S-Magazine | Early Winter 2013

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plotting

paradise

expedition of a lifetime

how to plan for the perfect ski vacation early winter 2013 $4.95 Volume 7, number 1

Canada Post publication agreement # 42084025

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inside world cup 2013 preview

Š 2012 Columbia Sportswear Company. All rights reserved.

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CATEGORY DEFINING ANYWHERE

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2013 Audi A4 allroad At Audi, we know the route from A to B is rarely a straight, evenly paved line.

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© 2012 Audi Canada. “Audi,” “A4,” “allroad,” “quattro,” “Vorsprung durch Technik,” and the four rings emblem are registered trademarks of AUDI AG. To find out more about Audi, visit your Audi dealer, call 1-800-FOR-AUDI, or visit us at www.audi.ca. snowsportsculture.com S–Magazine 5

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in this issue

early winter 2013

44 Departments

FEATURES

10 Ed Note Adventure in the highest

18 NORWEGIAN conquest

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Clockwise from top left: Paul Morrison; Caroline van ‘t Hoff; Red Bull Content Pool

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Skiing summit to sea in the astounding

first load Vail still rockin’ at 50

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slopestyle The One-Piece

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fuel 7 steps to boot fitting

beauty of Norway’s Lyngen Alps.

27 World’s best ski adventures

60 Tips up Off the beaten path

62 parting shot 405 cms, here we come

Ski a volcano, discover the East, ski Alaska, heli-ski from a boat. What are you waiting for?

37 Plotting paradise

→On the cover: A skier descends a slope in the Norwegian Lyngen Alps, toward the breathtaking fjords.

Photograph by Graham Austick.

Planning the perfect ski vacation is an art and we have the goods on how to plan it right.

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Transcending Myth Legend encompasses the mountains but the snow is the sacred narrative that defines Fernie.

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Hot new gear: Check out the latest and greatest on page 14 snowsportsculture.com

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editor’s note

“Life is either a great adventure or nothing.” — Helen Keller

Early Winter 2013, Vol. 7, No.1 EDITORIAL /art / pRODUCTION EDITOR Gordie Bowles ART DIRECTOR Lisa Thé MANAGING EDITOR Don Cameron assistant art director Doris Cheung SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Paul Morrison SENIOR writer Michael Mastarciyan SENIOR writer Ryan Stuart SENIOR writer Steven Threndyle ski tips writer Josh Foster editorial intern Julia Marks Editorial & Design Fresh Air Publishing

Adventure is as adventure does

contributors

for years we’ve done our best to deliver ski travel editorial to our readers to inspire your next adventure. With this in mind, we’ve added a new name and voice to our adventure editorial in award-winning writer Ryan Stuart. Skilled writers who practice what they preach are hard to come by, and Ryan’s wordsmithing abilities and finely-tuned sense of adventure will enhance this magazine. Coming out of the blocks, we asked Ryan (from Courtenay, B.C.) to take on the mother of all assignments, identifying the world’s best ski adventures. Not only those that will require deep pockets and ample planning time, but also the adventures that might lie right under our nose (“World’s Best Ski Adventures” on page 27).

Speaking of adventure, our fine Dutch skier-writers (Julie Nieuwenhuys and Caroline van ‘t Hoff) visited the Norway’s far North, inside the Arctic Circle. In “Norweigan Conquest” (page 18) you’ll be blown away at the no-lift-accessed vistas overlooking the Norwegian fjords and “heavenly remote lines” scoped from the deck of a ship. We also visited Fernie, B.C., last spring to experience their sacred powder (“Transcending Myth” on page 44), which tells a proper story of this Kootenay town through the eyes, pen and camera of pro skier Claire Challen and renowned photographer Paul Morrison.

I say proper because as a Fernie’ite myself I’ve seen adequate stories come and go but I argue this is one of the better. The opening photograph of the still-new Polar Peak chair in the background is breathtaking. To round out this adventure issue, travel writer Steven Threndyle delivers a whimsical guide to planning the perfect ski vacation (“Plotting Paradise” on page 37), which will have you laughing all the way to your next adventure.

Claire Challen, Josh Foster, Gordy Megroz, Julie Nieuwenhuys, Michel Painchaud, Steve Podborski, Mike Ridewood, Edith Rozsa, Graham Roumieu, Brian Stemmle, Sean Stevens.

PHOTOGRAPHers / illustrators Graham Austick, Trevor Brady, Max Dalton, John Evely, Chris Haylett, Oliver Kraus, Robert Kwong, Marc Landry, Paul Morrison, Michel Painchaud, Chris Philpot, Mike Ridewood, Graham Roumieu, John Schwirtlich, Martin Tessler, Caroline van ‘t Hoff.

Publication Agreement No. 42084025 Canada Post No. 7309575 ISSN: 1913-9861 (Print), ISSN: 1913-987x (Web) 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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Trevor Brady

In the Next Issue Best of Issue. Newsstand: Feb. 1, 2013.

Introducing our first “best of” issue. S-Mag explores the best-kept secret of ski travel (Kicking Horse Resort), the culturally rich ski resorts surrounding Banff, the best family skiing on the continent (Big White Resort) and an intimate look at B.C’s best heli-ski outfits. Lindsey Vonn also graces our pages again with a stunning fashion photoshoot from the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, California.

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

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Jack Affleck, Vail Resorts

Vail still rockin’at 50 vail is rolling out the “gold carpet” to

celebrate its 50th year in 2012. Starting early season, a series of events will pay tribute to the legendary resort that Vail has become since it first opened for business on Dec. 15, 1962.

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eaves: the other bond When Roger Moore donned a pair of skis as James Bond in For Your Eyes Only, it was actually Canadian Ski Hall of Famer, John Eaves, who pulled off the gun-yielding stunts while skiing over a chalet balcony, down a bobsleigh track and to a farm where the invincible Bond made his escape. Eaves, one of Canada’s best freestyle skiers in the early 1980s, won a total of six world titles.

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McIvor in london

Vanderbeek sends shout out to all olympic moms

Canadian World Cup speed skier Kelly VanderBeek traded in her skis for a microphone in the summer when she hosted a series of minidocumentaries for CTV called “Raising an Olympian,” which aired during the Summer Olympic Games in London. The “momumentaries” followed the moms of some of Canada’s top athletes, giving a glimpse into the life of a mother watching her child reach their Olympic dreams. “I honestly think this is the best job in the world,” VanderBeek said. “Moms are the reason Olympians are who they are.”

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shaken not stirred Speaking of Bond, you can find 007-worthy amenities at the Bighorn Revelstoke chalet, the ultimate luxury getaway, where a private chef will cater to your every culinary — or other — whim.

Balance heliskiing and fine dining all in the same few hours. Pricey but incredible.

Peter Hughes (food)

Olympic gold medallist Ashleigh McIvor travelled to London in August (with her Olympic gold medal in tow) to give support to the Canadian summer Olympians. The decorated ski cross racer spent time at the Canada Olympic house talking to athletes and fans about her experience at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. McIvor, who won the first-ever Olympic ski cross gold medal, tweeted her experiences, with pictures and live updates.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: SEPP MALLAUN

ROCKER DONE RIGHT

top 7 best AprÈs spots Keep your boots on and drink beer. You can call it what you want — après ski to most — but there’s a moment when you click off your bindings when celebrations become a necessity. Your mind and muscles deserve a drink and laughter. All resorts are well-equipped to deal with this requirement, some more than others.

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Whistler, Dusty’s If you’ve skied Whistler Creekside, then you know Dusty’s Bar & BBQ. Creekside’s original watering hole has been serving skiers since the 1960s and could tell many a story.

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Mont Tremblant, Bar Café d’Epoque Mont Tremblant is known for its low-key European-style beauty. The village features 38 restaurants, including this party destination with a live DJ and epic happy hour offerings.

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Revelstoke, The Last Drop Still flying under the radar, even with some of the best skiing on the continent, Revelstoke also has its share of bevy options, with The Last Drop one of the best.

4 Pablo Torreblanca and Olivier Dube embraced their inner, 70s groove, pulling off some slick moves during the Red Bull 1976 at Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, on closing day last spring. Teams embraced mustaches, afro-wigs, one-piece suits and vintage shades during the old-school festival.

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united commits to LA-Kelowna flights

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The world’s largest airline is now offering year-round daily flights from Los Angeles, California, to Kelowna, B.C. The three-hour flight will create easier access to Big White resorts for California-based skiers and a new connection option for international travellers. The airport also services the neighbouring resorts of Apex, Silver Star and Sun Peaks.

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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 meters 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

Blue Mountain, Jozo’s You’d expect Canada’s third-busiest resort (after Whistler and Tremblant) to have several stops in the Village and it does.

