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.