Cat Skiing on Grey Mountain

Simon and I had the opportunity to experience Cat Skiing on Grey Mountain today.  It was definitely the best $20.00 I have spent in a long time.  $10.00 each for a ride to the top of Grey, thanks Red Mountain.  Red Mountain Ski Patroller Jamie provided guidance and run recommendations on the way up in the Cat, then the decisions were ours to make.  We were dropped off right at the peak and had all of Grey to share with 8 others.  Unlike a regular Cat ski experience the group scattered, we all went to different parts of the mountain.  It was just me and Simon up there.  Simon was blown away; Simon Quote "I finally understand why people have been hiking up here".

Glory Stifled

 The Snow continues at Red Mountain.  Yesterday we had 16 cm on new on who knows how much recent.  This was my day to ski with Isabelle and Simon, as a full time ski instructor I don't actually get to ski with my own kids all that often.  So the three of us were there for first chair and were pumped for the day.  We had first tracks on Southern Belle, it was great.  We decided to hit it a second time since we saw that that only a few others had skied it.  This video clip is of Isabelle on her second run.  Simon went first and crashed, thankfully laughing when we got there. 

But then:  Simon decided to get up and do a couple of turns on the one ski he still had on.  I was in Dad mode not responsible Ski Instructor mode; He stopped, asked if he could do more turns on one ski (at least he was responsible enough to ask).  Sure I said thinking 'he's having fun' and 'good for his skiing'.  Of course then on his second turn he fell slowly, slowly enough that his ski did not release, his leg moved through a position that was just wrong.  I knew he was hurt before the crying started.  I felt terrible!

Ski Patrol got on the scene, took him down on a snowmobile to the base where Dr. Peter Kremple advised he get it x-rayed in emergency.  So there we three spent the rest of our day.  Thankfully, it turns out to be just a strain and he will be skiing in a couple of days.

Thanks Red Mountain Ski Patrolers  Nicole and Ken for being total Pros and thanks Dr. Krempl for taking time out of your ski day.

O'Brien Family Ski

 I skied yesterday with long time Canadian Ski Quest skiers Michael, Fiona, Emma, and Kate O'Brien.  The conditions at Red Mountain remain incredible and definitely contributed to a day of skiing skills progress from all four O'Briens.   After all the powder on Monday, Tuesday dawned clear and cold.  The dry clear night pulled must have pulled moisture out of the snow-pack.  It was about -6C, clear blue sky and the snow was fantastic.

Fiona cruising her way to glory: 

Michael earning his beers to be consumed at a later and every turn closer time:

I felt so sorry for all the poor people who were under that cloud all day.  Must have been terrible:

Private Snowboard Paradise

 Thanks Red Mountain for being open today.  For all 34 of us.  Obviously an exaggeration, there must have been a few more people on the mountain than that but I did have the feeling that I was part of some kind of exclusive club today.  Incredible conditions and the runs were all ours.

I went snowboarding today with Nonstop graduate Steve Thorne.  Steve and his partner Sarah have settled in Rossland, in fact they have just bought a house here last month. 

Steve is now a Snowboard Pro @ Red Mountain, going for his Level 3 exams this season.  His riding looks ready to me and if the improvement he made in my limited riding skills is any indication, he is also ready for the teaching component.

 Check out the trees behind Steve, winter is on.

Me on a snowboard, still not able to hide the fact that I am a skier on a different tool.  Working on it!  This photo was taken on Ruby Tuesday, one of the most popular runs on Paradise Side.  Not that you can tell from the empty state of the run behind me.

Red Mountain Day Two

Day Two and Red Mountain rocks on.  Mid winter conditions continue.  There is so much snow on Granite Mountain.  The interesting thing about this season is that although Rossland is white, there is hardly any snow in town.  It is like two different worlds.

I skied with the Red Mountain Academy athletes this morning, thanks for the workout, and free skied in the afternoon with friends.  Temperatures were cold so short turns were the order of the day.

Photos: right: Sally Steeves laying them over on Rino's run.
Below:  Mike Flood in just fine form on Beer Belly.

