The Kootenay Coldsmoke Powder Festival is one of the best winter events in North America. With three days of clinics and two nights of socials and entertainment at Whitewater Ski Resort February 22-24, 2019, the festival offers the perfect balance of serious skill building and serious fun. Each day starts with ski and snowboard clinics taught by some of the most capable guides and instructors on the continent, and each night concludes with food, films, and competitive antics that are rewarded with gear prizes—think free skis, handheld radios, and weatherproof attire.
Clinics are divided into two categories: on-area and backcountry. On-area clinics include technical instruction in alpine, off-piste, and free skiing and snowboarding. Backcountry clinics include beginner, intermediate, and advanced touring; route finding and terrain reading; companion rescue; and a two-day backcountry camp. There’s also the chance to compete for the King & Queen of Coldsmoke title through four traditional and bizarre events that show off participants’ mountain savvy.
All levels of mountain enthusiasts will find ways to challenge and enjoy themselves at an affordable price while surrounded by a few hundred of their new-found ski partners and friends. //