It’s a bit tricky to find but try Jozo’s at Blue Mountain Inn. Big White, Flight Adventure A low-key slopeside hangout, Flight Adventure has a drink menu that’s as diverse as the people that frequent this place for après libations.

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Kicking Horse, The Local Hero A stone’s throw from the base of the mountain, this Scottish-inspired pub has a terrific selection of single-malts, pub fare and a cozy fireplace.

Félix Rioux/Red Bull Content Pool

jump doggy, jump

Sunshine, Mad Trapper’s This old-school après favourite hits the spot if you’re hungry (order the brie burger) and of course cold and bubbly options are a plenty.

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Norwegian

C o n q u es t

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Skiing summit to sea among the serenity and astounding beauty of Norway’s Lyngen Alps in the Arctic Circle is an expedition of a lifetime + By Julie Nieuwenhuys Photographs By Caroline van ’t Hoff and Graham Austick

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Blue skies, screeching seagulls and salty sea air; for a fleeting moment I wonder if I’m in the Mediterranean. But then reality hits me when I jump into the deep blue water off the sailboat, the Arctic ice and shock sets in. It might have been brash to jump off a snowy boat into an ice-cold fjord so I quickly put on some clothes and am handed a typical Norse specialty; a shot of Aquavit, a double distilled potato 40% liqueur … Skål!

While most skiers stored away their skis in April, it is not quite the end of our winter. We found the ultimate way to prolong our ski season by a few weeks. We are at the small Norwegian airport of Tromsø, 300 kilometres above the Arctic Circle, where we welcome our tired friends, who have flown in from North America. Our crew for this Arctic adventure consists of pro skier Molly Baker, a film crew from Mt. Baker and a few of our lucky Dutch friends. It’s an eclectic group and although our backgrounds are completely different, we all share a passion for skiing. For the next month we’ll be travelling by ski, boat and car through the Lyngen Alps in Northern Norway to a remote area on the same latitude as Siberia and Alaska, where impressive mountains and deep blue fjords dominate the scenery.

Ain’t no mountain high enough From Tromsø we drive through a desolate countryside passing fishing boats and red wooden houses with grassy roofs which are commonly used for insulation. We are in no hurry, especially as at this time of year there is no darkness. In May, the North of Norway experiences 24 hours of daylight, a phenomenon known as the midnight sun. This allows touring in the middle of the night while enjoying the stunning orange and pink skies. On the ferry to the isle of Uløya, a strong fishy aroma wafts towards

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us. On the quay, we see giant wooden racks, where hundreds of fish hang to dry. It turns out to be cod, which is exported to Africa and Italy. This fishy smell is not at all pleasant in the morning, so we quickly attach our skins to our skis and begin our climb through a spacious birch tree forest. We eventually emerge from the forest where we notice calm fjords below us which reflect the white mountains and dark clouds. This dramatic backdrop gives us a boost of energy. The more height we gain, the further we can see and in the distance we spot the Barents Sea. On the summit of Kjelvågtinden, at 1,104 metres, we soak up the magical surroundings and are humbled by the beauty of these ancient mountains.

After a cup of hot tea we’re stoked to continue towards the hardearned descent. We point our skis towards the fjord — which is now golden by the bright sun — and cruise down towards the shimmering water. In the distance a herd of reindeer appear and

they seem just as surprised as us. What a surreal experience to ski powder on an island among wild reindeer.

Back at sea level another surprise awaits us: Johannes, a 13-year-old local, has readied his boat to take us fishing. Unfortunately, we don’t catch any fish but on the other side of the fjord we discover gnarly couloirs funneling into the sea that can only be reached by boat. This suits us just fine, because a brand new yacht awaits us in Tromsø from which we scope out our next heavenly remote lines from the deck of the ship.

Sail away The Arctic Ice, a 47-foot boat that has been adapted to manage the extreme circumstances of the North, awaits us in the harbour. Together with our skipper and the owner of Boreal Yachting, Ivar Bertelsen, we hoist the sails. We sail past white sandy beaches, bordered by extreme mountains featuring Alaskan-style

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We sail past white sandy beaches, bordered by extreme mountains featuring Alaskan-style spine lines

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“Even though we have been here for a month, we still can’t get used to the daylight and keep ‘forgetting’ to go to bed.” spine lines. The snow conditions vary every day so we ski all sorts of snow, from corn snow to powder to breakable crust. We tour remote peaks that are inaccessible except by boat and barely see another person for days. The nights are spent in tiny villages, some with as few as seven residents. In this remote wilderness we ski big open bowls, 40-degree chutes and technical lines. The skiing in Lyngen is phenomenal, but since there are no lifts you earn your turns! This suits us just fine, skinning up we fully experience the magical surroundings as we climb about 350 metres per hour towards the peaks that measure between 1,000-1,600 metres.

The elevated temperatures of the last days have turned the snow near our boat into crushed ice, which makes for a rough start. The first hour is always the hardest, particularly as we plow through a dense birch forest with spotty views of the summit. Every hour or so we take a short break, sip some hot tea and eat a granola bar. We skin at a steady pace to preserve our energy. But the serenity of the landscape is overwhelming; the silence brings calmness and peace of mind. Lost in the repetitive movement, we reach a trance like state.

After a few hours the weather turns just as was forecasted. It’s snowing and a strong wind has started blowing. According to the map, we are close to a couloir, which would be fun to ski. We navigate with a compass and quickly find the entrance. We discuss what the safest line is, where we want to ski it and who goes first. After a three-hour climb, it’s finally time to start our descent. One by one we drop in, the

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snow is soft and the skiing is fantastic. Our 10-minute run is worth every second of hard work!

Who let the dogs out? In the distance we hear hundreds of barking dogs, 270 Alaskan Huskies to be exact, who are enthusiastically jumping from their pens to be petted. Just like us, they can’t wait to get going. As we set off into the big open plains high above the fjord, I feel like an Arctic explorer on an expedition in past times.

The total silence brings calm and peace of mind. In a traditional Sami tent (similar to a North American aboriginal tipi), used by the local nomadic people, we enjoy the afterglow of our day around a crackling fire. We fall asleep, with howling hounds in the background, and continue dreaming, this time with our eyes closed.

All the time in the world Even after a month in Lyngen we can’t get used to the constant daylight. We keep “forgetting” to go to bed on time. Even at 2 a.m., with the birds still singing, we have energy to burn. Next to our fishers cabin we build a small jib course with a rail and an upside-down fishing boat as a kicker. We let the boys test the course and after a few minor crashes, they start landing 360s. We cheer them on and with Arctic beers in hand, we enjoy our last night in this amazing place. Mid-May, middle of the night, far above the Arctic Circle, our skiing seasons ends. Surrounded by friends, we celebrate our fantastic winter and secretly long for the next!

Lyngen alps: at a glance When to go?

That depends on what you want to do. If you go during the winter season (December through March) you have the best chance to see the Northern Lights. The best powder is generally found in March, and for a combination of corn snow and powder you should come around mid-April. After mid-May you can experience the midnight sun.

Where to stay?

Renting a furnished fisherman’s cabin at the fjord is an affordable option and you’ll also be able to choose your own tours. It doesn’t matter which way you drive, you’ll always find great lines.

By driving from hut to hut (“hytte”) you’ll experience more of the Lyngen Alps: Havnnes Handelssted is located 126 kilometres north-east of Tromsø on the island Uløya, where herds of wild reindeer walk right outside your door. You can stay in spacious traditional Norwegian houses from the 19th century www.giaver.net Lauklines is located 35 kilometres west of Tromsø. On the drive there you’ll pass white sandy beaches and you’ll be able to spot great couloirs. The beautiful new houses lie directly on the Kattfjord where you can catch you own dinner www.lauklines.no Lyngen Havfiske is located 100 kilometres north-east of Tromsø, in the most northern point of the Lyngen Alps. From here you can ski the steepest lines of the area or relax in the jacuzzi and dive into the fjord afterwards www.lyngenhavfiske.no Manndalen Sjøbuer is located 160 kilometres west of Tromsø. These cute, red fisherman’s cottages are basic, but do come with their own mini-sauna. The wooden quay is great for BBQ’s and has a view of a little

marina and snowy peaks www.sjobuer.no For a once in a lifetime experience you can stay in the high-end Lyngen Lodge.

Absolutely everything is taken care of by the welcoming staff. The rooms are warm and inviting, the food is delicious and even include fresh scones at après-ski! There’s a library filled with books and films on skiing and the Arctic. After an intense day of hiking and skiing, the only thing you can wish for is to heat up in the sauna or enjoy a cold beer in the hot tub, with a fantastic view of the fjord. Every day a guide will lead you to the best snow: you can climb the mountains right behind the lodge or

cross the fjord on their boat, the ‘Spirit of Lyngen’. www.lyngenlodge.com Other activities Rent sailboats with Boreal Yachting for a ski & sail week. A skipper and ski guide will join you. www.boreal-yachting.no Villmarkssenter is the place to book a Husky sled ride just outside of Tromsø.

