March 28th – The Rail Trail is pretty much free of snow from one end to the other. A bit muddy in spots but drying up nicely. If you should notice trees down, mud slides or trail surface erosion please let us know ASAP so we can quickly correct the problem. Email us at: slocanvalleyrailtrail@yahoo.ca or call us at 1-888-683-SVRT
March 4th – as many have figured out already, the winter grooming season is over. A good year with some great ski days were had.
FYI – Horse riders are welcome to get out and enjoy the trail again. It’ll help break up the remaining snow and speed up the transition to summer conditions. We ask horse riders to recognize that on some sections of the trail, horse hooves can escalate trail deterioration quickly. This means we have to get a crew out with a rock rake and compactor to smooth things down for other users. We’re asking, like we ask all trail users, that you help with our volunteer related expenses by making a donation in one of the many donation boxes we have along the Rail Trail
February 10th – sorry for being slow on the updates on this page. The entire trail has been groomed and trackset in the past three or four days. We are in a warming cycle, so the trackset may be shallow in places. Conditions are still great for skiing, and are generally quick. Get out and enjoy. If you haven’t already joined our Facebook page, please consider becoming ourfriend, as that page is updated as well on trail conditions.
January 23rd – Passmore to Winlaw was groomed today. Cooler temperatures might mean some good skiing ahead!
January 17th – Passmore to Winlaw groomed and trackset today. Working on getting the rest of the Rail Trail groomed in the near future.
January 9th – in the past two days the entire Rail Trail has been groomed and trackset. Excellent skiing conditions today, so get out there and enjoy!
Dec. 28, 2015 – almost the entire Rail Trail was groomed and trackset today. Cool temperatures should allow for some great skiing
Dec. 22nd – the entire Rail Trail has been groomed and trackset over the past two days. Crisp cool conditions will make for excellent skiing! If you’re enjoying the Rail Trail, please be aware of the many strategic donation boxes we have throughout the valley. Making sure you’re having fun has expenses, so please take advantage of them. BTW – Full moon is Christmas Day this year and the evening skies should be clear! Full moon skis are the best!
Dec. 19th – Our dedicated grooomers have compacted the entire Rail Trail in the past two days. Tracksetting is sporatic because of the thin base. Areas where track has been set: Crescent Valley – first 3 km. Passmore – around Vallican Bluffs, Winlaw to Perry’s Siding and north of Lemon Creek. Now that we are grooming, we are asking horse users to refrain from riding on the Rail Trail
Dec. 13th – still limited amounts of snow on the Rail Trail and very wet. Some folks are out cautiously skiing (especially in the northend), but not enough to allow us to groom. That said, the Trail is fine for walking.
Nov. 29th – Segments of the Trail have been packed and some tracksetting has taken place. More snow is needed to really get things underway. Passmore to Crescent Valley has been packed with some tracksetting. Winlaw to Perrys Siding has been packed and trackset. Be warned that the trackset is thin in places
November 24th – Winter is coming….. but it’s not here yet, at least snow wise. There is not enough to snow to pack the Rail Trail yet, but that doesn’t mean folks can’t try some free-form skiing. We’ll keep this updated as the season progresses.
2014/2015 Winter Season
March 4th – Trail has been repaired from the two slides we had a couple of weeks back. Passmore/Slocan Park is fine now. Crescent Valley site needs another culvert but trail can be walked.
Feb. 9th update – Weather has affected various parts of the Rail Trail. CRESCENT VALLEY – Mud is covering a portion of the Trail just north of the Crescent Valley Trailhead. Park on Kosiancic Rd and head north if entering at this area. SOUTH VALLEY – A few bare spots have been noticed between the Vallican Bluffs and Slocan Park, and some water running across Trail . Still good skiing around the Vallican Bluffs area thanks to a deep trackset. Some grooming may be attempted north of Winlaw on Monday.
Feb. 4th – Trail was touched up from Passmore to Crescent Valley today. Conditions are mild, but the skiing is actually pretty good when the weather is like this. Will keep folks posted about the rest of the valley as we get there.
