BEST IN CLASS: 2015 AUDI Q7 QUATTRO
STORM CHASERS HUNTING FOR POWDER ON A ROCK ‘N’ ROLL TOUR BUS
BACK IN BLACK
DARKS ARE BACK IN A BIG WAY
THE BIG LIFT CMH BUGABOOS TURNS 50
LUXURY CHALETS LIVING LARGE IN THE WORLD’S MOST POSH SKI DIGS
STROKE OF A BRUSH SKIING’S ART CULTURE WINTER 2015 $4.95 VOLUME 9, ISSUE 2
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PERFORMANCE ENHANCED DOWN.
PERFORMANCE ENHANCED DOWN
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Canada. Land of quattro. ©2015 Audi Canada. Please drive safely in accordance with road and weather conditions. The use of winter tires may be mandatory in your province or territory. European model shown. Some features may not be available on the Canadian model. To find out more about Audi, visit your Audi dealer, call 1-800-FOR-AUDI, or visit us at audi.ca. “Audi”, “Q5”, “quattro”, “Vorsprung durch Technik”, and the four rings emblem are registered trademarks of AUDI AG.
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P: David McColm
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Embrace the freedom Legendary mountains. Luxury living. Lasting memories. Whether you’re looking for a winter adventure with the family or the ultimate mountain experience at the most sought-after snow destinations in the world, there’s a ski package for everyone with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. To begin your Ski Experience, please contact your travel professional, call 1 888 298 4929 or visit fairmont.com/skiexperience
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IN THIS ISSUE
WINTER 2015
28
48
DEPARTMENTS
FEATURES
17 ED NOTE Find your ski masterpiece
28
THE BIG LIFT
19
FIRST LOAD Carbon power, insulation,
fast girls, bourbon
24
PEAK PIX Stroke of a brush: Skiing’s art
culture is thriving across the globe
56
ELEVATED LIVING Luxe Extreme: Living large in the world’s finest luxury ski digs
62
SKI TIPS The mountain goat technique:
Confident body position is key to conquering the steep and deep
CMH Bugaboos, the birthplace of heliskiing, turns 50. Hans Gmoser: Éminence grise. Text by Leslie Anthony. Photography by Paul Morrison
37 BACK IN BLACK Darks are back in a big way. Add a splash of
colour and contrast and you’ll pop on the slopes. Photography by Christoph Strube. Clothing and Styling by Sporting Life
48 THE STORM CHASERS
Cruising B.C. Powder Highway on a luxury
66 PARTING SHOT Tonight, anything goes
bus, on the hunt for perfect powder, takes adventure skiing to a whole new level. By Robert Stewart. Photography by Caroline van t’ Hoff
37
→On the cover: A crew about to drop in on another powder-filled run at CMH in the Bugaboos. Photo by Paul Morrison
Great Joy Ahead — p.22 snowsportsculture.com
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CLAIM YOUR TERRAIN RE V 85 PRO D O YO U S E E K F U N A L L OV E R T H E M O U N TA I N ? T H A N K S T O H E A D ’ S R E VO L U T I O N A R Y E R A 3.0 T EC H N O LO G Y, A N Y T E R R A I N I S YO U R P L AYG R O U N D .
EDITOR’S NOTE
chef d’œu·vre: a masterpiece, especially in art or literature
Find your ski masterpiece delightful. There are many words that can Photo: Trevor Brady
describe or define the pinnacle ski experience. What is yours? I dug deep into my trusty Roget’s International Thesaurus – a must for word lovers – to avoid using the ‘L’ word in this editorial. You know, the one that has been perhaps overused in this magazine (see cover for a clue). So I’ve chosen delightful as a word option to identify my best ski masterpiece. If I were more fluent in french I might offer raison d’être or chef d’œuvre but I’ll stick to my mother tongue which has had me pondering proper form since third grade. The most enjoyable ski journey generally hinges on the people around you, family and friends, and is often described as ‘just happened’. It unfolds in a pleasant way. Delightful.
Winter 2015, Vol. 9, No. 2 EDITORIAL /ART / PRODUCTION EDITOR Gordie Bowles ART DIRECTOR Aprile Elcich MANAGING EDITOR Don Cameron SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Paul Morrison SENIOR WRITERS Michael Mastarciyan, Ryan Stuart EDITORIAL & DESIGN Fresh Air Publishing CONTRIBUTORS Trevor Brady, Claire Challen, John Evely, Josh Foster, Frankie Miller, Julie Nieuwenhuys, Michel Painchaud, Edith Rozsa, Caroline van ‘t Hoff, Steven Threndyle, Ryan Stuart Publication Agreement No. 42084025
But your surroundings are a close second. Imagine for a moment that you could design and build the perfect lodging. What would it look like? Incredible views of the mountain, native stone work, a crackling fire and ceilings that go on for days. You’d likely factor in a glorious kitchen for entertaining you and your besties. How about a private movie screening room and full-size snooker table? Après bar fully stoked and ready? Maybe an infinity pool, steam room and private but fully-serviced spa? Ski concierge would be nice. If any of these tickle your fancy, you should flip the pages now to page 56 and gander at the feature Luxe Extreme to see how the one percent live (and perhaps you too!).
Canada Post No. 7309575 ISSN: 1913-9861 ADVERTISING Ashley Herod Tait ashley@s-media.ca SNOWSPORTS MEDIA INCORPORATED PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Chris Robinson PARTNER Mark Kristofic DIRECTOR, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Ashley Herod Tait
Obviously the destination, snow conditions and terrain will make or break your delightful trip. For those seeking the best in this regard, it’s hard to beat heli skiing. And speaking of which, the best in the business, CMH, has matured to the point of near perfection (see The Big Lift on page 28). And before you go, you might want a refresher on proper steep-anddeep technique (see The Mountain Goat Technique on page 62). At a slightly lower elevation, the in-bounds, powder-seeking crowd would open up new horizons in B.C.’s Powder Highway, especially rolling along in an elaborately decadent tour bus (see Storm Chasers on page 48).
CONTROLLER Lisa Crowley ADMINISTRATION Janet Fairbridge DIGITAL Kit Redding PRODUCTION & CAMERA Steve Simons and Darryl Palmer HOSTS/CONTRIBUTORS Edith Rosza, Josh Foster, Martha Lee, Claire Challen and Steve Young
S-Magazine is an independent publication of Snowsports Media Inc. 82 Hume Street Collingwood, Ont., L9Y 1V4
Whatever you choose, remember your key word. Keep that in mind and you’ll be golden.
Phone: 416-840-6615 Fax: 416-929-3945 E-mail: info@s-media.ca www.snowsportsculture.com
GO DIGITAL Gordie Bowles, editor
Check out snowsportsculture.com for tips, gear, destination and exclusive Ski Television episodes.
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FIRST LOAD →People, news, gadgets and other chairlift ramblings
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CANADIAN PIE Fairmont Chateau Whistler has a few ways to warm you up but only one called Warm Apple Pie. As part of the Alpine Sippers series of après cocktails, the whisky and schnapps-based drink is a cozy fireside sipper. The more hearty Sinapis Alba – with mustard, honey, a local chardonnay and rimmed with a house mustard seed – is a hit here as well as the Samurai Sriracha, an Asian-inspired caesar that packs some punch but finishes sweet with a tangy zip. Warm Apple Pie (shown): Canadian Club, Grand Marnier, Butter Ripple schnapps, lime juice, hot apple juice. Photo by Paul Morrison. snowsportsculture.com
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BRECKENRIDGE BOURBON WHISKEY
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Just in case you need another reason to visit Breck, a local distiller is making a splash with its high-altitude spirits. Aged in white oak barrels and made with snow-melted water and unmalted barley, this bourbon has accents of caramel and a subtle orange rind flavour. With small batches, and pure ingredients the relatively unknown bourbon could take a big step forward. Served neat or in various cocktails.
