About Clearwater - Wells Gray

This page shows the current backcountry snow report, avalanche forecast, and weather conditions for Clearwater - Wells Gray. Check the danger rating, field observations, and Doctor's Orders summary above before heading out.

The Clearwater region spans a vast and heavily glaciated section of the Cariboo Mountains near Clearwater, north of Kamloops, centred on the drainages flowing into Wells Gray Provincial Park and the North Thompson River corridor. This is a large, wilderness-oriented region with limited road access, defined by the massive icefields of the Trophy Mountains and the upper Clearwater River watershed. The terrain transitions from dense, old-growth Interior cedar-hemlock forests to expansive subalpine meadows and heavily crevassed glacier systems at upper elevations, with the Cariboo Mountains representing some of the most deeply glaciated terrain in the province outside of the coast. The snow climate reflects an intermediate position between the maritime wet belt and the drier Interior, producing a heavy and generally well-consolidated snowpack that builds reliably through the winter season. Significant loading events are common, driven by Pineapple Express patterns that can deliver massive accumulations, and the deep snowpack supports extensive glacier coverage. Persistent weak layer development is less common than in drier regions to the east, though rapid loading and shallow terrain features at the transition region between maritime and continental airmasses require careful monitoring.

Terrain within this zone includes: Wells Gray Provincial Park, Trophy Mountains, Clearwater River, North Thompson, Cariboo Mountains.