2024 Northern BC thread

**Angle Parking** · 02-03-2024, 09:19 PM

Best of luck with the surgery Gary.

And just so you know Gary, your invites to Shames are acknowledged and appreciated. It's tough for us Bulkley Valley folks with kids in the Smithers Ski Club to get away for the weekend. It kind of monopolizes your ski time. But I guess there are worst parenting fates than constantly having to take your kids to the ski hill.

And speaking of the ski hill, Hudson Bay Mountain is holding up surprisngly well. We survived the warmth and rain with our ski hill snow pack pretty much unscathed. Not a ton of snow but everything is open and coverage is decent. There are worst fates that spinnin' laps on hard pack I guess.

BTW Hankin Backcountry Ski Area is a bit of sh*t show these days for those heading up this way. The terrain above treeline is decent but the cut runs are very thin and not much fun.

XXX-er - would be cool to get another repreat of the surprise Ski Cross Championships we had a few years back. It was cool to watch and my kids got a real kick out of it.

**XXX-er** · 02-04-2024, 02:51 PM

Coverage is actualy good enough I would ride my goodest GS skis !

I was talking to Branden the lift maintenance guy at the hill, he sez we are getting 3 race events in the next few weeks cuz we have the snow , so this is all good $$$$ for the hill and the local economy

I always buy Branden a beer

**Tri-Ungulate** · 02-04-2024, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by Angle Parking

Best of luck with the surgery Gary.

Originally Posted by Angle Parking

And just so you know Gary, your invites to Shames are acknowledged and appreciated...

garyfromterrace is the best and most generous host imaginable. Fun to ski with as well, knowledgeable and great skills. He won't tell you he's a local luminary in the Shames area - I would run into random people there who knew him and his wonderful wife, with nothing but good things to say.

Well, except for the guy whose dog I almost ran over.

Terrace is a hidden skiing gem, I'm glad I got to visit, and hope to be back someday.

Heal that knee up soon Gary!

**tang** · 02-05-2024, 10:10 AM

^^^ ditto on all that! The mayor of shames. An ambassador to such a unique and amazing mtn and area

**garyfromterrace** · 02-05-2024, 01:37 PM

AP, cheers buddy! Tri, Tang, thanks boys that's very nice to say. Tri-ungulate, I'm sure the swiss guide would disagree haha. Oh, and Ian the dog owner loves me again and says he owes you a bottle of single malt when you come visit again. Yesterday another neighbor suggested that you shouldn't have hit the brakes BTW, everyone hates that mutt

**panchosdad** · 02-05-2024, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by garyfromterrace

Hey panchosdad, awesome you're coming our way. Not as awesome that we are not having a banner year for snow, but hey - you don't know until you go, amirite!
Current conditions at shames (resort) are abysmal, the chair will likely not spin this weekend. Above the T bar things are a bit better. We did get some snow today up there.
I would stay at the Skeena River House B & B. The owner is a legend (Brad Z), the place has one of the best views in town and his wife is an amazing cook.
Restaurants:
Blue Fin Sushi if ya like seafood
Don Diego's for mexi/Cali style
Sombadas for greek
I ate at the golf course last night and it was absolutely outstanding, they've a new chef and it may be my new favorite eatery in town.

For beers:
Sherwood brewhouse, cool local spot with a great vibe and live music more than often.
Thornhill Pub
Skeena Pub

Where to Ski:
depending on your route finding skills, snowcraft, risk tolerance we have a very big playground taking in all aspects and all elevations. I'd have to know you better to give you specific places to ski when you're here. Given this season... (fuck) I'd say you'll have to wait until much closer to game day. I can't help but think it will turn around (some of our biggest storms as far as big dumps go are in April at elevation) by the time you're here in late March, and you could easily have amazing conditions. We get 1m + storms at least a couple of times a year.

One thing that you unfortunately won't get to do this time is ski with me. I've a date with my knee surgeon on Feb 7, so I'm 2 months out likely.

Thanks for all that, best of luck with surgery.

**Angle Parking** · 02-08-2024, 01:03 PM

Going to Shames with Gary is a legit cultural experience. The man is indeed the mayor of Shames. "Hey Gary!, how's it going!" or things to that effect is a refrain you hear a lot. In the parking lot, at the bottom and top of the lifts. In the lodge, in the backcountry etc.. Everybody knows and appreciates Gary and the feeling is reciprocal. It's like he's a public figure of some sort connecting with his constituents except for the fact he wants nothing from anyone except for people to have fun.

Should you ever wish to see a man truly in his element, go to Shames, go with Gary.

And this doesn't even address the tireless work he puts in on behalf of the co-op. Suffice it to say, the place would likely not exist without him and other dedicated volunteers.

And and here's another awesome piece of Shames news,

https://mymountaincoop.ca/exciting-n...360-solutions/

^^ So a lowly public school teacher such as myself can take my kids to Shames and I only have to fork cash out for one adult ticket!

**mntlion** · 02-11-2024, 02:39 PM

I know its the wrong season, but looking for event suggestions for mnt bike event this summer for 100km to 100 miles

Not a multi loop event (not golden 100)

Mostly single track (not ghost of gravel)

The smaller the event the better (not looking for a 500 person start line)

Odds are I will have a support driver, so can be a loop or a point to point option.

