The votes are in and counted!
You’re 2024/25 Legendary Local is…
TOM HAVARD!!
“We are very privileged to have a great mountain so close to home”
Tom is the epitome of what it means to be a Legendary Local. His long history with the ski hill and dedication to making it a better place for all is something to be admired.
From his own recollections, he was able to summarize over 60 years of accomplishments and involvement! Tom will receive a free season pass, his quote of choice on a plaque on the chair and his name added to long list of Hudson Bay Mountain Legendary Locals.
Congrats, Tom!
Tom first skied on HBM a little more than 60 years ago. At that time everyone had to walk up the “old trail” ( kinda where Piper Down is) The kids just skied on the Toboggan hill (there were no lifts) behind where the Prairie Tee is now.
Tom’s family belonged to the Smithers Ski Club way back then and he raced whenever he had the chance. The first year the “Nancy Green Ski League” was a thing Tom took part. He continued ski racing until his parents could no longer afford it.
In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s Tom worked as a lifty and groomer operator- first with a twin track snowmobile pulling a small roller and then later with a Thiokol snow cat also pulling a roller.
In the 1980’s Tom ran the rental shop for a year, taught skiing and pro patrolled for a year and then ran the first groomer with a tiller (BR400 which was a community purchase made possible by many donations) for a year or two and skiing every chance he had. He also supervised the summer grooming program one summer.
Later, Tom was a director on the board of Smithers Ski Corporation when the ski area was owned by Smithers Ski Club and the Town of Smithers. With Smithers Ski Club he served terms as Nancy Greene Ski League chair, Alpine Chair and Ski Club President, and also a term or two as Northern Zone chair. Later on Tom became a Technical Delegate with BC Alpine and since about 2006 has been a volunteer at Olympic, Paralympic, World Cup and Noram races.
Tom has been lucky enough to have the time to teach his kids and now his grandkids to ski and have many good friends to ski with as well.
Tom would like to say a special thanks to his wonderful wife Phyllis who has been so supportive of his passion for skiing for so many years.
The 2023/24 season for Tom began in October, putting his last day in on June 6th. Tom aims to get about 100 ski days in per year.
Tom looks forward to many more years years hanging out on “the hill”.