96
MLBLUE
FALL2016
It's not that IslandLakeLodge invented cat skiing;
they just defined it.
Likelydue to its proximity tomajor resorts and
character towns dotting theBC interior's Powder
Highway—the ease of access to a smorgasbord
of terrain anduntracked alpine—IslandLake has
attracted legions of snow sports icons since the
earlynineties to film the segments thatmake up
the rich tapestryof our history.Then again,maybe
it's just serendipity.
Films like
Blizzard of Aahhhs, Steep&Deep
and
P-Tex, Lies&DuctTape
—not tomention
the dozens ofmagazine covers and feature
interviews shot on location—not only put
IslandLake on themap, but also kickstarted a
collective salivation for bigmountain, off-piste
and backcountry experiences among average,
everyday enthusiasts.
The area's recreational history stretches back to the
early1900s, when locals fromFernie built a small
day-use cabinon the property. But itwouldn't be
until the early eightieswhenDanMcDonald and
RodPendleburybrewedup the idea of ski touring
and cross-country skiing around IslandLake and
theLizardRange.
Then in1988, with foresight from veteran lensman
MarkGallup, who saw the potential of catskiing
in the area, the first snowcatwas delivered to the
lodge and thus began IslandLake's revered legacy
as one of the best in the biz.
Of coursewordwas gettingout, and in the early
ninetiesCraigKelly andScot Schmidt began
frequenting in the area. Around this time the entire
7,000 acreswent up for sale.The partners at the
time had30days to come upwith themoney to
secure the land and at the eleventhhour theyput
together a buying group that includedKelly and
Schmidt.
IslandLake has never been just another developer's
wet dream to cash inon the popularityof snow
sports. In its veins courses diehard skiing and
snowboarding. Its importance in the historyof the
industry can't be overstated.
IslandLakewas the first place both skiing and
snowboardingwere filmed together for amass
audience, withSchmidt andKellybreaking ground
in the film
Siberia
.This collaboration signalled an
epochof cooperationof industryheads likeTerje
Haakonsen,Trevor Peterson, EricPehota, Jason
Ford, andSethMorrison, toname a few, along
withmedia heavyweightsHenriGeorgi,Mark
Gallup andScottMarkewitz. IslandLake became a
meltingpot for the ideas thatwould come to shape
snow sports as awhole.
And the coverage hasn'twaned.With footage in
Sherpas' 2012 release
All.I.Can
., and this year's
release ofTGR's
Tight Loose
, IslandLake remains
a nexus of creative and athletic talent inboth the
single and two-plankworlds, serving as backdrop
to some of themost groundbreaking films today.
After three days of dropping in from some of the
most incredible fall lines I've ever ridden, I now
seewhy.
It's not hard todaydreamback to the IslandLake
Lodge's formative days and imagine the first lines
downGeishaBowl, or through theEnchanted
Forest andLowerBaldy. It's easy to get lost in the
history andnostalgia of it all, reminiscingon the
magazine covers pasted to lockers andbedroom
walls.Way too easy. Even for anon-again, off-again
pile likeme.
In aword, IslandLake is fun.Theoversizedpillows
that blanket giant felled trees are fun, the silky-
smooth rollers one can't helpbut hitway too fast
are fun, the lifelong friends Imade are fun, and
thehigh alpine spine traverses and steep-and-deep
speed lines through virginpowder arenot only fun,
but forever seared intomymemory, potentially at
the expenseof all futureon-hill experiences.
Most of all, IslandLake and its hedonistic
trappings are both accessible and accommodating
to even themost average Joe. And thatwill forever
be the beatingheart of its lasting allure.
ISLANDLAKELODGE
REMAINSANEXUSOF
CREATIVEANDATHLETIC
TALENTINBOTHTHE
SINGLEANDTWO-PLANK
WORLDS.
Jeremy Jones, ShinCampos and Ian Spiro straight-liningCyclops. Island Lake's longest-standingguideCorrieWright standswatch from the
peak. MARKGALLUP
