MOUNTAIN LIFE - Blue Mountains | Winter 2018

WINTER 2018 ML BLUE 33 words :: Ned Morgan Phoenix, the resident Bernese mountain dog at Selkirk Snowcat Skiing’s lodge, greets us with something between a bark and a celebratory howl. Much like this west Kootenays, BC tenure, Phoenix is big, beautiful, and friendly to all shredders. Though he doesn’t ski or ride, this dog’s life is nonetheless enviable: he makes 24 new friends at Meadow Mountain Lodge every week (the maximum number of guests skiing or riding at any time in Selkirk Snowcats’ terrain, almost double the size of Whistler Blackcomb). Just once during our on-mountain time did our cat group encounter another and our guide had to point them out, swooping down a chute so far in the distance they were gnat-sized. This is a portion of Kootenay mountain powder so huge that even in the 5 day/6 night package offered by Selkirk, you will barely scratch the proverbial surface. The ML crew spent three powder-infused days at Selkirk, our guides leading us into countless glades, bowls, chutes and runouts. The snow quality is evident by the fact that when we arrive it hasn’t really snowed for five days, but our guides have no trouble finding freshies for us. On my first morning as we step into our bindings I’m hypnotized by the view—the Lardo Valley far below is shrouded in a dense veil of cloud that seems immobile and later in the day begins to glow in rainbow hues. Below us I can see the trees lead into a chute, followed by more trees until they disappear from our view. Our guides (snowboarders Nathan and AJ) take us down into some virginal glades they cut just last fall. As we bounce through, we call back and forth to keep our partners and guides within earshot. I try to keep Nathan’s line in sight but I find myself meandering a bit; it feels natural to zig and zag widely, trying to find just the right spot to drop. We end up on a cat track and then transition into another glade. I’m a bit out of shape and I’m winded… wait, who am I kidding? This is a workout so intense for me that I can barely talk as we rest briefly on the track. I’m hyperventilating, while everyone else is breathing normally. My colleagues ski like this every winter, but this is my first time skiing backcountry BC. And to amp up the experience, our guides are taking us into some expert-only spots they’ve been saving just for us. Back in Ontario I tried to train by snowshoe-running up the Escarpment hills and skiing Blue Mountain glades, but it wasn’t enough—looking back on it, I almost feel like laughing at my naivety. Instead I drink three litres of water and eat two bagged lunches. The next day we head into some even more expert terrain with guide Rob aka Stoji, who is on a mission to find photo opps for Selkirk owners Paul and Megan Osak’s son Liam. (Young Liam is modelling for the photographers in our group and stomping countless “fugettaboutit” lines.) I don’t stomp anything, and I stay near the back and thus end up struggling over some brutally schralped lines, but I make it through without a wipeout. Under the circumstances I consider this a small personal victory. I almost feel like laughing at my naivety. Instead I drink three litres of water and eat two bagged lunches. TRAVEL LEFT Jon Burak busts glades. THIS PAGE,TOP TO BOTTOM Phoenix and friend; Number one Selkirk son Liam Osak; cat driver Ian McKinnon. GLEN HARRIS