Situated along the banks of the Peace River midway between Chetwynd and Fort St. John is the quaint community of Hudson’s Hope. Here, backcountry enthusiasts can spend their days exploring lakes, rivers and forested trails in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Johanna Dupuis, who works for the District of Hudson’s Hope, said the trails she travels on her ATV in the summertime provide opportunities for snowmobiling throughout the winter months.
Dupuis spoke about riding along the powerline and the pipeline as well as in the Beryl Prairie area, which is only a 10-minute drive from Hudson’s Hope. From Beryl Prairie, Dupuis said, ATV riders can go all the way to Dinosaur Lake, and she believes that snowmobilers could follow this route as well.
For the adventurous riders and those who are willing to pack extra gas, local sledders say Carbon Lake and Johnson Creek Road are some other places that may offer a rewarding ride. Snowmobilers need to be especially cautious when venturing out on the trails around Hudson’s Hope, though, as most of them are not signed or maintained. Those who want to play it safe can go to the Jamieson Woods Nature Preserve, which is right near the community. There are designated ATV and snowmobile trails in the preserve that Dupuis said would be suitable for an afternoon ride with the family.
Mountain sledders from Hudson’s Hope usually head towards Chetwynd to go riding in the Pine Pass. This area, which is about an hour and a half from Hudson’s Hope, is well established and it’s guaranteed to offer deep snow conditions.
“There’s about three different places in the Pass you can go,” said Pam Adams, a snowmobiler from Hudson’s Hope.
Adams said the Silver Sands area of the Pine Pass is easy to access and it is suitable for novice to intermediate riders. For more extreme mountain sledders, Adams said Beaver Creek would be the riding area to check out in the Pine Pass.
