This is the moment you recount again and again, to anyone who will listen at bars, over dinner, and around campfires. People may be sick of hearing about it, but you find it creeping into conversations over and over.
This is the best ski run of your life.
I hit my high-water mark in mid-January, at Baldface Lodge outside of Nelson, British Columbia, high in the Selkirk Range.
A cross, dedicated to the late Canadian snowboarding legend Craig Kelly, overlooks the cat skiing operation of Baldface Lodge.
In some sort of skier’s divine intervention, the conditions lined up perfectly. Ten centimeters of snow fell two days before we arrived, then 15 centimeters the following day – all on top of a 6-foot base with great stability. This part of Canada is often socked in during the winter, but for some reason, the sun decided to show its face on this day.
My adrenaline was jacked as we stood at the top of Baldface Peak.
The author fresh out of the “white room” PHOTO BY ADRIAN MORIN
The high summits of multiple provincial parks poked their heads above the ever-shifting clouds snaking through the valleys below.
Then we see our line.
Beneath the tips of my skis, more than 2,000 feet of virgin snow lay from the top to the valley floor. I feel as if I’d dreamt of this before, but now the wind is cold, the sun is bright, and I am actually here.
The view from the front of Baldface Lodge OUTLAW PARTNERS PHOTO
We drop in, rapidly gaining speed. The west face of Baldface Peak shows itself,as a completely untouched canvas below. At the same time that I want to make small, jumpy powder turns, the urge to open up the throttle and make sweeping giant slalom turns overtakes me.
We are ripping now.
On every turn, champagne powder snow blasts my face and blows over my shoulders. I laugh, yell, and have an ice cream headache. My beard is caked in snow from trips in and out of “the white room.”
Sun, snow, sun, snow, sun, snow – it’s the dreamy repetition of a skier’s cadence.
I’m not sure if time actually slows down, but it seems to last forever. The next thing I know, I’m at the bottom of the peak, looking up at over 2,300 feet of the mountain I just danced with. I can pick out my tracks, right from the top to where I now stand.
I’m sweating, out of breath, laughing, joyously cursing, high fiving and in complete amazement.
When replaying the day at the lodge that evening, a longtime Baldface skier quipped, “You may have different runs than that, but you will never have better runs than that.”
With incredible snow stacking up throughout the Northern Rockies, I hope you get to ski the best run of your life this winter.
The lodge illuminated and wearing a fresh coat of Canadian powder OUTLAW PARTNERS PHOTO
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by GAS for ride information.
Time
July 15 (Monday) 6:00 pm - September 23 (Monday) 6:00 pm
Hike Big Sky is a FREE guided hike for our community and visitors alike. A different trail will be featured each Monday at 9 a.m. Visit BSCO.org for trail description
Event Details
Hike Big Sky is a FREE guided hike for our community and visitors alike. A different trail will be featured each Monday at 9 a.m. Visit BSCO.org for trail description information. Please wear layers, bring water and snacks. Bear spray recommended.
Time
July 22 (Monday) 9:00 am - September 23 (Monday) 12:00 pm
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by
Event Details
Bike Big Sky is a FREE community mountain biking group with BSCO and Gallatin Alpine Sports. Meet at posted locations at 6 p.m. Monday evenings. Visit BSCO.org or swing by GAS for ride information.
Time
July 22 (Monday) 6:00 pm - September 30 (Monday) 6:00 pm
Join Santosha, BASE and Gourmet Gals to bring you a donation based all levels community yoga lunch break class every Wednesday throughout the summer. It will be
more
Event Details
Join Santosha, BASE and Gourmet Gals to bring you a donation based all levels community yoga lunch break class every Wednesday throughout the summer. It will be taught by a variety of teachers from Santosha and BASE. This summer all proceeds will go to Big Sky Band-Aid, aside from the first one on the 26th that is happening during Pride week- all funds donated for that class will go to Big Sky OUT. A delicious lunch will also be served by Gourmet Gals following our practice each Wednesday (included in donation). You are welcome to donate with cash at the event or you can Venmo @Santoshabigsky and make a note for Community Yoga. Hope to see you in the Park!
Time
July 24 (Wednesday) 12:00 pm - September 23 (Monday) 1:00 pm