Experience North America's First Backcountry Ski Area This Winter

Smithers, British Columbia, Hollywood famous location, for the Netflix hit, The Mother, staring Jennifer Lopez, is better known for fly fishing, as dreamland for landing steelhead on a fly and for earning turns at Hankin Evelyn, the place for North America’s first purpose built backcountry ski touring area.

Most people have to drive long distance to trailhead to begin ski touring day and even then you may have to own a snowmobile to travel the forestry roads to gain the alpine basin to begin your ski experience. At the Hankin Evelyn, a short drive from town, you begin right from the parking lot, after a beacon check, on the skin track, ascending to the ridge to pick your powder turns down the myriad of runs and alpine bowls with no audience whatsoever.

Hankin Evelyn, is a magical place, due the commitment and hard work of the local non-profit group, Bulkley Backcountry Ski Society, started in 2008 by local ski enthusiast, Brian Hall, who had a passion for flakes and for building something that mattered to his community.

While, Bluebird Backcountry, Colorado’s first backcountry ski touring only operation, opened in 2018, with tons of fanfare, including an article in the New York Times, the people of the Bulkley Valley in British Columbia, had already been making 10 years of good turns, building a warming hut and also updating an historic fire lookout, so you could stay overnight mountain top, as nothing beats, morning joe and face shots to start your day.

Getting to Smithers, British Columbia, is an adventure, that is well worth it, enjoy mountain flight seeing on your way north from Vancouver, within no time you will descend into the snug valley, a ribbon of water called the Bulkley River, famous in the fishing community, and wedged between two mountain ranges, one so close that a ski run, from the local Hudson Bay Mountain Ski Area, slides into town.

Plan to ski it all here, make time for ski touring at Hankin Evelyn, check out the local ski area, Hudson Bay Mountain, where spectacular views of the Babine Range abound, enjoy 700 acres, serviced by two t-bars and a triple chair, serving up a good mix of groomers, tree skiing and open glades. Don’t miss ending the day, skiing the nearly 5 mile ski trail to town and walking to the nearest pub for a beer with your boots on!

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