Dec 28/14 - Photos from the trail

Hey Gang,  Bev, Clint and Crystal said the meadows off McClatchie were deep enough and fun.  Rain Gauge was socked in for visibility.  Trails were in really good shape and the photos are from the kids and Curt and family heading out for the afternoon.  Temp is dropping and is at -12 right now.   It has stopped snowing down here but it is still low visibility up top.  We are all nestled in by the fire with rum, turkey buns, home made soup, Brett picking away at the guitar and a game of pool constantly on the go.  Wonderful evenings with family out here is the best.  Always good energy here at the Summit.  Cheers -V

Dec 28/14 - Snowing Again But Getting Cold

Good Morning Sledders!

Snowing last night lightly - only a few cms but this morning looks like we will get the full 5cm or more than forecasted.  But temps are -5 headed to -20's by tomorrow.  Supposed to keep snowing until then and then a few days of cold -teens temps and sun and then back into the snow flurries and low -teens again for the weekend.

Crytal, Bev and Clint headed out this morning and we will get an excellent report from them (The Betties) when they return so I should have some more info for you tonight.

Beware the new snow - we have about 80cm average total and about 30cms of that is fairly new snow since Christmas.  Watch wind loaded slopes and terrain traps until this all settles a bit.

I have the Divide cabin open Jan 5th  through the next two weeks and I have the Flathead cabin open Jan 12th - 18th if you are looking to hit the new snow! Cheers and fun riding! - V

Dec 26/14 - 3cm and lightly snowing

Good Morning and Happy Boxing Day!

We have 3cm of snow on the vehicles and ground and it is lightly snowing at -6.  Light snow forecasted over the next few days - just in that 5cm range.  Temps are going to be around -3 also then on Monday the sun comes out and clouds clear and temps drop into -15 to -19 for two days then starts to creep back up into the -6 range again.

My Father-in-law and Uncle were out on the trails and said there was a foot of fresh fluffy snow - you could still feel the bottom of the trail with its few inches of base but that it was a fine trail ride.

Enjoy the Christmas Season! Cheers - V

Dec 25/14 - Christmas Evening at Summit Creek Cabins

A picture is worth a thousand words.....oh and there's a foot of fresh fluffy snow on the trails :)

Dec 25/14 - Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone,
We had a bit more snow last night - about 5cm. More snow in the forecast for Saturday.
Beautiful sunny but cool day (-8) out today - perfect for sledding.  Safe travels everyone.
Cheers,
Verlee

Dec 24/14 - 15cm New Snow Down Here

Merry Christmas Sledders!

15cm of new snow just down here at 4600ft so I am sure there is double that up in the alpine.  Snow is medium weight - not wet but its not going to blow away either.  Watch your avalanche rating - it is high now.  Get the new app for your phone from www.avalanche.ca.  Its -2 and going to +1 and supposed to keep snowing all day. It is socked in foggy up top - actually around 5000ft.

Happy 18th Anniversary to Curtis (and Me) - still the Man 'O' My Dreams.

Merry Christmas Summit Creek Cabins followers and happy sledding! Cheers - V

Dec 23/14 - Snowfall Warning Elk Valley & Crowsnest - Snowing

Good Evening!

Its started Snowing!  And we have a Snowfall warning for Elk Valley and Crowsnest amongst other areas like Pincher/Waterton.  It is zero out right now and we are supposed to get 15-20cm of snow over tonight and tomorrow.  Temps will be at zero and then cool off with a front from the north to -5 and then -9 by Sunday with more snow in the forecast.  They are saying driving conditions will be very compromised so proceed with caution if you are out on the roads.

The guys tuned up all the sleds (vintages and new) and we are ready!  Curt has the groomer ready to go as soon as we have enough snow...they were out today and the trail was getting thin.  Still not an issue to head out on them but ripping it up on them would dislodge some rocks.  Not after this snowfall!  Will be fun for our guests leaving from here.

Up top is supposed to get 30cm (1 foot) out of this storm BUT....avalanches will be easily triggered with the new snow load atop the old crust...give it a few days to bond and always test out the snowpack at lower altitudes so you are making decisions based on the most relative and current snow conditions.  Everyone goes home gang. That is the rule.

Curt and I are celebrating our 18th wedding anniversary tomorrow and likely won't be around to answer the phones - I will post snow photos in the morning and maybe some in the evening if we get out.

