S-Magazine

catch me if you can

The Lindsey Express Train rolls on

quintessential issue

GLORY IN THE HIGHEST

+

Basking in the picturesque Banff resorts

Skiing’s best-kept

secret Kicking Horse: The pinnacle of must-conquer destinations

*

is-competition nside magazine

Dream big dream deep B.C.’s iconic interior – the headquarters for heli-ski dreams All in the family Big White continues to get families’ winter groove on The power of moo poo Vermont resorts turn to renewable energy

plus

winter 2013 $4.95 Volume 7, number 2

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Canada Post publication agreement # 42084025

Hot in the Cold Top 10 trends for 2013

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Š 2012 Columbia Sportswear Company. All rights reserved.

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OMNI-HEAT. SHOCKINGLY WARM. AMAZINGLY BREATHABLE. INCREDIBLY PHOTOGENIC. ®

BREATHABLE FABRIC WITH LITTLE SILVER DOTS THAT REFLECT BODY HEAT. KEEP YOUR WARMTH, NOT YOUR SWEAT • COLUMBIA.COM

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eductive

4

The 2013 Audi S8 is here.

S isn’t just a letter. It’s the promise of an incomparable driving experience.

The S8 fulfils that promise in every measure: a powerful 520 hp engine, the breathtaking traction and control of Audi quattro®, and Cylinder-on-Demand technology that shifts from four to eight cylinders as needed. We put more into every S8, so you get the most out of every S-turn. audi.ca S–Magazine snowsportsculture.com

© 2012 Audi Canada. “Audi,” “S8,” “quattro,” “Vorsprung durch Technik,” and the four rings emblem are registered trademarks of AUDI AG. European models shown with options and features that may not be available at the time of purchase.To find out more about Audi, visit your Audi dealer, call 1-800-FOR-AUDI, or visit us at www.audi.ca.

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in this issue

winter 2013

28 Departments

FEATURES

10 Ed Note Quilting a ski portrait

19 QUINTESSENTIAL ISSUE

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58

first load Moo poo power

20 Skiing’s best-kept secret:

slopestyle Top 10 trends and finds

62 BODY fuel Avoiding the bad stuff 64 Tips up Silky smooth rhythm

66 parting shot Yodeling bandits strike Clockwise from top left: Caroline van’t Hoff, John Evely, Stephanie Girard

44

→On the cover: The Lodge of The Ten Peaks at Lake Louise during the Winterstart World Cup races in December 2012. Photo by Michel Painchaud.

Kicking Horse Resort

28 Dream big, dream deep:

B.C. interior heli-skiing

34 All in the family:

Big White Resort

44 Glory in the highest: Picturesque Banff skiing 52 Catch me if you can

The Vonn Express Train is not slowing down any time soon

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new gear: Fancy new toys for the ski hill. See page 16. snowsportsculture.com

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editor’s note

quin·tes·sen·tial [kwin-tuh-sen-shuh l]. The essence of something.

Winter 2013, Vol. 7, No.2

EDITORIAL /art / pRODUCTION EDITOR Gordie Bowles ART DIRECTOR (on leave) Lisa Thé acting art director Doris Cheung MANAGING EDITOR Don Cameron SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Paul Morrison SENIOR writerS Michael Mastarciyan, Ryan Stuart, Steven Threndyle Editorial & Design

Quilting a portrait of ski country elegance there’s something about the letter Q that I love. Always have. It’s the most elegant

letter in our somewhat flawed English language. It’s a mysterious and seldom-used letter (Wikipedia states that Q is the second-least-common English letter, used in just 0.09 percent of words). But it’s a high-scoring Scrabble tile. Quaint, quash, quoth, quadrable ... OK, perhaps not ski terms, but undeniably cool and classy words. So it seemed fitting that Q became, in a way, an inspiration for this issue of S-Mag. In the spirit of not-so-common expressions and elegant style, The Quintessential Issue celebrates the best of the best of skiing today, from Kicking Horse Resort (“Skiing’s best-kept secret,” page 20), B.C. interior’s best heli-ski outfits (“Dream big, dream deep,” page 28), the family ski mecca of Big White Resort (“All in the family,” page 34) and the epic mountain culture of Banff (“Glory in the highest,” page 44). Speaking of elegant, Lindsey Vonn can fit that bill as well (“Catch me if you can,” page 52).

Our ever-funny ski fashion writer, Michael Mastarciyan, again delivers his take on slopestyle fashion (“Hot in the cold,” page 58), where, lo and behold, “shiny and quilted” sit at No. 1 (love that Q!). Ryan Stuart’s Fuel column (“Snack Attack,” page 62) offers a few insights into maximizing your experience on the hill. And Josh Foster brings his latest installment of ski tips (“Silky and Smooth,” page 64), serving up advice for establishing flow in powder snow. You will not regret any of these reads.

As ever, we aim to prepare you for your next ski adventure, to give you something to query or question the next time you get in the lift queue. Remember to quantitate your successes and avoid getting yourself in a quandary if you’re skiing in the outer quadrant. And, always end your ski day feeling quenched but hungry for more.

Fresh Air Publishing

contributors Kirsten Skarsgard Bowles, Trevor Brady, Max Dalton, John Evely, Josh Foster, Julie Nieuwenhuys, Michel Painchaud, Sheila Reesor, Mike Ridewood, Edith Rozsa, Graham Roumieu, Caroline van ‘t Hoff.

Publication Agreement No. 42084025 Canada Post No. 7309575 ISSN: 1913-9861 ADVERTISING Mark Kristofic mark@s-media.ca SNOWSPORTS MEDIA INCORPORATED PRESIDENT Chris Robinson, chris@s-media.ca VICE PRESIDENT Mark Kristofic, mark@s-media.ca CONTROLLER Lisa Crowley, lisa@s-media.ca

S-Magazine is an independent publication of Snowsports Media Inc. 87-B Hurontario St., Collingwood, Ont., L9Y 2L9.

Phone: (416) 840-6615 E-mail: info@s-media.ca www.snowsportsculture.com

Gordie Bowles, editor

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In the Early Winter 2013 issue (Vol. 7, Issue 1), in the feature story titled “Plotting Paradise,” S-Mag incorrectly identified “Gray Rocks/ Mont Tremblant” as a dream trip destination. Gray Rocks, in fact, is no longer in business. Also, in “World’s Best Ski Adventures,” Pin Rouge, Québec, was incorrectly identified as the highest in the Maritimes.

S-Mag regrets the errors.

Trevor Brady

CORRECTIONS

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First load →People, news, gadgets and other chairlift ramblings

SkiBiz..................13 SkiParazzi.........14 SkiBiz..................14 gear..................16 SNOWBYTES......16

Vermont resorts turns to cow power Beware of the power of moo poo. Vermont ski resorts have added some fire power to their lineup, using innovation, local renewable resources and a lot of cow dung. Vermont dairy farms have been converting manure to methane (natural gas), in turn driving an electric generator to create enough electricity to power lifts at areas like Killington. With 13 farms across the state participating in the Green Mountain Power “Cow Power” program — roughly 10,000 dairy cows producing 300,000 gallons of manure per day — the volume of this local energy source is luring new farms to the program. The leftover manure is used as an enhanced fertilizer.

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First load SkiBiz..................13 SkiParazzi.........14 SkiBiz..................14 gear..................16 SNOWBYTES......16

Bored?

Ski the desert

The same ‘ol powder in the same ‘ol cold weather getting you down?

