Out There Snow

THIS PAGE: NEW QUAD LIFT AT 49 DEGREES NORTH // FAR LEFT: SILVER MOUNTAIN // LEFT: MT. SPOKANE

OPPOSITE PAGE TOP: MT. SPOKANE // BOTTOM LEFT: THE GLASS COVER GROUND LIFT AT SILVER MOUNTAIN RESORT. // RIGHT: LOOKOUT PASS NEW EAGLE PEAK TERRAIN

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE RESORTS

WHAT’S NEW AT LOCAL RESORTS

BY DERRICK KNOWLES

LOOKOUT TO OFFER CAT SKIING IN NEW TERRAIN

According to the resort, a team of loggers has been out in the woods cutting the 14 new trails that comprise Lookout’s new Eagle Peak expansion. Once that work is completed, Lookout will be offering cat skiing by reservation this winter so guests can experience these new trails. A quad chair that the mountain has already purchased will be installed next summer to provide lift-served access to these trails in the Eagle Peak expansion area for next winter.

MT. SPOKANE’S CHAIR 2 GETS AN OVERHAUL

A needed upgrade to Chair 2 (now named Illuminator) will include a $1 million investment in the replacement of the drive terminal. Chair 2 is key to moving skiers and snowboarders around the mountain, and this investment will help provide reliable service all year long.

NEW HIGH-SPEED QUAD SET TO OPEN AT 49

This fall, 49 Degrees North is putting the finishing touches on an all-new Doppelmayr High-Speed Quad Chairlift to replace Chair 1. According to 49, a top-notch team from Doppelmayr has spent the summer and fall constructing the 6,644-foot-long lift that extends from the base area of the Central Basin, just west of the main lodge, to the summit of Chewelah Peak parallel to the existing Bonanza lift that will eventually be removed. When opened this season, it will be the longest high-speed quad in Washington State, extending over 1.25 miles. At the same time, the lift will cut ride times to the summit in half. With midmountain loading no longer available with the new lift, 49 has created new terrain and trails below Beaver Slide to give those accustomed to skiing and riding that area additional options.

MT. SPOKANE GOES ALL IN ON 7-DAYS-AWEEK SHREDDING

Last year, Mt. Spokane started offering seven-days-a-week service that ran from the holidays through February, and this year they are extending that new schedule from December 15–March 13.

WEEKEND & HOLIDAY TICKET SALES MAY BE LIMITED AGAIN THIS YEAR

Some resorts report that they once again may limit the number of lift tickets sold on weekends and holidays to keep capacity at a safe and manageable level. Season pass holders at all four Ski the NW Rockies Resorts will once again get unlimited access to their home mountains, which makes having a pass your best bet for unrestricted access. If you do plan to ski or ride on a weekend or holiday period, purchase your tickets in advance online to get ahead of any possible limits on tickets sold for your preferred days as the date gets closer.

GLASS COVER ADDED TO CONVEYOR LIFT AT SILVER

A new glass cover was installed over the conveyor lift that serves the beginner run and tubing park at Silver. The cover will shield riders from the harsh winter elements and will make beginners’ first days on skis and tubers’ experience much more enjoyable.

MORE MAN-MADE SNOW

The evolution of 49 Degrees North’s new snowmaking system continues this year, extending farther up Silver Ridge all the way to where Blastface meets the Silver Ridge. All of this increased snowmaking capacity means earlier opening of some terrain and a longer season for the resort.

INTERACTIVE MAP SHOWS TRAIL STATUS & CLOSURES

A new interactive trail map right outside the Mountain House at Silver Mountain will show which runs are open, closed, and groomed. The map is sure to become a popular spot for people to meet and serve as a backdrop for selfies and social media posts.

added more new skis and boards to enhance the experience of guests young and old, including a whole new high-performance demo fleet for anyone looking to test the latest skis and snowboards. If you’ve ever wanted to try telemark skiing, 49 is your place to rent tele gear and give dropping a knee a try.

