When are trails snow-free?

After a long Kootenay winter, it’s nice to air out the hiking boots and get moving on some solid dirt. However, when spring starts in the valleys, winter continues in the alpine for a long time.

Snow-free hiking depends on:

• The elevation of the trail
• The slope-aspect of the trail (south-facing vs north-facing)
• The density of the forest
• The weather (doh!)
• And the snowpack level for the season

Weather and snowpack change year to year, so there are no guarantees. If you want info on the latest conditions, your best bet is the West Kootenay Hiking Access Facebook Group where locals share the latest info.

But in general, here are some examples of when and where you can enjoy snow-free hiking:

Mid-Late March

Lakeshore trails with southern exposure are usually snow-free. These trails have little to no elevation with open forests to let in lots of sun.

• Pilot Peninsula
• Syringa/Yellow Pine Trails
• Kokanee Creek Loop
• Christina Lake

Early April

South-facing trails with a bit of a climb are usually snow-free. These trails don’t go higher than 1000m.

• Pulpit Rock
• Lyon’s Bluff
• Dove Hill Loop
• Montrose Antenna Trail
• Slocan-Evans Creek
• Fry Creek Canyon

Mid-Late April

North-facing trails at low elevation are now snow free. These don’t climb above 1000m and also have open forests.

• Brilliant Overlook
• Mel Deanna Trail
• Morning Mountain

May

Almost all of the shoulder-season hikes that climb below 1800m are snow-free! Here are some good ones:

• Davis Creek
• Merry Creek
• Smallwood/Bigwood

Mid-Late June

Alpine trails with southern exposure and maintained access roads (think highways) are now snow-free.

• Lost Mountain
• White Queen
• Old Glory Mountain
• Lightning Strike
• Wakefield Trail – Idaho Peak

Mid-Late July

All of the alpine trails are now snow free! It’s full hiking season at last. Here are some of the top ones:

• Idaho Peak
• Kokanee Lake Trail and Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park hikes
• Jumbo Pass, Monica Meadows, MacBeth Icefield
• Gwillim Lakes, Gimli Ridge (Valhalla Provincial Park)

Late September

By the end of September (or sooner!), snow starts building up on alpine trails again. And hikes are generally snow-filled in the reverse order above.

Why care about snow?

Sure, you can strap on your gaiters and go hike in the snow, but there are some reasons why you’ll want to consider when and where to hike:

• Access roads. The access road to the trailhead might still be snowed-in and impassable. Or, the access road might be snow-free, but soft and muddy from spring run-off. You don’t want to get your vehicle stuck.
• Avalanches Paths. There could be avalanche danger on trails that cross avalanche paths, such as the Kokanee Lake Trail. Old avalanche paths can also create steep snow chutes that are dangerous to cross.
• Navigation. Trails can be hard to follow when covered in snow.