You can also stay in a traditional Sami tent www.villmarkssenter.no For other activities check out Norway’s Tourist Office: www.visitnorway.us You can rent a car at the airport through Avis www.avis.no

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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

Brian Nevins. Location: Wildcat Mountain, New Hampshire. Skier: Thomas Prindle

world’s best ski adventures By ryan Stuart

Ski a volcano, score Japanese powder, discover the East, ski Alaska, watch the Hahnenkamm (in person), heli ski from a boat. Come on, what are you waiting for?

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Get a local guide

It’s snowing and visibility hovers between whiteout and just enough to ski. Normally I’d be playing somewhere other than Whistler Peak, but today I’m trusting Peter Smart, the co-owner and guide for Extremely Canadian, a high-level guiding service in Whistler, to show me the goods.

As he turns off the cat track towards a wall of snow and rock I start to question this decision. There’s no other tracks, no signs, no ropes, nothing to suggest anything skiable is just around the corner. But when I pull up next to him I see we’re standing above a steep chute. The clouds lift to reveal not a track. It’s 1 p.m. on a weekend. I have no idea where I am and I don’t care.

If I’d been on my own I would be playing it safe, skiing the trees lower down on the mountain or on well marked and tracked runs. With a local guide leading the way, not only am I finding the best snow, but I’m also dropping into runs I’d never have found, even on the nicest of days. Sure, a ski instructor or welcome tour might do the job, but to guarantee steep-skiing fun you’ve got to go with the experts, like the crew at Extremely Canadian.

“We’re up here everyday,” Smart says.

“Our guides know what runs are in good shape, where the best snow is. You’re going to see more of the mountain and ski better snow with us, than on your own.”

And they don’t just show you around. All the guides are high-level instructors, able to pass on tips, technique and push your ability, all while keeping you safe. Many of the company’s guides - like Wendy Brookbank, Chad Hendren, Derek Foose — star in ski films, win freeski comps and grace magazine covers. They ski with an ease, confidence and speed that, combined with a little coaching, inspires me to charge a little harder. After a morning of ripping the steeps in Smart’s contrail, I feel more comfortable, more confident. And most of the time I have no idea where we are.

Of course Whistler-Blackcomb isn’t the only place expansive enough to warrant a

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guide. At Kicking Horse Mountain Resort there’s the Big Mountain Centre, a snow school devoted to teaching modern big mountain skiing. The guides lead advanced and high intermediate skiers and snowboarders around the intricate bowls, ridges and chutes dominating the Horse’s upper half, teaching route finding, basic avalanche awareness and how to ski on modern big mountain equipment.

Similarly, to ski where the locals do at Kirkwood (Lake Tahoe), it is best to sign up for Expedition: Kirkwood’s guided programs, where a ski instructor will show you around the best of the on- and off-map terrain.

If you want to jump into Sunshine Village’s Delirium Dive but aren’t sure if you’re ready, the snow school can set you up with an instructor who will make sure you’re ready and then lead you down the double diamond bowl. In Quebec, Le Massif’s famous snow is best

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Bourque’s backyard New Brunswick’s Pin Rouge ski hill’s claim to fame is not only that it is the home mountain of national team speedster Francois Bourque.

The mountain near New Richmond is also the owner of a respectable 450 metre vertical drop, the highest in the Maritimes. pinrouge.com

Lance’s hill The 21 switchbacks, leading to Alp d’Huez, may be best known as a regular test in the Tour de France, but where the bike race ends a massive ski area begins with 81 lifts and 250 kilometres of runs, where from the top you can see one fifth of France from summit. alpedhuez.com

Own a hill for the day

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Ever dream about your own private ski hill? You can rent the dream in Montana, just south of the B.C. border. During the week you can have Turner Mountain Ski Area’s double chair, 2000 feet of vertical, 25 runs, the base lodge and 10 staff for $3,000 a day. skiturner.com

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With an average elevation of nearly 2,000 metres, straddling the borders of Spain and France in the Pyrenees Mountains, it’s no surprise Andorra is focused on skiing. The country’s two resorts, all 112 lifts, can be skied on one ticket. skiandorra.ad

Paul Morrison

ski nation experienced in the resorts new hike-access, gladed area with a guide from their off trail ski lesson leading the way. Not only will they unlock the secrets of the five runs and plentiful tree skiing, but they’ll show you how to carve it up properly, too.

Back at Whistler, our legs are burning – that is everyone’s but Smart’s, who is still bombing effortless high speed, super-G turns down even the steepest and bumpiest runs, making airplane sounds all the while. “Zoooommmmm!” is all I hear as he points his sticks towards the base. Luckily, he’s just as good a guide apres as on the mountain. By the time I catch up with him at Dusty’s, at Whistler Creekside, pitchers of beer and plates of nachos are on the table.

“That was a better day of skiing than I expected,” he says as I pull up a chair to join him. I agree, knowing it was a heck of a lot better than it would have been without him.

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undiscovered new england

You know about Killington, Stowe and Sunday River. You’ve skied Jay Peak’s legendary powder, carved Whiteface’s steeps and laid tracks in the alpine at Sugarloaf. But beyond the better known resorts in New England are the hills where the locals ski, places like Mad River Glen, Smugglers Notch and Wildcat. With vertical drops and snowfall on par with the glitzier resorts, these smaller areas possess charm and a family-friendly feel.

Mad River Glen’s tag line, “Ski it if you can!,” is no idle boast. Fourty percent of the 45 runs at the ski area south of Burlington, Vermont (two hours from Montreal) are rated expert. Between cut runs 800 acres of trees beg to be explored, especially with 21-feet of annual snow. Every run is 2,000 vertical feet, more turns per ride than most western resorts, accessed from four lifts, including a single person chair, one of the last in operation.

Sitting in Stowe’s shadow and just across the valley, Smugglers Notch focuses on value and family. With steep tree skiing, award winning grooming, terrain parks, and a ski school that specializes in family programs, like Mom & Me lessons, there’s something for everyone. Spread out across three interconnected mountains and focused from an engaging village full of activities, Smugs’ could occupy an entire March Break, no problem.

Meanwhile, Wildcat benefits from being next to the east’s highest peak, Mount Washington, with a bump in snowfall (16 feet) plus one of the highest summit elevations and longest vertical drops in New Hampshire. From the summit a short hike leads to some of the best backcountry skiing in the east, in the White Mountain National Forest. on the web madriverglen.com, smugs.com, skiwildcat.com

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Alaska for the rest of us Watch too many ski movies and you may think Alaska’s has only 60-degree shower curtains, mandatory air and straight lines.

But it’s got a softer, more approachable side at Alyeska Resort, Alaska’s biggest and best ski hill. Home to some serious steeps, it’s also got cruisy blues, alpine to ocean views and chairlifts. alyeskaresort.com

heli in The Himalaya Above the Valley of the Gods, on the southern edge of the highest mountain range on earth, Manali, India, is as good as it sounds for heli-skiing. From January until April Himalayan Heli Adventures skis a mix of alpine ridges at altitudes up to 5,000 metres, glades of birch and oak and long, rolling glaciers, in deep, dry snow, a valley or two from the disputed region of Kashmir. himichal.com

Heli ski from a boat As if heli-skiing isn’t wild enough based from dry land, imagine what it’s like from a yacht. Every day on EA Heliskiing’s trips you’ll fly from the back deck into B.C.’s remote Coast Range before motoring to a new fjord at night.

Boat based heli-skiing can also be found in Alaska, Greenland, Iceland and Patagonia. eaheliskiing.com

Jeb Wallace Brodeu

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learn to backcountry ski

Sales of ski touring gear — split-snowboards, alpine touring or telemark — is the fastest growing segment of the snowsports market. And for good reason. It’s heli-skiing without the heli-cost and the gear is lighter, easier to use and safer than ever. But, before you take off in search of untouched snow keep in mind that the winter backcountry punishes the inexperienced and unprepared. Take an avalanche skills course from a Canadian Avalanche Association and always carry a beacon, probe and shovel and the knowledge to use them.

Better yet, go with a guide, who will have you skiing steeper and safer. Where to start?

The North Face Backcountry Program at Red Mountain and Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s Outdoor Centre will set you up with a guide and the gear to explore the backcountry. Late in the season Island Lake Lodge near Fernie opens their cat skiing terrain to cat-assisted touring lead by one of their ski-guides. If you’re hooked, try Sol Mountain Touring, a backcountry hut near Nelson, which welcomes rookie ski tourers with an introductory program before flying into the remote mountain lodge for a week of untracked turns.

