Stellar Days in the Coast Range

The conditions and circumstances that will transpire can never be known when planning a backcountry ski trip months out. Its a bit of an educated roll of the dice, with fingers crossed, relying on seasonal trends. This time around, the stars aligned to grace the Coast Range with cold snow, blue skies, and improving stability for the five days of our mid March plan with great friends.

Calm, quiet mornings full of possibilities followed by planning sessions over warm breakfast and coffee. Getting comfortable with the terrain, snow and ourselves. All the things lining up. Party powder laps full of whoops, an aesthetic loop around a charismatic mountain, a coveted line on a steep north face holding cold deep snow, and a warm cozy hut to come back to every night. We all went home tired, happy and satiated, but of course wanting more. Isn’t that the way.

The Duffey

Friends and acquaintances referred to it like a trusted, inanimate old friend.  Charming, full of the comforting familiar but also the challenging, a partner well capable of providing the raw materials for building lifetime experiences together.  The Duffey.  It's a colloquial reference to the terrain off of Duffey Lake Road around Duffey Lake Provincial Park, just north of Pemberton, B.C.  The terrain in this backcountry skiing mecca is big, open, and varied, the options appear endless, and the access to some of it is relatively straight forward.  A couple of friends made great company for exploring The Duffey for my first time.  One thing is for certain - there is plenty for which to return.