CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING

Cross-country Skiing is my one true passion.  It feels like magic when I get the right wax on my skis and head off down a trail in a winter wonderland.

The view of Vancouver from Cypress Mountain.

The Tantalus Range near Squamish.

My little Honda Civic never failed to get us to the trails.

The old lodge at Diamond Head.

I met a wonderful person many years ago in the ski club and we have been married for 37 years.  We brought up our two children to respect and love the outdoors.

Monica, skiing on Callaghan Lake, is an excellent companion on any outdoor adventure. 

Skiing into Callaghan Lake near Whistler.  The Black Tusk is in the distance.

I joined the Pathfinders outdoor club about 40 years ago and we went to many places that are no longer wild as civilization has now encroached.  Those were the best times of my life as I discovered a whole new world.

Winter camping can be fun if you are properly prepared.

A view of Howe Sound and Squamish from the trail to Diamond Head.

 Citizen ski marathons in the Cariboo are challenging but best shared with friends.

You have to re-hydrate or you are going to suffer over the course of the race.

Fun & Frolic end of season games with other clubs at Mt. Baker.   Then we head down to the valley for a BBQ and some cheap american beer.

Skiing with kids is not too difficult if you plan for it

First there was daughter, Laura...

.....and then along came Darren.

I feel so privileged to be born in this awesome country and to have known so many fine people.

Heliski the Black Tusk

For a number of years, I took 20 skiers heliskiing into Garibaldi Park.  We would drop off at the Black Tusk and spend the better part of the day skiing into the valley below. 

 

On one trip, I first dropped off our packs at the far end of Garibaldi Lake and flew up to the Black Tusk to meet the other skiers.  

After the long ski down to the lake the other skiers hiked out and four of us skied three miles across the lake in brilliant sunshine to a cabin where we spent the night and had a prepared meal of Coq au vin along with warm Gluhwein from a big cardboard cask along with cinnamon sticks.  The ski across the lake was just awesome.  Gunther took a photo of Monica and I that he later had placed in a calendar.

  

I was recently given photos of the very first test trip to the Black Tusk back in the mid 1970's with three other members of the ski club.  The four of us left the helicopter pad at Whistler and landed next to the Tusk not knowing just what we were getting into and whether it would be a good trip for club members one day.  There are only a few photos of some very excited skiers but we proved that we could run this trip for the club.  It took a few years till we really honed our skills and wardrobe.

 

These heliski trips were some of our favourite memories of bygone years.