Backcountry Skiing: Getting there can be Half the Fun
Western Canada is a land of mountains, lakes and rivers. There are also
deserts (yes, Walter, small deserts), huge forested plateaus and lush farmland,
but mountains are a predominant feature. From the Coast Range in the west to the
Rockies in the east, from the Cascades in the south, to the Cassiar Range in the
north, there is one range after another; the Cariboos, the Monashees, and the
Selkirks, to name just a few.
The mountains of British Columbia offer
untold opportunities for every kind of skiing, including backcountry touring,
snowcat skiing and heli-skiing. There are many ski resorts and many backcountry
lodges, mostly located near small interior towns, away from the large population
centers and international airports.
Getting to a backcountry skiing
holiday can involve travel on roads that traverse narrow valleys and high
passes. After heavy snowfalls, roads can sometimes be closed while crews clear
away debris from slides.
At the end of January 2004, a heavy snowfall
caused overnight closures on some BC highways. Two days later, a second storm
closed other roads, including the Trans Canada highway. This is a tale of
getting from Vancouver to Golden BC in the midst of these storms.
The
weather in Vancouver was mild. There had been a recent gaggle of small
disturbances, but no big storms. The freezing level was too high. We prayed for
snow. We watched the forecasts, but things looked iffy.
After months of
anticipation, our trip to Chatter Creek was nearing. In two days our annual
powder-bash would begin. Four days of cat skiing in Rocky Mountain
powder!
This year, we had a group of 24 old friends and regular ski
buddies. Many had been to Chatter Creek before and knew what to expect. We were
all anxiously counting down the days.
Most of us live in Vancouver,
Squamish and Whistler. Individually, we had made our arrangements for getting to
Golden. Some would fly to Calgary, rent a car and drive together to Golden, a
four-hour trip through Banff, Lake Louise and the Kicking Horse Pass. They would
arrive in Golden just in time for our 3:00 PM helicopter flight into the
lodge.
Others would drive from Vancouver or Whistler, at best a long
nine-hour trip. With an early start on flight day, and with hard steady driving,
they should easily reach Golden in time. I would leave a day early, stay with
one of the group in Kamloops, and have a leisurely drive to Golden the next day.
Missing the helicopter flight to the lodge was to be avoided. No ones
budget covered an extra night in Golden and a private helicopter
flight.
The flights dont wait. They have to go on time. They would
deliver us to the lodge and bring out departing guests. The transfer starts in
mid-afternoon (time varies as the winter progresses) and has to be to be
completed in daylight.
Two days to go and the telephone rang. Hi, its
Merle.
My heart sank. A call this late from Merle McKnight, Chatter
Creeks marvelous manager, could only mean trouble. What was wrong?
Weve
had a 'dump'! The passes are closed in both directions. No one is getting
through. Crews will work all night and the roads should open sometime tomorrow.
However, there is talk of yet more snow. Get here a day early. Come
tomorrow!"
Good news and bad news! Lots of fresh snow at Chatter Creek,
but getting there would be a challenge.
One always heeds Merles advice!
As my groups organizer, it was time to start phoning.
Hours later,
everyone had been alerted. Most were changing their plans but some could not or
decided to chance it. Not a good plan! Weather in the Interior can be
unpredictable.
I called Al in Kamloops. Well be there by 10:00 AM
tomorrow, lets go right through. We can ski Kicking Horse in the morning, before
our flight. Fine! Al would be ready.
A few hours later, a mate and I were
on the road. After days of drizzle, the day dawned sunny and mild. It was like
spring!
The first mountain road is the Coquihalla. It was bare and the
sky was clear. There was no hint of a storm. The roads ahead were reported open.
I thought to myself, Im never going to hear the end of this! After
getting all those people to change their plans, Im going to get some
rockets.
We were in Kamloops in less than four hours. We picked up Al and
six hours later we were in Golden. There had been a delay at Three Valley Gap,
where road crews were cleaning up a slide. However, there had been no real
problem and the driving had been easy. False alarm! Oh well, we would get a
morning at Kicking Horse Resort before our afternoon flight to Chatter
Creek.
