Baldface lodge is situated in the mountains above Nelson B.C. and is only accessible by helicopter or snowmobile. I was very fortunate to be able to spend a week at the lodge a couple years ago. I took a flight from Calgary to Castlegar, which has about a 50-50 chance of being cancelled, and has acquired the nickname “Cancelgar.” It was a sunny march morning and about 12 degrees in Nelson so my flight made it in on time.

We had some time to kill so stopped into a local pub for some mid afternoon refreshments while we waited for the rest of the group to arrive from Spokane by bus. Getting close to our take off time we headed to down to the lakefront where the helicopter airport is. Finally one group of 6 at a time we headed out to the helipad. There is nothing that makes you feel more like a rock star then taking a helicopter to a remote 5 star resort.

Upon arrival to the main lodge there was a row of about 40 caesars waiting to be consumed. Most people on the trip were American so the chance to buy a round of cesars was quickly taken advantage of. Baldface lodge consists of 8- 3 bedroom cabins and another 10 rooms that were recently renovated onto the main lodge. There is a huge dining area, a games room and a fireplace in the common areas. There are on-site message therapists for an after shred message as well. Once the entire group was shuttled to the top we started on the avalanche training to get make sure we knew how to use our transceivers and other equipment properly. Being full of anticipation for snowboarding the next day a lot of drinks were consumed as we mingled in the main lodge. The early morning wake up for breakfast came pretty early, but it isn’t hard to get out of bed to ride some of the best terrain there is to offer. The thing about CAT boarding is you never get to do the same run twice, which seems crazy when you take one of the best runs of your life, look back and see the run could easily stand a few more tracks on it. Once you get to the next run the same thoughts run through your head until you accept that each run is going to feel like the best run of your life.

The food at Baldface is also fantastic and the company made for great meals. The owner, Jeff, was in company every night and shared a few stories of how the lodge was started and some of the investors that helped him get it to where it is today. The next few days of snowboarding I made sure I was I was well rested as the first day of riding was a bit hazy due to the night before and I don’t know when I will be able to make it back here. Atop the lodge is ridge where a memorial cross to Craig Kelly is situated and is a constant reminder that you can never be too careful in the backcountry.

This past winter Baldface held the Red Bull supernatural contest with invite to all of snowboarding's greatest athletes to ride the intense natural terrain that Baldface has to offer. I have also heard that GQ magazine rated Baldface among the top resorts in the world. If you ever have a chance be sure to check it out.