2012-Nestled into a valley created by awe-inspiring mountains, the Village of Valemount has earned its reputation as a year-round playground for travelers to British Columbia. Three mountain ranges, the Cariboo, the Monashee, and the Rocky Mountains, surround the village and offer hundreds of exciting and inspiring activities. These ranges make Valemount known throughout North America as a top quality destination for mountain snowmobiling and wilderness backcountry adventure experiences. Snowmobiling has grown exponentially in the area with over 12,000 visitors passing through the managed snowmobile areas in one season. Over the past several years, there has been significant concern expressed about the growth of the sport in the area due to its close vicinity to the habitat of the endangered Mountain Caribou.
The Village of Valemount developed the Snow Host Team as a part of the Caribou and Wildlife Education program that was created to address these concerns. The Host Team is responsible for on-mountain education relating to the endangered Mountain Caribou and sustainable backcountry recreation. They act as a part of the program to provide education strategies and enforcement, to ensure that the area remains a world class backcountry recreation destination, while protecting wildlife. In 2009, Northern Development provided funding support through delivery of the Government of Canada’s Community Adjustment Fund to the Valemount and Area Recreation Development Association, to expand the Mountain Host program.
