Travel Guide | Hudson Bay Mountain Resort, formerly known as Ski Smithers, is a cozy ski area located near the town of Smithers in northern British Columbia. With a population of only 5,500 friendly residents, the ski resort is not highly populated, which means visitors will not have to worry about long lift queues or a lack of fresh snow.
Ideal Location
This ski resort is a great stop for those taking a road trip on the Northern Powder Highway, or a warm-up or cool-down spot if you’re in the area for Skeena Cat Skiing or Skeena Heli Skiing. However, keep in mind that the ski area is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays for most of the season.
Pros and Cons
Hudson Bay Mountain Resort offers a friendly local community vibe, with low skier traffic, reasonably priced lift tickets, and affordable accommodation and food in Smithers BC. Additionally, the resort provides access to some lovely backcountry and the dedicated Hankin Evelyn backcountry area is just down the road. From the top of the ski area, visitors can also admire breathtaking views.
However, the resort’s terrain is rather limited, making it a bit of a challenge for experienced skiers and snowboarders. The lift infrastructure is also quite primitive. Finally, there is limited commercial lodging mountain, which means you’ll need to drive up the mountain each day if you stay in Smithers.
Ski and Snowboard Terrain
Hudson Bay Mountain Resort is small, with only 36 runs and 315 acres (127 hectares) of skiable area. The lift-serviced vertical is 508 meters (1,142-1650m), and a trail drops down a further 600m into town. The resort has only 4 lifts, including 2 T-bars, a slow old triple chair lift, and a mini handle tow.
Snow Quality
The ski resort’s motto, “it’s always been about the powder,” might not be entirely accurate. Although the quality of the powder is generally very good, it doesn’t quite live up to the motto in terms of quantity. Resort management estimates the average snowfall per season to be around 5 meters.
Location
Hudson Bay Resort is 22 km west of Smithers and can be reached in about 30 minutes by car. Smithers is located in northern BC, 370 km northwest of Prince George and 200 km northeast of Terrace. The town is 1,200 km southeast of Vancouver or about 1 hour and 45 minutes away by flight.
Smithers Accommodation
Smithers offers affordable accommodation, mostly consisting of motor hotels (motels) located on the main highway. The Prestige Hudson Bay Lodge is a luxurious hotel with spacious rooms, a restaurant, and a sports bar with reasonably priced food. The Aspen Inn is a simple motel, with some rooms with a little kitchenette. The restaurant onsite is nice, and the adjacent Riverhouse lounge bar has some cool décor.
On-Mountain Accommodation
On-mountain at Hudson Bay, there are private cabins and chalets, but commercially available lodging is limited. The ski-in ski-out Sidewinder Inn is one option.
Smithers BC
Smithers BC is a charming ski town with a slow winter tourism season. Although it is primarily a logging town and a service town for the valley, and a hub for steelhead fishing, the Swiss alpine-style buildings on the main street give it a ski-town vibe.
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