Loving the ride

Jeff Pensiero of Baldface Lodge is thrilled about the place he calls home and happy to show it off to folks from near and far

1 of 2Jeff Pensiero, owner of Baldface Lodge, poses just outside the company’s office in downtown Nelson. — Colin Payne photo

2 of 2This was Baldface Lodge in February 2012, during the Redbull Supernatural. — Christian Pondella/Red Bull Content Pool photo

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Californian Jeff Pensiero now calls the Selkirk Mountains in British Columbia home. More specifically, his business, Baldface Lodge—which is located across Kootenay Lake from Nelson—is where he and his family hang out most of the time.

Feeling that heli- and cat-skiing were turning their backs on snowboarders, Pensiero decided he wanted to carve a niche for himself in offering guests of his own unforgettably fun skiing and boarding on unbeatable terrain. He couldn't get past the tremendous opportunities in the Nelson area, and that is where he realized his dream.

Tremendous response 

Sixteen years later, Pensiero now offers backcountry snowcat skiing and snowboarding that is known the world over to visitors in a snowy playground of 32,000 acres. He said he is just going into a third season of being totally sold out. Pensiero's dreams of creating epic memories so his guests would return again and again has become a reality, and newbies planning on naming their own run might have to get on the Baldface waiting list. 

The lodge, which operates from mid-December to mid-April, was recently rebuilt after collapsing under a heavy snowload over a year ago. The new $4-million facility, designed by Nelson's Studio 9 and built by a team of locals led by Maglio Installations, also of Nelson, opened just after Christmas last year.

“It could have put us out of business,” said Pensiero. “We made it, and it was a testament to the people we had working up there.”

But that wasn't the only exciting thing that happened at Baldface last season.

“At the same time, Travis Rice, a huge supporter of our area and one of the most famous snowboarders in the world, had this idea to hold a new-style contest," said Pensiero.

He said Rice wanted to create some man-made stunts on a really steep face, have a contest that married the slopestyle and backcountry scene, and film it.

"We invited the 18 top snowboarders in the world, and held it in February," said Pensiero.

The Redbull Supernatural was televised in a two-hour special on NBC and rebroadcast around the world. Pensiero said that the event was so successful that it is planned again for this year, and there is talk of replicating the event in Europe and Alaska. Pensiero is proud that Nelson was featured prominently in the film.

“This event validates my life decision to come to the West Kootenay and start a business and have it be about snowboarding,” said Pensiero. “I knew that Nelson was the town for it. It is amazing to have Nelson put on a pedestal to the whole world as the best place to go ride powder."

Happy people making people happy

Pensiero said he believes that life is measured by the amount of experience you have, being present and happy with who you are and where you are. This transfers to his ethic in business, which, he said, is about trying to make sure people are having an awesome experience in the mountains. He credits his business success to his great crew, he said, and looks at himself as the dumbest guy in the office.

“I try to surround myself with really smart people with the same ethic, and give them the tools they need,” said Pensiero. “When guests walk away from us, they say 'wow, they get it.' ”

Pensiero likes that.