The 13th Annual Kootenay Coldsmoke Powder Festival is landing February 22-24 at Whitewater Ski Resort. Here’s what you can expect from the event.

From February 22 to 24 Whitewater Ski Resort and the nearby city of Nelson will host the 13th annual Kootenay Coldsmoke Powder Festival. Locals and visitors alike will take part in the various activities, which range from on-hill competitions and backcountry clinics to evening presentations and, of course, plenty of aprés festivities.

The Festival will kick off with the always-popular Friday Night Opener variety show brought to you by Kootenay Mountain Culture magazine and featuring the MC skills of our publisher Peter Moynes. Expect a fun evening of photo slideshows, movie shorts, comedy and adventure. The headliner is Pat Morrow, one of Canada’s most celebrated photographers and recipient of the Order of Canada for his high altitude mountaineering achievements, including his ascents of the Seven Summits. Pat will be sharing a multi media presentation that takes us deep into the Slot Canyons of the American southwest (see some of his examples below). Other presenters of the evening include Nelson local photography legend Dave Heath, Revestoke-based photographer Agathe Bernard and the always-funny Lucas Myers.

Above: One of the photos that will be a part of Pat Morrow’s presentation at the Friday Night opener. Top: Steve Ogle photo.

Aside from the opening night there’ll also be day-time clinics, competitions, costume contents and more. For information about all the events, log on to: coldsmokepowderfest.com.

The Kootenay Coldsmoke Powder Festival began as a grassroots gathering where mountain enthusiasts of all levels celebrated Kootenay mountain culture and general stoke for all forms of powder activities. That mission is still upheld today, which is why it’s the perfect event for skiers, snowboarders and winter lovers of all abilities. One of the most fun events at the Festival is the Sunday Poker Run, which sees pairs of competitors skin up to various checkpoints and then ski down to collect playing cards. The best hand wins but so do the best costumes and people have really upped their game in the past few years.

 

The festival gets its name from the world-renowned snow of the region, which is so light and dry it’s like cold smoke. Add to that Whitewater Ski Resort’s incredible terrain and down-to-earth hospitality and all levels of skiers and boarders have the opportunity to have fun, learn, share, compete, and celebrate on-area and backcountry pursuits.

In addition to seasoned mountain veterans, Coldsmoke will please snow enthusiasts of all disciplines and ability level. Whether you’re a film festival enthusiast, on the dance floor competing for swag, enjoying a backcountry tour with an ACMG guide, on a clinic with some of the industry’s best coaches, hucking in one of the contests, racing randonnée, or frying an egg in the Backcountry Olympics, you’re sure to have a good time. Here are some more pics by our buddy Steve Ogle:

 

For more details and to register for the upcoming events that takes place between February 22-24, log on to: coldsmokepowderfest.com.