Britches On A Branch

Please note this story first appeared on the Calgary Guardian website under the same name, but this version has additional photographs.

Looking up at the swanky tree at Sunshine Village. Photo Credit: Sunshine Village

Sometime around the middle of the twentieth century a new species of tree was found blooming in the vicinity of a mountain resort. This tree was unlike any other plant species previously discovered. It would blossom and grow during the darkness and cold of the harsh winter months and its leaves were oddly shaped and simply out of place next to Mother Nature's other creations. Although nobody knows for certain how such a tree began to take root it survived, some say thrived, and slowly began reproducing in the mountainous regions of the North American continent. If you haven't already figured it out I am referring to the infamous Underwear Tree, also affectionately known as the Bra Tree or the Panty tree, that grow within easy throwing distance of a chairlift.

This tree at Sunshine is below the Angel Chair. Photo Credit: Sunshine Village

The lineage of the first Underwear Tree has, unfortunately, been lost to time, but there are two common beliefs as to the whereabouts of the original specimen. During the late 1950's and early 1960's America entered what is commonly referred to as the Sexual Revolution where people first began challenging the accepted beliefs towards sexuality. The urge to find oneself and buck society's sexual norms likely played a role in sprouting the nation's first Panty Tree. Beneath the Bell Mountain chairlift at Aspen Mountain Resort the satiny buds of that early tree began to emerge. The women's undergarments, likely tossed by ski patrol's male members, were hung like trophies from the previous night's conquests. Depending on who you talk to it's also been said that the underwear needed to be stolen without the other person knowing before they could be contributed to the prized tree.

Looking down on the Underwear Tree at Lake Louise. Photo Credit: Jasper Johnson

The other commonly referenced origin story also places the tree at Aspen except its birth wasn't until the mid-1980's. According to a veteran patroller someone tossed a brazier into the tree bearing the name of a controversial figure within the skiing community. The humorous stunt was so well received that during its heyday more than fifty bras and other unmentionables could be counted hanging from the crowded branches. The tree transformed into a symbol of rebellion. Officials threatened to remove the tree and ban those who were participating in the knicker-lobbing escapades, which only lead to an increase in action.

As you can see this tree has had several contributions over the years. Photo Credit: Sunshine Village

Aspen's time in the skivvy spotlight was cut short due to the installation of their gondola and the discontinued use of the Bell Chair in the early 1990's, but the story doesn't end there. The Underwear Tree re-spawned at another popular Colorado ski resort, Vail. According to legend the initial pair of panties were procured during a particularly steamy gondola ride. After complaints from concerned families over its appropriateness Vail's original tree was chopped down, but it was reborn in one of the resort's back bowls and has flourished there ever since. If Aspen gets the distinction of being the first to have a Bra Tree than Vail is credited as the one to make it famous. The tree reached its pinnacle of popularity in 2004 when the after-dinner cocktail giant Grand Marnier used the tree as part of their marketing strategy. The tagline for the advertisement stated, "You just recognized a pair of panties in the Sundown Bowl tree...the conversation is waiting."

If you're looking to contribute, the tree at Lake Louise is below the Paradise Chair. Photo Credit: Jasper Johnson

Word travels fast, but tales of erotic triumphs are even faster. Combine all that folklore with Vail's critical acclaim and it's easy to see why countless winter resorts now boast a tree of their very own. The tradition has even spread north of the border and many resorts here in Alberta aren't immune to the Underwear Tree's silky blossoms. Lake Louise has one. So does Castle Mountain. Marmot Basin's is located beneath the Knob Chair, which cannot be a coincidence. Sunshine actually has multiple trees scattered throughout its boundaries. But the rest of Canada is not immune to the deluge of the provocative plant either. There have also been sightings at mountain resorts in British Columbia and as far away as Ontario.

You can see it's not just women's underwear, but also Mardi Gras beads and even a pair of sneakers! Photo Credit: Sunshine Village

I have no doubt the true spirit of that first tree still lives on to some degree, but I believe the reasons for disrobing today are far greater reaching than the original intent. Maybe it's just some spur of the moment fun or that skiing commando is the right amount of risque in your life or perhaps the occasion is a little more on the racy side, whatever your reason the tree will be waiting. These days you're just as likely to see men's boxers, briefs, and gitch suspended alongside those bright lacy panties and animal-print bras we've come to expect. The statement is obviously far less political and nowadays the one contributing the negligee is just as likely to be female in what was once a male dominated venture. Despite its lewd beginnings and contentious nature the Underwear Tree's lineage runs deep and is in no danger of being uprooted any time soon.

A close-up of the colourful contributions to one of Sunshine's trees. Photo Credit: Sunshine Village

Nakiska Ski Area

Trip Date: November 2017

On Wednesday, November 1st Nakiska Ski Area announced they'd be opening for the season on Saturday, November 4th, making them the first resort in Canada to do so. But then Mount Norquay dropped a bomb on Nakiska's plans and declared they'd be opening a day earlier to claim the title of earliest opening this year. In the end who really cares because ski and snowboard season is once again upon us and that's all that matters.

