The winter of 2016 is one to remember when it comes to skiing in the Kootenays. After a 2015 season that everyone wants to forget, 2016 came back and totally redeemed winter for us! Fortunately, Henrik Windstedt, Dave Treadway and Matilda Rapaport planned a trip to the heart of powder country for a what looks like an epic trip.

The first half of this video features Valhalla Powdercats. One of the staples of the catskiing world here in BC. Using the latest drone tech combined with some beautiful and effortless skiers makes for some mouth watering viewing.

After a few days of endless powder at Valhalla, they moved a little north up the valley to Kaslo BC - home of Stellar Heliskiing. More snow and sun followed them there. You can really get a sense of the skiers appreciation for the mountains and nature in this part of the world.

Henrick, Dave and Matilda put together an amazing video with the Kootenay region as their co-star. Sadly, the world lost Matilda too soon in an avalanche this summer in Chile. She left a hole in the skiing world but has certainly left her mark as one of skiings best. As the film says, she will be forever missed.

Enjoy this featurette. Get stoked and remember that we are here for such a short while. Enjoy it to the fullest.

It's out live now and you can view it for free online! After 2 years of production and a few teasers thrown our way, Tanner Hall's Ring the Alarm is out for your viewing pleasure. Filmed in locstions like Haines, Lake Tahoe, Mt. Hood, Detroit, Park City, Nelson & Squamish it is a rowdy mix of everything skiing. It really shows off Tanner's versatility as one of the most innovative skiers out there. 

You will also see some snipits from one of Tanner's favofrtie places, Retallack Catskiing. So sit back, grab a cold one and enjoy.

Click here to watch Ring the Alarm

Following up on their hugely successful Balance of Powder film, Island Lake Lodge Catskiing is back with their latest feature film: Winter of Our Content. It is a story of the allure of powder, the power of natures storms, and the joy of skiing the wild backcountry. Island Lake is one of the pioneers of catskiing. It is a place that should be on your bucket list... if you haven't been already. If you haven't, this video should be enough to get you to prioritize your life, call your buds and book your trip.

Watch for the powder shot at 3:08 in the film. So sick...

Enjoy - Winter of Our Content

Skiing and beer are a match made in heaven. These two things have been blended together since the beginning of time (I researched it, go check). Skiing has it's unique culture and so does the exploding craft beer culture. The Kootenays is an epicentre where both of these worlds collide. Between ski days or after shredding light, dry, Kootenay pow, be sure to take in some local flavor along the BC Ale Trail.

Learn more here: https://bcaletrail.ca/ale-trails/kootenay-rockies-west/

In the early 1990s there was one ski resort in China. Today there are over 500. Recently China's sole catskiing operation, Changbaishan Peak, was established. It costs just $85 for a ride to the top. Yes, it is on the border of North Korea and happens to be a volcano, but it is powder right?

In 2022, Beijing will be host to the 2022 Winter Olympics exposing the greater population to skiing. There is even a replica of Jackson Hole two hours from Beijing! It is clear, ski culture is embedding itself in China.

Jordan Manley has done it again with his second installment of A Skier's Journey this season. In A Skier's Journey - China he explores what skiing is to the Chinese people, where it came from and where it is going.

If your head is not clear, it will be clear if you ski. If you have difficulty breathing because of smog, it will be better if you ski.

Enjoy this peek into the burgeoning ski culture in the World's most populace country. Who knows, one day we may be booking catskiing trips to China.

Island Lake Catskiing is one of those legendary places. I had a poster on my wall as a kid. Scot Schmit ripping pow at this magical place that only existed in my dreams. A place to aspire to visit. Bucket list type of adventure. 

A few years back they released a short ski film called Balance of Powder. It fueled the desire to visit there. Now today they have released the trailer for their latest ski flick called Winter of Our Content. If it is anything like Balance of Powder, it is sure to be incredible. 

Stay tuned for the full release coming this Fall. 

Is predicting the weather science, art or a dangerous game of darts?

Every year we are bombarded with rhetoric from the trusted weather predictors about what kind of snow season will be bestowed upon us powder junkies. We all just got over the emotional rollercoster of ol' Punxsatawney Phil and his prediction on the whether early Spring cometh or if we will be plunged back into a pow filled winter for another six weeks.

*Actual farmer

Now it is the NOAA (The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) we are entrusting with the prediction of the winter to be. With a name like that, they sound like they should know what is happening. Back in the summer while we were re-hydrating with micro brew, the braintrusts at the NOAA opened up the magic box and told us it was going to be a banger La Nina follow up to the El Nino season we just had. We saw charts, read articles, heard from experts and generally bought into what they were selling.

I mean, look at this chart below. I'd believe that. It is sciencey looking.

Then about six weeks later (friend's of Phil I think) they yanked the carpet out from under us and said, "PSYCH! La Nina isn't coming". And there we sat, wallowing in self pity. Like a pimply teenager whose been stood up for prom...again. No winter. Only rain. Warmth. Depression. Nothing.

But today is a new day! Skiers everywhere rejoice. The NOAA has come out from hiding and told us that the wicked temptress La Nina has a 70% chance of returning. They have re-calibrated there weather predicting machine and are back on to promoting a winter full of powder dreams. A 70% chance anyways. There is still that pesky 30% hanging out there like the guy you didn't invite to the party. We will call him the 30% scape goat if things don't go as planned.

The west coast is getting hammered with a fierce weather system as I type this. The alpine passes are piling up with snow. Resort webcams are being loaded with hits with the powder afflicted checking all day while they should be at work or school. Ski sales have spiked. Tire shops are over run with tire change overs. Ski movies are being watch and people are generally stoked. This news is a welcome message to get us through this purgatory we call Fall. 

We skiers are collectively praising the NOAA once again. Or are we? Or are these guys just full of it. Time will tell. I'm going to play darts.

No more cramming your gear and your buddies into a little rental car. Now you can travel in luxury from the Spokane Airport right to Baldface Lodge. They have purchased a brand new Mercedes tour bus complete with cush leather seating and tv screens. So you can land, get picked up like the rock star you are, put your seat back and take in some vintage snowboard flicks. 

Reservations are required and it does cost $150 each way. But hey, you can't put a price on luxury.

To learn more check out the Baldface website or call 250-352-0006.

Photo: Baldface Loadge website

A cool feature video on what makes Fernie BC a classic ski town. Located along the Powder Highway, Fernie is home to Fernie Alpine Resort, Fernie Wilderness Adventures Catskiing and Island Lake Catskiing. You could say it is a little epicenter of awesome.