~*...backcountry claims a life...*~

i was picked up bright and early yesterday by dana, the instructor for my level 1 casi course. we headed up to whitewater where dana was teaching a professional development program course. it was a recap of all the teaching techniques that i learned a few weeks ago when i did my casi level 1 course, plus an intro into the techniques and skills that the level 2 casi course would cover. there were 5 other people in the class with me, each one an instructor at whitewater. i learned some good skills to help with my carving, and it was a good intro into what i would be tested on for my level 2.

the course finished at noon and i chose to stay at the hill for the remainder of the day to get some runs in.

hey, ryan (dj azonic), look who i ran into on the hill?


i also ran into nile, one of the guys i did my level one course with. he was riding with his friend amos (who skiis). they are both 19yrs old and both of them are addicted to spinning 360's. these guys were dialing 3'z off of anything and everything. it was most impressive.





later that afternoon, we were all reminded that the mountain is always in control. a 33yr old man took a tumble in the backcountry, hit rocks and trees on his way down, and was pronounced dead on arrival after the helicoptor took him to the nearest hospital. its such an overwhelming feeling to ride in an area where someone's spirit had just been set free, a victim of the risks involved when riding back country. you could feel it in the people, in the air, it was an intense feeling of loss. in a town this small, there is only a single degree of separation if you did not know the victim personally. 33 year old carey bosker was a freerider...he leaves behind his wife anne and their 8 month daughter noah. :(

r.i.p. carey bosker

i got home and enjoyed a well earned shower. i emerged to see that the sky was dumping tonnes of fresh snow. owen and i walked through the freshly falling snow over to our friend brett and ruben's place for a birthday potluck. happy birthday ruben!

good thing i had on a hat that kept the snow off my head cause it was coming down hard. thanks for the hat grant.


ruben and brett are two brilliantly talented musicians. it was awesome to chill at their place and jam. a few guitars, a cello, some drums, a keyboard, and a room of creative individuals is a great recipe for a rockin jam.


i ended up chillin out at mikhaila's place after brett and ruben's party. not wanting to hike back uphill, i passed out at mikhaila's place dreaming of the beautiful powder i would ride at whitewater the next morning. if it was dumping this much in town, the snow at whitewater was going to be epic...and it was.



~*...normaste...*~