Posted by Jane Carswell on Mon, Aug 02, 2010 @ 01:36 PM
by Bob Krysak, Manager, CMH Retail Services
CMH has guests from all over the world, some that ski multiple times in a season and many who have been skiing with CMH for over 30 years. When you reach 1 million vertical feet of skiing/riding, which some have done in one season and others in 8-10, you are awarded a two piece suit made by Arcteryx (see photo to the right). There is a bottle of champagne shared by the recipients group, and there is a pin and certificate commemorating the achievement.
On average, 250-350 suits are given out each year, and there are 3,800 guests who have from 1 million to 20 million vertical feet. In some weeks in a lodge there will be 11-12 suits awarded in high season. So we make sure we are well stocked with champagne!
The idea of giving something to commemorate the million foot achievement came in early 1971-1972 from Chip Fisher who was at the time the manager of Head Ski Canada. His suggestion was an elegant blazer. We had some blazers made and awarded a few, but found that proper sizing and fit were a problem and people did not find them particularly useful.
When Andre Noel took over from Chip (1974) he suggested we do a ski jacket. This was made by HCC (Henri Charles Colsonet) from Geneva. The jacket had a “diaper” that would go under the crotch to keep the snow from coming up inside the jacket. This soon evolved into the first powder suit.
Since the early beginnings of the suit from HCC we have had suits from Far West, Ditrani (see image below), Bogner, Marmot and now Arcteryx.
The suit is a badge of honor, and in many cases a conversation opener. Many times I have been in an airport or at a ski resort and have seen someone wearing the suit. It opens up the chance to ask if the skier/rider has been to CMH, and great stories and memories are shared. Today we have some guests that are in their 80’s who still come skiing with us and still have the sparkle in their eyes as they recount the many runs shared with family and friends.
As Hans Gmoser, founder of CMH said:
“A person should have wings to carry them where their dreams go, but sometimes a pair of skis makes a good substitute”
I hope you have a chance to realize your dreams at one of our Lodges. And if you already have, we'd love it if you'd share your story here!
Photos:
Neos AR - the CMH Million Foot Suit jacket, circa 2010
CMH Heli-Ski guests Paul Dudzinski and Reb Forte receive their Million Foot suits together at the Bobbie Burns Lodge, April 13, 1987. Photo by Mark Dudzinski supplied by Reb Forte.
Posted by Jane Carswell on Mon, Apr 26, 2010 @ 01:50 PM
by Mike Gutt, K2 Skis
K2 Skis recently teamed up with CMH Heli-Skiing for a unique partnership opportunity. CMH approached K2 about supporting a Test/Demo week at one of their most famous lodges: The Monashees. This trip gave the CMH guests an exclusive chance to partake in K2’s testing and development process and the opportunity to ride prototypes of future products. This was a rare opportunity for our crew too, being able to test and develop products with the consumers.
On departure day, the K2 crew threw 36 pairs of test/prototype skis and our personal gear into the back up a full sized pickup truck and headed north from Seattle. We were all pretty stoked on the opportunity to test fat skis in ideal conditions and fortunately for us, a storm rolled in and laid down a fresh blanket of boot deep snow just before we arrived and the Monashee Lodge. Our K2 crew arrived early and had a chance to interact with some of the guests as we were unloading and organizing skis. Most of our test skis were wider than 100 mm under foot and all incorporated some type of rocker variations where the skis have a curvature similar to water skis that allows them to plane up on the snow. We quickly realized that our test skis looked odd in terms of width and rocker so were somewhat intimidating at first glance. But, that was all about to change!
We broke up in 3 groups for the first day with at least one guide and one K2 employee included in each group. Our K2 crew took some Pontoon prototypes out for the first day of skiing in the trees and after a few runs you could almost see the light bulbs turning on in the guests heads. The skis we were on floated, turned easily and most importantly made it look like we we having tons of fun (which we were). At the end of the first day we decided to get people set up with demo skis for the second day (as we did on the first day) and the only skis that were in the racks when we left for day two were skis narrower than 100 mm and with minimal amounts of rocker. What a difference a day makes. From that point on it was a struggle to find skis that were wide enough or had enough rocker to keep the guests happy. It became a logistical challenge on our end to make sure everyone had a chance to ski on all the different types of skis that we brought up.
