Powder Hunting in British Columbia - Freeride Chronicles Ep. 1

A lot of us have heard the saying, once you cross that line, there's no going back. Well, over 20 years ago, I crossed that line. And I went snowcat skiing in British Columbia. They were right. After that first cat trip, there is no going back to just resort skiing. Hello there, I'm Bob LaGossa, and you probably guessed it. We're going cat skiing. We've got a great lineup for you as we road trip along the infamous Powder Highway, sampling some of British Columbia's finest cat operations. Our first stop, Monashee Powder Cats. Tell you what, first morning, we woke up and get outside and get a cup of coffee, and I see the moonshine, and I know it's going to be bluebird. Sure enough, that sun came up, and all it was was just beautiful slopes covered with that sunshine. Perfect. Perfect is right. The Monashees are world-renowned for getting mega amounts of snowfall. On average, about 60 feet annually, making this zone the ideal location for Monashee Powder Snowcats to set up shop. The reason I like coming back to Monashee after so many years is you get this amazing snow effect that's called the Monashee Effect, where it'll be calling for a little bit of snow, and you wake up in the morning, and it's like 30 centimeters of blower, and you get out there, and the terrain is just basically everything you can ask for as far as steeps with pillows, drops, open bowls. So great snow, tons of terrain. It has a lot of variety as far as ability level of skiers. The skiing that we look for is definitely more the steeps with little drops here and there and pillow lines. And so for that type of skiing, it's really good skiing. You have a good snowpack to be able to build the pillows and make sure you can pound through them without hitting bottom. The skiing terrain here is really varied. I tell you what, it's enough to get anybody's attention. You can definitely keep you on your toes, and there's something for everybody here. Running out of terrain at Monashee is highly unlikely, especially when you have over 17,000 acres of playground. The terrain at Monashee Powder Snowcats is extremely exciting. We've got lots of open bowls. We've got steep trees. We've got open tree runs. We've got great pillow lines, and we've got face shots galore. Monashee Powder Snowcats actually has two epic areas. The first one is Mimulus, which is just south of the lodge. We've got some great avalanche shoots there, steep trees. And over in Parsons is a recent burn that burned in 2003, and it's some of the most amazing skiing in our tenure. Amazing is putting it lightly. This has to be one of the coolest sections of terrain anywhere we've ridden. The tree skiing in the burn is unlike anywhere else. Because there's no tree wells, it photographs extremely well, and it's really amazing to be able to see the whole crew go down all at once. Best run that I've had so far at Monashee. There was a whole bunch of people pounding through the trees together in bright suits, and you could see somebody bouncing off a pillow in one place, and then you'd be bouncing off a pillow someplace else, and it seemed to go on forever. It was just, like, nonstop. After an epic day of laying down some great runs, you head back to the lodge, which is a far cry from what the owners Tom and Carolyn Morgan started off with more than 15 years ago. With over 16,000 square feet of lodge, there's plenty of room for the 24 guests. The main lodge houses the kitchen, eating area, guides and staff accommodations, as well as the always exciting tree well bar. There's no need to worry about going hungry here. Our meals at Monashee Powder are second only to the skiing. We eat mountain gourmet is what we call our food up here. It's unbelievable. We have four courses for dinner. Last night, for example, we had crispy skin salmon with risotto and fresh green salad and a mushroom soup, and it's unbelievable. The new three-story guest chalet lodge was constructed in 2010, and it has 16 nicely appointed bedrooms, as well as hot tub and drying room. The views from this mountaintop retreat are breathtaking. It's really neat here at Monashee. Start looking around, and you can turn 360 degrees, and it's just nothing but just beautiful, majestic mountains, great peaks, a lot of really rocky contours. It's magnificent. Being based this close to the goods makes each morning's cat ride short and sweet. The cat rides vary. Our first one is around 10 or 15 minutes in the morning to get you skiing as early as possible, typically right when the sun comes up. And after that, they're quite short, and it's amazing skiing between 10 and 15 runs a day. The cat rides are just long enough