In pursuit of powder: Peak thrills at our doorstep
My inner kid is beaming.
It’s hard to describe that magical feeling powder snow provides skiers and snowboarders. You could make an amazing number of comparisons to the sensation: a million funny bones going off at once, the free slide of skateboarding or the floaty, euphoric feeling of dropping into a wave in Maui.
Powder. We live a short distance away from some of the best in the world. Throngs of tourists come from around the world to get their peak thrills in the deep white stuff at storied places such as Mike Wiegele Heli and Canadian Mountain Holidays.
That is destination powder and we are fortunate to have the white stuff at our doorstep.
And it’s not just for high-flying rich folks.
Nearby, helicopter skiing and cat skiing can be enjoyed if you squirrel away a bit of money for a day that will blow you away.
With more than 15 metres of snow annually, B.C.’s famed Powder Highway has the highest concentration of ski resort, cat skiing, heli-skiing and ski touring.
It’s the heli and cat skiing epicentre of the world.
A PLACE KNOWN FOR POWDER — FERNIE, B. C.
Skiers and riders flock to the powder-laden slopes of Fernie Alpine Resort, known for the deepest snow in the Canadian Rockies. That whopping snowfall also makes this place perfect for cat skiing.
Fernie Wilderness Adventures: Any place that has a wood-fired hot tub is cool. The rewarding soak after a day of delicious pow, from big tree glades, to pillow drops, ridge after ridge, will entertain you. With 5,000 plus acres this is natural sandbox meant to be enjoyed.
Island Lake Catskiing, Fernie, B.C.: Taking cat skiing to another level without losing the raw appeal of wild powder and big terrain. Step inside to another world, offering a truly unique mountain dining experience after a day of powder kissing in your boots and sleep in rustic luxury in the quaint setup of mountain lodges.
TAKE FLIGHT TO MAKE YOUR OWN DEEP TRACKS
Purcell Heli-Skiing: The best in day heli-skiing is offered here. Located in the heart of the mountains, in Golden, B.C., with its fitting adventure heritage, owner and mountain legend, Rudi Gertsch, one of the original founders of heli-skiing,
blazes a powder experience that sets the bar high. From an emphasis on safety to finding fresh powder turns to the amazing guide team, the day will change your life for the better. It’s got it all: big terrain, deep trackless snow and professional guides.
RK Heli-Skiing: For close to 50 years, the helicopters and guides have been making powder dreams come true for thousands of guests. If the sound of the buzzing bird blades doesn’t get you juiced up, then the map on the wall showcasing the scope — 1,500 square kilometres of terrain and more than 900 ski runs, certainly will.