Cody McNolty, on making the most of it | Mountain Sledder
April 29th, 2015
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Cody McNolty, on making the most of it

No Snow, No Problem… Checking in with McNolty318.

“It’s no secret, winter this past season on the West Coast was less than consistently awesome. A lot of people were bummed out and I’ll fully admit that I had moments of bitterness. Now you ask my winter friends they will tell you: if I’m not working, I’m going sledding period! If winter doesn’t show up, I am going to find it, and that’s exactly what I did.

 

 

Cody McNolty getting the first few kms on his new whip before the snow fell in mid-November on Stave Lake, B.C. | PC: Mandy Heit

Cody McNolty getting the first few kms on his new whip before the snow fell in mid-November on Stave Lake, B.C. | PC: Mandy Heit

 

This year’s first ride started off no different than last year’s, loaded up the night before and at 4am made the straight shot right to Revelstoke BC. The only difference is this year for a co-pilot I had my good shredder pal Andrew Munster. By high noon we were far back on Boulder Mountain and had a good time enjoying the pockets of fresh, blue skies, mountain peaks and that feeling all snowmobilers feel the first ride of the season.

 

Shredding the pockets of pow while enjoying the Revy scenery | PC: Andrew Munster

Shredding the pockets of pow while enjoying the Revy scenery | PC: Andrew Munster

 

The next day we teamed up with Ryan Nick and Austin Christopher who had also made the trek up from the coast, my good friend Shawn McCreesh and my 509, Strikt and Highmark by Snowpulse teammate Jaime Iwaschuk. We headed out of town, and to our surprise were lucky enough to break trail into a completely untouched zone.

 

Carving deep all day long under blue sky’s in the Revy Backcountry. | PC: Austin Christopher

Carving deep all day long under blue sky’s in the Revy Backcountry. | PC: Austin Christopher

 

This was the day we had hoped for, when the itch from a long off-season was scratched. We left the mountain tired, hungry, out of fuel and with ear-to-ear grins.

 

The gang taking it all in at the end of the perfect day! | PC: Shawn McCreesh

The gang taking it all in at the end of the perfect day! | PC: Shawn McCreesh

 

The next three weekends would become back-to-back-to-back road trips to Valemount BC, Blue River BC and Scotch Creek BC, enjoying all forms of Northern Interior snow and mountain ranges. Not to mention riding with some fellow shredders Nick Woods, Jake Warner and Brett Turcotte. The wheel time hours in my truck were stacking up and that was okay because I was finding winter.

My first coastal ride of the season came Christmas Day. Tom Walker, Steve Wheeler and I broke through the clouds and into the Whistler alpine where the snow pack was still low, but it was good. We travelled back and rode a secret tree spot where we could really cut loose and shred.

 

McNolty and Wheeler sidehilling through the coastal trees

McNolty and Wheeler sidehilling through the coastal trees

 

It truly was an excellent way to spend Christmas Day! Andrew Munster and I rode Whistler zones from Boxing Day till New Year’s Eve. We snapped off literally dozens of banger shots and explored some new terrain in new zones.

 

Looking for that perfect little feature | PC: Andrew Munster

Looking for that perfect little feature | PC: Andrew Munster

 

We even managed to snipe a few drops and step-downs, although the low snow pack didn’t make it easy and we really had to push the limits of calculated risk.

 

After losing to Munster at rock Paper scissors Cody still managed to find a way down! | PC: Andrew Munster

After losing to Munster at rock Paper scissors Cody still managed to find a way down! | PC: Andrew Munster

 

As the Coast only offered hit and miss days in January and February, the weather would take me back inland for another 5 Interior trips focused around the North Thompson area. The Turcotte/Taylor residence became a weekend home and staging area for a great portion of my winter adventures.

The hours and costs associated with all the road trips were starting to take a toll, and the want for a break was near. Late February in a local Interior zone it all finally came together while out filming for an upcoming webisode series. The sun came out and the snow was primed for going large. Turcotte and I had a showdown with the mountain. Stomping large natural step-downs, cliffs, table-tops and even managed to get some gnarly hill climbs in too. We even had our friend Ricky from OFT Racing there to video capture the day.

 

Cody sending over this somewhat large step down | PC: Niki Taylor

Cody sending over this somewhat large step down | PC: Niki Taylor

 

Snowmobiling has so many kinds of terrain to be enjoyed. My favourite high-adrenaline riding is most definitely hitting natural cliff lines. After we hit the step down it was right to the top of a beauty cliff. Brett hit it first and I went second and nearly ended my day. Immediately I returned to the top, made a new line approach and went for it, for me that feeling of stomping a drop cannot be matched by anything else on this world.

 

Taking it deep rider’s right | PC: Derek Erickson

Taking it deep rider’s right | PC: Derek Erickson

 

Another Trip back to the Interior in late February followed with a few hit and miss days filming with Braaap, Alpine Assassins and 509. The weather and conditions didn’t allow for much epic footage but as usual we made the best of it having fun all day long and I got to shred with a couple more wicked guys, Brodie Evans and Riley Suhan.

Spring has delivered pow and for me nothing has changed. I’m still going to load up my sled and head out somewhere and enjoy snowmobiling with my friends and being in the mountains.”

“Live Your Life”

 

– Cody @Mcnolty318