for a short rest and a little bit of storytelling. Riding back up, you're usually pretty fired up about the run you just did, so everybody's laughing and joking and talking about whoever it was that wiped out and did the head plant into the snow. It's real easy, friendly camaraderie with lots of talk about what they're going to do on the next run and definitely some harassing for certain things. A lot of comedians with real good jokes in the crew. Even though it seems like it's all fun and games, the guides take what they do seriously. All Monashee lead guides have Association of Canadian Mountain Guides certification, and they run each guest through a transceiver and safety orientation before you ever head out on the mountain. The guides at Monashee, they've just been outstanding, super professional, safety-oriented, group-oriented, work with the group, understand the dynamics of everybody and what they're looking for, and it's been incredible. Our guide Ken did a great job with teeing us up on some of the lines and being our eyes from below. At Monashee, the staff and guests are all here for the same reasons. They love to ski and board. It's like nowhere else in the world. I definitely agree. Now I'd say that was a pretty sweet setup. Don't go far, because when we come back, we're going to be heading east into the Kootenays. Freeride Chronicles brought to you by Rossignol. Every inch, every minute, every second, we chip away at finding inspiration to reimagine luxury, making the colors of earth and sunset skies into rich interior accents. Or putting the beauty of a forest in the palm of your hands. It will take you to another place, wherever you happen to be. Made with pride, crafted with passion. This is the new 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It is the best of what we're made of. The snow has never been better up at Mt. Spokane. More snow! Let's go! Come out and play! With over 1,400 acres of fast cruiser corduroy runs to steep and deep tree skiing, including the $69 learn to ski and ride special, which is lift ticket, rental, and lessons, Mt. Spokane has got it all. And it's only a gallon of gas away. More snow! Let's go! Come out and play! You can even tube at the top, or enjoy some great night skiing. It's time to play in your own backyard now, up at Mt. Spokane. Freeride Chronicles brought to you by Jeep. We're just rolling through the cool, funky town of Nelson, British Columbia. Home to some of the best backcountry skiing anywhere in the world. In fact, the readers of Powder Magazine recently voted the Nelson Rosslyn area best ski town in North America. Now this area sits in the Kootenay and Selkirk mountain ranges, and it's known for getting huge dumps of snow, making ski resorts like Whitewater one of the most sought-after destinations for getting your powder fix on. It's no wonder there are over seven snowcat operations all within a short drive of here. One of them is White Grizzly. It's one of those days where you look up and go, God, I'd love to ski that. And then the guy turns around and says, that's what we're going to ski today. You can't ask for much more. White Grizzly's catskiing is about steep powder. We're very much addicted to steep powder, and that's why we started this operation. My wife and I started White Grizzly 15 years ago because we saw that most operations were catering to intermediate clients, and we wanted to be able to provide an experience for people that knew they wanted steep powder. The terrain we're predominantly in is 40-degree forest environment. We have some open alpine. 30% of our terrain is open. We might only get to it 5% of the time. White Grizzly catskiing is located in the heart of British Columbia's Selkirk Mountains. This range gets hammered with about 13 meters of annual snowfall. Now mix that with steep terrain, and you have a recipe for fun. Hope you like face shots. It has tremendous pitches and perfect powder. Today we had a foot of snow, and that was on the top of a foot before we got here, so it's face shots. It's snow flying everywhere, all over your head, your mouth, everywhere. White Grizzly likes to keep it friendly and intimate, catering to only 12 guests per session. And with 20 square kilometers of terrain, you're in for an over-the-top experience. So the typical White Grizzly experience starts with guests arriving around 4 o'clock the afternoon the day before. We go through a complete safety briefing at the lodge, and then after everyone's met and starts becoming a bit family members, they sit down at the same table. We have a big dinner together, and we make sure that that hearty mountain appetite is well-filled, that they're able to get out and enjoy their