Whistler Olympic Park

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Revision as of 20:00, 12 January 2009 by imported>ScottN (→Day Lodge to Hanging Lake: updated race closure info - route described runs on both red and blue race courses)
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Background

There are two seperate nordic skiing operations in the Callaghan Valley - Whistler Olympic Park and Callaghan Country. Callaghan Country operates the western trails in the Callaghan Creek drainage, and Whistler Olympic Park operates the eastern trails in the Madeley Creek drainage.

Whistler Olympic Park Rules

Free access routes shown in red.
Access routes on XC ski trails shown in blue.
  1. All backcountry skiing or snowshoeing parties must register at the new Day Lodge in the morning to get a special parking pass. This pass will allow you to park overnight, and/or leave through the gate after normal hours. The parking pass is free.
  2. There is a $6 per person fee to use the XC trails for backcountry access. Only skiers on alpine touring or telemark equipment qualify for the reduced fee (no skinny XC skis). For safety, the normal cross country responsibility code applies. Only ski in the indicated direction on one way trails.
  3. There is no fee to access the backcountry without using the groomed XC trails. However, the waiver and free parking pass are still required. Please be careful when crossing XC ski trails and always yield to XC skiers. There are two recommended access routes that start at the Biathlon Range that minimize XC trail crossings (see below).
  4. Parties that arrive before the daylodge is open, should look for a sign in book near the door. Sign yourself in with your destination, and leave a note on the dash of your car.
  5. The XC ski trails and the 21 mile creek watershed (Rainbow Lake) are closed to dogs. This closure includes the ski touring loop from Hanging Lake over to Beverley Creek and ascents of Rainbow Mountain from the south and west.
  6. All snowcat / snowmobile access roads are closed to backcountry skiers for safety purposes. This includes the ski jump service road. Please do not use this route. Instead, access Hanging Lake from the Biathlon Spectator Parking Lot.

Please follow the above rules or we may lose access privileges. In particular, don't get caught skiing on an XC trail without the $6 ticket. If you really want to use the trail, $6 isn't much to ask.

Anyone who is interested in helping out with developing the trails should contact me. Scott Nelson

Biathlon Range To Hanging Lake

  • Park in the Biathlon Spectator Parking lot (P8) located on the left as you drive towards the Biathlon building.
  • Head into the forest east of the Biathlon Range, and climb gradually east parallel to the outermost XC trails. There is a narrow road here which is reserved for snowmobile/snowcat use by the XC area staff. Do not use this road, and do not use the outermost XC trail as it is for downhill traffic only and XC skiers may be going very fast around some blind corners.
  • After a pair of switchback, the snowcat/snowmobile service road forks. The right branch is reserved for snowmobiles/snowcats but the left branch is available to BC skiers. Follow this narrow road a short distance until it forks. Go right at the fork, and then when the road switchbacks to the left continue straight through a stand of trees to reach a logging road.
  • Go along the logging road for perhaps 50m to where the snowmobile/snowcat service road emerges from the forest. A flagged route starts here on the uphill side of the road. Follow the flags up the valley towards Hanging Lake. Initially, the route ascends gentle slopes on the north side of the creek. At about 1050m, the route crosses the creek and continues up the south side. At 1140m, the route heads sharply uphill to climbers right, reaching a bench at 1230m. Above the bench, meadows lead up and left to another bench on the bottom edge of a talus slope at 1320m.
  • The flagging ends at the bottom of an open talus slope. To reach Hanging Lake, make an ascending traverse across the slope. Then cut across a wide bench below a cliff to reach the outlet of Hanging Lake

Biathlon Range To Beverley Creek

This access route is closed during all Biathlon competitions, as it crosses the Biathlon race course.

  • Park in the Biathlon Spectator Parking lot (P8) located on the left as you drive towards the Biathlon building.
  • On the far NW side of lot P8 is a tall light pole. From the pole head NW, crossing the Biathlon connector trail and the Olympic Biathlon loop trail.
  • Turn north down a hill then parallel the Madeley Creek loop trail to a bridge over Beverley Creek.
  • Cross the bridge and head into the forest on the right. Do not go up Beverley creek, but rather head NW into the next drainage to the west where a flagged route begins. The flagged route rejoins the creek higher up, above a canyon section.

Day Lodge to Hanging Lake

This route uses XC trails, so you must purchase a $6 backcountry access pass at the day lodge. If a race is being held on either of the Olympic XC race courses, this access route will be closed. The area this route goes though has only one way trails, so the outgoing and incoming routes are different.

  • Pick up Olympic XC Blue going up from the Daylodge / Stadium area. Follow it to the top of the first hill.
  • Cross over to Olympic XC Red and turn right.
  • Take a shortcut on Olympic XC Red (on the left) to avoid going up and back down a hill
  • Take another shortcut on Olympic XC Red (on the right) to stay on the perimeter of the WOP trails. Follow this trail up then head up the valley on the right. Please Do not use any of the snowmobile access roads.
  • Pick up the flagged route from the logging road as described above. From here to Hanging Lake, the route is the same as coming from the Biathlon Range.

To return:

  • ski down the creek from Hanging Lake until you hit Olympic XC Red. Keep right on this one way trail
  • An optional shortcut is available to cut off some of the flatter part of the trail
  • keep on Olympic XC red going downhill until it reaches the XC stadium area
  • Turn left (south) to return to the day lodge.

Biathlon Range to Madeley Lake

This route uses XC trails, so you must purchase a $6 backcountry access pass at the day lodge. This access route is closed during all Biathlon competitions, as it crosses the Biathlon race course.

  • Park in Lot P8 and head NW past the overpass on the Olympic Biathlon Trail.
  • Drop down a hill heading north to reach the Madelely Creek Loop trail.
  • Follow the XC trails north to Madeley Lake. The recommended route is:
    • Madeley Creek Trail
    • Norweigan Woods
    • Lunch Lake
    • Madeley Road
  • Return via the same trails. Norwegian Woods and Madeley Creek Trail are one way trails, but you can take the higher branch of Norwegian Woods then ski against the grain, but off the trails back to the Biathlon Range.

Callaghan Country Rules

  1. Backcountry skiers on telemark or AT gear get free use of the groomed XC trails.
  2. Do not park in the Callaghan Country parking lot, as it is reserved for (paying) customers. There are a few free plowed parking spots on the right near the bridge over Madeley Creek.
  3. Do not use the groomed XC trail that connect into the Whistler Olympic Park area without buying their $6 pass. This pass is only available at the Whistler Olympic Park day lodge, a short drive up the road from the Callaghan Country base area.
  4. Callaghan Country runs a snow coach shuttle up the their lodge at Conflict Lake. If you want to be driven up, a ride cost $31.50. It takes about 1 hour to make the 12.5km trip. Call in advance to make arrangements.

Whistler Nordic Centre & Callahagn Valley Master Plan

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Whistler Nordic Centre Homepage

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