For 2010-2011 K2 is going 100% rocker in our entire line of skis and this test at CMH further reinforced our decision. We are convinced that Rocker Technology will be the next biggest innovation to revolutionize the ski industry, making skiing easier and more fun. All of our skis incorporate a combination of rocker and camber that we call Baseline Technology. Where camber supplies edge hold, control and rebound, rocker provides a greater degree of versatility, easier turn initiation and an increased sweet spot. Certain skis require more or less of each and focusing on a ski’s Baseline determines who it is for and where it is designed to go, making it easier to design skis for all skier ability levels and snow conditions. So come check out the K2 rockered skis at the CMH demo shop this winter and experience for yourself how much more fun skiing can be.
CMH is excited to be a part of the development of what we believe will be the next great innovation in deep snow skiing. We helped to pioneer the way with the early “Fat Skis” and we believe that this next wave of ski technology will be as revolutionary as the last. Book your 2011 Heli-Ski trip with CMH to get in on the action! And remember, those who book before May 1, 2010 SAVE!
Posted by Topher Donahue on Fri, Mar 12, 2010 @ 03:47 PM
Last spring, while heli-skiing at CMH Adamants, Scott Steinbrecher dropped his knee into a telemark turn for 8000-meter-day after 8000-meter-day. We giggled and ripped down everything from effortless corn to burly powder and he nearly sunburned his teeth from grinning. I began to wonder if the free-heel heli-tele experience was much different than the heavy metal alpine heli-skiing experience, so I asked Scott a few questions:
TD: How good do you need to be on telemark skis to keep up with the heli-ski program?
SS: That depends on who you want to ski with. If you plan to heli-ski with a group of friends or family, you only need to be as good as they are. For example, I skied in the same group as my wife and my parents. I ski with them all the time in varying conditions and know that I can keep up with them. Obviously, telemarking in deep powder wore me out more than skiing at the resort, but it wore out my wife and parents just as much!
If you don’t already know whom you’ll ski with, then you should think about whether you would be comfortable pushing yourself to keep up with alpine skiers in changing and often challenging conditions. You might ask yourself whether would you accept an invitation to telemark with a group of strangers on alpine skis at a resort.
- If you would accept the invitation without hesitation, then you can probably telemark with CMH.
- If you would hesitate to accept the invitation, then you should think twice about whether you’re prepared to telemark with CMH.
TD: Are there any issues with tele equipment for heli-skiing?
SS:
- Leashes: Ask the head guide at your lodge whether you should use leashes. Sometimes it might be best to use them to avoid losing a ski in the middle of nowhere. Remember that neither the helicopter nor the shop will have a replacement for you. Other times the guides will prefer that you don’t have your skis tied to your feet if you are caught in an avalanche. Always defer to the resident-expert.
- Bindings: Because the lodge won’t have spare parts for your bindings, consider bringing them. Most binding manufacturers now produce backcountry repair kits. Take at least one kit with you to the lodge. If you’re a die-hard and can’t imagine sitting out an afternoon with a broken binding, take a repair kit and tools with you skiing each day.
- Knee pads: You’ll praise them when your skis are banging against your knees in the deep powder and when you’re kneeling waiting for the chopper.
TD: You used both downhill and telemark equipment in the Adamants, right? When did you choose one over the other?
SS: Yeah, I used alpine skis and telemark skis. Obviously, I brought two pairs of boots—alpine and telemark. I brought both for two reasons.
- First, I brought alpine boots in case I lost a telemark ski or broke a binding beyond repair. I didn’t want to be stuck in the lodge for a week without being able to ski.
- Second, I wasn’t sure if I could telemark in four feet of powder for seven days straight. I was right.
