Well, it has been the driest winter in about 20 years, so 'they' say. Despite that, every single group that has been here this season (VMT) has skied untracked powder, I am not making that up. Sometimes it was settled out, and at the end of the day a bit moist, but there was always a place for every guest to get some untracked. 2 weeks ago was the deluge that my soul needed. 80cms in 6 days, and 4 of those days were the standard, ultra-light, champagne, make UT snow look heavy kind of days. Here is a link to a video from the group that came in that week.
Enjoy!
http://gallery.me.com/seanstaniforth#100081
Showing posts with label valhalla mountain touring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label valhalla mountain touring. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Behind the Scenes: Outdoor Research
This past week a group of athletes, desingers, product developers and marketing folks from Outdoor Research came up to Valhalla Mountain Touring to try and help push Outdoor Research even further to the forefront of making some great gear. The idea behind the week was to get out during the day ski touring, putting some gear to the grindstone, and then talk about the progression and development of everything at night. In my mind it was an incredible week of getting all of the different people to work together and to see and hear what everyone has to say about the products from the snowpits to the factory floor.
The week was a mix of sunny high pressure, light amounts of new snow, and some touchy days of avalanche activity. Overall, a mix of cold and dry, warm and wet, and a few temperature ranges in between. What could be better for testing gear out? Everyday we all swapped, gloves, pants, coats, etc...and then brainstormed and fine tuned what we put to the test.
But don't be fooled we had a ton of great powder skiing, a few summits, amazing food cooked by Annie, great tunes played by Alex K (VP of marketing) and Jasmin on the uke and guitar, and tons of pics and video to document the whole week.
I gotta say, there is some great gear and some really cool projects coming down the pipes right now from Outdoor Research. Two items of note are the Trailbreakers pants and the Radiant Hybrid Hooded top. The TrailBreakers use a waterproof laminate on the lower legs, and a woven soft shell on the thighs, with huge thigh vents and great pockets - obviously these were made by Uber ski touring/IFMGA mountain guide Martin Volken! The Radiant Hoody is the ultimate cold weather fleece. Highly breathable grid fleece under the arms, and smoother, warmer fleece on the rest, it is a great piece for alpine and ice climbing with its integrated hood that easily fits under your helmet.
During the week, myself and fellow IFMGA mountain guide Martin Volken filmed a few 'How To' videos on common backcountry skills, and we got some great skiing footage to get you stoked. Not to mention some of the new and improved product ideas! It was an amazing experience for me, and a testament to OR's commitment to work with people like you in the field and make some great gear to facilitate some even better times in the hills. Enjoy the photos from OR employee Charles Lozner!
"Hey, nice coat!" "You too!"
"This is how the Swiss eat appetizers. Try it." Martin Volken
Product Development Meetings post skiing
Shannon Lake
Dan, the boss, shows us how to alpine slackline in ski boots!
Yours truly checks out alpine snow stability
Sweet powder bliss in Grizzly Bowl
Classic Valhalla Skiing in Cariboo with Pyramid peak in the background
West coast sales director Dave Mahoney slays some pow
It's a tough job, but someone has to do it...me getting some!
The week was a mix of sunny high pressure, light amounts of new snow, and some touchy days of avalanche activity. Overall, a mix of cold and dry, warm and wet, and a few temperature ranges in between. What could be better for testing gear out? Everyday we all swapped, gloves, pants, coats, etc...and then brainstormed and fine tuned what we put to the test.
But don't be fooled we had a ton of great powder skiing, a few summits, amazing food cooked by Annie, great tunes played by Alex K (VP of marketing) and Jasmin on the uke and guitar, and tons of pics and video to document the whole week.
I gotta say, there is some great gear and some really cool projects coming down the pipes right now from Outdoor Research. Two items of note are the Trailbreakers pants and the Radiant Hybrid Hooded top. The TrailBreakers use a waterproof laminate on the lower legs, and a woven soft shell on the thighs, with huge thigh vents and great pockets - obviously these were made by Uber ski touring/IFMGA mountain guide Martin Volken! The Radiant Hoody is the ultimate cold weather fleece. Highly breathable grid fleece under the arms, and smoother, warmer fleece on the rest, it is a great piece for alpine and ice climbing with its integrated hood that easily fits under your helmet.
