As the wet fall weather gives way to powdery winter snow, My Mountain Co-op (MMC) is gearing up for a new shred season at Shames Mountain.
“There’s a lot of stuff lined up for November, and the next thing you know, we’ll be skiing in December,” says general manager Christian Theberge. Weather depending, he estimates the ski hill will open by the first week of December.
“Summer is over, and it’s time for fall to move out of the way and give room for some nice, snowy mountains, and some good skiing.”
Theberge says MMC did expect there to be a slight drop in ticket sales following a cold winter, but he says the number of early bird tickets sold before Sept. 27 is on track with previous years.
“Our expectation is we’re going to have a much better winter this year,” he says. “The weather is becoming less and less predictable, but all of our indicators here are showing for a good season.”
There’s still a chance to get a 10 per cent season pass discount before Nov. 1. Full-time post secondary students can also purchase their season pass for $306 until Nov. 1.
READ MORE: Shames Mountain creates new fund for youth in memory of late founder
The ‘Billey Season Pass Fund’ created last season to commemorate the passing of Curtis Billey, a founding member and accountant, is now accepting applications for its second year. The fund donates one youth season pass every year to a deserving local candidate between the ages of 13-20. Application forms will be accepted until Dec. 1.
There’s still a lot to be excited about even before the first layer of snow covers Shames Mountain.
Over the summer, crews were hard at work to install a new propane-boiler heating system for the hill’s day lodge, which is expected to replace more than 25,000 litres in diesel a year with 10-15,000 litres of propane. The new system not only reduces the lodge’s carbon footprint, Theberge says, but because it’s one system as opposed to multiple, seperate heaters, it should produce a much more uniform heat to keep skiers and snowboards cozy this season.
Now with pre-season activities in full swing, MMC is looking for about a dozen volunteers to get the ski hill ready to ride with two sets of worker bees. The first one is set for this Saturday, Oct. 26, with a second one planned for Nov. 2.
“We’ll be looking at getting some more brushing done, as much as we can before the snow flies, and a variety of other little projects — everything from some work on our chairlift putting the seats back on, to some pre-season work at the day lodge.”
Anyone interested in helping is asked to send MMC a message on Facebook, contact the office, or just show up at the hill at 10 a.m. Be prepared with whatever gear you have, including steel toe boots, gloves, safety glasses, ear protection and warm clothing.
READ MORE: Rio Tinto donates $50K for Shames Mountain chairlift upgrades
And as the clock to ski season ticks down, get shred ready by taking part in a few more fundraising events for MMC. On Nov. 2, rock out at the Terrace Legion for ‘Night of the Living Shred,’ a fundraising Halloween party for MMC with live music.
Need some new gear? Check out the ski and board swap at the Kitsumkalum Hall in Terrace on Nov. 8 to Nov. 9.
Kick off the season in Prince Rupert at the Powder Pig Jig on Nov. 16. On Nov. 22, the REM Lee Theatre will be screening the ski flick “Winterland” by Teton Gravity Research. Then head over to the Terrace Legion on Nov. 30 for a snow dance party with live music and silent auction.
brittany@terracestandard.com
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