As a group, my family and I ski a lot and keep a pretty good pace. We ended up the fast group and skied every day from the first lift until they made us go home. During the first three days we skied about 65,000 vertical feet. My legs were exhausted. I skied on alpine skis on day four, telemark skis on days five and six and alpine skis again on seven. It was the perfect balance for me. A couple days of alpine skiing gave my legs the rest they needed.
TD: What is your telemark/downhill experience?
SS: I grew up in Colorado and started skiing around four years old, and was racing by eight. I raced in USSA and FIS sanctioned races through high school and raced in college. I coached alpine ski racing for a year. I skied at least four days a week from opening day to closing day for about a decade. I had been to CMH twice before and skied alpine both times.
TD: That's years on skis with your heel locked down, but how much did you telemark before taking the heli-lift?
SS: I started telemarking after I moved to the city and became a desk-jockey. I telemarked full-time for about a season and a half before I decided to telemark at CMH.
TD: Any other suggestions for telemark skiers interested in their first time heli-skiing?
SS: Go for it! At least one day at CMH will be the best skiing you’ll ever have!
Photo by Topher Donahue/www.alpinecreative.com
Posted by Topher Donahue on Fri, Feb 19, 2010 @ 11:22 AM
Just returned from the CMH Gothics (my favorite photo from the week here) where we had a bit of everything: deep powder and clouds in the trees with sun in the alpine - and I picked up a few good tricks for keeping my goggles clean.
- Dress down to avoid overheating. If you’re sweating like a powder pig, your goggles will fog up. Take off your hat, unzip your jacket, take off a sweater and put it in your guest pack before you start sweating.
- Keep your goggles on your face. If you push them up onto your hat or helmet, the snow and moisture there combined with the temperature change will cause instant condensation on the lenses. Often they will fog up somewhat while you are in the warmth of the helicopter, but after you get out and the helicopter takes off, the wind from the rotors will blow them clear again.
- If your goggles are fogged to the point you cannot see through them, or snowy from a crash, take a seat next to the window and hold them over the heater outflow ducts located near the floor behind the front seats of the helicopter. A couple of minutes there will clean even the most ice-encrusted goggles.
- While looking down to put on your skis or board, make sure your mouth and nose are uncovered. If your face is in your jacket collar or a mask, looking down will direct your steamy breath directly into your goggles – fogging them instantly. Unzip your collar for a moment, or push down your facemask while you strap on your board or step into your skis.
- Buy bigger goggles. They don’t look as stylish as little streamlined rigs, but having more space between your face and the lenses prevents them from steaming up. You’ll notice all the ski guides wear big dorky-looking goggles and never have problems with foggy lenses.
- Buy goggles with double lenses and without vent holes in the front lens. The vent holes work in drier conditions, but in the deep powder and plentiful face shots of the Columbia Mountains where we heli-ski, the vent holes allow moisture to get between the lenses.
- If you still have fogging problems after trying all of the above tricks, goggles with a battery-powered fan will be the solution. Like a defroster in a car, the fan will keep your goggles clean. Skiers who wear prescription glasses under their goggles often find this is the only way to maintain clear vision.
- Backup glasses. It’s easy to stick a pair of sunglasses in your pocket. Then if you have issues with your goggles, you can just put on your sunglasses and keep skiing until you are in the helicopter and have a chance to properly clean and dry your goggles.
Do you have any other tips for better vision or for keeping your goggles clean while skiing? Post it here!
Posted by Topher Donahue on Wed, Jan 27, 2010 @ 01:41 PM
Cold. It’s part of the game we play. Few sports happen in as frigid environments as skiing and mountaineering. Sure, you can always go to your nearest outdoor store and buy a warmer jacket – until you’re out there. Dr. John E. Sohl wrote, "Both physics and physiology determine how our body temperature varies. But, when the going gets tough, physiology loses and physics wins."
