I eat, sleep, and breathe skiing and if you’re reading this you probably do too. I’ve learned that every day spent on snow is a good day, no matter the context. Skiing is my identity and in this introduction, I’ll call it ‘Episode I’ of my series ‘Ski Days Beat No Days’ . Episode by Episode I’ll recount my experiences on snow that have shaped the person I have become.
I grew up skiing at a small, icy bump in southern Ontario called Devil’s Elbow. With 110 fierce vertical meters, I skied to the point of exhaustion every weekend from the age of three to 16. From the first chair, until the lifties were packing up. I skied with my friends, my team, and my family, and Devil’s Elbow became my second home. I knew nothing else, just the freedom and satisfaction of skiing. I didn’t know there were mountains with gondolas, mid-stations, multiple lifts, and kilometres to ski. I had a lot to learn.
Fast forward, I have found my way around the world and today I am set to begin my tenth season as a ski instructor. As a university student in Canada, gigs as a ski instructor provided pocket money and time on the snow while struggling through a busy school schedule. Upon graduation, being just another lost undergrad student with no plan, I knew I belonged in the mountains. So, I packed up my Canadian life to travel and work as a ski instructor in Japan, Australia, and Germany. These countries are so amazingly different in their own ways, as you’ll discover throughout the ‘Ski Days Beat No Days’ series.
As an instructor, I am on snow every day. I know, it sounds incredibly glamorous, but there can be difficult days too. The majority of us ski instructors predominantly spend time in the beginner area, or more specifically “kids land”. Watching others rip past can stir feelings of envy as the only burn in my legs comes from hours in a snow plow. Creativity, flexibility, and positivity are necessary to help allow the student to develop skills and confidence simultaneously. The learning curve varies for every individual but when I am there to witness the flame for the sport ignite, I feel that I am the lucky one.
As we’ve all noticed the ski industry has been massively affected by COVID-19. For me, it hit in two separate ways. Traveling back to Australia to teach bounced off the table, which came as a huge disappointment. Now I’m sitting in Garmisch, Germany with static chairlifts, locked down with no way to get up the hill but with my own two legs. When the first snowfall hit, it was time to strap the skis to my back and boot pack up. I have never been into touring, but earning my turns brings a new feeling of satisfaction and the only possible way for skiers in Europe to enjoy the early season snow.
I could write about all of the “best days ever”, the goggle deep powder days, the feeling of pure freedom or the best friends I’ve made along the way, but that would make this article too long. Follow my series to learn more about my experiences around the world. From the baby bumps, to the hard hikes, to the magic moments come rain or shine, no matter how cold my toes get or wet my layers become, with skis on my feet, and snow on the ground, I’m the happiest person I could be. There are no better days than snowy ones.
I almost died. On Wednesday the 11th January 2023, I was caught in an avalanche. …
Breaking news concerning the sale of Glen Mountain:The Sale to Peter White has fallen through.Today,…
Editor's note: Since this article was published following the purchase agreement on August 22nd, the…
I have a friend who often tells me, “In Montana there are three things we’re…
Not too long ago, while cruising teamusa.org I came upon Karen Price’s interesting piece about…
I may add to this article as time creaks by... but for now, here's something…