powder turns the next day. Yeah, it's always nice coming here because the cat is incredible, and the food is just off the hook. I need the recipe. The chicken dinner last night was incredible. Couldn't ask for a better meal after a hard day of skiing. The comfortable log lodge was hand-built by Brad and his wife Carol. It makes for the perfect setting to relax and unwind after a fun-filled powder day. The lodge at White Grizzly is in an incredible setting. It's very secluded, in the middle of the forest. It's pretty easy to get accustomed to this, especially when you know you have fresh pal waiting in the morning. It's the third time up here at White Grizzly, and you just couldn't ask for better conditions. We got here, it was dumping. Yesterday was just epic, you know, lower knee-deep snow, snowed all night long. You wake up to the things you dream of, a chest deep, just the ultimate in powder skiing. It just was absolutely incredible today. It's really an amazing feeling when the powder snow comes up over your knees and into your face, and you can't breathe, but you're laughing because it's just the most amazing feeling you've ever had. It's the greatest. Not only do you get to rest your legs on the short cat ride back up, you're also entertained with a little coffeehouse poetry. White Grizzly snacks rival the skiing. All right, guys, relax and eat meaty snacks. These are dry, cured chorizo that are soaked in wine. And the sandwiches today, we've got smoked cheddar gouda you're not likely to forget. Lunches at White Grizzly are pretty important. We know that people want to feed the fire, and Bree is a resident poet, and she rhymes a whole bunch of different menu items that makes the day interesting. We're very spoiled here with a fantastic homemade meal. Whether it be the food, the hospitality, or the skiing, White Grizzly is the real deal. It's run by two people who have a passion, no, an obsession, with powder. I have no problem working for eight months in the summer because I know that it means I get a chance to come out and play with you for the four months of winter, and so that's really why we do this. Free Ride Chronicles, brought to you by Obermeyer. The snow has never been better. Up at Mt. Spokane... Mt. Snow, let's go! Come out at me! With over 1,400 acres of fast cruiser corduroy runs to steep and deep tree skiing, including the $69 learn to ski and ride special, which is lift ticket, rental, and lessons, Mt. Spokane has got it all, and it's only a gallon of gas away. Mt. Snow, let's go! Come out and play! You can even tube at the top, or enjoy some great night skiing. It's time to play in your own backyard now, up at Mt. Spokane. Have you ever skied in two states at the same resort? You can do that at Lookout Pass, your number one powder place, with some of the best prime powder tree skiing around. With an average annual snowfall of 400 inches, you'll enjoy epic powder days and world-class grooming. Vote at the most favorite family-friendly resort and the most affordable rates in the region. Our friendly staff makes it fun for the whole family. Go to skilookout.com for a complete list of all our events, your number one powder place, Lookout Pass. To learn more about scenic Idaho, go to visitidaho.org. Freeride Chronicles, brought to you by Swanee Gloves. Over 40 years ago, a Canadian man had a vision about utilizing a snowcat to access the powder in the backcountry. The year was 1976, when Selkirk Wilderness Skiing, the first catskiing operation, was born. I've been here to Selkirk Wilderness before. Last time we were in a giant storm cycle and had great snow, about waist deep. This year, show up again, same type of storm cycle, again, waist deep. I mean, it's what you come for. It's what you come to BC to ski. Powder enthusiasts have been coming to Selkirk Wilderness for almost four decades, and over that time, a lot has changed, but a lot has stayed the same. Alan and his wife Brenda started Selkirk Wilderness in 1975. The lodge is filled with memorabilia from the earlier days, and the mountains are filled with Alan's spirit. Nowadays, Selkirk Wilderness accommodates 24 guests per week for the ultimate powder skiing experience. We offer packages that start on Sunday and run until Saturday, so five days of skiing. You know, you see the stuff in the magazines and the brochures, and everybody's like, well, you gotta go. Once you've experienced the hospitality and hominess of Selkirk Wilderness, you'll understand why guests keep coming back for years. Our family's been coming here for Christmas trips for the last 14 years. It's something my dad had been doing a couple times, and we heard about it and saw his photos, so we bugged him