The key element of British Columbia backcountry skiing and backcountry snowboarding is terrain.
Sol Mountains BC backcountry lodge sits at 6,300 feet and smack in the middle of 30,000 acres of the southern Monashee snowbelt. The lodge is strategically placed here. Head north from our front door and you'll find Monashee Provincial Park, offering dramatic skiing in alpine terrain surrounding Mount Fosthall, and Peter and Margie Lakes. Head south and you'll find Twin Peaks and Mount Baldur, each boasting summit-to-creek runs of 3,000 feet and longer. Immediately to the east puts you at steep tree skiing, dropping into the head of North Fosthall Creek. Access to five drainages offers an excess of north facing glades and trees holding cold dry snow long after the last storm.
All of this terrain - a complete BC mix of steep and moderate tree skiing, open glades, open alpine bowls, and steep alpine chutes - sits between 4,500 and 8,500 feet above sea level. Much of this terrain remains to be explored. And snow? Over the last five years, the season has started in early December with a 2 meter base and by spring the settled snowpack has been over three meters at the lodge site, with a peak of 4.7 meters in March of 2007.
NTS Map Sheet 82 L08 – Mount Fosthall covers Sol Mountain’s tenure area. The UTM coordinates for the lodge are 415199E 5589278N, located in the Bear Creek drainage. We have also produced a 1:50,000 map with 20 m contour intervals. This map is available at the lodge.
Cross Country Skiing
Sol Mountain’s terrain offers great areas to cross country ski. Simply step out the door and ski off into rolling alpine meadows. With XC touring gear you can climb above the lodge to Mission Ridge for dramatic views of glaciers and rugged peaks to the north. Trips can also be made to passes and surrounding lakes. We provide trackset trails when snow conditions permit (sometimes it is simply too deep!). Cross country skiing is best on the settled snowpack of late winter and spring.
Backcountry Skiing Courses - Lodge Based
We offer comprehensive backcountry skiing courses, available on any trip to groups of four or more. Course content covers trip planning, terrain selection and routefinding, and includes the 'Level 1 or Level 2 Avalanche Skills Training' course syllabus developed by the Canadian Avalanche Centre. Instructional materials and student handbooks are provided by the CAC and a certificate is issued at the end of the course. Classroom sessions are covered in the evenings, emphasis is on terrain skills with full days of skiing. Click here for more information about Avalanche Skills Training Courses
Intro Day to Backcountry Skiing at Silver Star
If you have not backcountry skied before – we offer an intro course at Silver Star Ski Resort prior to your trip. The course provides instruction on gear, clothing and packing, and tips and techniques for efficient uphill touring. Backcountry skiing is really a sport of details – this course gets the learning stage behind you, making the most of your first days in the backcountry. Book directly with Denys Lawrence (silverdale(at)telus.net, 250.545.1375), cost is $65 per person.