DOG SLEDDING IF THE WILD CALLS If Jack London’s Call of the Wild beckons you to the wilderness, dogs may be your best guide. Dating back thousands of years, dogsledding was born of necessity in our reliance on canines to navigate the rough landscape of the vast north. Many ski resorts — like Mont Tremblant, Whistler, Sun Peaks and Big White — incorporate this unique eco-tourism experience, offering tailored trips from mild to hard core. Wilderness seekers looking for a challenging adventure can opt for a multi-day trip into a remote wilderness area, while families or couples can experience a round-trip sled to a cozy luxury resort and a gourmet meal. – Gordie Bowles
BEST IN CLASS: 2015 AUDI Q7 QUATTRO The uber-competitive crossover and SUV market have this auto class going head to head in the match up for the best vehicle for skiers. The ability to cruise through challenging snowy mountain passes and still have the space to carry ski gear for five, is no simple task. The Audi Q7 Sport is a titan among three-row vehicles, and few can match the Q7 in terms of style. Chic, spacious and the power to match any winter road (333-HP), this car has our nod as best in class. Honourable mentions: Subaru Outback 3.6R; Toyota 4Runner; Volvo XC 99; BMW X5; Toyota FJ Cruiser. –Gordie Bowles
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NEW STANDARD FOR APRÈS SKI The luxury ski hotel, St. Regis Deer Valley, added to its après arsenal an impressive sculpted ice structure and ice bar. Serving Ruinart flagship Blanc de Blancs collection among other varietals, including the Ruinart Rosé and its highly regarded Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2004, the ice palace will be a place to be seen, socialize and enjoy the finer delicacies such as caviar and tuna on ice.
FAST GIRLS, FAST BOOTS They have donned the walls of all legit ski tuning room worldwide for over 40 years, and now Marie-Michèle Gagnon takes the honour of gracing the Lange Girls poster. From non-skiers like Pamela Anderson and Montreal’s Audrey Bourbonnais to World Cup sensations Julia Mancuso, Resi Stiegler, Maria HöflRiesch, Lara Gut, and now Gagnon, this ski culture phenomenon has symbolized skiing, ski racing and the power of women in snowsports since the early 1970s.
Catch me if you can! MARIE-MICHÈLE GAGNON (CAN) WORLD CUP ALPINE SKI RACER
Photography : Bruno Fournier - Art direction : Super regular
The fiercely-competitive Gagnon, from Lac-Etchemin, Que., embraces her youth in her approach to ski racing. “Having grown up in a family of five sporty children, I developed a strong competitive spirit,” said the the two-time World Cup medallist from Lac Etchemin. “I’ve always loved pushing the limits in everything I do; I like to challenge my teammates, my brothers and sisters and even my boyfriend ... so the slogan ‘catch me if you can’ is perfect for me.”
YOUR FAVOURITE?
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LANGE_girl2015Poster40x60_exe.indd 1
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18/11/2014 11:31
TOUCH ME BABY There’s nothing worse than putting your gloves index finger pocket in your mouth as you take a call or crank out a quick text. Perhaps that’s why Mujjo pioneered a line of touchscreen gloves, with style, detail and now warmth as they added a fleece lining in the double-layered glove. $35. mujjo.com
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BETTER, DRIER, WARMER New insulation is about to make you more comfortable. No outdoor gear category has been the focus of more research and development in recent years than insulation. Credit China's waning interest in eating duck and goose, which is driving up down prices (meat birds are the primary source for feathers). So just as the price of a 100 percent down jacket may be climbing a whole new crop of synthetic and mixed insulation jackets are appearing in stores, offering performance that no bird can match. – Ryan Stuart
Helly Hansen Supreme Jacket ($950; hellyhansen.com) Why does this jacket cost so much? Cause it's basically a thermostat. Under the stretchy, waterproof and breathable outer shell, Helly is using its patented H2 Flow Technology, pods of insulation that trap heat when you need it and help dissipate it when you don't. Packed inside each pod is PrimaLoft's new Gold Insulation, a mix of down and synthetic fibres for superior warmth even when sweaty.
Patagonia NanoAir ($300; patagonia.com) This puffy jacket is more breathable than any of Patagonia's soft shells. That means that while the synthetic insulation will trap heat when you need it, it will let it go when you're booting up the ridge to get first tracks at Kicking Horse's Super Bowl. Totally stretchy, it's ideal as a mid-layer on cold days and, with a water repellent coating, versatile for backcountry or on its own for spring skiing.
Columbia 890 Turbodown Hooded Down Jacket ($380; columbia.com) We all know wearing multiple layers is the best way to stay warm. This bear hug in a jacket is following suit, combining 850-fill down feathers, a layer of synthetic insulation and a heat reflecting barrier. Together they make this jacket warmer than any other for its weight and bulk. We like it for cold weather turns or for the frosty run to the hot tub.
CALLING ALL LADIES GREAT JOY AHEAD Head’s big leap this year on women’s skis, the Great Joy series uses lightweight, sturdy composite called graphene—for stability and power. The skis are being billed as “playful, but with highperformance feel and all-mountain demeanor”. ($700; head.com)
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SOREL CONQUEST CARLY BOOT These lightweight, cozy and waterproof insulated boot features a full-grain leather and nylon upper, rubber shell, bungee and lace closure and wrapped leather heel to ensure that feet stay dry, warm and protected during everyday adventures in conder conditions. (sorelfootwear.ca)
CARBON POWER Hold on. Advances in carbon fibre is making it more versatile and affordable. Carbon fibre's not new in sport or skiing. It's strength, low weight and power transfer ability have made it a covet-worthy alternative to fibreglass in everything from tennis rackets to mountain bike frames. But only recently has its use really taken off, especially on snow and especially at realistic prices.
SKIER’S NEW BEST FRIEND To better customize skis to their clients specific turning style, Wagner Custom Skis forged an unlikely alliance with a ski instructor turned Microsoft app developer, Kevin Ashley. By imbedding Near Field Communication (NFC) tags – like the RFID chips in your bank card – in its demo fleet, Wagner could send clients out on the slopes with a phone running Microsoft's Winter Ski & Ride app to record their turn size, shape and frequency. "It's another tool for us to understand how our clients actually ski," says Pete Wagner, of his eponymous brand. “It's also just a hint at how NFC tags and their ilk will impact the ski industry,” states Ashley. “The technology will help the user feel more empowered," he prothesises. Tap the phone to an NFC embedded ski and it calibrates the app to more precisely measuring stats. Use the app enough and it could gather sufficient data to better understand your ski style and recommend a rental or new ski. Ashley even imagines a near future where the app could be an instructor in your pocket. "With more and more sensors out there, in everything from mobile devices to goggles to wearables, all feeding data into the cloud, the apps are going to become like a personal assistant," he says. "Maybe they'll be able to look at your skiing habits and suggest a run or even recognize incorrect form and offer teaching advice." With Apple phones now equipped to read NFC tags, Ashley says manufacturers adopting the technology is all that stands in the way of a ski experience reminiscent to the eery world of the movie Her, where our most personal relations are with our phone. "Once they see the potential I think they'll jump on board," Ashley figures. If NFC tags can help me remember where I left my skis in the lodge racks, I'm all for it.
– Ryan Stuart
“The way that the technology has progressed has allowed for manufacturers to use carbon in ways where it’s a lot more efficient,” says Adam Greene, Scott Sports’ U.S. marketing manager. Advances in design and manufacturing are also making it more versatile, absorbing vibration for less leg fatigue and increasing edge hold without impacting easy turning. Here are some of the most exciting carbon heavy offerings for this year:
– Ryan Stuart
FRONTSIDE SKI DPS Cassiar 85 ($950; dpsskis.com) Carbon fibre is still more expensive than fibreglass, which is why DPS, a carbon convert, offers many of its models in a hybrid layup that uses strips of carbon fibre on the top sheet to add many of the benefits without the price. This ones perfect for shredding corduroy.
BACKCOUNTRY SKI G3 Synapse Carbon 109 ($950; genuineguidegear.com) Full carbon fibre construction cuts weight to 3.5 pounds, a pittance for such a big ski. On the way down, the stiffness mixes with almost full reverse camber for a ski that turns on a dime, floats like a waterski and cuts through crud.
BIG MOUNTAIN SKI Völkl Katana ($1100; volkl.com) Using high quality carbon Völkl can lay this big mountain board to a shockingly thin width at the tip and tail, cutting 15 percent off the weight of the non-carbon version without sacrificing hard snow grip. TOURING BOOTS Scarpa F1 Evo ($720; scarpa.com) A carbon fibre skeleton throughout this 2.5 pound featherweight allows it to climb skin tracks like the lightest and most flexible alpine touring boots, and then handle the down like burlier siblings.
DOWNHILL BOOTS Atomic Redster Pro 120 ($700; atomic.com) Atomic replaced the usual plastic along the heel of this boot with a carbon spine to make it six times stiffer and to lighten this high performer. The result is near-race boot performance, especially powerful at the exit of the turn, without the pain.
