'It's a hidden gem': Volunteers, community at heart of Thompson's Mystery Mountain

Northern Manitoba may not seem like a hotspot for skiers and snowboarders, but Mystery Mountain in Thompson is a busy hill, even when it's below –30 C.

That's thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers and a few paid staff from the area who groom the runs, make snow, patrol the hill, run the lifts, maintain the chalet and rent equipment.

Mystery Mountain Winter Park is a 20 kilometre drive northwest of Thompson and overlooks Mystery Lake, about 665 kilometres north of Winnipeg. It has four lifts, 18 runs, 10 kilometres of cross country trails and is also the only largely volunteer-run ski hill in Manitoba.

Stephanie Sudfeld has been skiing and volunteering at the hill since she was a child. It's where she met her husband, Matthias Sudfeld, and where the couple now brings their two children, Charlotte, 3, and Luca, 5, to ski.

"It means a lot, we've been coming here for years. We came here before we were married. We both came here through high school," Stephanie said.

"We met out here and then we had kids, we brought our kids, my mom's worked out here for over 20 years. So it's a huge part of what we do."

'I'm tired of being a window dad'

When they aren't working or at Mystery Mountain for fun, the Sudfelds volunteer there.

"I do a lot of cleaning. I help behind the bar, to sell tickets. My husband has helped putting the T-bars on the lift line, clearing brush, stuff like that, making snow. He's done a few shifts making snow," Stephanie said.

These days, a core group of about 15 volunteers keep the ski hill up and running, along with a few part-time seasonal paid staff.

Jeff Lindstrom is one of the former. He was sitting in the chalet watching his sons ski and snowboard 10 years ago when he decided he wanted to join in.

"I was sitting in the window one day and I thought, 'You know what? I'm tired of being a window dad.' I went and I rented a pair of skis and started downhill skiing," he said.

"The more I got involved in the downhill skiing, then I realized how [good] of a organization it is and it needs people like myself to keep it maintained."

Now he's a member of the Thompson Ski Club, the non-profit that runs Mystery Mountain Winter Park, sits on the board of directors and oversees operations at the hill.

His motivation is contributing to the community.

"I like being part of our community. I feel proud of that," he said. "I also really enjoy skiing and knowing that someone's out there enjoying themselves makes me feel good inside."

Thompson's 'hidden gem'

Volunteers and patrons, often one and the same, believe that Mystery Mountain is important to people in Thompson and the region.

They say outdoor activities are especially important in the winter.

Kacper Antoszewski teaches lessons and volunteers as a ski patroller. He says during the cold, dark winters, many people in the north don't get outside enough.

"In the long winters, it's important to get out and get some daylight. There's people who work in Thompson who work underground and they go whole winters without seeing daylight for a week," he said.

"Anything that gets a person outside and active in the winters goes a long way to feeling good about life in Thompson."

For Stephanie Sudfeld, participating in the operations of Mystery Mountain means the next generation will have access to the hill.

"If you don't help, it doesn't happen," she said.

"Now that we have our own kids, we want to make sure they get to enjoy it [the hill] like we did and if you want to be able to enjoy things, you have to be a part of it and make sure that it happens."

Lindstrom added, "It's a hidden gem."