Started around 1990, Shames Mountain is a small local area with modest infrastructures, but it’s not about the infrastructures, it’s about the snow and the skiing. The small Northwestern BC ski area with incredible snow and terrain within an easy hike from it boundaries.
Located 35km from Terrace in the Skeena Valley, Shames a small ski area with a slogan of “We love Big Dumps” is drawing attention from beyond the neighbouring communities of Terrace, Kitimat (101km) and Prince Rupert (137km); Vancouver is 1370km drive away The ski area with the 2000 skiers per hour capacity receives an average of 1200cm/year and is only open 5 days a week (Wednesday to Sunday).
The ski area is comprised of 28 runs and glades with 488m vertical drop covering 57ha (147 acres). There is an extra 45ha (111) of natural glades within its boundaries.
Shames is tied in into the community, there is ski bus adults and kids from Terrace to the hill from Friday to Sunday. Not surprisingly that when the previous owners wanted to retire and put the ski area on the market, local skiers came together and formed Friends of Shames (FoS) which eventually became MyMountainCoop in order to buy the mountain with the following vision:
My Mountain Co-op is a community service co-operative with the purpose of providing recreational opportunities via the Shames Mountain Ski Area in order to enhance the health and quality of life of the communities in the region that, in turn, contribute to the long-term viability and sustainability of the Co-operative and the ski area.
Read more on the Visions, Goals, Principles of the Coop.
Shames is …
My Mountain Co-op (MMC) is Canada’s first non-profit ski community co-operative. MMC is based in Terrace, BC, serving the northwest region and beyond. Its members represent many walks of life. They are students, tradespeople, professionals, business owners, families, backcountry enthusiasts, and snow-lovers all.
Tenure of the ski area was officially transferred to MMC by the provincial government late in 2012, fulfilling the last condition of the purchase agreement between MMC and the Shames Mountain Ski Corporation.
This month we presented a Trail Map (2006-07?) and brochure from 2008 just as the Shames Ski Corporation
Click image to access larger version
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