January 29th – Mild conditions make for difficult grooming, but decent skiing. A groomer is out trying to freshen up the Winlaw to Passmore stretch today. The rest of the Trail has been done in the past week. Probably wont be grooming much until we get more snow and cooler temperatures.
January 20th – Trail was groomed and trackset from Winlaw to Slocan Lake today. Cooler temperatures tonight will make for some fast skiing in the morning!
January 18th – new snow and milder temperatures. Only section we managed to get at was Winlaw to Passmore. It may be slow going for grooming until the temperatures get cooler. Just a reminder that our Annual Day on the Trail is Sunday, January 25th. We’ll be setting up north of the Lemon Creek Trailhead between 1 and 3 p.m. Come out for a ski and join us around the bonfire.
January 16th – After the recent snow, the entire valley was groomed and trackset from Crescent Valley to Slocan Lake. Milder temperatures have followed so things could be a challenge. If taking a pet on the Rail Trail please make sure to clear any droppings off the treadpath.
January 12th – both sleds worked on the perrys Siding to Slocan Lake stretch today. There’s a great foundation and good trackset for classic and skate skiers to enjoy. Please remember to take advantage of our donation boxes along the Rail Trail. Everything helps to cover the cost of keeping the Trail in shape during the winter
January 10 – Trail has been freshened up and trackset from Crescent Valley to Perrys Siding today. Because of the thaw/freeze cycle, conditions of the trail vary. We hope to groom north of Perrys Siding to Slocan Lake on Monday. This section of trail is currently in poor condition, but skiable if you’re dedicated.
January 8th. – The entire valley has now been groomed and trackset. Ground may be soft, but enjoy it while you can. Please take advantage of the donation boxes at many of the Trail entry points. This is a volunteer driven organization and your donations is what helps cover the expenses that come with the snow.
January 7th – Trail has been packed and trackset Winlaw to Slocan Lake. Crescent Valley to Passmore should be getting trackset on Thursday. Weather may be wet, but it makes for easy skiing.
January 6th – we’re dealing with all this snow and slowly getting the Rail Trail in shape. Trackset is down between Winlaw and Perrys Siding. Packing is taking place on various segments with tracksetting in next day or two. Will keep this site posted, or look on our Facebook Page for updates as well.
Decmeber 29th – Finally we get some snow! Most of the Rail Trail was groomed and trackset today with the remainder getting done Monday. Conditions are good, with the thinnest snow in the Winlaw area. May not be more snow for awhile, so get out and enjoy!
December 26th – still not enough snow to groom the trail. There is a skiff of snow on the north end of the Rail Trail and some folks have skied north of Lemon Creek. We’ll post on our website and Facebook page as conditions allow.
December 7, 2014 – we are still waiting for enough snow and the right temperatures to begin packing a base for grooming and track-setting.
Updates from 2013 and Earlier
April 10 – the snow is gone in almost all places. There may be a few small patches of ice here and there in the northern half of the trail, but nothing to seriously inhibit bikers and walkers. By April 15 there should be no more than one or two short stretches with any icy material at all – north of Lemon Creek. Time to get those bicycles oiled and on the trail!
March 12th – Trail was groomed and trackset Winlaw to Slocan Lake today. Cooler night temperatures should keep things looking good, but who knows for how long? Enjoy while you can!
March 4, 2014 – The entire valley has been groomed and trackset in the past 24 hours. Lots of fresh snow. Milder temperatures ni the day but lower nighttime temperatures should let the track set up nicely.
Feb. 22 2014 – Entire valley is getting groomed and trackset today. South valley inthe morning, north valley in the afternoon
Feb. 19th – Entire trail was groomed and trackset today after our big snowfall. Conditions should be pretty good right now, with the cooler evening temperatures.
Feb. 12th update – Entire valley has been groomed and traclkset again – Crescent Valley to Slocan Lake. Cool evening temperatures suggest that the track should be in great condition in the coming days. Get out and enjoy!