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Get first tracks, guaranteed The early bird gets the best turns. Make sure you’re first to lay tracks in the fresh — be it groomers or powder — by signing up for first tracks programs available at many resorts including Deer Valley, Lake Louise, Whistler, Big White and Tremblant.

Most resorts include an hour of skiing and breakfast. deervalley. com, skilouise.com, whistler-blackcomb. com, bigwhite.com, tremblant.ca

From top: Mark Going; Island Lake Lodge

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Score a first descent Because you’ll be flying through three of Canadian Mountain Holidays’ heli-ski areas on their Nomads tour, you’ll have the chance to ski runs that have never felt steel or wax.

The pricy trips include a private helicopter, a guide and enough ski terrain to fill a small country. canadianmountainholidays.com

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Japanese powder

Wish-you-were-there images of skiers ploughing through Japanese deciduous forests, snow billowing over their heads, are so common they’ve become cliche. Japan has become synonymous with deep snow. The explanation is fairly simple: during most of the winter cold air from Siberia collides with warm, moist Pacific air right over the Japanese Alps, a chain of mountains running through the centre of the island nation. The result is consistently deep and fairly dry snow that piles up, particularly at the ski resorts on the northern island of Hakkaido.

The skiing is mostly below treeline on expansive run systems and epic glades from modern and efficient lift systems. The Japanese rarely venture off trail and often just under the rope is easy access backcountry. Then there’s all that snow — more than 10 metres at most resorts. If copious quantities of the white stuff isn’t enough to allure, consider that after two decades of economic malaise at home lift lines are almost non-existent and Japanese skiing actually costs less than it used to. Add uncertainty over the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and ski holidays to the Land of the Rising Sun are a steal.

Our advice: Fly to Tokyo, transfer to Sapporo, Hakkaido’s main city, and then ski your way through the regions 12 resorts starting in Niseko, home to three of the best. on the web skiing-hokkaido.com

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Ski a volcano Tick off seven of Chile’s snowy volcanos, both active and dormant, with Snow Works, a British ski tour company. They have the connections and experience to knock them off right — snowmobile shuttles, pick ups at the base — during a two week tour of the country. snowworks.co.uk

east extreme

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When it comes to extreme skiing in eastern North America, the place to go is Tuckerman’s Ravine in New Hampshire. Every spring the hike-in bowl turns into a snow party for those looking for a few more. timefortuckerman.com

Alessandro Trovati, Pentaphoto/Alpine Canada. Skier: BenThomsen

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Hit the Olympic slopes

Krasnaya Polyana is to the Sochi Olympics what Whistler was to Vancouver 2010. All of the Olympic and Paralympic skiing and snowboarding events will take place around the valley, an hour north of Sochi in the Causcasus Mountains. But unlike Whistler, where Aussie ski bums and the Mexican tycoons share chairlifts, a year before the world comes to Krasnaya you’ll only cross tracks with Russian’s, mostly the upper crust.

The parking lots are full of luxury cars and the glare off the elevator easing the walk to the next gondola is only overshadowed by the gold bling hanging off the Gucci-wearing guy in front of you. Visiting Krasnaya Polyana is not just about the skiing, but a cultural experience too.

Though it’s not easy to get to – a long train ride or a couple hour flight from Moscow – the cost of skiing, drinking and eating is a little less than in North America. More importantly, the terrain is awesome. The ultra-modern Rosa Khutor Alpine Resort has runs that drop through alpine bowls into forested steeps.

The oldest resort in the area, Apika Service Mountain Resort, has excellent fall line terrain and Gornaya Karusel and Laura resorts, are all worth a couple days of turning. on the web sochi2014.com

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See the Hahnenkamm in style

Ski racing to Austrians is like hockey to Canada and its Stanley Cup is the Hahnenkamm, the legendary and treacherous World Cup downhill held every January in Kitzbühel. You could go on your own and try to navigate the foreign turf yourself, but with Kitzbühel hotels booked many years in advance and good seats at the race reserved for VIPs, you’ll likely be staying in the suburbs and sitting in the nose bleeds or watching the action 10 rows back.

Instead, sign on with Best of Both, a speciality tour company — lead by former Canadian ski team member Dana Williams — that hits Kitzbühel every year for six days around the festive race. “The Hahnenkamm is a mix of Mardi Gras, the Indianapolis 500 and Super Bowl all rolled into one,” he says.

But first you ski. Williams’ ski racing colleagues — downhill champ Didier Cuche, Olympian Erik Schlopy and Canadian Jeff Hume have all lead trips — lead the way around the pistes of Kitzbühel and Jochberg, two ski areas that sprawl across several valleys.

Then during the three days of the Hahnenkamm, Williams taps a ski career’s worth of connections to land VIP passes to the finish line grandstand, five-star hotel rooms in the centre of town, access to side slip the Hahnenkamm course, entry to the awards ceremony celebrations and, most importantly, VIP access to the infamous Londoner Pub, where Canadian racers and the Hahnenkamm champ bartend into the wee hours.

But that’s only the organized part. Twelve piece bands in costume break out into impromptu concert on street corners. Parties rage all night and into the ski day. The race course is lined with fans ringing bells and shooting flares at 9 a.m.

“You don’t see anything like this in North America,” Williams says. “It’s a crazy Euro ski party you’ll remember for a lifetime.” on the web bestofboth.ca

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Espresso Route The Ortler Traverse, a 7-day ski tour through Italy’s northern Alps, has what some better known hut-to-hut trips, like the Wapta Traverse, don’t have: World class espresso.

Each day of skiing ends at an alpine hut manned by a barista with a cappuccino machine. Salute!

ski the dragon Skiing is booming in China. The country is now home to 70 ski resorts, a huge jump from three in 1980. The biggest and best is Yabuli.

The two hill resort is in the north east part of the country.

25 years of providing powder therapy

Skier: Scot Schmidt - Photo: Mark Gallup

Island Lake Lodge has been setting the catski standard for 25 years. We have worked hard over the years to form our philosophy of unparalleled backcountry experiences.

Sign up on our website to receive a free copy of our DVD - The Balance of Powder.

Isn’t it time you experienced the Legend?

islandlakecatskiing.com 1-888-422-8754

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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 36 S–Magazine

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Plotting

Paradise

The ultimate attack plan for the perfect ski vacation Whether you’re looking for fine dining or fine eye-candy, champagne powder or the best champagne cocktail, the biggest drops or avoiding flops, corduroy groomers or your future groom, we have the goods on how to plan the perfect ski trip.

By Steven Threndyle Illustrations by Max Dalton

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Plotting Paradise The ultimate attack plan for the perfect ski vacation

When it comes to planning winter vacations, we live in a strange and complicated world.

We’re constantly inundated with information — from snow reports sent to our iPhones, toogood-to-be-true deals in our e-mail inbox and cryptic text messages from friends “calling for 15-20 tonight, u good for blowing off work, tmrw?”

We have all the planning tools at our hands to ensure the perfect ski vacation, but we still agonize before clicking on the ‘confirm payment’ button. (“Will there be an even better deal next week?” “What if this storm system doesn’t materialize?”)

Planning a ski trip isn’t as much about immaculately groomed runs, high altitude sunshine, or hot tubs on the deck as much as it is about managing expectations. Not just your own, but those of friends and family members who might not see the mountains through the same rose-coloured goggles that you do. Minimizing rude surprises (“what do you mean, our kids are too young for daycare?”) and not blowing your budget (“what is this 15 percent tax that was added to our hotel bill all about?”) are two examples that can make or break a trip. In short, successful ski vacations are lessons in project management. While Trip Advisor has become the go-to website for lodging reviews, ski travel sites like onthesnow.com have useful reader-sourced opinions. The more complex your plans are, the better off you are in utilizing the services of a ski travel professional.

Profile: Resorts where you can “pop the question” The first major test of the ‘compatibility’ of a relationship — a romantic getaway into the mountains. However, a poorly organized ski trip can make or break a budding relationship, causing romantic emotions to melt like snow during a mid January thaw.

Pre-trip planning: We’re going to assume something, here — that it’s “the guy” who is asking the girl to get away for the weekend, or longer, to pop the question. Guys: be smart about this one, lightly suggest, don’t ‘inform’ your date that you’d like to go on a ski holiday (if they don’t ski, you might try the softer term “winter vacation” instead).

Dream destinations: Banff-Lake Louise, Mont Ste Anne (stay in Quebec City, but avoid “Carnaval”), Taos.

What Makes It Soaker tubs, chilled champagne, and puffy, matching terry cloth robes in the bedroom closet.

