Sicklines
New member
Newfoundland Trip Report – Winter 2008
Having spent two weeks in Newfoundland looking for snow and exploring the Blow me Down mountain range this winter, I submit the following trip report for your interest.
It should be acknowledged first and foremost that while skiing in Newfoundland attracts the attention of the keenest East Coast snow goers, it always remains in a shadow of mystery. No matter how many trip reports you read or articles you find about the island, you just never know what it’s all about until you’re there. There’s no one trip report that can sum Newfoundland’s skiing into one easy to read beta source. It’s an area that has certainly been recognized as a worthy destination but yet remains somewhat unknown to the majority of adventure seekers. This is further aided by Newfoundland’s isolation. To plan a ski trip there you must dedicate and coordinate resources in a way that is not demanded of for other areas. I had planned and dreamed of my trip for months before I was actually driving to the ferry one night thinking to myself “I have got to be totally nuts”. The trip there can be overwhelming. They say true adventure must hold an element of uncertainty to be truly exciting and well, Newfoundland certainly held that for me. I had certain elements of disappointment and aggravation associated with my trip that I must carefully separate from my actual skiing experience. My trip partner had cancelled on me, last minute, eleventh hour. I was to be alone which would severely impede any backcountry ski trip.
With introductions and disclaimers aside, my backcountry skiing experience in Newfoundland was nothing short of a true and excellent adventure. The drive from the ferry to the city of Corner Brook unveils line after line of skiable chutes, glades and couloirs. For a guy who suffers from “line” disease I spent most of my time with my eyes outside the window and my jaw dropped. The hardest part of the drive is deciding if you should stop and make an attempt at something tantalizing you’ve seen or whether you should keep going with the hopes that your destination will hold something just as good if not better. From my experience I suggest you stop and at least make an attempt. First of all as the drive continues the snow conditions can change and if you’re in a good powder belt than go for it. Secondly, you can be assured with 99.9% accuracy that you will have been the first person to ski/ride that particular chute/line/couloir/glade. I say that for the fact that there are just so many highway accessible lines on that 2 ½ hrs drive and so few backcountry skiers on the island. Go for it. Like I said, I discovered that I should’ve stopped. I banked on the snow being better in Corner Brook but I was wrong! This winter anyways…
Snow conditions: I took my trip on the last week of February and the first week of March. All previous trip reports I had read and even a video segment in “Wanderland” had been much later in the season. I was hoping to still find some powder by going earlier, especially with the pounding that the island has been receiving this winter. Unfortunately for me a series of rainfalls and warming periods had visited Corner Brook before me. My heart sank as drove through the rock cut and Corner Brook unveiled itself to me. Don’t get me wrong, there was lots of snow with snow banks higher than my truck, but not the fluff I was hoping to ski. From speaking with the locals familiar with the area, the word was that the mountains (Blow me Down’s) were nothing short of a sheet of ice. I was devastated. There I was in Newfoundland for two weeks with no partner and shitty snow. What’s a guy to do? Remember what I said about adventure? Well the uncertainty of success was turning into a guarantee of failure in my mind. Nevertheless, I had cornered one of the local ice climbers in the coffee shop and made plans to get into the mountains for a “look”. That look turned into some of the best turns I have maybe ever had in any of my skiing experiences. We found access to an East facing range through Benoit’s Cove by an hour’s skin in. We then boot packed up a face we deemed to be the safest bet. The couloir to our left had slide debris in the range of a class 2 and the same was seen on our right. Knowing the area had been active in the past we stopped just under the convex roll of the slope to test the snow. Once we were satisfied we dropped in and enjoyed some excellent turns. Things went well and a good day in the mountains was had by all.
The thing about back country skiing in Newfoundland is that it is for the truly adventurous and well prepared skier. There is no snow report. There is no map to tell you were to go and what to ski and furthermore, you guaranteed to meet no one else stacking lines on your run. Forget about it. This is where all of your avalanche training comes into play. Avalanche debris litters the hills and you spend a lot of time calculating your safety. As for the terrain in the Blow me Down’s, it’s endless. I skied probably some of the tamer lines but there are many a line that you can ski and play for keeps. The thing is… when you’re out there, you’re really out there. Cell phone reception is undependable at best in the mountains and it’s a place where weather can come in quickly and completely disorient you. Two gentlemen had a harrowing experience during my visit. Two brothers spent the afternoon on the mountain only to have bad weather roll in and restrict visibility. In their attempt to descend the mountain one man drove his snow machine into a crevasse and was severely injured with two broken wrists, several ribs and other internal damage. These were two local men from Benoit’s Cove; they knew the mountain well and had probably spent the better part of their lives snowmobiling the area. As with any mountainous area, anything can happen.
Considering the fact that my personal plans for my trip had fallen apart around me (i.e. no trip partner). I owe a great deal to the local skiers of Corner Brook. The best thing about Newfoundland is that the people truly are welcoming, accommodating and friendly beyond belief. It took no time to meet the local rippers and discuss snow conditions, where to go and how to get there. Newfoundland is and was an excellent experience. It may not be for every skier, but that’s fine with me. I’d hate to get that “crowded” feeling I’ve come to notice at some other “back country” destinations. A trip to Newfoundland will make such places feel like resorts.
If you have any questions concerning Newfoundland or my experiences feel free to message/email me. (I had pictures I was hoping I'd be able to add to this text but it appears to be beyond my comprehension). I hope to shed more light on this mysterious destination.
