Some wild over the head snowboarding at FWA (Fernie Wilderness Adventures). These guys know how to get after it. Hitting all the features and getting deep, these guys look like they had the time of their lives. A well pridcued vid too. I especially like the ending with that rad little snowcat!

Enjoy.

Winter is here. Most of the major ski hills in BC are open. Everyday the snowcat operators are reporting on their road building. Like many of you, we are obsessed with gear and couldn't wait to pick up our new set of skis from Skevik Skis. We didn't go to the store though. Not even the distributor. We went right to their birthplace. The Skevik factory located in Vernon BC (very close to many catskiing and heliskiing operators!) 

We have skied the Skevik Anton before and love it. It is great to have a pair to round out our quiver. But there is something different about this pair. I am not sure if it is the stunning new Pell graphic or if the guys at Skevik are becoming masters at their craft. When I first picked up the Antons from the rack right outside the pressing room I was struck by the quality of the finishing. The bases are incredible. I have been in and around the ski business since the mid 90s and haven't seen factory bases this nice in a while. 

The fact that we know the guys who made these skis personally and that we were able to pick them up from where they were made just adds to the allure of Skevik. The independent ski manufacturing world has really progressed and we are excited to find out what interesting new designs Skevik will come up with this season. In the meantime, we have to get these new Antons mounted up and ready for our first trip. 

Here is a shiny gallery before we mount them up:

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For more on Skevik, go here: www.skevikskis.com

Our very brief but to the point video review of the Skevik Anton:

As the ski hills around British Columbia start the process of opening, it means that catskiing is just around the corner! As I sit here at the computer, constantly checking the forecast and willing it to keep snowing, a cold front is pushing through and dropping nighttime temps to below -20 Celsius. If there is one thing that will get you thinking about warm clothes, it’s that first blast of winter and being outside wearing something suited more for your fall adventures.

This is where I turn my mind to a good insulating jacket, something with loft. I have a number of down jackets, and they are great, but they have their “down” sides (hahah, ahhh….. nevermind). Stink and loss of performance when wet are just a couple things that make you consider the conditions when using your puffy coat. New from Icebreaker this year is MerinoLOFT, bringing the goodness and multipurpose of merino wool to the insulated loft jacket world.

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The MerinoLOFT Helix jacket, shown here in green, is made with a re-purposed highly insulating wool loft for extra warmth when you need it. A recycled polyester exterior sheds the snow flakes, and a merino lining maximizes the good feeling and minimizes the stink. That is always a big plus for the sweaty types like us that don’t want to a smell like we just joined a non-showering hippie revolution. Throw in some cool features like internal wrist gussets and a shaped hooded for when the cold and snow pushes in, and you’re all set.

Taking it up a notch, the MerinoLOFT Ranger Jacket is a blend of outdoor function and urban style. Still the high performance of merino wool, but in a package that you can dress up and take out on the town. We have a review on that coming shortly...

Check out the full line of new Icebreaker MerinoLOFT products for yourself and then get out on the snow!

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As ski season draws nearer we, like most skiers, turn our attention to gear. If we can't ski yet we might as well be looking at, talking about, buying and generally driving our significant other nuts over gear. Today we got a little gift from Mr. Postman in the form or two fresh sets of skis from Rocky Mountain Underground - RMU. We haven't skied on anything from RMU in the past so we are very eager to get out and give these a whirl. 

In our possession is a set of The Whole Enchilada and a set of The Professors. We will be testing, reviewing and shooting pics of these skis this season so stay tuned. 

Until then, take a cruise on down to your local ski shop and share in the early season waiting pain with the fellow skiers, it is only a few more days here in BC!

Check out the RMU line up here: http://www.rockymountainunderground.com/

The RMU Whole Enchilada:

148 | 156 | 132 | 148 | 140

The RMU Professor:

146 | 120 | 136

We tested the new Rossignol Soul 7 last season at the Big White Powder Ski test and were impressed. The new air tip core really makes a difference to the weight and nimbleness of the ski. We are fans and you will be to, especially if you win a pair. All you have to do is click the link and enter.

Enter Here:

www.freshair.ca/rossignol-giveaway

We are now on Instagram! Come on over and check us out and get your regular pow fix. We will be posting the best of the best from our travels around the Catskiing world here in beautiful British Columbia. 

Get the App and Click the link:

http://instagram.com/catskiingcanada

Well this looks pretty awesome. Lots of deep, deep BC coast pow just outside of Whistler. Get the goods with Powder Mountain Catskiing and Heliskiing and ride above all those lift lines. Powder Mountain offers day trips from Whistler either by cat or heli depending on how many loonies you have in your piggy bank. 

Here are your instructions:

1. Watch video

2. Get super stoked

3. Book a trip

4. Go on said trip

5. Brag to all your friends. 

Learn more about Powder Mountain Catskiing. here >>>

We all got together last night to check out the new MSP / Red Bull ski flcik Days of My Youth. There were some pretty wild scenes in the movie but this compilation of James Heim pretty much sums it up. Filled with some serious pow, steeps and hits. 

Ed Guzman surfing the deep pow at White Grizzly Catskiing.

Besides the epic powder and mountain vistas, one of the biggest highlights of catskiing is the people you meet and the friends you make. Whether you ski one day, or spend the whole week in the lodge with a group, you always go away with new connections and memories.

On our trip to White Grizzly Catskiing Last December, we were riding and staying with a group of people that had been coming to Meadow Creek for years. We had never been there before, so our first night (before any skiing) with group was full of stories of old trips and terrain features that you don't want to miss. As the conversation drifted on, we found out that one couple form California, are big time surfers and Ed runs a surf school in Santa Cruz.

Ed asks us, "do you want to see some pictures of my surfing"? Of course we did, and when he pulled them out we were blown away. Not only is Ed a life long surfer, he has ridden the biggest waves in the world with some of the biggest names in the surfing industry. To make a skiing comparison, it would be like going surfing and realizing you're hanging out with Scott Schmidt, Glen Plake or Mike Hattrup.

Ed's passion was almost inevitable when you look at his past. Ed's Grandmother Dorothy Becker was the first woman to perform a headstand on a surfboard in 1915. She was even taught how to surf by David Kahanamoku, the brother of the Duke himself. After that, he went on to surf all over the world and now teach people of all ages how to surf. Check out Club Ed for yourself if you ever think you'd want to go for a surf school experience.

Just one of the many cool stories about people you meet, and the social aspect of catskiing. I guess when you put 12 skiers and riders together in a backcountry lodge, closeness is bound to happen!

Next time you are in the Santa Cruz area, check out Club Ed Surf School

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Watch Ed and Pato Surf Cold Slab. When it's that cold you might as well come ride snow up here in BC!