Fe. 12th (Wed.) – Trail being groomed and trackset Winlaw To Crescent Valley. Should be good conditions with all the fresh snow. Unsure when north valley will get groomed again.
Feb. 11th – Entire valley was groomed and trackset today. Unfortunately a big dump of snow is on the way this evening
February 1, 2014: the rail trail was groomed and trackset from Winlaw north to Slocan Lake yesterday and is in good condition for both skiing and walking; the section from Slocan Park (Evin Rd.) north to Winlaw was groomed and trackset today and is usable from Slocan Park to Passmore and in good condition north of Passmore. Expect a couple of sketchy or bare spots near the Passmore slide and close to the big bench just north of Passmore. Unfortunately, we have not been able to get to the section from Crescent Valley north to Slocan Park (about 5km) since January 1 so conditions may not be that great on that section. For best results, we suggest skiing from Passmore north, or from Winlaw, Perry Siding, Lemon Creek or Slocan Lake trailheads with the conditions generally getting better the further north you go.
Jan. 26.14 – Grooming was done between Winlaw and Perrys Siding today. Poor conditions until we get some more snow, although if it’s cooler, the skiing should be fine. We have only really groomed between Passmore and Slocan Lake in the past couple of weeks.
Jan. 16.14 – Grooming done from Winlaw to Passmore today. Snow is pretty soft, but cooler night time temperatures should help keep it firm.
Jan.14.14 – Grooming is underway from Winlaw to Slocan Lake today and Wednesday. The result might be kind of coarse, but it should be better than what we have now!
Jan. 3.14 – Winlaw to Slocan Lake was groomed and trackset today. Trackset may be ‘thin’ in areas because of the rain overnight. Should set up nicely overnight and be quite fast in the next day or two. Be careful on icy tracks, slips and falls still hurt, even if the trail is flat
Jan. 1st – Winlaw to Crescent Valley was groomed this morning. Milder temperatures, so make sure you have some wax with you. If a skate skier, Lebedeau Flats is a great stretch to skate!
Dec. 31st – Winlaw to Slocan Lake was groomed and trackset today. On New Years Day the trail south is scheduled for grooming. We’ll confirm that on Wednesday.
Dec. 29th – Winlaw to Passmore was freshened up today. Groomed and trackset
Dec. 26th – The crew went crazy and groomed and trackset the entire Rail Trail. Fresh track from Slocan Lake to crescent Valley! If you want to support our volunteer efforts then please take advantage of the donation boxes at many of the trail entry points.
Dec. 23rd – Trail groomed Winlaw to Slocan Lake. Milder temperatures but a cooling trend will help the track set up. Lots of swans at the Walter Clough Wildlife Sanctuary and easy viewing from the Rail Trail
Dec. 21st – Trail groomed Winlaw to Crescent Valley. Good conditions. North valley schedule to be groomed Monday
Dec. 18th – Winlaw to Slocan was groomed and trackset yesterday. Good conditions. In the past week the entire valley has been groomed. We’re now waiting for a good dump of snow to make it perfect!
Dec. 9th – Trail has been groomed and trackset from Winlaw to Slocan Lake today. Go out and enjoy a ski! South protion will hopefully be done in the next day or two.
December 5th update – Test grooming and tracksetting today between Winlaw and Perrys Siding. Snow is thin and trackset exposes peebles and rocks in some sections. More snow is needed before a good base can get established. Don’t use your best skis until conditions improve.
Almost winter ski season. We’ll post updates on where we’ve groomed and trackset along the Rail Trail as they occur. You can also visit our Facebook page for updates.
The SVRT is in excellent condition for biking, hiking, walking and equestrian. We are all looking forward to a new season of cross-country skiing which will hopefully get underway in December some time. Starting in December, keep checking this page for the latest winter grooming news.
Trail users are reminded to keep their pets under control – leashing or holding your dog to let cyclists, horses and walkers pass you is always appreciated!
