034 frequency The Snowboarder’s Journal 01 of /Privatehelicopter. GLORY The SevenCirclesofExtravagance Words DanKostrzewskiPhotosEricBerger

035

The Snowboarder’s Journal Snowboarder’s The frequency 036

frequency The Snowboarder’s Journal gets afree passintoanotherworld. guild the of member align–a perfectly karma and luck times–when scene is one of shoestring budgets and self-funded trips. But at rare soulful the that ensures publications high-caliber for affinity tier.An grit- even gets lifestyle spartan the material, marketable for favored undergroundWhen arecharacters anonymous or scenes repeatedly crew.and photographer a trailing spent days slow and couch-surfs, beer,dirty canned cheap is routine standard glamour,the and glitz from Far reads. it way the plays rarely writer freelance a of life The The OtherOnePercent Sound, BritishColumbia.Destination:. Absinthe. StraitofGeorgia, BC. guests directly from Whistler to the deck of the 04 03 02 01 /TheAbsinthecruisingnorththrough Desolation /So,yougotanyPBR? /Firstnight’s dessert.Breakfast? Fresh powder. / Forget the bus; a TLH helicopter chauffeurs by aneatlyuniformedsteward. bags to private staterooms below. Dom Pérignon was carefully served were cheerily told not to fret because the onboard help would take our the ship’s heli pad and filtering one-by-one to the sky lounge deck, we on gingerly down setting absurd.After affluently angle, fromany was, sight of a 201-foot luxury yacht floating in wait for our A-Star B2The toeye. land my caught Absinthe the when speechless was I mountains, the Absinthe. for me prepared have could fantasies wildest my even Yet,not age. aver than classier be would trip this suspected ship–I a to us flying Eric that be confirmation would photographer,helicopter the the Bergerwas that word and representative, PR the of diction British fect per clues–the few a only With town. of out get to frantically packing deadline–while editorial looming a responsibilities–including pressing all shed guiltlessly I hour one In go. and everything drop to decision easy the made I windfall, occupational this on passed had Galbraith 3 p.m. the next day to be welcomed on board. Still shell-shocked that by Heliport Whistler the at arrive to needed I told was Fool’sI prank, April no was trip heli a onto hitch to pass free my that ensuring After This wasnotPlanet Pabst. Even after the scenic, 40-minute flight over the crest of BC’s coastal » 02 /Welcome aboard. - -

04 / Cruising North. 03 / Refreshments.

