Whitewater Touring Information

On the Summit Side, Whitewater has agreed to allow KMC members to skin up a specified route within their area boundary subject to certain conditions:

Park in the “Maintenance” parking lot (Lot #2) or in the Nordic Lot as for Silver King. If you are planning to be out overnight, then park in the Nordic Lot and leave a note on your dashboard indicating that you will be out overnight. Notify Whitewater in your email of your intention to stay out overnight and give them the make, model and license plate number of any vehicle(s) left overnight.
From the west end of the maintenance lot, skin up the Blast Skiway, which takes a rising traverse from climbers right to left. Continue past the end of Blast Skiway to Motherload and skin up Motherload and then take a left and climb up Blaster's Ridge (spur ridge up to the main Ymir ridgeline). See the map. If the Catch Basin Skiway is open, it is acceptable to take it east toward Catch Basin, and then gain the ridge near its low point. If the Catch Basin Skiway is closed, do not take this route. Ropes and signs will make it obvious that it is closed.
At the top of Motherload, the route up Blaster's Ridge may be closed due to blasting for avalanche control. It is a federal offense to cross the fence line if this route is closed, and you will be in a world of trouble if you do so. If snow or high wind is expected, this route is often closed the night before, so an early start will not help you. If there has been high winds or even a moderate amount of new snow, it is best to avoid the Summit Side skin route until you know Catch Basin has been opened.
You must be out of the ski area boundary by 8:00 am at the very latest.
You must notify Whitewater of your intent to skin up the Summit Side by 3:00 pm on the day before. You are to notify Whitewater by sending an email to kmc.wh2o@kootenaymountaineering.bc.ca requesting clearance to skin up the Summit Side. In your email, note that you are a KMC member, mention the number of skiers expected in your group, and, if you expect to be out overnight, include in your email the make, model and license plate number of any vehicles that will be in the lot overnight. You must get a response from Whitewater before proceeding; if you don't receive an affirmative response, do NOT go.
No dogs. No exceptions.
Except in the event of a bona fide emergency, do not descend the ski hill until after 10:00 am.
Be alert for approaching grooming machines and snowmobiles, and be aware that visibility from the groomer's cab can be very limited due to billowing snow.
Be very alert for changed conditions when you return at the end of your day. If it has been snowing or blowing, the slopes above Catch Basin and Motherload may have been loaded and avalanche prone, blasting may be underway, and the runs east of Motherload may be closed. If there are no fresh tracks visible in Upper Powder Keg or Catch Basin it is likely closed. Avalanche closure signage is in place for lift-accessed in-bounds terrain, and is not intended or positioned to warn backcountry users returning to the resort. If in doubt as to the closure status, return back down Blasters ridge to enter the resort at the top of the Motherload run (recommended), or travel to another route that does not enter through a closed avalanche area (i.e. Prospector bowl or West Ymir).

Obviously, ski tourers are on their own in terms of hazard assessment – you can not assume that Whitewater has done any avalanche control, so you must evaluate and choose your routes just as you do outside of the ski area boundary.

There is some confusion on what rights WH2O has in regards to restricting public access. In fact, ski tourers have no legal right to skin up their nicely groomed runs. Whitewater has the legal right to control public access to their tenure area, and in the past have had individuals removed by the RCMP.

Whitewater has some legitimate and reasonable concerns regarding ski touring in their ski area, but to their credit, they are trying to accommodate the ski touring community within the KMC. In order for this agreement to work, it is important that we abide by the conditions agreed to by the KMC and Whitewater.

View a map of Whitewater terrain and access routes here.

