About Dogtooth - Kicking Horse

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

The Dogtooth region occupies the northern Purcell Mountains adjacent to Golden, BC, rising above the Columbia River valley and the Blaeberry River drainage into the upper Dogtooth and Horsethief Creek systems. Kicking Horse Mountain Resort anchors the eastern edge of the region, and its lift infrastructure provides rapid access to the upper elevation band before the terrain transitions into the broader wilderness backcountry. This area is defined by the transition between the Columbia wet belt and the drier northern Purcells, featuring a mix of heavily glaciated high alpine terrain and the steep, densely forested mid-elevation band characteristic of the interior ranges. Golden serves as the primary access hub, with forest service roads penetrating the major drainages for seasonal access. This region sits at the eastern edge of the Columbia Mountains' precipitation shadow, receiving considerably less snowfall than the Rogers Pass area to the north but more than the dry continental regions of the Rockies immediately to the east. The snowpack generally builds well but is susceptible to significant wind effect on the exposed ridge systems above treeline. Cold snaps followed by storm cycles can bury weak layers that persist through the season, and the transition from wet-belt to continental snow character means conditions can vary significantly from one drainage to the next within the same region.

Terrain within this zone includes: Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, Golden, Blaeberry River, Horsethief Creek, Moonraker, Dogtooth Range.