“We have the lightest, driest and finest powder in all of B.C.,” said Sheldon Belcher of the Pine Valley Trail Blazers.
If you are looking for deep powder and crisp mountain air, then Chetwynd and area should be the destination of choice for snowmobiling. Although the club does not have any trail maps available at this time, there are maps at the local visitors centre.
A rundown of the trails
Hasler snowmobile trail network
Just 15 minutes out of Chetwynd to the south, turn left at the Pine River Gas Plant onto the Hasler Forest Service Road. Turn off at Kilometre 9 and travel to 45 kilometres, where you will find a big parking lot and room for everyone. A 56-kilometre ride will take you through beautiful wilderness, after which it is only four more kilometres to some of the best alpine riding around.
Take your time and play in the alpine bowls or enjoy some of the steep climbs—you are sure to be thrilled enough to want to return. Intermediate and experienced sledders will enjoy this trail network as they traverse through the subalpine that opens up to some spectacular alpine meadows.
Silver Sands snowmobile trail network/Calazon
Staging is just 50 minutes south of Chetwynd. Turn left at Mount Solitude Lodge, where the parking lot is kept clear for sledders; donations are appreciated.
There is a diversity of riding opportunities over this snowmobiling terrain that includes deactivated logging roads, cutblocks and alpine riding. Everyone from the beginner to the advanced will appreciate the opportunity for a thrilling and special ride over a system of trails that appears to be endless.
For a chance to get warm, riders can stop at a warming shelter approximately seven kilometres from the parking lot on Highway 97.
Mount Bickford
Forty minutes south of Chetwynd on Highway 97, turn right on the Fisher Creek Forest Service Road; you can park here or, at the most, travel three kilometres from the entrance. If not, then the big rest area just before you reach Fisher Creek Road on the left-hand side is good for parking also.
Some of the best family riding is in this area, which provides snowmobiling enthusiasts of all skill levels with the choice of sledding along the hydro lines or cruising the alpine and enjoying themselves over a multitude of mixed terrain and beautiful, fresh snow. The scenery is spectacular and the snow is deep.
At 11 kilometres, the warm-up cabin is hidden, so watch for tracks leading into it.
Club news
The Pine Valley Trail Blazers club is in the process of upgrading cabins and the trail system and working on getting legal issues resolved so they can go ahead with some of their plans. They ask that all sledders in the area support the club and get involved in creating some of the best riding opportunities in the region. Through the club, you can meet other riders in a fabulous social setting.
It is recommended that visitors confirm their accommodation before arriving in Chetwynd because places to stay are limited and in high demand.
