To say that I am a ski enthusiast would be an understatement; winter travel and alpine sports are my whole world. It is the source from which my career flows, the guiding hand that lead me to the love of my life and the glue to some of my most cherished friendships. Talk about all encompassing.
I can’t remember a time when skiing wasn’t a part of my life. Growing up in Quebec with a very outdoorsy family, I was introduced to winter sports at a very young age. Weekends were spent on local mountains, from bright and early in the morning until the last chair stopped turning. The irony of it all is that I truly disliked skiing in the late years of my childhood. It was becoming a ski instructor that changed everything. I became part of an irresistible world of fun, adventure and laughter. Instructing made for a very duplicitous adolescence, with high school in the suburbs and snow school in the boonies. This became the catalyst for a very life defining decision. The choice is one that many fellow generation Y members have to face: lead a so-called conventional life involving traditional careers and comforts or follow the road less travelled.
Lifestyle is the operative word. Uprooting and taking chances has afforded me priceless memories and lifelong friendships. I have lodged myself in the off-beat sub-culture of skiing and never looked back. When I close my eyes, I can see the sharp volcanic peaks of New Zealand, smell the sugary goodness of mountain-made waffles in Vermont and hear the silence of powder turns in Japan. How could anyone say no to that? Mushiness aside, it’s just plain fun. True skiers know that it’s more than a sport. It’s adventure, adrenaline and freedom all bundled up in technical fabrics. It’s sun drenched, snow covered bowls. It’s whooping, hollering and laughing all the way down. It’s fireside apres-ski parties that start and finish early. It’s home.
With this blog, I endeavour to present skiing and winter in all their forms. For all you non-skiers and winter haters, I vow to show you what you’re missing. For newbies, fellow ski junkies and everyone in between, I hope to keep the stoke burning. From stunning alpine locations to the people that keep the sub-culture alive, join me in celebrating the vibrancy of winter.