Cheers,
Having spent two weeks in Newfoundland looking for snow and exploring the Blow me Down mountain range this winter, I submit the following trip report for your interest.
It should be acknowledged first and foremost that while skiing in Newfoundland attracts the attention of the keenest East Coast snow goers, it always remains in a shadow of mystery. No matter how many trip reports you read or articles you find about the island, you just never know what it’s all about until you’re there. There’s no one trip report that can sum Newfoundland’s skiing into one easy to read beta source. It’s an area that has certainly been recognized as a worthy destination but yet remains somewhat unknown to the majority of adventure seekers. This is further aided by Newfoundland’s isolation. To plan a ski trip there you must dedicate and coordinate resources in a way that is not demanded of for other areas. I had planned and dreamed of my trip for months before I was actually driving to the ferry one night thinking to myself “I have got to be totally nuts”. The trip there can be overwhelming. They say true adventure must hold an element of uncertainty to be truly exciting and well, Newfoundland certainly held that for me. I had certain elements of disappointment and aggravation associated with my trip that I must carefully separate from my actual skiing experience. My trip partner had cancelled on me, last minute, eleventh hour. I was to be alone which would severely impede any backcountry ski trip.
With introductions and disclaimers aside, my backcountry skiing experience in Newfoundland was nothing short of a true and excellent adventure. The drive from the ferry to the city of Corner Brook unveils line after line of skiable chutes, glades and couloirs. For a guy who suffers from “line” disease I spent most of my time with my eyes outside the window and my jaw dropped. The hardest part of the drive is deciding if you should stop and make an attempt at something tantalizing you’ve seen or whether you should keep going with the hopes that your destination will hold something just as good if not better. From my experience I suggest you stop and at least make an attempt. First of all as the drive continues the snow conditions can change and if you’re in a good powder belt than go for it. Secondly, you can be assured with 99.9% accuracy that you will have been the first person to ski/ride that particular chute/line/couloir/glade. I say that for the fact that there are just so many highway accessible lines on that 2 ½ hrs drive and so few backcountry skiers on the island. Go for it. Like I said, I discovered that I should’ve stopped. I banked on the snow being better in Corner Brook but I was wrong! This winter anyways…
Snow conditions: I took my trip on the last week of February and the first week of March. All previous trip reports I had read and even a video segment in “Wanderland” had been much later in the season. I was hoping to still find some powder by going earlier, especially with the pounding that the island has been receiving this winter. Unfortunately for me a series of rainfalls and warming periods had visited Corner Brook before me. My heart sank as drove through the rock cut and Corner Brook unveiled itself to me. Don’t get me wrong, there was lots of snow with snow banks higher than my truck, but not the fluff I was hoping to ski. From speaking with the locals familiar with the area, the word was that the mountains (Blow me Down’s) were nothing short of a sheet of ice. I was devastated. There I was in Newfoundland for two weeks with no partner and shitty snow. What’s a guy to do? Remember what I said about adventure? Well the uncertainty of success was turning into a guarantee of failure in my mind. Nevertheless, I had cornered one of the local ice climbers in the coffee shop and made plans to get into the mountains for a “look”. That look turned into some of the best turns I have maybe ever had in any of my skiing experiences. We found access to an East facing range through Benoit’s Cove by an hour’s skin in. We then boot packed up a face we deemed to be the safest bet. The couloir to our left had slide debris in the range of a class 2 and the same was seen on our right. Knowing the area had been active in the past we stopped just under the convex roll of the slope to test the snow. Once we were satisfied we dropped in and enjoyed some excellent turns. Things went well and a good day in the mountains was had by all.
The thing about back country skiing in Newfoundland is that it is for the truly adventurous and well prepared skier. There is no snow report. There is no map to tell you were to go and what to ski and furthermore, you guaranteed to meet no one else stacking lines on your run. Forget about it. This is where all of your avalanche training comes into play. Avalanche debris litters the hills and you spend a lot of time calculating your safety. As for the terrain in the Blow me Down’s, it’s endless. I skied probably some of the tamer lines but there are many a line that you can ski and play for keeps. The thing is… when you’re out there, you’re really out there. Cell phone reception is undependable at best in the mountains and it’s a place where weather can come in quickly and completely disorient you. Two gentlemen had a harrowing experience during my visit. Two brothers spent the afternoon on the mountain only to have bad weather roll in and restrict visibility. In their attempt to descend the mountain one man drove his snow machine into a crevasse and was severely injured with two broken wrists, several ribs and other internal damage. These were two local men from Benoit’s Cove; they knew the mountain well and had probably spent the better part of their lives snowmobiling the area. As with any mountainous area, anything can happen.
Considering the fact that my personal plans for my trip had fallen apart around me (i.e. no trip partner). I owe a great deal to the local skiers of Corner Brook. The best thing about Newfoundland is that the people truly are welcoming, accommodating and friendly beyond belief. It took no time to meet the local rippers and discuss snow conditions, where to go and how to get there. Newfoundland is and was an excellent experience. It may not be for every skier, but that’s fine with me. I’d hate to get that “crowded” feeling I’ve come to notice at some other “back country” destinations. A trip to Newfoundland will make such places feel like resorts.
If you have any questions concerning Newfoundland or my experiences feel free to message/email me. (I had pictures I was hoping I'd be able to add to this text but it appears to be beyond my comprehension). I hope to shed more light on this mysterious destination.
Cheers,