Trail Condition Archives
Trail condition updates from previous years. Current Trail Conditions »
2015/2016 Winter Season
March 28th – The Rail Trail is pretty much free of snow from one end to the other. A bit muddy in spots but drying up nicely. If you should notice trees down, mud slides or trail surface erosion please let us know ASAP so we can quickly correct the problem. Email us at: slocanvalleyrailtrail@yahoo.ca or call us at 1-888-683-SVRT
March 4th – as many have figured out already, the winter grooming season is over. A good year with some great ski days were had.
FYI – Horse riders are welcome to get out and enjoy the trail again. It’ll help break up the remaining snow and speed up the transition to summer conditions. We ask horse riders to recognize that on some sections of the trail, horse hooves can escalate trail deterioration quickly. This means we have to get a crew out with a rock rake and compactor to smooth things down for other users. We’re asking, like we ask all trail users, that you help with our volunteer related expenses by making a donation in one of the many donation boxes we have along the Rail Trail
February 10th – sorry for being slow on the updates on this page. The entire trail has been groomed and trackset in the past three or four days. We are in a warming cycle, so the trackset may be shallow in places. Conditions are still great for skiing, and are generally quick. Get out and enjoy. If you haven’t already joined our Facebook page, please consider becoming ourfriend, as that page is updated as well on trail conditions.
January 23rd – Passmore to Winlaw was groomed today. Cooler temperatures might mean some good skiing ahead!
January 17th – Passmore to Winlaw groomed and trackset today. Working on getting the rest of the Rail Trail groomed in the near future.
January 9th – in the past two days the entire Rail Trail has been groomed and trackset. Excellent skiing conditions today, so get out there and enjoy!
Dec. 28, 2015 – almost the entire Rail Trail was groomed and trackset today. Cool temperatures should allow for some great skiing
Dec. 22nd – the entire Rail Trail has been groomed and trackset over the past two days. Crisp cool conditions will make for excellent skiing! If you’re enjoying the Rail Trail, please be aware of the many strategic donation boxes we have throughout the valley. Making sure you’re having fun has expenses, so please take advantage of them. BTW – Full moon is Christmas Day this year and the evening skies should be clear! Full moon skis are the best!
Dec. 19th – Our dedicated grooomers have compacted the entire Rail Trail in the past two days. Tracksetting is sporatic because of the thin base. Areas where track has been set: Crescent Valley – first 3 km. Passmore – around Vallican Bluffs, Winlaw to Perry’s Siding and north of Lemon Creek. Now that we are grooming, we are asking horse users to refrain from riding on the Rail Trail
Dec. 13th – still limited amounts of snow on the Rail Trail and very wet. Some folks are out cautiously skiing (especially in the northend), but not enough to allow us to groom. That said, the Trail is fine for walking.
Nov. 29th – Segments of the Trail have been packed and some tracksetting has taken place. More snow is needed to really get things underway. Passmore to Crescent Valley has been packed with some tracksetting. Winlaw to Perrys Siding has been packed and trackset. Be warned that the trackset is thin in places
November 24th – Winter is coming….. but it’s not here yet, at least snow wise. There is not enough to snow to pack the Rail Trail yet, but that doesn’t mean folks can’t try some free-form skiing. We’ll keep this updated as the season progresses.
2014/2015 Winter Season
March 4th – Trail has been repaired from the two slides we had a couple of weeks back. Passmore/Slocan Park is fine now. Crescent Valley site needs another culvert but trail can be walked.
Feb. 9th update – Weather has affected various parts of the Rail Trail. CRESCENT VALLEY – Mud is covering a portion of the Trail just north of the Crescent Valley Trailhead. Park on Kosiancic Rd and head north if entering at this area. SOUTH VALLEY – A few bare spots have been noticed between the Vallican Bluffs and Slocan Park, and some water running across Trail . Still good skiing around the Vallican Bluffs area thanks to a deep trackset. Some grooming may be attempted north of Winlaw on Monday.
