“I travel huge distances around the globe and in foolish winter conditions to get my fix, spending an insane amount of time and money for a few short minutes of bliss. My name is Andrew and I have a serious addiction to powder.”
Andrew Manuel – CASI Snowboard Instructor – Head of TTR Operations in Canada and New Zealand
The magic mix of weather and seemingly unlimited terrain makes western Canada one of, if not the best backcountry destinations in the World. This is my guide to making sure you get your fix of the white gold this winter.
The best way to ensure you experience the powder dream is to move to the mountains and do a winter season. You have access to lifts and a steady supply of storms bringing you the goods. Once you get to know the resort, you might start to venture into the backcountry, to push your boundaries of snow exploration and powder riding. A few years back I started down the pathway to become a backcountry snowboard guide. I want to ensure our Ticket to Ride powder operations in Banff are better geared at getting our riders into the wilderness, whether they join us for one week or the whole winter.
When heading out of bounds in the Canadian backcountry simply getting to the top is half the fun and there are many ways to do this.
Ski Touring/ Split boarding
Touring gives you the ultimate freedom to move around in the mountains. Originally created as a way for early humans to hunt and travel in the winter, ski touring is essentially strapping some planks to your feet and putting something on the base of your skis to make them slide forward but not backwards, allowing you to walk uphill with ease. For the snowboarders among us you can now get around as easy as skiers thanks to the advances in splitboard technology. Essentially a board that splits into two skis for climbing then snaps back together so you can ride down the way the snowboard gods intended.
Snowmobiling
With the vast amounts of terrain and length of the Canadian winter it’s no surprise the snowmobile was a Canadian invention. The advances in sled technology have turned them from a simple method of transport, into your passport to backcountry awesomeness with vehicles now able to climb some seriously steep terrain. The sheer distance these beasts can travel in a day is mind-blowing, opening up way more area than touring alone and when you combine the two methods you can reach some extremely remote lines.
You really need to know what you’re doing when heading out snowmobiling for a day and keep in mind that you would be more likely to trigger an avalanche than a skier alone with the added weight of the machine. You also want to make sure your mechanic skills are on point and you have the gear with you to sort out any breakdowns. Losing your transportation 100kms away from civilisation in the Canadian winter is not a scenario you want to get yourself into. I strongly recommend hiring a guide who is a certified avalanche professional as well as a good sled mechanic.
Cat Skiing
Take a piste groomer, slap a cabin on the back, fill it with your friends and go ride some pow! Cat ski companies all operate on their own private land so you know you’re the only people riding your lines.
While starting to get expensive, cat skiing is in my opinion, great value for money. You get a full day guaranteed, regardless of the weather, and if you’re an efficient rider you can get a lot of laps in. Vast patches of terrain mean endless lines and you have some say in which ones you get to ride. Having the cabin on the back of the cat is a great way to get around, think of it as a private VIP box on wheels. You can take your gear off, eat lunch, blast tunes and watch the crash reel on your camera. Next thing you know you’re back at the top ready to go again. A day of cat skiing comes with two guides so you know you’re in good hands and get great local knowledge. Packed lunches are a great bonus and the food quality is often way of choosing which operation to go with, right now KPOW in Kananaskis country take the prize with homemade soups and cookies.
Heli Skiing
This is definitely the pinnacle of backcountry riding, having your own private helicopter to take you to completely un-ridden mountains. This is going to be one of the most memorable days of your life.
Thanks to the speed of the chopper, if you are willing to drop some serious dollar the amount riding you can do is insane. Heli skiing was created in Canada and one look at the terrain from above and it’s easy to see why. With Canada hosting the world’s most accessible and best backcountry riding it’s no coincidence that so many people make the global pilgrimage to Canada to get their heli powder fix.
Ticket to Ride has options to get into the backcountry using any method you choose but be careful if you decide to join us, it’s going to be the start of a very serious addiction.
Safety First
Backcountry can give you your best days of skiing ever, but have no doubt it is a dangerous and deadly place to those lacking the knowledge to travel safely. Here are some steps to safely getting your foot into the backcountry door.
– Gain Some Knowledge; take an avalanche course or two to better understand the hazards of the backcountry and learn how to minimise the risk
– Get the gear; fill your pack with avalanche safety gear including a shovel, probe, transceiver, first aid kit and emergency supplies. Carrying them is one thing but if you need to know how to use the gear, get out into the snow and practice
– Learn the terrain and weather; Get out your maps and charts and learn about the conditions in your area. Having a great idea of the mountains and their challenges as well as expected weather conditions is going to help keep you out of avoidable trouble
– Start Small; any first backcountry mission should be easy and kept as safe as possible. All of my first missions started from the chairlift at Lake Louise and were kept insight of the resort, just get out and become familiar with the process close to home
– Follow a guide; Banff is home to a high concentration of the world’s best guides. Get some friends and book one for a few days; they will be able to share knowledge to keep you out of trouble and show you some of the best riding around.
