Finding your line @ FWA (Fernie Wilderness Adventures) Catskiing

Andre Bloemink @ FWA (Fernie Wilderness Adventures) Catskiing / Photo: David Couse

“I remember the day this was shot, David came up to me with the biggest grin I have seen. This is huge because the guy is always smiling and stoked, but this was a smile on steroids. He grabbed Andre the guide and myself and we stood over his shoulder and looked at this photo. It had captured a bit of magic for both of them, it WAS the line and the moment.”

Finding the line. The one that you replay all off season. You know exactly what I mean.

Everyone does it. We are constantly scouring the spaces between trees, beside a run little spaces to ensure our skis or snowboards “find only virgin turns”. I think its part artform part experience and a good portion of luck. That said, I feel and swear that some people just have the “powder sense”. Surfing can be the same way, some people without any indications on the horizon know to paddle to the horizon when a sneaker set is ripping in. In the backcountry while Catskiing you need not put those instincts hard to work, however, there is this next level of sense. “Finding THE line”.

“Every once in a while, perhaps only a few times a season, we all nail it. The perfect line, the best choice using the terrain slope and angles only to improve the turns and hits we take. Its as if we are possessed and when its over, its like we knew that something special just happened”

Backcountry Catskiing I think just puts you in the best possible position for those magical moments. You have more space. A bigger powder canvas to draw your turns on. A guided leader to point out features that are out of your eyes reach. A Fresh pair of legs rested and ready to push your line to the next level. I am talking about “The Line”.

Sure, each time you go Catskiing you get fresh turns, but every once in a while you just have that magical line like a perfect line drive with your golf ball genltly placed on the green. You shanked all season but had fun, then you nail it. Its this perfection that stays in our minds and keeps us coming back for more.

scott