Email: wade@treepilot.ca
I was on skis when I was two or three and in my teens I converted to snowboarding - the winter of 2010/2011 will be my twentieth season of sliding sideways. Back in the early days of snowboarding I lived about 5 miles away from the local ski hill. It was all of 300 or 400 vertical feet, but I did make the most of it, often pushing bush to find a couple powder turns in tight trees or hiking into the surrounding "backcountry".
Circa '92
There was a dark period of my life when I didn't snowboard much, maybe only once or twice a year for several years. Part of this was due to living in the flats, but another contributing factor was the direction of the sport. The soul of the sport had died. It seemed almost everyone snowboarded, but most didn't know why. The early days of snowboarding provided a camaraderie that came with doing something new and unique.
In the winter of 05/06 I moved closer to the mountains and attempted to make up for lost time. I bought lift tickets to various resorts but found the experience lacking. Try as I might, "packed powder" or corduroy or worse didn't get me stoked. I tried mechanized including sled, helicopter and snow cat access. The spark was reignited (how can you not love riding powder?), but I was left feeling frustrated by compromises that this form of access provided.
Heliboarding 05/06
I discovered splitboarding in the winter of 06/07 and couldn't be happier. I've always enjoyed exploring and my splitboard has enabled me to combine this love of new things with my passion of snowboarding. I feel reinvigorated and I've learned new things about myself. Backcountry touring is as much about exploring mountains as it is about exploring your own limits - endurance, focus, fear, stamina, strength, will, courage, etc.
Rogers Pass 08/09
The winter of 08/09 was my first full time winter. I made some changes to my life to permit me the freedom to pursue the happiness that I found in the mountains. During that season, I spent 61 days on a splitboard and climbed almost 210,000 feet. This year, I've set the goal of increasing the daily average by logging fifty 5,000 foot days in the mountains. Given that some days will be larger than 5,000 and some won't count towards the fifty because they'll be too small, I expect to climb 300-350,000 feet this winter.
Waterton 08/09
I started this blog largely for my own use. I had folders full of photos on my computer, but often forgot the details of the trip. Over time it seems to have gained a bit of a following amongst friends, family and strangers. I've met great new friends through this blog and hope to continue to meet new people and explore new terrain.
I often receive requests from various companies to "plug" their stuff or events on here. I've always refused as I'd like to keep the content pure. Given the level of traffic that I'm starting to see here (approaching 5 digit unique visitors per month) I am open to sponsorship from brands directly related to my pursuits. If you'd like to see me using your gear, drop me a line. I'd also welcome being a product tester.
Thanks for visiting. Keep your skins warm and may all your turns be powder.
Wade
My email address is at the top of this page, or use the form below to contact me.
