True Colours of Whitewater

Whitewater attracts good people.

Something along these lines was said on New Year’s Eve. I was in the midst of writing an article about Kootenay winters for a publication I regularly write for, but decided to take a break for the celebrations. Showing up for a get together at Danny Foster's place—Whitewater’s ski school director who hails from Australia—I talked a little about the topic I was writing on: Why We Love Kootenay Winters.

It took zero seconds for Danny to respond.

“My big wins for skiing [at Whitewater] is the terrain, snow and the awesome skiers with no ego,” he said, listing off the three things that he said keep him coming back year after year. "Consistently deep blower pow; terrain that makes skiing that snow an unbelievably good time—whether your after steeps, chutes, glades, cliffs, open pow fields; the amazing people—I've never been to an area where there's such a high percentage of sick skiers and boarders and none of them seem to have egos, which makes for great riding buds.”

That terrain attracts and shapes some dang good skiers. But it’s the Kootenay culture that seems to keep them gracious and accepting. Danny began giving examples of some of our area’s pros who turn up at the hill with folks who are more of the “take-it-easy” crowd. He talked about how he’s seen them ski with all levels, waiting for friends who might not charge as hard or taking Whitewater newcomers under their wing, waiting for them without a trace of impatience as they navigated WH2O's terrain.

Danny went on. “These guys have no attitude about their skill, even though they rightfully could. They ski with everyone.”

It’s not like this in many other places.

I’ve skied across North America, living in my car for three years to travel from Alaska to Nova Scotia, New England to Utah, spending time skiing and studying the ski culture in nearly all our continent’s regions. The only place that came close to this humble approach was Utah, where I lived for many years before heading to BC.

Skier: Danny Foster; Photo Credit: Sean Armstrong

I thought it was the best you could get when it came to the low-attitude approach. But in comparison to my Kootenay home, many of my pro skiing friends fell more into what Danny called “rightful” recognition of their skill. They’d ski with you, sure, but some still emitted an underlying tone that it was a favour to do so.

I’ve never felt that from those who are natives to the Kootenay lake region, and can count on one finger the times I’ve felt it from transplants—I’ll chalk that one up to being an outlier (every unbiased survey has at least one, right?).

Both in skill and in graciousness, Whitewater just attracts good people.

Here’s to you, you sick-skiing, warm-welcoming WH2O folks. You do this area proud.

Header photo by Danny Foster