coldiron

It's happening this Saturday. Any of you Montana, Idaho or Washington skiers coming up for it? It's only 142 miles north of Spokane, and contrary to popular belief you don't need a passport this year to drive across the border. Just a Driver's License will do. You could also bring a birth certificate to play it safe. A foot and a half of fresh has fallen in the last couple days. Conditions will be great. Git yer ass on up there already. Here's the link: Nelson Rando Race. It's part of the Kootenai Coldsmoke Powder Fest I have a seat or two open in a car pool from Spokane. call me if interested 509-475-4056. Scott

The Kootenay Coldsmoke Powder Fest is this weekend at Whitewater, B.C., and if you’re wondering where the goods are this year… well they’re here. 14” of Selkirk powder overnight, and currently snowing hard! The focus of the weekend is a slew of backcountry clinics including classes on avy and beacon skills, intro to backcountry skiing, fast and light touring, steep skiing, and backcountry travel. There are classes that focus specifically on telemark, AT and snowboarding. The list of instructors includes many world class adventurers, including ski mountaineers Andrew McLean and Martin Volken, big mountain free skiers Eric Pehota and Meagan Carney, world class randonee racers Greg Hill and Pete Swenson, and ground-breaking ski journalist Nils Larsen. An additional nine more nationally recognized guides and instructors are also giving tour-oriented clinics. In other words… no Power Point presentations, just learning by skiing with some of the best on the continent. The après-ski parties include movies, slide shows, dinners and a dance. There are also two great ski races- a Randonee Rally that is part of the Canadian National Team selection, and a Telemark race. I’m not a company shill, this is a grass roots event that I want to see succeed. Backcountry skiers are traditionally a solitary lot, but it can be pretty fun to get together with lots of like-minded folks for skiing and a good party. Be there… I will. scott

Thanks for the correction, computer literacy is obviously not my strong suit. I am also looking for bc ski partners in the Spokane, Sandpoint, Rossland or Snoqualmie areas. Yeah, I'm willing to drive quite a ways for good skiing, It's a fact of life living in Spokane. I have lots of weekdays off and most Sundays. (A firefighter's schedule is the best thing that can happen to a ski bum)

There is a Randonee Rally on Feb. 25 in Nelson, B.C. It should be a good one. The local backcountry terrain rocks, and the course was set by Greg Hill, according to his blog. I don't work for anybody involved, but would like to get the word out as this is a really cool event right in my backyard. In my opinion this is how the sport should progress. The race is part of a 3 day backcountry festival, with lots of clinics, demos, tours, party, etc.. It seems to me that the sport is about bringing together the backcountry community, and I think more people will come out for races if there are events for skiers of all abilities. You can take a steep skiing clinic from the likes of Andrew McLean, Eric Pehota, and Maegan Carney, or fast and light touring clinic with Greg Hill or Martin Volken. Tele gurus include Nils Larsen and Naheed Henderson. Pretty big guns for our neck of the woods. Let's get out and support this festival! Seattle area has quite a good turnout for the Alpental Rando Rally, are any of you coming over for this one? It would be cool to see some new racers from the Northwest. If you are interested in racing but have some questions email me or give me a call at (509) 475-4056. Scott Coldiron scoldiron@spokanefire.org The festival website is coldsmoke@mgear.com.