By the time April rolls around a lot of folks are done with winter. For us, April was the time for our inaugural backcountry ski trip with kids. It involved a portable yurt called the Honey Dome, gummy bears hidden in trees, and some boys catching the backcountry powder bug. – Story by Leanne Allison
We’ve taken a very slow approach to backcountry skiing with kids because 1) it’s a lot of work to earn your turns, and 2) there are risks. This year, three intrepid boys joined us on a backcountry ski trip: our son, Zev (9 years old), and Jay and Lynne’s twin boys, Reece and Lucas (11 years old). They’ve all put in lots of time on skis but we knew the deep powder snow would be a new challenge for them. There was also the issue of finding backcountry ski gear for them.
Jay toured through a half-dozen garages around Canmore to cobble together alpine touring ski setups for his twin boys. Zev had a wide pair of kids’ Atomic skis that kept his 58lb. body afloat nicely in the powder, along with used Garmont T-Rex tele-boots and Riva Chili telemark bindings. Although he never drops his knee, his heels are free. As all telemarkers know, it keeps him honest. It’s also light, and is nice and simple for the transitions between climbing and going downhill. In the end, all the systems worked, but I think the wider light skis helped Zev.
With the kids equipped, we flew the Honey Dome (a portable yurt we bought with a bunch friends years ago), into an area near Revelstoke, BC, to use it as our base for the trip.
The Honey Dome (version 2, with thinly insulated walls) in action. It’s named after our friend Jay Honeyman, who was part of the core group that bought the first version 20 years ago.
In the backcountry, telling stories on the way uphill was often enough to distract the kids from the effort of climbing, but we also resorted to blackmail and hid gummy bears in the trees. We also didn’t push them too much. After a run or two in the morning, we often spent the rest of the day playing in the snow, and building forts, kickers, and elaborate trenches to trap unsuspecting adults.
Concerns about avalanche safety added tension to the trip but it also turned everyone on to our surroundings. All of us (including the kids) worked to assess the snowpack and decide whether or not to ski a slope. The kids learned to be aware of slope steepness, snow conditions, and what’s above them at all times. We talked about what aspect we were skiing, and why, and questioned what the sun was doing to the snow. We skied with caution and kept an eye on each other, especially through the trees.
Honey Dome from Leanne Allison on Vimeo.
As you can see from the video, everyone had tons of fun, and the kids definitely caught the backcountry powder bug.