Stunning scenery that will take your mind off the perhaps less-than-ideal snow conditions.

Room service, complete with croissants, coffee, and Eggs Benedict.

What Breaks It Skimping on lessons by teaching your significant other how to ski Lousy communication (“I’ve been waiting at the sign board here for 20 minutes and I am %# freezing!!”)

You want a spa treatment (that’s what a ‘man’icure is, right?) and she wants to hit the First Tracks breakfast. Go for it. You don’t have to spend every waking hour with each other.

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Profile: The family that skis together A wise grandfather once told his expectant son and daughter in law, “Don’t ever confuse skiing with children with how you approach skiing now.” And it’s true — of all the types of ski vacations out there, the family ski trip has the greatest potential for disaster. Epic planning months in advance is of extreme importance. Ski resorts know that parents’ wallets of are particularly vulnerable on vacation (“Oh, Dad, look, they’ve got mini snowmobiles here! I want to go on, can I, can I, can I??).

Pre-trip planning: The man of the house might have done most of the ski trip planning in those forgotten years BK (before kids), but it’s mom who is far more in tune with the little things that can blow up and make a trip an all-out disaster. Therefore, trip planning has to be a collaborative effort in which the needs of the tiniest become the most important. And remember, vacations are not a great place for punishing cranky, unruly behavior. Pay a bit more at the front end (for ski boots that fit, a condo that’s walking distance from the lifts, and all day lessons for the kids) and you will not regret it. A successful family vacation is a hassle free vacation. Let the resort worker bees in daycare and kids’ camp work their magic.

What Makes It Hearing your young Jack or Jill exclaim, “Daddy, skiing is so FUN!!”

Hearing your young Jack or Jill say, “Daddy, can we come here again, next year?”

Of course, you can always put the kids in lessons and sneak back to the room at lunch hour (hey, it’s your vacation, too).

What Breaks It Long flights, shuttle rides long travel with young toddlers.

Poor medical/emergency facilities nearby (“damn, we forgot Jill’s inhaler!”).

Stuffing too many people into, say, a tiny one bedroom (forget the granite counter tops, a spare bedroom will make all the difference in keeping family sanity).

Dream trip destinations: Big White, Copper Mountain, Gray Rocks/Mont Tremblant

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Profile: when money is no object Plotting Paradise The ultimate attack plan for the perfect ski vacation

American author F. Scott Fitzgerald did not ski, but he wrote a famous line: “Let me tell you about the very rich, they are different from you and me.”

Except, of course, at ski resorts, which actually have a pretty high percentage of affluent people because, well, skiing isn’t a cheap sport. However, plotting aspects like personal security detail (if you’re a politician or movie star) or choosing a resort that can accommodate a time-share executive jet does add a layer of complexity to vacation planning.

Pre-trip planning: Best handled by a personal assistant, who can negotiate things like bodyguards to ski incognito with the kids so that they’re not kidnapped.

Dream destinations: Deer Valley, Yellowstone Club, Aspen

What Makes It A luxury hotel with a top notch spa service and on-premises dining room.

If you’re travelling as one or two families, a large vacation home with a strong wi-fi connection can be a saviour.

A chance meeting with that investment banker your firm has been trying for months to get a meeting with (“Call me when you get back to the city!”).

What Breaks It Getting the distinct feeling that you’re being ripped off (yes, even wealthy folks know when they’re being taken advantage of).

Finding that your bedroom window opens up next to the hottest nightclub in town, which empties at 3:00 am.

Waiting in line. Nothing that a private group lesson with a top notch instructor can’t cure. (tip well!).

Profile: “i’ve got $500 and a tank of gas” Sometimes, the very best trips are entirely left up to chance. A buddy calls with a seat open on a cat ski trip for half of what the other guy paid. A storm front is brewing and you’re owed four vacation days which must be taken before the fiscal year ends on March 31.

Pre-trip planning: Planning? We don’t need no stinkin’ plans — that’s the whole idea!

However, don’t forget to tell your boss and co-workers that you might be out of the office for the next 72 hours. Trust me, this approach does NOT work in a union job where you have to book your holidays well in advance.

Dream Destinations: Revelstoke, Jay Peak, Whistler-Blackcomb (pre Christmas).

let me tell you about the very rich, they are different from you and me.

What Makes It Call in all of your ‘local favours’ — not for places to crash (though that’s usually OK, people who live full time at resorts are used to lots of friends dropping in) — but to get the beta on the where and when of the next storm.

What Breaks It Getting fired from your job because you confused ‘powder fever’ with ‘chucking a sickie’ as the Australians say.

Having a trusted travel companion who can talk for hours to keep you awake through the ‘dozy spots.’

A zillion locals with the same idea ... and know their way around better than you.

Knowing that you have gambled on good conditions ... and won.

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Getting busted by the RCMP at a road side tire check because you skimped on buying snow tires, again.

What Makes It The partner of your dreams might be out there waiting for you!

Meeting interesting new people in an environment that’s safer than on-line dating and way more fun than hot yoga.

Profile: swm skier seeks swf skier Ah, ski resorts! Is it like the song: “Looking for love in all the wrong places?” Mainly, it depends on where you go. Hooking up – if that’s what you want to call it – is far more difficult for men than it is for women, who will always have plenty of athletic guys to choose from in Jackson Hole or Chamonix. Be forewarned, ladies, that “the odds are good but the goods are odd.” More urbanized areas (Whistler, Vail, Park City, Aspen) offer outstanding skiing and good opportunities for whatever turns your crank.

If you take a group trip, you’ve likely saved yourself a whack of money, even if you’ve alienated everyone in the club.

What Breaks It Tacky one-night stands where “there are no friends on powder days.”

Pre-trip planning: If you really want to meet someone, consider joining a ski club with a social element to it (most major cities have ‘em) which run regular trips to both weekend destinations and even overseas trips.

Spending five days on your own without working up the nerve to talk to anybody if you’re riding a lift, you’d be surprised at where, ‘hey, I’ve never skied here before, could we maybe do a run or two together?’ might lead.

Dream Destinations: Whistler, Aspen, Ischgl (brush up on your German).

Misunderstandings over “what happens in Whistler, stays in Whistler…”

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Profile: skiers on the edge (or wanting to) Plotting Paradise The ultimate attack plan for the perfect ski vacation

Profile: road trippin’ hard cores

All S-Mag readers were hard core at one time or another. Whether it was getting up early to bash gates, carve immaculate corduroy, or score first tracks, we have all lived and breathed skiing in every muscle fiber of our body. Of course, powder isn’t always guaranteed, so the ideal resort will offer plenty of steeps, moguls, glades, and chutes.

Pre-trip planning: Pre-trip planning: The skiing — obviously. Even if the weather doesn’t cooperate (fresh powder), there should be steeps and terrain options for your adrenaline fix. Nothing wrong with ripping big turns on chalky snow.

Dream Destinations: You know the places: there’s the A-List: Alta, Jackson, Squaw, Whistler, Verbier, Chamonix, La Grave. But there’s a strong case to be made for Revy, Red, Whitewater, Kicking Horse, and Fernie.

What Makes It The skiing — obviously. Even if the weather doesn’t cooperate in terms of fresh powder, there should be steeps and slackcountry options for getting your adrenaline fix. Nothing wrong with ripping big turns on chalky snow.

Meeting fine locals and sampling the local micros (note: pick up the first round) Looking at real estate and wondering: “Damn, I could telecommute from here!’

What Breaks It Going out too fast on the first day and knotting your muscles into tiny balls of fire.

Pace yourself!

Getting lost in the trees (hopefully, there’s cell service and you’re not injured).

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While most skiers and snowboarders view a winter getaway as some kind of journey into the unexpected, there’s a certain kind of skier who actively courts the steep and deep. Similar to the hard cores (see left), these skiers left conventional resorts a long time ago for cat, heli, or pure backcountry wilderness skiing.

Pre-trip planning: Word of mouth is by far your best bet, here — if this is your first adventure trip, canvass your friends as to where they’ve been. Be honest in explaining what you like, and don’t like (or want to do). For online research, troll deep into the chat room at Teton Gravity Research (or start your own thread with a specific question that will not have you looking like a jong). Note that many helicopter skiing companies are used to accommodating intermediate level skiers.

Dream Destinations: Too many to mention. However, Bella Coola Heli Sports is the one truly ultimate destination that promises steep terrain and copious snowfall in a huge mountain environment. If skiing in the backcountry intimidates, you can go with a resortbased, all inclusive operator like Extremely Canadian (Niseko! Yesss!).

What Makes It The deepest powder or the silkiest spring corn you’ve probably ever skied.

What Breaks It Roommates who snore too loudly (inquire about sleeping arrangements beforehand!)

