A group snowboarding in the Okanagan.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED Dylan Murray
October 22, 2023 - 6:00 AM
A new program is creating opportunities for Indigenous youth to enter the backcountry ski guiding industry.
Mustang Powder Cat Skiing in the Shuswap and Kamloops's Thompson Rivers University are funding a four-day, free training program where Indigenous youth can get their Avalanche Safety Training certificate to open doors to a career in backcountry ski guiding.
The program began last year, informally, with just a few students. This year the program has 10 to 12 spots for students to get their certificate with Mustang Powder in Malakwa, just outside of Salmon Arm.
Program coordinator Dylan Murray is still organizing and gathering funding for this year's program, but he has high hopes for the future.
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“I would like to see a recurring program every year where ideally in the next five years having upwards of 24 students,” Murray said.
He said programs like this are important because backcountry ski guiding is a difficult industry to get into. The Avalanche Safety Training certificate is the first in a series of certificates needed to work as a ski guide.
“Unfortunately the ski guiding industry is a very competitive industry and there are lots of steps involved in it. I'm currently in the middle of that journey. It’s essentially getting them that first stepping stone and opening up that door to these participants,” Murray said.
Murray is Cree and got into the ski guiding industry with the help of a similar program where he grew up in Alberta.
“That's the reason I’m a guide today. If I hadn’t taken that course I would have never even known about these opportunities or this industry. I knew people were in it but I didn’t know how to get in,” he said.
The program is not just about the future of backcountry guiding, it’s also about the past.
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“It’s trying to open up the doors to have more Indigenous people in the guiding industry as historically a lot of the land the (skiing) operations are on, the people were guides,” Murray said.
“A cool coincidence as well is I found out that historically until about 1906 that my ancestors were guides. So it’s kind of funny that I ended up in this industry, finding out what the family trade was without even knowing it.”
Murray is currently searching for support for the program and recently secured a $5,000 donation from Helicat Canada.
He said if people want to help the program they need donated winter ski gear.
“We had participants who didn’t have the appropriate gear for skiing during our backcountry ski and snowboarding,” he said. “I know I have gear that isn’t used. I have lots of friends that tell me about it. We have a community that’s rich in outdoor enthusiasts that go through gear a lot. I'm hoping to keep costs down by having that second hand gear for our participants.”
Reach out to Murray through email if you want to donate gear to the program at dmurray1st@gmail.com.
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