Happy Mothers Day to all the ski moms, hucker moms, groomer moms, soon-to-be-moms, not-actual-moms-but-act-like-ski-moms, grandma shredders, and those that dish mothery actions and words on the regular. I really hope that covered all our bases because let’s be honest, most of us wouldn’t be skiing at all if it weren’t for a motherly figure of some kind to show us the ropes or at least toss the thumbs up to try a new sport. They aren’t always the ones in the spotlight, in fact, they’re rarely the ones in the spotlight, but it’s clear we wouldn’t be engulfed in skiing without them. From packed lunches, ski hill carpools, distributing allowance that paid for our ski gear, for providing the cheering section at competitions, the least glamorous roles of them all – the injury cleaner-uppers and most importantly – the sounding board, the mother huckers do it all. So to all those shredding mommas of the past, present, and future – we thank you for keeping the ski world spinning.
In honor of Mothers Day, we’d like to take note of a few serious mother huckers that deserve some love. All of these lovely names came to us by nomination – we know there’s plenty we’re missing but hey, maybe we will catch ya next year because we get to celebrate momma shredders once a year on SBC Skier, but hopefully, you’re celebrating them all year long. Yes, that was a little guilt trip of appreciating – because maybe you need some “mothering” on mothers day from an outside source – it’s moms day off so we got you.
MOTHER HUCKER NOMINATIONS
MOM: Tessa Treadway
“Tessa’s the bomb. A mom through and through, and although she’s recently been dealt a tragic hand, she’s the epitome of a provider, making sure her kids have the chance to experience so much. She’s a shredder with two mini shredders and another on the way. She’s at the hill every day with Kasper, Raf and their extended family making sure the boys are getting after it. She makes sure they’re not only learning skiing but socializing and getting a good baseline for what it means to be a well-rounded skier. Of course, when she does have some time to herself, she still kills it on her skis. She’s a reminder of what a simple joy and pleasure skiing is and what a gift it can be to kids everywhere. No doubt she’ll continue to give her kids all the thoughtful lessons and experiences she and Dave she and dave worked to provide together – she’s a force of strength and grace.” – Drew Wittstock, friend.
At SBC Skier we’ve always admired Tessa Treadway as a ski stoker, a beautiful skier herself and appreciate her grounded yet easy going personality. Tessa recently lost her partner in crime and our dear friend Dave Treadway. She’s entering a new chapter now and we want to remind you that the Freerange Family’s GoFundMe account is still active. If you’re feeling the love from this family or ski mommas, in general, we urge you to share a few dollars this Mother’s Day with the Treadway fam so Tessa can find a new balance with the kids and continue to be a “Mother Hucker” with a bit more comfort during this sensitive time. All the love Tessa!
MOM: Layla Mikkelsen
“My mom is the raddest because she does everything I do and is still sort of concerned for my safety. And she even waxes the skis.” – Nick Mikkelsen, son and ski buddy.
MOM: Darlene Douglas
“Darlene’s ski mom credentials all start with her passion and profession on Blackcomb. Being one of the most respected and accomplished patrollers on the crew, her kids see what it truly means to be a skier. While it sounds contradictory, the way she lets her kids forge their own path while actively leading the way is inspiring.” – Hayden Fitzpatrick, fellow Blackcomb Ski Patroller, and friend.
MOM: Erin Cooper
“Whether its -25 and freezing or +5 and raining, Erin is skiing. Every single weekday she gets turns in with the Sun Peaks Elementary gym class, either as their substitute teacher or as a parent volunteer. Her commitment to her own children and the children of the Sun Peaks community is inspiring. Averaging around 145 days per season on her skis, Erin knows what she loves and she makes it happen! Second, only to her family, Erin’s true love is pow.” – Chirs Cooper, husband, and number one fanboy.
MOM: Jill Dunnigan
“Jill has this approach to building a lifestyle surrounded by friends and family, that can only be admired. I’m humbled by how she always finds the time to sit down with you for lunch to go over a plan on how I can grow, and her enthusiasm towards it only leads into sharing her own plans to continue learning, exploring the world and by doing so, embellishing all that surrounds. We would all be lucky to have such a motivating and aspiring figure in our lives.” – Matt McRae, Extremely Canadian employee.
MOM: Izzy Lynch
“My big sister Izzy is one rad Mother Hucker! As the oldest of four siblings, she has been training for motherhood ever since she was tasked to change my diaper for the first time. She has always been very incredibly nurturing and responsible with her backpack full of snacks and extra layers for everyone. When she finally had a real child of her own (not just her oversized adult sibling children) she dropped right into Motherhood like it was no big deal. She brings her son on ALL of her adventures and isn’t the least bit phased by all the extra work and exhaustion that she is faced with just to get him outside.” – Zoya Lynch, sister.
