nelson Archives - Kootenay Experience

Whitewater Ski Area

Trail Maps

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Cradled in BC’s legendary Selkirk Mountains, renowned for epic winters, Whitewater’s dependable dry snowfall totals over 12 meters a season. That’s close to 40 feet. And there’s more. Factor in the 5,400ft/ 1,640m base elevation and the 2,044ft/ 623m vertical drop and you have one memorable ski experience. Whether you choose to experience the new Glory Ridge chair or the originals Summit andSilver King, you will not be disappointed at Whitewater Ski Resort!
Whitewaters Mountain Tours are a great way to see the mountain and learn about navigating around the terrain while learning about the various services that Whitewater offers.

For those looking for a different style of skiing, Whitewater Ski Resort also offers 13km of Nordic Trails.

WHITEWATER ALPINE TRAILS

Glory Ridge Trail Map


Whitewater Ski Resort – Glory Ridge Trail Map Legend
More Difficult 51. Summit Ski Way 52. Tailings 53. Claim Jumper 54. Morning Glory 55. Ramble On 56. Back Side Ski Way 57. Leave Some 58. Take Some 59. Back Side Ski Out 60. Nickel & Dime 61. Goldigger 62. Silverline	Most Difficult 63. Buckshot 64. Fuse 65. Bound For Glory 66. Jack Leg 67. Single Malt 68. Det Cord 69. Back Burner 70. Faceplant 71. Trash Glades 72. Jack Leg Glades 73. Lower Jack Leg Glades 74. Ramble On Glades 75. Old Growth Glades 76. Copper Corner	Extreme 77. Backside Bowl 78. Giddyup Gully 79. Backside 80. Knee Deep Glades 81. Brake Line

Summit Trail Map

Whitewater Ski Resort – Summit Trail Map Legend

Easiest
21. Hummer

More Difficult
22. Joker
23. Motherlode
24. Sleeper Ski Way
25. Paydirt
26. Bonanza
27. Gold Pan
51. Summit Ski Way

Extreme
47. Terra Ratta
48. Diamond Glades
49. Sproulers
50. Kuba’s Corners

Most Difficult
28. Catch Basin
29. C Shaft
30. B Shaft
31. A Shaft
32. Enchanted Forest
33. Catch Basin Ski Way
34. High Grade
35. Powder Keg Bowl
36. Galena
37. Quicksilver Glades
38. Blast
39. Sleeper
40. Blast Skiway
41. Ignitor
42. Diamond Drill
43. Dynamite
44. Glory Basin
45. Summit Chair Skiway
46. Parking Lot Skiway

Whitewater Ski Resort – Silver King Trail Map

Whitewater Ski Resort – Silver King Trail Map Legend

Easiest Trails
1. Silver King Skiway
2. Quartz Skiway
3. Upper Concentrator
4. Kootenay Flats
5. Little Mucker
6. Yankee Girl
7. Crystal Skiway
8. Sluice Box

More Difficult
8. Sluice Box
9. Canadian Belle
10. Huckleberry Trail
11. Jackpot
12. Silver Ledge
13. Racers Line
14.Yankee Girl

Most Difficult
15. Nugget
16. Tramline
17. Concentrator Trees
18. Lower Concentrator
19. Kootenay Belle
20. Rockers

RP Rail Park

WHITEWATER SKI RESORT – WHITEWATER NORDIC TRAILS

Aerial View from Ymir Peak looking West at Whitewater Ski Resort

Aerial of the new Glory Ridge Terrain at Whitewater Ski Resort

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“Whitewater Ski Resort really surprised and amazed me. It skied much bigger than the statistics implied. The mountain has great groomers, and some of the best tree runs I’ve seen! The people were very friendly and helpful. I would love to go back there again, hopefully with a lot of friends!”

Mark Baechle, Blue Ridge Ski Club

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from whitewater ski resort website.

El Taco

Kututle Bowl

Location: Whitewater Ski Area.
Time: Full day
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: Long
Elevation_Gain: lots of meters
Map: 82 F/6
Avalanche Exposure: Complex

Climb to the summit of Half Dome, or the notch between Ymir Peak and Half Dome and descend into Kututle forever. There are tons of lines out here and a more wilderness feel than any of the other touring areas around Whitewater.

