December 23, 2020
7:30 a.m.
Shames Mountain can confirm that a local snowboarder went missing yesterday, December 22 in or around the Shames Mountain ski area.
The snowboarder was reported missing around 7 pm last night and Shames Mountain staff located his vehicle on the Shames Mountain access road near the avalanche gate. Staff also searched below the switchback and near bridge number 3 on the Shames Mountain access road, where lost skiers/snowboarders have been found safely in the past, but to no avail.
Terrace Search and Rescue attended Shames Mountain last night and conducted an on-mountain, inbounds search of areas that would have a high likelihood of a snowboarder becoming injured or stuck. The night-time search posed obvious challenges and searches concluded those efforts in the wee hours of the morning.
Shames Mountain staff and members of Terrace Search and Rescue will resume the formal search for the missing man this morning.
“All the information we have indicates that the missing snowboarder’s intention was to stay inbounds yesterday,” says Shames Mountain General Manager, Christian Theberge. “Information provided to us by those close to him indicated that the man left his touring gear at home and had intended to stay inbounds.”
The hill will be open to the public today, and the formal search will be conducted by Shames Mountain staff and Search and Rescue.
Here is what we know about the missing man:
- He is believed to be wearing a black jacket, bright green snowboard pants and a white helmet.
- He is an advanced/expert snowboarder
- He was believed to be snowboarding inbounds
- He is an experienced backcountry snowboarder
- Photos of the missing snowboarder will be posted at the hill
If the missing snowboarder is located by someone in the general public we ask them to contact Shames Mountain Ski Patrol or any Shames Mountain staff immediately.
Shames Mountain will provide updates as we are able. This is a quickly evolving situation and we are hoping for a positive outcome.
Media contact:
Sarah Zimmerman
MMC Communications
250-631-6007