words & photos :: Feet Banks
The old saying is “If you love something, set it free…” …but maybe not if it’s your kid on their first time skiing in the backcountry. Out there, a little guidance and oversight goes a long way. So when my 14-year-old finally admitted he was ready to make the trek to some of that pristine powder on the other side of the ropes, I knew just the place to start, the same place my parents started me—the Flute Bowl, off Whistler Mountain.
Times have changed of course. When I was 14, my family had never heard of avalanche transceivers, skins or probes. Our backcountry safety was essentially to wait until the spring when “everything has settled” and bootpack into the goods while remembering to “watch out for cornices.” Ignorance is bliss, though caution was paramount, and I grew up enjoying some nice afternoons following my folks into nice spring slush (and the occasional late-season pow) on now-classic Whistler Blackcomb backcountry lines.
But yeah, it was loose. With much more safety in mind, and with a few nice mid-to-late-April storms blanketing the Whistler Blackcomb alpine this year, it felt like the time to introduce the backcountry to the next generation. And Flute bowl is the place to start. Looming to the southeast of Whistler’s Symphony Chair zone, Flute is hike-in only, but still technically within ski area boundaries (and thus avalanche-controlled by patrol.) For a kid’s first walk, it’s convenient, close, and relatively safe. With big bowls and a mellow treed ridge, Flute also serves up some excellent turns. It’s the perfect place to give a kid a taste of the world beyond the ropes. But there’s a few things you both should know too:
- Education
Most mountain towns offer Avalanche Skills Training (AST) courses and if your kid is chomping at the bit to get out there (and you can afford it) these are a great place to start. The Intro course (AST-1) teaches about identify terrain hazards and rescue skills in the event something goes wrong. After our springtime jaunt into Flute, if my kid wants to pursue touring and backcountry skiing, this course will be one of the first things he does next winter. And as any parents know: your kid will pay more attention when the teacher is someone other than you. - Safety Gear
Even if your kid hasn’t taken the AST-1, there’s no point giving them safety gear if they don’t know how to use it. Practicing using the avalanche transceivers can be fun (it’s like an Easter egg hunt) and it’s always smart to go over how to set up and use the probe and shovel before heading out. Complacency is never good, even in “safer” zones (have you heard the one about the knight who got eaten by a dragon because he didn’t put his armour on because he was “just going to the store down the lane”?)
- Layering
Skinning, splitboarding and walking uphill can be tiring, sweaty work, but transitioning back to shred mode up on a gusty ridgetop can be chilly. Layers are essential for keeping a kid (or anyone) comfy on a touring mission. Get a comfy, moisture-wicking base layer, a warm layer for the top/descent, and (of course) a good shell outer layer to keep the weather out. My kid actually schooled me on my layering: “Bib pants are sick for in-resort pow days, Dad, but with your fitness level I think they are gonna be hot and sweaty walking uphill.”
The child was not wrong. (And shout out to Helly Hansen for setting him up for success with a Merino LIFA base layer and what they call the Odin backcountry kit—a Stretch Insulator, and the sharp-looking Odin Backcountry Infinity Shell and bib-less pants (with full-length side zips to dump heat!). In any case, you learn something new every day, even when you are supposed to be the teacher. - Make sure you have your skins
Some of us who may or may not be fortunate enough to get to go cat or heliskiing a lot might need a reminder to include their skins in the backcountry backpack. You need them for touring! It’s also a good idea to check your touring bindings are functional and in good shape before you head for the hill. (And if you’re taking your child be sure to know how to operate their bindings too; this includes knowing where the heel risers are on those full frame, entry-level bindings that work so well with kids.)
And off we went! After going over all the gear at the bottom of the access road to Flute, my kid swung by the beacon checker and hit the skin track (always a good idea to check all the beacons are turned on and set properly before you start walking but these beacon stations are a great extra resource).
The Flute bowl zone has three distinct bowls (Main Flute, North Flute, and Lesser Flute), so after a few stops to point out why it’s important to be aware of cornices and how to identify safer travel routes in corniced areas, my kid and I traversed a bit further down Encore Ridge for the pow fields and tree skiing to the east of Lesser Flute.
The mid-April snow delivered, and my son and I got the kind of fresh tracks under blue skies that make it pretty easy to sell the whole “earn your turns” ethos.
“This pow is pure bliss,” my son hollered as he smeared a (totally backseat) turn past me with glee on his face. Minutes later, back in the Symphony Express lift line, I got the full scoop. “Walking up is the worst part but the pow is enjoyable. Even the walking isn’t that bad. 4 out of 4 stars.”
“Does this mean you will take an Avy Skills Traning course at the start of next winter?”
“Yeah, ski touring is dope.”
I call that a win. Once again, skiing proves itself as a way to have fun and create moments despite the generational boundaries. Which leads me to my final tip for ski touring with your kid.
- Be Present
This is harder to teach a kid, but it’s one of the most important parts of backcountry travel. Even in an avalanche-controlled area like Flute, I want my child to constantly be aware of what he’s doing and where he’s doing it. What does the snow sound like? What does it feel like under your skis? Is it firm, hollow? Does it feel different over here than it did over there? Which way is the wind blowing? Look at the snow, are there striations or grooves? Which way might the wind have been blowing last night? How do you feel about cutting across that region there? Are you comfortable? Are you focused?
In the backcountry, noticing tiny details and correlations is how you build knowledge. It can also save your life. Even in the “slackcountry,” it’s always good practice to stay on point and have your entire head in the game and the task at hand.
The bonus for parents is that hopefully a kid who learns to be present in the backcountry can bring those skills into other parts of their lives as well. Lead by example though—you’re up a mountain with your kid. Get pics, but make sure that isn’t the main focus. Be present and enjoy it— they grow up pretty fast.
(Big thanks to Helly Hansen for hooking us up with the killer backcountry gear and Whistler Blackcomb for giving me three generations of mountain memories and fun. For super detailed details on how to get to and ski Flute, check out Nick’s Guidebook.)