Cheers and Merry Christmas! - Verlee

Dec 21/14 - 3cm of Snow down here

Morning,
So last night did not bring us much down here ...3cm on the flat...and it is wet wet wet.  But temps are supposed to start decreasing slightly and that is all we need.  It is still snowing up top a bit and I usually easily double what we get down here and that is what has likely fallen as a minimum up top.  So still no powder for anyone with wild expectations, but we are slowly adding to our base and the trails will be fine to ride as long as they don't see a ton of sledders just yet.  Its +1 and if it gets a bit cooler we may see a little skiff more of snow today.  More snow in the forecast for Christmas.

Just a heads up, my Feb is booking up like mad so if you have dates you want to inquire about - better call now because you might have to pick another destination or new dates in Jan or Mar to stay with us.

P.S. - great Christmas stocking stuffers are Lithium Batteries for your beacon....;)

Cheers - V

Dec 20/14 - Snowing

Evening Gang,
Well I didn't post because not much was changing. We didn't get the flurries and it was snowing a bit up top but not much but I guess it has accumulated to a foot of new snow over the past few days up top.  Not much new down here. No real rain - a bit drizzling but that was snow and drizzle so not much of either to really change the landscape either way.  I have had a ton of calls re snow conditions.  SOOOOO... okay its snowing tonight.  Just started.  We are supposed to get 5-10cm which will make a difference for sure at the lower altitudes and trails.

With this amount going for a RIP on the trail will still dislodge rocks here and there on the parts washed out by flood but at the higher altitudes it will be significantly better riding.  Still if you adjust your expectations to "spring riding" then you will likely be very pleased with what you find in pockets out there. Note that a ton of people chomping at the bit will be out in all the usual places so that will be ridden out.

The girls at the Gear Hub in Fernie said they were getting rained on around that 5500ft mark but above that in Curry Bowl they were having some decent softer runs.  The same will be found with sledding.  We didn't get the rain down here but temps have been warmer and that sets up the snow a bit.  Think of it as building base :)

We are supposed to get "flurries" for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but I am not going to get excited until they give me an anticipated amount of snowfall.  I will post some morning photos so you can see what fell overnight.

Cheers - V

Dec 13/14 - Snowing! Wet but Steady

Morning Gang!  Well I was concerned but the weatherman was right!  It started raining last night about 9pm with just drizzling but none the less rain and then at about 10 it stopped and all was calm.  I woke up at 7am and it was snowing straight down.  Still doing it and actually picking up intensity and getting lighter as our temp just dropped from zero to -1 in the last hour.  Its socked in up top.  Yahooo.  We are supposed to get snow all day and all night then its supposed to be partial sun with temps hovering in that +2 to -1.  Temps will be -8 ish at night so that will preserve snow also.

One note - beware of wet slides.  The weight of the new wet snow on the old snow will take a few days to bond.  I would stick to treed areas and stay off steeper slopes.  Be careful of stumps etc - we are still building base.  Otherwise - enjoy! Cheers - V

Dec 12/14 - Rain, Warm Temps and Snow tonight & Tomorrow

Morning Gang, it rained here two nights ago significantly for about 4hrs middle of the night and then it started up again yesterday evening but then it quit before we went to bed.  Snow still surviving all of it in the banks we pushed from the 2nd & 3rd of Dec but the roads are clear.  I still have snow in the trees  and on the sled trail - photos from yesterday/day before, have not changed - you could ride our trail but at this point I would suggest that you trailer to staging areas then ride in.  Save yourself any unnecessary trail riding at lower elevations.

Its +6 but feels cooler this morning. Cloudy patches and supposed to wet flurries/snow this evening and tomorrow anywhere from 5-10cm.  This could make a HUGE difference.  Its snowed up top a few times this week but I haven't been up there or heard from anyone as to the conditions.  I would be telling guys to hold off another week BUT with the snow forecasted for Saturday you MIGHT miss out on a fun first ride.

 So for the expectation bar.....if you think Spring Riding conditions...gonna likely get wet, going to have some icy or thin spots on the trail in, creeks will be open and maybe some wet or set up snow up top then you will be on target to still enjoy your ride.  As our friend Elvis said - "are guys made of sugar?" -meaning you won't melt - get out there and ride it all regardless lol you might ride through the rain and find good snow up top.  There won't be powder so get that out of your mind right now.  Temps are supposed to hit -2 on Sat with snow and then go to sunny &  -5 mid next week and then hover around that zero point.

So you decide what you want to do.....I won't hold you off because its at the tipping point and Saturday may be the snow that allows you to get your first ride in.  Hate to deny anyone that chance.  Cheers - V

Dec 10/14 - Warm temps Snow in forecast

Hi gang - don't want to scare you but I wanted everyone to see for themselves what the weather has been doing over the past 24hrs.  We were supposed to get rain but it only drizzled a bit for an hour this morning.  All the while it was socked in up top snowing.  It was supposed to get to +10 but it only got to +8 and not for long.  I had the yard sanded so its had a big helping hand to look melted but it was a sheet of ice so I wanted to get rid of that before more snow came.