During the week, myself and fellow IFMGA mountain guide Martin Volken filmed a few 'How To' videos on common backcountry skills, and we got some great skiing footage to get you stoked. Not to mention some of the new and improved product ideas! It was an amazing experience for me, and a testament to OR's commitment to work with people like you in the field and make some great gear to facilitate some even better times in the hills. Enjoy the photos from OR employee Charles Lozner!
"Hey, nice coat!" "You too!"
"This is how the Swiss eat appetizers. Try it." Martin Volken
Product Development Meetings post skiing
Shannon Lake
Dan, the boss, shows us how to alpine slackline in ski boots!
Yours truly checks out alpine snow stability
Sweet powder bliss in Grizzly Bowl
Classic Valhalla Skiing in Cariboo with Pyramid peak in the background
West coast sales director Dave Mahoney slays some pow
It's a tough job, but someone has to do it...me getting some!Sunday, January 10, 2010
Lately...and thoughts
Last week was yet another stellar week of skiing at VMT. Often times I repeated my mantra of why the interior of BC is the best place on planet earth for ski touring: mountains + climate + lack of people = UNBELIEVABLE. I mean really, can you name somewhere else with the terrain and snow quality that we consistently have in the Selkirks? Blows my mind away all the time.
Wednesday and Thursday some cold high pressure settled in on us, and we took advantage of it by tagging some summits and skiing endless and effortless powder in the cold January sun. Here are some shots:
So much snow, so little time...
Blair tagging a summit above Shannon Lake for its 2nd known winter ascent
On the way up to Rugged - "5 star day for the highlight reel"
Fred going for the summit of Rugged
Do you trust this man with that tool? I don't know if I do
Wednesday and Thursday some cold high pressure settled in on us, and we took advantage of it by tagging some summits and skiing endless and effortless powder in the cold January sun. Here are some shots:
So much snow, so little time...
Blair tagging a summit above Shannon Lake for its 2nd known winter ascent
On the way up to Rugged - "5 star day for the highlight reel"
Fred going for the summit of Rugged
Do you trust this man with that tool? I don't know if I do
So now we are settling in to a new week at VMT with some long time locals. I think it is one guests' 10th or 11th time up here. He is 71 from Rossland, BC, retired and can't out ski most of you reading this post. Right on!
But to continue my ramblings...I find my self surfing the web for good sites with ski touring adventure on them. There are a few quality ones like Andrew Mclean, Greg Hill, Lou Dawson, Steve Romeo, Joe Stock, Jason Kruk, my wife and Andrew Wexler. But I am always on the look out for some good climbing/skiing adventure content...any one know of some good blogs I am missing? And on another note...I read and see lots of stuff on the web and in magazines about tips and techniques, but not too many from certified guides. Ya, there is great stuff from these people I mentioned before in the ski world, and their experience speaks volumes, but I get alot of the same questions out there sometimes, and maybe I will try and answer some of the common stuff I see come up here, if anyone out there in cyber-landia gives a shit!
The one that came up this week was from a relatively novice backcountry skier who was expressing her fear and intimidation of the backcountry. How to grasp all of that when you can only get out there 10-20 days a year? The obvious is to take an avalanche course, but what are the most important things to take away from a course like that? I came up with 2 really important things to keep close to you for getting out there and coming home safely:
But to continue my ramblings...I find my self surfing the web for good sites with ski touring adventure on them. There are a few quality ones like Andrew Mclean, Greg Hill, Lou Dawson, Steve Romeo, Joe Stock, Jason Kruk, my wife and Andrew Wexler. But I am always on the look out for some good climbing/skiing adventure content...any one know of some good blogs I am missing? And on another note...I read and see lots of stuff on the web and in magazines about tips and techniques, but not too many from certified guides. Ya, there is great stuff from these people I mentioned before in the ski world, and their experience speaks volumes, but I get alot of the same questions out there sometimes, and maybe I will try and answer some of the common stuff I see come up here, if anyone out there in cyber-landia gives a shit!