Stable avalanche conditions and knowledgeable guides (if conditions are sketchy, they can ensure you find good, safe slopes).

Leaving the logistics of getting to the lodge to the last minute (roads can get blocked, and storms slow traffic) — many of these places are located in the middle of nowhere.

A great group of people of compatible abilities and interests who you’ll want to ski with again and again.

Those who are obsessed about ‘racking up vertical’ or ‘bagging peaks’ every day.

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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.

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transcen transcending transcending transcendin transcending

myth

Legend encompasses the mountains surrounding this Kootenay town and resort, but Fernie’s snow is the sacred narrative that defines this epic ski destination

By Claire challen Photographs by Paul Morrison

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A shot rang out A shot rang A shot rang outout

against the quiet night as the ancient gun released powerfully into the air. The almighty presence of the fur-clad giant lowered his musket slowly, nodding his head almost imperceptibly as if to say, “my work is done”. That night, fluffy flakes journeyed downward from the sky to blanket the mountains and valleys below to the sheer joy of the inhabitants and visitors awaiting its arrival. Later, glasses were raised to the Griz in thanks as the revered white provisions were replenished yet again upon this snow-filled heaven on earth.

view the full Ski TV episode at snowsportsculture.com

“Change of plans, we’re heading out in 15 minutes!” Half asleep, I was looking forward to breakfast and my morning coffee ritual, however the alternative sounded too good to pass up. We were scoring an early lift load at Fernie Alpine Resort with Matt Mosteller, marketing guru for Resorts of the Canadian Rockies. A short walk to the Timber Bowl chairlift from our on-mountain condo and a smooth transition past waiting locals, we headed up.

Catching a brief glimpse of the possibilities as the skies opened, I was excited to have Matt show us around. As we closed in on the peaks, the sun revealed itself as we cast our eyes to the fresh snow that awaited us. Surrounded by timeless snowcapped peaks and endless views of the Elk

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Valley, Fernie’s newest lift, the Polar Peak, is a memorable experience even before making any turns. Snow-covered stunted pine trees run alongside the lift on top of steep cliffs, anchoring the most amazing snow ghosts I have ever seen. Polar Peak is not only a draw for the above average skier, but can also be conquered by the intermediate skier by way of blue runs Polar Coaster and Polar Circus. Our small group was alone at the top with time to choose the best line to ski. Fresh tracks and steep terrain loomed in sight. From the lift came hollers of support from locals and visitors close on our heels as we dropped in for our first real turns of the day.

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going. Scooped up at the Vancou-

ver Airport after a quick flight from my hometown of Smithers, S-Mag editor — and former Fernie-ite — Gordie Bowles and I headed onward to add ski industry renowned photographer, Paul Morrison to our group. After 12 hours on the road (including a bypass of the Coquihalla which was pending closure due to heavy snowfall), we arrived in Fernie. I could not have been more ready to extract my flattened hind-quarters from the vehicle.

Almost instantly I could feel the rich skiing heritage from this not-so-secret-placeanymore destination. Fernie has produced a great many skiers and racers. Alpine resort visionary Heiko Socher, racers Kim Sedrovic, Ralf Socher, and Emily Brydon began their athletic careers in Fernie.

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Mining roots meets funky vibe Situated in the Canadian Rockies on the Powder Highway, Fernie sits in the East Kootenay region of B.C., over 1,000 km east of Vancouver and just over a 250 km drive west from the Calgary Airport. A population of more than 4,800 year-round residents and 1,800 more in communities just outside city limits, the town also sees a regular influx of seasonal dwellers and tourists wishing to experience the joys of a Kootenay winter. With the discovery of coal deposits by Prospector William Fernie in 1897, the town of Fernie emerged. Today, mining endures as a large part of this community with Teck Mining still in operation in the Elk Valley. Miners and their families remain a vital component to the success of local businesses. From treasured character buildings like the original railway station, now the Arts Center, to the heritage Museum on Main Street, you can’t walk a block without 48 S–Magazine

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being reminded of the town’s roots. Rich in mining heritage, architecture helps to depict the past of this town.

History oozes from the walls of restaurants, pubs, and shops on the quaint and funky Main Street.

Tourism development continues for both seasonal residents and visitors. From its rough and tumble bluecollar beginnings, Fernie has emerged as a hip ski town which continues to attract new residents of beginner to hard-core skiers, singles and young families. At the same time, Fernie has retained enough of its old charm and business opportunities in resource extraction to continue to appeal to it’s earlier residents. Over 100 years after the original settlement, the focus of economic activity is shifting from the mountain’s interior up to its peaks and slopes. As a result of this shift, many are choosing to make their homes and lives in Fernie.

I’d always imagined this area to be “not for the faint of heart” so I was surprised to see that the mountain caters to all levels of skiers. A closely connected base area provides lift access to mellow terrain for beginners and beyond to the five bowls which are covered by tree-skiing runs, bumps and steep groomers.

The resort name changed, the two bowls are now five, and numerous new lifts have been added, yet Fernie still delivers a simple yet effective product comprised of snow, variety, and quality on a real mountain and a real (and charming) town.

No matter how much it snows in a winter, I have yet to quench that insatiable need for more of the deep, light powder on mountains like Fernie. I am always in search of more so it only made sense that I check out the famed Fernie, which boasts the deepest snow in the Rockies. Sounds delicious.

After a blanket of new snow covers any ski area, the usual frenzy ensues. Ski-

ers compete for a boundless amount of untracked snow to be violated before 10 a.m.

No longer are the lanes in the lift line alternating, heaven forbid will you hear a “you go ahead” as you eye up the efficiency of the singles line. But at Fernie, the keeners lined up early but with no rude, mad rush to be the first. I get the feeling that the kind of people attracted to Fernie are ski-loving mountain freaks, but without the self-serving attitude. It became really evident as we went for a short hike along the Lizard Traverse out to the Turkey Bowl with Matt. There was no panic to hike at a sprint pace, nor did we need to click into our skis in record time. As we surveyed the scene of new snow upon an already bottomless base, it seemed only fitting that we give our thanks to the “Griz” for our daily allotment of new snow.

Descending into the bowl, the widely spaced trees fuelled my creativity as irresistibly deep snow drew me into its welcome embrace. Looking back up at my

tracks, I always spotted an untracked line that would wait for me as I looped around for another run. I may have missed out on my morning coffee, but out on the mountain I was tapping into free refills all day long. My earlier concerns of “would there be enough snow?” were, at best, laughable.

Sounds of glee came out of the trees as other skiers joined our choice of descent to which we happily responded with our own calls of jubilance. The relaxed vibe on a powder day was really sinking in ... people here are un-rushed and seem to believe that part of the fun is to share it all with others of the same mind-set. It could also be that they know how much snow there is and don’t need to rush to get it.

The Fernie local mellow-tude was noted yet again when we were forced to traverse across ski-able terrain for line access. In other ski areas this would warrant jeers from the chairlift. But not here. As I followed the group across open terrain, I hunched my shoulders in anticipation of

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the verbal onslaught, and was in shock as it never came. The only sounds were the happy calls of skiers enjoying their day.

Operations Manager, and longtime Fernie skier, Robin Siggers, moved from Whistler in ‘77. “The best part about Fernie is that there is no class system. There is less attitude here. In Fernie, everyone is just a regular Joe.” The thing is, there are some amazing skiers out on the mountain. They are well-respected, yet grounded individuals. In a sport and world where the “me attitude” is ever-present, this is refreshing.

Everybody is somebody at Fernie.

Real skiing. Endless steeps and ripper groomers. Fresh snow and lots of it.

Thigh-burning vertical. Genuine, funny, kind-hearted people. Good food and drink.

I don’t think that is asking for too much, do you? Apparently, Fernie doesn’t think so either. I’d heard tales of endless snowfall, epic terrain and cultural scene to rival any urban center. Plus, some of the coolest people I know hail from Fernie.

This northern girl had made time to explore the legend ... only, it’s no legend.

It’s really just like you’ve always imagined.

The legend of the Griz

A well-known tale to the citizens of Fernie, the mythical story describes a man, larger and broader than any man, dressed in bear skins and carrying a massive musket that is the key to Fernie’s “Legendary Powder”.

(Excerpt taken from the display at Fernie Museum.) Since his birth in 1879, the Griz has been shooting his giant musket into the clouds to tempt the snow to fall from the sky.

Not only does he entice the snow to fall, but the Griz specifies that it be the celebrated champagne powder.

The legend morphed its way into a reason for a party which comes in the form of an annual Griz competition. The celebratory competition brings out strapping, grizzled contestants for the black-powder musket event to honour the legend, thus ensuring a winter of snowfall.

