Murray Ridge Ski Hill pass holders can now head to Shames Mountain, located off Hwy 16 between Terrace and Prince Rupert, to enjoy what is left of this year鈥檚 ski season.
Valid pass holders from Murray Ridge, as well as patrons from other shut down or paused Alpine Ski areas such as Troll, Purden and Mount Timothy, can avail themselves of a free day lift at MMC- Shames Mountain.
Guests simply need to show their season pass, and proof of their mountain currently being paused or shut down to the guest services staff to take advantage of the offer.
The announcement comes after several ski hills and resorts across B.C. having had to shut their doors owing to very little snowfall this year.
鈥淚t is no secret this ski season has been a difficult one across the country,鈥� said Christian Theberge, general manager, MMC Shames Mountain in a statement.
While conditions in Terrace have also been challenging this year, Theberge said they are still far better off than many other ski areas in the province.
鈥淪kiing conditions at Shames recently have been great. It鈥檚 not the metre per week snowfall we are used to, but it is allowing for wall-to-wall perfect grooming in the sun.鈥�
In Northern B.C., ski hills such as Murray Ridge, Troll, Purden, and Mount Timothy are currently closed. With no significant snow in the long-range forecast, these closures are expected to last probably for the rest of the season.
Shames Mountain鈥檚 reciprocal agreement policy does allow for a 50 per cent discount to season pass holders from other ski hills, however, this season they decided to extend the discount to 100 per cent to help out ski hills in other communities.
鈥淭hese ski hills are community beacons, they offer the same wholesome inclusive healthy outdoor activity we do. Unfortunately, their guests are left waiting for their ski areas to potentially reopen,鈥� Theberge added.
In a social media post, Murray Ridge鈥檚 management team called this extension 鈥渁 huge expression of support鈥� from their neighbours.
鈥淲hen the going gets tough, the north pulls together!鈥� they said in the post.
While Shames Mountain鈥檚 Good Samaritan gesture was met with positive responses from other communities, they also received some backlash from their home community.
In July 2023, Shames Mountain was reported to be facing a mounting deficit due to inflation and higher wage costs. Management said back then they were exploring new revenue streams and preparing to adjust operating hours.
Since then, the management team drafted a response to address some of the concerns related to affordability as well as a member/pass holder appreciation day on March 2-3 exclusively for their patrons.
鈥淲e understand that the optics might not look great, as three weeks ago, we were asking for support and people to show up. This was followed by offering free skiing to kids, and now free skiing to pass holders from shut down hills,鈥� Theberge said in a Feb.19 statement.
He also said extending the reciprocal agreement to pass holders of closed ski areas is not costing them anything besides the time it is taking to promote it. While there is currently no cap on the number of free tickets per person, Theberge said they will bring in restrictions if they start seeing loopholes or abuse of the goodwill.
