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If there’s one word that sums up the Kamloops snowmobiling area, it’s variety. Within an hour-and-a-half of the city (population roughly 84,000) are an incredible variety of riding experiences, from groomed trails and novice slopes to radical mountain riding. All this is serviced by a wide assortment of hotels, motels, bed-and-breakfasts, up-scale restaurants, fast-food outlets, entertainment and snowmobile dealers for all the major brands.

Kamloops Snowmobile Association with a current membership of 360, was named the B.C. Club of the Year for 2001-02, and one of the reasons is its hospitality to new members and visitors. Our members love to show our areas to newcomers. Other clubs who share use and maintenance of these areas are Logan Lake, Barrière, Crowfoot and Clearwater clubs.

The focal point for the Kamloops club activities is the Tranquille Lake Area, half an hour from town up the Lac du Bois Road. Our chalet at the 31.5 kilometre point on this road is the hub of our 70 kilometres of groomed trails. At 1,500 metre to 1,800 metre elevation and one to two metre snow depths, this area includes novice and intermediate trails, meadows, lakes, roads and cutblocks on the Bonaparte Plateau. Rustic Wendego Lodge on Tranquille Lake is operated by Norm and Flo Flynn and provides unsurpassed hospitality to sledders. This area is part of the Rendez-vous Trail connecting to Green Lake in Cariboo country. Jamieson Creek area and the Nehalliston Plateau are also accessible from here without trailering, with further vast areas of endless trails, roads, lakes, cutblocks and meadows to play in. They bridge to the Clearwater and Interlakes areas via corridor trails.

A number of fun rides and Snowarama festivities take place at our chalet, and there is snow here long before and long after the rest of the arid Kamloops area looks dry. Tranquille area is commonly ridden from mid-November to late April. The beauty of sledding Kamloops is that you can sled on Saturday in perfect snow conditions and golf on Sunday!

The Rossmore Lake area
(1/2 hour from town) at an elevation 1,200 to 1,800 metres boasts a long season as well, with snow depths reaching nearly two metres. Novice and intermediate trails, forest roads and a pipeline provide routes to Rossmore Lake and its two cabins plus many nearby lakes offering great ice-fishing.

Greenstone Mountain
(20 minutes from town) at 1,200 to 1,500 metre elevation and snow depths of one to two metres has novice and intermediate trails, roads, cutblocks and lakes, with ice-fishing in many nearby lakes. This is a good connector route to the Logan Lake club’s trail systems through the Tunkwa Lake and Forge Mountain areas.

Tod Mountain
(Sun Peaks—3/4 hour from Kamloops) with snow depths of more than two metres, offers a long season at 1,350 to 2,100 metre elevation. Its riding area offers novice, intermediate and challenging riding on trails, roads, cutblocks and lakes plus alpine riding above tree-line. Its season is long and its facilities unmatched at Sun Peaks Resort, with hotels and restaurants that are sledder-friendly. Sun Peaks Adventure Tours offers rental sleds and guided tours.

The Adams Plateau
(One hour from Kamloops, near Shuswap Lake), provides excellent trail and meadow riding with spectacular views from 1,200 to 1,500 metre elevation. Snow depths are up to three metres and the season is long!

Green Mountain and Indian Meadows (one hour from Kamloops near Barrière) range from 1,200 to 2,100 metre elevation with novice, intermediate and expert riding on trails, roads, meadows and alpine bowls. Indian Meadows is rolling terrain providing endless family fun. Higher yet is Green Mountain, more suitable for advanced riders and providing challenging hills and ravines. Snow depths are from two to three metres.

Crowfoot, Mount Lichen, Mount Pukeashun and Grizzly Mountains
1,200 to 2,250 metres in elevation have intermediate and expert riding in alpine meadows, hills and cliffs. The Crowfoot Snowmobile Association has two excellent chalets and a grooming program on Crowfoot and Grizzly. Access is via Celista on the shores of Shuswap Lake. Snow depths are up to four metres deep and the season is long! In fact, snow depth some years can be too great for most sleds until February.

Raft Mountain and Harp Mountain
The domain of the Clearwater Club. Both mountains have long seasons, snow depths of 1.5 to four metres and great shelter cabins. Elevations are 1,200 to 2,250 metres and views are spectacular! It boasts roads, trails, cutblocks, meadows, alpine bowls and exposed ridges, and terrain can be found for novice, intermediate and expert riders.

Maps of some of these areas are available from club members and dealers, and more are being developed. Contacting local club members may be the best way to experience these areas and learn of any potential hazards to avoid.