Great Canadian Pow

We’ve had two days of heli-skiing out here in BC with Great Canadian – so far, I’d have to say good with some punctuated moments of greatness. There was a lot more tree skiing than I’ve experienced at other operations, but also some more opportunities to get the skis off the ground and some pretty fantastic snow. Stability and weather definitely dictates where we're able to go, but the way they operate here puts everyone at the same LZ, so it’s not just the people in your bird that limit you, but realistically everyone in house. That said we were able to poke around for some fun, steep and pillowy terrain when we were put in the right zones. Our guide Al(lison) has been really good to us, and knew where to point us when the zone  accommodated. When we arrived two days ago it was snowing – it continued lightly here at Heather Mountain Lodge through the night, not a huge accumulation down low, but was enough up in the zone to make it really fun. Weather both days was in and out, but the pilots here did an amazing job of getting us up and down. My body is tired and the knee is speaking to me, so they must be doing it right.

Two things for certain:

• Canadian pow is the goods

• Helicopters are awesome

One more day, tomorrow, then off to Revelstoke where we will meet Dave, Ari and a handful of folks. So far, great trip and another just fantastic stop along the #radicalsabbatical.

One of the birds getting put away for the evening

Arrived to with some precip falling – good for skiing, bad for flying

Guys ready to fly – me with Dan, Brandon & Potts

Birds up

And birds out

Managed to find some smooth, deep and sometimes steep stuff

Even a drop or two

Bird coming in for a landing and p/u

Dan with a nice view of the Selkirk Mountains

Dan cranking some turns

These machines just never get old

Lunch views in the Selkirks

Our lovely pilot, Cathy, coming in for a somewhat technical landing

A landing which afforded us some pillow lines

Followed by more pillows

Our token snowboarder Brandon making some nice turns

And finding a little air

It is a winter of mountains for me and I just can't get enough of the views

Some happy boys on the way home

And the bird winds down for the day

Lots of shoes in house

Our return to base is obviously celebrated with a ski shot – Potts is just a little too eager

But we all join him