Over a century after he first began, the Griz continues to give back to the snow lovers who live and visit Fernie. snowsportsculture.com

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Slope

Style Snowsports fashion trends By michael mastarciyan

The One-piece

You guessed it … it’s baaaack! Skiing’s dirty little fashion secret is out

it’s skiing’s dirty little fashion secret

— the Voldemortesque “he who must not be named” that lurks deep in the darkest closet of the alpine apparel world.

C’mon, you know what I’m talking about, don’t make me say it, don’t make me spell it out. Okay, I can feel you cringing, wincing, avoiding, denying — for the love of all that is good, don’t make me do it!

Too late, you’re still holding back, I have no choice, here it comes, brace yourself, sit down if you have to ... the one-piece.

There, you made me say it, you made me spell it out, and you know exactly where this article is going; me telling you that the one piece is slinking it’s way back into mainstream — OMG I just vomited in my mouth. Okay, that’s a stretch. I didn’t vomit in my mouth and I think it’s time to come clean. I, like many other age 35-plus adults, once owned, and proudly wore, a one-piece ski suit — and I’m talking outerwear here, not the skin-tight stretchy stuff alpine ski racers wear.

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My “powder suit” — this is what we called one-piece ski suits in Montreal in the early 1990s — was a belted, black little number with a neon green Kastle logo on the leg.

God, I loved that suit. It made me feel like Batman on skis. I have a lot of cool skiwear in my closet these days, but to be honest, nothing I currently own or wear makes me feel like the Caped Crusader. But let’s get off the nostalgia train for a second.

Some of you are probably shaking your heads and thinking back to last winter when you went skiing or snowboarding.

You’re remembering the slopes, and all the people you saw wearing two-piece ski suits; jackets and pants separate from one another. “No need to worry,” you’re telling yourselves, “Mikey is just being a worry wort, acting all Ned Stark-ish with dire warnings that ‘winter is coming’ and bringing a one-piece ski suit with it.”

“Oh pshaw!” you say with incredulous looks and glares. Well I’ve seen things people, signs of things that are very likely

coming to ski shop near you, one-piecetype things you need to know about.

The initial hints, for me at least, were the one-piece suits I’ve seen freeriding types, and snowboarding types, in places like, Tahoe, Squaw Valley, Mammoth and Whistler sporting for the last couple of seasons — and if past experience is any indication of the future of snowsport fashion — it’s only a matter of time until the one-piece slimes it’s way back into the mainstream.

Unlike my old body-hugging Kastle “Batman” suit, today’s one-piece suits look more like the baggy coveralls worn by mechanics, or the white “onesies” golf caddies are forced to wear by the good old boys who run famed Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Georgia, every April.

Burton’s take on the one-piece is called The Sherpa. DC, the company known primarily for skateboarding gear, has The Scope for guys and The Labelle for ladies.

Forum’s version is called The Grease Monkey and if you get it, get the black one it’s pretty badass. Even O’Neill, the company who made its name in the surf world, has a multi-coloured day-glo cold weather onepiece called The Freedom Moonstone — but the ultimate sign that the one-piece may be one the verge of major mainstreamosity is

WINTER’S MORE FUN HERE.

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slope style

“ They are not tight like back in the 90’s, more baggy, lots of space in these and the big advantage ... no snow on your belly when you ski deep powder ...”

a little company called The North Face and it’s kick at the one-piece can.

Puffy, downfilled, one-piece suits have been a staple at The North Face for years as they’ve been outfitting mountain climber types who love to trek up peaks in the Himalayas. But The North Face Haines Tuxedo Snow Suit inspired by big mountain skiers, is a one-piece that actually looks like two-piece. It’s a masterpiece of design that blends form and function in the creation of a stylish one-piece that’s clearly for ripping down mountains instead of plodding up them.

Despite all the fuss and attention from North American brands, the current global hot bed for the one piece is Scandinavia, and this folks is where it will likely gather momentum and go super mainstream.

When companies like Peak Performance, Sweden’s trend-setting snowsport apparel maker, starts designing one piece suits,

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trends quickly turn into bread and butter style staples at your friendly neighbourhood ski and snowboard shop. PP’s one piece, called the Heli Alpine Suit has a men’s and ladies version is something I would definitely wear, baggy but not too baggy — as Baby Bear would say, “this one is just right!”

Former World Cup alpine star Marco Buechel swears by his one-piece. “Yup, I love my one piece suit,” said the 18-time medallist. Sponsored by Peak Performance, Buechel jumped on the bandwagon when the company came up with a one-piece last season. “They are not tight like back in the 90’s, more baggy, lots of space in these and the big advantage ... no snow on your belly when you ski deep powder. They keep you warm, and if you want, you can still wear a jacket over it. I don’t know if the skiwear companies are going to market them hard, but I hope so. For sure I’ll wear mine again this season,” Buechel says.

Norrona, a Norwegian company on the cutting edge of alpine apparel design, has the coolest looking one-piece suits, in my humble opinion, and no they’re not paying me to say that. Norrona’s Lofoten Gore-Tex One-Piece Pro comes in three colours: Norrona Green (bright lime), Fields of Gold (looks like an orange1950s USAF flight suit) and Nabbi, a multicoloured neon patchwork-quilt-styled suit that is and artistic gem worthy of spot at the MOMA in NYC. Another Norwegian company called, you guessed it, OnePiece, has been taking Europe’s apres ski market by storm for the last 5 years. Their onesie — the brainchild of three hungover Norwegians, was apparently created when they woke up hammered one Sunday morning in 2007, and created the ultimate piece of hangover-wear by patching together a hoodie and a pair of sweat pants. The Frankenstein’s Monster of comfy onesies, the OnePiece Original has a zipper that starts at the crotch and goes to the tippy top of your head; like a Snuggie with some serious urban attitude.

Still, it’s not a slam dunker for everyone on the slopes. Trends like these often need a rubberstamp from the people at the top of the alpine world’s food chain before they go full blown global mainstream.

Norwegian World Cup ski racer Aksel Lund Svindal, a living legend who’s still in the race game is one person who’s not sold on the look.

“I would never wear a one-piece for anything else than a practical reason, like if the suit was super warm and I had to get to the North Pole, ” Svindal says. “I do have to race in a one-piece though, but that’s for a practical reason ... speed!”

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snowsportsculture.com

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Compressed

Will compression clothing make you ski better?

Body

Fuel

Fitness and health tips for success By ryan stuart

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Look under the uniforms of just about every professional athlete — from the basketball court to the slalom gates — and you’re going to find compression clothing.

Along with managing moisture and temperature like your old woolies the skin tight baselayers, usually made with spandex, squeeze and support muscles, increasing blood flow, supporting proper alignment, improving muscle performance and endurance and especially helping with recovery and injury healing, according to some scientists. No wonder most provincial and national ski team members and about 75 percent of the U.S. ski and snowboard team use compression clothing. Should you be as well?

“There’s not a lot of science to substantiate all the benefits, especially in skiers,” says Dr. Thomas Lam, a sports medicine specialist at FITS Toronto. “But our athletes say they feel like they have more power generating capabilities and feel less likely to get injured.”

Compression clothing has long been used to enhance blood circulation in patients with low blood pressure and increase movement in arthritis and paralysis patients. Many clinical studies back up the results, but the effects on athletes are less understood. One French study found compression tights made 12 runners more efficient, delaying muscle fatigue and increasing muscle balance and stability.

Other tests have shown CW-X compression tights, which include bands of stiffer fabric around the knee, reduce impact on the joint by 12 percent. However, some studies also concluded compression tights offered little more than a placebo.

The different results, says Troy Flanagan, the high performance director at the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association, in Park City, can be traced to the amount of compression. A pressure rating of between 20 and 40 mmHg seems to be ideal and varying amounts of compression throughout the garment also seems to be key.

Lam says they’ve found compression especially effective for recovery post exer-

cise. Increased pressure reduces swelling and promotes blood flow,moving sorenesscausing lactic acid out of muscles and encouraging the healing of small muscle tears. On the slopes compression tights and socks help keep muscles warmer and reduce muscle vibration, so effort can be more focused in one direction. “We’ve also seen really good results from socks preventing shin splints,” he says. “The compression dampens the chatter and vibration reducing the energy on the shin.”

Several companies make compression socks and tights specifically for skiers.

Some, like CW-X, also weave bands of fabric that support the joints as well as muscle. To experience the full benefit both Flanagan and Lam say you have to get the right fit. Tights or top, it should be a little hard to get on and feel snug.

“You’re not going to notice a huge difference,” says Lam. “But compression clothing might allow you to ski a little harder and a little longer.”

