Good times cat skiing at Backcountry Snowcats, January 6 & 7, 2008. 

Bit of a late post, but better late than never. At the start of this epic storm cycle we've been having, a huge posse of us (9 I think) headed up the Duff, I mean Duffey Lake Road, for some deeeeep backcountry shredding. A few hour skin up one of our favourite spots led to a wide open, juicy, chute. Slid a bit up top, then opened up for some fast, wide open turns.

Here's a quick and super random video from the day. Doesn't do it any justice, but pretend you're getting the faceshots...

For lunch break we went to check out the new Lodge we'd heard about in the area, only to have the surprise of the weekend. Knocking twice on the door, nobody answered. After a 3rd attempt, a grumpy dude opened the door and quite bluntly explained that it was a private hut. Then tried to make chit chat about what lines we were skiing to change the subject.

RIIIIGHT. A private hut, on public land, cold chillin' right on the lake shore of a ski touring spot that's accessed from the road within an hour. Make that 5 minutes on a sled. Pretty sure it's a memorial hut for someone we have many friends in common with, but hey, guess it's a selfish memorial? Anywho, love to see how long that lasts in an obvious location at a popular ski touring spot that just got published in a travel guide, and soon a ski touring book.

Check it... looks like CRH is applying for a Heliski tenure to that encompasses many rad backcountry skiing areas accessed off the Duffey Lake Road. I'm guessing it's more for the deeper terrain further from the road, but wouldn't hurt to cut the ski touring areas out of the tenure, as per John Baldwin's suggestion in his letter below. I think he sums it up pretty well so here it is...

Chillin' on Mt Currie

Quick vid from the Mt Currie heli drop. The camera was stuck with me, the sick guy, so the photos are better, and well the real thing was waaaaaay better. Enjoy. 

You'd think it would be hard to blur some of my best & worst ski memories into one day, but a heli drop on Mt Currie while trying to kick some weird virus/flu is just the way to do it. Strolling through the heli pad parking lot on a brisk -18 morning probably wasn't the best way to kick my cold, but Mt Currie awaited.

Pencil chute on Mt Currie. Jordan Manley photo.