EATING & DRINKING EVOLUTION

One of the few positives that came out of the pandemic last year was how it spurred innovation in the eating and drinking options at our local resorts. It’s now easier than ever to grab a quality bite to eat or a beer without ever having to step boot into a lodge. One new outdoor eatery that will enter the scene this year is Pablo’s Taco Revolution, a new taco truck at 49 Degrees North.

EVENTS MAKE A COMEBACK

Expect more events to return this year at our local resorts as long as the COVID situation continues to improve. A sign that this season may look more normal than last year, Mt. Spokane is planning to bring back terrain park competitions, demo days, live music, and the very popular Ladies’ Day.

CHAIR 2 NOW A TRIPLE AT LOOKOUT

Chair 2 on the backside of Lookout (the Timber Wolf Chair) is being upgraded from a double to a triple this year with new American-made triple chairs. This modification means a huge increase in the capacity of riders the lift can serve, and it also removes the center bar to make it more family friendly. The chair upgrade is a key linchpin in Lookout’s forthcoming expansion to Eagle Peak, as it will provide transport for guests to get back to the lodge and parking lot on the front of the mountain after experiencing the new terrain that will increase skiable acres from 540 to 1,023.

FRIDAY NIGHT CLUB SHRED PROGRAM AT MT. SPOKANE

This season, Mt. Spokane is expanding on its extensive camp offerings by adding a Friday Night Club Shred program so that parents can hit the slopes while kids learn lifetime skills on the snow. This is a great way for parents and kids to spend time together and get to ski or ride apart on Friday nights.

EARLIER STEEP TERRAIN OPENING AT SILVER THANKS TO NEW EQUIPMENT

Improved early-season conditions will be possible thanks to a new D3 cat with a mulcher. This new equipment helps Silver staff to brush-cut steeper runs and glades, allowing the mountain to open more terrain earlier.

NEW CHEWELAH HOTEL WILL CATER TO SKIERS

The Mistequa Hotel in the works at Chewelah Casino will bring a modern, comfortable lodging option to Chewelah, serving out-of-town skiers and snowboarders looking to spend more than a day up on the mountain. Amenities will include ski lockers, an indoor pool and jacuzzi, extended patio seating, a lounge, and a large fireplace in the lobby.

MIDWEEK LODGING, LIFT TICKET, & WATERPARK DEAL AT SILVER

If you’re looking for an affordable family ski vacation, Silver Mountain is offering a mid-week deal on lift tickets, lodging in a family studio, and access to the indoor waterpark for $55 per person based on quad occupancy. The mid-week offer runs from January 3 through April 10, 2022. Use the code “SAVEBIG” when booking. //

SILVER MT. POW. PHOTO COURTESY OF SILVER MOUNTAIN RESORT

LEFT: MISSION RIDGE // RIGHT: SITZMARK. // OPPOSITE PAGE: 49 DEGREES NORTH // PHOTOS: RYAN MURRAY

SKIING THEM ALL

A QUEST TO SHRED WASHINGTON'S 15 RESORTS

BY RYAN MURRAY

SITTING IN THE OFFICE of a work-sponsored counselor talking about the wintertime blues, I received some of the best advice I had ever heard. Like most good advice, it was obvious and simple, but I needed it said to me to understand. “Find things you enjoy doing, and make time for them,” said the counselor. Let me explain how I got to this point.

I was almost 40. Having spent over two decades focused on developing marketable skills to support my family, I had forgotten how to have fun. It was winter, and winter had come to be a cold dreary ball of suck. My employer offered free wellness counseling, and I thought, “Why not?” It helped me realize I had forgotten to make time for things I enjoyed in the winter and instead had been slogging through work and home responsibilities without much respite.

Thinking back to my younger years, I used to start dreaming of winter before summer was over, not dreading it as I did now. I wondered why. I remember eagerly anticipating ski swaps to comb through the deals and pick up gear. Once the snow came, I would hit the hills as often as I could bum a ride up to the lift area. Was skiing what was missing from my life?

