Produced by Dendrite Studios
dendritestudios.com

Cinematography by: Athan Merrick, Anthony Bonello, and Nicolas Teichrob

Edited by: Nicolas Teichrob
nicolasteichrob.com

location: TLH Heliskiing, Gold Bridge, BC
tlhheliskiing.com/

Epic Planks skis
epicplanks.com/

skiers: alex blais, jon whelan, danny arnold
additional skiers: maxim arsenault, matt elliott

music: Marriage (Star Slinger remix) – Gold Panda

Thanks to Anthony from b4apres Media for his help
b4apres.com

Photo by Scott Martin

Jim Morrison: part poet, part musician, and now legend made his song “Riders of the Storm” by the Doors from their 1971 album L.A. Woman, infamous for his poems and lyrics..

“Take a long holiday
Let your children play
If ya give this man a ride”

Well I took his words to heart…

As I took a 10 day road trip for Untracked Guides, I played like a kid and did I ever get to ride..lots of powder.

First stop on my tour was a little known destination that lied only a few miles north of a nordic hip-town called Nelson, BC. Part of the Powder Highway, the town of Meadow Creek, BC is home to a area of mountains that bridges between the Monashees/Selkirk and Rockies, generating deep amounts of legendary snow. All good things for a Catskiing enthusiast looking to experience something out of the ordinary, which is exactly what I found.

An emerging Catskiing company called White Grizzly Adventures has been quietly building a reputation for deep powder while operating relatively under the radar. The owners Brad and Carrol have been a bit tight lipped over the years about their operation, not looking to over market themselves. Being a promoter of sorts.. just the opportunity… for me to be the one to share with the world this quiet little (11,000 skiable acres) story.

Photo by Scott Martin

No matter how much attention this amazing Catskiing Operation gets, the owners have held fast to a motto that is printed on stickers enshrined on peoples ski’s an bumpers of cars stating “Keep up or Fuck off”.

This I had to see for myself… almost sounds like a localize surf spot with powder. However when you go to the lodge you could not sense any of the attitude that I was expecting to get. Instead I was warmly greeted and promptly put through a very intensive orientation.. 1st for the lodge and how to get around and be self sufficient in using the amenities. The second one was a lengthy yet very informative fireside safety briefing.

Photo by Scott Martin

Little did I know that all of this fuss was all about 3 things. Me being happy, We being safe, and everyone getting more powder.

The quaint lodge is well kept and filled with the smells of fresh baking and home cooked happiness. Attention to detail is clearly the standard for this entire operation- in every aspect. The detailed schedule for the day and the well organized expedition each morning out the door was nothing short of a balance between a boot camp and a well oiled machine. Trust me, no one was complaining as all this effort was to get as much skiing in as possible.

With over 50 feet annual snowfall each of the guests where happy to focus all the attention to the day of skiing ahead. As we loaded into the Cat, the organized experience in the lodge continued with one of the most well kept Cats. A place for everyone’s gear and every need already thought out in advance. As you settled in the drive to the summit, you knew that you could really set your mind free.

The anticipation was only amplified by the guides stories and peaked by the snow report from the weather station confirming the white buried trees we were observing all around us. It was going to be deep and conditions very favorable from a stability standpoint. With under 12 guests and 3 guides to a group you feel very safe and well taken care of.

Photo by Lisa Dawn Photography

White Grizzly boasts over 80 runs of mostly steep tree runs with an average of 1,000 meters per drop. The first day of 3 started with a very nice and easy warm up run before we started to get the legs working. Throughout the entire trip we did get some open glades and meadows for sure, but I would suggest if your not comfortable with skiing riding in the trees, this is not a good destination for you.

All the guests were seasoned and keen tree skiers which had us keeping together without wasting much time. In my years of riding backcountry catskiing, the trees are a good thing anyway. Personally, I enjoy the perspective they give you, in what can be challenging light if its snowing. And it keeps it interesting, the snow quality is just amazing.

Photo by Lisa Dawn Photography

There are so many additional unique things that set this place apart, and honestly some things are just better to be experienced first hand. I would recommend White Grizzly to anyone who is a very strong skier (due to the sections of steep tree skiing) and looking to have the entire focus of the trip to be about the skiing. The food, lodge and hospitality (which are amazing) are a secondary reason this is such a memorable destination.

I for one was elated to be a “Catskier of the Storm” in this epicentre of powder and happiness called White Grizzly Adventures.

Photo by Lisa Dawn Photography

By Aliva Cortez

The smell of fresh breakfast got me out of bed. As I entered the dining area for coffee and a fresh breakfast spread, I was excited to see the clear blue sky. Getting a blue bird calm day is not typical, but when you get it, soak it in. And that is exactly what I did as I sipped my coffee while talking with my soon to be ski partners.

When I arrived at the boot room located in the lower level of one of the original lodges, it was organized chaos with plenty of staff support to get you ready for your day. Thanks to the orientation and supporting staff, everyone was getting their gear prepared to get started skiing in short order. I can see it in everyone’s eyes: excitement mixed with “All Business.”

And it’s time to load up onto the snow cats, which I can only describe as a limo on tracks. It’s truly a skiing dream; it holds approximately 12 people complete with food/drink and music. Everyone was full of excitement, whether they are repeat visitors or experienced skiers. I was the one person who had never gone catskiing and was offered plenty of comfort while chatting with our guides.

Before we reached the summit, the snowcat stopped for a very detailed safety briefing.  This really was where most of my answers were met, and all my fears or concerns regarding skiing in the backcountry where eliminated. The safety briefing covered not just my role but gave me comfort in the entire safety program and the amount of support staff Island Lake Lodge has dedicated to ensure both experience and safety of the guests.  Some of the guides have been with them over 10 years.

Gloves. Check. Helmet Check. Saftey Check. Time to go ski.

As the Cat made its way around the last turn towards the top, the breathtaking view and surrounding area was unfolding before my eyes. As we all got geared up and standing over our first run, I again was  slightly nervous about my skill level or if for some reason I would get lost. Again, the guides detailed the run and the next meeting point, we each had a ski buddy and one by one we followed the mountain call of the lead guide.

Following the sounds of the guide, I made my way down the mountain finding some fresh untouched powder to make my turns in. I quickly found myself skiing in the moment. As I was making my way down the mountain with my ski partner, the only sound I could hear was the echo of the lead guides mountain call as the snow quietly cut by my skis.

As I looked up at the tracks, the run was as wide as my smile, because I knew we were repeating this all day long and again tomorrow. The feeling really settled in when we ended the day at the bottom of our last run with a wooden case filled with Fernie Brewery beer. As we all gathered around with a cheers, I had a heartwarming smile that stayed with me well after I made my way home days later.

We are fortunate enough to have visited TLH Heliskiing twice in the last two years.  This video is from our heliskiing trip last winter (2010) with TLH.  The crew at TLH Heliskiing never disappoints and their recently renovated lodge make this one of the top destinations for heliskiing in British Columbia.  Enjoy the video and take a moment to check out our trip report from last year’s visit: TLH Heliskiing.

Learn more about K3 Cat Ski by reading the full trip report: K3 Cat Skiing.

Read more about our trip here: Fernie Cat Skiing.