Opening Day at Red Mountain

 What a great opening day.  It was so good to be up at Red today.  Nice to see all the familiar faces of my fellow skiers and Red Mountain's awesome staff.  Red must have the highest staff return rate of any Canadian resort.  Thanks for a great welcome back.

 Today was so much more than a token opening.  By that I mean an opening where we accept that the skiing is an early season standard and go for a few runs anyway just to see everyone and say we have been up.  The skiing today was great!  It is a full on winter wonderland up on Paradise, we had cold temperatures, blue sky and the snow ghosts are out in fully formed force.  The snow depth was good everywhere, not a single scratch on my new Fischers  The snow condition was good to the bottom of Lynx Line.  From there on down it was a bit of a challenge getting through a chunky crust, but still good on the groomers.

Paradise was fantastic, and the skiing was good all the way down Rino's Run.

This photo is of Red Mountain Racer Coach Patrick Kinghorn on Lynx Line after lunch.  I don't know where the morning lift line went but Pat and I skied this kind of snow all day.

Early Season Cross Country Ski

 I bought a pair of Skate Skis in a summer sale and then we bought a family pass at Black Jack Cross Country area.  My goal: to cross country ski enough times to make owning the pass worthwhile.

Isabelle, Simon and I had a great ski today, but the conditions definitely are "early season" (see last photo".  My new skate skis will have to wait for more snow and groomed trails.

The early season conditions turned the regular trails into an obstacle course, the kids loved it.

CSIA Fitness Testing

That is me on the bike getting ready for misery.  This was a VO2 MAX test.  Unlike a regular ride when there is a goal, the top of the hill, in this test the imaginary hill just gets harder and harder until you fail.  Breathing into the tube seemed to be a limiting factor for me.  It was an interesting experience.  The test (evaluation) was conducted by CSIA member Jill Sagan's company TCR Sports Lab.

The idea of this evaluation was to determine a baseline fitness recommendation for CSIA members training for upper level certifications.  I think this is a good start for Instructors who are going for their Level 4.  Training for the level 4 requires a huge amount of skiing mileage and thus a high standard of physical fitness.  As an Examiner of this certification, fitness is definitely and aspect that in some cases I have seen make or break a candidates success.

My recommendation for fitness training as it relates to Level 4 certification is to interval train at a rate that simulates the performance required.  For example the bump run in a Level 4 exam is an intense 40-60 seconds so it makes sense to do exercises in 40-60 second intervals.  This might be running stairs, box jumps, sprints etc.  After a proper warm up go as hard as you can for this short amount of time.  If you really push you will be exhausted after 50 seconds, the same way you might feel after a 50 second bump run where you have put in a 100% effort. 

I recommend this for on snow training for the Level 4 as well, of course get your quantity training in, but everyday that you are on snow take one run where you charge100%.  Take a moment at the top of this run, tell yourself "this is the one run that counts" (just like on the exam) and then perform.  In dry-land training or on the Level 4 ski off there is no better feeling than knowing you showed your absolute best.

Rossland Street Ski

More snow in Rossland.  It is tough to match the skiing enthusiasm of an 8 year old.  We have skis, we have snow, and we have a run- Spokane Street.  Simon had to ski it.  Simon and his buddy Finn skied four laps of Spokane Street from Mcleod Ave to Columbia Ave and it just got better every time.

Spokane Snowlander Expo

I worked the Spokane Snowlander Expo over the weekend with Fran Richards, Lorilie and Terry Jones, and Keiren Gaul (pictured).  Spokane is an interesting place as a skier market.  Spokane skiers have a lot of choice in where to ski.  Mt. Spokane is quite decent-it blows away expectations of a "local hill", then there is 49 North, Schweitzer, Silver Mountain, Lookout Pass, Whitewater and of course Red Mountain.  I honestly would have a hard time deciding where to ski if I lived there, as a skier I love variety.

I do see a tremendous potential for Red Mountain in Spokane.  Just in talking to skiers at the show who said "I skied there 7 years ago, I would love to go back".  Either people had not heard of Red or they said something along these lines.  That is the thing about Red Mountain, skiers (serious) who have been here want to come back here.  At Red Mountain there is always something to come back for.

