December 15th 2022 Update

Dec. 14

Dec 15th, 2022

The Fernie Snowmobile Association is excited to announce that COAL CREEK will be opening for winter operations commencing this Saturday, December 17th.

It has certainly been a busy last two weeks for our team of volunteers. Shipping delays and surprise maintenance don’t end with snowmobiles. A big thank you to Matt and Pete who have been working around the clock to replace the hydrostatic pump twice in the Coal Creek Network Groomer (the first one failed testing and calibration from the factory). Note that this work requires the tracks to be split each time which is an absolutely massive job. The crew has also replaced the hydraulic cylinders on the tiller, replaced the hydrostatic fluid housing and site glass, as well as repaired the turbo exhaust housing. The good news is that the pump passed testing on Monday and the snowcat headed out last night to gingerly start road building and filling in bridges out Coal Creek.

We would like to also extend a massive thank you to the numerous volunteers who have been diligently working behind the scenes to plan events, clear trails, renew insurance and land use agreements, stock the shelters, order signage, apply for grants for infrastructure upgrades, and countless other activities that make these public recreation opportunities possible.

PURCHASE DAY PASSES OR MEMBERSHIPS ONLINE HERE

AREA UPDATES

Corbin:

OPEN. Grooming Friday and Monday weekly.

Hartley:

OPEN with no services. Grooming start-up is scheduled for Dec 22nd.

Ram:

OPEN. The road has been repaired at 40km and the cabin is now unlocked for the season. The Lodgepole FSR will be plowed all winter from the Morrissey staging area to the Flathead for timber harvesting in the Frozen Lake area. Expect heavy industrial traffic at all times. The lower Morrissey staging area will remain closed for the season as a result.

Coal Creek:

OPEN with no services. Road building in progress Dec 14th - Dec 16th. Expect snowcats and unmarked man-made and natural hazards on trail as we complete this work. First groom and parking lot plow to take place Friday Dec 16th pm. Regular grooming routes this season will include Coal Creek staging area to the Rolling Hills Cabin, Doug Dean, Summit Trail 6 nights a week / Matheson, Martin as timing and conditions allow. The parking lot was expanded over the summer and the trail beside the road from the old dump site to the staging area was enhanced to accommodate overflow traffic parking along the roadway. Trucks with decks should park on the permitter of the lot and trucks/trailers park on the inside row.

Morrissey:

Some good news for Morrissey - winter timber harvesting is ahead of schedule and equipment is being demobilized. The road from the staging area to the Wranglers Cabin will remain plowed over the weekend and not available for snowmobile travel or parking. We are starting up road-building activities to put snow back on the trail and fill bridges as early as Monday Dec 19th with an anticipated opening later in the week. This work will be especially tricky as the new bridges installed after the flood are narrower and more difficult for the snowcat to work with. More details to come once we have a better handle on what this will look like.

Regular grooming routes this season will include the Morrissey trail from the upper staging area to the Wranglers Cabin only - 6 nights a week.

THERE WILL BE NO GROOMING BEYOND THE WRANGLER’S CABIN DUE TO PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION CLOSURES IN THE AREA. ALL USE BEYOND THE CABIN IS NOT RECOMMENDED AND AT YOUR OWN RISK. Expect open excavations, buried fencing and stakes, roads, cut banks, equipment, slash piles, debris, marked and unmarked man-made and natural hazards.

Check out the video above for great information regarding safe travel on resource roads in BC. More information is also available HERE including radio frequency maps and more.

See BC Provincial Snowmobile Trail Map in full screen HERE.