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STROKE OF A BRUSH
Skiing’s art culture is alive and thriving across the globe FIRST LOAD
BY MICHAEL MASTARCIYAN
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Ever wonder why the world’s biggest ski destinations are often full of art galleries? Here’s my theory: Skiers are passionate by their very nature; seeing the sport they love depicted on canvas, or in bronze, is a gratifying and sensual experience. World-class resorts such as Whistler and Mont-Tremblant, classic stops in France like Chamonix and Megeve, Colorado’s alpine jewels Aspen and Beaver Creek, Austria’s Kitzbuehel, and the culturally-rich smaller ski towns like Fernie, Revelstoke and Whitewater, on B.C.’s famed Powder Highway, are packed with galleries full of ski-inspired paintings, sculptures and photography, as well as other works of fine art that have little to do with ripping down mountains. Après ski activities in sophisticated towns like these are certainly not limited to swilling beer and chomping nachos at the local bar, pub or saloon. Beaver Creek hosts an annual art festival in August and is a prime location for gallery hopping after a day on the slopes in winter, an activity that’s becoming more and more popular with ski travelers in search of a soul-lifting experience that doesn’t involve boots, skis and poles. No less than 15 galleries can be found within walking distance (or a five-minute drive) from whichever run you call your last. My personal favourite in Beaver Creek is the C. Anthony Gallery, the perfect place to pick up a very lifelike depiction of your favourite alpine World Cup racer (signed by the athlete) by artist Malcolm Farley. If realism isn’t your bag, this gallery also carries the whimsical works of Anton Arkhipov, wonderful, colourful paintings of skiers in magical wintery settings. While covering the Hahnenkamm race in Austria a few years back, I discovered the divine skiing-inspired masterworks of Alfons Walde (1891-1958) at the Kitzbuehel Museum. Walde, who pioneered ski art, is the alpine world’s Van Gogh and his paintings regularly sell for hundreds of thousands of Euros when they come up for auction. A visit to this museum is a must for any true lover of skiing. If you can’t afford a Walde while in Kitzbuehel, pop into Maria’s Gallery located in the Hotel Ludwig, about a couple of hundred metres away from the Hahnenkammbahn Gondola and check out the impressionistic takes on the mountains surrounding this medieval Tyrolian village. Artist Maria Lammerer, who literally lives in the shadow of the famed Streif race course at the Hotel Ludwig (which she runs with her husband Walter), is best known for her beautiful watercolour and acrylic landscapes inspired by the peaks that gave birth to the alpine World Cup’s legendary race. Her series of paintings focussing on the Streif are outstanding interpretations of the world’s deadliest downhill course, and the Todd Brooker portrait behind the front desk is quite pretty impressive! “The scenery around Kitzbuehel inspires artists like myself as much as it inspires the athletes who race here every year,” Lammerer commented. “Painting the environment I live in is an addiction for me. I get the
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OPPOSITE PAGE: THE STREIF, BY MARIA LAMMERER. THIS PAGE (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP): ALPINE STORY, BY ANTON ARKHIPOV (C. ANTHONY GALLERY). SLIPPING, BY TANIA DIBBS. FROM THE PIECES MEGÈVE COLLECTION, BY OLIVIER TOPS. ALMOST APRES SKI, BY LEANNE SPANZA. THE EIGER, INSPIRED BY ERIK GUAY, BY PATRICK BIGGS.
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same feeling the athletes get standing at the top of the mountain on a perfect blue bird day! You develop a passion for it, some like to race down the Streif, I like to paint it!” Just over on the other side of the Alps, in France, art galleries are as common in ski towns as ski and boot rental shops.
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In France’s Rhone-Alpes region, big name ski resorts like Chamonix and Megeve – and the myriad of smaller alpine hamlets close by – are home to a wide assortment of art galleries that specialize in painting and sculpture and an abundance of spectacular photographic art works. At the top of my must-see and must-buy list in the area, Megeve’s mixed-media artist Olivier Tops, an artistic alchemist who transforms vintage black &
CANVAS OF CHOICE FOR PAT BIGGS “All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.” This great advice from Ernest Hemingway to writers is also applicable to former Canadian World Cup slalom specialist Pat Biggs if you swap the word “write” for “paint”. The Ottawa based artist, Biggs is now making art on canvas instead of snow. Biggs’ paintings can be best described as impressionistic with a dash of post-modern expressionism, but the two-time Olympian is also currently experimenting in the Canadian aboriginal style made famous by the Haida peoples of the Pacific Northwest. His subjects range from people to landscapes, but it’s clear the alpine world is still the driving force behind his inspiration, as most of his most spectacular pieces are an homage to the ski world. “My philosophy is to do things in life that you love,” Biggs said from his Ottawa studio. I love skiing and I love art. When I left skiing (racing) and began painting in the studio, I naturally began painting my other life passion, skiing. It was a way to bring back the feelings and emotions that I experienced on the slopes.” patrickbiggsdesign.com
– M. Mastarciyan
white ski photos into works of modern art by selectively adding bright colours to nostalgic photographs of the resort he lives and works in. If ultra-hip, modern ski art is what you want to hang in your home or chalet, then don’t miss going to Galerie & Atelier Olvier Tops the next time you’re in Megeve. If breathtaking photos of mountain scenes are what your eyes enjoy seeing most, then you’ve got to see the works of world renowned mountain photographer Mario Colonel at his gallery in Chamonix. Images of the worlds highest and most famous peaks in summer and winter, vivid portraits of the people of the mountains, and the culture of sport and mountaineering in these places are the subjects Colonel has soulfully captured armed with a camera and an intense passion for the highest places on earth. Closer to home, if you’re in Aspen anytime soon, don’t miss the post-modern works of Tania Dibbs at the Tania Dibbs Gallery, a pop-up art shop at 308 E. Hopkins Ave, on restaurant row, just across from Jimmy’s. Gibbs, a Colorado-based artist and sculptor, once only known for her dreamy, pastoral landscape works, has switched her focus to what she calls the “biology behind nature”. My favourite Dibbs painting is called “Slipping” an oil on canvas piece that looks like an otherworldly tree covered in ice, an image eerily familiar to those of us in Ontario and Quebec who have suffered from and marveled at the beauty and beastliness of nature when the temperature hovers at the freezing point. On this side of the border, Canadian artist Leanne Spanza, who I was first introduced to by World Cup skier Manny Osborne-Paradis, is making a name for herself by brightening up the mountain abodes of skiaholics around the globe with her super-bright, Technicolor mountain scene paintings. “I love the atmosphere of ski communities, there is a real connection between the people and the mountain and everyone is up there to have a good time. The art scene seems to express both the ever changing elements of the mountain and sense of play through both music and art,” says Spanza, whose works will put a smile on your face even if you just spent an entire week fogged out indoors instead of hitting the slopes. Spanza, who grew up at the base of Mount Seymour in North Vancouver, says her art is inspired by her travels throughout the province of British Columbia, and the outdoor winter and summer activities she’s enjoyed there all her life. “I paint because it makes me happy and I try to keep life simple, my hope is that those who view my art feel the same way. I have a saying that is ‘Bold Colours. Simple Lines. Happy Art.’ I try to strip away anything that might complicate the scenery and capture the simplistic beauty in our everyday landscapes while having fun with lines and colour,” Spanza adds. Spanza’s vibrant artworks have been exhibited in Whistler, Revelstoke, Golden, Kelowna, and for the past three years at Far and Wide in Big White Village. She’s alos had solo exhibitions at public art galleries on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast and her pieces are collected across North America and Europe.
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M O U N TA I N S ? M O U N TA I N S ?
