Vancouver Island Snowmobile Nordic Trails are pretty much found on any mid mountain slope with a trail system. As long as the nordic trail is easily accessed by good roads snowmobiling is a go. During the winter months the snow line drops on the mountains, almost daily. The mid mountain summer hiking trails and most of the deactivated and active logging roads become popular snowmobiling routes.

Some snowmobile groups and tours even venture further into the backcountry into the deep forests of the wilderness regions staying in private recreational warming huts. From hut to hut, groups tour the beautiful backcountry for days.

The west coast mountains are notoriously famous for receiving some of the highest volumes of snowfall in BC, Canada (and in many years in Canada). The snow fall continues into early spring at the higher elevations keeping the nordic trails with snow cover, sometimes, until mid - March.

Because of the mild temperatures and the weather systems blowing in off the coastal mountains from the Pacific Ocean.. down drafts coming off the Strait of Georgia are created.. a combination of systems, a weather cocktail that delivers some of the heaviest snow fall in BC to island mountains.

The local island mountain ranges are often layered in powder snow during the winter months, with two mountain resorts catering to snowmobiles. In the Comox Valley, a community located centrally on Vancouver Island, is where the larger snow mountain resort of the two is located on Mount Washington. Further north up island, south of Port McNeill is the second of the island sledder hills, Mount Cain.

Mount Washington is a ski and snowboard resort located at the top of the mountain. There is a ski shop, restaurants, coffee shops and pub at the resort. Sledders only go as far as the mid mountain valleys and peaks. Traveling up the mountain are various pull-out areas with parked trucks and snowmobile trailers. It is here where the sledders depart and begin exploring.

The closest snowmobile resort mountain accommodations are located on Mount Washington where you are able to snowshoe to your truck and sled from your front door. Next closest accommodations are in the communities located at the base of the mountain. Courtenay, Comox, Campbell River and Saratoga Beach are only a 1/2 - 1 hour drive away but with more amenities and services.

Mount Cain is a smaller sledder destination located further north on Vancouver Island near the community of Port McNeill, BC. The trail system starts on any of the pull-outs on the way up the hill, but best to start at the top of the ski hill at the parking lot.

The mountain is run by volunteers and the roads may not be plowed so bring chains or phone ahead for road conditions to access the trails. There are accommodations on Mt. Cain, although few. Most of the accommodations are located in the northern communities including Port Hardy and McNeill.

Vancouver Island Snowmobiling