By Michael Shynkaryk. October 20, 2019.
It depends, but it is defined by whom I am with, the terrain, snow and weather.
Over my ski career, I have been fortunate enough to ski at many ski resorts and guide guests heli-skiing and ski touring in the backcountry in Canada and New Zealand. In Canada, I’ve guided in the Coast mountains near Whistler, the Cariboo’s and Monashee Mountains near Blue River, and the Rocky Mountains near Banff. In New Zealand, I’ve skied from Southern Lakes Mountains near Queenstown/Wanaka to the Craigieburn Mountains near Arthurs Pass.
My home is in Squamish, BC. I have been skiing all my life and started in the prairies in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. One of my first ski experiences was with my mom at Rabbit Hill Snow Resort, near Edmonton, where the vertical drop is only 98 m (322 ft). Overseas, I have been guiding backcountry skiing/snowboarding in New Zealand for 7 continuous winters, starting in 2012 with for Southern Lakes Heli-Skiing. Before that, I worked at Cardrona Ski Resort as a ski instructor in 2004.
Photo 1: Falcon's Nest Hut, Gamack Range, NZ August 2019
This past year, 2019 NZ Winter, I worked for Alpine Recreation out of Tekapo and co-guided/guided groups in the Gamack Range (Falcon’s Nest hut (Photo 1) and Two Thumbs Range (Rex Simpson Hut). The Braun-Elwert family welcomed me in to their family business, and that welcome made my trip. I enjoyed the operation due to the family’s impressive attention to detail, focus on self-propelled outdoor adventure trips (less reliance on helicopters), analytical approach to operational decisions, warm and comfortable guest lodge in Tekapo, genuine focus on guest service (without gratuities), prioritization of safety, sustainable waste policies, and years of operating experience in New Zealand. The powder was not deep, but the views were amazing, and I put in one of the longest traverse skin tracks of my guiding career. During the trip, one of the guests asked me “what is your favourite run in New Zealand/Canada?” I thought for a moment and tried to recall my favourite run.
Photo 2: Forever Young Run in Selkirk's, BC, CAN December 2015.
As I thought, I was surprised by mind’s response. Instead of remembering an aesthetic line, blower powder, beautiful snow in perfectly spaced trees, gorgeous glaciers, and so forth, I recalled my favourite run with the guest who just asked the question, then a run that I enjoyed with another companion (family, friend and/or guest). After remembering who I was with, my memory recalled the terrain, snow and weather details. One example of a run that came to mind is called “Forever Young” in the Selkirk Mountains, Canada. I skied this line with a few friends in December 2015 (Photo 2), and while the terrain was sweet, the weather and snow were dreadful.
The shared joy of skiing with others is why I am in this game. It is the centre of my epic ski run memory map, and I believe the best skier/snowboarder of the day is the one having the most fun. Think about it…it’s more complex than simple.
One of my ski coaches, Janice Morgan (CSIA LEVEL 4), taught me that it is better to be skiing in awful conditions than not skiing at all. Thus, the best skier has the best technique for a wide variety of snow conditions and terrain. Having the right attitude is part of the game, and New Zealand skiers have an optimistic attitude towards skiing; I love it. It brings out the best feelings at the bottom of a run. Smiles and no complaints (Photo 3).
Photo 3: All smiles after skiing a Dr. Who, Minarets Mtns, at Southern Lakes Heli-skiing. NZ August 2017.
I am in this game for the shared experience of social skiing and the feelings/meaning it brings to my life. With limited time and as it’s part of my job, I want to try to maximize reward for effort (cost vs benefit) for guests and myself. Also, the longer one plays this sport, the skiing objectives goals naturally get harder/better because of the law of diminishing returns; liner or exponential loss of joy from skiing the same run more than once. One way to manage the reward for effort is to successfully search for experiences based on the explore verse exploit trade-off dilemma. Start by trying to answer the questions of where, when, what, how, why, and with whom do I adventure with?
Part of the answer is setting up the game to have the best run of your life, but skiing is an outdoor sport in a hazardous environment with inherent risk and where there are no guaranteed results. However, I found a few general assumptions (based on my experience) that apply to skiing on New Zealand’s South Island, depending on the weather. These assumptions are…
The most favourable time to ski in New Zealand for colder weather and possible powder is late July to early September;
Skiing closer to the main divide and Mt. Cook National Park offers the longest vertical runs, lower snowline elevations, more glacier skiing, and a generally deeper snow pack;
Heli-Skiing around Wanaka and Queenstown is very accessible, best after a cold south-west storm, has excellent accommodation and restaurants, and down day activities which cannot be beat;
Ski-touring around the Liebig Range, Gamack Range, and Two Thumbs Range offer some of the best wood fire heated hut-based skiing in New Zealand;
“Slack country” or lift access ski touring is great around the Craigieburn Range and Arthur’s Pass;
Finally, the more interesting High Alpine glacier skiing or traverses are in Mt. Cook National Park and West Land National Park (Photo 4).
Canada is another blog story… ;).
Photo 4: Mt. Cook National Park. NZ August 2019.
Why not pick a friend, or a guide, and choose an adventure? The best run of your life may be in New Zealand, Canada, or your local resort. I still have fond memories of skiing with my family at Rabbit Hill in the Prairies, on “Far out” at Silver Star Mountain near Vernon BC, with Bob Sayer’s (Mike Wiegele Ski Guide) family on New Year’s day (2015) in the blower snow in the Cariboo’s, with guides and guests on many runs at Mike Wiegele and Southern Lakes Heli-Skiing (Photo 5-9), or a classic run at the annual friend Asulkan Hut Christmas Trip (Photo 10). Do make “Friends on a Powder day” because maybe you’ll realize that is really what defines your favourite ski run. It has for me.
Photo 5: Alberda Lodge Elite Guests and B3 Astar Helicopter, Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing, CAN February 2018.
Photo 6: Back in the day Guides Training at Mike Wiegele's with the crew. Rare moment where all guides ski together. CAN December 2018.
Photo 7: Guiding with long term friend Crosby Johnston and raising stars. Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing. CAN March 2018.
Photo 8: The Simple life, leaving a beautiful mark, and sharing a moment with friends. NZ. August 2016.
Photo 9: Guide Plank Challenge at Southern Lakes Heli-Skiing. I believe Tom Willmott Won (far right). NZ. August 2017.
Photo 10: Top of the run thoughts: Heaven above; powder, good turns and warm hut below; have fun. Asulkan Hut, Rogers Pass, CAN December 2019. Photo Credit David Ludgate.