The Toyota Free Ski Days happened to be going on and I drive a Toyota. It seemed like a good chance to find out if strapping on a pair of planks was the winter elixir I needed. I took a day off work, loaded up the car, and took off. It was fantastic. This was the high I had been missing, the rush of adrenaline flying down the hill. However, the problem I quickly hit the next week was that as a goaloriented person it was hard to schedule time for “fun.”

The solution was simple: I would make skiing into a goal. I realized that I had never been to many of the ski areas on the Toyota Days calendar, and that gave me the idea to find and ski every resort in Washington state. I’ve lived here most of my life, why not ski it all? This goal was achievable, fun, and ridiculous enough to get me out of the house all winter. If people can hike the highest mountain on every continent, why couldn’t I ski every resort in Washington?

Like the state’s population, the ski resorts of Washington are diverse and each special in their own way. Check out the list in the sidebar for my personal take on each

Shortly into my ski odyssey, I tore my knee apart. Being out of shape and having bad form was a disastrous combination that derailed my goal for four years. Every skier should know how to prevent an ACL injury. I wish I had taken 15 minutes to read these tips to prevent injury (Vermontskisafety. com/research/tips/) BEFORE I tore my ACL and spent countless hours in surgery, recovery, and rehabilitation. The basics for knee protection are: 1) Arms forward, 2) Feet together, 3) Hands over skis. ACL tears are different for everyone. I had a hard time walking without my ACL and decided to get the reconstruction surgery.

After my surgery, I started drifting more toward cross-country skiing to take it easy

WASHINGTON STATE’S 15 PUBLIC SKI RESORTS

By Ryan Murray

BADGER MOUNTAIN (WATERVILLE) A lift ticket and lunch special (burger, chips, and drink) will run you less than $20, making it the least expensive lunch and ski in the state. Perfect rope tow to take the kids on to learn and the T-bar can be fun if the snow is cooperative.

BLUEWOOD (DAYTON) A fun hill with some good tree skiing. One visit I witnessed a convoy of off-roading trucks trying to get to the top of the hill just outside the ski area boundary. You never know what you’ll come across on local hills.

CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN (ENUMCLAW) Great bowls. This is the largest ski area in Washington by acreage.

ECHO RIDGE (MASON) The second-best terrain served by a poma lift in Washington.

HURRICANE RIDGE (PORT ANGELES) A long haul from Spokane to get to a little ski area. It boasts a long platter pull deep in Olympic National Park with some great views.

LEAVENWORTH SKI HILL (LEAVENWORTH) A couple rope tows, but the real draw is the faux Bavarian town après-ski.

LOUP LOUP (OMAK) I’m pretty sure they send out high school kids with chain saws to cut down trees and leave them along the edge of the hill because I have never seen so many jumps lining a run.

MISSION RIDGE (WENATCHEE) With an average snowfall of 200 inches and 300 days a year of sunshine, there's often not a lot of snow cover in some spots and I usually hit a rock or two. Free stone grind! The terrain is surprisingly respectable on a good day.

on my knee. The type of downhill skiing that I enjoy (going fast, jumping off things) is more scary than fun now that I know what can go wrong. But before I hung up my alpine skis, I needed to finish my goal.

This last winter I picked up the one ski area I was missing, Hurricane Ridge. Completing a ski journey that started on a rolling carpet in Bellevue and ended 34 years later in the Olympic Peninsula, I skied every public resort in Washington.

Having a defined ski goal not only made winters fun again, but it gave me a better perspective on life. It reminded me to schedule time to inject some silliness and fun into my routine. This has not only helped my wintertime blues but also spilled over as a strategy to get more enjoyment from the rest of the year. While I may be transitioning to more cross-country skiing, these days, I’m more committed than ever to making goals and getting out to do things that bring me joy. //

Ryan Murray works as a chemical engineer in Washington state. He enjoys dragging his three kids on adventures and hopes that one day they will realize how much fun they are having. When not playing in the snow, he enjoys hiking and is trying to section hike the Washington stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail.

tap. pay. TAP. PAY.

be on your way. BE ON YOUR WAY.

