Meet the #SeekersAmbassador crew and their fave winter adventures
True snow seekers know your next adventure can be simple as a snowshoe in the park, or crushing untouched alpine lines out on a cat ski. As long as we’re getting outside and loving our winter, we’re living the #SnowSeekers life.
We asked our #SeekersAmbassadors Crew to weigh in on their favourite winter activities to inspire you to get out into some more snow fun.
Add your favourite winter pastime to the list! Tag @SnowSeekers on Facebook and Instagram and @IamASnowSeeker on Twitter to join in.
Snowshoe, Fatbike, and cross-country in K-country
Photo Credit: Tyler Dixon, SeekersAmbassador
Tyler Dixon: “My favourite winter activity is snowboarding. There's just nothing that compares to the feeling of carving up fresh Rocky Mountain powder. Snowboarding, however, is a full-day commitment, and these days I don't have the freedom I once did to dedicate that kind of time to the sport.
So, I have been branching out and experiencing other winter sports that allow me to escape for shorter periods of time, such as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, and I recently put a down-payment on a fat bike. Snowboarding is still my favourite, but these days it's more of a treat than the norm.”
Follow Tyler on Instagram or Twitter for adventures like the snowshoeing trek up to Rummel Lake in Kananaskis pictured above.
Split-touring up the Coquihalla
Photo:
Shaun Hutt
Photo Credit: Shaun Hutt, SeekersAmbassador
Shaun Hutt: “I've been snowboarding for the better part of 30 years now. Snowboarding for me is always a zen experience. When I'm on the hill, nothing else matters at that point in time. It's freedom, really. It's actually kind of an obsession. I get stoked like a kid at Christmas the night before a shred day.
You can usually find my crew and I up on the Coquihalla split-touring or the Duffey area as well as a few zones that will go to the grave with me (can't give away the honey holes). I also like to enjoy the North Shore resorts in North Vancouver for some quick laps.
As far as advice to people who are new to the sport, don't get discouraged. Like everything, it takes work and you need to push yourself out of your comfort zone in order to progress.”
You’ll find Shaun’s adventures year-round on Instagram @oldmankingztun.
Eat, Breath, Sleep the Kootenays ski life
Photo Credit: Vince Hempsall, SeekersAmbassador
Vince Hempsall: “When I'm not hooning down hills with my kids on their toboggans, I'm trudging up mountains on skis and trying not to fall down them. In both instances, two key rules apply: dress in warm layers and bring lots of snacks. In my off time from parenting and playing, I edit Kootenay Mountain Culture Magazine, a bi-annual chronicle for one of the most influential mountain regions in North America. I'm lucky to call it home.”
Surfing in the snow
Photo:
Stevie Froese
Photo Credits: Stevie Gaultier, SeekersAmbassador
Stevie Gaultier: “I’m one of those people that learned to love snow sports as an adult. I didn’t have a chance to hit the slopes when I was a kid and it took me a while to build up the courage to try when I grew up. Calgary will always be my snowboarding hometown but more recently I’ve loved winter surfing on the west coast! The waves are bigger, the crowds are smaller, and there’s just something crazy about seeing snow and surfboards in the same spot. Get geared up in a warm wetsuit and you hardly notice the cold. I’d recommend at minimum a 5:4 thickness.”
Stevie is the social media manager here at SnowSeekers. You can follow along with her outdoor-focused adventures on Instagram @NovemberSeven.
Crosscountry in Kelowna
Heather Gardiner: “Why do I like it? I'll be honest, this is a sport that has grown on me, as a kid I thought this was the worst sport ever but now I like the slower pace and the ability to really see the forest, hear and see the wildlife and the affordability factor is pretty great too.
Cross Country has a really laid back feel to it, people are pretty relaxed out on the trails - happy to have a quick chat and help out with directions or tips for newbies.”
Follow along with more tips from Heather.
Marmot Basin or YEG, have gear, will slide
Jeremy Derksen: “Skiing is always number one for me, and Marmot Basin is my home hill and regular haunt, but in late winter 2021 I picked up a snowskate at Highpoint Clothing and Skate Shop in Lac La Biche and that’s my latest obsession.
For the unfamiliar, a snowskate is essentially a beefed up skateboard deck with no trucks or wheels. In between regular trips to Marmot Basin, I can take my snowskate out anywhere, which is perfect for days when I’m craving a slide but I’m in the city.”
You can follow Jeremy's snowskate antics (and his winter explorations as chief bootpacker at SnowSeekers) at @thewilderxness on Instagram.
Doc Pow prescribes a case of perma-grin
Doc Pow: “Snowboarding has to be one of the world’s most epic pastimes. Someone could be out on a snowboard for over 100 days in a season and every single day will be different. The carve through an untouched powder field is the makings for an experience that will transform anyone. The case of perma grin post a killer day in the POW will leave any Cheshire cat jealous.”
Doc Pow is the resident Doctor of Pow at SnowSeekers and you can connect with him @Doc_Pow.
Battling the Northern Peaks
Alex Santos: “Snowboarding in the eyes of my Grandmother was teenagers being reckless and dangerous on the mountain, but when I strapped into a board for the first time at Hudson Bay Mountain to learn to ride it was nothing like that at all. It was blue skies, fun with my brothers, and building the confidence to cruise through thick powder.
Now I am starting to spread my wings a little and getting a bit more experienced on my board, but even on those days where the mountains take me down, it is still that same exhilarating feeling of the wind in my hair and hearing the mountain silence and the crunch of fresh snow that brings me peace.”
Follow along with Alex as he explores northern BC's big backyard on Instagram.
Photo:
Powder Matt
Stay up on all our Seekers Ambassadors' adventures.
What are your favourite winter pastimes in Western Canada?
We would love to share the fun. Tag @SnowSeekers on Facebook and Instagram and @IamASnowSeeker on Twitter to join in.
Ready to join the #SeekersAmbassador Crew?
#SeekersAmbassadors are a voice for the outdoor community, whether that's as a photographer, a blogger, a content creator, or someone who likes just likes to share their adventures online.
Get in touch with Stevie to learn more [email protected]
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