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Published: March 25th 2006
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The Terrain at Fairy Meadows.
Flying into Fairy Meadows and the Terrain we'll enjoy for the week. We arrived home from Lima at 11 am on Wednesday the 8th and left Vancouver on the morning of the 10th to drive to Revelstoke to make our helicopter flight into Fairy Meadows Hut. We won't bore you with the details, but the 48 hours that we spent in Vancouver may be the most productive (i.e. frantic) time in either of our lives. The transition from a nice warm and comfortable climate in South America to below freezing temps in the Northern Selkirks might sound like an odd choice for some folks, but we were both jumping for joy as we had yet to put in any turns this winter.
We met several friends at the heli pad and some new folks that would be friends by weeks end. Our group of twenty included folks from Smithers, Nelson, Pemberton, and Vangroovy, which proved to be an excellent mix.
The flight in was fantastic as it was a blue bird day and we could see what seemed like forever. Boxes of food, kegs of beer, and sleeping bags were moved into the cabin in short order as everyone wanted to get a run in (or two) before it got dark.
Groups paired off and went in different directions to place their almost silent S's in the snow. They were silent except for all the hooting and hollaring that could be heard echoing off the solid granite walls and surrounding peaks of Sentinel, Pioneer, and others yet unnamed.
Upon returning to the cabin folks went through the motions, what was to become a nightly routine, of hangin' skins and boot liners to dry by the fires and commencing to 'rehydrate' for the next day. Of course rehydrating meant drinking 2 pints of beer to 1 pint of water. For others (Lothar) that meant only beer as water is for those city wimps. After a few rounds of rehydration, rousing games of Cranium or Jenga (JENGA!) would start around the tables, the volume of which would always rise in proportion to the number of “rehydration” (and “blue-bag” depending on the crowd) rounds that had taken place. And of course there was the sauna 😊 After sweating all day we'd grab a pint (for rehydration of course) and head down the snowy steps, pass the pee trees, to sweat some more. A few more adventures types would rise their body temperatures to
First run of the week !
How's that for your first run of the ski season! the point of almost boiling... then rush outside for a swan dive or snow angel (or two) in the fluffy white gold.
Of course there was the nightly meal. Like a silent auction different groups had plotted for days, and others weeks (it seemed) for their moment to shine. The bidding was fierce with each group attempting to out-bid the taste buds of their fellow skiers each night by serving up tasty appy's, juicy and savoury main dishes, and sweet desserts. Meals ranged from organic stews of beef and chilli, to savoury seafood dishes of teriyaki salmon and clam pasta. The all-important dessert left no sweet tooth unfulfilled; how could they with strawberry short cake (with whip cream) and chocolate tort on the menu! Bellies went to bed over-stuffed (chilli night was dangerous), only to be worked off during the following day’s ski tour, which (of course) necessitated a refuelling the following evening. What a cycle of gluttony! Man, do we ever have it good!
The last week of winter also brought a birthday (Graeme a.k.a Kiss Rock Star in St. Paddy's Day Green) and St. Patrick’s Day, both occasions worth rehydrating for. Even with all of our
Snow Shadows.
A Group of skiers in the snow mist. hydrating there was concern that beer would be flown out from the hut. Thanks to several folks down at the heli pad, on our fly-out day we made desperate work on the final key and managed to crank it to almost empty. A few valiantly tapped in directly to the key (i.e., nozzle in mouth, somebody pump the keg please?), while the more civilized frantically passed around a single pint glass (everyone have their Hep B shot?). If we didn’t leave with the kegs completely empty, then at least a few individuals went home with a good buzz.
Groups went far and wide, steep and deep, during the last week of winter 2006 at Fairy Meadows. The glade days were amazing, full of big drops and bottomless powder. The alpine days gave us all long lines of freshies, and views that will keep some of us fuelled through the rest of winter. (The only regret is that we weren’t able to turn the Friendship Col slope into a mogul run. Moguls are cool...). Throughout the week, the mountain walls, glaciers, peaks, couloirs, and trees echoed our happy hoots and giddy yahoo’s. Thanks all for a great week!
Same
time next year... Kokanee Hut?
...Well, that ends the adventures of Grandy for this round. There are sure to be other rounds in the future, so check back from time to time to see what we are up too.
This IS life... so remember to go out and LIVE IT!
ciao
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