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Magazine highlights Salmo, Phoenix ski hills

Two of our area’s smaller ski hills each receive full-page features in the winter issue of British Columbia Magazine.
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The Salmo and Phoenix ski hills are featured in the winter issue of British Columbia Magazine.

Two of our area’s smaller ski hills receive full-page features in the winter issue of British Columbia Magazine.

In an article entitled “The mountain next door: Six ski hills that locals love,” Steve Ogle profiles the Salmo ski hill, noting that it was founded in 1962 by Bob Smith, “a local doctor who was concerned about bored teenagers.”

He also mentions former ski club president Wally Huser and current president Kenny Anderson, who are “on hand every night to assure the T-bar doesn’t break down. It’s one big happy, self-sufficient family.”

Meanwhile, Anne Mullens looks at Phoenix Mountain, which rose from the site of a Boundary ghost town. Another doctor, Derrek Vallis, was one its founders in 1969. He skied with his family every weekend for over 40 years and ran the ski patrol. He only hung up his skis two years ago at 85.

“It is no Mickey-Mouse hill,” he told Mullens. “It has some really challenging runs — as hard as you will find anywhere, as well as something for everyone.”

This story will appear in the West Kootenay Advertiser