A Mid-Summers Ski Dream – The Art of Glading
Off to the Glades
Midsummer in the northern hemisphere means lots of outdoor theatre, parties, BBQs, and picnics. But whilst we may be ‘ski-dreaming’ in summer, our operators are investing in improvements for your skiing pleasure.
In BC some heli ski operators conduct a run enhancement program referred to as ‘glading’. Open spaces that occur naturally in the forest are called glades. The operator’s crew goes in and mimics these opens with a specific cutting plan and thus opens the inter tree spacing. The wood, that is cut, is referred to as coarse wood debris and is cut to lie flat on the ground and return to the earth adding to the soil.
The optimum inter-tree space they strive for is 7 meters and the results are nothing short of remarkable! It creates a great skiing experience for all to enjoy. Tree skiing is a critical part of the heli skiing program and on snowy stormy days where visibility is poor in the alpine, glading helps to ensure a safe skiing trip.
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