MT. BAKER (BELLINGHAM) Epic snowfall. They had so much of the white stuff in the ‘98/’99 ski season they had to cut into the snow to allow room for the chair lift. It’s a strange feeling akin to scuba diving when your chair lift goes under the level of the snow surface. They had 1,140 inches of snow that year, which is enough snow to keep most places running for years.

MT. SPOKANE (SPOKANE) The terrain park acreage is huge. And there are four to choose from. When I was there, one of the table top jumps dropped off on the hill behind it, and if you fully committed to the needed speed, you’d get absurdly-huge air.

STEVENS PASS (SKYKOMISH) Some great terrain up the 7th Heaven Chair, just look out for the crowds on the weekend.

SITZMARK (TONASKET) Largely a beginner area. Consequently, I could find untracked powder after lunch visible from the lift.

THE SUMMIT AT SNOQUALMIE (SNOQUALMIE PASS) This is really one pass to four separate ski areas (Hyak, Ski Acres, Snoqualmie, and Alpental). You can listen to the sound of skis scraping over ice echoing into the night with the most illuminated acres in the state. The real draw is Alpental, which has some of the best lift-served backcountry skiing around. After a short walk to Denny peak you can ski down from what feels like the top of the world.

WHITE PASS (PACKWOOD) Nice intermediate terrain serviced from a high-speed quad. I heard the area was built by world cup racers, and you can tell from the trails.

49 DEGREES NORTH (CHEWELAH) This Northeast Washington ski area is growing, and the best thing is that it has a small-town hill feel with big terrain. I’ve always had fantastic powder whenever I go.

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LA NINA HINTS OF A GOOD WINTER

BY ADAM GEBAUER

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR when I get phone calls from friends I haven’t talked to in a few months, checking in to share ski plans. Any new gear? What pass did you get? Any chance there are trips planned for (insert friend’s location) Tahoe, Bozeman, Colorado, Maine, Canada?

With so many winter prediction options to consider—looking at Pacific Ocean temps, jet stream locations, trade winds, meteorologists talking about teleconnections, bands on a wooly caterpillar, reading tea leaves— planning out your winter fun is always a gamble. But we are more than willing to roll the dice to spend time slashing turns down a mountain with good friends. So here is what the experts are saying.

For the second year in a row, the buzzword we like to hear is “La Niña,” a cooling of the Pacific equatorial waters. This pushes the jet stream north over the Pacific Ocean before it dives south over the North American landmass, bringing cold temps to us folks in PNW. This year’s La Niña is predicted to be a bit weaker than last year, leaving most meteorologist less confident in their forecast, which means their predictions are somewhat unpredictable.

The stalwart Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts, “most western areas will remain relatively dry, with all but the Pacific Coast itself and portions of the Southwest experiencing the frigid cold predicted for much of the rest of the country.”

NOAA, on the other hand, forecasts below-average temps in our corner of the country from December through February, with Idaho and Montana having an equal chance of below or above average temps, while Utah, Colorado, and New England having a good chance to be warmer than normal. NOAA also predicts a 50 to 60 percent chance of above average precipitation for the Pacific Northwest.

Onthesnow.com talked with a meteorologist with ski trail maps on his wall who analyzes equatorial water temperature. Here’s what they had to say: “La Niña tends to organize the wintertime jet stream in a way that favors the Pacific Northwest and Northern Tier of states with the most consistent winter snowfall.”

Unofficial Network taped a meteorologist with Accuweather who concludes that, over all, this winter will be the coldest in the last seven years, with the PNW and Colorado seeing an early start to the season.

Snow Brain features Direct Weather with a wild ride of map animation. They call for above average snowfall for the PNW and typical snow through most of the Rockies. Take note, though, that as of the time of this writing, Direct Weather stated a confidence of moderate to low in their forecast probability at the end of their forecast. At least they are honest.

Our local folks at KREM 2 are calling for a cold, wet winter with a 70 to 80 percent chance of a weak La Niña through January. And, worth checking out, they have one of the better descriptions of how ocean temps may affect our winter outlook.