Try skiing the desert. Visitors to Ski Dubai resort – connected to the Mall of Emirates, southwest of the Burj Al Arab – can escape to the balmy confines of 40 degree plus weather. The world’s biggest indoor ski slope, Ski Dubai has five acres of skiing and a vertical drop of 200 feet.

Downside? After one or two runs you’ll likely be bored stiff. But then again, how many can say they skied in the desert.

avalanche airbag system

Snowpulse Heli 22 avalanche airbag system. Beacon, shovel, probe. Those three items have been the staple safety tools for backcountry skiers for decades. But airbag systems have made a big push to join that list as backcountry essentials, and a handful of companies have targeted perfecting the technology. Snowpulse has created a lineup of bags for different purposes, such as the Heli 22 Backpack, a low profile but extra holding capacity to carry a day’s worth of gear on longer tours. The system features a one-hand-activated float and protection in the event of an avalanche. $1,074 ($899 without cylinder), snowpulse.com

GOOD NEWS

47% Reverse camber ski sales up

BAD NEWS

10.2% Bretton Woods

New Hampshire’s largest ski area is also one of New England’s most stunning. Likely not a regular stop for the adrenaline-seekers but for those seeking scenic perfection at the foot of Mount Washington, then here’s your place.

The luxurious Mount Washington Hotel, a century-old grand lodge, provides the ski area a magnificent greeting as well as a slopeside experience.

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Skiers visits down – Source: SIA

Best of the East Top 10 Resorts in Eastern North America 1 Stowe, Vt. 2 Le Massif, Que. 3 Jay Peak, Vt. 4 Mont Sainte Anne, Que. 5 Killington, Vt. 6 Tremblant, Que. 7 Waterville, Valley, N.H. 8 Whiteface, N.Y. 9 Sunday River, Maine 10 Marble Mountain, Newfoundland Best of the rest Blue Mountain, Ontario; St. Sauveur, Quebec; Mont Sutton, Quebec; Ski Bromont, Quebec; Snowshoe, West Virginia; Mountain Creek, New Jersey; Loon Mountain, New Hampshire; Sugarloaf, Maine; Smugglers’ Notch; Vermont; Stratton, Vermont

From top: Don Riddle, Oberti Resort Design

Ski Patrol boss steps down The year 2012 marked a significant turning point in the history of the Canadian Ski Patrol. Not only did long-standing Executive Director John Leu retire after 35 years (54 years as a patroller), a new CEO/national president, Colin Saravanamuttoo, stepped in to guide this great system of 4,500 professional lifesaving volunteers into the future. As significant a change for some as transitioning from straight to parabolic skis, you could say that the Canadian Ski Patrol now has a new pair of high-performance twin tips.

Still well-rooted in 70+ years of history and knowledge in this industry, the nationwide system is embracing the future and making fresh tracks as the leader of snow-sliding safety and rescue in this country. It’s a new, exciting evolution that will only serve resort operators and the skiing/sliding public even better over the next seven decades. – Sheila Reesor

Vail circa 1962

If you’re planning a trip to Colorado, try this uber pamper package.

Notoriously luxurious, the service-oriented Four Seasons Resort Vail is offering the Vail 1962 package, which includes a one-night stay in executive suite, 50-minute massage in the spa, $50 (US) credit for the Flame restaurant, and two 1960s classic cocktails at the Fireside Lounge. fourseasons.com/vail/offers/1962_package/

jumbo plans The B.C. Government has approved development for Jumbo Glacier Mountain Resort.

Located near Invermere, B.C., the soon-to-be monster ski area will boast four glaciers and an expected 1,750 metres of vertical and 5,925 hectares of skiable terrain. Once complete, it will feature up to 23 lifts, a 3,000-metre-high gondola and a ski village with more than 6,000 units. jumboglacierresort.com

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Best New Apps

First load SkiBiz..................13 SkiParazzi.........14 SkiBiz..................14 gear..................16 SNOWBYTES......16

Oakley Airwave goggle Tech-savvy skiers will be loving Oakley’s latest creation: a GPS-enabled goggle that instantly delivers information such as distance, airtime, speed and altitude delivered real-time to a heads-up display. The goggle can also be connected to a smartphone and all its features. $599.95. oakley.com

EDITOR’S PICK

Lytro camera This new teeny tiny camera takes lightning-fast photos, even in low light, and allows for refocussing after you take the shot. $499 (16MB) lytro.com

Kestrel 3500 Pocket Weather Meter Pocket weather meters have been around for years, but Kestrel’s latest gives precise data such as snow temperature, wind speed, wind chill, altitude and pressure trends. $194. kestrelmeters.com

Blizzard Bonafide This wood-core, sandwich-constructed all-mountain ski is geared toward more aggressive skiers. The 98 millimetre waist gives ample stability for motoring through crud and the slight tip and tail rocker add a little fun to this all-around ski. $850, blizzard.com

EpicMix Racing The latest from Vail Resorts’ EpicMix lineup, the racing app focusses on the speed demons. Vail teamed up with alpine superstar Lindsey Vonn, where she sets the pace. Top finishers for the season will be invited for an end of season race with Lindsey at Beaver Creek.

(Free, iOS and Android).

SkiPhone Keep this app running when you’re on the slopes to avoid fumbling with gloves.

(Free, Android).

SkiPursuit Record speed, descent, distance and time skiing, and produce averages for the day. (Free, iOS).

Pro-Tec B2 Audio helmet This helmet hooks up to most music players with a twist-locking connection so it won’t jerk out of your helmet, and volume and mute are controlled by a large dial on the outside of the ear pad that can easily be operated with gloves on. pro-tec.net/helmets

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Snowhere Nothing replaces the avalanche beacon, but it can’t hurt to have a backup like this new app, which uses GPS to turn your phone into a beacon that other users can track. ($9.99, iOS).

Smuggs has more family fun per square inch.

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SCAN THIS QR CODE FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THIS SKI. 18 S–Magazine

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VECTOR 120

Competition will start the 1 / 10 / 2012 and end the 31 / 03 / 2013

PHOTOGRAPHY: SEPP MALLAUN

ROCKER DONE RIGHT

Photo by Paul Morrison.

quintessential issue

Sh h , d o n’t t e l l anyone about skiing’s bestkept secret Kicking Horse, o r t h e d e e p, f luffy dreams o f B . C .’ s h e l i - s k i o u t f i t s, o r t h e fa m i ly s k i m e c c a at B i g Wh i t e, o r t h e m o u n ta i n culture around Banf f. Ke e p a l l t h i s t o y o u r s e l f. snowsportsculture.com

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quintessential / new resort

Sk i i n g ’ s B e s t Kicking Horse may not be a household n a m e y e t, b u t this secret stash is bound to reach the pinnacle of must-seeand-conquer destinations

Secret

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-Kept

P h o t o g r a p h s

B y

G o r d i e

b y

P a u l

B o w l e s

M o r r i s o n

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I r e a l ly couldn’t ta k e another “youhaven’tskiedKickingHorse?” c o m m e n t.

