View the Government of BC information on closures.

Closure Maps:

• Sale Mountain (PDF format)
• Keystone & Standard Basin Closure Map (PDF Format)
• All Closures

Read our latest blog – Caribou Closures: The risk of a motorized ban

Revelstoke Snowmobile Club’s (RSC) involvement with mountain caribou recovery dates back almost four decades. Beginning in the mid 1980s, the Club has been consistently on the forefront of local caribou recovery initiatives. Club members actively participate by raising awareness, sharing information, and protecting caribou habitat.

The Club has a Stewardship Management Agreement with the Ministry of Environment demonstrating our commitment to the preservation of wildlife. Volunteers patrol the Frisby Ridge caribou closure reporting wildlife tracks and sightings. The Club purchased, installed, and continues to maintain the closure boundary signs.

The snowmobile community is the eyes on the ground and the voice of conservation for protection of mountain caribou.  Seeing wildlife while out riding is a privilege, protecting them has always been our priority.

Mountain Caribou are an ecotype of British Columbia’s woodland caribou population. They are globally unique, as the world’s southern-most caribou population.

Mountain caribou feed on arboreal (tree) lichens in winter when the deep snowpack allows them easy access.  This adaptation to high elevation habitats during the winter separates them from predators which typically inhabit valley bottoms where other ungulates such as deer and moose winter.

In the spring mountain caribou move downslope to take advantage of new growth and reduced snow.  They return to the alpine in the late spring to have their young and briefly move downslope in the fall until high access elevation snowpack allows them to access arboreal lichens in the alpine.

Both male and female caribou grow antlers.  The male’s antlers are typically larger and fall off earlier in the winter than those of females.

Caribou hooves are similar in size to moose, with a more rounded shape.  As caribou generally weigh only a third as much as a moose, they are often able to walk on top of the snowpack.

The BC Snowmobile Federation in conjunction with local snowmobile clubs have agreed to the following Operational Practices in order to reduce disturbance to mountain caribou.

• Snowmobilers will make every effort to research an area prior to snowmobile there, including looking for local maps and other information pertinent to snowmobiling in that location.
• Snowmobiles will not ride in areas designated as closed to snowmobiling.
• Snowmobilers will obey all posted signs.
• If caribou are encountered, snowmobilers will refrain from approaching. Snowmobilers will stay on their snowmobiles.  Photographs will be taken from a distance.
• If caribou are encountered on a road or trail, snowmobilers will turn off the engine and remain on their sled. Snowmobilers will wait until the caribou have moved off the road or trail before continuing, making every effort to stay as far away from the caribou as safely as possible.
• If caribou are encountered in a play area, snowmobilers will not approach them. They will shut down their machines to give animals a chance to move away, then leave the area and refrain from riding within sight of the caribou.
• If caribou tracks are observed, snowmobilers will not follow the tracks.
• Snowmobilers will ride only where the snow is greater than 30 cm deep.

The Conservation Officer Service regularly patrols all snowmobile closure areas.  The RCMP, Natural Resource Officers and National Park Wardens often participate in the patrols.  These patrols are done on the ground via snowmobiles in addition to aerial patrols from helicopters.  Helicopter patrols permit assessment of many areas in a short amount of time and reduce the risk of avalanches to officers.  In addition, compliance monitoring is carried out using fixed wing aircraft.

Infractions are likely to result in prosecution under the Wildlife Act.

Stop in at our Welcome Centre located at 4177 Westside Road for more information.

View the Government of BC information on closures.