The one that came up this week was from a relatively novice backcountry skier who was expressing her fear and intimidation of the backcountry. How to grasp all of that when you can only get out there 10-20 days a year? The obvious is to take an avalanche course, but what are the most important things to take away from a course like that? I came up with 2 really important things to keep close to you for getting out there and coming home safely:
- Know how to recognize avalanche terrain. If you aren't in avalanche terrain, then you won't get caught! Use all of your tools, like maps, photos, history, local knowledge, inclometers, tree flagging, etc, and determine with out a doubt that you are in a place that most likely will not be avalanche terrain. Have your tools and your identification techniques and know how to use them.
- Choose the right people to go out with. The human factor is one of the most important parts of staying out of avalanches. Go with someone who will listen to your fears, explain what they think and see (and listen to what you think and see) and who will stick with you no matter what. Even though I often guide groups of 12 in the backcountry, I often recommend people to be in no larger than a group of 4 or 5 in the backcountry with 3 or 4 being ideal. That way no one is left lagging and decisions are easy to make.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Let the ski season begin!
Feeling cold? check
Legs burning? check
Lungs aching? check
Big smile on Benny's face (and mine!)? check
Up in the wilds of British Columbia with no one around for miles? check
It must be the start of ski season at Valhalla Mountain Touring. Jasmin and I came up and opened the lodge the other day, and now we are trying to transfer our strong climbing arms to our weak skiing legs! Oh, how the transition hurts!
Right now the snow is about 120-140cm deep with all the alder and brush covering up really nicely right now. but don't take my word for it...here's some footage from today's quick get in shape tour. 3,000' vertical never hurt so bad/good.
Legs burning? check
Lungs aching? check
Big smile on Benny's face (and mine!)? check
Up in the wilds of British Columbia with no one around for miles? check
It must be the start of ski season at Valhalla Mountain Touring. Jasmin and I came up and opened the lodge the other day, and now we are trying to transfer our strong climbing arms to our weak skiing legs! Oh, how the transition hurts!
Right now the snow is about 120-140cm deep with all the alder and brush covering up really nicely right now. but don't take my word for it...here's some footage from today's quick get in shape tour. 3,000' vertical never hurt so bad/good.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
March Powder
Just a quick post with some photos from a week ago. March has meant the return to snowstorms on quite a regular basis. Someone the other day mentioned to Dale that in the Columbia Basin, the snow pack is estimated at 70% of normal. Well, we both agreed that with 2-3m on the ground here right now it is pretty much an average winter. Just goes to show you the magic of the Valhallas...the snow just keeps coming.
Speaking of the snow, check out these shots...
Chris, another satisfied customer!
Storm shots...Graham getting some.
Marta getting some pow before heading back east
We even got some sun...and powder in Shannon.
Speaking of the snow, check out these shots...
Chris, another satisfied customer!
Storm shots...Graham getting some.
Marta getting some pow before heading back east
We even got some sun...and powder in Shannon.Sunday, January 11, 2009
Storm Diaries
While the coast has been getting rain of biblical proportions, the interior of British Columbia has been getting pounded by METERS of snow. We have had avalanches run that have not run in anyone's living memory. Up at Valhalla Mountain Touring, we have been braving the weather in the safe tree skiing right out our door, and not stepping any further away. Making ski decisions in times like this in the backcountry is easy, avoid anything even remotely close to avalanche terrain at all costs! The clear weather is here, so now we will get to see what kind of damage mother nature has caused.
Here is a bit of a video diary from last week, enjoy!
You can check out the rest of my posts at evanstevens.blogspot.com
Here is a bit of a video diary from last week, enjoy!
