I Need Advice on Golden and Radium Ride Areas

[ronmexico]

Three of us heading to Radium this weekend for 3 days of riding (free condo to stay in at Radium) and we have never ridden in the area. We like boondocking and dont really care for big climbing. Also not into 50km trail rides to and from the alpine on a whooped out trail. We are all fairly expierienced riders on XP's and a Dragon.

Given that, what area if you had to pick one or possibly two if they were both great, would you recomend for us in Golden. Would Quartz be our best bet? How busy does it get? I know Silent Pass is closer to Radium but on the Golden sonowmobile website it says a 65km trail to the alpine. Not cool.

We definately want to check out Forester in Radium regardless of the trail ride as we are staying there. Definately are going to do one day in Golden too and hence were i need some help. Third day we might consider Paradise ride area behind panorama but if there was a way better place to ride in Golden area we may try that.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

[Carbon]

Gormans a quick 15k to the lake groomed for the weekend and if sunny,you can ride for miles,quartz good but yes can get busy.

 

[throttle-up]

Just up the road toward Golden from Radium is Silent Pass. At the next road past the gas station in Parsons turn left and go across the valley. There will be a volunteer from the sled club in golden collecting monies and will give you a map of the area. You'll have to drive about 17km up the logging road to unload and then it's about another 25 mile ride in to the lakes. That's when the riding begins! Once in, the terraine is fantastic! Usually the trail is groomed and very smooth. Check out the Golden snowmobile club website for other riding areas as well.

Golden Snowmobile Trail Society | Golden, BC | Snowmobiling | Snowmobile Trails

Hope this helps! Oh ya, you'll need to pack fuel, especially if you have a clear day.:d

 

[ronmexico]

It says on the Golden website that Gorman is alot of climbing and higher avy risk. Any comments?

Is Silent Pass mostly tree riding or more climbing? As we are not into the big climbing during regular conditions, nevermind the current high avy risk. Sounds like a long trail ride in though......

 

[Shibby!]

It says on the Golden website that Gorman is alot of climbing and higher avy risk. Any comments?

Is Silent Pass mostly tree riding or more climbing? As we are not into the big climbing during regular conditions, nevermind the current high avy risk. Sounds like a long trail ride in though......

Gorman is one of the highest areas for avy danger I've riden. Just to get to to the lake you have to do a long, steep climb up a north facing mountain side. Once up there, unless you are in the centre of the lake, you are surrounded by mountains that can easily slide.

If you go further, you have to do yet another steep climb into a smaller bowl. Once in the bowl, same deal. Avy's can come down from 3 directions. Further yet is another steep climb over into the backside surrounded by mountains that can once again slide easily.

I'd stay away. In addition to this the snow conditions aren't great from what I have heard.

If they have a lot of snow one of the best days riding was spent on the trails around Macdonald and Paradise Mine. We lucked out and had 3-4 ft of fresh on the logging roads and we simply rode those all day. This area doesn't have much for riding terrain, but if you luck out with that much snow on the trails you are good to go.

Another area is Forrester. I've only been once and it was so badly packed and windswept it was a terrible ride. I am not too familiar with the area and we only did the first main valley from the cabin.

 

[fnDan]

Silent Pass is a long ride in. 30 kms+ I think. It seems to take forever on the way out. You definitely should pack gas for the ride out.

The wide trail in ends at some switchbacks. Then it's an easy single track trail up through the trees. Once you get through the trees there is a short steep climb that can be a bit challenging depending on conditions.

Once you're on top it's whatever kind of terrain you want. You can stick to easy rolling hills, flat areas like the lake, trees or big climbs. There are more bowls further in but you have to climb some hills to get there. I think the 2nd bowl in, you drop into it. Depending on conditions you have to decide if you want to drop in or not. We started in there once last year and quickly realized it would be tough to get back out. It was very deep and visibility was really bad.

Silent is my favourite place to ride.

Check out the Avaluator. Avaluator Trip Planner
It gives you an idea of the terrain type. Some areas have more specific information like Quartz.

 

[Shibby!]

Isn't it more like 75 kms?

Quartz is like 34 to the cabin I think.

 

[tohigh]

quartz will be busy always is, silent is a ways but if you never been there werth it to check it out good tree riding there, lots to explore,when we ride there dont see other peeps to often,bugaboo would be good as well and a litle closer, lots of options out there depends on the weather

 

[ronmexico]

Thanks Boys. Really helpful advice. After talking with the group i think we are going to ride Paradise/Toby Creek saturday, then Silent Pass on sunday and Forster on monday. I would like to see Quartz but our group really isnt into the packed areas.
I just hope the Silent Pass trail isnt whooped out by sunday. They groom thursday nights.

 

[pano-dude]

Quartz would be a long haul from Radium. It's an hour to golden and another 20 min to the trail head.

Silent trail head is an hr from Radium.

 

[Modman]

It says on the Golden website that Gorman is alot of climbing and higher avy risk. Any comments?

Is Silent Pass mostly tree riding or more climbing? As we are not into the big climbing during regular conditions, nevermind the current high avy risk. Sounds like a long trail ride in though......

You should define "experienced riders" in your first post.

Gorman is a serious terrain trap IMO this time of year normally. With the snow conditions currently, it is a definite stay away area IMO. As Shibby said, even to get onto the lake you have to cross at least one of two avy paths, both of which I have seen come down, even later in the season when the risk is "less". The trail basically ends at the lake and you can split from there but it is a high risk area for sure.

Silent is a long ways back for sure, as Mac900 said, pack gas and extras of stuff, by Sunday you can expect it to be beat up, if its not then its just a bonus. But don't go there with high hopes. Monday would be a good day to go to Quartz if you wanted to get away from the crowds instead. Yeah its busy on the weekends but its a short trail ride in and lots of terrain to play in if you know where to go. If they don't get any new snow, everything will still be tracked up anyway.

Hope that helps.

 

[buck50]

Isn't it more like 75 kms?

Quartz is like 34 to the cabin I think.

quartz is just over 10 miles i believe!

 

[ronmexico]

Hey modman. How should i define our epierience? I guess i did leave it a litttle vague.

Ya we are definately not going to Gorman, mostly climbing from what i've heard and read also too dangerous right now. We are riding:

Paradise
Silent
Forster

I think these areas will all be okay for our level of expierience. I just got word too that there are going to be two other guys joining us on snowhawks!

 

[Bucky]

Was at Silent 2 weeks ago, did the spedo reset thing at the staging area, and its 44kms to the top of the waterfall.

 

[pipes]

Was at Silent 2 weeks ago, did the spedo reset thing at the staging area, and its 44kms to the top of the waterfall.

Bucky what were the water fall like? I know at times that is can get quite nasty. Throttle-up Silent Pass is a great area to ride, lot of choices as to what terraine to are up for. wait for Bucky"s respones to the falls. Forester also a agood place to ride if you have a small group of new riders you can stay in the valley. The climb into Whirl Pool and Thnuder might be an ass puckering experience for cherries. I would check wit the local for Avy conditions. Another Area in Radium is Rockey Point but you have to Cross 5 Avy chutes, there again check for Avy conditions.

 

[Bucky]

Not exactly the fastest response, sorry guys, but when we were up there the trail up thru the falls was just fine! Had no problems at all.:d