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!