The Location

Coquihalla Summit riding area is just off the Coquihalla Highway, Exit #228 (Britton Creek rest area) between Hope and Merritt. The area consists of great riding areas for beginner to expert riders. They groom over 60 Km of trails to make it quick and easy to access the Alpine (Henning Alpine 6Km from Parking lot, 10-K Alpine is 15Km in). Furthermore, they have groomed trails through the Alpine so beginners can also enjoy the Alpine.

How to get there

The Snopark is about 1 hour, 20 minutes east from Abbotsford, BC. Simply follow HighwayTrans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 E to Coquihalla Hwy/BC-5 N and take Exit #228. The SnoPark is on the east side of the highway. Refer to this directions map to find the SnoPark:

From the Seattle Area, take the Sumas border crossing. Once through the border, Hwy 9 turns to Hwy 11. Follow that North for just 3km/2miles and merge onto HighwayTrans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 E.

Where to stay

This journey can be made in a single day i f you are located either in the lower main land or the Seattle area. Should you prefer to stay overnight however you have two options: You can stay on the summit adjacent to the SnoPark, or you can stay in Hope.

Staying on the Summit

If you stay on the Summit, you only have one option: Coquihalla Lakes Lodge. You can refer to the directions map to find it. The lodge is a quaint series of cabins of various sizes. You will have to park above the lodge, underneath the snowmobile sign and then carry your gear down to check in. If the snow permits, you can ride from the lodge to the snow park. At the lodge, you will have to bring your own linens and make your own meals. The cabins are well set up, heated by a combination of electric heaters and wood heat. Overall staying at the lodge is a very enjoyable experience. http://www.coquihallalakeslodge.com/index.php

Staying in Hope

If you would prefer to stay near a little closer to civilization, Hope is only 35 minutes away from the SnoPark. Hope has a nice selection of restaurants and services. In particular, we can recommend the Heritage inn which is within walking distance of several dining options. The Heritage Inn is clean and spacious and they do their utmost to cater to the snowmobile parking needs. http://www.heritageinnhope.com/

Where to ride

There are over 60 KM of trails to ride. For an overview of the entire trail system, check out the Trail Map. It’s a popular option to ride direct to Henning or 10K alpines.

Henning

Refer to the directions map above to find riding directions to Henning area. While the smaller of the two alpine areas, the Henning area get less traffic. What’s more, you will most likely be able to encounter unused snow in the northern most tip. From the Henning cabin, follow the groomed trail to the North East. This will lead you to the first Northerly climb, which will be an abrupt left turn off the groomed track. From here the trail will climb for a fair distance before a slight plateau and a descent into the area called the SuperBowl. On the back side of the Superbowl, there is a small gap route where you can climb North West onto the alpine plateau. It is here where the first image of this article was taken. The Henning Alpine doesn’t have any one large alpine, but is a series of smaller openings and bowls joined together. This is a great area because you can just explore for hours on end, continuously finding new untouched fields to play in.

10K

Refer to the directions map above to find riding directions to the 10K area. This is alpine area is absolutely massive! From the cabin, pass the “Advanced Rider Only” sign and follow the descent north to a Northeasterly drainage. Follow this draining northeast until you can find a route North. Your objective, from the drainage is to work your way counter clockwise around the predominant peak above the drainage. Here you will find a gap that will allow you to turn west. Once you find this gap, you will be able to follow the ridge line west right to the back of the area (Or the light bulb bowl). You may prefer to work your way right to the back and then head forwards during the day. This area is prominently open, with smaller alpine trees throughout.

Other considerations

There is a daily usage fee of $20. They do an excellent job of grooming and upkeep, so this is well worth the money. There is a blue container building in the SnoPark parking lot that will collect the fees. Refer to the directions map above to find the SnoPark. Bear in mind that Hope is your only option for fuel. It´s definitely worth brigning extra if you are riding for several days. For more information, visit their website: http://www.coqsnow.com/