Fischer Vacuum Boots

I had my new Fischer Vacuum boots fitted yesterday by Ian McAdams at Village Ski Hut in Nelson.  This is quite an innovation in ski boot technology.  Instead of the traditional fitting and molding of the boot liner, this technology molds the plastic shell of the boot to the skiers foot.  It is amazing to see the cuff of my boot, looking at it from the back the plastic of the cuff is bent to the shape of my lower leg.  The process is quick and very simple, or it might be Ian's 40 years of boot fitting experience that made it seem simple. 

Ian warmed the plastic shells up in an oven, inserted the liner which I stepped into, I then stepped onto the platform that you see in the photo.  He then fitted a vacuum bag over each boot, turned on the machine and chatted and sipped coffee with me for I guess about 10 minutes.  The vacuum process feels like one of those blood pressure cuffs that you put your arm into.

Looking forward to putting the boots to use soon.  Thanks Ian.

Blackjack Ski Club

 I went Cross Country today.  One of the challenges of the start of the season is finding all your gear.  I found my three pin boots, which I have had for 25 years, my poles, but no skis.  Then I remembered that on my last day out in April I broke a binding and delivered my skis to the dump (I am not what you would call and avid cross country skier).

Rossland solution-today is Wednesday: thrift store open!  It took me about two minutes to find a pair of Kharu 220 cm skis complete with fish scales and three pin bindings.  No price on them; so I cautiously took them to the checkout where a lovely elderly lady very closely looked them over and then said "three bucks"!   No tax either.

It was nice to see quite a few skiers on the trails, but I can't say crowds were a problem.

In winter the snow is usually level with the deck on Gibbard's Cabin.

First 2013 Turns

 I had my first turns of the 2013 season today.  I am feeling great.  What an early start!

I drove up to Strawberry Pass, although I could have skied in Rossland-we had 35 cm in town.

I had to stay on the trails, when I ventured off trail my skis got tangled in sticks.  But on the trails I was touching nothing but snow.

 One odd thing about skiing in October is that the trees still have not lost all their foliage.

I had first tracks all the way, good snow.

 My ski touring partner Betsey.  For the most part she was super excited.  she was getting over it by the time I took this photo.

My first 4 turns of the season.  About a million more to come.

Mike Manara-Married Man

Bad news Canadian Ski Quest ladies.  Your dream is over!  Long time Canadian Ski Quest Pro Mike Manara is now a married man.  Mike and Mariah were married last weekend in Cumberland.

In true Vancouver Island style the wedding day included a guys mountain bike ride, (the Cumberland crew definitely showed  the Rossland representative how biking is done).  Also in Island style the wedding cake was a sumptuous can of Lucky Lager. 

It was a great day.  Congratulations Mike and Mariah.

Skiing Day Dreams

Today was day 2 of the kids being back in school and the first full day.  I took the dogs, Isabelle and Simon and their friends Maddie and Finn for a hike up Red.  My plan was to hike up the civilized 'Red Top' trail, which meanders up by Sally's Alley but the kids insisted on hiking up Back Trail.  It definitely got their minds into ski mode.  They couldn't believe how steep it was, pointed out their favorite places to stop, told of how fast they ski this, and explained how for they flew of each terrain park feature.  It was great, they got me into it too.

Canadian Ski Quest 2013 Dates

The 2013 Canadian Ski Quest program has been set and I am looking forward to making 2013 the best Canadian Ski Quest season ever.

Please get in touch with questions.
mark@skiquest.ca
250 362 9060

Canadian Ski Quest 2013 Programs

Canadian Ski Quest Ignition Week    January 14-17
Canadian Ski Quest Camp 1        February 2-9
Canadian Ski Quest Camp 2        February 9-16
Canadian Ski Quest Revelstoke        February 16-21
Canadian Ski Quest Camp 3        Feb 23-March 2

Canada Day 2012 Ski

What better Canadian thing to do on Canada Day (July 1, for you UK/Aussie types) than go skiing (or snowboarding)

Aaron Cosbey and I hiked then skied Old Glory, this has become a tradition.  It took us 9 hours to hike from the bottom, ski it, hike out from where we skied and then hike down the mountain.  We were fantastically exhausted at the end of the day.