Being a Kootenay kid (raised in Fernie), it was downright kicking horse By the numbers Vertical 1,260 metres Skiable Acreage 2,800 acres Elevation Top of mountain 2,450 metres

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Terrain 128 runs 85 in-bound chutes Beginner 20% Intermediate 20% Advanced 45% Expert 15%

embarrassing that the answer was always no. Truth be told, I did ski the Whitetooth ski area in the early 1980s, the old city-owned and operated ski hill that was located in the same general location as the modern day resort. Then again, that was a one-lift operation where the skiing was over shortly after it started and the ATCO-trailer-style day lodge was colder inside than it was out. Even deeper into the nostalgic archives, my roommate for this trip, renowned photographer Paul Morrison, confessed it was his first-ever stop at this soon-to-be mega resort. The same held true with Smithers-based pro skier Claire Challen, the third-component of our travelling road show. Paul worked as a rock blaster in the late 1970s in the nearby town of Golden, B.C., and reminisced about his escapades at Mary’s Motel (it’s still there, we drove by!). But no skiing. So I didn’t feel so bad; Paul is one of the most published ski photographers in the industry (translation: he’s skied everywhere). So here we were, winding up the 13-kilometre mountain road, a photographer, pro skier and an editor with a few decades of turns between us exploring a new mountain, and all its possibilities, for the first time. Awesome.

Arriving at Kicking Horse Resort gave us a hint a European ski village vibe (forgetting that we just drove for nearly 10 hours, much of it white-knuckling, the equivalent of crossing Austria and half of Italy; not a typical European drive). Not of the Verbier or Chamonix ilk — where your senses are overwhelmed by cultural and landscape magnificence — but more like Les Deux Alps, in France, or St. Anton, Austria. Small and unassuming, but approachable. Don’t get me wrong, at this point I was already shaking out my travel-weary legs knowing that by this time the next day they would be destroyed after attempting to keep up to this mountain. Unassuming yes, approachable, we’ll wait and see.

After a leisurely start to the day, sipping tea and reviewing our plans, the mission began. My

quintessential / new resort

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quintessential / new resort

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t r a v e l t i p Th e b e s t t i m e t o travel to Kicking Horse is r i g h t a f t e r t h e Ch r i s t m a s b o o m , wh e n t h e m o u n t a i n s l o w s d o w n, t h e s n o w i s c o n s i s t e n t ly d r y a n d lodging more affordable.

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first site offloading the Golden Eagle Express gondola – besides the glorious Eagle’s Eye lodge which sits on the perfect perch – was mountains, snow, more mountains, more snow.

When you ski here, you’re amongst very fine archaeological company. I’m speaking of the ever-flowing Dogtooth range in the Purcell mountains, that seems to rise and drop from every angle. Six national parks surround the resort (Banff, Glacier, Kootenay, Yoho, Mt. Revelstoke and Jasper) giving the feeling that you’re being watched by millions of years worth of rock and ice.

Deciding which direction to go was about the toughest decision of the day.

And of course, before my first turn, it was a hike. Fitting. Had I turned left and pointed tips down I would have been loving the first taste of Kicking Horse snow but turned right (up) to seek out a drop that was just a little bit nicer. And it was.

Our first turns were on the south side of Terminator Ridge, T1 to the locals. The fall line from 7,900 feet dropped quickly, drifting directly into

W h e r e t o s t ay ?

Try the boutique hotels, like the Vagabond Lodge, which finds a balance between luxury and practicality, along with a splendid breakfast and after-ski snack. The spacious rooms feature private bathrooms and some (like ours) with loft-style bedrooms. It’s easy to feel at home at the Vagabond.

Other options: Highland Lodge, a rustic Scottish-inspired cabin, or the rustic Winston Lodge, decorated throughout in handcrafted, solid wood furniture. vagabondlodge.ca 26 S–Magazine

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Super Bowl, a wide open bowl that funneled back into the main area and towards the village base. Spotting the well put together base of the resort – a “village” in its embryonic stages – reminded me of the effort and resources that have been poured into this project. A far cry from the colderon-the-inside days of past.

This transition from a locally-owned ski hill to a bonafide mountain resort was likely not an easy transition. Golden’ites supported the initial development phase – almost exclusively – and since have seen an additional $100 Million invested into the multi-decade “master plan”, which includes expansion in accommodation, commercial properties, summer-based options (including a signature 18-hole golf course) and the addition of 11 new ski lifts. Eventually, the skiable terrain will reach 4,188 acres. Big business. And to throw a wrench into the complexity of these ambitious future plans, the resort was purchased early last season by the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies — owners of Fernie, Monte-SainteAnne and three other Canadian resorts — from Ballast Nedam, the initial owner and developer of Kicking Horse.

Bread-and-butter Carving our a resort’s “niche” is no simple task. Ultimately, it’s the vision of the developers that will dictate which clientele the marketing efforts will cater to. Will it be an

affordable hard-core ski mountain? Luxury oriented travel destination? Approachable family stop? The planners must have grappled long and hard over the vision of what Kicking Horse would become. When they launched the resort in 2000, there were already plenty of established options competing for international and regional travel dollars. The closest international airport, Calgary, has seven quality ski resorts (Lake Louise, Sunshine, Mt Norquay, Nakiska, Fernie, Kimberley and Kicking Horse) all within a three-hour plus drive.

The identity of Kicking Horse was not obvious, at least definitively. Like an overachieving teenager, brimming with potential, but not yet a crystal clear direction on future aspirations, Kicking Horse has huge goals and a long way to go.

But if I was to pull out one potentiallydefining characteristic, I would lean towards family skiing. Catering to the needs of the multi-generational traveller is a smart move for any resort and appears to be a focus here. Most resorts constantly adjust and fine-tune their family offerings. Where Kicking Horse might have an upper hand is that the mountain is big, but without the intimidation factor of other big mountains, like Revelstoke and Whistler.

Crowds are few and far between and the positioning of the beginner area at the base, next to the après patio’s and restaurants is smartly placed.

quintessential / new resort

Almost clear future

There are many uncertainties regarding the future of Kicking Horse Resort. Entering its 13th season in 2013, the mountain continues to announce new offerings and upgrades as it forges ahead along its well-thought-out path. But the one constant that will keep the owner’s grounded, the beds full and operations humming along, has nothing to do with business or planning. It’s the snow. Untracked, undiscovered and yielding beneath your skis, occasionally flying up into your face, causing pause to catch your breath. You’ll need it as this resort is moving fast.

Th i s t r a n s i t i o n f r o m a l o c a l ly owned ski hill to a bonafide m o u n ta i n r e s o r t w a s l i k e ly n o t a n e a s y o n e.

L u x u r y at t h e highest

Next to family skiing, I would suggest the luxury offerings at Kicking Horse are a stand-out. The Eagle Eye private suite package, located at 7,700 feet the top of the hill, is a luxury opportunity like no other. Perched high on this rugged summit swan-folded napkins rest on the 1,000-thread count sheets, setting the stage for an out-of-this world-view-from-bed, overlooking the Columbia Valley. A private butler and small service staff at your beck and call (go ahead, order some fries at midnight) while you frolic, play and sleep at the top of the world. Sweet stuff. But save energy for that next morning for the coveted first tracks with a mountain guide, as the mountain is all yours to ease in the day.

W h at ’ s i n a n a m e ? A k i c k i n t h e a s s

The name itself is perplexing. Kicking Horse Resort? Sounds a bit more like a Wyoming namesake, than a ski stop in the B.C. interior.

