Snow Safari article in Daily Mail Ski & Snowboard Magazine
Cat Weakley, Deputy Editor of the Daily Mail Ski & Snowboard Magazine joined our Snow Safari around British Columbia's best resorts. Unfortunately she was a little unlucky with the weather to start with, but BC always comes good in the end! Here's her write-up, taken from the December 2010 issue of the magazine:
In at the steep end
On a voyage of discovery around four of Canada's lesser-known and more challenging resorts, days of coaching make it easier to rise to the challenge of glorious steeps, deeps and trees.
Red Mountain, British Columbia. Percentage of black runs 45, many littered with trees and in the current snow drought, also heaving with big bumps. I start down Booty’s Run, a double black diamond that’s an uphill schuss away from the main piste network, heart in mouth. The entrance is a rollover into a narrowish gully of spaced trees and giant, hard-packed moguls. The advice of our instructor Jonathan whirls through my head as I try to maintain the flow – retract the legs up the bump, extend on the way down, remember the pole plant, point the skis down the bump to keep contact with it, use its platform to slow down. Bump after bump, tree after tree slips by, I’m impressed with how the pointers have focused my mind, pumped by how much I’m enjoying myself. After the trees the run opens out, gets slightly less steep, but there’s still a rock band to negotiate, and a seemingly never-ending sea of moguls. A few pauses for breath, and to look and marvel at what we’ve negotiated, and the run is done – our group of six pops out on to a green run, breathing hard, comparing notes, then bombing down to the Motherlode chair eager for the next test.
It’s day eight of a two-week Nonstop Safari holiday to the British Columbia resorts of Kicking Horse, Revelstoke, Red Mountain and Fernie. The company started out in 2002 offering gap-year instructor courses for skiers and snowboarders, but keeps developing its programme with a varied menu of improvement camps such as this, which includes seven days of coaching. There are seven skiers and three snowboarders on the tour, which is billed by Nonstop as suiting “intrepid explorers” – fairly fit, confident all-rounders who’ll benefit from instruction aimed at tackling bad habits, particularly on tough terrain, and want to be pushed.
According to Nonstop’s figures, 65 per cent of people going on its improvement camps are between 21 and 39. That’s right on target for this crew, several of whom have come on their own. Everyone in the group is mad about snowsports – most of them take more than one ski or board trip a season. Micky and Ed have come straight from a holiday in Whistler, for example, while Frankie is returning to Canada later in the season for a family holiday. Colin and Dom met on Nonstop’s six-week Master the Mountain course the previous year.
For all, a lot of the attraction of the trip is the chance to visit these reputedly hardcore but off the beaten track resorts in one fell swoop. The drives between resorts are beautiful, lush forests and small towns flash by, we follow winding rivers, or cross lakes by ferry, but this trip is definitely about the slopes not sightseeing. Only one day of the trip is lost to the road – between Red Mountain and Fernie – on other travel days we arrive at the next resort by lunchtime and can hit the slopes. Photographer Jon and I hook up with the Nonstoppers for Revelstoke and Red, after the group had been to Kicking Horse and before the final leg in Fernie. The structure of the course is intended to be flexible enough for a group with varied desires. As we find out, some people might be most interested in being guided around the slopes, fitting in as much hardcore gnarliness as humanly possible, while others are more focused on improving their technique. Perhaps not everyone will want to hike for their turns, or have the same level of expertise or fitness.
The final decisions about who does what and when are taken on the hoof – which could be a recipe for disaster, or at the very least a lot of faffing. Step forward our French-Canadian tour leader Jean-François, known as JF, who quadruples as driver, snowboard coach, timetabler and occasional breakfast chef. Add social secretary to the list and it’s amazing he ever has time to sleep. While JF coaches the three snowboarders at all resorts, we skiers learn with a different local instructor in each place. When you only spend a couple of days in each resort, the local knowledge is invaluable.
In Red, our instructor Jonathan’s inside track means we avoid icy rubble that looks like soft snow from the chair and instead practise our skills on immaculate groomers in the morning, find soft snow among trees in the early afternoon and don’t head down those Booty’s bumps until the sun has softened them enough to make sure the run is a buzz. In Revelstoke, instructor Julie knows exactly which runs to take us to, building the challenges as she assesses if we’re ready to hit the jackpot of fresh lines, she finally lets us loose on in Greely Bowl. All the while she arms us with technique tactics for making the most of the powder – and for dealing with the tricky bits that inevitably crop up between stashes, like a narrow, bumpy gully through trees. Both instructors quickly get to grips with what we need, and adapt to make the most of our time.
In Revelstoke Julie decides to split us into two groups – she’d originally planned for us all to spend a morning on technique followed by guiding to the tough stuff. Splitting up allows the powderhounds to get guiding and tips from her in the morning, while those wanting emphasis on instruction get her full attention in the afternoon. In Red, Jonathan keeps us together, but gives each person different tips, occasionally splitting us up for a run, with him accompanying one or other group.
