Awesome thread, I was thinking of starting a similar one.
I was literally among the first generation to be allowed on the hills with a snowboard... I started in like 1987 in northern BC, it was a new thing and still some controversy whether or not they should let snowboarders on the lifts.
Rode for the next 6 years at a place called POWDER KING, which is a total secret treasure of a mountain; almost zero population and cold as fuck but SNOW, SNOW, SNOW, POWDER, POWDER, POWDER all season long. Truly some of the best conditions in the world. Trees perfectly spaced for backcountry/off-run riding, we knew that mountain so well, we knew every little secret spot it was great.
The place was on the brink of bankruptcy every year so there was never anyone there except the hardcores, so you could get fresh tracks pretty much all day. The lodge was a bunch of ATCO trailers linked together, all leaking, buckets everywhere catching the drips, lol. Its a bit better now but I haven't been back in like 20 years.
After graduating highschool, a friend and I bought a small trailer and parked it up there at the base of the mountain, built a roof over it and lived in it most of the winter, it was an epic season.
Then I lived in Rossland BC for a season and rode Red Mountain, which is also a great place... but I've ridden most hills in BC there are some great ones. Fernie is EPIC, and I like Big White too. I prefer the more remote places, I don't like the busy/expensive ones like Whistler although they are great in their own way.
Now I live in Ontario where there are no mountains and nobody understands what skiing is really about
Plus I gots kids so I'm happy for now putting my bindings at a really sharp angle and carving the shit out of the groomers with them. I try to make big deep grooves for the white belts to fall in
RIP Craig Kelly. Haakonsen is smooth too.
Favourite snowboard movie eva: Snowboarders in Exile