Haha. Yeah bucko, we got mountains. If size matters, when it comes to vertical, we’re one of North America’s Top 10. For the rest of us, we also have Canada’s largest on-hill outdoor hot pools. And a charming little half-
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LIFT THE BIG TEXT BY LESLIE ANTHONY
PHOTOS BY PAUL MORRISON
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T
DESCENDING THROUGH A BURNED OUT FOREST IS BUT ONE OF THE MORE SURREAL EXPERIENCES IN A SEA OF SURREALISM THAT IS HELISKIING. A NATURAL PHENOMENON THAT INVITES NUTRIENT TURNOVER AND HELPS FORESTS REGENERATE OVER THE LONG TERM, WHILE FIRER AVA G E D M O U N T A I N S I D E S V A S T L Y IMPROVE SKIING IN THE SHORT TERM. On a sunny day in a regular alpine forest, the familiar waistlines of healthy, snowbound conifers offer labyrinthine alleys that alternately open and close with every turn, eliciting skiing both careful and controlled. In a burn, however, where you can see far down a slope with little impediment by the blackened spires or shadows they set across the snow like so many sabers laid to rest, the arrangement invites wild, highspeed riding. It’s as if the life that went up in smoke left some kind of ghostly signature, an energy driving the kind of bravado that leaves charcoal streaks on your Gore-Tex. Careful and controlled it is not. Woo-hoo! Fun it most certainly is. At the bottom of this particular run were the usual smiles and chatter, folks taking the piss in every direction, razzing each other’s skiing as well as the wealth of personality traits you learn to exploit after a week spent flying together. The Aussiedominated mob that had adopted us were the friendliest, funniest people we’d met in a long time and we were now a dozen instant friends on a spectacular powder day. It felt like we were in a beer commercial (which, given the daily consumption soon to unfold at the lodge bar, we sort of were) but also privileged beyond belief to share this experience in such a beautiful environment—a fitting way to end a brilliant week at CMH Bugaboos, birthplace of heli-skiing and, a halfcentury on, still one of its most revered outposts.
OUR FIRST THREE DAYS IN “THE BUGS”
CMH BUGABOOS, BIRTHPLACE OF HELISKIING, TURNS 50
had been bluebird inversions, cold in the valleys and warmer up top. Beautiful conditions for poking around in the air, which was good since it hadn’t snowed in many weeks—the story of B.C.’s early winter in 2014. Thus we’d ranged far into the nether reaches of this vast tenure, variously skirting the edges of CMH’s neighbouring Bobbie Burns and Gothics tenures in the process. There’d been the usual handful of sketchy surprises—sun-baked surfaces, set-up tracks, dust on crust,
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OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE: ASSISTANT LODGE MANAGER AND GUIDE DANI LOEWEN-
FEATURES SOME OF CANADA’S MOST ICONIC MOUNTAINS INCLUDING SNOWPATCH
STEIN SHOWING THE GROUP THE WAY ON THE EDGE OF A SMALL GULLY. LEGEND-
SPIRE, PIGEON SPIRE AND THE SUN PEAKING AROUND THE CORNER OF THE KAIN
ARY CMH GUIDE KOBI WYSS TELLS SOME OF HIS STORIES FROM A LIFETIME OF
RIDGE OF BUGABOO SPIRE (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT).
GUIDING IN THE BUGABOOS. AUSTRALIAN JAMES BELL LOVING LIFE WHILE SKIING
THIS PAGE: THE BIG BELL 212 HELICOPTER TAKES OFF AFTER DROPPING THE
FRESH POWDER ON A RUN WITH 6,000 VERTICAL FEET. THE CMH BUGABOOS
GROUP AT THE TOP. SINCE 1988, ALL BELL 212’S HAVE BEEN BUILT IN CANADA.
or places where wind-transported snow had hardened into kneerattling striations—but for the most part the guides found us soft, beautiful powder up to 30 cm deep. Clear conditions had encouraged surface hoar, delivering amazing sounds of passage through the super-fast snow, like skiing on the pulverized remains of fine glass. There’d been some mighty fine runs but the best were those that dropped 1,200 metres from long, lolling glacial saddles to the valley: starting in eye-widening alpine—the kind of terrain you
felt the outcome required everyone’s energy and approval. Outside, we circled the fire until someone who’d been wearing a pair of underwear on their head tossed it on the pyre. Suddenly, both staff and guests disrobed one after another to offer their own inner layers. With everything from bras to boxers aflame and a fitting bottle of Fireball making the rounds, trans-global stories were told to a soundtrack of Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and CSNY—classic rock for a classic crowd.
can’t believe you’re in and surely wouldn’t be if not for the chopper—we’d tipped into wide-open expanses where you could ski at any speed you dared before angling down valley walls, aprons and ridges to end in the kind of snow-tree glades B.C. is famous for. To cap one such leg-numbing day, we’d been dropped in the magnificent amphitheatre below the granite faces of Bugaboo, Snowpatch and Pigeon Spires. We skied close beneath Snowpatch, then down to a bench in what seemed a rarified feat of reverse mountaineering. Blue ice poked here and there from the glacier’s surface, and granite whalebacks exposed by waning ice breached in testament to the combination of low snow and high wind that had characterized this winter. The sunny days were nice, of course, but we all wanted snow. Trying to drink it grey around the fireplace in the spacious lodge with the over-enthusiastic Aussies wasn’t working, however, so midweek, staff arranged a bonfire in hopes of attracting the AWOL snow gods. Despite being dead-tired after 14 runs and our daily après self-flagellation, followed by hot-tub/sauna/steam/massage routines, a dinner of pork tenderloin (yet another in a series of heavenly meals), and copious wine, everyone rallied. Perhaps because, even if you didn’t believe people could make it snow, you
Miraculously, it started snowing, and by morning an encouraging 8 cm sat at the lodge, which was understood to mean knee-deep in the places we would ski. Happily, it turned out to be true.
THE ENERGY AROUND THE WELL-STOCKED breakfast buffet was infectious, and several of us took advantage of the offer of even wider skis than the super-fats we’d been piloting from the well-stocked rental shop. The day was a blur of face-shots and roostertails, but I remember the that first drop, the unblemished slopes below shining with the possibility of thousands of giggle-inducing turns, and the surrounding peaks telling stories of deep time. That’s the thing about heli-skiing: every lift is a geology lesson—the sweep of the land, thrust of the mountains, glaciers, moraines, hanging valleys. Textbook stuff. Thus posed, every lift is also a revelation: of the forces that shape the earth, that keep it together, that populate its surface. And when you stand in skis on a summit in such a grand sweep of silence and history, it rings heavy in your ears and your heart, famously, grows two sizes. This was the moment that iconic guide and CMH founder Hans Gmoser knew so intimately, and dedicated his life to sharing with others (see sidebar, Hans Gmoser: Éminence Grise).
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Following on the 1950s helicopter experimentations of a few European and Alaskan skiers, Calgary geologist Art Patterson had convinced Banff-based Gmoser to guide for his nascent commercial heli-ski venture in 1963. Unfortunately their two attempts were, by all measures, disastrous: costly, with manky snow and high winds that beat back the tiny, 178-horsepower, two-seater Bell 47. Patterson gave up and Gmoser put the idea out of mind until, touring a ski movie through the eastern U.S., he met
Olympic racer Brooks Dodge, an avowed powderhound bullish on the potential of helicopters. What ensued was a classic partnership: a brash American with money and clients, and the circumspect Canadian mountain guide who knew his way around B.C.’s mountains. One place Gmoser didn’t know well was the Bugaboos, an unknown rock-climbing area in a range known as the Purcells. That spring, he ski-toured in with a crack team and liked what he saw. With Dodge still keen on the big lift and Gmoser having found the perfect place to execute it, Dodge and his wife shepherded their New Hampshire ski club west in 1965 on a no-money-back adventure. The first heliski week in the range whose name would forever be synonymous with the activity delivered seven days of perfect pow and bluebird skies—a transcendent experience that launched an industry. It couldn’t have happened in a more spectacular place. Lounging outside with the ribald Aussies in a steaming tub next to the biggest and best wood-fired sauna in the Rockies, the reveal of the Bugs when the clouds finally lifted was stupendous, close-enough to touch. It wasn’t just a proverbial million-dollar view, but a postcard paired with the history of ski mountaineering, climbing, and the heli-ski business. Historic on its own account, the lodge is also packed with iconography. Walls and hallways offer a photo history, CLOCKWISE: A TRADITIONAL BUGABOO BONFIRE WILL SOON IGNITE UNDERGARMENTS IN A HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL EFFORT TO BRING NEW SNOW TO THE MOUNTAINS. THE SACRIFICIAL BRASSIERE FLAMES UP IN THE BONFIRE THAT BROUGHT TIMELY NEW SNOW AFTER A PERIOD OF DROUGHT. TIRED BUT VERY HAPPY GUESTS ENJOY A GLASS OF WINE, CHECK NEWS FROM HOME AND ENJOY THE WARMTH OF THE FIRE IN THE BUGABOO LODGE’S LIBRARY AFTER DINNER TIME. SIMPLE BUT WARM AND COMFORTABLE GUEST ROOM IN THE BUGABOO LODGE.