As legend has it – and there’s lots of legend in these parts – the ski area’s roots began from adventure and exploration, over 100 years ago. It was 1858, to be exact, when John Palliser was dispatched by the Imperial government to determine a feasible passage from the Prairies through the mountains, in order to extend the Canadian Pacific Railway. A geologist, named Sir James Hector, was among those on the expedition team. As the story goes, Hector suffered a vicious kick from his own steed, and was unconscious for so long that his three aboriginal guides were convinced he was dead and decided to bury him. As they were carrying Hector’s lifeless body to a grave he suddenly came to, giving his guides an understandable shock. Impressed by his tenacity, they gave him the name “Kicking Horse”. As if destined to be a permanent part of the makeup of the land, Hector recuperated and explored the valley, eventually discovering the pass that would become the route through the mountains. The pass and river were eventually dubbed “Kicking Horse” in Hector’s honour. So it was Hector who we’re indebted to for this extraordinary passage to the Canadian west, to the Kootenay’s, which in my humble opinion, has the best skiing this side of the Atlantic. –G. Bowles snowsportsculture.com

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dream quintessential / heli skiing

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big the global headquarters for heli-skiing is in the B.C. interior, where dry champagne powder blankets the biggest of dreams B y

J u l i e

N i e u w e n h u y s

dream deep P h o t o g r a p h s

b y

C a r o l i n e

v a n

‘ t

H o f f

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Heliskiing is like sex; wh e n i t ’ s good it’s g r e at, b u t e v e n wh e n it’s bad it is still pretty d a m n n i c e ,” our guide Jake mischievously jokes before I climb into the helicopter. The adrenaline races through my body as the pilot clamps on his headphones and the propellers begin to rotate faster as formidable mountains loom in the distance. The pilot flies straight to a ridge, skilfully swings the tail around and lands on a tiny plateau marked by a stick with orange tape, which turns out to be the landing zone. Kneeling, we watch the helicopter as the snow whips up and stings our faces.

Slowly, the humming fades and a deafening silence fills the air. My ski buddy Caroline and I, two Dutch skiers, are standing on the top of a mountain, hundreds of kilometres away from the nearest ski lift, ready for our first powder shot of the day.

Yeah, sing with me, sing for the year Sing for the laughter, sing for the tear Sing with me, just for today.

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quintessential / heli skiing

heli ski By the numbers Details Skeena Heliskiing www.skeenaheliskiing.com Northern Escape HeliSkiing www.neheliski.com Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing www.selkirk-tangiers.com

*Depending on conditions, you can expect to ski between 18,000 and 24,000 vertical feet in a single day.

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quintessential / heli skiing

All-you-can-ski buffet After dreaming nonstop about every freerider’s ultimate fantasy, the time has finally come to sample an all-you-can-ski buffet of unlimited dry champagne powder.

The guide calmly briefs us on the imminent run. The wait is finally over and I am about to experience the descent that I have already skied hundreds of times in my mind.

The powder curls over me like a giant wave and at every turn the snow explodes in my face. Gasping for air, I ski at full throttle through the ghost trees. The extreme snowfall and cold have transformed the snow-covered trees into eerie silhouettes.

With aching legs and a massive grin, I ski towards the sound of the chopper.

Sky h i g h The amount of powder we ski is beyond comprehension. Over the course of the day, the stoke grows sky high. By the time the pilot cranks up Michael Jackson’s “Don’t stop ‘til you get enough” I’m on sensory overload. On the way back, the pilot decides to put on a show, making a hairpin turn right before we reach the lodge, where the shot of the day awaits in

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the après-ski bar. In addition to drinking, typical après-ski activities include clay pigeon shooting, snowmobiling, an ice hockey match and of course a soak in the hot tub. Okay, maybe that’s not typical.

Every evening a three-course dinner is laid out for us. But if you aren’t careful, you might end up with a heli-belly around all that tantalizing food. Heli-skiing is not just all-you-can-ski; a more accurate description would be all-you-can-wish-for ... and more.

Mountains of powder, mountains of gold Our adventure began eight months ago with endless research. There are more than 15 different heli-ski operations with a total of 26 lodges in British Columbia alone, which is where 95% of the world’s heli-skiing takes place. But despite the wide array of choices there are plenty of misconceptions about heli-skiing. Most people are under the impression that you have to jump out of the helicopter; that heli-skiing is the exclusive domain of the rich and famous; and that every company offers the same thing. It is best to carefully

compare the outfits based on your specific needs – price, group size, location and terrain. And don’t worry, you don’t have to jump out of the helicopter.

It’s deeper up here The Skeena Mountains are just a two hour flight away from Vancouver. Thanks to the proximity to the coast, the average annual snowfall is 20 metres. The only “drawback” is that you might be temporarily grounded due to a snowstorm. At Northern Escape, you still get to ski powder every day: in the event of a down day, they simply take you to Catland,which is as big as Whistler, where two snow cats guarantee that you will score face shots even when it is dumping!

You could easily mistake the surroundings for Alaska or a scene from the Matchstick Productions film “Attack of la Nina.”

Venture further into these spectacular, inhospitable mountains and you will arrive at Skeena Heliskiing’s warm and inviting Bear Claw Lodge, hewn from giant tree trunks. Up here, you are more likely to encounter a moose than another human being. Everything is impeccably organized: After you are roused with a cup of tea in

Heli-skiing is not just allyou-canski; a more a c c u r at e description would be all-youcan-wishfor ... bed, you have time to gently wake up during stretch class before tucking into a delicious breakfast of homemade delicacies.

Everyone on the team lavishes attention on you throughout the day, from the fun-loving chef to the extremely professional guide and owner Jake, who, BTW, is a pro at throwing a party!

Of course, if this all of this luxury sounds a bit much, you can go heli-skiing just for a day. Opting out of an overnight stay in a five-star lodge will save you a ton of money without depriving you of the ultimate ski experience! Selkirk Tangiers is practically around the corner from Revelstoke, and with numerous 11-seater choppers flying each day you don’t have to book months in advance. This gives you the option to decide at the last minute in Revelstoke whether you want to go. Watch out though: heli-skiing is highly addictive and before you know it you will have skied right through your savings!

Dream on or game on?

The experience that suits you best depends on your personal preferences. But you can be sure about one thing: you will most likely ski more powder in a single day than you have ever skied before. The choice is yours: are you the type of person who stays home daydreaming, or are you going to turn your dream into reality?

The high life: Bighorn Lodge

When we arrived at the ultimate in ski luxury accommodation is nestled in the forest of Revelstoke, B.C., Leesa, the British lodge manager, gave us the grand tour of Bighorn lodge. It felt like we set foot in a Scottish hunting castle with an abundance of wood and plaid details. Not to mention the spectacular views of the Columbia River and breathtaking mountains. The timber-framed lodge and its 1,400 square meters of pure indulgence and supreme comfort, includes luxuries beyond your wildest dreams. The bonus is a private helipad from where you can access some of the best heli-ski terrain in the world. Who knew it was possible to climb into your private helicopter just meters away from the outdoor hot tub? Bighorn was the conception of two young Brits, Chris and Michael Kirkland, both avid skiers who designed the number of bedrooms (8) around the number of skiers that can fit into an AStar helicopter. They wanted to bring a European luxury chalet to the heli-ski capital of the world and included a private chef serving gourmet meals. Leesa and her husband Pete make sure we instantly feel at home and ask us if we would like to relax in the hot tub before dinner, while enjoying one of his cheeky cocktails. With a sunset on snowcapped mountains of the Monashee Valley and a Mojito in hand, it is crystal clear; life just doesn’t get any better than this! –J. Nieuwenhuys snowsportsculture.com

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family

all in the

No matter the age, B i g Wh i t e c o n t i n u e s to find a way to get families’ winter groove on

B y

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P h o t o g r a p h s

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At t h i s v e r y m o m e n t s o m e o n e at B i g W h i t e is laughing. Someo n e e l s e i s s k at i n g .

Someone is partying. Ice climbing, horse-sleigh riding, tubing, parading, snowmobiling, cotton-candying, big-bear hugging.

