Deeper USA & Canada: Part 4

Day 13 – Kicking Horse
We had a fairly slow start to the day and left Revelstoke around 8am. Again I was in the cold, foggy car. We got to KH around 11:30 and waited the half hour for the half day pass. Going up the gondola, the clouds cleared and we were presented with the awesome kicking horse terrain. Even at this late an hour there were fresh tracks galore.



We did one leg burner to the base scoring plenty of untracked turns and then headed back to the top.

We were keen to check out the Stairway to Heaven terrain using the CPR Ridge access. I was side slipping down the ridge looking for a place to drop in when my ski pre-released! I watched in horror as my ski went off a cliff and down a 35deg slope. Luckily it dug in about 20m down. I had to climb down the rocks and snow to get my ski. Once I was clicked back in the route down to chair was interesting. I got stuck on top of a large rock band and had to sort of shimmy myself down it and over and around some trees. I dropped the last few rocks and then scored some fresh turn down to the chair. My parents were watching horrified at the bottom.

Looking at Redemption Ridge from CPR Ridge just before my ski went flying off the cliff



The terrain I got stuck in







Looking back at CPR Ridge after my ordeal



After the one ski scare I was a bit rattled, what better terrain to hit than Redemption Ridge to redeem myself. Using this ridge as access I scored some amazing fresh tree runs.



Redemption Ridge



No mans land behind Kicking Horse



To finish the day we dropped into Feuz Bowl from Redemption Ridge. I found a nice tight line down with a little drop at the end. We ducked into the trees all the way to the day lodge, around 1260m of vertical.





After skiing we gunned it back to Banff. There were some nice photo ops on the way. The town of field, the Burgess Shale is in the alpine area above for any fossil freaks.





It was a beautiful night so I spent some time freezing my ass off taking photos.




Day 14 – Sunshine Village
I got picked up early by my mates from Calgary and we headed up to Sunshine. Again we were met with some beautiful boot deep powder. We did about 15 runs down the Garbage Chutes of Standish. Although not long, the chutes are gnarly and require quick reflexes as you ski/fall down. I was having to much fun to stop for photos so here are some frame grabs.







After the chutes we grabbed a coffee and then headed out into the slack country. We did two nice runs through the glades.





We hit a really nice little cliff on the second run. The moment before the drop in.



I had a pretty quiet evening with the olds and my sister in Banff.

Deeper USA & Canada: Part 3

Day 11 - Revelstoke
We got up early, around 5am, and started the drive to Revelstoke. I was travelling with some friends who own a dodgy old mondeo that has no heating. This meant I had to spend the entire journey in a sleeping bag. The weather and roads were pretty crazy and I was a bit scared we would come off the road, it got especially hairy around Rogers Pass. We stopped at Timmy Horts in Golden for breaky and then continued onto Revi.



I have a good old friend from Banff, Marco, who has settled in Revelstoke. He is a gun skier and I was pumped to ski with him again. We had a large group but owing to Marco’s reputation for tight, steep trees runs no one was keen to join us for the day.

I spent the day doing some of the craziest, steepest and deepest tree runs I have ever encountered. Marco knew all the secret spots. The first run alone, following the gondola line, was around 700m vertical of leg burning, trees in knee deep powder.



Marco – Man of Powder







Things didn’t let up for the rest of the day and by the time I met up with the rest of the gang in the afternoon I was absolutely shattered.

After skiing and getting sorted at our accom (Poppies Guesthouse – great option in Revi) we checked out the town pool which was great for my aching muscles. We had dinner at, what has to be one of the best ski town pubs in the world, The Village Idiot. Awesome food and typically large servings.

Day 12 - Revelstoke
What an epic day Day 12 turned out to be. We were up and at em and at the bottom of the Gondola in time for the first lift. Going up the gondola I was loosing it looking at the clear skies and another 30-40cm of fresh powder.











Everyone in the group was keen for a day with Marco so we were all together again. We did a few runs on the South Bowl.





We waited around ten minutes with what seemed like everyone on the hill while patrol cleared the North Bowl. Once the rope went down it was on for young and old. Luckily we had our old mate Marco with us and he took us to a secret entrance that had no tracks down it. I dropped in second and carved some great turns down the bowl and into the treeline.





Our second run down North Bowl was similar, again a secret entrance into an untracked bowl and into the trees.







After we had done North Bowl with hit the Ripper chair for a few tree runs.

