September 19–20 weekend will bring volunteers together to prepare the mountain for the upcoming ski season

MOUNT CAIN, B.C. — With fall settling over Vancouver Island and the cooler, wetter days of the West Coast arriving, Mount Cain is turning its attention to the work that needs to be done before another winter season gets underway.

The mountain’s annual Work Party Weekend is set for September 19–20, and organizers are calling on volunteers to come to the hill, lend a hand and help get the ski area ready for opening.

While there is already a list of jobs planned, organizers say the work list is dynamic — meaning there should be something for just about anyone willing to pitch in.

Plenty of work to be done

The weekend’s projects range from general maintenance and cleanup to specialized jobs requiring specific skills and equipment.

Among the tasks currently on the list are:

• Brush clearing — experienced and competent volunteers with appropriate brush saws or small chainsaws are needed. Participants are asked to bring their own equipment and PPE.
• Firewood
• Compost toilet work — someone with knowledge of composting toilet systems is needed.
• Interior and exterior painting
• Sheet metal work
• Hand-digging gravel
• Post and deck foundations — four sonotubes with footings need to be dug and installed.
• Concrete footing installation for the Bunny Hill safety gate.
• Walkway work around the L3 bullwheel.
• Groomer maintenance

The variety of projects reflects the reality of maintaining a remote ski area, where keeping the mountain operating requires everything from heavy construction and mechanical work to painting, trail maintenance and plenty of manual labour.

More than just a work weekend

The weekend will also provide an opportunity for members of the Mount Cain community to have a say in the future of the mountain.

The society’s Annual General Meeting will take place on the evening of Saturday, September 19.

Organizers are encouraging people to come out, get involved and take part in shaping what comes next for Mount Cain.

For a ski area built around community involvement and a decidedly different approach to the resort experience, the annual work party is an important part of getting ready for winter.

And whether someone arrives with specialized mechanical skills, a chainsaw, a paintbrush, a shovel — or simply a willingness to help — organizers say they’re happy to see volunteers on the hill.

Mount Cain’s Work Party Weekend takes place September 19–20. The Annual General Meeting will be held Saturday evening, September 19.

As another West Coast winter approaches, the work of getting the mountain ready is already underway.

For Mount Cain, the road to ski season starts with the community coming together.