Skiers are good, but mountaineers are masters, at staying warm, so for a bit of advice on the subject I tracked down Phil Powers, Executive Director of the American Alpine Club, owner of Jackson Hole Mountain Guides, and a cold weather veteran who’s stood on frosty summits from K2 to Denali.
Twenty years ago, while climbing in Colorado, Phil and I had a conversation about epics in the high Himalaya, like unplanned bivouacs above 7000 meters in the so-called “death-zone”. His observation was that the older climbers often return from these epics in better condition than the youngsters because of the little things they do to stay warm. So I finally got around to asking him what he meant. Here’s what he had to say:
"Most important: stay warm in the first place. It is much harder to get warm again, than it is to prevent the cold from getting to you.
To that end, I am ultra-reactive to changes in body temperature or energy output. If I stop moving, I put a coat or a hat or hood on immediately. In fact, it's kind of funny, I am often the one sitting around here at work with a coat on because I just can't stand even the smallest chill. People talk to me all the time about getting cold outside on trips. I hardly ever remember being cold because I always did something about it before the cold set in.
"Adjusting to energy output goes the other way too, you simply have to take clothing off, or at least unzip and vent, before you begin to sweat so that you don't have a bunch of damp clothing that chills you when you stop. This is essential.
"Something that I don't think people realize is how much heat you lose through conduction into the snow or rock. I always pay a lot of attention to the parts of my body that touch cold surfaces. Your coat and hat keep heat from radiating away, but the snow or rock you are standing, sitting, laying or leaning on can suck the heat right out of you. I always put little pads of foam between my crampons and boots for this reason. Whenever possible, I put a pack or rope between me and the rock or snow when I’m sitting down.
"Little things make a lot of difference. Moving slow at altitude on mountains like Denalit or K2, I remember that while I rested between steps, I made sure to take my weight completely off my uphill foot so that the blood could get in there easily. Then I'd wiggle those toes until it was time to move again. On the standing leg I often curl my toes, pulling the arch of my foot off the bottom of my boot to reduce that contact with a cold footbed on the snow. (The same advice applies to standing on skis.)
"Looser clothing, especially on the feet and hands, allows for better circulation and warmth. Don't stuff extra socks into tight boots, it just constricts and keeps the blood flow out of your foot.
"Then there is the obvious stuff: hats and neck warmers go a long way because of the amount of blood circulating to your face and brain. I am a huge fan of hoods."
Phil concludes, "I still have all ten fingers and toes so it seemed to work for me."
CMH heli-skiers have the powerful tool of the helicopter to take them to warm food and a comfortable lodge when it gets too gnarly, but the heart of Canadian winter is nothing to take lightly, even with a Bell 212 at your service.
Posted by Mark Piquette on Tue, Dec 22, 2009 @ 03:45 PM
Looking for some (very) last minute gift ideas for the heli-skier in your life? I am not sure you will get all of these under the tree or in the stocking on Christmas day...but that is okay as long as the intended receipent of your largess gets it by the time they go heli-skiing!
1. Helmet Cam. There are some really cool HD cameras on the market right now. For smooth action look for something that shoots in 720-60p Check out offerings from Contour and GoPro
2. Flip-flops. There is nothing better than a pair of flip flops for hanging around the lodge. I especially like the Fannings from Reef with the bottle opener in the sole. But remember, no glass in the spa area...get a plastic cup from the bar.
3. Multi-tool. You never know when you are going to need a multi-tool. Knife, pliers, screw driver...it's all there. Just don't forget to take it out of your carry-on before you get on the plane. Check out Leatherman or Gerber.
4. iPod Touch. Why carry a computer on a heli-trip? Alright sometimes you need one...especially if you get the helmet cam mentioned above. The iPod Touch is the ticket. Watch movies on the bus from Calgary, listen to some tunes to get you ready for skiing, check email, surf the internet and send photos to your friends back home, apps to impress all your new friends at the bar.
