Mckirdy ^^and ask him where to go, good folks I am guessing that meadow is named after a relative

I have choppered into David Henry a couple of times, we choppered out once & skied out once back in the leather boot/misery-stick era

I would call Dave Henry lower angle touring & turns, I heard Swift creek might be a bit steeper but I haven't been there

My first sled ski experience was out of valemont in the Albreda area. Pretty easy zone to figure out if you have a sled. Sled rentals aren't cheap up there, they were about $350 for 2 days about 6 years ago. Really cool terrain but I would say a sled is a must. Views are stunning of Kinbasket and the local mtns, sled club cabins on both sides of the hwy as well if I remember correctly. There is a reason wiegele picked that area for his op.

Yep, a sled for that area is the ticket to massive terrain. Just don't pull up to Weigele's lodge with a large sled trailer - he'd buy the whole 8 peaks rec area outright just to keep out the Fort Mac sledders if he could.

El hefe twigged my memory. The Clemina Cr snowmobile cabin is about 19km up the road from the highway, but the old Allan Cr warming hut can be accessed from the sledder parking lot on the highway. There's an old forestry trail that went fairly steep up onto the ridge. I've been meaning to recce it out during the summer as the trail hasn't seen much use in several years. Might be worth checking out.

Lamothe, if you do go and rent a sled, be sure to check out where the caribou closures are. Lots of the high country in that area is closed to motorized traffic to help preserve the caribou populations. Enforcement has increased in recent years. Any of the local sledders can let you know where you have to leave the sled behind, or check this site out : http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/wildlife...bile-closures/.

"Clemina Cr snowmobile cabin" thats the one, easiest and best sled ski access I found that weekend. Great views of mt albreda and kinbasket there as well.

Thanks for the info! il'l look into renting a snomogo but i might just go for a weekend away with the missus. would rather save the rental fees and add to my sled fund and wait an other year