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while the Conrad Kain library comprises stacks of mountaineering volumes covering both the region and greater alpine world. A range of natural history items include rocks, minerals, and corings leftover from geology surveys; likewise tree cores (one spruce cored in 2013, a mere 61cm in diameter, proved 547 years old—a seedling in 1466, over 25 years before Columbus was the first European to vacation in the Caribbean) and a litany of skulls, bones, feathers and footprint casts. An ode to climbing/ski history comes in the form of antique pitons, ropes, crampons, packs, ice axes, a progression of powder skis, and even the Bolex movie camera that accompanied Gmoser to the summit of Denali—all of it arranged in glass-fronted cases very much like a museum. Given this homage, the ping-pong table centred in the room seems almost violate; on the other hand it encourages those who would play to marvel over these artifacts, the bricolage of a thousands legends. The Bugs quickly make you aware of the so-called cult/club that CMH represents in the ski world. With many staff having worked at numerous CMH operations, however, the feel is more one of family—a large one with 11 lodges, 20 million square miles of tenure, and 9.5 million runs skied for some 18 billion vertical feet of powder bliss. One Texan on our week had just passed the 17,000,000-vertical-foot mark after 26 years skiing with CMH, and on our final night, another was honoured for achieving his 3,000,000th. He’d been so close to the milestone when everyone else quit for the day that staff flew him alone to a run above the lodge
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TOP: AUTHOR LESLIE ANTHONY ALLOWS A CONTENTED GRIN MIDWAY THROUGH ANOTHER MEMORABLE RUN THROUGH THE WIDELY SPACED TREES. BOTTOM RIGHT: A GROUP OF HAPPY AUSSIES TURNING INTO AN OPEN SNOW FIELD BELOW A FOREST FIRE BURN. OPPOSITE: A PARHELION (OR MORE COMMONLY CONSIDERED “SUNDOG”) IS FORMED BY THE SUNS RAYS BEING REFLECTED BY ICE CRYSTALS IN THE AIR ON A COLD WINTER DAY.
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TOP: TRIBUTES TO CMH FOUNDER HANS GMOSER ARE EVERYWHERE IN THE BUGABOO LODGE, THESE ON THE DOOR TO THE LODGE’S OFFICES WHERE HE ONCE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO PROVIDE HIS CLIENTS WITH THE BEST HELISKIING EXPERIENCES POSSIBLE.
to log the last crucial feet. But he come up just short, and so before presenting him with his third million-foot CMH signature jacket, he’d had to make up the horizontal equivalent across the dining room on crosscountry skis. It got a good laugh. Actually everything got a good laugh that night as both tickle trunks and bar opened wide to fuel a ritual, week-ending costume ball that unfolded with the ridiculousness of a college fraternity. I awoke in the morning face down on my bed in a wig and a dress I’d apparently worn since dinner. I remember little of that, but can still recall with clarity every life-affirming run of the week. In the end, tomfoolery makes it fun, familiar and ultimately human, but CMH is about delivering on one simple dream: the chance to enjoy perfect powder with friends in spectacular mountains. This ideal, which has existed since skiing’s beginning, is embodied in the epic joy of skiing powder, the camaraderie it forges, and the restorative power of mountains. CMH founder Hans Gmoser passionately conveyed these ideas as a mountain guide—whether evangelizing with clients or to movie audiences. When he eventually employed a helicopter to re-imagine skiing in the service of these ideas, it changed everything—and nothing. Fifty years later, that experience can still change your life.
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HANS GMOSER, ÉMINENCE GRISE Born in Linz, Austria, in 1932, a young
Hans Gmoser took to the hills to escape the post-war grind in his country. A dreamer and doer, the capable climber immigrated to Canada in 1951 with friend Leo Grillmair and headed directly to Banff. The pair soon linked up with the Alpine Club of Canada to pioneer new rock climbs, make first Canadian ascents of numerous peaks, and lead successful expeditions to Mount Logan (1959) and Denali (1963). Early on, Gmoser began filming his adventures, and, eager to share, travelled North America presenting them. He was a founding member of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) and first director of the Canadian Avalanche Foundation, but before that, in 1957, he’d launched Rocky Mountain Guides, the company that would ultimately become the world’s largest mountain adventure operator—Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH).
When Gmoser tragically died in July, 2006, at age 75 after a cycling accident near Lake Louise, many mourned the loss of the visionary who’d both laid the foundation of modern mountaineering in Canada and created a new way to access the mountains. “It’s a staggering loss,” said luminary climber Barry Blanchard. “He was a father figure for a couple of generations of young mountain guides.” Chic Scott, author of Deep Powder and Steep Rock: The Life of Mountain Guide Hans Gmoser , eulogized him as the “the éminence grise of Canadian mountaineering.” Man has always wanted to fly, and skiing—often lauded as the closest thing to flying without leaving the Earth—comes damn close. But Gmoser’s vision of wings to soar through the mountain wilderness and experience true freedom on skis had perfectly linked both these ideas.
BLACK CLOTHING & STYLING BY SPORTING LIFE PHOTOGRAPHER: CHRISTOPH STRUBE
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Previous Page: M.Miller Trooper Hat $450, Goldbergh Leopard Print Jacket $880, M.Miller Fur Vest $1245, Sporting Life Turtleneck $90, M.Miller Stretch Pant $350. This Page: Barbour International 4 Pocket Jacket $600, Barbour International Throttle Quarter Zip Sweater $180, Barbour International T-Shirt $65, Diesel Belt $190, BOSS Maine Jeans $185, Hugo Boss Chronograph Watch $450. Available at Sporting Life retail locations or www.sportinglife.ca
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DARKS ARE BACK IN A BIG WAY. ADD A SPLASH OF COLOUR AND CONTRAST AND YOUR LOOK WILL POP ON THE SLOPES. BLACK. It’s a colour that carries conviction. You’re a force to be reckoned with when the darkest hue, which is absent of absorption of light, flanks your ski wear. For years, bright colours have dominated the market. From subtle hues to obscenely fluorescent shades, sunglass-brights have had the upper hand in the ski industry, and likely still do. Light and bright certainly carries and airiness about it, like spring time when life comes forward ... but don’t forget that snow melts in the spring. Another argument for the dark one. It means business. Just imagine if Johnny Cash was a skier. Dark fabrics, on and off the slopes, can be a bit blasé, however, even and a tad gloomy, so it is best to add some brightness to kick your look to life. Heck, even Darth Vader had a colourful chest plate. Blue violet, lavender, orchid ... any variation that will add contrast will tone down the intensity and edge of the dark look, adding a little flair to your confidence.
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Available at Sporting Life retail locations or www.sportinglife.ca
This Page: Toni Sailer Pom Beanie $199, Oakley A Frame 2.0 Goggle $170, Toni Sailer Pauline Jacket $2479, Toni Sailer Anais Striped Pant $729, Toni Sailer ¼ Zip Saschi Turtleneck $249.
– Gordie Bowles
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Bottom Left: Spyder Core Knit Hat $35, Spyder GT Vertex Core Sweater $180, Second Skin for Sporting Life Off Piste, ¼ Zip Turtleneck $120, Spyder Tarantula Pants $275, UGG Munroe Boot $298 Salomon, Quest Pro 110 Ski Boots $500 Volkl, RTM 84 Skis $1200, Bottom Right: Maui Jim Maverick Sunglasses $310, Moose Knuckles Jacket $695, John Varvatos Cobalt V-Neck Tee $75, John Varvatos Bowery Slim Straight Jean $258, Diesel Belt $190. Available at Sporting Life retail locations or www.sportinglife.ca
Top Left: Mackage Perry Hooded Jacket $790, Nixon Watch $225. Top Right: BOSS Green Quilted Jacket $545, BOSS Green Hooded Sweater $345, Hugo Boss Chronograph Watch $450, BOSS Green Tech Pants $205.
live your
powder
dream
Welcome to beautiful Revelstoke, BC; the Heli Skiing Capital of the World.
1.800.663.7080 | selkirk-tangiers.com snowsportsculture.com
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John Antoniuk
42 S–MAGAZINE | snowsportsculture.com T h is P a S ’N o Q g e : S O S M o to ueen B li n g y T D o ll J a c k e t ig h t $ Av a il a 140, S $725, SOS b le a t J a lo m o Sport n X-Pr udy Short $ in g L if 4 o 90W e reta S k i B o 7 5 , S ’N o Q u il lo c a e ots $5 t io n s 0 0 , H e e n B li n g y Tu or ww ad Abs r w.s p o r t in g li o lu t J o t le n e c k $ 1 6 5, f e .c a y S k is $600.
