On Thursday we went for a short tour on Paul’s Ridge near Squamish having spent the previous day resort skiing to help Barbara get her ski legs back. We woke to the tinny sound of rain of the roof of Snow White (Bells Toyota Four Runner truck) and our room for the night. I was quite excited to hear the rain as BC has had a serious lack of snow this year and rain in the valley means snow up high. We bounced out of bed, well sort of, and headed down the road to grab some breakfast and food for lunch.
The route starts from the top of a logging road, which we found without too much bother. However Barbara was most unhappy with the lack of grip we seemed to have on the washboard and icy track. I pointed out this was in part due to being in two wheel drive and in part due to the dodgy tyres. This didn’t settle Barbara much, I must try harder with tact and diplomacy!
As we headed on up I was wondering if it was going to be raining or snowing at the start of the route, slowly as we gained elevation the rain became sleet then snow. We then reached a steep hairpin bend and I decided it was time to try out the four wheel drive, as there was no way we would make it otherwise. Even in four wheel drive it was pretty spicy with the car crabbing from left to right across the road. I told Barbara ‘not to worry, it’s normal for these type of cars to slide around like this’. Diplomacy getting better? Well it was a small lie at least, really I had no idea having never driven a four wheel drive before! I’ll count that as diplomacy.
The snow was now falling pretty solidly, this did bode well for the day, and Barbara’s first go on her new touring bindings and skins. Arriving at the carpark there was to a good few inches of fresh snow, sweet!
It was a 6km skin (up hill travel on skis) to a hut where we stopped for a break. It was here I had my epiphany whilst talking to one of the snow shoers about our trip…. It was the 30th January technically my last day of work for RWE! Yes, this is my ‘last day of work’ before officially becoming a ski bum! What better way to see in the momentous event, but slaying some fresh pow! Awesome!
There was nothing else for it but to skin up to the top of Paul’s Ridge and ski some lines, there was now about 6 inches of fresh. Although perhaps we should have got up earlier, as there were already another group up top making their second descent of the day, but we still got some nice powder turns in before heading back up the ridge for a final descent all the way back to the car.
We got back to the car at about 4pm (12am UK time) so That’s It! I AM A OFFICIALLY SKI BUM!
The Good Life Rides Again 
Snow White looks cosy! Is this a temporary abode? Very jealous of the powder turns!
Enjoy
The Spilligans
Aye between huts in the mountains and my mates spare bed in his bedroom.
Nana wishes you well and says you seem to be coping well without the bicycle! Lovely to hear about new things. x
A ski bum with a secretary-surely not!
Well being a ski bum is quite a middle class thing!
How have I only just seen this post (and your Applcross post, which brought back memories!) Hope you guys are having fun. What’s S America ski bumming like?
S. America has been pretty good so far, but no ski bumming so far just van buying then van converrting, now van fixing :-(. We have been doing quite a bit of climbing hobo action though. Should try and skype at some point. Have you thought about NZ much yet?
Oh no, has it broken down!? Van buying in SA sounds like an affair! Not loads of thinking about NZ… Adrian isn’t sure if he’s around now. Main thinking has been around what skis to take? Going with both at the moment!!
Yep van was pretty sick,but all fixed now which was a real saga. I’ll FB RE NZ. Was wondering about accomodation, we’re going to be poor, but I was speaking to a couple of kiwis and they recommended hiring a cottage or appartment as a reasonably economical way to go…
Well up for that! Adrian thinks he might now be around and I mentioned accommodation to him – he was going to ask around. If not was planning on staying in Matterhorn South hostel in Wanaka… it’s 12 years since I’ve stayed there but it was pretty nice! If we can sort a cottage out though then all the better and Cone is in town from about 11th until Monday 15th so he’s chip in a bit as well. I’m there from 11th until 26th btw. Where are you thinking? I’m kinda 99% set on Wanaka just cos it’s my favourite place in the world (next to La Grave of course) but happy to do some adventuring around… that work? Hope all’s good