5.Compact Binoculars. These always are great to have. There is so much to look at when you are eating lunch or an extra few minutes before the next pick up. Like most things you can spend a lot but check out the Ravens from Carson...$79
Bonus: And don't forget to make sure your favourite heliskier has a trip booked with CMH. Pay in full with your Amex and recieve a $500 gift certificate at Surefoot for some slick new ski boots! Wouldn't that be a nice stocking stuffer?
Happy Holidays everyone!
Posted by Jane Carswell on Thu, Dec 17, 2009 @ 11:51 AM
By Marc Piche
One of the most valuable aspects of our annual winter guides training is the review of incidents that occurred in the field the previous year. Most of these case studies are avalanche-related and are presented by one of the guides from the area involved. The goal is to offer an opportunity to all CMH guides to learn from the experience of those who were there, and also to determine if any operational changes need to be made to either prevent or reduce the chance of a similar occurrence in the future.
In the fall of 2008 during guides training, we reviewed an incident where a guest was caught in a very small avalanche but buried very deeply in a wind scoop near a boulder. Although the buried person was successfully dug out without serious injury, both the guides and guests involved in the rescue felt strongly that it would have been beneficial to have more shovels on hand immediately.
It’s not the first time we’ve discussed this at CMH, but this incident prompted our decision to have all guests carry a shovel and probe in a small pack while heli-skiing and heli-boarding starting this coming season.
Last winter we tested several different brands of packs, shovels and probes in an effort to come up with a package that is as low profile, easy-to-use, and lightweight as possible. We worked with Arc’Teryx, who custom-designed our new pack to fit the probe and shovel we chose from Black Diamond. As you can see from the photo above, the sleek design does not impede a skier or riders ability.
We were encouraged by the positive response of all guests who tested the new packs last year. We see this as an important step toward being even better prepared in case of a mishap.
While out skiing, all guests will still be expected to take turns carrying a two-way radio, and to ski at the rear or middle of the group while doing so. As we have stated many times at CMH, overall safety is the responsibility of every skier.
For those skiers and riders who bring your own radios, please contact our Operations Coordinator (opscoordinator@cmhinc.com) if you need information about programming them with the correct frequencies and tones.
Have you booked your 2010 Heli-Ski vacation yet? If you are still sitting on the fence, we encourage you to read this article before you book your Heli-Ski trip in BC.
Posted by Topher Donahue on Fri, Oct 30, 2009 @ 08:29 AM
"I straight-lined through 35-degree trees for about 2-300 meters..."
With the ski department of my local sporting goods shop featuring as many shapes and sizes as the bikini department, I had to find out what a ski guide thinks about all the recent ski innovations. Dave Gauley, the assistant manager of CMH Cariboos is an outspoken proponent of all things ski. He started Steep Weeks at CMH and was selected one of the Top 50 skiers in North America by Powder Magazine - although if you ask him he'll likely tell you there were only 50 skiers back then. In case you believe his humilty, here's a YouTube clip of Dave going sick near Mt. Waddington in the BC Coast Range.
In between shifts stocking the lodge with enough firewood to keep a winter’s worth of heli-skiers cozy and warm, Dave found the time to share this perspective with us and compared ski design evolution to the technology in rock climbing that opened up new frontiers of mountain sport for everyone, not just the cutting-edge athletes.
Topher Donahue: I’ve noticed a lot of guides don’t wear the super fat skis, and I haven’t seen any guides on the reverse camber designs. Why is that?
Dave Gauley: Well, I’m happy to give you my take on skis, but it might not be what you're looking for.
TD: Fair enough. What’s your take?
DG: The problem with straight rocker reverse sidecut designs, like the Spatula and Pontoon, is that they give you no degree of control on harder snow or not-so-deep powder with a firm surface underneath. Even here we don’t always have bottomless powder.
TD: It seems like every year there is a new big thing in ski design. Are these new skis really helpful or just a marketing strategy?
