A common phrase a skier or snowboarder might hear up at Shames Mountain goes something like this: “Shames gets a ton more snow than Hudson Bay Mountain [in Smithers].”
And when skiing or snowboarding at Hudson Bay Mountain, it would come as no surprise to hear someone say something like “Shames, lot’s of snow, but it’s wet, gross snow.”
According to Shames Mountain Co-Op chair Meredith Skimson, it’s fun to have rival ski areas but the respective management teams don’t regard each other as competitors.
“I think there is a perception that we have been competitors. But I think when we get together with management and talk about it, we don’t really feel like competitors,” she said.
Proof of this, she said, is an add-on pass this year that will give skiers access to both mountains for an extra fee.
“We really believe in the northwest skiing, and we think that people from Smithers will come ski here more if they have a pass and likewise,” said Skimson.
“It’s great when the ski communities get together. We have super fun friends in Smithers, and we have super fun friends here. Let’s all just ski together.”
In the last two years, the two hills have connected when ski magazines come north for features, Skimson said.