enough that he finally decided to bring us out. That was more than 14 years ago, and one reason Kalo's family keeps coming back to Selkirk Wilderness is the family atmosphere. It's a second home, it's another place, and the staff. I mean, it's not just the environment, it's the people here. What better place to go and ski powder? Ski with friends, ski with family, whether it's direct family or the staffing here. You know, just good times. It's all around. I love this spot. Located in the heart of the Selkirk Mountains, Selkirk Wilderness offers five-day packages, which include accommodations in their comfortable lodge, fine cuisine, and 12,000 to 18,000 feet of vertical a day. Life is good at Selkirk Wilderness. The terrain here at Selkirk Wilderness kind of appeals to everybody. You have some super-steeps for the guys that want to get after it, pillow lines, little rock drops, and then you have wide-open glacier-type terrain that's not so steep for the intermediate to more advanced skiers. With consistent cold temperatures and 600 inches of annual snowfall, venturing into the Whiteroom is all part of the Selkirk experience. Yesterday was amazing. There were times where you were in the Whiteroom for seconds, and the snow just kept blowing and blowing and blowing over us, and it was just so much fun. When conditions are stormy and Mother Nature is giving the terrain a reset, you want to be in the trees. I love the trees here. You can't find open trees like this anywhere else. The glades are unbelievable. And after being here a few years, yeah, starting to know the cliffs, starting to have the freedom to go and hit them. To me, it's never too gnarly, and it's never too mellow. It's the perfect in-between of having fun. Pegging the fun meter is what it's all about at Selkirk. With plenty of terrain, over 30 square miles to be exact, you're in for some fun-filled days. To access the goods, you and your new best friends will be riding in comfort. We run Bombardier BR275s. Each cat holds 12 passengers, and we run them individually throughout the mountain, each accessing beautiful terrain. Our cooking staff prepare lunches for the cats, and we eat that on the run, in-between runs, so we don't waste any time. First, you have really nice long runs, which means you get a pretty good rest on the cat on the way up. The cats are full of food and different types of drinks and hot teas. It's a real comfortable ride, warm ride, and great food. This was a special trip for me because it was the second time I've been here, and I didn't think we could top the last time. It was all-time conditions, and this time was just even better. That's the thing about Selkirk. It just keeps getting better, like the ski home. Our runs all end every day with a beautiful run back to the lodge, which is a great thing, skiing back to the lodge for your apres ski. When you get back to the lodge, there's cold beers waiting for you on the deck and appies in the grouser bar. What better way to celebrate a powder-filled day in the mountains? With family and friends. It brings a lot of home experience to me. I've spent a lot of time in the mountains with my father in the past, and it really brings home how my dad made me feel. As you can see, Alan's spirit is alive. Chronicles brought to you by Smith Optics. Every inch, every minute, every second, we chip away at finding inspiration. To reimagine luxury. Making the colors of earth and sunset skies into rich interior accents. Or putting the beauty of a forest in the palm of your hands. It will take you to another place, wherever you happen to be. Made with pride, crafted with passion. This is the new 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It is the best of what we're made of. Have you ever skied in two states at the same resort? You can do that at Lookout Pass, your number one powder place, with some of the best prime powder tree skiing around. With an average annual snowfall of 400 inches, you'll enjoy epic powder days and world-class grooming. Voted the most favorite family-friendly resort and the most affordable rates in the region, our friendly staff makes it fun for the whole family. Go to skilookout.com for a complete list of all our events. Your number one powder place, Lookout Pass. To learn more about scenic Idaho, go to visitidaho.org. Now that was a fun road trip. Make sure you check out all these operations online and book your powder trip of a lifetime. Thanks for riding along with us. I'm Bob LaGossa, and I'll see you on the hill. Do something that's... Watching yourself. Yeah, yeah. Interesting. You need to scare, like, have one of those situations, and you make it, you know? Whether you're biking or even driving.