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 →

Fernie (BC), Canada – Ever since Charlie Locke’s "Resorts of the Canadian Rockies" (RCR) purchased Fernie Snow Valley in June of 1997, rechristened it Fernie Alpine Resort and doubled the size of their lift-serviced terrain during the 1998/99 season, the southeastern British Columbia hill has been transformed … 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 ››