Feb. 4th – Trail was touched up from Passmore to Crescent Valley today. Conditions are mild, but the skiing is actually pretty good when the weather is like this. Will keep folks posted about the rest of the valley as we get there.
January 29th – Mild conditions make for difficult grooming, but decent skiing. A groomer is out trying to freshen up the Winlaw to Passmore stretch today. The rest of the Trail has been done in the past week. Probably wont be grooming much until we get more snow and cooler temperatures.
January 20th – Trail was groomed and trackset from Winlaw to Slocan Lake today. Cooler temperatures tonight will make for some fast skiing in the morning!
January 18th – new snow and milder temperatures. Only section we managed to get at was Winlaw to Passmore. It may be slow going for grooming until the temperatures get cooler. Just a reminder that our Annual Day on the Trail is Sunday, January 25th. We’ll be setting up north of the Lemon Creek Trailhead between 1 and 3 p.m. Come out for a ski and join us around the bonfire.
January 16th – After the recent snow, the entire valley was groomed and trackset from Crescent Valley to Slocan Lake. Milder temperatures have followed so things could be a challenge. If taking a pet on the Rail Trail please make sure to clear any droppings off the treadpath.
January 12th – both sleds worked on the perrys Siding to Slocan Lake stretch today. There’s a great foundation and good trackset for classic and skate skiers to enjoy. Please remember to take advantage of our donation boxes along the Rail Trail. Everything helps to cover the cost of keeping the Trail in shape during the winter
January 10 – Trail has been freshened up and trackset from Crescent Valley to Perrys Siding today. Because of the thaw/freeze cycle, conditions of the trail vary. We hope to groom north of Perrys Siding to Slocan Lake on Monday. This section of trail is currently in poor condition, but skiable if you’re dedicated.
January 8th. – The entire valley has now been groomed and trackset. Ground may be soft, but enjoy it while you can. Please take advantage of the donation boxes at many of the Trail entry points. This is a volunteer driven organization and your donations is what helps cover the expenses that come with the snow.
January 7th – Trail has been packed and trackset Winlaw to Slocan Lake. Crescent Valley to Passmore should be getting trackset on Thursday. Weather may be wet, but it makes for easy skiing.
January 6th – we’re dealing with all this snow and slowly getting the Rail Trail in shape. Trackset is down between Winlaw and Perrys Siding. Packing is taking place on various segments with tracksetting in next day or two. Will keep this site posted, or look on our Facebook Page for updates as well.
Decmeber 29th – Finally we get some snow! Most of the Rail Trail was groomed and trackset today with the remainder getting done Monday. Conditions are good, with the thinnest snow in the Winlaw area. May not be more snow for awhile, so get out and enjoy!
December 26th – still not enough snow to groom the trail. There is a skiff of snow on the north end of the Rail Trail and some folks have skied north of Lemon Creek. We’ll post on our website and Facebook page as conditions allow.
December 7, 2014 – we are still waiting for enough snow and the right temperatures to begin packing a base for grooming and track-setting.
Updates from 2013 and Earlier
April 10 – the snow is gone in almost all places. There may be a few small patches of ice here and there in the northern half of the trail, but nothing to seriously inhibit bikers and walkers. By April 15 there should be no more than one or two short stretches with any icy material at all – north of Lemon Creek. Time to get those bicycles oiled and on the trail!
March 12th – Trail was groomed and trackset Winlaw to Slocan Lake today. Cooler night temperatures should keep things looking good, but who knows for how long? Enjoy while you can!
March 4, 2014 – The entire valley has been groomed and trackset in the past 24 hours. Lots of fresh snow. Milder temperatures ni the day but lower nighttime temperatures should let the track set up nicely.
Feb. 22 2014 – Entire valley is getting groomed and trackset today. South valley inthe morning, north valley in the afternoon
Feb. 19th – Entire trail was groomed and trackset today after our big snowfall. Conditions should be pretty good right now, with the cooler evening temperatures.
Feb. 12th update – Entire valley has been groomed and traclkset again – Crescent Valley to Slocan Lake. Cool evening temperatures suggest that the track should be in great condition in the coming days. Get out and enjoy!
