Stories

Partnerships in business can be win-win if you’re willing to work with what you think is your competition. The end goal should be to increase the sport of ski touring and helping to ensure the customers win with strategic partnerships. We have been fortunate to partner with skimo.co for knowledge and advice for boot fitting, mounting and equipment.

By Kieran Crimeen

A couple of weeks back Joel got a heads up from one Andrew Wexler aka The Best Skier On The Mountain that he should check out Commonwealth Couloir. This was a line I’d put on my ‘never even consider’ list so I was apprehensive to say the least. Still, Joel has a winning smile and it’s hard to say no to the guy so we went up for a look.

We were stymied at the first cliff band by snow, rock, spindrift and a general lack of ability. Retreat was the only option but the fires in the Temple of Stoke had been, well, stoked.

By Kieran Crimeen

A high pressure system poked its nose in on the tail end of some snow so the weekend looked like a great time to head up to the Columbia Icefields area and have another go at the Skyladder.

After agreeing to leave Canmore at some stupid hour (1.45 for those interested) I went to sleep fidgeting nervously because a) it’s an intimidating route and b) the Backcountry Alpha aka Peter Knight would be in attendance. We howled up the Parkway, nearly losing a wheel that wasn’t bolted on properly and got underway at 4.30. I crushed the approach, dropping Joel and Peter for at least 20 seconds before they caught up and had me puffing to keep them in sight.

We are well into renovations for our new space at 906 Bow Valley Trail. It’s great to be able to say that 8 days after getting the keys. Scott and Nicole, my brother and sister-in-law came in last minute to help with renovations and we were so thankful to get a big head start and some great knowledge on ‘how tos’ from them. I guess that is what we can say about so many things since we started this idea to where we are now. We are grateful for the community that is out there to help and give great advice.

In the autumn of 1995 the north face of Mount Robson was finally skied. With little fanfare and no media presence, Ptor Spricenieks and Troy Jungen, from Whistler, walked to the mountain, climbed to its summit and the descended the giant face. (...) Spricenieks recalled, "We dropped in right off the summit and it was really, really, really, really steep and really, really big and we were way scared. It was great." Quoted from Powder Pioneers by Chic Scott