Every once in a while, the planets align perfectly, the temps are ideal and ULLR the snow god is in one of his giving moods. Just a few weeks ago it happened, as our posse was on a nine-day shredfest through British Columbia, and we witnessed it firsthand as ULLR put the smackdown on B.C., pummeling the interior with huge dumps. We were blessed with consistent coverage of 10 to 14 inches of light, dry White Magic every night.
One stop in particular, just northeast of Nelson, B.C., will stay etched in my mind forever. It’s this one shot I took of Trout Lake on our drive to Meadow Creek it was one of the most magical sights I’ve ever witnessed. The reflection on the water was so vivid that you couldn’t tell up from down unless you really looked for the snow on the shoreline. The cloud formations on the top of the water were awesome, almost like looking into the Abyss. It was so trippy, some of our group complained of vertigo.
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Selkirk Wilderness Skiing has been in business for more than 37 years and is the original pioneer of snowcat skiing. It sits near the tiny town of Meadow Creek and was started by Alana and Brenda Drury. Alan is no longer with us — maybe the sight of Trout Lake that day was a welcoming treat from Alan. We definitely felt his warm spirit all during our visit.
Welcome to Snowlander, Vol. V
Wow! What a year it’s been so far. Winter is still far from over, with a little under two months of the season to go. This is the best time of year for Inland Northwest ski resorts, with late-season storms traditionally bringing lots of powder, a full event schedule and legs that can handle a full day on the slopes and a couple of hours dancing at après ski. As I write this, I am in the 60-day range for the number of days I’ve skied so far this season. Ski adventures have taken me all over the Northwest, and while the pavement is dry down low, the skiing is superb up high.
Of course, I have learned, in my quest to ski 100 days, that it isn’t as glamorous as one might think. Days of wearing base layers and socks multiple days in a row, broken equipment, fatigued legs, sore back and lack of sleep are all part of it.
But in the end, laughing with friends, challenging myself on a daily basis, breathing in fresh mountain air and taking in some of the most beautiful scenery in the world makes it all worth it.
This is the last issue of Snowlander for this season. I’m already looking forward to next October’s issue! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Since we all know there is a lot more season left, please take the time to “Like” our Facebook fan page (www.facebook.com/SnowlanderNW) to keep informed about upcoming events, giveaways and contests. We’re emptying out our schwag bag, so you might win something cool — lift tickets, goggles, T-shirts.
Thanks for reading, and see you on the slopes!
Jen Forsyth
Snowlander Editor
jen@snowlander.com
