Operation Legacy

Operation Legacy

“It’s not how far you go, but how go you far”

– Dave Marshak, Section 8 Ski School, Whistler, B.C.; 1991

Since the dawn of time, man has fought for freedom.  He has battled for independence, liberty and country, waging wars based on the virtues established by countless explorers, visionaries and adventurers of our great history. As modern men, we still seek a life without borders and constraints; removed from the shackles of the ordinary.  I speak of an ethereal freedom which transcends the everyday and gives birth to a fluid, radiant and enveloping energy; one which sustains us and propels us to soar to great heights and unsurpassed excellence.  In a small Canadian village, nestled within the rugged embrace of Quebec’s Laurentian Mountain range, we have found this freedom in a ski resort; the majestic Mont-Tremblant.

The year is 1999 and three friends, skiers and adventurers set off on a journey to experience a place which would become the genesis of a life-long obsession.  Unbeknownst at the time, two of those founding fathers were walking into their own destiny.  Our story begins with a boy who’d heard his father tell stories of a place far to the north, where the cold cuts right through, where the snow falls in furious waves, where people, earth, trees, rocks and the very air vibrated with a steady hum of winter excitement.  As this boy grew, he took with him the memory, a vision of this place as he traveled through his own life.  Along his journey he met others who shared in this vision and who as well, sought something…magical.  With stars aligned and kindred spirits bound, these brave men set off to find themselves.  They traveled north, across borders and over mountains. Their journey ended in that small Canadian ski town on a cold, misty morning, December the 9^th, 1999, and their lives would never be the same…

They descended upon the village and the mountain like locusts, devouring every experience and breathing in the culture, beauty and people as if it were the very oxygen to their lungs.  They ate, drank, skied and bonded in a way that would shape the very fabric of their lives.  In a sense, this experience was molding their future, binding them to this place and unleashing a child-like delight which can only be described as pure freedom.  From these first footsteps, the PQ Ski Team was born; born in Provence-Quebec, a home away from home.

In the 10 years since, the team has come a long way.  We have expanded ranks, experienced far-off adventures, challenged ourselves on and off the mountain, laughed, loved, drank and yes, did a little skiing.  We’ve also evolved, shedding the old for the new, by creating a stronger identity with the advent of the Provence Quebec Freeride Institute, the mighty PQFI.  This new organization was founded on the principles of the original PQ Ski Team.  The same credo, values and responsibilities established during those first adventurous days still ring true within the souls of its members.  The PQFI represents freedom, fraternity, respect and most of all determination. 

Over the years, the PQFI has opened its doors and hearts to new friends, some remain, most have gone, but the true constant lies within the strength of mind and body which crafted the very essence of the team, personified by their oft-quoted mantra:  “Ski hard, ski with authority and do not give in to the mountain.”

On this, the 10^th Anniversary of the PQFI and the first trip to Tremblant, I would like to thank the team for their resilience, consistency and friendship.  This has been an amazing journey, one deep with memories and laughter born of the rich experiences from trips past.  I could not fathom 10 years gone without these trips, nor would I want to.  From the top of the mountain, through the trees and everything down to the smooth ale of La Diable, we have conquered these moments together, as it was, as it is and as it shall be…

Gentlemen, welcome to Operation Legacy…