THE cool, crisp air felt fresh as it reached my lungs.
My friend Matt and I kept a steady pace as we climbed through the trees at one of our secret stashes near Pemberton.
Suddenly the trees opened up to reveal the amazing backdrop of the Coast Mountain Range. Peaks reached to the sky in every direction and a thick blanket of powder snow covered them nicely.
We used our G3 Alpine Ski Touring equipment to reach the untouched slopes. Bindings that release at the heel allowed us to walk, and skins on the bottom of our skis made it impossible for us to slide backwards while giving us nice glide forwards.
As we reached the top, we both peeled our skins off, switched our Onyx bindings to ski mode and added a few layers of clothing. Matt's smile said it all and soon we were floating through 25 centimetres of beautiful powder hooting and hollering all the way to the bottom.
On the climb back up we chatted about life and how lucky we are to have so many areas like this to enjoy and get away from the crowded ski lifts. Once a track up has been established, the climb is quite efficient and we only stopped for a few delicious snacks and also to enjoy the spectacular views.
Ski touring is a great way to experience the outdoors and find untouched powder since it seems to be gone so quickly at resorts.
The terrain is limitless and you can head out for the day or link several areas together for a full-on adventure.
However, in the backcountry you must be knowledgeable and prepared with your own safety systems in case something goes wrong. Avalanches are a reality out there, but with the proper training and skills anyone can enjoy those areas.
The biggest challenge you have to teach yourself is to leave certain dangerous slopes for another day. This is easier said then done as on a beautiful day when everything is so spectacular it's hard to turn and say: "No, not today."
This is one reason why I travel with only like-minded individuals who work off facts not ego as the latter will get you killed quickly out here where Mother Nature rules. Many people wonder why people head off into the backcountry since bad things can happen. For those people, I'd like to point out that there is also a chance of dying in a car on your way to work but people still get in their cars and drive to work.
If you're into snowshoeing, skiing or snowboarding, or any other backcountry adventure, make sure you arm yourself with an avalanche skills course and aim to learn something each day you're out (www. avalanche.ca).
Learn to use the proper avalanche safety gear - probe, shovel, avalanche transceiver and avalanche airbag - so you can help in the case of an emergency. But the most important thing to manage is yourself and what you're capable of and if at any time you don't feel good about something, turn back!
For me, the backcountry is a beautiful place I can enjoy with amazing friends and some of Mother Nature's true gifts!
Adventurer Dave Norona hopes you find that magical place you enjoy and get there as much as possible. His trips are supported by Genuine Guide Gear, Columbia Sportswear and Powerbar.
