September President’s Message;
Summer has just passed us by. On Monday, September 22 Fall officially started in the Northern Hemisphere.
We just posted the Reviews of our 2025 Labour Day Camping Weekend and our 3rd Annual Richard Gaudreau Fall Golf Classic . Just click on the links herein to be directed to those pages on our website.
Speaking of our website, we hope to have the site re-directed to the site which only has our BLOG. That BLOG is no longer being up dated. To see our website, please go to our current site:
pacificskiclub.ca/edit/
With Fall upon us, the yearly edition of SKI CANADA magazine arrives at our doorstep. As in the past, it lists the latest skis, boots, poles, and other neat items to make your winter experience much more fun. To that end, I will slip in two images from SKI CANADA as I hope you will either go on line or go our and buy a copy as it is full of great tales:
The oldest Canadian to Heli-ski at 101!!!. Yet, Larry, you are only 94; there is still time to strap those skies on!!!!
A great article on Banff where we are heading in February of 2026
They even offer a FREE e-magazine. All you need to do is click on this link we are providing our Members and their friends. When the page opens, a window will appear where you can register to get it FREE:
Now for the fun part —
December 5th 2025 is the 50th anniversary of the first world cup podium for a Canadian skier from the Men’s Team as our women won on the World Cup Circuit years before this date. On that date, the first win, one ran by Ken Reed and who has a great article in the Ski Canada Magazine (another good reason to buy their magazine!) took place. Soon, they would be called the Crazy Canucks, but in the weeks which followed, no one knew where these young men had come from.
To show you the style required on a critical turn back in 1975, I have cut and pasted the photo above, and I hope Ken will not mind his skill at staying on his skis and winning that race being displayed once more. One could win a race (as Irwin did) by 18 seconds back then. Today, a 4 /100 of a second off the lead and you could end up with a bronze or be off the podium altogether. Not in 1975.
Ski Canada Magazine also has an article on Made In Canada Skis, something you show look at. Why not buy local? When not keep our dollar here in Canada?
On that note, we have a firm in our Rocky Mountains which make wool from Merino Sheep. That wool has some very interesting qualities and you should read it in the Ski Canada Magazine. I will add a link to their company and insert an image from their line of wool hats so you have some idea what they offer.
Made here in our Rockys and retails for only $65.00 !!! Everyone should buy one!
What awaits you if you are in the market for new skies? The latest in ski technology and prices from about $500.00 to over $2,000 for the top of the line products. Most boots are in the $440 to $800 range and goggles are from about $130 to $500. Yet, Ski Canada Magazine provides tips on buying and what to look for. Most important with skis is to try and demo a pair and see what feels right under your feet.
What this issue of Ski Canada offers, however, is a breakdown as they tested over 50 pairs of skis. In this early Fall, 2025 issue, they wrote about the All Mountain and Carving skis. In the next edition, they will rate the performance of the Back Country, Freeride and Deep Snow skis. All the testing was done right where the PSC and Victoria ski club members skied, Revelstoke and the Revelstoke Mountain Resort – we will be there in 2026, so book you trip before it is sold out.
For those of you who have not bought their edition of the Ski Canada Magazine, they printed out the test results of 28 pairs of these 2025/26 skis. These ranged from just over $2,000.00 to $700.00 a pair. Having read each test write-up, I have come to my own conclusion as to the best buy for your dollar. Several pairs listed the ski price which actually included the bindings; Fisher, Elan, Ferreol, Nordica, Völkl, Blizzard, K2, and my old Go-To ski, Rossignol (in that order from the magazine). Of these, not all from these manufactured skis or handmade skis came with bindings. The turning radius ranged from 19 meters to 12 meters, so you certainly have your choice, from a fast responsive SL to the longer GS, but al had good reports on both hard-packed and powder, thus the All Mountain & Carving designation.
My overall pick, and the ski I hope to demo this season is the Rossignol Arcade W88 with the bindings included at $800.00. I will also see if the Armada ARW 94 at $700.00 and the Salomon QST 100 can be tested while at Revelstoke, as I liked the write up (the Salomon QST 100 getting the ‘Testers’ Choice’ symbol), but you need to shell out another big dollar bill for bindings, making them a bit high for my pensioner’s budget.
Hope to see you at club night or at the driving range nights or, just at one of our great socials!
Sven