P l ay i n g .

big white By the numbers Vertical 777 metres Skiable Acreage 7,355 acres Elevation Summit 2,319 metres

Terrain 118 named runs Beginner 18% Intermediate 54% Advanced 22% Expert 6%

Someone else is shopping, eating, drinking. Hot-tubbing, bon-firing, ice wine-sipping. Others are getting their groove on.

Oh right, did I mention skiing?

Big White is a family ski vacation mecca. Its brilliant blend of activities leave nothing to chance. Bad weather, no problem, flip open that fat resort activity rolodex. Kid meltdown? No worries, a gazillion turn-that-frown-upside-down things to do.

There’s no question that Big White, with its small village character and intimate size, is all about catering to the the multi-faceted, complex world of family travel, helping manage expectations and interest levels that come with varied generational interests.

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Th e i r o n y i s t h at e v e n though skiing and learning to ski is this resort’s s p e c i a lt y, the après and activity offerings a r e va s t.

Looking for Romance?

Try a sleigh ride

If you’ve chosen Big White to romance a new flame, or reignite an existing one, try a romantic horse-drawn sleigh ride (private rides can be arranged) with champagne and chocolatecovered strawberries, before dinner at the Kettle Valley Steakhouse. Big White also offers a champagne gondola ride, a nice touch if you’re making your way around the the multi-leveled Village.

Talkin’ ‘bout my generation Big White has always been a family stop, but the resort has matured significantly in the last two decades since it was just a place to drive to, ski for a while, drive back.

On the mountain today, you’ll find 16 lifts that whizz you upwards to access 7,355 acres (the equivalent of 7,000 football fields) of skiable terrain, over 118 designated trails and an annual snowfall of over 20 feet. You’ll find a village with accommodation to suit everything from economy to luxury and 18 on-mountain restaurants, cafés, pubs and nightclubs. You’ll likely be experiencing weather in the minus 5 celcius range.

You’ll find a terrain park that is so big that it has its own weather system.

You’ll also find creativity for learn to ski programs, no matter the age or skill level. Mom, Dad and Me, a unique learnto-ski program, allows the more anxious children (around age 3-6) a private lesson with parents in tow. On the opposite end of the age spectrum, “mature” skiers (seniors) have special designated zones on the mountain that are carefully monitored to ensure speed is kept to a comfortable crawl, giving elderly skiers, as well as families with small children, the chance to comfortably explore more than just the green runs on the mountain.

Après: Fancy schmancy or Simple Joe The irony is that even though skiing and learning to ski is this resort’s specialty, the après and activity offerings are vast. The playground headquarters are located at the base of the ski

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W h i t e Sp i r i t L o d g e The White Spirit Lodge, located atop a small plateau in the middle of the Big White Resort, is the dream home of Calgarians Sherry and George Schluessel.

Inspired to build a family getaway, George calls the 10,000-squarefoot work of art

a “hospitable castle”, with orientation that offers both sunrise and sunset views.

The placement of the old growth red cedar log posts, most of them a metre in diameter and distinctively natural, each has its own random, gnarled character. “While

the structure is massive and awesome, we also strived to create a natural, comforting feeling with the way we used natural materials and oriented things,” Schluessel says. “Yes, it’s massive, but I believe it’s also warm and cozy.”

Photo courtesy Big White Resort

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WHAT W HAT YOU YOU DON’T DON’T K KNOW NOW

MAY BE YOUR BEST SKI TRIP EVER RACE MUCH? For added excitement to your stay, plan your trip around one of many race oriented events.

SunPeaksResort.com/Race-Events Racing season begins in November R at the Nancy Greene International Race Centre, training facility for the Austria National Ski Team.

SunPeaksResort.com/Race-Centre Su u

vacation special

SKI & STAY FREE

4 FOR 3

Photo: Royce Sihlis

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First time skiers to Sun Peaks are often awe struck upon arrival. The charming slopeside village slowly reveals itself as you approach and the expansive ski terrain, second largest in BC in fact, appears left, right and centre as it flows seamlessly into the village. Plentiful amenities from restaurants, cafés, pubs, shops, and winter activities will keep your days as complete as you desire.

1.866.744.0114 www.SunPeaksResort.com

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N a pa o f t h e N o r t h

Top right: Photo courtesy Cedar Creek

The only thing better than pairing fine wine and fine powder is fine local wine and champagne powder.

B.C.’s wine country, which is growing up as fast as Big White Resort, is gaining in popularity locally and abroad. Like California’s Napa Valley, the wine country in B.C. runs north-south (from Osoyoos to Kelowna) in an arid basin that features several distinct growing regions. Some of the notable local wineries – Cedar Creek, Quail’s Gate, (renowned for pinot noir) Mission Hill (ice wine, a specialty) and Sumac Ridge – are a short drive from the ski resort. Suggest: Start your wine après at Globe for limited-edition local wines paired with artisanal charcuterie and cheeses. From here, it’s 45 minutes to the wineries. Or, to stay on the mountain, plan your trip around the Big Reds at Big White event, where over 30 Okanagan wineries team up with the finest chefs at Big White for a night of sensory delights ($50 per person, bigwhite.com).

W h e n y o u g o, F ly i n t o Kelowna; there are nons t o p s f r o m Va n c o u v e r, C a l g a r y, S e at t l e a n d o t h e r s . b i g wh i t e r e s o r t . c o m snowsportsculture.com

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Front row seats to Fantastic There’s just something about it. The T-Bar Grill with your mates. Frosty glasses and tale telling.

The massive terrain of Taynton Bowl. The carving of endless corduroy on 4000 vertical feet of fall line perfection. The ooh’s and aah’s in Canada’s largest slopeside hotpools, right next to your ski-to-the-door digs. Latte? Down the sidewalk. Pizza? Down the gondola. Shops, dining or a skate on the lake? The free shuttle to quaint Invermere-on-the Lake. And crowds? Where?

Nothing but snow-capped peaks and friendly faces in every direction... Welcome to our Village.

All thrills!

Ski and stay slopeside from $99 per night.* Call 1.866.601.7387 or Book Online at SkiPanorama.com/smedia

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*Per person. Conditions apply.

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area at the aptly named Happy Valley, which is surrounded by skating rinks (quality outdoor ice!), snow tubing, horse-drawn sleighs, snowmobile rides, snow biking, and a really challenging 60-foot ice-climbing wall towering over it all. And not to be missed: the kiosk with belgian-waffles-to-die-for in the lower floor of Happy Valley Lodge.

The activities at Big White appeal to most ages, including the oft-neglected parents. The quaint village, which caters primarily to a ski-in crowd, features several dining and nightlife options, from the intimate 6 Degrees Bistro at the base of the Stonebridge Lodge to great burgers at Johnnie Canuck’s to the more elegant Kettle Valley Steakhouse and Wine Bar. In the morning, Beano’s coffee house is a terrific stop before you hit the slopes, or for more stick-with-you power the Santé

Grille has five different styles of eggs benedict.

The skiing is as diverse as the village. From the challenging, — albeit — short, glades off the Falcon Chair, like Flag Pole and Corkscrew, to the more cruisey runs off the Bullet Express, there is no wind-in-your-face shortage on these hills (speaking of wind in your face, the Black Forest side of the mountain is secluded enough for an escape on windy days).

Guests are often surprised at the quality of snow. Said one guest, “After living in Whistler for 12 years, I was a little skeptical of Big White, but not any more — 25 cms of dry OK champagne powder has made me a fan. We had fun all over the mountain. Forty runs wide at the base is no joke either.”

