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| After an incredible trip to the Valhalla lodge last year, we decided that an annual week of powder gluttony needed to be a part of the NCMG schedule. Many of last year's crew returned and we were joined by a few new friends as well. After hearing raves of the hut and the terrain for years, we finally made it to the Powder Creek Lodge in the Purcell mountains, near Nelson B.C. |
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| Our first full day of skiing dawned beautifully clear. Here Larry stands in front of the lodge and gets ready to hear out for the day. |
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| After touring up toward Sugarloaf peak, we got this view looking back at the lodge. |
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| We continued up and had a spectacular tour along Sunrise ridge. Here NCMG office manager Alexa smiles as we head for Jenga peak, the next prominent summit on the ridge. |
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| Touring the ridge was fun, but the cold, new snow below beckoned. We took a quick lap on "Cirque du Soliel" before continuing on toward Jenga. |
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| The run "Jenga" held incredible snow and was a most enjoyable way to get acquainted with the area. Here Carl drops a tele toward the bottom of the run. |
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| Jake finds some room for a fresh line. |
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| In between full days out touring, we enjoyed the luxurious hut. This lodge has thought of almost every detail to make life utterly comfortable. Here custodians Heather and Chris enjoy a moment of down time at the dining room table. Note the lazy susan built into the huge table! |
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| The living room was also quite comfortable. It looks a touch crowded here as I shot this photo shortly before we flew out and our gear is taking up one whole couch. |
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| We had quite the variety of weather on the trip. During storm days we would play in places like "the enchanted forest". Here Ira drops into the north facing basin that somehow would erase our tracks every time we went back. |
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| We got over 50 cm of snow during the week and at times it came down very heavily. As they say in Canada, it was puking toonies! |
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| Within an hour the sun came out and we were getting face shots off of the top of Alberta Knob. Rob gets one here. |
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| After another storm, we got the day we were waiting for. Blue skies, fresh snow and COLD temps. We went across the valley to the North Face and climbed to Grizzly Shoulder. |
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| The touring was spectacular. Here the Powder Creek hut staff climb up the track. |
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| While the touring was good, the skiing was great! Here Andy enjoys the wide open slopes of perfect powder. |
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| Karen and Andy pose on top of Grizzly Shoulder for next year's holiday card. |
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| Jake leaving a trail of cold smoke as he drops down toward Mosquito lake far below. |
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| Skiing in the alpine rarely gets better than this. |
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| Afterwards we were able to relax on the deck of the lodge with a beer and admire our tracks on the North face. |
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Next we poked into a seldom visited area known as "the Attic". to get in to the area, you have to climb through "the trap door". Here NCMG guide Scott Johnston kicks steps up the steep slope to the col.
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| Magically our tracks from the enchanted forest filled in each time we returned. here we ski a shot on the wide open slopes just adjacent to the glades of the forest. |
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We were sorry to go, though we all left feeling quite satiated and even a bit tired!
And yes, we are already planning next years trip......
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