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S–Magazine 57

fuel

7 steps to better fitting boots

Ask anyone who skis for a living: their most important piece of gear is their boots. Not only are they the steering wheel for your skis, but because you stand in them all day their hard shell makes them the most likely place to feel pain.

“When you have discomfort in the foot your mind takes over,” says Steve Cohen, the former editor at Powder Magazine and now the executive director at Masterfit University, a boot fitting training school. “You start to compensate to ease the pain. You ski differently, usually less aggressively. Your performance suffers.”

The key to finding a good fitting pair of boots is careful shopping. “A normal foot doesn’t exist,” he says. “Feet are as unique as faces.” Bottom line: boot buying is not a simple process. Do it right with these tips from Cohen: 1. Know when to get new boots.

Plastic wears out with use and time.

Replace your ski boots every 100 to 150 days of skiing, every six or seven years for most recreational skiers, or if you see cracking, the liner feels packed out or the boot feels squishy.

2. Do your research.

You want to find the best boot fitter. Tap into your network of friends and colleagues for recommendations and call a few stores. Ask about the experience of staff and how they fit boots. You want someone who has some kind of formal boot fitting training and a decade of experience. They should

look at your foot for shape, mobility and biomechanics and be able to adjust boots for width, cant and stance.

The store should carry several boot brands and models.

3. Book an appointment with the best.

Once you’ve found the king boot fitter, schedule a time to meet with them specifically. You don’t want to end up with the rookie by default. A good shop will let you do this. Make it for later in the day when your foot is at its largest.

4. Expect to pay for a good fit.

It’s going to cost more than at a big box store or ordering online, but the service

and responsibility will make up for it. Cohen says, spending the time and money on a good fit will pay off on the ski hill and down the road when you’re not hunting for a more comfortable boot in a year’s time 5. Show up prepared.

Bring your old boots, ski socks and a good quality insole. The included insoles in every ski boot are little more than a piece of cardboard.

Upgrade. “It’s like the foundation of a building,” says Cohen. “Cupping the heel and supporting your arches is the most crucial element to a good, pain free, fit.” If you don’t have one the ski shop should.

6. Know a good fit when you feel one.

“A good fit is like a good hard handshake,” says Cohen.

Standing in an alpine stance with the buckles tightened to the middle rung you should feel no movement, no heel lift. It’s better to err on the tight side, since the liners will pack out.

7. Now customize the fit.

Even the best fitting boot can probably use some adjustment in cant, stance or fit for ideal performance.

Get the pros to help with this. Wear the boots around the house a bit, then ski in them. If you experience pain don’t be afraid to bring them back for more work.

speiss turns: Age-old classic warm-up The first few turns, be it opening day or since yesterday, can feel awkward. It’s like your body parts aren’t on the same run — your mind is saying short turns, your feet are carving monster C’s and your hips are still asleep. A quick way to get your whole body working together is to snap off a few Speiss turns, says Tobin Leopkey, a level 4 ski instructor and owner Section 8 Snowsport Institute, a ski instructor training company. “They remind you how to turn with the lower body and are great for timing, balance and coordination,” he says. They’re also a good way to get ready for skiing the steeps.

Find a quiet groomer and from a stand still start doing hop turns, swinging your skis almost 180 agrees across the fall line, while keeping your upper body facing downhill. Two things to pay attention to: a strong pole plant, which will help stabilize your upper body; and lifting the skis evenly off the snow with each hop. “If your tips or tails are coming off the snow first it’s a good sign you’re a little off balance,” Leopkey says. Do a few sets of 10 to 20 of these and your body will be warmed up and ready to rip.

Three boot fitters to try: Cam Powell Sporting Life, Collingwood, Ontario, sportinglife.ca Erin Keam Skiis and Biikes, Whistler, British Columbia, skiisandbiikes.com Brian Campbell TopShelf Snowsports, Fernie, British Columbia, top-shelf.ca

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Watch a video of Leopkey demonstrating Speiss turns at section8ski.com/gallery

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S–Magazine 59

off the beaten path

How to prepare for the slackcountry for the turns of your dreams

Tips

Up

Suggestions and tips from the pros

Paul Morrison

By Josh Foster

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if you’re anything like me you likely scope out all the cool lines that are just on the other side of the boundary rope while you’re riding the chairlift, day dreaming of slashing untracked powder while playing your own personal ski movie in your mind.

The good news is that your dreams can come true if you’re willing to hike a little bit to earn your turns.

Some people call it “slackcountry”, not quite the back country where you could be hours (if not days) from civilization but just on the other side of the rope in the stuff that you can often see from in bounds.

Remember though, it’s still out of bounds so it does present some risks.

Once you’ve got the 411 on the conditions (see sidebar), you’ve let someone know where you’re going, you’re nearly good to go. What to bring? It goes without saying that you need a buddy (or two); heading out of bounds on your own is just downright foolish and you need to check yourself before you wreck yourself!

In terms of equipment, at the very least you’ll need an avalanche transceiver, a probe and a shovel. Although none of these are going to be of any use to you unless you know how to use them. Figuring out how to use your transceiver while you’re trying to find a buddy in an actual situation is not going to turn out well so you want to be 100% confident with using it before you go. Practice ... a lot. I remember back in the day hiding transceivers at the Safeway in Banff, which usually led to a lot of strange looks from the tourists in the produce section but it was great practice and made grocery shopping way more entertaining!

Next, the probe. A probe is a probe right? Not really. Think of the different snow conditions where you are. The snow pack in the Coastal mountains can vary to that of the Rockies by meters. Having a probe that’s too short is not going to get the job done. Same goes for your shovel.

The dry, light stuff found in the interior and the Rockies is sometimes easier to move than the higher moisture-content snow on the Coast, but, avalanche debris can set up like concrete so if you’ve got to dig you’re going to need to have the right tool for the job. You also might need to sacrifice and carry a little more weight for the sake of shovel strength. A few other things to consider for your backpack: first

Why all this stuff if you’re just going into the slackcountry?

The reason is that most people that go missing are actually found relatively close to the ski area boundary. aid kit, headlamp, snacks, ample water and maybe even a candle (and matches).

Why all this stuff if you’re just going into the slackcountry? The reason is that most people that go missing are actually found relatively close to the ski area boundary, some within a couple of hundred meters.

It’s pretty easy to get turned around and separated from your group so if you’ve got to hunker down for the night, a snow cave and something as simple as a candle can keep you warm enough to save your life.

A candle can also be used to melt some snow for drinking water too.

There’s lots of contingencies to plan for and just as many that can come up unexpectedly so it’s way better to be as prepared as you can be. This is just a basic introduction to a few things to think about and some of the basic equipment that you’ll need.

With that in mind, the most important equipment that you can take with you into the slackcountry — and backcountry for that matter — is knowledge and education. The Canadian Avalanche Association run avalanche skills training courses and your local mountain might do the same.

Check in at ski patrol to find out about the local AST schedule or the CAA web site for the national schedule. They can show you the basics so you can be more aware in the alpine environment to possibly avoid some of the hazards and make the most of your slackcountry experience. Going there is definitely worth the effort. We have a saying here at my ski school, safety + fun = more fun! That definitely rings true when contemplating a slackcountry adventure.

Josh Foster is the director of snowsports

prepare: 3 tips for the slackcountry Before you even think of going here’s a few things to consider so that your slackcountry dreams don’t become a nightmare. What’s the area’s policy regarding out of bounds? If this is even possible most areas will have a “gate” (basically an opening in the rope line usually accompanied by warning signage). It’s critical that you use these access points because they will be located in areas of reasonably safe egress. I say “reasonably” because once you cross that boundary line you’re taking responsibility for yourself and the people with you. There’s no patrol where you’re going.

Ski patrol will have the latest avalanche conditions and bulletins.

You can also find those details at www.avalanche.ca, the website for the Canadian Avalanche Association. A good thing to remember when eyeing up that next descent that’s going to shower you with skiing glory is the line, “tracks are not necessarily signs of intelligent life”. Just because someone lucked out and took a chance where they shouldn’t have been doesn’t mean you’re going to be as lucky! Check with the professionals.

Let someone know where you’re going and when you expect to be back, when you do this LET THEM KNOW WHEN YOU PLAN TO BE BACK! Nothing is more frustrating for ski patrol than risking your own safety to go out looking for someone who’s been back for hours and during that time has been regaling local bar patrons at great lengths regarding their out-of-bounds escapades.

for Big White Ski Resort near Kelowna, B.C.

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parting shot

photograph by paul morrison

bring it on 405 cms: It might seem a ways off until ski resorts are boasting conditions like this but after a “fake” La Nina winter in 2012, which felt more like El Niño, the Farmers Almanac has early winter predictions for a mild El Nino in 2013, with the East Coast likely experiencing more precipitation. Translation: it could be an epic snow season.

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