On average, these predictions are looking stellar for a cold and snowy winter here on our home turf. Booking a trip to California might not be the best plan, with warmer temps and lower precipitation down south. And the Rockies should have an average season, which means your best bet is to convince your friends to come ski right here in the PNW. //

OUT THERE SNOW SKI FILMS Visit us online to purchase passes, lessons, and lift tickets!

FINDING THE SOUL OF SKIING AT 49 DEGREES NORTH. PHOTO COURTESY OF TETON GRAVITY RESEARCH

3 SKI & SNOWBOARD FILMS YOU CAN WATCH AT HOME

BY DERRICK KNOWLES

IN PURSUIT OF SOUL

(TETON GRAVITY RESEARCH) Teton Gravity Research and Indy Pass created this short film in honor of exceedingly-rare independent American ski resorts. In 1970, there were over 1,000 independent resorts across the country, but by 2021, there were less than 400 left, as many went out of business or were bought out by big corporations. As the number of small, locally controlled, and culturally unique resorts have dwindled, the cost of skiing and snowboarding has risen just as much of the quality of and access to skiing and riding has declined. “In Pursuit of Soul” is a great reminder of the origins of skiing in the U.S. and of the important role independent ski hills play in holding on to some of the soul of the sport. It’s also a challenge to the notion that our winter sports have become an elitist pastime of the rich. A dozen resorts where families and anyone living on a tight budget can still afford to spend their winters on the mountain are featured in the film. Our own local 49 Degrees North is highlighted, as well as several other regional mountains, including Mission Ridge, Lost Trail, and Brundage, which says something about the authenticity, quality, and affordability of the skiing we are fortunate enough to be surrounded by here in the Inland Northwest.

SOUTHWEST SCRAMBLE

(PART OF THE PICTURE FILM FEST) Last winter was tough on a lot of people, and after a challenging season filled with a pandemic, avalanches, and injuries, skier Cody Cirillo was more than ready to get away from it all. Sound familiar? This film, part of the Picture Family Film Fest that will tour retail shops this fall before being available to watch online later this winter, follows Cody on a bike-to-ski adventure from his home in Telluride to the mountains of Utah. Along the way he rides hundreds of miles of road, faces gale-force winds, grinds up some gnarly climbs, and eventually the journey turns him inward.

THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE BANDITS

(MONTANA BANDITS) Possibly the strangest ski movie I’ve ever watched (and not a good one to watch with young kids), this self-funded, DIY film is a reaction to what its makers say is an industry that takes itself far too seriously. The film features plenty of wipeouts, quality music, some legit skiing, and occasionally bizarre yet mostly creative and quite funny McConkeyesque antics. If there’s one takeaway from this collection of clips, it’s that these guys had way too much fun making this thing, their first foray into ski movie making. If you’re expecting a traditional, professionally-made ski film, you probably won’t get very far before making it stop. If you ever wondered what it would be like to relive your college days with a bunch of sub-adult dudes in Montana ski country, this is your chance. Take the film makers’ advice and grab yourself a couple of oat sodas before hitting play. In fact, I recommend having at least a few before you sit down to watch in the first place. It will certainly help get your head in the game. If you’re old, these 31 minutes of screen time will make you feel older. If your years on this Earth are fewer, don’t try this stuff at home. Or, if you do, at least make sure the camera is rolling. //

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A season pass is the best way to experience everything Mt. Spokane has to offer, including unlimited access to the mountain with no blackout dates. With the shortest drive from Spokane, seven-day-a-week operations (from January until mid-March), and more than fifty night ski sessions, Mt. Spokane is the ultimate place to get your turns in this winter.