Th Dow is Pag Zip T n Jacke e: Kask E urtle t neck $880, G lite Lad y He oldb $26 lm er 5 Boo ts $ , Burton gh Stri et $600 400 ped , Go V e d , Sa l o m o a G l o v e Pa n t $ 7 l d b e r g h 69, n SC $11 Av a Go Metal 5 -1 C ilab arbo , Lange ldberg lic le a h¼ n Fib R t Sp orti r e P X 8 0 LV S ng L oles ki i f $ e 100 re or w . w w. t a i l l o c spo rtin ations glife .ca
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This Page: Maui Jim Maverick Sunglasses $310, Moose Knuckles Jacket $695, John Varvatos Cobalt V-Neck Tee $75, John Varvatos Bowery Slim Straight Jean $258, Diesel Belt $190, Converse All Star Shoes $60. Available at Sporting Life retail locations or www.sportinglife.ca
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This Page: Barbour International Houndstooth Coat $885, Barbour International Frida Jean $220, Dr. Martens 8 Eyelet Patent Boot $160. Available at Sporting Life retail locations or www.sportinglife.ca
Sports retail giant Sporting Life has a long-standing tradition of combining sporting goods with fashion; a unique recipe in the retail world. Building their business around active and outdoor lifestyles, their assortment is vast. Customers can shop for outerwear, running shoes, fashion, yoga-fitness, skis, sandals, bikes and boards – all under one roof. Having celebrated 35 years of operations this past fall, Sporting Life recently launched an expansion plan that will see them grow beyond the Toronto market – where the business started – to new locations in Ottawa and Markham, as well as the announcement of new stores coming to Calgary and additional stores in the Greater Toronto Area.
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This Page: Spyder Eternity Suit, $1400, M.Miller Deirdra ¼ Zip Turtleneck, $325, Fani the Label Rabbit Hood, $785. Available at Sporting Life retail locations or www.sportinglife.ca
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THE STORM CHASERS CRUISING B.C. INTERIOR’S POWDER HIGHWAY ON A LUXURY BUS, ON THE HUNT FOR PERFECT POWDER, TAKES ADVENTURE SKIING TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL
BY ROBERT STEWART
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROLINE VAN T’ HOFF snowsportsculture.com
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“The vibe seems good, with Neil Young’s music adding a soundtrack to further increase the cinematic aura of the journey.”
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TRANSCENDENCE “We’re going to search for the best snow out there and if that means changing our route, we will”. The words were reminiscent of Captain James T. Kirk; serious, but with a pirate like swagger and hint of a grin that assured you this wasn’t going to be any ordinary ski trip. Scott Belton, a mountain guide with characteristics of Qui-Gon Jinn and the late Shane McConkey. This was the Storm Chaser trip – an organized, ski-guide led, multi-day trek focused around adventure skiing activities like guided backcountry ski touring, heli skiing, cat skiing – with a fully loaded food, drink and entertainment ‘big rig’ to transport you around the British Columbia’s Powder Highway. Brushing up against, and occasionally embracing towns like Golden, Revelstoke and Fernie, the six-day journey would lead us through this Kootenay paradise. On a cold March morning, as the sound of a helicopter grew louder down the Columbia River valley before my first ever days skiing in Canada, thoughts turned to the anticipation any skier over 40 years of age would feel – this is going to be amazing, but should I really be getting into that tiny flying piece of metal? Later, as we flew meters away from the jagged rocks of the Dog Tooth range near Kicking Horse Resort, dropping into Scott’s own high mountain, back-country winter basecamp, I transcended my fears entirely. I hadn’t even stepped into my skis yet, but if this was what storm chasing was all about then I knew I’d come to the right place.
WHAT ... NO BEER? I knew the mountains of B.C. were famed for their deep, dry, powder snow and despite being late March, things were looking good. I’m embedded with a group of skiers including two freeride professionals from Whistler, three photographers, a ski patroller from Kicking Horse Resort and a couple of other ski journalists. Abilities were mixed but mostly on the upper end of decent. Still, the idea of the Storm Chaser trip is to make great snow accessible to recreational skiers in search of some adventure. Richard Barker, a Brit who set up Kicking Horse Powder Tours – the company that operates the Storm Chaser concept with Scott’s Adrenalin Descents – eloquently stated his slant on the situation. “You don’t have to be a rock-star skier to handle this trip – just be confident in powder and have a glint in your eye.” But being a storm chaser means reacting fast to the changing environment and occasionally going off plan. So far, so good – the heli had dropped us off in a wilderness region full of glades, cut downs and chutes. It’s also home to Scott’s winter wilderness camp that consists of two large Artic-style tents heated with wood burning stoves. Food had been transported up to the camp and there are beds for 10 people. The plan was to spend one night here to maximise the powder before moving on. We dropped off some supplies and dove into our very own enchanted forest, following Scott through the tightly-packed spruce until it opened up to a vast cut down area, un-touched and waiting for its chance to provide; waiting for us, for me ... I could feel the turns before I even made them. And then suddenly freedom, that floating sensation only deep powder snow can deliver. Weightlessness, the ability to soar, hanging in the air like a flying yogi who transcends the physical and experiences something the conscious mind simply can’t comprehend. Sounds like a fluffy load of nonsense? It isn’t, this is what skiing powder
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“Weightlessness ... hanging in the air like a flying yogi who transcends the physical and experiences something the conscious mind simply can’t comprehend.”
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snow really feels like to me anyway. Payback time for this out of body experience is a skin-up back to the camp. It takes an hour or so to reach camp, where a warm drink and packed lunch are waiting; 10 minutes, eat, drink and then descend once more into the forest of dreams, ready for another round. Apparently someone forgot the alcohol – it should have been brought up a few days before by snowmobile. How can you camp for a night in the mountains without beer and wine ... disaster? But apparently this is Canada and the heli is called in to deliver. Beer and wine now available, thrown into the snow just over 100 meters from the camp spot. The world’s most expensive bar, courtesy of a kind pilot who must simply understand the situation. Sleeping high up in these sub-zero conditions might sound like a hazardous nightmare, but nestled inside a snug, warm tent complete with galley-style kitchen is ‘glamping’ at its best – complete with your exclusive dawn sunrise normally reserved for the local Grizzly’s.
FISHING LIKE KINGS We could have stayed here for days but news on the airwaves is that it’s dumping further west, but we stay local a little longer and ski Kicking Horse Resort. It’s steeper than most European resorts I know and is relentless and unforgiving in some parts. Huge, long gaps cut Amazonian scaled highways through the thick forest, mostly left alone by the groomer machines. Then spines leave both sides to drop away into a seemingly endless abyss. Once caught, there’s no going back and while falling is always an option, the results would provide a satisfactory victory for the fiendish power that persuaded you in. I wanted more but we were storm chasing and our sumptuous bus awaited. This was our travelling home for the week: Decked out with a kitchen, dining area, lounge, TV and sofas to lounge on – perfect after a day’s storm chasing. We passed through the town of Revelstoke and stayed the night, departing at dawn with a hot breakfast on the bus and a drive deep into the Monashee’s; classic B.C. heli ski country. The friendly Kingfisher Heliskiing operation, located off the main highway in what appears to be the middle of nowhere, has an office resembling an old western saloon. It’s all about tree skiing here, they are perfectly placed with gaping glades that open up to offer a little extra freedom, before you’re forced back into a denser forest. You’re at their mercy and must turn at their will. Although we all follow Scott, you don’t see much of the group on descent. We’re told to ‘buddy up’ and ski in pairs, which makes sense as although it’s relatively safe, a small avalanche could trigger and push you into a tree well. The snow is slightly on the heavy side, especially lower down, but it’s steep and the snow deep, which seems to provide a perfect balance with the snow keeping your speed in check. As you glide through these spruce forests you need to have trust. You can’t see beyond the next few trees. Somehow it doesn’t matter and I guess it’s more of the same, and it was. Bucket’s full of un-tracked tree skiing that’s exclusively for us – one drop-in, then it’s done and we move onto the next area. It’s endless here and we mix some heli drops with a bit of skinning to balance both the eco and wallet excesses that are easily blown in this most natural of wilderness environments.
