Smithers, British Columbia
Like father, like son
A shared love for the sled has brought the Grafs closer together
by MICHELLE DOBOLVOLNY
 |
SLEDDING BUDDIES: Stephen Graf and son Russell pause for a bit at the cabin on The Dome.
—Photo courtesy of Stephen Graf |
Stephen Graf is a pretty lucky parent. While so many fathers find themselves struggling with their children through those rebellious teenage years, Stephen has been able to maintain a close bond with his 16-year-old son, Russell, largely as a result of the time they spend together snowmobiling. Both father and son are avid sledders, and enjoy nothing more than a sunny winter day in a basin of powder snow. Most importantly, however, it gets them doing something together. Spending time with his dad is what Russell appreciates most about the sport.
“It’s just pretty cool that I get to spend time with him,” said Russell. “It’s pretty neat.”
The Smithers advantage
Stephen has been sledding on and off for years, though he didn’t become a serious snowmobiling devotee until 1992, when he became the owner of Wayside Service 1968 Ltd., an Arctic Cat shop.
“I grew up with it and then I kind of got out of it,” he said, “but then I became an Arctic Cat dealer. So that got me back into it.”
For Russell, however, a life without snowmobiling is barely imaginable. He grew up around his father’s shop and has been sledding since he was four.
“I just remember riding one of those little sleds around,” he said of his early childhood, which was largely spent on an Arctic Cat Kitty Cat.
You would think that working around sleds every day would have somewhat lessened the Grafs’ enthusiasm for the sport by now. But even after a long week at the shop, Stephen will be itching to load up their Arctic Cat M8 sleds and hit the trails on the weekend. It helps that Smithers is located so close to fantastic riding areas.
“Within an hour from my shop, I can be on five different mountaintops,” said Stephen.
The Grafs’ favourite destination is The Onion, situated just north of Smithers in Babine Mountain Provincial Park. It’s the place Russell loves for its open powder-filled playground.
“You can pretty much go full throttle everywhere,” he said.
Stephen tries to get them out early every weekend, in search of that fresh, virgin snow.
“When you take off and you get into an area that has been untouched and get to go and play in it,” he said, “that’s one of the best experiences.”
What the Grafs really thrive on, however, is simply the natural beauty of the mountains.
“On top of the mountains, it’s a different type of feeling,” said Stephen, “a closeness to God—or whatever you want to call it.”
Untoppable memories
Russell has a mature appreciation for the experiences he has been able to have because of his father’s passion for snowmobiling.
“It’s pretty neat because not too many 16-year-old people get to say they’ve been snowmobiling as much as I have,” he said, “and it’s allowed me to experience stuff that not too many people get to experience.”
A trip the Grafs took to Stewart, B.C., and Hyder, Alaska—one of the top snowmobiling destinations in the world—was one of those experiences. The Grafs were able to sled over vast glaciers, and the abundance of powder snow was unbelievable.
But that’s all just icing on the cake for what remains essentially a family activity.
“I appreciate being able to spend time with my son,” said Stephen. “That’s what it’s really about.” |