We were keeping a close eye on the weather on the way up.  It held out for the fun part, but we were nailed by a huge electric storm on the way down.

 Good snow this year, too bad we only had the energy (fitness) for one run.  This is Aaron's best July turn ever!

 The hike out is tough, it is steeper than it looks in this photo.

John McCormack Rest in Peace

Dear Canadian Ski Quest Friends,

Owen Anfruns this morning passed on news to me that long time Canadian Ski Quest skier John McCormack has passed away in Melbourne on Sunday
afternoon (June 17) after battling cancer for the past year.

Owen's words: "John will be remembered as a good natured ski enthusiast who's company and conversation we enjoyed on many CSQ adventures to Red, Jackson and
NZ, as well as in Australia and at Vail, Telluride, Niseko, Aspen etc etc. Gone too soon but he got quite a few turns in on quite a few hills. Good on you John. You will be much missed on future ski trips.  All our thoughts are with Libby and his family."

In 2003 John was introduced to Canadian Ski Quest when he was riding the Paradise chair at Red Mountain.  The chair stopped above Wendy McIntyre's group which gave him the opportunity to observe her flowing instructional prose.  He decided that he should be part of that group, a decision which led him towards many adventures and friendships.  John became a regular on Canadian Ski Quest traveling with us to New Zealand multiple times, Jackson Hole, Revelstoke, and of course Red Mountain.  It was always great to have John along on a trip because it was so obvious that he loved being part of the experience.  I think he may have got as much or more satisfaction from being part of the group as he did from the skiing.  On one of our New Zealand tours John told that he was very aware that all of the others on the trip were better skiers than him, but that it was not possible that anyone else could enjoy skiing in the sun more than he did.

John was positive, he never complained about anything.  If ever he had negative thoughts they were in regards to things like weather or the quality of a meal, things beyond the groups control.  This is a quality of Johns that I commit to take on myself; He would only bring up these thoughts long after the incident occurred when there was no chance of bringing down a positive vibe and in this way he added to it.

On our first trip to New Zealand we persevered through absolutely miserable weather en-route to Mt. Potts back country lodge. In fact the weather was so miserable that John told me (a year later) that he thought we should just stop trying and drive back to Christchurch.  Of course the next day dawned a bluebird blue sky with not a breath of wind and 30 cm of high standard Canadian powder blanketing a solid base.  I think the reason John was excited was because everyone else in the group was excited or he might have just been nervous about climbing into a helicopter.  I am not sure he knew at that point in his skiing carer just how good skiing could be.  He found out that day!  I have have a distinct memory of floating through this blow away powder snow with John about three meters to my right matching me turn for turn.  He was literally glowing, it was a happy day.

Best Wishes to Libby and Family
Mark Impey

Powder

We finally have some snow worth talking about.  It back to the Red Mountain Norm today.  Tracks filling in between runs.  I had the pleasure to ski with Red Mountain General Manager Erik Kalacis and Snowsports School director Luc Belanger, along with Rupert Taylor.  I was on my snowboard, so I have to say thanks to all of them for their patience.

Simon in the Canadian Open

My son Simon, 7 years old, skied Links Line for the first time this season last week.  I guess he was happy with his run because he then asked if he could enter the competition (The Canadian Open Freeskiing Championship).  "No problem"says dad, and I signed him up.  He was the youngest competitor.  I took him out of school last week for an afternoon so that he could have three or four practice runs.  The first one was to be a "look at it run" skiing it two or three turns at a time.  After the first turns he decided to ski it all.  Which he did, at the bottom he asked to go in for a hot chocolate.  I suggested that he ski it again to which he replied "I don't need to, I have my line".  I went with it and this run is the third time of the season he skied it.  Yes I was a bit of a nervous parent watching.

Canadian Ski Quest Wendy Week

 The skiing on ledges has been fantastic this week.  Showing fine form are Canadian Ski Quest skiers, tomato head Keith Boxer and Roger Foot.

New Years Eve at Big White

 Ski Salmo one day, Big White the next!  Talk about going from one world to another.  There is skiing at both places, and that is pretty much where the similarity ends.  I was a bit culture shocked by the crowds and infrastructure at first, but managed to relax once I realized that everyone around me was pretty chilled.