037

The Snowboarder’s Journal Snowboarder’s The frequency 038

frequency The Snowboarder’s Journal 05 / Dan Kostrzewski. Dan / 05 own gullet. its ownsommelier, butyouhavetopouritdownyour Mountains ofBritishColumbia. oftheCoast draw hisownlineinalittlevisitedcorner Toba Inlet,Iwas convinced thatthiswastheway toroll. isolated towardthe north cruised we as scotch a for retiredbar the to off asucculentrackoflamb,savored flawlesschocolatemousse,and I morning. never beforethe had in the pleasureterrain of virgin heli-skiing, tap but by to the about time I’d were polished we that reinforced discussion roundtable the Dom, of glass a downed and time first the to fly us into this coastal portion of their lease. As I tasted fois gras for Watling, general manager of TLH Heli-Skiing, the operation contracted Mike heli-fishing–and the for one and heli-skiing the for guides–three I precaution, took a seat at the employees table with four uncomfortably uniformed a As dinner. before adrift set and impostor an labeled the hookwasundoubtedlyheli. wakeboards, and a 40-foot fishing boat, was now at our disposal. But which also included powder skis, sea kayaks, jet skis, mountain bikes, really openedoureyes. massage room, 400-bottle wine private cellar,a and extras–like hot tub the on the was aft deck–that it But fortune. good our of amazement in me and Berger kept bed, down-duveted and television flat-screen satellite-fed own its tour.with guided each Tenthe cabins, on private stops three first our were piano grand player with room dining 12-top bar, and top-shelf stocked leather-couch lounge, The hotel. first their we as obvious toured became around the smoked-oak floors This of the vessel like mega-yacht. kids let loose in luxury a is Absinthe The Champagne andCaviarWorld 08 07 06 05 iln bten ek i a tt o ae I a cnend ’ be I’d concerned was I awe, of state a in decks between Milling chest, toy adult this told when awe to turned disbelief of Smirks /TheSkyLoungeaboard theAbsinthe. /The wine cellar aboard the Absinthe comes with /AuthorDanKostrzewskifindsample room to / Guestsrelax intheupperdeckhottub. 08 / Hottub like thisone. quite trip a seen ever had them of one not that heli-excess–conceded Even the guides, pilots and TLH employees–no strangers to unbridled world. highbrow this in amateurs relative were attendees the of most sponsor invites. After a few bottles of wine, conversation revealed that hardgoods buyer David Steers, who had both lucked into Intrawest the trip with last-minute and Mechura Jeff Director Brand K2 included also list guest the writers, freelance three to addition unfamiliar In bracket. an tax visiting one only the not was I realized guests–I other hung inthewardrobe closet.Livinginluxurywouldrequire adjustment. find my worn Carhartts to and Bankedcabin Slalom hoodiemy launderedto and neatly returning was guard off me put really that incident the But heli-land. in done was it how was this reasonedRiver, I Southgate the on heli-fishing sample to afternoon that off lifted group eager an As session. the to end early an put clouds when sting the reduce to and unriddenlinesfueledadesire formore. With each group.successive run, a the taunting panoramic glimpse overshooting of unnamed avoid peaks to 64 my on governor the keep to learned mixed- slowly I herdedaprons, 38-degree untracked guides down groups the ability As above. feet 6,000 ridge pristine a on down set to portal sunny single, a through A-Star an in isolated froman rising by set was tone The me. foreignto was two day during Aside from a stock safety speech and beacon lesson, every experience In theSameBoat At dinner–this time feeling comfortable around the big table with the helped elevation lower a at riverbank gravel isolated an on Lunching 06 /Well stocked 07 /Skylounge

