We have been coming to Manning Park for years now but on this trip Aug,26,16 we got to take out a canoe with our mom. We both had a blast paddling around the lake and looking at all the beautiful scenery and watching the fish jump. Out of all the pictures our parents have taken of us over the years we love this one the most.

We look forward to many more trips back.

I hold a Super Senior Pass, and have been skiing at Manning since 1965. When I first skied, there was a small rope tow on the Bunny Hill and Twin rope tows that took us up to Tree Island. I skied the Blue when it was built in 1967 and was delighted when the Orange Chair was done in 1970. I have had a seasons pass for most years since 1974.

My daughter rode the Orange Chair in my backpack before she was one, and that started her love of Manning Park. She skied her first run on the Orange Chair with me when she was four. We skied together on the Orange Chair until she was 16 when we both took ski instructor training. We were instructors together in the Manning Park Ski School. Very recently, she told me that being a ski instructor at Manning Park was the best job she ever had. She is currently a Deputy Director at the United Nations.

My daughter now lives in NYC, but still comes out each winter to ski the Orange Char and the Manning Park Powder. She brings her two young boys, who also have ridden the Orange Chair since they were small. So we now have three generations skiing together on the Orange Chair, which makes my heart happy.

I have many memories of the Orange Chair, but my favourite image is of my daughter sitting on it in August, 1996. We had just spent the night at Poland Lake and were hiking down to Lightning Lakes to spend another night. Summer or winter, the chair, with the spectacular mountains in the background is so inviting, and I cherish this image as an important part of my life, and that of my daughter and grandchildren.

The whole hill itself has been a huge steppingstone in my skiing career. My father, Shelby Smith who has taught skiing there for 20+ years, took me up when I was only two years old. And I’m confident in saying that there are only a handful of weekends we missed from the time I was 2 till I was 16 due to hockey. Even still I consider it my hometown hill and find myself going back time after time again. Not a very big one but it definitely has more than enough challenging terrain to push yourself, short lift lines, and some of the best snow that you can find some days.

Truly a hidden gem and a hill that should be given more credit then it gets!

Starting in 1969, Stan and I had seasons passes every year and spent many weekends skiing at @manningpark

On December 15, 1973 we spent the day skiing in a blizzard. He had an engagement ring in his pocket waiting for the right moment?!?!… but the weather was not in his favor. He convinced me to go for one more run on the orange chair and when we disembarked at the top he got down on one knee and proposed. I quickly glanced at the ring as it was blowing freezing snow and quickly put on the ring and my glove before it blew away. On June 21st this year we will celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary. What a memory that all began in one of our most treasured places.

We now have a cabin in the Eastgate community and bought seniors seasons passes this year so we can accompany our nine (soon to be 11) grandchildren on the hill and continue to share with them the magic of @manningpark

My husband and I were traveling through Manning at the beginning of August and stopped at the visitors centre. I was pleased and surprised to see the poster for your photo and memory contest. The photo on the poster is of my family.

My mother, brother and myself. It was taken by my father ( Bill Reith ) who worked for B.C. Parks at the time. He was their publicity person in the early to mid sixties. We were also at the opening ceremonies for Lighting Lake. Dad was the official photographer for the event. I remember the photo on the poster because dad had to do a retake on it and I grumbled.”

I like to fish in Manning Park at Lightning Lake. I have been camping at Manning Park since I was just a baby, now I am 4. I also like going to the naturalist shows and playing on the playground.

My most magical day in Manning was a trip I shared with my 19 year old son on October, 13, 2015.

I insisted on visiting Frosty on this specific day, I was really keen on catching the golden larches in colour before the first snow fall!

The problem being, I couldn’t find a last minute hiking partner.

My husband insisted that I would not be hiking this 22km. trail alone, he suggested I ask our teenage son to join me.

So that conversation went something like this: “Cody would you like to join me to find the golden larches?”

Cody: “Sure Mom, how far?”
Do I even need to pack a lunch?”
Me: “Yes….it’s 22km. but trust me, it will be worth it!”

The next day, bags are packed, we head up to Manning. My son loves classical music, this is what is playing on my stereo on our ride from Chilliwack. The weather is supposed to be crystal clear. We arrive to a trail socked in with very dense fog! The first few HOURS of hiking were in this very depressing cloud. But since we drove all the way there, I continued to encourage Cody to carry on.
Everyone else on the trail seems to be turning around, the weather was just too sketchy, they assume that there will not be any view at the peak.

I plead with Cody for a half hour, let’s just get up to the ridge! He agrees, though he’s a somewhat out of shape retired hockey player.

Finally we hit the ridge, literally we burst through the thick, grey clouds to a perfectly clear blue sky above the ridge!!! It was the most AMAZING inversion I’ve ever seen!! Cody was now stoked to continue to the peak, he had no desire to turn around at this point! It really was the coolest sight!

We celebrated at the peak, took numerous pictures, truly soaked in this amazing moment.

The funny part of my story?!

When we were driving home, Cody admitted to me: “Mom, I thought that you were taking me to the Golden ARCHES, as in we were heading up to a McDonalds”

Oh geez Cody!!! I laughed! And then I did what any good Mom would do and I stopped in Hope, at the McDonalds and bought my teen a Big Mac!!!

That would be my most amazing memory of Manning!

A very in love Australian couple decided to pack up their lives and move to Canada to work and travel and what better place to end up than Manning Park. One day, Ian pulled Britt away from work on a beautiful blue bird sky day to ride the Orange Chair to the top of the mountain to take in the ‘views’.

When they arrived at the top of the mountain Ian was determined to find someone to take a photo of them, he wanted to capture the moment so changed the camera to film. Britt was confused as to what they were filming so she started dancing around like a crazy person, it was then when she turned to see Ian on his knee with everyone else on the mountain and chair lift cheering and clapping. She, of course said a very big YES after crying and kicking him to get off his knee as she was so embarrassed everyone was watching.

We have a very big soft spot for Manning Park and will forever remember that beautiful day on the top of Orange.

I have so many memories from Manning, beginning with a lot of downhill skiing in my teens in the 70s, later skiing there with my children who are now grown, being re-introduced to it by my aging parents years later as the sub-alpine meadow and beyond was among their favorite places to hike for so many years, and then introducing it to my grandkids and friends since and still.

Every time I go there – which is often – I discover something different and special, from bird and animal encounters that will forever stay in my memory, to a variety of mountain wildflowers, to Lightning Lake when covered in snow or in the rain or beneath a summer sun, mountain sunsets and star photo shoots. And I continue to discover new paths, new views that take my breath away.