UPDATE, August 2019: The builder has been hard at work wrapping things up on the new Allan Creek Shelter. He spent much of the spring snow season working, as travelling on snow to access the site is much more pleasant than in the summer season. A few things still need to be wrapped up such as interior seating, exterior stairs and so on, but we are on schedule for an official opening this winter. A new addition to the project will be the much anticipated webcam! Thanks to a large donation from the snowandmud.com group that has allowed us to make this happen. We are working with CCL Networks to get a system put in place this fall, which will provide real-time updates to our users. We are very excited to be able to offer this service. – Curtis, Valemount Area Recreation Development Association

A new warming shelter in the Allan Creek riding area near Valemount will be dedicated to pioneer and local legend, Tony Parisi, who passed away last year.

The new Allan Creek shelter will replace an aging structure that currently exists in the zone.

The planning and construction has been undertaken by the Valemount and Area Recreation Development Association (VARDA). This new facility will be bright, spacious and a much more pleasant space for friends and families to rest from the chill of winter. Although the design of the new Allan Creek shelter is very similar to the one recently constructed in the nearby Clemina Creek snowmobile area, the logistics of constructing this particular shelter have created some unique challenges. Due to the remoteness of the building site, almost all of the construction materials have had to be flown in by helicopter or transported to the site via all-terrain vehicles. Combined with the very short building season and general difficulties of construction, this has proven to be the organization’s most challenging infrastructure project to date.

New Allan Creek Shelter

Most of the funding for the project has come from years of saving by VARDA, along with strong support from many businesses and individuals in the snowmobile community. Over $50,000 value in cash and materials has been raised to support this initiative. Currently, the construction of the shelter is at lock-up, where it will remain until the next building season. A grand opening of the completed shelter will be scheduled for early December of 2019.

VARDA is very proud to announce that the new Allan Creek shelter will be dedicated to recently fallen local legend, Tony Parisi. Tony lived for the feeling of being in the highcountry on sleds, and he helped pioneer the industry that continues to feed Valemount today. He fought hard for backcountry access and was one of the main reasons that conversations—which eventually led to the creation of VARDA—began. Allan Creek was Tony’s second home, and this new shelter will forever act as a memorial for our good friend, mountain legend, true cowboy and the original Snowfarmer.