After a very long winter…….Ahhhh
- Slocan. Session 1.
I’ve had a fair amount of strife lately in my life. It seems everybody has to deal with it now and then. So it goes. One morning about a month ago, I woke up in my tent all torn up inside. I just lied on my back for an hour or so thinking about life. It can be so generous even through the thick swamp of shit we sometimes have to wade. I looked out of my tent and snapped this photo of a beautiful helicopter. Yes those are flames. A few hours later, a few of us jumped in and had a great day. Check the Matchstick Productions film this fall…….
My good friend Doug Sproul may have more love for skiing in the mountains than anybody else I know. He found the promise land of the Selkirks and Monashee Mountains in British Columbia a number of years ago finding himself living in Revelstoke. The pull of these mountains and his dedication has lead him on some of the most intense ski tours I’ve ever heard of. True gnar. These days, Doug is up to a very cool project that is taking years to accomplish. Skiing all the controlled avalanche paths that affect the Trans-Canada Highway through Rogers Pass. If you’ve ever been to Rogers Pass, you’ll understand the magnitude of this project. If you have not been to the Pass, well you owe it to yourself to go and try a few of the more challenging ones.
Enjoy this short flick Doug put together. I’m sure more will come.
Sometimes all you get is a quick greybird photo to stare at for months or years. I ended up flying by these couloirs a few times last week, during a visit to Bella Coola, BC. Once again, I got inspired by the Coast Range. These couloirs drop from the ridge all the way to the main valley floor. The relief near Bella Coola is totally deceiving and I’m guessing this photo shows about 4,000 vertical ft of terrain. The fan at the bottom keeps going another 1,000 or 2,000 ft out of the picture.
At some point in years to come, I’m hoping to get the opportunity to ride at least one of them. I can imagine the line. It will be a nice cool sunny day in April. The deep winter snow coupled with a season full of avalanches will have filled them in nicely. Mountain hazards will be at a minimum. The snow ankle deep. One or two other good people along. Wow, I can feel the emotions that come with it.
Every snowboarder/skier should have a line or two or maybe three or four they’d like to go hit. They doesn’t have to be huge or gnarly, but rather something that inspires and challenges you, however that may be. The feeling of hard work, waiting, timing, fitting it into your life, fear, stress, excitement, and relaxation all contribute to an indescribable feeling that those who do it get.
Go find your line.