Where a Yeti Can Let His Hair Down
Feature Article, Winter 2011-12
Published in SnoWorld, magazine of the 62nd annual Warren Miller film tour
ABOMINABLE TRAVELERS from even the shortest branches of primate evolution will find everything they need here in the Monashees. Among the large hairy primates accompanying this year’s filming at Canadian Mountain Holidays’ Monashee Lodge, one guest preferred to remain anonymous. Harry, we’ll call him.
Harry joined an ace camera crew featuring Like There’s No Tomorrow’s director of photography Chris Patterson, line producer Josh Haskins, and photographer Alex O’Brien. Athletes Tyler Ceccanti and Andy Mahre rounded out the team.
The trip started innocently enough, with O’Brien’s precarious snow driving antics (see “Tales from the Road,” page 28) and Patterson stopped by border patrol: “They were not going to let me in,” recalls Paterson, who called Haskins to say: “Hey buddy, I think you might have to do this on your own.” Patterson worked it out, O’Brien kept his truck on the road, and Haskins could finally breathe a sigh of relief when everyone arrived. That’s when the moose charged.
“I hear Andy say, ‘Dude, roll your camera!’ I look back and see two moose running, not right at me but pretty darn close. The snow banks are six feet tall, so there’s nowhere to go. They run past, freaked out, heading right at Josh. He ended up clinging to the snow bank. I grabbed my camera. With our headlights blazing into the eyes of these moose—so gangly and awkward like they’re going to trip over their own feet—I was certain we were going to be trampled.” – Chris Patterson
SnoWorld> Yeti, how do you feel about being at a dead-end branch of primate evolution?
Harry> Dead end my hairy butt. I’ll show you evolution: Watch me hit this line switch then huck a tailgrab through those trees.
SW> What boards are you rocking this season?
Harry> K2 HellBents, 132mm underfoot wide enough for my size-18 clodhoppers, and twin tips for skiing as backward as a my table manners.
“We had a lot of moments where it all came together: skiing doubles down massive lines, hitting huge pillows next to each other. Yeah, we got to do that a lot. Best time of my life.” – Tyler Ceccanti
“The guides were awesome. Their passion for skiing was evident by the bored look on their faces when we would stop every two hundred feet to film. They just wanted to keep going, and you can’t blame them.” – Andy Mahre
“You know you have a cool guide when you pass him first run and he doesn’t get mad. My bad, Fred.” – Tyler Ceccanti
IF YOU GO: Yeti-friendly Accommodations in the Monashees
CMH’s Monashee Lodge is perfect for yetis, sasquatch, and abominable snowmen seeking a discerning getaway.
– Ugnar’s Salon: Back and brow-ridge waxing, industrial-strength pedicures, service with a smile (and overbite).
– Roadkill Cafe: Finest free-range wild game, bludgeoned right there behind the lodge.
– The Missing Links: Summer in the Monashees means 18 holes: yet another use for that club of yours.
– Lowbrow Amusement Park: Wear those little furballs out by turning them loose in the jumpy cave.
– Neanderthal Museum: Spend an afternoon swinging with the apes in your family tree at this fascinating genealogy exhibit.
CanadianMountainHolidays.com