Article by: PowderMatt Images by: Spencer Craig
Teal Harle, a former Canadian Freestyle National Team member from Campbell River, BC, and a 2018 Winter Olympic Slopestyle competitor, is featured in the latest Teton Gravity Research (TGR) film, “Pressure Drop,” which is showcased across North America.
The Slopestyle Olympian and X Games Medalist, is stoked to be able to showcase Great Bear Heli Skiing, in TGR’s 30th Anniversary Film, “Pressure Drop”, as many don’t realize that Teal Harle, spends his summers, north of Bella Coola, at Great Bear Lodge (operating as the Lower Dean River Lodge in the summertime), as a fly fishing guide on the famed banks of the Dean River, chasing the world-famous steelhead who ply the local waters.
Can you share your experience guiding this summer at Lower Dean River Lodge and fly fishing on the Dean River near Bella Coola, British Columbia?
Teal Harle: I have been guiding at the Lower Dean River Lodge since 2018. It’s a special place and I feel lucky to be able to spend my summers there exploring the river. Being a fly fishing guide is rewarding because I get to show others around and share their excitement in the pursuit of the elusive steelhead. It’s great to meet so many different people and share the love of fishing together. Plus, you get to spend your days in such a beautiful place.
You grew up in Campbell River, British Columbia, making your first ski turns at Mount Washington before your Slopestyle career took you to the Olympics. Now that you’re skiing powder at Great Bear Heli Skiing, how does it compare to your Slopestyle background?
Teal Harle: While I spent a little over 10 years chasing contests and spending most of my time in the terrain park, I grew up just skiing and exploring the mountain with my friends. We were always looking for fun lines through the trees, little jumps here and there, and on powder days, finding cliffs to jump off. The mountains at Great Bear felt a bit like my home mountain, just a lot bigger. And accessing them from a helicopter is a little different than a chairlift, though!
Can you tell us more about your all-mountain experience at Great Bear? TGR called it, “Canada’s Secret Powder Haven” with “massive, untouched terrain” and “deep coastal snowpack” that draws freeride legends. What makes backcountry riding there special for you?
Teal Harle: Between the mountains are deep valleys that cut almost down to sea level. It makes the mountains up there feel huge. There are some epic runs up in the alpine in really cool, big places. Tree skiing is awesome, too. I love tree skiing, and there are tons of really fun runs when the weather doesn’t let you get up high. There are still so many lines that have never been skied. It’s pretty cool to think you could be one of the first people there.
What makes Great Bear unique, especially in terms of its people and experience?
Teal Harle: Great experiences come down to great people. I like that, and it couldn’t be truer with Great Bear. I may be biased, but all the people up there are passionate, welcoming, and truly awesome individuals. It’s who you’re with that can turn a great experience into an unforgettable one.
How did it feel to see the film and experience its launch, and what was the audience’s reaction?
Teal Harle: Really cool to see the film come together after a full-on season of filming. You never know what you got while you’re out there filming. But I was stoked with how it came out and the Great Bear segment was awesome. I travelled down to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for the World premiere and saw it on the big screen for the first time with everyone. I haven’t had a chance to go to any ski movie premieres in a long, long time, so it was awesome to go to a couple of premieres and see it on the big screen with a crowd of stoked fans!
What are your plans for this winter?
Teal Harle: This winter I’ll be right back into film mode, trying to put together something even better than last season. I have no plans yet and am usually flying by the seat of my pants chasing storms!