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SISTER SHREDDERS MEET THE HALL SISTERS

BY T. GHEZZI

MADDIE WITH A BIG METHOD AT SCHWEITZER’S STOMPING GROUNDS TERRAIN PARK. PHOTO: ADAM HALL // BELOW: THE HALL SISTERS, EMMA (LEFT) AND MADDIE (RIGHT), WAITING FOR SNOW. PHOTO: T. GHEZZI // THIS PHOTO: EMMA IN THE STARTING GATE AT SILVER MOUNTAIN’S DOUG E FRESH BANKED SLALOM. PHOTO: T. GHEZZI

ONE EARLY MORNING in Schweitzer’s lower parking lot, a group of mostly skiers circled up for an Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center Avalanche 1 course. Being one of the only snowboarders in the course, it was easy to spot the other soft-boot powder chasers, and that is where I met Emma Hall for the first time. Over the next two days, Emma’s riding, attitude, and ability to learn and perform the recently acquired avalanche skills were incredible. In hindsight, I can’t image what it must have felt like for 15-year-old Emma (now 16) to take the course solo with a group of mostly male skiers twice her age.

A few weeks later I spoke with Emma’s dad Adam Hall at Silver Mountain’s Doug E Fresh Banked Slalom event, and he talked about her passion for learning more about the backcountry and that Emma wasn’t the only teenage shredder in the family. It turned out younger sister Maddie Hall (14 years old) is just as passionate and driven to spend time up on the mountain.

The Halls’ home mountain is Schweitzer, and they are currently sponsored by the highly-respected 7B Skate Shop in Sandpoint. The past year both sisters have been working closely with a couple different snowboard manufacturers to get partnerships started. After competing in regional banked slalom races and getting multiple podium finishes, the two have been invited to this year’s highly exclusive Dirksen Derby at Mt. Bachelor, Ore.

MEET EMMA HALL (AGE 16)

Emma’s relaxed and confident demeanor makes her seem in control of her snowboard destiny. Her love is big mountain riding, chasing powder, hitting cliff drops, and exploring the backcountry. Attending online public school through the Connections Academy, Emma is stoked to take advantage of being home schooled this year so that she can go up to the mountain every day. I asked her if she has thought about college, and her reply said it all: “I am living in the moment. College, I am not for sure.” The goal she does have in mind, she added, is to become a backcountry snowboard guide, and she has her sights on being a certified American Mountain Guide Association guide.

MEET MADDIE HALL (AGE 14)

Chatting with Maddie you’ll sense right away the fire inside her to be the best snowboarder she can. No doubt this will help her out as she continues to enter contests and hitting rails and jumps in the park. “Park laps are fun,” she says, “but it depends on the day.” If there is new snow, she says, you can bet she’ll be out riding powder.

SNOWBOARD HEROES

The sisters agreed their snowboard idol is Elena Hight, because of what she has accomplished in her career. To my surprise, their second most inspirational rider was Jeremy Jones. Emma and Maddie said they respect his backcountry riding and say he is a “Rad Dad” just like theirs, which led the sisters to add that the most influential snowboarder to them is their dad. They treasure his love for snowboarding and for passing it on to them and point to his supportive and motivating approach to sharing the sport with them in a way that also gave them room to grow on their own.

The Hall sisters’ energy, passion, and drive is the core of what it means to be a snowboarder, and their energy and love for riding snow is contagious and exactly what the Inland Northwest snowboard culture needs. //

T. Ghezzi is Pacific Northwest raised and believes we should respect the land, spend time in nature, explore, adventure, hike, and never stop the pursuit to ride powder.

RETURN TO THE KOOTENAYS

SUNRISE IN THE EAST KOOTENAYS MEANS MORE THAN A GOOD DAY AT FERNIE. MIDDLE: DREAMY VIEWS ALONG BC’S POWDER HIGHWAY. BOTTOM: DOWNTOWN FERNIE, BC. PHOTOS: POWDER MATT MOSTELLER

BY POWDER MATT

THE FLAKES ARE ALREADY FLYING up north. And your skis are calling, saying, “Hey you—this winter can we please do a BC adventure? I miss soft and fluffy snow on my bases.” Besides, you need to clear your head out, with everything that has built up over the past months (or years). Let the powdery snow work its magic to refresh the mind, let your soul run wild, and harness all that’s good. Let it all come back. Point ‘em north and explore all the hidden gems we have to offer. But first, let’s go through what crossing that border looks like these days, followed by a few key places to shred this winter along British Columbia’s Powder Highway. negative results within 72 hours of your planned arrival into Canada.