You can check out the rest of my posts at evanstevens.blogspot.com
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Snowed In
I can't really say that I have been snowed in before at Valhalla Mountain Touring. We have so much safe tree skiing close to home, that even when the avalanche danger is High, we can still get out and have fun safely. But the pineapple express has something to say about that right now. Just a few hours to the west, the coast is getting pummeled, and people are building arks, leading their animals 2x2 to safety. At just under 6,000' feet of elevation, we are weathering out the storm as all snow, and with night falling, we should just squeak it out as all frozen precip.
However, since we finished our ski day yesterday, it has snowed almost 45cm in about 18 hours. Strong winds have been afoot as well. Waking up this morning with the warm temps and big dose of 'Sierra Cement', we knew we were in for some interesting times. But when you are at a ski lodge in the backcountry, what else are you going to do, post to your blog? So being the good troopers that we are, we set out, at an exceedingly slow pace, but eventually made it up 1200' vertical to the top of some glades right above the lodge. I don't think we could have done it with out puppy power though. My 1 year old mutt has been genetically engineered (read cross breeding) with long legs and big webbed paws, and he has lots of energy to burn. So with our old skin track just barely visible, I gotta give Benny credit for breaking about 60% of the track. At least someone earned their kibble.
On the way down, it was point 'em straight and lean back, and leap frog each other's tracks. And that was on 30 degree slopes. Anything steeper would have been too sketchy! At least it has been an amazing last 2 weeks of non stop cold smoke, and now we have a super fat mid-winter snowpack. The cold front is coming, and we should get some nice fluff laid down on top of the heavy stuff. I guess right now we have too much of a good thing. It's like eating a few too many nachos, time to sit on the couch and digest...
Here are some shots from the last stint of cold smoke to keep you psyched! Thanks to backcountry.com's Tommy Chandler for the shots!
However, since we finished our ski day yesterday, it has snowed almost 45cm in about 18 hours. Strong winds have been afoot as well. Waking up this morning with the warm temps and big dose of 'Sierra Cement', we knew we were in for some interesting times. But when you are at a ski lodge in the backcountry, what else are you going to do, post to your blog? So being the good troopers that we are, we set out, at an exceedingly slow pace, but eventually made it up 1200' vertical to the top of some glades right above the lodge. I don't think we could have done it with out puppy power though. My 1 year old mutt has been genetically engineered (read cross breeding) with long legs and big webbed paws, and he has lots of energy to burn. So with our old skin track just barely visible, I gotta give Benny credit for breaking about 60% of the track. At least someone earned their kibble.
On the way down, it was point 'em straight and lean back, and leap frog each other's tracks. And that was on 30 degree slopes. Anything steeper would have been too sketchy! At least it has been an amazing last 2 weeks of non stop cold smoke, and now we have a super fat mid-winter snowpack. The cold front is coming, and we should get some nice fluff laid down on top of the heavy stuff. I guess right now we have too much of a good thing. It's like eating a few too many nachos, time to sit on the couch and digest...
Here are some shots from the last stint of cold smoke to keep you psyched! Thanks to backcountry.com's Tommy Chandler for the shots!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Cold, cold smoke
The arctic air mass has taken over British Columbia. I know what you're thinking. It's Canada, you all live in igloos and it is cold all the time. But alas, no, SW BC is actually quite mild in the winter, and that is what makes skiing here so great-it's not frigidly cold! Right now it is so, so, so bitterly cold here that we can't even really ski on shady slopes. The snow is so cold that your wax just doesn't work.
It has made for some interesting plan changes for me this week. Originally I was supposed to be skiing in Roger's Pass. We did two days there, and it was literally some of the coldest outdoor recreation I have ever taken part in. We skinned up to treeline one day, only to met by 25km/hr winds at -24 degrees Celsius. For you math majors out there, that equals a -40 degree celsius wind chill (and -40 is where farenheit and celsius are the same!). This artic front also brought with it heinously strong winds, jacking all the snow at treeline and in the alpine.
We decided to pull the plug and head a bit south to the family's lodge in the Valhallas. A bit of protection from the wind and slightly warmer temps tempted us and Valhalla Mountain Touring has delivered yet again. We have just spent the last 2 days tracking out the cold powder, first a bit in the trees, and then today in the blazing sun. I gotta tell ya, it might be freezing cold out, but that is the bet time ever to ski the pow in full sun, the snow just stays as cold smoke all day long!