In the snowboarding group, JF generally starts each day teaching a particular skill. But in between targeting carving, or short turns to control speed on the steeps, or using the legs for shock absorption, there’s a lot of focus on enjoying the mountain – finding powder stashes in Revelstoke, spending an afternoon in the park at Red. He also joins the whole group freeriding on the first afternoon in Red, showing us around and teaching by example, spinning around on the piste, popping off stuff, bombing along super fast, riding switch.
Local knowledge isn’t confined to the slopes – JF plots the driving route between resorts, shepherds the group to different restaurants each night, and often bars too. In Revelstoke it’s the Last Drop, which is hosting its regular open mic night, and the house band keeps many of the Nonstop team rocking until past midnight, despite an early start to drive up to the mountain next morning.
It’s a free day, and it’s great to have time out from coaching sometimes – putting into practice what we’ve already learnt, giving our heads, which are jam-packed full of tips, some time to catch up, and skiers and snowboarders the chance to ride together. A compact group sharing bus, meals and lessons soon gets to know each other, each with roles to play to keep the show on the road. On steep, challenging runs, Mike reminds us of hazards to avoid and, being one of the strongest skiers in the group, often volunteers to bring up the rear in case of incidents; Katherine, Claire and Colin prove to be organisational and kitchen wizards when we’re self-catering in Red Mountain (which makes a great change after several days of eating out); Frankie DJs on the bus, his choice of tunes getting occasional stick; Micky is expert at getting the party started, with a wealth of pub games and dangerous drinks in her repertoire. On days off from coaching you’ve got a ready-made gang to ride with.
On our Revelstoke free day, a group of us make the most of the hike-to-bowls and the steep, top to bottom black runs. We hike 20 minutes vertical from the top of the Stoke chair, still inside the resort boundary, to the highest point of 2225m, where we stop a few minutes to take photos, enjoy the view and gulp water before easing off a cornice into a sheltered bowl that holds soft powder. It makes for a string of euphoric turns before I fall – as the group would no doubt remind me. Back on my skis, we discover cliffs hidden among the trees off the Vertigo black run and all go different ways to avoid them, sliding, turning, calling each other’s names to make sure we all meet safely at the bottom. I’m fully aware that all the technique tips have given me confidence to tackle what could be nerve-wracking terrain. And that my new-found Nonstop family will be there to help should I get stuck.
Did you know?
- North American resorts have a boundary, within which the whole area is patrolled and avalanche safe, so you can go off piste without a guide or the need for a transceiver. To maximise a short time in a resort though, it pays to have someone to show you around.
- Snowcat skiing and snowboarding is very common in Canada – day trips are on offer in both Fernie and Revelstoke. A day is available as an optional extra on the Nonstop Safari.
- There are local breweries in many North American resorts – in Revelstoke beers such as High Country Kolsch or Tall Timber Ale are brewed in small batches by the Mt Begbie Brewing Co.
- The recipe for a Grenade, courtesy of Nonstoppers Micky and Ed. One shot glass each of tequila and Jägermeister, plus a can of Red Bull in a pint glass. Balance the shot glasses in the top of the pint glass then pull out the tequila and down it. The Jäger shot drops into the Red Bull, and you knock back the resulting Jägerbomb.
- Eating out as a group can be easy in Canada because restaurant staff often know which seat place ordered what and so can easily split the bill.
- Most accommodation in North America has access to a hot tub – great for relaxing after a hard day on the slopes.
About the resorts
Fernie
Varied mountain with a lot of ungroomed steeps, particularly in the trees, best explored with a guide. Nonstoppers stay in Nonstop’s own lodge in downtown Fernie, a vibrant town with a much bigger choice of shops, bars and restaurants than the resort, which is a couple of miles away.
Resort 1065m
Slopes 1065m to 1925m
Lifts 10
Pistes 2504 acres, 30% green, 40% blue, 30% black
Tourist office www.skifernie.com
Kicking Horse
Known for its high, powder-filled bowls, once only accessible by chopper. The upper slopes are full of tough chutes and trees, while lower down are wooded trails. You stay in a high-end lodge in the small, newly-built village at the base, which isn’t lively but has a few bars and restaurants.
Resort 1190m
Slopes 1190m to 2445m
Lifts 5
Pistes 2750 acres, 20% green, 20% blue, 60% black
Tourist office www.kickinghorseresort.com
Red Mountain
Runs are spread over two mountains, many of them double blacks, but plenty of groomers too. There’s also easily accessible backcountry. It’s friendly and laidback, especially in the Rafters bar at the base. Nonstoppers self-cater in well-appointed condos. The nearby town of Rossland is good for nights out.
Resort 1185m
Slopes 1185m to 2075m
Lifts 6
Pistes 1685 acres, 15% green, 40% blue, 45% black
Tourist office www.redresort.com
Revelstoke
Canada’s newest resort, developed since 2007/08, now offers North America’s biggest vertical of 1715m. The terrain is mostly steep and ungroomed, including top to bottom black runs, and is definitely for the adventurous. Nonstoppers stay at the nearby working town of Revelstoke.
Resort 510m
Slopes 510m to 2225m
Lifts 4
Pistes 3031 acres, 10% green, 42% blue, 48% black
Tourist office www.revelstokemountainresort.com
