Whistler (BC), Canada – Summer skiing on a glacier in Whistler. Just saying the words out loud made my friends jealous and my primary care physician cringe. Why? Because it’s a strange, exotic, dangerous, adventure that is just plain cool. That’s why. After all, how many people do you … Continue Reading ››
Mammoth Lakes, CA – I am a New Englander. I was raised to love cold and snowy winters, with weather that could turn on a dime. I relish the small town vistas scattered amongst the ancient hills that here, we call mountains. I am used to … Continue Reading ››
My brother John and I experienced a bit of spring followed by a whole lot of winter during a backcountry ski trip to the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, June 7-12, 2000. The corn snow yielded superb turning and the … Continue Reading ››
Often referred to as “the poor man’s heli-skiing,” snowcat tours are by no means the neglected stepchildren of the backcountry skiing experience. Whether managed by ski areas or operated independently, cat outfits offer powder-hungry snow riders a heli-like backcountry experience—for as little as one-tenth the cost (anywhere from about $100 to $300 per day). Not … Continue reading Snowcat Tours Make Skiers Purr
Glenshee, Scotland – When hiking in Switzerland several years ago, we had the unusual experience of our Swiss guide, Ruidi, giving all affirmative answers as “Aye” rather than “Yes” or the German “Ja.” It turned out that he had been married to … Continue Reading ››
Large snow removal trucks sped across the Calgary International Airport tarmac as a number of reporters piled into a small twin-prop for a quick, 30-minute flight to Golden, British Columbia, home of Whitetooth Ski Hill. The story which held everyone’s attention was the unveiling of a $200-million undertaking: the … Continue Reading ››
Magog (QC), Canada – We sat around the table chuckling arrogantly at the Mont Orford trail map. Triple black diamonds are the overzealous creations of a marketing department run amok, and we were certain that Orford’s were no exception. We prepared ourselves for a day of gentle corduroy cruising. … Continue Reading ››