So, a video here to keep you psyched, and some photos from today as well...
Benny and Jas racing for the freshies!
Richard heading towards sunny powder on Rugged Peak
My Karhu Storm's getting psyched for 2 grand of cold smoke.
Richard steals some of Benny's powder
It has made for some interesting plan changes for me this week. Originally I was supposed to be skiing in Roger's Pass. We did two days there, and it was literally some of the coldest outdoor recreation I have ever taken part in. We skinned up to treeline one day, only to met by 25km/hr winds at -24 degrees Celsius. For you math majors out there, that equals a -40 degree celsius wind chill (and -40 is where farenheit and celsius are the same!). This artic front also brought with it heinously strong winds, jacking all the snow at treeline and in the alpine.
We decided to pull the plug and head a bit south to the family's lodge in the Valhallas. A bit of protection from the wind and slightly warmer temps tempted us and Valhalla Mountain Touring has delivered yet again. We have just spent the last 2 days tracking out the cold powder, first a bit in the trees, and then today in the blazing sun. I gotta tell ya, it might be freezing cold out, but that is the bet time ever to ski the pow in full sun, the snow just stays as cold smoke all day long!
So, a video here to keep you psyched, and some photos from today as well...
Benny and Jas racing for the freshies!
Richard heading towards sunny powder on Rugged Peak
My Karhu Storm's getting psyched for 2 grand of cold smoke.
Richard steals some of Benny's powderSunday, March 30, 2008
Winding Down at the Lodge
Well, the last full week of the season has come to an end. Mother nature was really working for us lately, with January like conditions. All week the temps were cooler than normal, with partly cloudy skies and 5cms of new snow everyday. By yesterday, we were getting cold smoke face shots-it was too good to be true.
For me, the week was a good one. It is my last full group that I am guiding here at the lodge this season, and with the way the snowpack has been here lately (really scary!) the fact that we skied 45,000 vertical feet this week in all corners of our terrain safely means that the season was a full on success. We also checked out a few new runs that I had never skied before, opening up some soon to be classic areas to ski for years to come.
Monday was also my 30th birthday, which for me, and many others is a milestone in itself. Any hints of feeling like I was getting old though, were fully washed, I should say snowed, away this last week though by my new hero Pierre. Pierre is a guest who joined us from Reno, NV and he skied more than anyone else this last week. He was also the oldest member of the group, as he turns 69 this year, and he had at least 10 years on everyone in the group. Everyday he toured for 7 grand and the only thing stopping him was the sunset! A true inspiration for us all - you are only as old as you feel, and I hope I feel like Pierre when I am 69!
It was a snowy week, but here are a few shots from the last few days...
Pierre working the powder above Shannon Lake
The group looks for their lines under the cliffs of Mt. Vingolf
Perfect powder under the spires above Shannon Lake
Now I have just a few guests for 5 more days at Valhalla Mountain Touring, and then I get to hang out in the sun in Utah for 2 weeks, and hopefully remember how to rock climb!
Alas, ski season is far from over...April 20th I fly to Valdez, AK for a week of guiding and 12 days of training potential ski guides as I work a course for the American Mountain Guides Association. I will be sure to keep posting through all of these trips. Valdez is an amazing ski venue, and you do NOT need a helicopter to appreciate it! The roadside skiing of Thompson Pass is unrivaled - check back in to see for yourselves!
For me, the week was a good one. It is my last full group that I am guiding here at the lodge this season, and with the way the snowpack has been here lately (really scary!) the fact that we skied 45,000 vertical feet this week in all corners of our terrain safely means that the season was a full on success. We also checked out a few new runs that I had never skied before, opening up some soon to be classic areas to ski for years to come.
