The West Coast Story

"I still vividly remember the first day I took my newly built split board out at Evening Ridge in the Kootenays, it changed everything. From that point on, any peak I looked up at and mind road, was mine for the taking. Within hours I could be at the top of a glacier in the Rockies or way above any tree line in Rogers Pass. It was a stepping stone to ultimate freedom and escape, and countless possibilities. There's an incredible feeling that comes with not just surviving but thriving in hostile alpine environments. Every worry you had on your mind vanishes with the crisp breeze, and the sun you thought was lost is burning brighter than ever. You get the best of both worlds, skinning up is a walking Mahasi meditation, methodical and calculated, soaking in the magic and serenity moment by moment. As layers are peeled off and breathing quickens, a deeper connection occurs between your body and the landscape. Then, like an eagle getting ready to make a dive, you strap in and your board becomes a paint brush. You release all exhaustion, thoughts and dreams and become one with the trillions of crystals beneath. As gravity kicks in, you fall, exploding gracefully, over fluffy pillows, on buttery lips, under soft blankets, sinking knee deep, chest deep, nipples deep... Howling like wolves until the early night creeps over the jagged horizons. I dreamt this painting up for my good friend Tanya Hisch who I met through Forestry School at Selkirk college. We spent many days split boarding around the Kootenays over those two years. The triangular peak is Mount Fisher and can be seen from her home town of Cranbrook, B.C."
- Andrew Talbot -