To finish the day we went for a short hike past the South Bowls. Looking down, the snow was still quality and untouched. I dropped in and craved up the bowl, looking back at my handy work I hit a bit of chop and came a cropper. I took a moment to lie in the powder and grin about what an epic day it had been.





The run down from the South Bowl to the base was 1700m of knee deep trees and glades, one of the best runs of my life.

We all met at the bottom and had a well earned beer. My parents has also had an awesome day and managed a few powder turns.



Make sure you do some leg squats before skiing with this man



I went for a bit of a wander round revi to get some photos as the sun went down.









After such a massive day we were starving so we cooked a huge bolognaise at our house. After dinner it was time to say goodbye to Marco till I am back.

Deeper USA & Canada: Part 2

Day 6 – Vancouver/Banff
I had a midday flight to Calgary. Not wanting to waste the morning I got up for the sunrise and headed out around Richmond to take some photos. Only managed a couple of photos and a very ordinary coffee from Starbucks.



I got a bus to Van airport for the flight to Calgary. The view out the window on the flight was amazing.





My loving sister and her boyfriend picked me up in Calgary and I after a quick stop at Canadian Tire I was on my way to my old haunt of Banff.



I had dinner with my sister and her BF and my olds who had been in Banff for a week prior.

In an attempt to save money, I decided to stay in a dorm at a very crappy hostel. The fella next to me was stinking out the room, not to worry I thought, how could get up eventually and have a shower.

I got all my ski gear ready for Sunshine the next day then watched a few episodes of The Wire on my lappy and went to bed.


Day 7 – Sunshine Village
I woke early and walked to my sisters house and we drove up to Sunshine. I scored a managers pass for $46. We skied all around the resort in the morning. It was great to do a few turns with my sister and the olds. We had a quick lunch then decided it was time to hit the local slack country off Wawa.

The hike out was really nice along the ridge. Everyone was jealous of my touring gear as my sister and her snowboard friends had to boot pack it.







We had some nice deep turns back to the resort. I was loving my new early rise ski setup in the open terrain.

We had a quick look around Banff in the afternoon. The Bow River was frozen creating a short cut to town for us. Mum cooked a nice dinner for us.



The saga continued in the hostel. Old stinky mate still hadn’t left the room, luckily I was so tired I crashed before it could bother me.


Day 8 – Sunshine Village and the Banff Springs Buffet
My sis and her BF had to work so I skied with my parents in the morning. The weather came in pretty bad and the temps dropped to around -20. After lunch I again went for a quick tour in the slackcountry. I was alone this time so took it pretty easy.





Back in Banff we got our ‘nice’ clothes on for the Banff Springs hotel. The buffet we had was incredible; we were suitable stuffed. I managed 5 plates of food traversing the spectrum from seafood chowder, mini mains, Asian dumplings, a stir fry, fruit and chocolate cake.



After such a massive dinner we retired to the cocktail lounge and listened to some very low key tunes.



After dinner I hung around to take some photos of the hotel.




Day 9 – Sunshine Village
Day 9 was a Saturday and I had arranged to have a ski with some old mates who are living in Calgary. The snow was absolutely epic, knee deep dry powder. We were 3rd lift up goats eye. My first four runs down were bottomless powder through the trees. My legs were burning. I didn’t stop to take photos, here are some frame grabs from the gopro.



After Goats Eye we hit some chutes off another lift, Standish. Again I was having to much fun to stop and take photos.



We had a quick lunch then hit the slack country for a few runs. The snow was still beautiful out in the BC. I hit a favourite cliff of mine from back in 2006 and managed to stick the landing.







I got back to the hostel and old mate still hadn’t left the bed. I was starting to get pissed off, hew was stinking the room out bad. I have stayed in some pretty dodgy places in my time but nothing compared to the putrid stench coming from this fellow. I complained to management who couldn’t do a thing. I ended up upgrading to a private room, it felt so good to get out of the hell hole of the basement dorm.

Day 10 – Banff
Day 10 was a Sunday and I decided to have a day off. I had gone pretty hard the last few days and it can get pretty crowded on the weekends. I spent the day checking out Banff and spending money.





I finally bought a shell, made by Westcomb a new startup BC company. Sunday night is wing night in Banff so hot wings and beer it was.



We were heading to Revelstoke early the next day so I went back to my room to get ready and catch some sleep.