On the road to Nakiska

Welcome to Nakiska Ski Area

Located less than 100km from downtown, nestled in picturesque Kananaskis Country, Nakiska is the closest resort to Calgary not named Canada Olympic Park. Like COP however, Nakiska played host to the alpine events for the 1988 Olympic Winter Games and today offers 1,021 skiable acres. The resort boasts something for everyone with 13% of the runs considered beginner, 59% intermediate, and the remaining 28% advanced. The resort also features the Na.Jib.Ska Rail Park, a skier/boarder cross course, and the Monster Glades.

These signs were posted all around the base area

Uploading and downloading via the Olympic Chair

Excited to hit the slopes!

Normally I'd wait a few weeks for the conditions to improve before hitting the slopes, but the team at SnowSeekers surprised Christine and I with lift tickets. One of my cardinal rules is never turn down free snowboarding (you'd have to be crazy to do that), so we secured a babysitter and made plans to head out for the day.

The snow-making machines were in full effect, hence the hazy conditions at the Mid Lodge

The visibility drastically improved as we ascended the Gold Chair 

Pretty good view from the top of the Gold Chair

We didn't make first chair because it's tough getting anywhere when you have a 5-month-old at home, but we made decent time on the drive. As we were about to enter the lift-line Christine discovered she had a busted binding buckle that needed to be repaired before we had any hope of riding. With some helpful assistance from the repair shop we were on the chair with very little time wasted.

Overlooking the mountains in Kananaskis Country

I can promise you there's a big grin hidden underneath all the layers of warm clothing!

The trees were coated in snow and reminded me of the Snow Ghosts at Whitefish Mountain Resort

The only accessible terrain was off the Gold Chair, so everyone needed to upload and download via the Olympic Chair. Even though Nakiska received 65cm over the past seven days many of the runs still weren't open. From the Gold Chair there were approximately 10 open runs including the Monster Glades, which gave us some varied terrain to explore. It was a chilly -20 degrees at the summit, but the sun was shining and there wasn't a breath of wind so it didn't feel too bad, although Christine described her day as "frigid"!

Christine riding through the Monster Glades

Good snow in the glades

GoPro selfie on the day's final run

Christine and I closing out a superb opening day!

For me the entire day was completely unexpected. I was caught off-guard when Nakiska announced they'd be opening this early, the lift tickets were a big, yet welcome, surprise, and the quality of the snow was better than we could have hoped for this early in November. I am so glad we went and now I'm even more excited for the rest of the season to get underway.

The sun sitting low in the sky as we made our way back to the base

A brief video showcasing Opening Day 2017 at Nakiska

For additional photos and information from opening day please refer to this post from SnowSeekers.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

Mount Norquay

Trip Date: March 2017

It's not everyday that I get to write about a ski/snowboard resort, but I recently had the pleasure of visiting Mount Norquay for the first time and keeping with tradition (see Delirium Dive as my most recent snowboarding post) I will share a blog post about the hill. I tend not to write every time I go snowboarding as it would be pretty monotonous and boring, but whenever I get to visit a hill for the first time I like to share my experience on this blog.

Mount Norquay Trail Map

Mount Norquay is located in Banff National Park and is considered one of the Big 3 resorts along with Sunshine Village and Lake Louise, although Norquay is considerably smaller than the other two. It has 60 runs spread over 190 acres of terrain. The earliest ski runs date back to 1926 and the original lodge opened in 1929. Mount Norquay is only 10 minutes from downtown Banff and is approximately 130km from Calgary. We ended up at Norquay to support the Canadian Cowboy Ski Race, which is a major fundraiser for the Canadian Pro Rodeo Sport Medicine Team, the founders of which are Christine's co-workers.

The summit of Mount Norquay is shrouded in clouds, but you can see the race course for the Cowboy Ski Race

Even though they had 4cm overnight the warm temperature made the consistency of the snow something like wet cement. On top of that it rained on and off throughout the day, so we were completely soaked before lunch time. That didn't stop us from enjoying ourselves and exploring what the hill had to offer.

Those lifties think they're so funny!

About to drop in on a run

Although not politically correct the tree-covered mountain is Stoney Squaw and it sits between Mount Norquay and Cascade Mountain

You can see the Banff town site in the background and that little hump is actually Tunnel Mountain

A quick GoPro selfie on one of the runs

Jeff, Sarah, and I riding the lift

Although Mount Norquay is not my first choice when it comes to ski and snowboard resorts I can see the draw for families as it's smaller and quieter than its larger neighbours. Due to the unfavourable conditions I would like to come back and see what it's like when the snow is good. 

Delirium Dive

Trip Date: March 2015

Delirium Dive is located at Sunshine Mountain Village Resort, which I wrote about in a previous post that you can read right here.  Although I've snowboarded at Sunshine on numerous occasions I've never been in The Dive before and that's because it's considered an off-piste freeride zone, meaning there are special restrictions for accessing that part of the mountain.  Those restrictions include being an advanced skier or snowboarder, riding with at least one other person, and each member of your party must possess avalanche gear (a beacon, a shovel, and a probe).  Delirium Dive officially opened to the public in 1998.  Although the area is technically in-bounds and is included in the Snow Safety Team's extensive avalanche control program, the area can be prone to slides in certain weather conditions.  That is why avalanche gear is required for access and the entire area can be closed at any time due to avalanche hazard, weather, visibility, temperature, or slope conditions.

