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TR: CMH Kootenay - Steep Shots in the Selkirks
Last month, I visited CMH Kootenay in Nakusp, BC to ride with their "Steep Shots and Pillow Drops" program.
SSPD is a little different than the Signature & small group trips, with a focus on getting you on technical entries, chutes and airs, as conditions permit. Naturally, this program attracts a more freeride focused group. Aside from a few March dates at Revelstoke, Kootenay is the primary destination for this program.
The trip started with a flight to Spokane, then a 3 hr drive to Rossland, BC, home of RED Mountain. This was my first time to RED and I was treated to a 11cm powder day above the clouds. Their terrain is quite steep and playful!
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Heading north, you pass by Slocan Lake and the Valhalla Range. As stunning a drive as I can remember:
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After checking in at Arrow Lakes lodge, the "trail map" hinted at the terrain the tenure offers:
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Following the next day's safety briefing, we were all chomping at the bit to fly in the 212, and were quickly whisked away to foggy views of the Selkirks:
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After a warmup run, we started to dip our toes in steeper terrain:
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Knuckles were dragged:
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We flew to multiple valleys, riding steep trees and some chutes, managing 9 runs on a shorter day.
The following morning, we awoke to fog in town, but the airways hinted at clear skies in the alpine. We were the first bird out, and quickly broke the clouds on route to our first run, Wunderbar:
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As a solo rider, it's always a bit risky being dropped in a group, but our crew hit it off from day one and rode hard. New friendships abound!
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We worked our way higher into the alpine. A hair raising landing on Tinkerbell delivered jaw dropping views from the Monashees to the Bugaboos:
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I love technical trees, but getting a clear day in the alpine was a special treat:
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Tinkerbell face, our tracks are coming out of the chute:
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After lunch, the fog took hold of the alpine, and we retreated back to the steep trees for a 12 run day. A beetle kill casualty provided the afternoon's entertainment:
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The evening's entertainment was a different matter:
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The next morning, we experienced our first and only weather hold. Coffee and cards were of little benefit, but we got the call at 12pm to rally to the helipad for an afternoon of runs. 5 steep tree runs and chutes were on tap:
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On our final day, we rose to light snow in town. The storm delivered a great powder day, as well as some of our most challenging runs of the trip:
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A quick lap into the trees, followed by a return to the ridge.
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Straightline and pray
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The Boulder Gash pillows. Time to get creative!
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Playful terrain:
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It wasn't overly deep, but quick slashes delivered you into the white room
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GoPro footage of the heli-fueled shenanigans
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1Ui9kopRRQ
After 4 days of flying, I returned to lowly Denver, daydreaming of a return to RED, Nakusp and other BC interior destinations. This was as memorable of a trip as I could ask for; I'll be back!
If you haven't been on a heli, put it on your list now!
