The Powder King community blanket
Local's keep the vibe warm and friendly in this snow-bound town
DOC POW
Mackenzie, B.C. - When you walk through the day lodge at Powder King Mountain Resort, you'll find something that might seem rather foreign to you. No one has their cellphones out checking their news and social media feeds.
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And that's because there is no cellphone coverage here.
Photo:
Doc Pow
It won't take you long to click in with the locals here at the King. Powder Magazine once named the resort home to the friendliest locals, anywhere.
Photos by Doc Pow
But before you stop reading this story thinking, "I couldn't go to a place where I cann't check my social media feed whenever I want", think of this.
You're here to unplug, enjoy and embrace what the local's love about Powder King.
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In the absence of your digital connectivity, you'll be going analog, connecting through uninterrupted conversations and getting to know some very cool people.
That was my experience when I walked into the lively conversation-filled day lodge at Powder King, during our recent SnowSeekers #SkiNorthBC expedition.
"This is a community that is used to being snow-bound, and they embrace their community blanket of snow and the camaraderie that comes along with it.
A place like this makes you realize how simply you can live and be happy. It makes you realize what you really need in life", says Ali Mathewson, who's been a Powder King ambassador for three years.
There's a good reason why Powder King is known as the Whisper of the North; in winter it wraps you in a snowy blanket of goodness anytime you're here.
I've been covering Powder King for more than 10 years but the only big change I've seen is the ever-expanding sense of community around the ski hills base.
Over après, youre bound to run into more than few people who grew up here.
Folks like Kim Brown, a long-term local of Powder King, and whose dad Terry Greenough bought a piece of property here at a time when there were only 30 or so locals on the mountain. Now there are hundreds.
After 24 years, Brown, whose also been a volunteer ski patroller, knows the place very well.
"My little mountain is growing up, and we've watched it grow into a true resort with owners who are passionate about the location", she says.
Photo:
Doc Pow
Locals like Alex have no issues taking you skiing, but will you be able to keep up in what amounts to an average snowfall that equates to four stories?
It's easy to stay passionate about a place that annually receives four storeys (that nearly 1,300 cms) worth of powder and its the light stuff we all get really excited about.
But for Brown, there's more to Powder King than the epic snow.
She's watched the community grow into what she now calls her mountain family.
We all came here from somewhere else ... there are a handful of people who live here year-round (like Azu Doug, check out his story), but its not a big resort. So, we count on the people around us for our entertainment. It's a different life up here, it's kind of like a Never Never Land, we all don't want to grow up.
You can't approach this resort as a tourist or you'll be ostracized. In fact, Powder King was once ranked by Powder Magazine as home of the friendliest set of locals - anywhere.
Photo:
Doc Pow
Keeping us safe is an outstanding collection of volunteer and paid ski patrollers, like Patrick Chester pictured here.
Brown's mountain family just keeps growing. Recently, owners Heidi and Jim Salisbury purchased the abandoned Lake Azu campground and chalets just a few minutes up the road. Salisbury's mission is to see the Pine Pass, this region of Northern B.C., become a true year-round destination.
"You can see the momentum in what the owners are doing, and its exciting to watch", says Brown.
Imagine casting across white powder fields all winter and in spring, summer and fall pulling as much fish as you can legally catch from the abundance of the Passs lakes and rivers.
"It's just my happy place, that's all there is to it", are Browns parting words to me.
Learn more
Check out #SkiNorthBC and find your heaven at www.PowderKing.com
Call Powder King at +1 866-769-5464
For all your Travel Northern BC details, the folks from Northern BC Tourism can help make the planning process smooth. http://www.travelnbc.com
Learn more about what BC has in store for you this winter, search #ExploreBC
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