Any suggestions?

Looking for endurance, NOT enduro

valemont to PG to terrace to 100 mile house, kinda area.

**garyfromterrace** · 02-11-2024, 03:50 PM

https://www.torcanorth.com/events.html

Nothing to see yet, but when there is it'll be posted on the torca site.

Wife's on the Torca board and she tells me there's no endurance races (like 20 - 50km xc) planned. There's some enduros and a fun-dero that'll happen. Sorry mate.

Edit to add, there is some really great black (I can attest) & double black (I am told) riding.

**XXX-er** · 02-11-2024, 04:01 PM

I havent heard of anything but I would check with the bike shops & mtn bike clubs in Burns lake/ PG/ Quesnel/ Williams lake

**mntlion** · 02-11-2024, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by garyfromterrace

https://www.torcanorth.com/events.html

Nothing to see yet, but when there is it'll be posted on the torca site.

Wife's on the Torca board and she tells me there's no endurance races (like 20 - 50km xc) planned. There's some enduros and a fun-dero that'll happen. Sorry mate.

Edit to add, there is some really great black (I can attest) & double black (I am told) riding.

THanks. hoping for something 50-100km

**panchosdad** · 04-25-2024, 06:16 PM

A few pics to share from our March/april trip to Smithers, Terrace and Burnie Glacier. Had a great time overall, but our week of pre hut trip skiing was less than spectacular. Low tide and bad skiing, plus our duffels didn't show up for 2 days (fuck Air Canada). Had a day at Hankin Evelyn, and then skinned up Shames a couple times and skied groomers cause that was the best snow. Oh well, you pays your money and takes your chances. Really enjoyed our time in Smithers, and stayed just outside Terrace at the Skeena River Lodge (on Gary's recommendation) which I highly recommend. The Shames backcountry potential is pretty special, just wasn't in the cards for our conditions. Got to have dinner at Gary's as well which was a real treat. Many, Many great folks were met.

Photos from Burnie because that place is stunning and we did have some good conditions there. Food was top notch as well.

Well I guess photos don't work. Sorry about that.

**homemadesalsa** · 04-26-2024, 07:11 AM

Originally Posted by panchosdad

A few pics to share from our March/april trip to Smithers, Terrace and Burnie Glacier. Had a great time overall, but our week of pre hut trip skiing was less than spectacular. Low tide and bad skiing, plus our duffels didn't show up for 2 days (fuck Air Canada). Had a day at Hankin Evelyn, and then skinned up Shames a couple times and skied groomers cause that was the best snow. Oh well, you pays your money and takes your chances. Really enjoyed our time in Smithers, and stayed just outside Terrace at the Skeena River Lodge (on Gary's recommendation) which I highly recommend. The Shames backcountry potential is pretty special, just wasn't in the cards for our conditions. Got to have dinner at Gary's as well which was a real treat. Many, Many great folks were met.

Photos from Burnie because that place is stunning and we did have some good conditions there. Food was top notch as well.

Well I guess photos don't work. Sorry about that.

Trying the reply function to add a pic.

Sent from my SM-A536U using Tapatalk

**XXX-er** · 04-26-2024, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by panchosdad

A few pics to share from our March/april trip to Smithers, Terrace and Burnie Glacier. Had a great time overall, but our week of pre hut trip skiing was less than spectacular. Low tide and bad skiing, plus our duffels didn't show up for 2 days (fuck Air Canada). Had a day at Hankin Evelyn, and then skinned up Shames a couple times and skied groomers cause that was the best snow. Oh well, you pays your money and takes your chances. Really enjoyed our time in Smithers, and stayed just outside Terrace at the Skeena River Lodge (on Gary's recommendation) which I highly recommend. The Shames backcountry potential is pretty special, just wasn't in the cards for our conditions. Got to have dinner at Gary's as well which was a real treat. Many, Many great folks were met.

Photos from Burnie because that place is stunning and we did have some good conditions there. Food was top notch as well. .

why I tell ever one flying in to carry-on your boots and despite what you wife sez

come early

just in case you fly in Thursday night for the friday am hop and your gear didnt make it

Lateish winter this year a level 4 ski instructor came by the hill doing whatever it is they do and told folks that HBM had the best snow pack in BC because it gets snow and it stays so a couple of days at the HBM is alwasy a good time

I hope the weather let you get up on the Burnie glacier and over the pass to ski the loft cuz it doesnt always

**Huskier** · 04-26-2024, 12:12 PM

This is a longshot but it sounds like Mustang Powder recently bought out Skeena's cat skiing operation. Is anyone familiar with their tenure area? Contemplating laying down for a few seats next year but am hoping to scope their terrain first.

**XXX-er** · 04-26-2024, 01:38 PM

https://skeenacatskiing.ca/about-us/

unless there were any other updates since 2021 that has been awhile now since Mustang & Gary Mathiesen bought in but i havent really heard anything else locally, I rode T with Gary a couple weeks ago when he came up for wind-up but we talked about biking

we could leave town drive hy 16 to the Suskwa drainage and be at the headquarters in < 1 hr so I did a couple of 400$ days when Skeena were offering them, no accomadation or travel costs made it pretty cheap