Back Country Skiing

McBride boasts FOUR amazing snowmobiling areas, including the largest managed riding area in BC, ensuring riders experience some of the best alpine and trail-riding snowmobiling in the country.

In 2018 McBride was crowned SledTown ShowDown Champion and McBride was voted SnoRiders Favourite British Columbia SledTown, in 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2022!

In cooperation with Rec, Sites and Trails BC, the McBride Big Country Snowmobile Association manages McBride’s sanctioned snowmobiling areas including ensuring trail access grooming, coordinating trail pass sales and maintaining the warming cabins at each riding area.

Belle Mountain – McBride’s family friendly zone with terrain for all level of riders from novice to expert. 8km west of McBride on Highway 16. Take Belle Mountain FSR to the parking lot at 5km. Sled from here – 13km of groomed trail to the cabin.

Lucille Mountain – Alpine meadows and starter hills for beginners, right up to large alpine bowls and steep hill climbs.  3km south of McBride. Take Main St through town and turn left at the train station/visitor centre onto 1st Avenue. Follow 1st Ave under the tracks onto Sansom Rd and continue to Lucille Mountain FSR where you turn left to access the parking lot. 13km of groomed trail to the alpine cabin.

Renshaw – TEMPORARILY CLOSED. BC’s largest managed snowmobile area with a variety of terrain, from meadows to creeks, low angle to super steep alpine. Temporarily closed due to bridge out.

NEW – Tommy Creek – The newest addition to McBride’s sanctioned snowmobile areas, Tommy Creek is next door to the Renshaw and almost as big! This area is for intermediate and advanced/expert riders. Terrain varies from valley meadows, creeks, to steep alpine climbs and has some of the best tree riding in the McBride area. Accessed 10km east of McBride via the Holmes Forest Service Road, which is an ACTIVE FSR. Radios are a must. There is no warming cabin at Tommy Creek. See more info at Sled McBride.

• Avalanche Forecasts 
• Riding Areas
• Grooming Report
• Trail Passes
• Tour Operators, Snowmobile Rental and Repair, Equipment and more!
• Snowmobile Association

Everyone in your group needs to carry avalanche safety equipment (transceiver, shovel and probe), and know how to use it. An Avalanche Skills Training (AST) course is your place to start and is a must for everyone recreating in the backcountry.

McBride and the surrounding area boasts groomed and track set nordic ski trails, as well as opportunities for “off-piste” cross-country skiing.

The Yellowhead Ski Club, in cooperation with Rec Sites and Trails BC maintains, grooms and track sets 17 km of cross country ski trails at Belle Mountain. These trails have a remote, wilderness feel to them and skiers will often come across tracks from moose, lynx, hares and weasels. Trails range from easy to moderate and feature a warming hut at the trail head and a day use/overnight cabin deeper in the trail system.

The Pine Lake Cabin must be booked for overnight stays by contacting yellowheadskiclub@hotmail.com. Trails are groomed by volunteers, and the club relies on membership fees to maintain the trails and the cabin. Trail and road conditions as well as membership forms are available on the club’s Facebook page at Yellow Head Ski Club.

The Belle Mountain Ski Trails are located at 4.5km up the Bell Mountain Forest Service Road, accessed from Highway 16, 8.5km east of McBride. The trailhead parking area is shared with snowmobilers accessing the Belle Mountain Snowmobiling area, higher up the mountain. Watch for trucks and trailers on the way up and down the forest service road.

Trail Safety & Etiquette:

• Never ski alone.
• Wear appropriate clothing and take food & water.
• No dogs on trails when snow is soft, please, and no fat bikes on trails!
• Snowshoers, please stay off the groomed area and stick to the sides of trails.
• Use caution on hills, and fill in your sitzmarks.
• Ski on the right-hand track.
• Yield to skiers coming downhill.
• Yield to faster skiers passing.

When the conditions are right, locals can be seen skiing on the Fraser River sandbar, on Horseshoe Lake in McBride, at the McBride Mountain Trails, and on the numerous Forest Service Roads surrounding the community. Check in at the McBride Visitor Centre in McBride’s Historic Railway Station for more information.

This local volunteer run, non-profit organization grooms and track sets 17 km of cross-country ski trails at the Belle Mountain Recreation Area, only a few minutes east of McBride.

The club also maintains a warming hut at the trail head and a day use/overnight cabin on the trail network. The club collects membership fees from skiers to cover the cost of trail and cabin maintenance and requests that skiers reserve the Pine Lake Cabin for overnight use by contacting the club at yellowheadskiclub@hotmail.com

The club will host family-friend ski events from time-to-time throughout the ski season.

Information about trail and road conditions, work-bees and events and to find downloadable membership forms, check out Yellowhead Ski Club Facebook

Yellowhead Ski Club is a member of Cross Country BC

Guests ski or snowboard untracked powder with a professional guide leading the way and a helicopter to whisk them to the top to do it all over again.

Enjoy access to over 3,800 square kilometres of incredible terrain in Canada’s Northern Rocky and Cariboo Mountains, and experience a heli-ski/snowboarding adventure you’ll never forget. The ranch-style lodge, accented by hand-hewn fir logs and natural local wood, provides guests with a friendly, down-to-earth environment where they can enjoy great meals and conversation, relaxing amenities and comfortable accommodations.

• Phone: (+1) 800-715-5532
• Website: Crescent Spur Heli-Skiing
• Address: 9114 Prospect Rd., Crescent Spur

Cat skiing now rivals heli-skiing in terms of both the quality and the quantity of skiing it provides to guests. These guided adventures take skiers and snowboarders into remote backcountry terrain where endless powder awaits. Book an adventure today.

Cariboo Snowcat Skiing is a powder skiing and snowboarding operation located at Mica Mountain in the Cariboos, near Tete Jaune Cache, only 40 minutes from McBride.

The Cariboo Mountains are world-renowned for incredible snow conditions. These guided tours can be catered to all skill levels. Guests will be treated to spectacular panoramic views of the Cariboos and the Canadian Rockies, including Mount Robson.

• Phone: (+1) 800-766-9228
• Website: Cariboo Cat Skiing

Unlimited opportunities for snowshoe enthusiasts exist in the Valley, particularly when the snow reaches the Valley bottom. Easy trips to features such as waterfalls and valley viewpoints, or more ambitious treks to backcountry cabins for an overnight stay are possible. Enthusiasts can check the Hiking, Nordic Skiing, and Horseback Riding sections of the website for trail suggestions and cabin rentals. Belle Mountain offers an extensive trail network for snowshoeing (see trail map) but remember to stay off to the side on groomed cross-country ski trails.

It is important to avoid avalanche terrain while snowshoeing unless you carry the necessary avalanche safety equipment, have received training, and travel with other, experienced trekkers. Avalanche Canada forecasts for our region can be found at avalanche.ca. For your own safety, avoid areas designated for snowmobiles.

For a unique experience, try mushing, either as a passenger or driver, in the Small River area. Spend the day, complete with picnic lunch.

• Phone: (+1) 877-295-8505
• Email: info@dogsleddinginjasper.com
• Website: Dog Sledding in Jasper
• Address: Located near Tete Jaune and Mt. Robson