039

The Snowboarder’s Journal Snowboarder’s The frequency 040

frequency The Snowboarder’s Journal

10 09 / Glacial barbeque. Glacial / Heli-fishing. / seem alittlemore believable. setting fantasy this make to drinks thestern freeoff enough and cue), on fish (almost offlying glimpses description), defies (which tling wres- deer heli Kiwi of video documentary a with late ended evening photographer.professional accomplished the an course, by Of trailed best Berger’s of photos ran on show the big screen. slide Life has a A nicer sheen when run. permanently last morning’s the during lected col- chunk boulder-sized a from chipped freshly been had which ice glacial over served was dinner,whiskey After return. upon tenderloin Jedi flyingtofindfishhadmeaddicted red-carpetangling. bottomless a quiet, glass of Dom, misty in-flight recons went through high-mountain passes, and rotors the before But angler. novice a am I Galbraith—who will kick himself ad infinitum at this missed opportunity– Unliketrout.native some stalk to keenguidesCanadian two and ers, shotgun seat of the A-Star and we lifted off equipped with fly rods, wad- theclimbed into I Absinthe. timeThisthe on backbootsremoved our up. Theyallfitperfectlyintomynewfoundlifestyle. Morning runs through lifting fog. Gourmet lunch at a sunny alpine pick- opulence. of circle another to me introduced event consecutive each room, drying the in placed thoughtfully and cabin my from removed been had that boots down tracking After three. day on extravagance one extradayonthisfloatingparadise. earn to sell to need would I stories many how calculated silently nia–I fishing in , and leisurely two-month cruises to Patago- heli- Alaska, in heli-hiking of tales with point his illustrated class–and privileged ultimately an to appealed concept adventure-meets-luxury this why described he As list. contact entire my for reach of out trip this putting fuel—effectively jet and drink, food, plus for day large 12 per another $36K costs ship whole the Booking cheap. come not for Operations of does Directorluxury ultimate that explained Rosiers, owners, Absinthe’ssilent-partner Des Marc afternoon next The Put itontheTab To celebrate the escalating absurdity, we gorged on roast caribou roast on gorged we absurdity, escalating the Tocelebrate we launched as being expected,fly-fishinganother was mission As with peace making of result direct a was thinking irrational This 11-12 /Thekitchen. art kitchen. equipped withtwoacclaimedchefsandastateofthe in themountainsaround Toba Inlet. Absinthe takesthebarbequetotheirglacialbackyard Southgate RiverattheheadofButeInlet. Peter Norieshowsoff anativebulltrout onthe 11-12 10 09 /Cravingbeer-butt chicken?Thecrew ofthe /Iftheridinggoesbad,there isalwaysheli-fishing. /Gourmetmealsare thenormonaship neither couldI. be to And, seen. had I honest, after what time and distance or buffered me been from this alternate had reality, I where grasp could few that clear was it below,unrolled glaciers as window the out Staring and lifted us over the most spectacular alpine zone I have ever seen. helicopter the up fired Steve Bute, of the walls the When over low dipped bank. sun the on patiently waited A-Star the as fly a on trout the bank, spotted fresh wolf tracks, and I landed on my firstDom Dolly drank Varden we reality,from removed miles many Here, dington. to reach the mouth of the near the base of Mt. Wad- fly-certified guide Pete–shuttled 40 minutes up neighboring dessert. This time six passengers–including our Canadian flight-and- got involved. snow,beforeseen never had whom of some staffmembers, Absinthe when escalated that fight snowball spirited a and cave ice the of tour a with ended meal The snow. from carved benches on sitting while course, the aforementioned chicken, of which were all and, happily consumed dishes, side bountiful steak, prime-cut included that spread a prepared had Ridley arrived, we time the flair. By over-the-top tive defini- provide to Rosiers Des by greenlighted was mission barbeque delicacy–the backyard Washington chicken–a beer-can for requests for high-altitude grilling. A response to Jeff Mechura’s persistent in-jest location pleasing aesthetically an to transported be to barbeque gas grade industrial disassembled, entirestaffa the Absintheplus and ley closed seemedstrange,evenincontext. window the after caves ice scouting But fun. of sake the for pended sus- been have to appeared procedure operational normal cornices, massive around tiptoeing while security for baskets gear to clinging the on fromback way caves morning’sthe Johnny,As session. was ice guide, Kiwi our scouting started trip, the for pilot the and copters however,works, the in Heli- Blackcomb of founder Flynn, Steve when was new something realized I all. it seen had I thought I four day By Flight oftheBeerCanChicken Fat from alpine barbeque, a final taste of fly-fishing was on tap for on tap was fly-fishing of taste final a barbeque, alpine from Fat The recon, I later discovered, was to allow executive chef Steve Rid-

