Where it all started…

I was born in Revelstoke B.C. to a family of avid downhill skiers. Needless to say, my dad had me on skis as soon as I was able…I think that’s probably how it went. Being 25 now things back then are a little blurry. I do have plenty of memories of family ski days on Mount MacKenzie though. A lot of which my uncle has on video, and they are absolutely hilarious to watch. Let’s just say skiing in the 80′s was very…colorful. I remember having this rediculous fluorescent green, yellow and pink jacket. Honestly, I think my parents got it for me as a way of being able to spot me coming down the hill.

Anyways, my dad always urged my brother and I to go into the Nancy Greene program. I think I just wasn’t into the whole idea of racing, or maybe the thought of actually having to go up the chairlift…eek. I usually stuck to the t-bar due to my fear of heights. Keep in mind I was probably around 7 or 8 at the time, I’m not that afraid of heights now…I just pray that the chair doesn’t stop while I’m on it haha. I did finally give in to going for a lesson with one of the instructors, I’m sure I was her worst student because I cried the whooole way up the chair! I see her now and then on the hill and I’ll have a little giggle…poor girl.

As I got older I became a little more adventurous. My friends and I hardly ever touched the groomed runs, we were always looking for hidden spots in the trees and all that. Just me and my favorite pair of rossignols…which were probably way too short but I didn’t care.

Then there was the day I gave in to the trends in high school…I started snowboarding. It was only for about two seasons, I thought my family was going to disown me! Plus I could only carve one way and tree runs weren’t as fun because when you fall, you get stuck. Then I buggered up my hand…I never used to crack my knuckles. So back to skiing I went. I had a couple slow seasons due to the fact I had been back and forth to Calgary for school. I guess you could say that I started losing interest…

BUT You know how some friends will tell you that you meet certain people for a reason? Well I met a guy, crazy for skiing, who introduced me to “Ski Porn” and I became hooked. We would always watch some Matchstick Productions movies and it just made me soo excited for snow it was crazy. So I found my motivation again and one day I would love to rip it up like Ingrid Backstrom does…wow. I was also fortunate to be working for Canadian Mountain Holidays at the time, my boss knew my family and was always bugging me to go out heli-skiing with one of the groups (staff was able to go for free if there was a spot open). My excuse always being that I didn’t think that I was a strong enough skier…then staff ski day came along, I was soo wrong. For anyone debating about going heli-skiing, just do it, you won’t regret it, it’s an amazing experience. I sure was kicking myself for not listening to my boss after that…

And if that wasn’t enough to get me back on the skis again, I met Eric Hjorleifson. Well, I don’t know if you’d call it “meeting” him but I was working at RBC as a teller (I had 2 jobs) and he came to my wicket. I knew I recognized him and when I swiped his card and his name came up I almost died…and all I could think was “Oh my god, I have a Powder magazine with you on the cover!”. Do you think I could say anything? Ask for an autograph maybe? OF COURSE NOT! I’m such a wuss. Totally the icing on the cake though. Then I kept wondering if Ingrid was wandering around town somewhere, hmm? How cool would that be!

My Dad :)

Advertisement