EAST KOOTENAY, British columbia
Some kind of wonderful
Snowmobiling with friends and family—I couldn’t have asked for more
by KIRSTEN ARMLEDER

CHILLAXIN': (L to R) Jourdan, Brendon and Lianne Matkovich and Laura Armleder (front) took in the view at Summer Lake.

ZOOM, ZOOM: Brendon enjoyed some powder play on his sister's sled.

My excitement grew as I woke up Saturday morning to see the sun shining. It was going to be a fantastic day for sledding.

I had plans to meet up with my parents and the Matkovich family (Grant, Lianne, Jourdan and Brendon). Our destination was an area not far from Jaffray, B.C., called Bull River. We've spent some time quadding here but none of us had ever seen it in the wintertime.

Nonetheless, it felt like coming home. There's something about the mountains that stirs emotion—at least for me. The snow got deeper as we climbed in elevation and it wasn't long before everyone was grinning from ear to ear.

There were a couple of other sledders ahead of us so we followed their tracks to a spot where the road forks. We took the trail on the left, which was unbroken and covered with a layer of fresh powder. Going up, I was surprised at how narrow the road is. We drove a truck up there last fall but the bank had obviously eroded since then.

Upon arriving at Summer Lake, where the trail ended, we enjoyed hot chocolate and smokies around a warm fire. Jourdan and Brendon took some time to play and practise their powder riding while I snapped off some pictures. The lake is surrounded by jagged mountain peaks and lush forest—typical scenery in this region, if I may boast.

The sun had disappeared and darkness was starting to settle in by the time we packed up and began our descent. Going back was a treat since I've always enjoyed night riding.

It was 6:45 p.m. when we returned to the trucks. Once the sleds were loaded, we talked about the day and made plans to go on another trip together. For me, this was the perfect day—sledding in the mountains with people who I'm fortunate to call my friends.