DG: Ski design has gone through radical changes in the last decade. The last 2 or 3 years have been some of the most interesting - with the evolution of rockered, reverse sidecut designs. Now, skis like Rossignol's S7 and the K2's Obsethed are leading the way by incorporating rocker, reverse sidecut at the tip and tail, with traditional camber and sidecut underfoot. The result is a super versatile ski that excels in any snow condition. Last year I skied exclusively on the Rossi S7 (Outside Magazine S7 review.), and the K2 Obsethed (EpicSki review.) and now I look at the mountain with a totally different set of eyes.
TD: You’ve looked at a lot of mountains, so that’s a pretty dramatic statement. How do you look at the mountains differently with these skis and do you think other people will feel the same?
DG: These designs are a little wild, and people will be reluctant to try these skis. I must admit the first time I had them (The Rossignol S7) on my feet I thought they looked ridiculous. But my first run I was sold. I straight-lined through 35-degree trees for about 2-300 meters then was able to throw my skis sideways to dump some speed, and fully be in control. So you can just go straight through tight or tough tree or terrain sections and be confident that you will be able to get it together when the terrain opens up. Not so with conventional skis. Whatever speed you reach on conventional skis you have to be able to deal with. Not a problem when the snow is super deep and slow, but when the going gets fast...
TD: That's kind of a quantum leap if you ask me. So why will other people be reluctant?
DG: I think a lot of people, guides included, are reluctant to ski on innovative skis because of the stigma. They feel that fat or radically shaped skis are weak and for bad skiers. But the same thing was the case when the first fat skis came out. I don't see anybody skiing on skinny 205 GS skis any more. Some people need more time to wrap their heads around it. I am all for making mountain sports easier. For example, in climbing I don't try to climb a 5.13 in my mountain boots. I choose a weapon for the task. (TD: In this case tight fitting, goofy-looking slippers.)
TD: You mentioned the problem of the pontoon-style rockered skis on firm snow. Did you notice any problem with this new, shall we say, hybrid design?
DG: There is NO disadvantage with these new ski designs whether it be for the expert, or not-so-expert skier. They make skiing easier, just as cams and sticky rubber shoes for climbing - which in my opinion makes it better because it opens up more possibilities.
Dave Gauley will be leading the next CMH Steep Week in CMH Cariboos during April of 2010.
Posted by Jane Carswell on Sat, Oct 17, 2009 @ 08:00 AM
As every skier knows, your boots can make or break your day. You don't want to be going into the lodge early because your feet are uncomfortable. I asked Andy Anderson, hard goods manager for CMH's retail division for 5 things to consider when buying a pair of ski boots.
Andy pointed out that skiing in powder is considerably different than skiing hard pack at your local hill so there are different considerations for your Heli-Ski boot than your typical boot. Andy suggested the following 5 pointers:
- Overall comfort - if the boot simply doesn't feel good on your foot, put it back on the shelf.
- Flex - generally skiers prefer a boot with a little more flex for powder skiing. Talk to a professional boot fitter, let him or her know the conditions you anticipate skiing in and ensure you get a boot with a flex commensurate to your weight and ability.
- Toe Box - leave a little 'wiggle room' in the toe box. You want to be able to move your toes so they don't get cold. Toes crunched up against the end of your boot could ruin your day.
- Last - consider the 'last' used to mould the boot - ensure the boot is not made on a last that is too narrow or too wide for your foot.
- Heel Pocket - you want the heel pocket to fit snug so you are not shifting around in your boot.
Andy says "Seek the advise of a professional boot fitter before you commit to a pair of new boots, as opposed to fitting your own off the shelf at your local sporting goods shop". Consider Surefoot, CMH's new partner for the 2010 Heli-Ski season, for their exceptional boot fitting process and their unconditional guarantee .
At CMH we want to ensure that you have all the ingredients of a great Heli-Ski trip -right down to your boots. In fact we are offering a $500 USD Surefoot credit to anyone who books a new 7-day Heli-Ski trip with CMH with their American Express card by December 31, 2009. Because if you don’t already own Surefoot ski boots, we think you should get some!
To learn more about Surefoot, visit www.Surefoot.com.