Nomads: could it be a lifestyle?

by Jeff Bodnarchuk - Manager CMH Nomads

My excitement spiked the moment the private charter touched down in Revelstoke. This was it – the inaugural Nomads group had arrived. A trip that had been in the planning for over a year was finally becoming a reality. Would it work? Would the guests be as stoked about this experience as I was? Would we really be able to roam freely through the mountains of multiple CMH areas? After meeting our guests at the airport, we headed to the Regent Hotel to gear up.

There were three men, three women (all new to CMH), and one special guest who shall remain nameless. Our team comprised three guides, a private CMH concierge, helicopter engineer, and our own pilot. It was obvious everyone was pumped for the week. We headed out, warming up our legs with some great runs in the Jordan Valley of the Revelstoke tenure, then on to some high country skiing in the Gothic’s terrain. It was getting late, but we had time to hit some Monashee steeps before calling it a day. By the time the guests slipped into the hot tub at the Monashee Lodge, I knew this “nomads” concept was now a reality and the guest experience was even better than we anticipated.

For the next three days we explored the outer reaches of the Monashees, Gothics, and Adamants with our local lead guides. To be honest, we were over-indulgent powder pigs. On day five, we packed our bags and began our nomadic trek southward toward Halcyon Hot Springs, skiing through the Monashees and Gothics, before rendezvousing with our Revelstoke guide. If we saw the perfect bowl, we skied it. If we found the perfect tree glade, we ripped through it. As a skier, it was Nirvana.

Arriving at Halcyon Hot Springs was a treat. Our luxurious digs for the next three nights were located just north of Nakusp and overlooking the shores of Arrow Lakes. Halcyon is the perfect hub to quickly access the terrain of Revelstoke, Galena, and Kootenay. And access it we did! Two full days later, no one wanted it to end: there were still so many places to explore. Squeezing in as much as we could, we skied our way back to Revelstoke where our exhausted and exuberant guests caught their private flight back to Calgary.

Successful? From my perspective – definitely. Both guests and guides were continually blown away by the endless possibilities for riotous fun. We skied through six CMH tenures, across two major mountain ranges had access to over 1,000 runs and massed 175,800 vertical feet.I can say with confidence that being a nomad is a fantastic way of life. But, like any lifestyle change, you really need to decide for yourself!

CMH Newsletter - May 2009