041

The Snowboarder’s Journal Snowboarder’s The frequency 042 frequency The Snowboarder’s Journal British Columbia. slopes intheCoastMountainsof lease. Thismeansperfect,untouched remote ofTLHHeliSkiing’s corner be accessedbytheAbsintheisina Van Halenconcertnotincluded. ter, andfresh snowonthemountains. 15 13-14 /A200-footyacht,privatehelicop- /Mostoftheterrainthatcan cream may havespoiledusallforgood. the only tasting that in seep to started Whistler,it to way its on limo a in dry ran Dom of Yet,glass stick. bottomless measuring our the as pub pales in comparison when the pinnacle of extravagance becomes chair,early An pated. freeor ticket, brewlift a complimentary at meal - belief ateverbeingpartytosuch apotlatch. dis- and home being down at denial both feel to easy tumble strangely was It next. would I hole rabbit which imagine to tried I periphery The ship waited to swap pilots, and as downtown lights danced in the Bridge. Gate Lion’s the beneath into slid we as deck heli vacant the atop solo stood I midnight, past well Buzzing effect. tory methodically prepared by ship steward Simon for maximum hallucina- and, tofurther convince us that show it was only slide a dream, sipped absinthe, which had Berger been inanother took meal, five-course brilliant, a over lingered we crescendo, final the pressure).For peer of amount small no (after freemassage a for opted finally I and tinations attempt a download of the four-day binge. We compared our we’d next ship’sbar des- the of comfort the In Georgia. of Strait the of islands Sadly, the heli would soon leave as we cruised south through the idyllic The Come-Down edutet fe ti vyg wud rv tuhr hn antici- than tougher prove would voyage this after Readjustment 13-14 / Untracked lines. tem, andair-to-ground radio.For extra safety, arescue including anechosounder, advancednavigationalsys- British cheer–features state-of-the-art technology massage room andaJacuzziontheupperdeck. or relaxation. Thelayoutistoppedoff withaprivate leather-couch lounge,andmultiplenooksforreading bar, formaldiningarea withaplayergrandpiano,plush areas include the fully stocked and continually staffed board internet and unlimited channel surfing. Common L’Occitane toiletries.Asatelliteuplinkallowsforon- thermostats, en-suite bathroom, and fancy French equipped with plasma screen televisions, individual as many as 12 guests in nine cabins, which are all subtle FirstNationstheme.Theshipaccommodates transformed theinteriorfrom tackyintotastefulwitha modernized the vessel for more adventurous travel and for the ideal heli-equipable ship. A two-year remodel 2003 byagroup ofavidskiersafteratwo-yearsearch built in 1973 for Mediterranean jaunts and purchased in the 201-footAbsinthewasa“ship,”notboat.It take too many, Captain Ray Cooper informed us that After suffering ourgreen vocabularythrough onemis- A ShipisnotaBoat 15 The bridge–overseen by Captain Cooper with classic /TheAbsinthe. the border inPortTownsend, Alaska. internationally, whichiswhyourtripendedjustacross due to labor regulations, all voyages must be made without suffocating theguests.Theonecatchisthat, helicopter mechanic–catersexpertlytoeverywhim steward in addition to a sommelier, naturalist, and includes a Scottish masseuse and French-Canadian in theeventofafire.staff Theinternational of26–which fish smoker, andconvectionoven,alsoself-seals reigns–features awalk-infreezer, espresso machine, Steve Ridley, formerlyofWhistler’s BearfootBistro would sink like stones. The modernized galley–where lands, because,according toCooper, skiersinboots boat islaunchedeachtimethehelicopterliftsoff or 10,000-foot pinnacles andendlessglaciers,including est peakat13,176feet–standswatch overstacked from deeplycarvedfjords. MtWaddington–BC’s high- time–the peaksoftheCoastRangeshoot skyward Toba andButeinlets–where wespentthebulkofour skiing from amegayachtintoreality. Butinthe thefantasyofheli- Few mountainrangescanturn Rising fromFjords this stretch ofcoastisvirtuallyinfinite. out fickleweatherinhighstyle,theverticalpotentialof 10,000-liter tankofjetfuel,andenoughDomtowait map. Howeverwithayacht,anA-Starhelicopter, a pinpointing thedifferent peaksonthetopographical dom thisseason,andevenourguideshaddifficulty this Westside portionofTLH’s 1300-square milefief- entirely unridden.Ourgroup wasonlyoneoftwotohit and unpredictable weatherhasrendered italmost tain crest atTyax Lodge.Yet, amixofremote location Heli Skiing,whichisbasedfarovertheCoastalMoun- and unpopulatedbyhumans. fishing cabinsandloggingcamps,thearea is roadless south oftheArctic Circle. Otherthanafewisolated the HomathkoIcefield,oneoflargest ofitskind motoryachtabsinthe.com foradditionalinformation. or [email protected]. Seewww. cruise phone 1-866-935-3228 within North America $360,000 USperweek.To arrangeyourown private Chartering theAbsinthewithunlimited helitimecosts Getting onBoard This massivereach fallsunderthetenure ofTLH

043

The Snowboarder’s Journal Snowboarder’s The frequency