Morning dawned, and I arose to look outside. My car had become a
huge white mound. Not even the tires were visible! It had dumped overnight and
it was still dumping! On went the telly. The road to the east was closed again.
The road to the west could close at any time.
Some of the lads were
leaving the coast in the wee hours, much earlier than usual to give themselves
extra time. Would they make it? Would they get through Three Valley Gap and then
the high Rogers Pass before things shut down? The road was bound to close, it
was just a matter of time.
At 2:00PM, shaking off the Kicking Horse
powder, we headed for the airport. The radio advised that all the passes were
now closed. Had our friends made it?
As we drove up to the hanger, we saw
all sorts of activity. There was Owen, and Jim was there too. The others from
the coast had arrived, the last cars allowed through. Great relief!
However, as we assembled to count heads; 17,18,19,20.?? We were missing
the four who were flying to Calgary. They were not to be seen.
A cell
phone rang. Chris and Kevin were stopped on the Radium road. The Kicking Horse
Pass was closed, so they had tried the alternate route. No luck, it was closed
too. They were there for the night. Disaster!
Guests fly to the lodge in
three flights, one flight of 12 and two flights of 6. If all 20 of us were to
fly to the lodge that night, the stragglers would have an expensive private
flight the next day.
Merle and her husband Mike came to the rescue. A
radio call was made to the lodge.
Were there six departing clients
willing to stay over and fly out in the morning? Affirmative! No problem! There
were many volunteers.
Merle then asked, Now, are any two people willing
to stay tonight in Golden? Then the last flight of 6 will fly in the
morning
Silence. Glum faces. Hands in pockets. No
volunteers!
There was more discussion. Was anyone willing to snowmobile
to the lodge tonight?
Hesitation, then Tony, good old Tony, raised his
hand. He would do it. A ninety-km trip on a snowmobile, following a leader at
high speed on a cold night with fresh snow on an unplowed road was not anyones
idea of fun! Tony would have a 90-km blizzard.
Merle explained, If we
sled the luggage to the lodge tonight, and one person sleds too, then well put
an extra person in the large bird and the last flight will go in the morning.
There will be no extra charges and everyone thats here will get in tonight.
Perfect! Relief! We would have warm drinks and a meal waiting for Tony.
The flight to Chatter Creek was spectacular, with shafts of
late afternoon sunlight striking the surrounding peaks. In 20 minutes, back on
the ground, we stumbling though the fresh powder to the welcoming door of Vertebrae
Lodge. Eighteen glum-faced skiers and boarders passed us on the way.
After a great tour, no one wanted to leave. Six smiling faces greeted us at the
door. They would get another great meal and an extra night at Vertebrae Lodge,
an unexpected bonus.
Two hours later, Tony arrived, a frozen Michelin
Man. It took a while to thaw him out. Next morning, not long after breakfast, we
heard the familiar sound of an approaching helicopter. The last four were
arriving.
Our group was complete, the weather was clear, there was lots
of fresh snow and our Chatter Creek tour was launched. It turned out to be the
best tour yet!
Travel to Golden is not usually difficult. This was an
infrequent, but very possible case. The roads from the east and the west both go
over high passes, and can pose a problem. The road from the south (Spokane WA)
follows valleys and is rarely closed.
For more information on getting to
Golden for your cat skiing adventure, look at the Getting to Golden page on the Chatter
Creek Web site. Also, the Chatter News photo journal
(http://powder-skiing.blogspot.com) describes all aspects of of cat skiing and
life at Chatter Creek.
About the Author
Lockie Brown lives in Vancouver and skis regularly at Whistler and Blackcomb.
For five years, he has organized snowcat sking tours to Chatter
Creek (http://www.chattercreekcatskiing.com). Before that, he had a
number of trips to Island Lake Lodge near Fernie.
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