Winter sports will be a highlight during this week’s Spirit of the Mountains Festival. For kids, the annual Jam Pail Curling contest, run by the Smithers Lions Club with ice time donated by the Smithers Curling Club, happens Sunday, with medals for all participants.
Organizer Allan Schrader said it’s a fun family event, and pointed out that it’s one of the most affordable activities in town for kids.
“We’ve kept the prices down to a dollar forever,” he said.
Parent volunteers help out with scoring, and kids compete in teams of two, in either the 5 to 8 year old category, or the 9 to 12 group. The competition has been running for around four decades now, said Schrader. Registration starts at 10 a.m. and curling gets underway at 11.
For cross country skiing enthusiasts, there’s a full weekend of fun lined up. Friday night starts off with a pot luck dinner and dessert night at the Buchfink Family Lodge. Dinner starts at 6, with desserts around 7 p.m. Desserts are $10 for adults and $5 for kids, with proceeds going to help cover costs for athletes travelling to National Championships.
Saturday and Sunday mark the return of the Bulkley Valley Ski Marathon Weekend. Teams of two or solo racers can take part in 17, 34 or 51 km courses, with classic running on Saturday and skate on Sunday.
For anyone thinking about trying out cross country skiing, free trail passes will be available on Sunday at the lodge ticket office, along with information about the club and maps marking out which trails are not in use by the marathon participants.
The Bulkley Valley Backcountry Ski Society and the Smithers Snowmobile Association are combining their efforts to host an avalanche awareness weekend, with an information night on Friday, and ski and snowmobile workshops on Saturday and Sunday. Friday night from 7 p.m. to 9:30, the BBSS will host movies and presentations at the Old Church.
On Saturday, local ski guides Sean Fraser and Christoph Dietzfelbinger will be running a full day trip to Hankin Evelyn Backcountry Recreation Area to practice avalanche skills. Anyone wanting to join should meet at the Safeway parking lot near the Chevron sign by 9 a.m.
On Sunday, Smithers snowmobile guide Dustin Harvey will be offering a similar full day practice session at the Microwave snowmobile area. Anyone interested in taking part should contact Harvey at dustin@smitherssnowmobiletours.com or 917-8728.
BBSS Vice-Chair Ben Heemskerk said all events are by donation, although it should be noted that “it’s not a replacement for an actual avalanche course.”
He said he can’t overstate the importance of training for avalanche safety in the backcountry, for everyone travelling in a group of skiers or sledders.
“If the people around you don’t have the training, that’s actually putting you at risk,” said Heemskerk.
For more information visit www.bbss.ca/events.