Monday was also my 30th birthday, which for me, and many others is a milestone in itself. Any hints of feeling like I was getting old though, were fully washed, I should say snowed, away this last week though by my new hero Pierre. Pierre is a guest who joined us from Reno, NV and he skied more than anyone else this last week. He was also the oldest member of the group, as he turns 69 this year, and he had at least 10 years on everyone in the group. Everyday he toured for 7 grand and the only thing stopping him was the sunset! A true inspiration for us all - you are only as old as you feel, and I hope I feel like Pierre when I am 69!
It was a snowy week, but here are a few shots from the last few days...
Pierre working the powder above Shannon Lake
The group looks for their lines under the cliffs of Mt. Vingolf
Perfect powder under the spires above Shannon LakeNow I have just a few guests for 5 more days at Valhalla Mountain Touring, and then I get to hang out in the sun in Utah for 2 weeks, and hopefully remember how to rock climb!
Alas, ski season is far from over...April 20th I fly to Valdez, AK for a week of guiding and 12 days of training potential ski guides as I work a course for the American Mountain Guides Association. I will be sure to keep posting through all of these trips. Valdez is an amazing ski venue, and you do NOT need a helicopter to appreciate it! The roadside skiing of Thompson Pass is unrivaled - check back in to see for yourselves!
Sunday, March 9, 2008
A Typical Week in British Columbia Powder Paradise
Last time I checked in, I was recollecting the previous high pressure cycle in BC, and how it was ending with some storms which were creating a sensitive snow pack. The last week has brought some great weather and skiing thanks to last Monday's 40-50cm of cold smoke. I couldn't believe it on the first run Monday, when I dropped in to some incredibly fast deep powder, choking on snow flakes every turn.
Needless to say, the avalanche danger was High that day and has stayed heightened for quite a few days. Lucky for us at Valhalla Mountain Touring there are tons of 1000-1500 vertical foot gladed shots right out our door. We spent Monday and Tuesday skiing lap after lap of deep fast snow, smiling all the way, and dropping into the lodge for a hot drink and soup every now and again.
Wednesday dawned clear, with beautiful fresh snow every where, and tons of fresh avalanche debris on the usual suspect slopes. No need for rocket scientists when the snowpack is like this-we just tracked down safe terrain, keeping our slope angles mellow in the big wide open spaces, our tracks away from big scary slopes and ripped around the steep trees. Lucky for me, I have about 25 square miles of terrain to find the perfect places to go no matter what the weather and snow. As you can see here, we took advantage of the blue bird days to sneak in and around the big alpine terrain of Shannon Lake:
We finished off the week exploring the amazing powder in the alpine areas, having a blast, and skiing fresh tracks everyday. The week even ended last night with a little bit of a show from Mother Nature...the first appearance of the Norther Lights for the season. At 9pm, after another great meal, we all stood around staring at the waves of green in the night sky, tired and happy from another great week in this British Columbia Powder Paradise.
This week I am going to expound on one of my new theories...consuming one calorie for every vertical foot skied!
Needless to say, the avalanche danger was High that day and has stayed heightened for quite a few days. Lucky for us at Valhalla Mountain Touring there are tons of 1000-1500 vertical foot gladed shots right out our door. We spent Monday and Tuesday skiing lap after lap of deep fast snow, smiling all the way, and dropping into the lodge for a hot drink and soup every now and again.
Wednesday dawned clear, with beautiful fresh snow every where, and tons of fresh avalanche debris on the usual suspect slopes. No need for rocket scientists when the snowpack is like this-we just tracked down safe terrain, keeping our slope angles mellow in the big wide open spaces, our tracks away from big scary slopes and ripped around the steep trees. Lucky for me, I have about 25 square miles of terrain to find the perfect places to go no matter what the weather and snow. As you can see here, we took advantage of the blue bird days to sneak in and around the big alpine terrain of Shannon Lake:
We finished off the week exploring the amazing powder in the alpine areas, having a blast, and skiing fresh tracks everyday. The week even ended last night with a little bit of a show from Mother Nature...the first appearance of the Norther Lights for the season. At 9pm, after another great meal, we all stood around staring at the waves of green in the night sky, tired and happy from another great week in this British Columbia Powder Paradise.
This week I am going to expound on one of my new theories...consuming one calorie for every vertical foot skied!
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