Before you head out, visit ArriveCAN online to enter your proof of vaccination with approved vaccines (Moderna, Johnson, Pfizer and AstraZeneca). Find more details at this website, which is updated regularly: Travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travelrestrictions/covid-vaccinated-travellersentering-canada.

STOP STARING AT WEBCAMS—LET’S DO THIS

There are many ways to experience a Kootenay escape this winter. Here are a few favorite options.

DON’T LET PAPERWORK GET IN THE WAY OF POWDER DREAMS

It's a sweet drive north to Canada from Spokane and North Idaho as farm fields give way to forested hills before you reach one of the many border crossings. In this evolving COVID era, reaching one of the Kootenay’s quiver of powder pleasers along the Powder Highway (Whitewater, Red, Fernie, Kimberley, and Kicking Horse) requires you to show proof of vaccination and get a COVID PCR test showing

FAMILY ESCAPE

To make it easy, the key is slopeside stays. Kimberley’s Trickle Creek Lodge comes complete with a pool and condo-style accommodations, including a kitchen to whip up delights. Right out front is the learning area, separate from regular skier traffic—voila, the kids are taken care of at Kimberley Alpine Resort. Throw in those epic kids’ trails through the woods for the little rascals, which they’ll dare you to follow them into, and the kids will be over the moon. Don’t worry, there are endless gladed trails for tree skiing and real killer fall-line runs for the ‘rents’ to get their fix here.

SNOW DREAMS

Living in a snow globe is so sweet. To experience it first-hand, head to Fernie, BC, with its cool authentic mountain town that has it all, from craft shops, to epic eats and some of the best artisan coffee in existence. Let’s focus on Fernie Alpine Resort though, as it boasts the most alpine bowls, biggest vertical, and deepest snow in the Canadian Rockies—of course, that’s why you're here, isn’t it?

STEEPS, CHUTES, AND CHAMPAGNE

It’s still a secret, so keep it to yourself. Kicking Horse Mountain Resort is the real deal. We’re serious. Honestly, until you try this place, you won’t know what you’re missing. So don’t go another year without experiencing the most chute skiing in North America (over 80 chutes!). Just think how many people talk about Jackson Hole’s similar terrain when it only has a handful of chutes, and nothing to match the caliber and variety that this Horse has. But it’s not all gnarly terrain. There are tons of groomers and intermediate trails too. Kicking Horse is also home to the 5th biggest vertical in North America and Canada’s highest restaurant to boot, perfect for that cheers, eh!

SOME DON’T MISS AND ADDITIONAL DETAILS

Be sure to check each ski resort for their COVID safety update section before you go, so you are aware of any required protocols. Currently at ski resorts across British Columbia, all will require proof of vaccination to enter restaurants, and some have that mandate for all indoor facilities. Be prepared with a mask for lift lines and gondola rides too. But double check the latest before your departure, because as of this writing, many are still working out final details and protocols. //

Powder Matt is a professional ski bum and writer from Kimberley, BC, who lived in his car for 63 days one winter so he could ski every day. He wrote about skiing the Kootenays during the COVID border closure in the March 2021 issue of Out There.

A FEW SWEET KOOTENAY-LOCAL SECRETS

ENJOY SKI-IN AND SKI-OUT. Only 50 feet from the lift at Fernie Alpine Resort, stay at Lizard Creek Lodge with its newly-renovated main lodge. You won’t mind the sweet slopeside pool and hot tub either.

GET IN YOUR POD. A new pod hotel experience is now open at Raging Elk Adventure Lodging. Save money, ski more, and enjoy this fun environment in downtown Fernie, BC.

PURCELL HELI SKIING. Same incredible terrain, awesome guides, and now new ownership are part of the CMH family. They are one of the few daily adventure heli skiing options, so book a date for heli skiing after you have skied a couple days at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. That's what we call a perfect powder combo.