Rip Curl, Oakley South Pacific, DC and Billibong athletes; Chris Booth, Andrea Berchtold, Jordan Houghton, Ryan Tiene, Mitch Allen & Robbie Walker traveled around the globe to shred the Legendary Island Lake Lodge.   The guys had an epic trip, got some great lines and rode some sweet powder.

Pro photographers Tony Harrington (who’s photos you see here) and Johnny McCormack took photos for feature articles coming later this year in Australia’s Transfer Snowboard Magazine & ChillFactor Skiing Magazine.

Look for the gallery feature extension on www.Transfersnowboard.com & on www.Chillfactor.com websites. BC cinematographer Clayton Larson was there to capture some live action for Sandbox Films and www.Mountainwatch.com.

The Island Lake Group offers some of the world’s most exciting private heli ski tours and untouched powder snowcat skiing in Canada. Visit Island Lake Lodge today for a perfect hiking & mountain spa getaway!

Spring may be here but you would never know it at Mica Heli Guides. With over a meter of snow at -8 to -10 celcius in the last week the Guides all agree that the powder skiing is the best it’s been all year. “Our guests this first week of April are all raving that it’s the best skiing of their lives” says Paul Norrie, President and Mountain Guide at Mica Heliskiing. “The current snow pack is over 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) and we are skiing waist deep champagne powder this week”.

Mica Heliskiing is 100% small group heliskiing – operating three “semi-private” groups of four guests in one A-Star helicopter and one “private” group of four in a second Bell 407 helicopter. Only 16 people and a quarter million acres of terrain on the western slope of the BC Rockies. “When skiing, riding or touring in small groups of four, guest can access a much wider variety of terrain, tailored to what their individual group desires, intermediate to expert. No waiting, no jockeying for first tracks, we take you to the goods!” says Darryn Shewchuk, Mica Heli Guides Director of Marketing.

Mica Heli Skiing near Revelstoke, B.C. is one of three operations in the Island Lake Resort Group; the others being Powder Cowboy Catskiing and Island Lake Lodge near Fernie B.C. For more information on small group heliskiing contact Darryn Shewchuk at 1.877.837.6191 x2002.

Powder Cowboy and Island Lake Catskiing have wrapped up their annual photo
shootout contest. The 3-day event saw 9 teams compete for $10,000 in cash and
prizes. Each team was comprised of 1 photographer and 3 athletes for a total of 36
competitors.

Mother Nature was kind to the competitors and provided 40-50 cm of fresh snow
over the 3-day event. Many of the photographers took advantage of the stormy weather
producing moody, atmospheric images that impressed the judges and crowd. An afterparty
followed each day of hard work, where prizes were awarded and a slideshow of
the photographer’s best shots were displayed. The event has given some
experience and exposure to up and coming photographers in Western Canada.
Island Lake General Manager Steve Kuijt said: “I was very impressed with the
creativity and talent shown by all of this year’s photographers…I thought I knew all the
great photo spots and angles up there, but I guess I was wrong!” Planning for next
year’s event has already begun.

Monday’s winners were:
Best Scenic: Kyle Hamilton
Best Composition: Chris Messervey
Best Athletic Performance: Sam Guther (shot by Aaron Whitfield)
Tuesday’s winners were:
Best Scenic: Mark Gribbon
Best Composition: Mark Gribbon
Best Athletic Performance: Mikel Witlox (shot by Ben van der Valk)
Wednesday’s winners were:
Best Scenic: Kyle Hamilton
Best Composition: Aaron Whitfield
Best Athletic Performance: Martin Gallant (shot by Mark Gribbon)
Best Overall Portfolio ($2,000) went to: Mark Gribbon
Best Overall Team Went to: Aaron Whitfield, Sam Guther, Marni Wilson and Derek Root
Sponsors for the event were: K2 Skis, The North Face, Smith Optics, Spy Optics, Peak
Performance, Hestra Gloves, Solomon and Icebreaker Clothing.

A Slideshow of the submitted images can be found at:
http://www.islandlakeresorts.com/winter/photo_video.html