(Would I go again) yes
(Comments)
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Just returned form a week long trip (end March 2000) with Ian Aikins of Wells Gray Wilderness Chalets. During this week we traversed between his three cabins spending two nights at each location. The cabins are all cosy and comfortable for groups of 10 -12 skiers, Trophy and Fight have propane powered saunas. Discovery (my favorite cabin) does not have a sauna but Ian swears this is a project for this Summer (please Ian!). The traverses are fun and allow you to see more of this spectacular area though for an intermediate skier it was frustrating to find awesome powder on the traverses and have to muddle down the slope like a turtle under a decent sized pack!!! The non-traverse days were our real powder sniffing days, and boy, does Ian have a good nose! There are a number of fun 1000ft lines close to Trophy and Discovery cabin. Fight is on the edge of a beautiful sub-alpine meadow system, the terrain around this cabin is more gentle, though an ascent of Battle Mountain behind the cabin yields excellent views and some nice skiing on the return.
Food was good, guiding and company philosophy is great too. I would highly recommend Wells Gray either for a single cabin trip or a traverse, there is also the option to traverse between just the first two cabins, Trophy and Discovery, this trip visits the steeper terrain for more turns. I will go back to Wells Gray, I could do that traverse many times over. I also want to return to Discovery cabin for several days, it hurt to leave all that powder!
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(Hut Name) Wells Gray Chalets
(trip was guided) yes
(trip was catered) yes
(I rate the skiing as) great
(I rate the hut as) great
(I rate the food as) great
(I rate the people as) great
(Would I go again) yes
(Comments)
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Since this was my first ski trip to British Columbia, I can't
make comparisons, but to me all the "great"s were well warranted.
The skiing was fantastic to us. The best part, though, was the
people we shared it with. This was the first time I had joined
a group and I was a bit apprehensive. It turned out to be a
group I now think of as friends. We were from western Canada,
western and eastern U.S. (I'm a Vermonter) and Scotland, but
all pitched in in chores - cooking, cleaning, shoveling, etc.
which seemed to bring us closer. You can't help but be a better
skier after tips from Ian Aikins and his assistant Sean MacKinnon.
Ian also rates as one of the best of storytellers. We were
entranced by his tales of guiding in Nepal. Back to the
skiing...late March powder, both on open slopes and through
the trees, had me whelping for joy! Then to come upon a herd
of caribou...wow. Would I go back? I can't wait.
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(Name) Ken Vandermark
(email) kvanderm@adelphia.net
(Hut Name) Wells Gray Chalets
(trip was guided) yes
(trip was catered) yes
(I rate the skiing as) great
(I rate the hut as) great
(I rate the food as) great
(I rate the people as) great
(Would I go again) yes
(Comments)
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We spent six days in mid-March (2001) at Wells Gray. In spite of the
fact that there was poor snow (& atrocious avalanche conditions) everywhere
else we were able to enjoy 6 great days. There is lots of safe terrain where
you can ski no matter what the conditions are. We split our trip between the Trophy
and Discovery cabins with a traverse in between. A highlight of the trip was
the ascent of Trophy Mountain. It was a long day but extremely rewarding. The
terrain up there rates among the best I have skiied. We also had a great time
with Ian Aiken and his assistant guide Steve. They are pretty funny characters.
I guess thats what happen when you spend too much time in a hut! When you go
make sure you ask to play the bag game!!
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(Name) Roger Bertschmann
(email) roger@siworks.com