MOM: Julia Niles
“I worked with Julia teaching ski mountaineering camps to women in Whistler. One of her big messages was not focused on making your objective or the summit, instead, knowing that you’ll have fun in the mountains to come home safe from the mountains to your children, family, and loved ones.” – Holly Walker, friend, and fellow ACMG certified guide.
MOM: Maureen Mosteller
“She has shared so much goodness with me in and out the mountains. Most notably, her relentless sharing of play and joy. She has shown our kids that there are no barriers and to reach in life – as she did by example in water skiing when she was ranked top five in the world!” – Matt Mosteller, husband and adventure partner.
MOM: Grania Devine
“Watching Grania and her daughter Kate work together at their family-owned lodge (Selkirk Lodge), has every element of a normal mother-daughter relationship, but with the added depth of the kind of humanistic understanding between individuals – regardless of being mother-daughter – that only comes with miles and miles in the mountains. They still get into tiny arguments, disagree about minor things and but they hug each other good morning every morning and that’s probably the most touching part of observing their very special relationship.” – Claire Smallwood, friend, occasional employee and avid backcountry skiing partner.
MOM: Sandra Knapton
“My parents first full winter in Whistler, my dad lived in a camper in lot 5 and my mom would come up on weekends since she still worked in the city at the time. Then sometime in the 80s, they made the move to Whistler made a living building log homes here. Then along came my sister and I, and her ski crew got bigger. She was always the one take us skiing and made sure we were on time for ski school. My mom always made skiing fun, by bringing chocolate for the chairlift and giving us the biggest hugs to make sure we were warm enough. Skiing was also a way she taught me how to be responsible. I learned how to take care of my equipment, bring back change from lunch money, carry both skis and poles back to the truck (a huge feat for 6 year old me) and once I was old enough, navigate the ski hill with no adults!”
“I vividly remember one day after ski school waiting not so patiently for my mom to pick me up from ski school. I couldn’t wait to give her a big hug and tell her all about my ski day. I waited some more but she didn’t come. Eventually, my mom’s friend came to pick me up and told me my mom was in an avalanche. I was probably around 8 years old and I couldn’t comprehend what this all meant. I went to see my mom in the Whistler ER with my sister and dad. I remember seeing her on the hospital bed, after being flown in by the heli ambulance and my mom telling me she was going to be ok, but I have never been so scared in my life. I thought I was going to lose my mom. I learned later that my mom had fractured her femur in multiple places. Recovery was a long path for my mom, both physically and mentally. My mom is a seriously tough lady and I don’t think anything can stop her from enjoying the outdoors. Not to mention the superhuman stamina and speed this woman has—so many times I’ve been hiking or biking with her and have exhausted myself trying to keep up with her. Once she had healed from a follow-up surgery, removing metal hardware in her leg, she was back on the slopes.”
“This event was scary for our family, and I think my way of coping was trying to learn more about safety in the mountains. My grade seven speech was “What to do if you are caught in an avalanche”. I felt (and still feel) curious about snow safety and I understood from early on how fierce the mountains are. I definitely get my determination and love for skiing from my mom, a woman who can’t be stopped when she sets her sights for the hills. In high school, I learned about an Outdoor Education program where you could learn about snow safety and ski touring. This really intrigued me, as I could learn more about winter environments. Through programs like this and with the support from my mom, I earned certifications to volunteer ski patroller. Her passion for skiing inspires me to push myself as a skier and to expand my knowledge and skills in the backcountry.”
“A lot of times when I’m skiing, I’m grateful for the choices and sacrifices my mom has made to raise a family in a ski town. I have come to realize my ski bum life is so many people’s dream, and it’s a reality for me because of both my mom and dad. My mom has taught me to never give up on your dreams and how important it is to have fun! …and that it’s always ok to take a break for a cinnamon bun.” – Syd Knapton, daughter.
MOM: Alysia Withers
“She balances motherhood and outdoor time like a champ! I’m in awe of how she makes time for herself in addition to raising a baby shredder, who is already riding skinnies at two. She is always up for an adventure outside! She inspires me to go faster, set goals and laugh often.” – Carolyn Klassen, friend.
MOM: Nicole Morin
“My mom is an angle! She skis with me. She watches me ski. She drove me so I could ski. She listens when I whine about skiing, cheers me up when I’m down. She celebrates when I win but would always put love before anything. She’s a legend and most importantly my angel. As far as I can remember when I first started skiing my mom would always be the first one up in the morning and the last to bed. Breakfast ready, lunch packed – best ham sandwiches in the business and her legendary galettes (cookies) – so we could spend all our time and energy on the mountain. We were and still are spoiled.” – Philippe Marquis, son, and Olympian.
There’s no shortage of these influential figures in the ski industry and we’ve just barely tipped the iceberg. Send us our “Mother Hucker” shout outs for next year to [email protected]
