The onset of winter-proper means that it’s time to review some photo gems from last winter that never saw the light of the internet. These pics are all from last December/January and are a fitting look back at a great start to ski season filled with the ups and downs of an el Nino year. Finger are crossed at the weather gods this year, (looking at you, Griz and Ullr,) and the early signs are hinting at an awesome season. Coverage up high is great, and even Vancouver is blanketed in a white sheath of frozen danger. If this keeps up, I’m going to be spending a lot of days in the white room in the siiiiiiick bay of my office.

Bret staring down Sir Donald, at the top of some seriously deep turns and some incredibly loose route finding.

Fernie crew on the early winter powder harvesting assault of Mt. Proctor.

Proctor ridgewalkers into the grey… where’d all that blue sky go?

Bayden, moments before tumbling headfirst into the stump/tree/alder complex below. Reminder – it’s snowsnake season, so be careful out there folks.

 

Beauty and the Beast.

 

The long walk up Kootenay Pass. Just kidding – access is easy, route finding is hard.

 

Caroline getting into some cold smoke.

 

#10 Broadway to Alma, waaaaay off course somewhere in the backwoods of New Denver.

Choooo-choooooooooo! All aboard the Powder Express!

 

Back in the tall trees of the Selkirks

 

Ridgetop panoramas abound.

 

Look at that clean and fresh hoar!

 

 Skookum.

 

Josh getting dialed in some less than ideal conditions.

 

It’s important to stay refreshed and never drop in before the golden hour. Or in this case, the golden 15 minutes before dark.

 

Kangro showing off his new super sticky ski (SSS) technology, plus the latest in backcountry fashion.

 

Dylan dropping some questionable terrain at dusk.

 

Back down after another successful mission.

 

Goodnight mountains. Goodnight trees.