Blaster’s Ridge & Prospector’s

Location: Whitewater Ski Area. Purchase a single ridge ticket and ride the Summit Chair.
Time: Half day
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: Short
Elevation_Gain: 200 meters
Map: 82 F/6
Avalanche Exposure: Challenging

From the top of the Summit Chair ski left along the run on the top of the ridge. Stop at the top of Motherlode and look for the Ski Patrol Warning Sign in the little dip before the traverse. The route stays closely on the ridge and is used by the Ski Patrol as a safe route to the top of their blasting run during high avalanche conditions. After numerous tight switchbacks the top of the ridge is gained. A steep tree glade named “Garbage Chutes” is an exciting descent next to the route of ascent. There are a series of progressively steeper lines ( N facing ) that continue for the next kilometer along this ridge. The trip out to Sherpa Valley takes the flat ridge to the South with cliffs lining the right hand side. After five hundred meters you will break into a small bowl, known as Sherpa Valley. If you would continue further along the ridge you end up dropping down very low km7 on the access road and Mama and Papa Bear Chutes are down that way too. Alternatively traversing left above the ski area takes you to Prospector Bowl which has some amazing steep lines leading back into the ski area. Climbing further past from Prospector’s takes you into the entrance for West Ymir and continuing on from there takes you to the summit of Ymir Peak along with the south facing lines H8 and the south face of Ymir Peak.

Ymir Peak & Bowl

Location: Whitewater Ski Area
Time: Half day – Full Day
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 3km
Elevation Gain: 1500 feet
Map: 82 F/6
Avalanche Exposure: Complex

A number of options are available to gain access to Ymir Bowl and Ymir Peak. The ridge line from Blasters ridge to the summit is the longest route but the most scenic and safest. Alternatively from the White Queen Pass climbing up the ridge and traversing high under the rocks over steep terrain and gaining the ridge. The ridgetop is called Half Dome and good runs can be made form here into Five Mile. From just below the final climb to Half Dome a traverse can be made into Ymir bowl. Ymir Bowl is not a good place to be unless Avalanche conditions are very stable. Once in the bowl Kututle Pass is an interesting destination or Ymir Peak can be gained from the bench just to the left of the Peak. The route to and from the Peak involves careful manoeuvring on rocks and snow on the steep East slopes of Ymir Peak.

Ymir Bowl From lookers left to right

Five Mile Saddle above the lift, Goat’s Slide, Half Dome, Scob’s Knob ( the treed knob within the bowl ), Kututle Notch, Cookie Cliffs, Kuba Chute, Ymir Peak, Dogs Leg, First Choice, Pencil Chute, West Ymir, and Prospector’s Bowl at the edge of the ski area.

Five Mile and White/Black Queen

Location: Whitewater Ski Area. Skin to the top of Yankee Girl.
Time: Half Day – Full Day
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 3 km
Elevation Gain: 1500 feet
Map: 82 F/6
Avalanche Exposure: Challenging

FiveMileTrees — from helicopter with Ymir Bowl in background, Half-Dome out of view on top left and the Five Mile Ridge on right hand side typically where skiers emerge from the climb from Whitewater Ski Area.

From the top of the Yankee Girl ski run proceed outside the Ski Area, zigzagging directly upwards to gain the pass ( 15-20 minutes ). The ridge is narrow and offers spectacular views into Five Mile and of Ymir Bowl/Peak. From here steep descents can be made into Five Mile Basin. To go to White Queen summit turn away from Ymir Peak and head NW ( left ) along the ridge. To climb to the summit of Half Dome climb the ridge ( right ) for awesome runs of around 1500 ft. Traversing into Ymir Bowl is also popular from mid-way on the Half Dome ascent.
The far side of Five Mile Bowl offers a further set of adventures with steep climbing, steep skiing and perfect north-west facing powder.

The best way out of Five Mile is by climbing and traversing down the valley through the trees and gaining the White Queen Ridge. Great runs from here on steep West facing slopes down to the Ski Area Access Road. The back side of White Queen is N and NE facing and has become known as Black Queen and has some of the best tree skiing around Whitewater.

Evening Ridge

Location: 2 Km beforeWhitewater Ski Area at KM 10.5 Parking Area.
Time: Half/Full Day
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 5 km
Elevation Gain: 1700 feet
Map: 82 F/6
Avalanche Exposure: Challenging

Park your vehicle in a small turnout at the big bend about 8 kilometers on the Whitewater Ski Area road. Find the logging road that heads down to Apex creek in an upstream direction. Whitewater has created cross country ski trails in this region and so the ski touring access is a matter of following the trails into the drainage. Easiest to take the right hand side of the creek and take the ridge on the right of the creek and when the road crosses the creek again leave the road and follow the creek directly up through Hummingbird Pass. To access Evening Ridge continue all the way through the pass, just before descending, traverse back left, quickly ascending through open trees to gain the ridge above the Pass. Continue up the ridge as far as you desire, with beautiful views of Ymir Peak and the Kokanne Group. Another reasonable and fast possibility includes climbing up descent line B. The descent route is either down the ascent route, or down various lines on the East face. There are several major avalanche slopes and very steep avalanche prone slopes on this face, and require good navigation skills and good stability assessment. Run C called Whale’s back, generally wind affected on the top and sun affected on the lower slopes unless your timing is right.