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GIMME SHELTER We spend the night in the Sparkling Hill Resort above Lake Okanagan – a cathedral of opulence and design that’s perched above the most prodigious glacial body of water. The contrast between natures design and manufactured work is extreme. Both are impressive, powerful and almost ethereal, but it feels like you’re in the luxury hotel version of a space cruiser that’s parked itself on an alien planet designed by a marketing guru for the Canadian Tourist Board. The Spa certainly felt out of this world too, with a powerful healing element, only enhanced by the ubiquitous crystal installations that form the main feature of the hotel. We move on in the Storm Chaser bus that became like our refuge; a shelter that delivers us to our next port, complete with a fully stocked fridge, TV, Wi-Fi and the passing vista of B.C. that just keeps on giving. The Storm Chaser crew get to know each other and the vibe seems good, with Neil Young’s music adding a soundtrack to further increase the cinematic aura of the journey. The night is spent at the locally renowned Hume Hotel in the lakeside town of Nelson, first opened in 1898 but recently renovated to bring the rooms up to a first class, modern standard. Mikes Place Pub downstairs is probably the best in town and it makes a good base for the resort of Whitewater. The next day we enter Valhalla.
DUCK AND DIVE It’s just down the road from Nelson, not in Asgard as described in Norse mythology. Neither is it somewhere we’ll end up after dying in battle, but much better, a snowy playground of epic proportions served by the Valhalla Cat Skiing operation. There’s plenty of trees again, but they’re more open, with steep chutes slicing through the upper rocks, fanning out into huge paddocks and glades down below. It’s my first proper cat ski experience – it’s not yet caught on in Europe on a big scale – and discover it provides the ultimate snowsports transport. Inside, there’s a large selection of sandwiches, snacks and liquid refreshment to snack on every time you get a lift back up. This makes for the descent and ascent an experience to look forward to. Valhalla has a unique atmosphere – it’s isolated; access to the base involves an hour’s drive up a snow-covered dirt track even before you jump in a Cat. The gnarly old trees resemble something out of a western movie and the clouds streak across the sky, giving the impression you’re watching some kind of time-lapsed image. There’s a huge amount of terrain and because the vertical isn’t that big, it suits the Cat operation perfectly. There appears to be no easy way down though, it’s not for the fainthearted. The Storm Chaser bus drives to Fernie. It’s late at night and we check into The Slopeside Inn as snow falls before our final day chasing storms. We were greeted with snow for our single day in this area I’d heard so much about, and it was all pilling up nicely for us – having skied all over Europe for over 30 years, what I particularly enjoyed here was the easy access tree skiing that surrounds you at every turn. We duck and dive into the forest, hitting ridges, powder filled moguls and un-tracked paddocks that must have been put there by higher entity that knew skiers would one day utilize them for their enjoyment. There were no cat’s, no helicopters and no ski touring sessions (well, just one at the end of the day because it wouldn’t be a Storm Chaser trip without one hike), but we didn’t need them. It was a fitting way to end a week of skiing in B.C.’s ‘Powder Highway’.
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WHEN TO GO February 7, 2015 – 7 nights March 7, 2015 – 7 nights The Storm Chaser trip is operated by Kicking Horse Powder Tours in association with Adrenalin Descents. The Storm Chaser trip price includes: Airport pickup from Calgary, all transportation on the Storm Chaser bus, bed & breakfast accommodation for 7 nights, lunch, refreshments and snacks on the bus, mountain guiding, ski passes, one day cat skiing and multiple heli drops. Other dates are available for private group bookings throughout the season. Price per person from $6,000 CAD. kickinghorsepowdertours.com adrenalindescents.com
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Elevated
LIVING
Living the mountain high life
CHALET N
BY STEVEN THRENDYLE
LUXE EXTREME LIVING LARGE IN THE WORLD’S FINEST LUXURY SKI DIGS Forget chocolate mints on the pillow, how about your initials monogrammed right on to your pillowcase? Forget catching the shuttle bus to the lift base, how about an A-Star helicopter sitting on the pad, with a pilot and mountain guide ready to whisk you away to your dream run? Forget jostling with other diners in two-hour queues, what if the chef came to your door with several bagfuls of fresh produce and whipped up a little something from scratch for you and your besties? Well, you would just be scratching the
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surface of what it’s like to take to take a “bespoke vacation”, where all of your whims are catered to and indulgences you never considered are just a phone call or text message away. Executive mountain lodges, private chalets, luxury digs – whatever you want to call them – are all about exclusivity and privacy. These are not branded hotels in the centre of the action, they’re enclaves typically reserved for Hollywood executives, Russian oil tycoons and British financiers, but the savvy
ski traveller with the means to go beyond the ordinary – or perhaps the multi-family traveller – could make this trip their own. There should be more than utter decadence to a luxury vacation home; there needs to be something special about the mountain scenery and nearby town (and town is always ‘nearby’, since you’ve got a chauffeur to drive you into town whenever you feel the need to dash into the disco). In that perfect S-Magazine world, a tour of top mountain enclaves would include:
GSTAAD – ETESIAN Gstaad is all about private boarding schools, and an aristocratic tradition which means there’s plenty of traditional Swiss chalet architecture and little that’s flashy and obtrusive. Such an environment can often feel stuffy and formal but the five-storey Etesian (sleeps 14, plus two children) mixes traditional and modern in an elegant manner. There’s an “original” chalet furnished with highly-prized antiques, seven ensuite bedrooms and the impressive living and dining rooms. The newly renovated “modern” area features a state of the art entertainment room designed to emulate an urban, rock-steady nightclub – one where you control the velvet rope to allow guests to enter.
hautemontagne.com/gstaad/etesian
DESIGN YOUR EXCLUSIVE TRIP AT LUXURYCHALETCOLLECTION.COM
DEER VALLEY – CASA NOVA Located adjacent to Park City, UT (think: world famous indie Sundance Film Festival), Deer Valley offers a relative rarity in North American skiing – a country club style atmosphere (with huge fieldstone fireplaces and massive timbered beam lodges and homes). And if you like your skiing experience “pure,” you’ll be happy to know that snowboarders are still banned from the immaculately groomed slopes. Situated within an exclusive gated community in Deer Valley, Utah, Casa Nova takes contemporary American mountain home design to an extreme. This 13,500 square foot log home has more fireplaces (10) than it does bedrooms (7) and bathrooms (11). Sitting on one of the 10 terraces facing towards what’s been called the best panoramic view of the American Rockies, your private chef can grill appetizers or steaks from the on-site outdoor kitchen. Too snowy to be outside? Get cozy inside and watch skiing videos on one of the 13 flat screen TVs. Needless to say, easy ski-in and ski-out access to Deer Valley’s immaculately buffed slopes is a given. skicasanova.com
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CHALET N
LECH – CHALET N
VERBIER – SIROCCO
Now, let’s see, where might James Bond stay if he was on a ski vacation? The wonderfully, mysteriously named Chalet N in the fabulous Austrian resort of Oberlech might be a good place. Bond could be protected behind the Chalet’s bulletproof glass, and take the posh elevator down to slope level. Perhaps Chalet N’s most intriguing room is the ‘faerie forest’ bedroom, where bare, wizened trees have been imaginatively placed to provide a kind of Lord of the Rings ambience. There are truly high-tech touches like 3-D televisions (when plain ol’ LCD won’t do). Oberlech (“above Lech”) itself is a bit of a trip; it’s a favourite skiing spot for British royalty and other Euro A-Listers. The shower curtains are made of Swarovski crystal. How decadent is that? chalet-n.com
Due to strict environmental and architectural controls, Alpine architecture can often seem a little, how might we say, Hansel and Gretel for its own good. Verbier, however, has always been a progressive freeride sort of place, and Sirocco – though it hews to a traditional vernacular from the outside, is nothing less than mind blowingly modern on the inside. Just completed in October of 2014, Sirocco sets a definitive standard of luxury. This is open-plan living at its best, where eight lucky people get to spread out over four floors totaling over five hundred metres of interior living space. Floor to ceiling French
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windows open onto spacious decks offering outrageous Alpine vistas. You can bask in Verbier’s famous south facing exposure while reclining in – wait for it – fur lined chaise lounges. The four bedrooms are split evenly over two floors, creating an ideal setup for two families of four. Down on the ground floor is the entertainment zone, in which you could happily spend a week without leaving the chalet. This floor houses a fabulous spa with hammam, sauna, indoor pool, hot tub and massage room, as well as small kitchen/bar so you don’t have to step far to fix yourself a drink. The chalet’s own wine cave is also housed on this level. brambleski.com/verbier/sirocco
BIGHORN EMBRACES THE LUXURY EXPERIENCE When the original developers of Revelstoke Mountain Resort offered deluxe building lots complete with private helicopter pads, UK brothers Michael and Chris Kirkland immediately bought in. The youthful scions of a major British construction empire knew exactly what they wanted when they built Bighorn; the kind of five-star luxe vacation chalet popular in Europe, but with the reliability of Selkirk Mountains snow and direct access to resort, snowcat, and helicopter skiing. Bighorn pulls out the stops in so many ways that it’s hard to know where exactly to begin. The three-storey high great room, dominated by a roaring fireplace, is dwarfed only by the views across the Columbia River into the Monashee Mountain Ranges. There are eight bedrooms strategically arranged
on four floors, and lodge capacity is capped at 16 guests. The house also features a sizable hi-tech cinema, world class spa, an indoor current pool, sauna, fully-equipped gym, massage rooms and a large outdoor hot tub. Aside from the heli-skiing – if that wasn’t enough, Bighorn also retains the services of Peter Hughes, one of the world’s most adventurous chefs. And we mean that literally, he’s prepared meals on the slopes of Siberian volcanos and on luxe Grand Canyon river expeditions. Hughes is at the forefront of “local provenance” West Coast cuisine, using locally fresh seafood, poultry, beef, cheeses, and produce. The beauty of Bighorn is that there is always skiing to be done. Though Revy regularly cops 1200 cms of snow annually, sometimes the helicopters can’t fly. Therefore, snowcats and lift skiing – at one of the truly legburning mountain resorts anywhere in the world – is right outside the door.
