The new Mountain Life Coast Mountains issue has dropped!
Feet First
Sometimes it rains to the top.
Or the binding breaks, or the friends bail, or you can’t find that jacket—the one with
your pass in it. Or there’s gonna be traffic, lift lines, sketchy roads, no parking. Or it’s too cold, or not cold enough, or you have other stuff that needs to get done anyhow.
If you’re looking for them, there will be lots of reasons not to go out into the mountains. But we’re the lucky ones to even have the option. And that’s all the more reason to get out there. To taste that open space and the fleeting moments of being both totally in control of the moment but also completely at the mercy of gravity, the landscape, the weather and the wilds.
So ditch the continuous drip of digital anxiety and global anger. Shine your headlight into the darkness and choose to get up, grab your gear and go skiing in the rain. Make the most of shredding ice, or setting a skin track through the crud. Go for just one lap or go for two weeks. Go solo or go or make a new friend. Go early, go late, just go-go-go to the mountains.
Will it solve the world’s problems? No. Will it even solve yours? Probably not, but odds are you’ll feel better when you come back. Either way, you’ll never know if you don’t go.
–Feet Banks
Issue Highlights…
Breaking Trail
Someone has to go first. It doesn’t matter whether you’re dropping into a line, setting a skin track or getting out of the tent to fire up the stove, in the mountains we need those willing to put themselves into the unknown for the benefit of others. All hail the trailblazers. For this blast from the past, photographer Kurtis Croy breaks out his slides from the mid-and-late 1990s, a time when a small crew of snowboarders hopped on (underpowered) snowmobiles and pushed deeper into the hills than ever before. Along the way they changed the way people experience and enjoy the Coast Mountains.
Where the Wolves Found Us
Kevin Vallely and Ray Zahab knew a winter traverse of Ellesmere Island was not going to be easy (temps dropped to -36º C) but they didn’t expect to have so much company. Ellesmere’s arctic wolves are unique—one of the most isolated packs on earth, they have no predators. Which makes them uniquely curious when a couple dudes start trudging through their zone.
Mountain Lifer: Mike Douglas
The first “freeskier” to be inducted into the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame, Mike Douglas is one of those iconic athletes and personalities that not only won’t slow down, but also won’t stop innovating. And the game-changing Salomon TenEighty ski was just the (twin) tip of the iceberg.
Party in April, Sleep in May
To help celebrate the 30th anniversary of Whistler’s World Ski & Snowboard Festival, Mountain Life staff dig deep into the (foggy) memory banks to recollect our favourite moments from three decades of the greatest party on snow. From the glorious, wild days of 1990s snowboard big airs to the industry-changing photography events to the art, music and motocross that helped cement Whistler as THE place to celebrate another great year of sliding on snow.
Artist: Walletmoth
Skater, snowboarder and OG shred filmmaker Murray Siple pivots from a career as an award-winning documentary filmmaker, discovers painting, then finds a new passion as a para-surf fanatic.
Faux Fur & Stoicism
Andrew Findlay joins photographer Kari Medig on an exploratory mission into a place that almost assuredly was not on your ski holiday bingo card—the sparse slopes and strange resorts of Poland, a place where mountain culture and pride has met the resilience of a nation that’s just happy to get out and send it.
Plus: Will king tides ruin surf spots? Jon Turk’s transition season and a bang-up gallery of mid-winter Coast Mountain images from all your faves.
Check the full issue HERE and pick up a print copy at all the usual rad spots.
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