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	Ski Touring From Whitewater Ski Resort
	Whitewater Ski Resort's policy is that ski tourers are prohibited from skinning up their runs for the full duration of their winter operating season. The KMC has met with Whitewater and agreed to an arrangement whereby KMC members will be permitted to cross Whitewater's operating area. Note that the agreement for passage on the Summit Side is for KMC members only; please be on your best behavior and keep a low profile when you're within the area boundary.
	Ski Touring Parking Lot (Km 7 of Whitewater Access Road)
	Access to Hummingbird Pass, Evening Ridge, and the west ridge of White Queen will continue unchanged from recent years. The gate on the bridge over Apex Creek will continue to be chained and locked to prevent snowmobile passage, but will be left sufficiently open to allow skiers to pass through. When touring, ski tourers are requested to avoid the groomed cross country trails when practical, and when traveling on the cross country trails, stay to the side and out of the trackset tracks. Dogs are not allowed on the cross country trails.
	Silverking Side
	A route on the west side of the Silver King side has been defined for access to the White Queen ridgeline above the Silver King chairlift. This route may be used by anyone, at any time of day, and it is not necessary to notify Whitewater prior to traveling this route. Park at the far west end of the Nordic Parking Lot. From the NW end of the lot, skin in a NW direction making a gentle climb, staying below the cat road, until west of the big switchback in the cat road (this is where the run "Silver King Skiway" becomes "Quartz Skiway"). From here, switchback up through glades until about level with the top of the run "Canadian Belle". Finally, follow a rising traverse to the east above the upper cat road and eventually to the fire brake road cut just below ridgeline. See map.
	Summit Side On the Summit Side, Whitewater has agreed to allow KMC members to skin up a specified route within their area boundary subject to certain conditions: Park in the “Maintenance” parking lot (Lot #2) or in the Nordic Lot as for Silver King. If you are planning to be out overnight, then park in the Nordic Lot and leave a note on your dashboard indicating that you will be out overnight. Notify Whitewater in your email of your intention to stay out overnight and give them the make, model and license plate number of any vehicle(s) left overnight. From the west end of the maintenance lot, skin up the Blast Skiway, which takes a rising traverse from climbers right to left. Continue past the end of Blast Skiway to Motherload and skin up Motherload and then take a left and climb up Blaster's Ridge (spur ridge up to the main Ymir ridgeline). See the map. If the Catch Basin Skiway is open, it is acceptable to take it east toward Catch Basin, and then gain the ridge near its low point. If the Catch Basin Skiway is closed, do not take this route. Ropes and signs will make it obvious that it is closed. At the top of Motherload, the route up Blaster's Ridge may be closed due to blasting for avalanche control. It is a federal offense to cross the fence line if this route is closed, and you will be in a world of trouble if you do so. If snow or high wind is expected, this route is often closed the night before, so an early start will not help you. If there has been high winds or even a moderate amount of new snow, it is best to avoid the Summit Side skin route until you know Catch Basin has been opened. You must be out of the ski area boundary by 8:00 am at the very latest. You must notify Whitewater of your intent to skin up the Summit Side by 3:00 pm on the day before. You are to notify Whitewater by sending an email to kmc.wh2o@kootenaymountaineering.bc.ca requesting clearance to skin up the Summit Side. In your email, note that you are a KMC member, mention the number of skiers expected in your group, and, if you expect to be out overnight, include in your email the make, model and license plate number of any vehicles that will be in the lot overnight. You must get a response from Whitewater before proceeding; if you don't receive an affirmative response, do NOT go. No dogs. No exceptions. Except in the event of a bona fide emergency, do not descend the ski hill until after 10:00 am. Be alert for approaching grooming machines and snowmobiles, and be aware that visibility from the groomer's cab can be very limited due to billowing snow. Be very alert for changed conditions when you return at the end of your day. If it has been snowing or blowing, the slopes above Catch Basin and Motherload may have been loaded and avalanche prone, blasting may be underway, and the runs east of Motherload may be closed. If there are no fresh tracks visible in Upper Powder Keg or Catch Basin it is likely closed. Avalanche closure signage is in place for lift-accessed in-bounds terrain, and is not intended or positioned to warn backcountry users returning to the resort. If in doubt as to the closure status, return back down Blasters ridge to enter the resort at the top of the Motherload run (recommended), or travel to another route that does not enter through a closed avalanche area (i.e. Prospector bowl or West Ymir). Obviously, ski tourers are on their own in terms of hazard assessment – you can not assume that Whitewater has done any avalanche control, so you must evaluate and choose your routes just as you do outside of the ski area boundary. There is some confusion on what rights WH2O has in regards to restricting public access. In fact, ski tourers have no legal right to skin up their nicely groomed runs. Whitewater has the legal right to control public access to their tenure area, and in the past have had individuals removed by the RCMP. Whitewater has some legitimate and reasonable concerns regarding ski touring in their ski area, but to their credit, they are trying to accommodate the ski touring community within the KMC. In order for this agreement to work, it is important that we abide by the conditions agreed to by the KMC and Whitewater. View a map of Whitewater terrain and access routes here.

The Kootenay Mountaineering Club