Revelstoke, B.C., not only offers some of the earliest season snowmobiling around, it also boasts some of the best alpine and trail riding areas in Western Canada. Most sledding done in Revelstoke is at elevations of between 5,000 and 8,000 feet. And don't forget the powder—it will be up to your ears.
The main draw
Angela Threatful, executive director of the Snowmobile Revelstoke Society, said one of the most popular sledding areas in Revelstoke is Boulder Mountain. Boulder Mountain is about four kilometres from the city centre, off Westside Road, which is just west of Revelstoke off Highway 1. Boulder features 50-plus kilometres of groomed trails and over 150 square kilometres of alpine bowls and meadows.
"People come to Revelstoke to ride the alpine," said Threatful. "Boulder has deep snow, great terrain, lots of fun play areas and great viewpoints. From a lot of areas you can look at the whole valley, where it is mountain range upon mountain range as far as you can see."
Once you get to the Boulder staging area, you ride up to the cabin, where you sign in and then you're free to sled for miles beyond. There is a warm-up cabin up on Boulder that has a wood stove and food service three days a week.
Sledders' hangouts
In Revelstoke, there are a number of places to gather before hitting the alpine. Threatful suggests taking a look at the Snowmobile Revelstoke Society website to see which restaurants and hotels sponsor the society—that way sledders know that the money they are spending at these businesses supports the grooming of the trails they use and helps keep the trails open.
Extended stay
Threatful said you can spend days sledding the Revelstoke area and never hit the same spot twice. After you've conquered Boulder, check out Frisby Ridge, which is l3.5 kilometres past the Boulder Mountain parking area. Turn left at the Y in the road to get to the parking area. Frisby features 20 kilometres of groomed trails and 114 square kilometres of alpine riding; it is one of the most scenic sledding areas—with meadows, bowls, hillclimbs and a sensational five-kilometre ridge ride. The altitude at Frisby is between 4,500 and 6,500 feet and the area has a day-use club cabin.
