Get set for a peak Hudson Bay Pow Day

You'll feel like you're on top of the world. And that view....

Within 20 minutes from town, you have access to Hudson Bay Mountain Resort, 40 minutes you’re in the backcountry and in an hour you’re at a world-class heli-ski operation. One of our personal highlights was the option of hopping on the community bus to get to the top of Hudson Bay Mountain Resort, costing only $5 for a roundtrip ticket. And if you miss the bus on the way down, there’s the fun option of skiing right down to town. There aren’t many places you can do that!

Yes, you’re in Northern B.C. where the snow is consistently good, meaning fresh snowy turns all day. It would take weeks, if not more to completely track out the Hudson Bay Mountain Resort. That’s why we’re going to give you some tips and tricks to unlock the full potential of this stellar alpine community, which wears its mountain culture with gusto.

Yes, there friends on powder days at Hudson Bay, where the locals are happy to share their snow stashes.

We were lucky enough to have a few locals show us around the Hudson Bay area. One of the prettiest sights we saw this day was the cotton-candy pink coated Hudson Bay mountain standing above the resort. It almost looks too big to ski – which only means it tempts some daring locals to trek up to the peak, which takes more than four hours to the top from the highest point on the resort.

We got into the nitty-gritty chatting with locals to find out the best #PlayGroundofTheNorth secrets. We rode with four different groups, Jason Krauskopf from Smithers outfitter, Local Supply Co, Janet Doyle the Sales and Marketing Specialist, and Michael Huffman the General Manager, Ang and Gwen Souter, a local mother-daughter team who love to ski all day, and local powder hound Laura Stanton and her backcountry-enthusiast friends.

Krauskopf led us on an incredible day exploring cliffs, booters, and fresh lines. We were happy that no matter where we went the snow was deep enough to kick up a wave that could cover you from head to toe. I couldn’t believe it when I learned that the kids we were boarding with were only 12 years old. At that young age, they had an enviable skill level that blew us away. Their passion for boarding was infectious, but that was pretty normal for anyone who calls Smithers home.

Cheers to an epic day on the slopes at Hudson Bay, enjoy the family friendly service in the lounge like local youngster Gwen Suter and friends.

Janet joined us in the lodge atop Hudson Bay Resort for some food and bevvies that energized us for our day at the resort. I was expecting a simple cafeteria but was pleasantly surprised by the sit-down service, and amazing food, like the veggie burger I ordered.

Ang and Gwen showed us that growing up in Smithers not only makes you a shredder, you’re also privy to all the local secrets and surprises, which they are happy to share with visitors. The bus from town was one tidbit, worth learning, made all the more special by the beautiful light that cast across the town on the ride up, and getting us stoked for the day’s shredding.

Just one more snow-filled run, please, before we head down on the trail from Hudson Bay that leads into town.

Laura and her crew were happy-go-lucky and kept their “resting stoke face” on whether they were on the chairlift or carving up the slopes. They were eager to show us around and were an absolute pleasure to hang out with. Not to mention they knew how to apres and joined us at Smithers Brewing Co. for a couple of pops at the end of the day.

Towards the end of the day, the crew showed us the tree-lined trail down to town. The perfectly groomed run was a fitting way to end our day at Hudson Bay, proving that the luxury of living in a small town means everything is so close, you don’t need a car to get around here.

The best way to end a day on the slopes is with a cold one and some food with new friends. 

After a great day on the mountain, we hooked up at Smithers Brewing Co for some brews, where there are 10 taps and always rotating beer offerings – plus live music from time to time.

This community hub is a great place to hang out and is a big part of the community, helping support 20 local charities in town and around the Bulkley Valley. Adin hooked us up with some tasty beers and some apres in this gem of a spot in downtown Smithers. Our marvelous mission to learn more about Smithers means we’ll be back for more.