bighornrevelstoke.com
TOP: The Kirkland brothers coup became a fait accompli when Bighorn was named World’s Best Ski Chalet at the prestigious World Ski Awards for 2014. LEFT: World-renowned chef Peter Hughes has cooked for the likes of David Bowie and James Brown and has been with Bighorn since 2012.
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ZERMATT – THE PEAK Most people who visit Zermatt think there’s only “one peak” – that, of course, being the triangular shaped spire known as the Matterhorn. People who stay at the ultraswank Chalet Zermatt Peak know better. Of course, the Chalet Zermatt Peak has a front row window seat to the most iconic mountain in Europe – if not the world. Every aspect of staying at the CZP is special, right down to the custom made Zai skis (the ones designed by Bally have leather topsheets), sumptuous five-course meals prepared by a Michelin-star gourmet chef, complimentary massage services and best of all, it’s limited to only 13 guests. You can bet that if a lodge has an official five-star plus rating from the Swiss Hotel Association and Swiss Tourism, that it’s a pretty deluxe and well-run place. chaletzermattpeak.com/en
For bookings to Zermatt Peak, Casa Nova and Chalet N contact the Luxury Chalet Collection: Tel: 00 44 (0)1993 899 429 Website: www.luxurychaletcollection.com Email: inspire@luxurychaletcollection.com For bookings to Etesian, Sirocco and Big Horn contact The Oxford Ski Company: Tel: 00 44 (0)1993 899 420 Website: www.oxfordski.com Email: inspire@oxfordski.com
CHALET ONE OAK Funky, modern and cozy. Three words not usually connected when speaking of a high-end luxury ski chalet, but Chalet One Oak, just a few minutes drive down the valley from the world-class resort of Megeve, brings life and energy to this private setting. Settled in the peaceful village of Comblou, where Mont Blanc provides a stunning backdrop, this chalet is creatively designed to reflect the styles and influences of its surroundings. Accommodating 12 guests in 6 bedrooms, with four double room en-suites rooms as well as the kid-popular bunk-bed room – as well as a driver, housekeeper and available chef – this chalet can cater well to large groups or families. All bedrooms have floor to ceiling windows, and the terrace has dramatic views of the mountains and the rolling country side. The chalet is complete with a contemporary style that complements the traditions, people and crafts of this intimate village. chaletoneoak.com
– Gordie Bowles
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Ian Houghton, Royce Sihlis
MOST VERTICAL IN NORTH AMERICA 30-45 FEET OF ANNUAL SNOWFALL LEGENDARY BACKCOUNTRY TERRAIN
stayinrevelstoke.com
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SKI Tips
Suggestions and tips from the pros BY JOSH FOSTER
THE MOUNTAIN GOAT TECHNIQUE Confident body positioning and commitment will get you down the steep and deep with ease skiing steep terrain can be an exhilarating rush. There’s a great sense of accomplishment when you conquer an aggressive piste. To do this takes commitment, not only in your mind set but also in your movements. Without it you’ll only get halfway there, and getting halfway through a turn on the steeps can mean that you’ll find yourself at the bottom in a heap! Here are a few suggestion to help you ski the steeps with confidence ... and a bit of style.
One of the more difficult things to do on a steep slope is to get your skis turned and facing in the other direction, especially when you’re just starting your run. One of the most common mistakes here is to lean up the hill where your skis become “locked” on their edges. Here’s where that point about commitment comes into play; you need to move down the hill – not up. A body position that’s holding “back” more often than not reveals a mental attitude that’s also holding back. Adding a dash of confidence will do you wonders! Try to start your turn with a little hop, not too
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big, just enough to get your skis slightly off the snow. This will release the edges and allow your body to move down the hill. Let your body release down the slope again and this will get some rhythm going. Start slowly, almost like you’re taking it one turn at a time. Once you feel comfortable with the hops, see if you can take them out of the process and extend your legs into the middle of the next turn; this will help keep your body moving down the hill and not hanging back. Once you achieve this, your run will be a little smoother and the link between turns won’t be as hard to make. Another common mistake on the steeps happens towards the end of the turn, where the tails of the skis wash or skid out. This is happening because you have turned your upper body into the hill. Next time you’re on a steep pitch try this; ski like a mountain goat. If you’ve ever seen a mountain goat standing on a mountain side you’ll know what I mean. They stand with their shoulders facing slightly down the slope with their rear end facing up the slope.
This puts them in an excellent balanced and stable position; maybe that’s why they’re not extinct. You can do this same thing by finishing your turn with a strong pole plant and making sure that all of the people up hill from you get a good look at your butt. This will help you get the grip that you need. Skiing the steep and deep terrain is all about confidence and commitment. Commit at the start of the turn by letting your body move down the slope, looking down the mountain. You will create rhythm by continuing to move. From my experience, confidence often comes from getting good edge grip, so make moves that keep you balanced against your outside ski while maintaining a stable upper body and an active lower body. In this case, the cliché of one good turn deserves another most definitely holds true. Committing with your body and moving into the start of the turn helps get you set up to finish the turn confidently with edge grip that will flow from one turn into the next.
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Whistler Cup Even Legends Need a Place to Grow.
Photo: www.coastphoto.com
23
Whistler April 3, 4 and 5, 2015
The ski legends of tomorrow will converge on Whistler this April. The 23rd Whistler Cup showcases the world’s best juvenile racers. There are many ways that you can volunteer both on and off-hill, starting right now. Contact Patricia Seger at, pseger_skiwc@hotmail.com
www.whistlercup.com
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Don’t lock yourself indoors this winter. Embrace the season on the slopes of Blue Mountain! Package your accommodation with your lift tickets to get the most value from your winter getaway at bluemountain.ca *Price +tax/fees. Rate is per person based on double occupancy at the Blue Mountain Inn. Includes nightly accommocation and one day/night lift ticket per person, per night stayed.
PARTING SHOT
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PHOTOGRAPH BY PAUL MORRISON
Arrive ready. Leave stoked. Repeat.
#ferniestoke
Spring Break in Fernie Ski & Stay Packages! Save up to 20% on lodging and up to 25% on lift tickets. Book after February 1st & kids 12 and under ski free. • Stay in town close to Historic Downtown, on-mountain or book ski-in ski-out lodging! • Go online for current deals and to book.
TOURISMFERNIE.COM FACEBOOK.COM/FERNIE.CANADA | 1-877-933-7643
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James Heim in the backcountry of British Columbia. We believe adventures are best when shared. See more stories and share your own at FindingWinter.com Photos: Blake Jorgenson
mountainhardwear.com #FindingWinter