The Best Places to Ride in the West: A Map of Our Sled-Access Guides
We've spent the fall writing rider's guides to five of the best sled-access zones in western North America. This post puts them all on one map, with a quick take on each so you can pick your trip and jump straight to the full guide.
1. Pemberton, BC
Pemberton puts glaciers and icefields an hour from Whistler. Ride the Rutherford Valley trail up to the Pemberton Icefield, take Brandywine for trees and alpine bowls, or head north on the Hurley toward Bralorne. Big terrain, big rewards, and real glacier hazard, so ride with someone who knows the crevasse zones.
Best for: experienced riders and sled-skiers chasing glacier terrain close to Vancouver. Read the Pemberton spotlight.
2. Revelstoke, BC
The capital of mountain sledding. Boulder Mountain covers every level from groomed trail to steep chutes, Frisby Ridge rolls out into wide-open alpine, and the unmanaged zones around town go as big as you want. Pay the trail fee, check the caribou closures, and finish at Mt. Begbie or Rumpus.
Best for: a full sled trip with deep snow, a strong club and a proper ski town. Read the Revelstoke guide.
3. Bend, Oregon
Bend sits 20 minutes from Wanoga Sno-Park and its 180-plus miles of groomed trail. Dutchman Flat holds snow when the lower lots run thin, Elk Lake Resort makes the classic ride-to-lunch, and the Bend Ale Trail handles the evening.
Best for: groomed riding, families and mixed groups, and sunshine in town. Read the Bend guide.
4. Truckee and the Tahoe Sierra
Little Truckee Summit and Yuba Pass give you more than 110 miles of groomed trail north of town, and Castle Peak puts bowls and trees right off I-80. Sierra snow comes in heavy and bonds fast, but last February showed what a buried weak layer can do, so read the forecast every day.
Best for: Bay Area and Reno riders, and anyone chasing a strong El Niño year in the south. Read the Truckee guide.
5. Greater Yellowstone
Montana, Idaho and Wyoming meet at Yellowstone. West Yellowstone lets you ride from your motel onto 400-plus miles of trail, Island Park adds 500 more, Cooke City delivers deep snow and serious terrain, and Togwotee Pass has Teton views out the lodge door.
Best for: a multi-day trip with huge mileage and a choice of terrain. Read the Greater Yellowstone guide.
How to choose
If you're new to the mountains, start with groomed terrain: Bend, West Yellowstone and Little Truckee Summit are the easiest places to learn. If you want deep snow and steep terrain, go to Revelstoke, Cooke City or Pemberton, and bring avalanche gear and training. If you're chasing the snow this winter, keep an eye on the south: forecasters expect a strong El Niño, which usually favours California, Utah and Colorado and leaves BC and the Pacific Northwest drier.
Carry your gear
Every zone on this map is better with skis or a board on the sled. The Patrol Rack bolts to your tunnel and carries skis or a snowboard on each side, with fuel and a gear bag in the middle. Add a ski or snowboard mount and save $10, or add two and save $30. The discount applies automatically in your cart.
Not sure it fits your sled? Find your sled on our installation page. We cover Ski-Doo, Polaris, Arctic Cat, Yamaha and Lynx from 2002 on. Ski-Doo owners can also check our REV generation guide.
Wherever you ride, check the local avalanche forecast before you leave the truck, ride with a partner, and carry a transceiver, shovel and probe. See you out there.