Yes, no joke about it, Big White is the real deal, with the snow and smiles to prove it.

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glory in the highest Sk i TV c r e w b a s k s i n t h e c u lt u r a l ly r i c h c o n f i n e s of picturesque Banff a n d t h e e p i c L a k e L o u i s e, M t. N o r q u ay a n d S u n s h i n e Village resorts 44 S–Magazine

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R o z s a

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e v e l y

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A m u lt i t u d e o f d e s t i n at i o n s f i n d t h e m s e lv e s stretched beyond capacity as word

lake louise By the numbers Vertical 991 metres Skiable Acreage 4,200 acres Elevation Top of mountain 2,637 metres

Terrain 139 named runs Beginner 25% Intermediate 45% Advanced 15% Expert 15%

spreads of expanding mountain resorts and resulting real estate boons. These burgeoning resort towns bust in greedy anticipation of what might be, chasing the carrot before it’s sewn. Enter Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise. Three drastically different mountain playgrounds that share one distinct geographic location: Banff National Park. snowsportsculture.com

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LAKE TAHOE snowsportsculture.com

*Price subject to change. © 2012 Vail Resorts Management Company. Trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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mT. norquay By the numbers Vertical 503 metres Skiable Acreage 190 acres Elevation Top of mountain 2,300 metres

Established in 1885, the Park is the oldest in Canada and one of the world’s most visited. Also a UNESCO World Heritage site, royalty, vacationers and entrepreneurs have flocked here for decades to experience the awe inspiring beauty.

Rarely have I travelled to a place where the true meaning of a National Park reverberates through the earth and inhabitants, resulting in a unique micro culture. A place where residents work hard for the privilege to live, creating a deep rooted community. It is with intention and not for everyone: uber environmentalism, conservation before development, and capped population to name a few. Imagine a place where the hoops one needs to jump through to gain approval to remove a tree is so onerous, that the odd one blows over on a calm night. Where a patch-work and cut-block forest has become the norm, the Banff National Park is the exception ... and I love it!

I am one of the lucky ones to be honoured with frequent visits to this area, and a

Terrain 28 named runs 16.4 km of runs Beginner 20% Intermediate 36% Advanced 28% Expert 16%

Ski Television shoot has sparked this most recent return. The crew has expanded to include Darryl Palmer (videographer), John Evely (photographer), Martha Marpole (co-host) and me. Both John and Martha are long-time locals, so we have built in interpreters.

Our first stop was Lake Louise. I was thrilled to be hosted at one of my favourite lodges, the Post Hotel Lake Louise, where I had stayed during World Cup week some years ago. Welcoming us was the comforting smell of a wood-burning stove and the elegantly understated charm of the classic Tudor building. Hotel proprietor and innovator of ski technique in Canada, Andre Schwartz, would be our gracious host.

Sandy Best, one of the greatest story tellers I have met, would be our resort coordinator and also quite the entertainer. Both gentlemen beckoned for us to join them for dinner: First to the bar for an aperitif and then past the cigar room to dine. After a long evening of exquisite ambiance, company,

food and drink, we retired to our rooms in preparation for the day ahead.

It was a breathtaking morning – the kind where you walk out of the hotel and your throat constricts at the drastic change in temperature and then you melt at the sight of a pink sky interrupted by the moon disappearing behind sharp peaks. It was a cold one, but with all the right gear, we were ready to take the elements on. Andre promised to meet us for lunch, so we made our way the short distance to the hill where Sandy had expertly organized our day. After many outbursts of laughter while awkwardly working through our first group on-camera shot, we clambered into the Grizzly Express Gondola and were whisked up 1,450 vertical feet in just seven minutes.

From there, we enjoyed our first turn over rolling terrain towards the Top of the World 6 Pack Express.

With so many locals in the group to lead us to the massive bowls, cruising blues and greens and tipped up features that let you go as big and steep as you dare was a brilliant start. Don’t be surprised if you come across a moose making its way across a groomed trail – that did happen to me during a World Cup race!

If you only have one day to explore Lake Louise, there is no time to dawdle. We moved around the mountain expertly guided

by Sandy, past the avalanche training

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4:24PM hot tub time

Your wild is a personal thing; something unique that’s deep inside you.

Ski all day, dance all night or shop ‘til you drop. Whatever YOUR wild is we’ll help set it free.

This is Canada’s Protected Playground™. Almost 8,000 acres of unparalleled terrain spread across three world-class resorts, all wrapped up in a UNESCO World Heritage Site that has become this country’s most iconic winter destination: Banff National Park.

Find YOUR Wild:

WWW.SKIBIG3.COM/smag 1-866-613-7206 50 S–Magazine

snowsportsculture.com skilouise.com

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facility where guests can learn about safety in the controlled slack country of the resort and the raw back country that is becoming increasingly popular. Then, we cruised over to the Larch area on Lipalian Mountain, completely removed from the front face of Louise. There we met Andre for some dynamic turns followed by a lazy lunch at the Temple Lodge – après mid-day: Love it! Bonus: You can get back to the base area by taking just one lift from just about anywhere without traversing – that’s a “10” in my book!

Our next stop, just one hour north east of Lake Louise was Sunshine Village Resort. Many long-time skiers reminisce about the classic ski week and resort operators dream to resurrect it: Sunshine Village lives it. With the closest off-mountain accommodation 30 minutes away in Banff, the tastefully renovated, comfortably contemporary Sunshine Village Hotel Resort has a plethora of amenities to keep guests entertained for days.

And the biggest draw is skiing. On this particular winter day it seemed that we had half of the resort staff ripping along with us, so Darryl got shot after shot of fresh blower powder. Goats Eye Mountain can be quite wind affected, but when the stars line perfectly you’ll be treated to some of the sweetest, lightest powder fathomable.

Need more a rush? Venture into Delirium Dive for the thrill of your life, but be sure to you keep your skis under you. It is a very long, steep ride down on anything but your bases!

To help us relax after a day of breathtaking excitement, Martha and I hopped into the giant slope side hot tub for a soothing soak before dinner. Then it was up to the lounge to hydrate and rock climb before settled into the Eagle’s Nest for a delicious meal.

If you haven’t been to Sunshine Village Resort, don’t miss the unmistakeable Trapper Jerry’s Restaurant and Bar. Stumble in and leap back in time to where the menu is comforting, the ales follow suite, the lighting is dim, and the smell of wet ski boots and wood somehow merge to create a welcoming nostalgic experience. Although the crew was exhausted from the long day, we all agreed that a quick pint at Trappers was a tradition that had to be honoured.

That particular night, many of the resort

SUNSHINE by the numbers Vertical 1,070 metres Skiable Acreage 3,358 acres Elevation Top of mountain 2,730 metres

staff were there wearing pillows strapped to their butts – random, yes: surprising, no.

We went along with it.

After a restful sleep on the mountain, I threw my winter clothes on, clicked into my skis and leapt off my deck to the freshly groomed run below. Just another day in paradise! And today, our first run led us to the valley below and our next and final stop, Mt. Norquay.

Travelling north-east again, we drove to Banff and then 5 minutes up to the ski hill.

I love the close proximity or Mt. Norquay to the town of Banff, and how available they have made it for locals. School aged kids ski free, and seasons passes start at $119! That’s almost laughable in an extraordinary way.

The runs of Mount Norquay offer incredible vistas of the town of Banff. They are host to Nor-Am races, and home to many passionate Masters racers. Thomas Grandi,

Terrain 107 named runs 82 km of runs Beginner 22% Intermediate 31% Advanced 42% Expert 5%

Canada’s most decorated technical World Cup ski racer, learned his craft on the runs at Norquay. Martha and I remembered training and racing at Norquay, and now I’ve had the chance to return with a newfound interest.