Fe. 12th (Wed.) – Trail being groomed and trackset Winlaw To Crescent Valley. Should be good conditions with all the fresh snow. Unsure when north valley will get groomed again.
Feb. 11th – Entire valley was groomed and trackset today. Unfortunately a big dump of snow is on the way this evening
February 1, 2014: the rail trail was groomed and trackset from Winlaw north to Slocan Lake yesterday and is in good condition for both skiing and walking; the section from Slocan Park (Evin Rd.) north to Winlaw was groomed and trackset today and is usable from Slocan Park to Passmore and in good condition north of Passmore. Expect a couple of sketchy or bare spots near the Passmore slide and close to the big bench just north of Passmore. Unfortunately, we have not been able to get to the section from Crescent Valley north to Slocan Park (about 5km) since January 1 so conditions may not be that great on that section. For best results, we suggest skiing from Passmore north, or from Winlaw, Perry Siding, Lemon Creek or Slocan Lake trailheads with the conditions generally getting better the further north you go.
Jan. 26.14 – Grooming was done between Winlaw and Perrys Siding today. Poor conditions until we get some more snow, although if it’s cooler, the skiing should be fine. We have only really groomed between Passmore and Slocan Lake in the past couple of weeks.
Jan. 16.14 – Grooming done from Winlaw to Passmore today. Snow is pretty soft, but cooler night time temperatures should help keep it firm.
Jan.14.14 – Grooming is underway from Winlaw to Slocan Lake today and Wednesday. The result might be kind of coarse, but it should be better than what we have now!
Jan. 3.14 – Winlaw to Slocan Lake was groomed and trackset today. Trackset may be ‘thin’ in areas because of the rain overnight. Should set up nicely overnight and be quite fast in the next day or two. Be careful on icy tracks, slips and falls still hurt, even if the trail is flat
Jan. 1st – Winlaw to Crescent Valley was groomed this morning. Milder temperatures, so make sure you have some wax with you. If a skate skier, Lebedeau Flats is a great stretch to skate!
Dec. 31st – Winlaw to Slocan Lake was groomed and trackset today. On New Years Day the trail south is scheduled for grooming. We’ll confirm that on Wednesday.
Dec. 29th – Winlaw to Passmore was freshened up today. Groomed and trackset
Dec. 26th – The crew went crazy and groomed and trackset the entire Rail Trail. Fresh track from Slocan Lake to crescent Valley! If you want to support our volunteer efforts then please take advantage of the donation boxes at many of the trail entry points.
Dec. 23rd – Trail groomed Winlaw to Slocan Lake. Milder temperatures but a cooling trend will help the track set up. Lots of swans at the Walter Clough Wildlife Sanctuary and easy viewing from the Rail Trail
Dec. 21st – Trail groomed Winlaw to Crescent Valley. Good conditions. North valley schedule to be groomed Monday
Dec. 18th – Winlaw to Slocan was groomed and trackset yesterday. Good conditions. In the past week the entire valley has been groomed. We’re now waiting for a good dump of snow to make it perfect!
Dec. 9th – Trail has been groomed and trackset from Winlaw to Slocan Lake today. Go out and enjoy a ski! South protion will hopefully be done in the next day or two.
December 5th update – Test grooming and tracksetting today between Winlaw and Perrys Siding. Snow is thin and trackset exposes peebles and rocks in some sections. More snow is needed before a good base can get established. Don’t use your best skis until conditions improve.
Almost winter ski season. We’ll post updates on where we’ve groomed and trackset along the Rail Trail as they occur. You can also visit our Facebook page for updates.
The SVRT is in excellent condition for biking, hiking, walking and equestrian. We are all looking forward to a new season of cross-country skiing which will hopefully get underway in December some time. Starting in December, keep checking this page for the latest winter grooming news.
Trail users are reminded to keep their pets under control – leashing or holding your dog to let cyclists, horses and walkers pass you is always appreciated!
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