A map of Sunshine Village that highlights Delirium Dive

Another map of Sunshine, but this one focuses more on Lookout Mountain

In early March, on a beautiful sunny day, a co-worker (Peter) and I headed to Sunshine with the intention of riding The Dive.  Peter had been there on previous trips, but as I mentioned before, it would be my first time.  We arrived early and did a few warm-up laps through Bye Bye Bowl, off the The Great Divide Express chair, while waiting for The Dive to officially open.  Just after 10am we got word from a friendly lift attendant that Delirium Dive had been opened for the day.  We caught the next chair and headed straight for the summit of Lookout Mountain.  

Access to The Dive requires passing through a security check-point that ensures each person is wearing an avalanche beacon.  The gate will not open if your not wearing a beacon or it isn't turned on.  Once through the gate there's a short climb to the summit where the immensity of The Dive comes into focus!

The access gate for Delirium Dive

My first view of The Dive from the summit of Lookout Mountain

Once at the summit you can drop into the freeride zone via Bre X, but we opted to take the stairs down to Galaxy Ridge and enter The Dive through Delirium Proper, which is a little more tame.  The stairs are actually a steel staircase that drops down a rocky cliff.  Once at the bottom you can navigate the short distance to the drop-in point with the help of a rope guardrail.  

Descending the steel stairs.  You can see the rope guardrail on the right side of the ridge.

Looking back up towards the summit.  Here you can see the rope (left) and the staircase.

My first trip through Delirium Dive was a bit nerve wracking, to say the least.  The first five to ten turns were on hard packed snow, so my confidence level was a little shaky, but after that the snow softened up and the riding was much better.  Both of us took it pretty slow because none of the natural hazards (ie: cliffs!!) are marked, as they would be throughout the rest of the resort.  We picked our lines carefully and were slow and methodical during our descent.  

Peter riding in The Dive

Looking towards the Milky Way inside Delirium Dive.  We didn't make it far enough along Galaxy Ridge to access that terrain.

Looking back up towards the summit of Lookout Mountain.  We came down the left side of this photo.

We ended up having a great day.  The visibility was better than either of us had expected and the snow was decently soft.  The best snow, by far, was lower in The Dive when we entered the Sugar Bowl and made our way through Sweet & Low.  Both areas were sun exposed, which had really softened the snow for us.  We did three or four laps of The Dive before finishing the day with a few cruisy laps off the Wawa chair.  

Looking back towards Delirium Dive after our exit

Peter and I with The Dive in the background

After experiencing Delirium Dive for the first time, it's easy to see why the Sydney Morning Herald calls it one of the ten best off-piste destinations in the world!  I was hooked after my first Dive experience and can't wait for my next day out!  Hopefully we'll be able to explore more of the freeride zone and see what the other areas have to offer.

Revelstoke Mountain Resort

Trip Date: December 2014

Revy has been at the top of my snowboarding bucket list for quite some time.  I'm not sure why I hadn't made it that far west, but 2014 was my lucky year.  Nine of us, plus Devin and two dogs, headed out on Thursday afternoon for our annual ski/snowboard weekend.  We booked a place, Catherwood Lodge, that was only one kilometre from the base of the mountain.  The lodge sits on thirteen acres of land and includes a hot tub.  You could literally see the runs from the back deck.  

Revelstoke Mountain Resort Trail Map

Revelstoke is approximately 410km west of Calgary along the Trans Canada Highway.  The resort boasts North America's greatest vertical at 1,713 metres and features 3,121 skiable acres.  It is also the only resort in the world to offer lift, cat, heli, and backcountry skiing from the same village base.  We would only be using the lift-assisted skiing and riding option on this trip, however.

Catherwood Lodge

Unfortunately the snow was a bit crusty and some of the runs were icy in places, thanks to unseasonably warm temperatures in southern B.C.  We did, however, manage to find a few pockets of fresh snow higher-up on the mountain, more specifically Vertigo and Separate Reality.  Here's a few photos from the trip that were taken by a number of different people.

The Mackenzie Outpost at the top of the Revelation Gondola, partway up the mountain

The view from the summit

Christine and Sarah doing laps off The Ripper chairlift

The skiing and boarding crew minus Dan, who was taking the photo

The second day started off really foggy!

The trees were covered in hoar frost

A close-up of the frosty trees

Matt and Ashley at the top

After lunch the fog burned off and gave us some great views of the town

Despite the subpar snow we still had a great weekend.  The skiing and snowboarding are only part of the reason we all make the trip each year anyway.  We are already talking about coming back when the mountain is covered in its legendary powder.  Until then I'll be looking forward to my next Revelstoke experience.