I discovered incredible views of Banff when we ventured up the North American lift to the far right of the mountain. A quick stop in for a history lesson and cup of tea at the Cliff House told of historic ski jumps still visible just below. They were built there for a reason – this area is steep! For those looking to do some cruising, stay right on the Mystic Express and Spirit Quad chairs.

This hill skis bigger than it looks on the trail map.

At days end, be sure to head into Banff to take in the energy of this historic resort town. Whether you have three days or three weeks in the Banff National Park, every moment is a treat!

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The Vonn Express Train is not slowing down any time soon…

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By Gordie Bowles

lindsey vonn is many things to many people.

At the forefront is a record-setting skier who has amassed more hardware than anyone in the history of the sport. Her points total last season on the World Cup, was the greatest performance by a woman in the history of the World Cup, behind only Austrian Hermann Maier who holds the all-time record. (At press time, she is in fourth place in the 2013 overall standings, after an intestinal illness sidelined her for nearly a month, but is first in both the downhill and super-G standings).

The American superstar is also honing in on the record that many felt would never be challenged, legendary Ingemar Stenmark’s 86 World Cup victories.

Next is the marketing machine that has

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put a skier into mainstream consciousness.

Lindsey is worth millions of dollars, not only by her competition prize money but by multiple lucrative long-term contracts with sponsors like Rolex, Red Bull, Vail Resorts, Proctor and Gamble, Under Armour, and most recently, Kohl’s.

But then there’s the darker side that quietly troubles the American superstar.

Vonn split with her husband last year after four years of marriage. Thomas, had also acted as her coach, manager and equipment manager, was the main force that appeared to keep the Vonn Express on the rails. But then news spread of the skier’s owing more than $1.7 million in federal

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I realized for the first time in my life I was skiing for myself…” back taxes to the IRS, a grossly mismanaged financial situation, which was resolved quickly (Lindsey announced on her Facebook page that she’s “disappointed with this situation” and had done “everything in my power to settle it immediately.”)

The Vonns’ divorce unexpectedly altered what had been a story of a seemingly perfect and unpenetrable career and marriage. But the divorce proceedings put a dent in the public image, and triggered numerous reports that Lindsey had been dating celebrities, most notably NFL quarterback Tim Tebow.

But at the hub of this, what appeared to be a personal meltdown, Vonn found unprecedented success, becoming the first American to win four World Cup overall titles. “I realized for the first time in my life I was skiing for myself,” she said. “I had always had a lot of people helping me — my dad when I was younger, then Thomas, and my sponsors. And sometimes, I think I skied for those other people.

Lindsey has found her groove — which is a scary thought for her competition — and will have ample opportunity to reach absolute pinnacles in her sport (next up: Annemarie Moser-Proell, 62 World Cup wins and 115 podiums).

“I do see ways to keep on improving my level and my results, there is still space for progress in many fields. In a way it’s good for my motivation and my focus as I’m a very goal-oriented-racer. I feel able to work out very hard to keep on raising my level.”

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The Snow Sugar a la Mode

Slope

Style Snowsports fashion trends By michael mastarciyan

Hot in the Cold Top 10 trends and finds for 2013

1

Shiny and Quilted What would

Barbie (the doll) or Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon’s character in the film Legally Blonde) wear to ski or board?

Uhhh, the answer to that would be Snow Sugar, the newest and coolest women’s ski and snowboardwear label on the market today. If hyper-feminine, quilted, super shiny winter-gear (also one-pieces, après skiwear, mini-skirts, handbags) are your kind of thing – in colours like Black Licorice, Lemon Drop, White Chocolate and Bubblegum Pink – then this look, and this sexy new winter wear brand, are definitely for you. My fave, the Rocky Road Suit, is a shiny, quilted, black one-piece and the closest a ski suit will ever come to looking like a vintage Chanel handbag!

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2

The K-Way Jacket What!!

K-Way? Yes, I’m not kidding, the K-Way rain jacket is back in fashion’s good books. The nylon, waterproof, paper-thin jacket you used to wear over sweats to go skiing 25 years ago is super-trendy again.

Heck, Gucci has even gotten on the K-Way bandwagon with a super chic (and super priced) version of its own. But remember, K-Ways + sweat-clothes + physical activity = a whole lot of perspiration. Wicking sweat off your body was never this jacket’s strong suit!

Moncler Bresle Wool Jacket

3

The Old-Timey Look When Swiss alpine racing superstar Didier Cuche retired last March, he wore 1930sinspired vintage (or faux vintage) wool skiwear – you know, wool jacket, wool pants, wool cap – while slip-sliding down the hill in leather boots and wood skis. Turns out he wasn’t far off the mark in terms of trendiness. Thanks to ultra-chic skiwear manufacturers Moncler and Frauenschuh,

Top: Stephanie Girard

ok, i’ve only got a thousand words, so no room for fancy-schmancy intros. Let’s get right down to business. Here are my top 10 fashion trends & finds – in no particular order – for the 2013 season:

WINTER’S MORE FUN HERE.

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slope style you can now deck yourself out in ultramodern, breathable, moisture-wicking ski jackets and pants that look like the clothes your alpine forefathers and mothers wore.

In earthy grey and brown wooly tweeds and traditional Austrian lodens, these garments are definitely not the outerwear great grandma and grandpa use to wear – they just look like them!

4

Real Shearling If depriving cute, fluffy little sheepies of their pelts is not a moral issue or dilemma for you – and you’ve always dreamed of wearing shearling on the slopes – then European winter sport high fashion house Moncler has got some seriously stylish men’s outerwear you should consider.

Your choices: The Evariste – a form-fitting waist-length jacket that kinda looks like a down-filled puffy jacket with shearling trim, or the Delacroix – a really cool downfilled puffy/sheepskin hybrid.

5

WESTERN YOLK VEST & JACKETS Pretty much anything

that resembles a traditional Western yoke shirt (that’s a cowboy shirt with V-shaped pattern piece on the front and back of the shoulders, for you ignorant city slickers) is hot this season. If it looks like a cowboy or a 1970s trucker would wear it, it’s “in.” The guy to thank for this is Swedish freeride superstar Henrik Windstedt, who has almost singlehandedly brought the look back with a little retro-vibed number called the Pillow jacket made by Peak Performance.

6

Feline Prints Feline prints have been very popular for the past couple of seasons – this season is no different. With just about every ski and snowboardwear brand in the game, you can pretty much find whatever kind of faux print or stripe that tickles your fancy – from leopards to tigers. My own particular fave – Rossignol’s Snow Tiger print jackets designed by Jean-Charles de Castelbajac – with, yes you guessed it, images of tigers on the sleeves. Available for men and women, these eye-catching jackets are, as Tony the Tiger would say, “Grrrreat!”

7

Faux Shearling Let’s face it, shearling jackets and winter action sports have never really gone hand in hand. These coats are usually bulky, heavy and tainted with the negative karma that

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comes from a cute and cuddly year-old lamb being savagely stripped of its pelt.

But if shearling really turns your crank, boy, do the fashion geniuses at Burton have a jacket for you! The Restricted 3L Sentry Snowboard jacket looks just like real shearling but acts like a real modern day jacket with all the bells and whistles of tech fabric called Dryride Durashell – warm, fuzzy, fashionable and totally guilt-free!