Barrett Lake

Barrett Lake is a beautiful little mountain lake with a small rustic cabin on the shores. There are opportunities for Quading, hiking, fishing, and camping. Barrett Lake is at 1800 Meters. Popular in the winter for snowmobiling and ski touring.

Driving Directions: Access to the Barrett Lake is via Porto Rico Road, 15 km south of Nelson off Highway 6. In summer you can drive up 3 km and park there. (Recommended Quad Access Only from this point). From here you take the lower fork in the road up another 3 km (this section of road is deactivated but is passable in a high clearance 4X4) to a junction, take a right here (about 6 KM up in total). From here, follow the really rough and rocky road for another 4.5 Km up to the lake, stay on the main road on the way up. The last 4.5 Km is extremely rough, and heads to the East up the drainage crossing a South facing rocky slope.

Steed Hut

At 2320 metres, Siwash Mountain is the highest peak in the Bonnington Range, and the Steed Cabin, a snug wood cabin built by the KMC in 1995, lies due south of the summit of Siwash Mountain by a small tarn at 2100 metres. A loft in the cabin can sleep four (no foam mattresses), while the downstairs is equipped with table, bench seats and a wood stove. Basic cooking utensils (pots, pans, cups, bowls, plates, cutlery, etc.) are stored in a plastic bin. There is also a two burner white gas Coleman Stove and Coleman Lantern (take spare mantels). You will need to bring your own white gas for the stove and lantern. There is NO water at the Steed Cabin in either summer or winter. The area around the Steed Cabin is popular with snowmobilers, so expect to see snowmobilers when you are staying at the cabin.The cabin is maintained under partnership agreement with Kootenay Mountaineering Club. For detailed information and driving directions please visit: http://www.kootenaymountaineering.bc.ca

Driving Directions: In winter, it takes two days to reach the cabin via the Bonnington Traverse route. In the summer, a four wheel drive vehicle is not necessary. It is possible to drive to the head of Glade Creek, from here, it is between one and three hours of bushwhacking (thick bush with many black and grizzly bears in the area) to reach the cabin. Follow the following driving directions for summer access. Set your odometer to 0 on Highway 3 at Bombi Summit. 0 km = Munson Road and Highway 3, 2.6 km = powerline spur to (R) 3.7 km = Lower Munson to (L), stay (R), 3.9 km = West Munson to (L), stay (R), 5.4 km = East Munson to (R), stay (L), 6.3 km = spur to R, stay on mainline, 6.4 km = spur to (R) is Grassy access, 10.8 km = small pass, road enters from behind and (L), stay straight down the hill, 11.0 km = road forks, go (R) to stay on Munson Road, (L) fork is North Munson, 15.1 km = pass below Twin Peaks, 18.9 km = fork in road, go (L), 22.6 km, = park here and walk the rest of the way.

( source: rec sites and trails )

Copper Mountain hut

Lying in a thicket of large trees near 2000 metres in a basin on the southwest side of Copper Mountain, the cabin is surrounded by a two hectare area for non-motorized use only. The Copper Mountain cabin is equipped with three bunks (can sleep two each top to tail, no foam mattresses), a wood stove, seating bench and table. Basic cooking utensils (pots, pans, cups, bowls, plates, cutlery, etc.) are stored in small kitchen cabinet. There is also a two burner white gas Coleman Stove and Coleman Lantern (take spare mantels). You will need to bring your own white gas for the stove and lantern. There is NO water at the Copper Mountain Cabin in either summer or winter.The cabin is maintained under partnership agreement with Kootenay Mountaineering Club. For detailed information and driving directions please visit: http://www.kootenaymountaineering.bc.ca

Driving Directions: In summer, the normal access is via an old logging road in 49 Creek. This road leaves the small community of Blewett west of Nelson and is signed �May and Jenny Road� off Blewett Road (exits to your left as you head west). A high clearance four wheel drive is necessary. Follow May and Jenny Road (becomes Copper Mountain Road) for about 12 km to a pass between Red Mountain and Copper Mountain. Either park at the pass (limited) or continue a further 150 metres along the road to a slightly larger parking area. There are no signs. Follow the old road on foot to reach the ridge south of Copper Mountain. An ATV track leads down to the cabin. Allow one to three hours walking time. Winter access is more difficult as the summer route crosses extensive avalanche paths and is unsafe for most of the winter. It is possible to access the Copper Mountain Cabin from roads in the Snowwater Creek drainage. Route finding skill is necessary. Most winter visitors to the cabin are staying at the cabin as part of the Bonnington Range traverse and will have skied across from the Steed Cabin.