In the winter, Revelstoke is world renowned for its record snowfall and vast snowmobile terrain. Boulder Mountain specifically, has 50 kilometers of groomed trails and over 150 square kilometers of powdery bowls and steep hill climbs. With average yearly snowfall of 14-20 meters, Boulder Mountain’s terrain will satisfy all skill levels from beginner to expert.
ADVENTURE STATISTICS
Time Required: Full day activity
Location: Revelstoke, BC
Highest Elevation: ~1664m (Boulder Cabin)
Season: November to June
Additional Requirements: Snowmobile, Avalanche Gear
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
From Revelstoke: Head west on the Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1. Take your first right after you cross the river onto Westside Rd and follow that road for 3.8km. There will be a parking lot and a “Revelstoke Snowmobiling Club” building on your left. Unload here and away you go.
WHAT TO BRING
- Snowmobile Gear: Water resistant ski-pants, jacket, gloves and boots. Helmet, goggles, and balaclava if its cold out. Avalanche beacon, probe and shovel.
- Water: Snowmobiling is more work than you make think, stay hydrated.
- Snacks: Bring some of your favorite snacks to enjoy along the way. Some of our favorite snacks are trail mix, bananas, beef jerky and licorice.
- Weather appropriate clothing: Check the weather forecast and plan accordingly.
- Sunscreen: Also something to you wouldn’t think to consider but should. If it is sunny and you’re like Mattson, who easily burns, bring sunscreen!
- Camera: There are numerous photo opportunities you won’t want to miss.
- This Guide: Print a copy of this guide to reference throughout the hike
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
Avalanche Safety: Avalanches are a real concern sledding in the mountains. Know your equipment, know how to use it and practice. Here is a short tutorial on how to use an avalanche beacon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X90kUtxMd_Q
Boonmaps: Boonmaps is an app for your phone that can track your location and where you’ve travelled even if you don’t have service. You will have to download the area beforehand if you want it to work offline. This app is very useful for newcomers to Boulder Mountain that aren’t familiar with the terrain. We used it and it worked great!
Sled Rental: There are a few sled rental places around Revelstoke including Stoked Mountain Adventures, Revelstoke Sled Rentals, Full Speed Rentals, and Sledrent.ca. We went with Sledrent.ca and they were great. They we friendly, easy to deal with, and provided pick up and drop off at Boulder Mountain staging area.
Leave No Trace: It is important that we enjoy the outdoors responsibly and sustainably. Some key principles to consider when hiking to “Leave No Trace” are:
- Plan ahead and prepare: Proper planning allows adventurers to hike safely while minimizing damage to the land.
- Travel on durable surfaces: Stick to the trail when possible. If there is no trail, or you must travel off trail, stay on durable surfaces to reduce your impact.
- Dispose of waste properly: Pack it in, pack it out.
- Leave what you find: Leave rocks, plants, archaeological artifacts and other objects of interest as you find them.
- Respect wildlife: Observe wildlife from a distance. Never feed wild animals.
- Be considerate of other visitors: Be courteous to others to allow everyone to enjoy their outdoor experience.
To learn more about “Leave No Trace” visit http://www.leavenotrace.ca
SLEDDING DIRECTIONS
From the parking lot there are three main trails to head up before you reach Boulder Cabin. These trails are groomed and easy to follow. Note that there is a 25-dollar trail fee to use the groomed trails that must be paid daily (or you can get a yearly membership for 200 dollars). From Boulder Cabin, the choice is yours to dip into the trees or climb some wide-open powder bowls.
Hope this guide was useful in planning your adventure.! Stay safe and have fun!
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Thank you for choosing Epic Trip Adventures as your guide. We are committed to continually updating our guides to be as relevant and accurate as possible. If you have feedback to improve this guide please leave it in the comments below.
We also want to hear about your Boulder Mountain Sledding adventures. If you have stories, pictures or even a link to your own adventure video please share them below!
Have fun out there!
– ETA