It is supposed to be getting cooler (+4 ish) daily on both sides of the Continental Divide til Saturday when it is supposed to go to -3 and -1 all weekend and snow on Saturday (again on both sides).  As you can see the snow is still rideable from our gate and it only gets better the higher you go.  We are at 4600ft and Corbin staging is at 5000ft and the difference is noticeable for snow quality and temp.  The Flathead is rough as we cannot groom it yet but the bowls will be fine.   Basically spring type riding.  Feels good to have miles logged on my sled already and the locals are riding.  So don't be shocked by low elevations- if we get 10cm on Sat it will be a very different photo.

Info from Tim at Over the Top Rentals in Calgary is that Golden is still getting snow and tons of people are headed that way.  Revy had great snow but has had 3 days of rain - not sure how that translates for snowpack there but he said he would likely give Revy some time to recover.  I would be on the watch here for wet slab movement on steep slopes if we get a bunch of snow Sat.  Temp swings make for bad playground manners with different snow types.

I am not fussed about the weather at this altitude.  I know there is about 3ft of snow as you go above 55-6000ft and that is where I would be riding anyway.   So judge for yourself and don't be afraid to call.  Cheers -V

Dec 7/14 - Photos of Yesterday in Rain Gauge

Curt and I headed out yesterday and rode with the Corbin Country Club crew.  Our trail had a good enough amount of snow on it that you could float here and there - in the well treed stretches and not always at higher elevation.  On two stretches where the flood damaged the trail we encountered rocks.  We kept an easy pace.  The ditch ride to Corbin was fine - we went up and around the creek.  The first couple of kms of the Flathead was icy here and there but a truck had been up it and the tracks had frozen but again that was a small stretch. You didn't have to go far and you were floating on the sides.  It spit on us a bit at that 5000ft mark but above 5500ft it was snowing a bit.  Rain Gauge had more snow than expected with spots where you could sink to your hips and others where you sunk to your knee.  No bottom but this warmer weather today will help it form a good base.  There were pinwheels so watch for wet slabs over the next week or so and if we happen to get a storm (not forecasted) then give it a few days to play nice with the snow it now covers - the added weight on the wrong degree slope could force it to give way - just a mental note.

We went into both bowls and got stuck, had it to the pin climbing up to get to spots and encountered very few stumps or rocks BUT we also knew where to venture and where to hold off.  We were boon docking in some areas going up to the back bowl to the south but once up in the bowl visibility was very low and it was really windy and snow pack was hardened up and thinner.  In the trees it was perfect.

Curt and Cooper went out today to do some trail maintenance and prepare the creek crossings for the Timbersleds.

Had guys in two cabins this weekend and the Flathead is booked for next weekend.  Its supposed to snow Monday and Saturday with periods of rain and fog in between.  The temps on both sides of the Divide are going to be in the +6 to +9 range mid week.  As temps drop a bit on the weekend I would expect to see snow up top regardless of what it is doing down here.  (In that last photo - that is our trail near the Corbin Hwy and all the foot prints belong to our pack of wolves that live out behind us).  I am going to enjoy every day of sledding I can this year - Cheers! -V

Dec 5/14 - 3cm new snow - Guys in the Cabins

Evening Crew - Curt and Coop switched out the tires for tracks on the Commander and the sleds are prepped and ready to go tomorrow.  We got 3cm of new snow down here today - likely a little more up top.  Picking up Mo & Terry and going out on the trails.  Cooper and his friends David and Ian got Sommer's 1970 SnoCruiser "Lois" running smooth.  Track kits coming from Saskatoon with updates so they won't be switched over til Christmas.

Our Flathead and Divide are rented this weekend.  Summit Log is still open.  After this weekend, the cabins are all available until the 22nd and then we only have the Log cabin available the 28th til the 5th.  January has openings but February is filling up very fast.

I held you guys off but if you want to come before Christmas, give me a call - remember two night rentals only.  We will get some photos posted after the ride tomorrow.  Check out the photos from friends in the areas around us on our facebook page for Summit Creek Cabins.

Watch what you are riding - the snow after a storm is very unstable even early in the season.  A big one came down Middle Kootenay Pass per a friend and the sledders were VERY lucky to survive it.  I heard Cook City had one too.  So get your lithium batteries in your beacons, practice and check you gear and keep your eyes open.  Its going to be a good year - everyone rides, everyone goes home.  Cheers - V.