Humans of Terrace
[This post originally appeared on Humans of Terrace, a photography project featuring “the faces, cultures, activities, and personalities of the humans (and dogs) that make up our town and area.”]
This is Christian. Originally from Quebec, Christian found a home in Terrace and more specifically, a home at the beloved ski hill Shames Mountain. As the general manager of Shames Mountain, Christian is a familiar face in town and at the hill, always waving and connecting with the folks that cross his path. Anyone who hangs out at Shames Mountain knows how special it is.
The Terrace community not only loves the mountain for its breathtaking views and world class powder, but also because the co-op model that Shames operates within allows everyone to feel like they’re a part of something much larger.
As someone who never stayed in a place longer than six years, it was no surprise when Christian decided to make Terrace home. The connection that he made with the community, the local Indigenous culture and the sacred outside, made putting roots down easy. Reflecting on what he loves about Terrace, Christian acknowledges that “people who are drawn to living the northern lifestyle are something special”.
Whether it be skiing, hiking or fishing, Terrace has an energy of self discovery to it and this is a value that is important to Christian and his family. Moving to Terrace not only connected him to Shames mountain but it also introduced him to his wife and together they have built a life for their three children.
The Covid pandemic was the toughest challenge Shames Mountain has ever encountered. From developing policies to protect its patrons to brainstorming ways to stay afloat, Christian and the team at Shames weathered the storm alone (without the security blanket that many large, corporate hills have built in).
The pandemic also stopped newcomers from connecting with the vibrant and rich community that exists in Terrace and at Shames Mountain, with Christian lamenting that “Some haven’t even had a chance to experience what a Sneaky Pete is!”.
Luckily, but not surprisingly, the community stepped up this year and Shames Mountain sold 30% more season’s passes than last year. Christian believes this is because folks are desperate to connect with something that resembles pre-pandemic life. But who knows, maybe it has something to do with experiencing a Sneaky Pete.
