On February 25th the Backcountry Team went to Big Creek on it’s first ski tour away from Brundage Mountain and it’s lift accessible backcountry terrain. The team has been working up to this point on their touring skills by touring Sargents Ridge and practicing rescue in resort boundaries. A lot of planning goes into venturing into the backcountry in the Winter time. Reading and following weather reports, Avalanche Advisories and maps to determine when is the best time to travel in the backcountry and where as well as making sure all athletes feel healthy and happy to tackle the adventure.
The team encountered perfect weather, snow conditions and energy levels. Here are some take aways from the Coaches Austin and Catie and Athlete Vince.
Coach Austin:
“Stoke was high on Saturday for a bluebird day trip to Big Creek full of sing-along parties in the van, soft surfy pow turns, and a quick dip in the hot springs to relax after touring. One of the few weekends where stars aligned and everyone was in attendance, it was a wonderful day to break away from the resorts and share an ideal Backcountry experience with the whole team”
Coach Catie:
“Are we there yet? Saturday provided to be a gorgeous day getting out of bounds and into new terrain. With all of our team together, we enjoyed a sunny day of walking through the trees and chasing pow lines. Snacks, laughs and hot pool soaks were just a few of the other moments shared throughout the day. Big Creek '23 backcountry trip was a wonderful success! Really stoked we all were able to share in it.”
Athlete Vince Vinturo:
“Our trip to Big Creek started like any great trip. Singing as loud as possible to Shake It Off and California Girls. Once we got to the trail head, we jumped in our gear and basically started running up the hill. Once we got to the top we posed for some top of the line selfies. Then we got down to business and proceeded to ski some of the softest, creamiest, tastiest powder I have ever felt. Once we got to the bottom of the hill, the summit was urging us to go back up. We ate lunch, and began the climb back up to the top. Launching ourselves off the top, we raced down as fast as we could so we could get to the hot springs. We got to the party van, and rumbled down to the hot springs. We stepped out and quite literally slid all the way down to the hot springs. After soaking in some pure happiness, we clambered back into the van, and began our drive back to McCall listening to Ed Sheeran to slow down, and sleep for the rest of the way.”