8

High Tech Goes High FASHION It’s usually big-time

Peak Performance Pillow Jacket

designer labels that branch out into the ski and snowboardwear business (i.e. Ralph Lauren’s RLX line) – not the reverse. But based on what I saw recently at Barney’s – one of NYC’s most chic department stores – the opposite has happened. Arc’teryx, the company I’ve always considered to be the Armani of outdoor clothing, has reached fashion Nirvana with its Veilance line of jackets, pants, sweaters and shirts, which it launched in 2009. Finally some hightech, mountain-friendly, urban clothing you can wear on your way to your favourite overpriced restaurant after a long day’s slog at the investment bank on Bay Street or Wall Street.

9

Hawaiian Style You love ripping down snowy slopes but have the soul of a surfer and wish you could bring that cool ocean vibe to the mountains – problem solved – Bogner’s Mauna Kea collection. Skiwear in tropical colours, decorated with surfboards and hibiscus flowers, available in a wide assortment of styles available for women and men. My favourite piece in the line – the women’s Neah D hooded ski jacket that looks like a lemon, lime, raspberry and blueberry flavoured Popsicle (and it kinda looks like my favourite pair of Quiksilver boardshorts!).

10

Moncler Evariste Jacket

Black and Red LumberJACK PLAIDS The “Rockers”

who hung out at the back of my high school in Laval, Quebec, in the early 1980s were apparently – much to my dismay – fashion visionaries? Those black and red lumber shirts they wore have morphed into hightech, high-fashion ski and snowboardwear – and are all over the slopes. Spyder, Rossignol, Burton, everyone’s in on it, and apparently all those “stoners” I used to skip class with are now top designers – go figure!

Rossignol’s Snow Tiger Print Jacket

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Body

Fuel

Fitness and health tips for success By ryan stuart

snack attack Foolproof way to avoid the bad stuff

Ever wonder why it’s so hard to resist fries and gravy or greasy pizza at ski hill lunch time? Try a granola bar. “Skiers who fail to snack between runs are the skiers most likely to reach for these types of energy draining food when they get to the lodge,” says Kelly Anne Erdman, lead dietician at the Canadian Sport Centre in Calgary.

“Unhealthy choices are usually the first choice when you’re ravenous. By eating often skiers can maintain better physical and mental energy to allow them to concentrate and technically perform better.” Plus, you’ll be able to ski longer.

She recommends taking a few bites of food during each chairlift ride and drinking water often to fight off “central fatigue,” a scientific term referring to a loss of mental focus from hypoglycaemia (hunger). “It’s all about getting into a routine,” she says.

And the best snacks? A combination of carbohydrates for a short-term boost and protein and fat for long-term output and, most importantly, make sure it’s easy to eat on a chairlift. Nuts, protein bars, fruit and veggie bars, cheese and healthy granola bars are all good options.

Strengthen for separation You’ve probably heard it before: body separation – keeping the upper body facing down the fall line while the lower body moves back and forth – is key to pressurization and other fundamentals of the ski turn. Problem is our body wants to stay in line. “You need to resist this natural inclination,” says Dr. Thomas Lam, Ontario Alpine’s fitness director and president of FITS Toronto, a training centre and sports medicine clinic. “For this the trunk matters tremendously.”

Similar to the core, trunk strength comes from keeping the spine in a neutral position while loading it with weight and holding for endurance. Lam challenges Ontario Alpine athletes’ trunks with a combination of Farmer’s Walks and Waiter’s Walks. “They get your heart rate going

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and work your trunk muscles in a dynamic way,” he says.

Start with a weight in your right hand at your side (the Farmer’s Walk) and walk 20 metres out and back holding your spine straight. Pick a weight that you can carry the distance while maintaining a neutral spine position with your shoulders and hips in line and shoulders parallel to the floor; Lam recommends men start with 40 pounds and 25 for women. Now pass the weight to your left hand and repeat. When you get back do the Waiter’s Walk: hold a lighter weight overhead in your right hand, like a waiter navigating a busy party. Start with 25 pounds for men, 15 for women, again maintaining a neutral spine. Repeat the Waiter Walk with the weight in your left hand. That’s one set. Do four to six.

Elevation Tamer To prevent the headaches and nausea of altitude sickness on your next trip to a high-elevation resort, try drinking Acli-Mate for a few days before and during the trip. Not only is it loaded with herbs to help with acclimatization, it’s got plenty of electrolytes and vitamins to improve performance. ($30 for a 30-serving tub; acli-mate.com)

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Tips

Up

Suggestions and tips from the pros

By Josh Foster

Silky smooth rhythm

Powder skiing is not as hard as it might seem; keep your speed and rhythm to flow down the mountain

Embrace the deep stuff If it’s really deep then you’ll need a lot of speed to get going in it. Never, ever, insult the snow gods by saying there’s too much of a great thing! Pretty simple scenario here, the deeper it is the steeper terrain you need or the faster you’ll need to go. Let those skis head down the slope, this is key.

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Adjust the turn shape The situation determines the turn shape you need. Wicked steep and deep? The big sweeping arcs on a far-off Alaskan powdery face that you’ve been inspired by in the latest ski flick require just that ... big wide-open spaces. If you do not have access to an A-Star on a daily basis and are confined to inbounds or slackcountry powder, then the most bang for your powder buck can be found in a shorter- or medium-size turn shape.

That being said, see the first point that “speed is your friend.”

Smooth rhythm You’ve seen a great skier on TV, on the World Cup or a mind-blowing ski movie.

What sets them apart? It’s how smooth they look, how effortless they make skiing appear, or maybe how they twist and turn through the air like a cat and, like that cat, manage to land on their feet.

That’s rhythm, timing and an innate sense of the surroundings. You can create flow and rhythm in your powder skiing and

learn it to lay down turns like a pro in the deep snow by being aware of a couple of simple things. First of all, timing is everything — timing of bending and extending are critical. As the old saying goes “stand up to start your turn, bend to finish.” Then there’s flow and rhythm, which is critical in powder snow. Look at it this way: Extend to the middle of the turn, bend through the end.

Ski arc to arc Instead of skiing from the end of one turn to the end of the next, ski from arc to arc.

Ski the middle of one turn to the middle of the next, the fall line to the next fall line.

That will create “flow.” Pressure is the heavy spot on the arc; you should feel this heavy spot right in the centre of the turn.

Powder skiing is about timing and being active to create flow and rhythm.

Turn shape is a choice based on the situation, and speed depends on the snow and the environment. Keep these in mind and you’ll be the one with the “powder tale” at the end of the day!

Andrew Jay Photography (andrewjayphotography.co.uk)

powder. it’s the stuff that skiing dreams are made of. Ski movies put it in a starring role, and endless post-skiing bar stories embrace it. It’s the holy grail of ski vacations, the epic powder day. If you’re on the quest for the steep, deep and fluffy, there are a few things to know, or it will be a nightmare of burning thighs, endless tumbles, lost skis and fogged-up goggles ... all because you’re working too hard. How do you stop working so hard?

It’s not as complicated as you might think.

Skiing easily and effortlessly in powder snow requires a tactical and proactive approach. Speed is your friend, turn shape needs to be considered, and flow and rhythm are a must.

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parting shot

photograph by Michel Painchaud

YODELING BANDITS: Austrian World Cup skier Steffi Moser had a loud-and-proud fan club, the “Tiroler Lauser,” during the Lake Louise Winterstart women’s downhill race in December. The lederhosen-clad Austrians played instruments for passers-by for about 15 minutes before changing into their spectator clothing during the race.

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quintessential issue / winter 2013

volume 7 no. 2