About Powderhounds
Powderhounds are a group of Aussie ski and snowboard enthusiasts who have travelled the world in search of the best powder stash. This website originated from our frustrations in trying to research potential travel destinations to determine if we wanted to travel there. It was difficult to find the right information that wasn’t glorified or embellished by resorts and tour operators.
Sweetcheeks Doylie aka Greg
Sweetcheeks Doylie is predominantly a skier who grew tired of the not-so-secret stashes at Mt Hotham. He is a legend of the Après and an expert at making snowballs. He has been skiing for over 20 years and hopes he has another 40 in him - too many places to explore and not enough time!
Favourites:
Skis - Elan Magfire 10's
Accessory - Luscious Lyndell
Mountain - Blackcomb, BC Canada
Powder Run - Peak chair - Niseko
Extreme Run - Shindler Spitze chutes, St Anton, Austria
Groomer - Dave Murray Downhill, Whistler, Canada
Apres Bar - The Anton Bar, St Anton, Austria
Motto'sYou're only as old as the women you feel (I mean ski with).
The camera man always gets to go first; just to capture eveyone else skiing down of course!
Luscious aka Pinky aka Lyndell
Luscious’ snowboarding skills leave something to be desired, so she generally stays on the sticks (current favourites are the K2 Lotta Luv). Renowned for the pink Barbie helmet, she’s also a lover of Spyder and Descente ski gear. Keep your legs together when skiing down a cat track, as she has a tendency to ski under and between people’s legs.
Favourite run: “No. 3” out-of-bounds run at Furano, Japan
Scariest run: Any double black diamond run at Kicking Horse, Canada
Favourite Après hangout: Yuki bar, Niseko, where she “met” the love of her life
ChrisAge (actual) -rapidly approaching the wrong end of the 30s
Age (mental) - 26
Age (physical) - 65 (knees), 55 (liver) and 30 (remainder of body)
Favourites:
Equipment: K2 World Piste telemark skis, G3 bindings, Scarpa boots and Black Diamond adjustable poles (plus G3 climbing skins and a BCA Stash backpack for climbing up hills)
Overseas ski hills for powder: Asahidake (Japan), Powder Mountain, Snowbird & Solitude (Utah USA), Vail (Colorado USA). Groomer: who cares
Beer: anything brewed by ‘Leffe’ and microbrews from the USA.
Most frightening ski experience: skiing at Glencoe in Scotland (yep, Scotland) - bulletproof glacial ‘snow’, force 10 Arctic winds, white out conditions , unmarked cliffs……..you get the picture. DON’T expect powder in Scotland.
Mottos:
‘Any day skiing is a good day’ (noting of course that I no longer feel the need to ski in the rain!!)
‘That grinding sound in your knees is perfectly natural’
‘The first sign of fear is turning’.
Loves:
Skiing powder, filming friends skiing powder, hiking/skinning out of remote hills after skiing powder, drinking good beer when finished skiing powder……….
Wendy
Wendy is renowned for her ski poles, which are old, fluoro, and have paint flaking off them. Don't generously offer to furnish her with new flash poles. She loves her old poles and will whack you with them if you suggest she gives them up. She's also devastated that her Rossignol Bandit XLs have recently broken. If anyone has a good pair of ladies 160cm Bandit XL gathering dust, please donate them to Wendy so that the smile will return to her face.
Favourites:
Equipment: Rossignol Bandit XLs (of course) as well as back country bindings, skins, BCA Stash backpack and extendable poles. Overseas ski hills for powder: Snowbird & Solitude (Utah USA), Asahidake (Japan), Vail (Colorado USA),
Drink: Holgate Winter Ale, Idaho Springs Nut Brown Ale, Murphys Double Chocolate Stout.
Other:
Dodgy ski experiences: Vail and a close experience with a tree; Mt Buller on a white out day
Loves: Skiing powder with like minded people, which is even more satisfying if an effort has been made to get to it; the Stafford's - Sebastian and Saffron.
Disappointing ski moment: When friends realised that on powder days my regular offer to 'go first to take photographs of them' was not a selfless act of kindness!
Kevin Rafferty aka Raff aka The Knuckle Dragging Wet Bum
Raff is a knuckle dragging wet bum. You need to keep your behaviour in check when riding with him, because he's usually sporting his helmet cam and has a habit of catching you at your worst moment.
Favourites:
Equipment - A 162cm Libtech snowboard with Burton bindings, or for getting out and about, a 165 Prior splitboard and Voile climbing skins.
Ski Hills For Powder – Asahidake, Whitewater, Vail
Groomer – The one they forgot to do on a powder day.
Frightening Boarding Experience – Traversing a near vertical hill face with just a toe hole grip and fingertips in snow and looking at a 40m slide into the valley below whilst back country hiking Hakuba, Japan.
Mottos:
There are NO friends on powder day and no repercussions.
He who hesitates ends up second.
You should have been here yesterday, “Best Day Ever” (but he hates it if anyone else gets to say it)
Loves:
Powder, powder, powder and embellished stories about powder.
Nick
Nick has been totally hooked on snowboarding since he took it up 8 years ago. When living in the UK he managed to rip up some of the European resorts including his favourites of Val d’Isere and La Plagne. He now lives in Melbourne, and being able to drive to a ski resort is still something of a pleasant novelty!
Favourites:
Mountain: Anywhere with deep powder!
Powder Run: Roche De Mio, off-piste, La Plagne, France.
Groomer: FIS descent in Schladming, Austria.
Apres Bar: Dicks Tea Bar, Val d'Isere, France.
Lisa
Lisa was one of the chicks on sticks until an unfortunate skiing accident in ’98. She hasn’t quite recovered physically, psychologically or financially from the resultant ACL damage and rescue helicopter (tip: ensure you have ambulance cover!). With the logic that one apparatus should be easier to control than two, she’s now taken up snowboarding and is the CSSRO (Chief Snowsports School Research Officer) of Powderhounds
Favourites:
Mountain: Courcheval, France.
Apres Bar: Igloo Bar, Schladming or anywhere that serves a good gluhwein!
Simon the likeable
Simon (or Simo as he is better known) has been blessed with over 20 years of ski travel to Europe and countries including Canada, USA, Japan, and New Zealand.
Favourites:Skis - Head Monster
Accessory - Spicy Bloody Mary
Mountain - Whitewater, Nelson BC
Powder Run - Niseko Peak, Japan after a gut busting walk
Extreme Run - Anything steep at Kicking Horse BC
Groomer - "The Grand" at Jackson Hole USA
Apres Bar - The Mangy Moose (Jackson Hole) and Monks Bar and Grill at Blackcomb on a Saturday during Feb / March
Dena aka The Snow Goddess
Dena has skied more than any of the powderhounds and has been everywhere! She skis the way we all dream of skiing.
Stormy aka Scrumpet
Stormy was a late starter when it comes to snowsports, preferring to spend time surfing at Bells Beach. He has made up for lost time by always being on the first chairlift of the morning, and the last lift of the day. Stormy is also renowned for being able to bounce back after a big night, and constantly having a smile on his face. The smile gets bigger if it's a powder day.
Favourites:
Skis - Salomon Guns
Accessory - Beer Goggles
Mountain - Furano, Japan
Powder Run - Tomamu Back-Bowl, Japan
Extreme Run - Corbets Couloir, Jackson Hole, USA
Groomer - doesn't ski groomers
Apres Bar - GLC Whistler, Canada