Rowan Gormick is 13 years old. Like many youths in the Sea to Sky corridor, he is an avid skier. Gormick says that he “fell in love” with the sport at the age of three, making his way down Grouse Mountain with his parents for the first time.
Rowan’s father, Jonathan, bought a pair of skis on the way home that day. He knew that his son had just discovered a lifelong passion.
That said, you might be asking yourself: what makes Rowan so special? Plenty of other boys in these parts love skiing.
Far fewer among them would dream of going on a three-day overnight ski-touring adventure on the cusp of adolescence, but from March 4 to 7, that is exactly what Rowan is tackling.
Tip of the spear
The Spearhead Traverse is located between the Whistler and Blackcomb ski areas. It is a 34-kilometre route that winds its way across 13 glaciers and nine mountain passes. Individuals wishing to attempt this journey must typically set aside at least two full days and ready themselves to face 1,700 metres of elevation gain, a myriad of crevasses and an ever-present avalanche risk.
A moderately more difficult undertaking than your average black-diamond resort run.
Some skiers live their whole lives without acquiring the skills and mental fortitude necessary for such a task. Rowan is not one of them. Despite his youth, he already has four seasons of ski touring under his belt, conquering terrain from the North Shore Mountains, to Alberta, to Wyoming.
Now, he is eager for a fresh challenge.
“I love a good goal, and [the Spearhead Traverse] is the next level of skiing for me,” Rowan said. “I want to go from a resort skier who is touring maybe 10 to 15 days a year to the next level of [spending half a season] touring.”
The young Whistlerite has prepared for his mission with a purpose. “This season, I've spent tons of days on the skins, back-to-back days, even 15-kilometre days,” he explained. “It symbolizes the task of the Spearhead, of being able to push through even though I’m tired, or I don’t really want to keep going and I want to get back to the car.”
Of course, Rowan will have his dad by his side throughout the trip. Jonathan has 30-odd years of ski-touring experience, dating back to his high school days, in addition to being an avalanche safety instructor and former volunteer ski patroller. He has passed on much of his mountaineering and rappelling know-how to his son, ensuring that both will be ready for the task at hand.
Nonetheless, most would balk at the idea of taking a 13-year-old on an excursion like the Spearhead Traverse, and for good reason. Jonathan certainly understands the risks, and he knows he could not live with the consequences if he ever put his son in harm’s way. The two have carefully laid out their game plan and calculated what could go wrong.
Needless to say, they are prioritizing safety above all else. By extending their trip to three days, the Gormicks can proceed at a more forgiving pace and take a few detours to ski pristine lines down largely-untouched mountain faces. In total, they expect to cover 40 to 45 kilometres instead of the direct 34-kilometre path favoured by other backcountry adventurers.
Furthermore, Jonathan and Rowan have the benefit of a rock-solid relationship to lean on in the mountains.
“When we're out touring, we're partners,” Jonathan said. “We're not a kid and a parent. I trust [Rowan’s] judgment and he trusts my judgment. I expect him to contribute to decisions and be candid about things, even things that can be hard to talk about. We're really honest with each other.
“Just as much as I'm prepared to listen to Rowan if he's not feeling it and needs to turn around or end the day, I think he trusts me if I see something that doesn't look safe. What we need as we start to progress into more adventurous touring is honesty between each other, and I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't think I had that from Rowan.”
Likewise, the younger Gormick trusts and respects his dad.
“He’s pretty great,” said Rowan. “He takes my judgment and how I want to ski [into account], and if I’m nervous through something, he validates that. Also, the knowledge of avalanche terrain that he has is unbelievable.”
Mountain ambassadors
It’s easy to tell that Rowan is mature beyond his years and accustomed to bearing responsibility. He already knows his way around mountains better than many adults, and he is committed to finishing his schoolwork on the road or after long powder days. Jonathan and his wife have offered their son a deal: Rowan can take as many days off school to ski as desired, as long he keeps his marks up—which he has.
The Gormick family splits its time between Whistler and Vancouver. Jonathan is a firefighter and teaches avalanche safety for Mountain Skills Academy and Adventures (MSAA), while his wife also works in emergency services. They have two boys, Rowan and a 10-year-old named Liam.
Their eldest is already giving back to the ski community. Rowan has worked with Genuine Guide Gear—also known as G3—to film educational videos that provide advice on how parents can safely tour with younger skiers. As well, he was a key product tester for G3’s “Swift” series of gear for lighter riders.
“The engineers from a ski company take the feedback of a 13-year-old seriously. I mean, that's a pretty cool position to be in, to influence what products are coming out of a big ski company at that age,” Jonathan said.
Father and son are also partnering with MSAA to build interest in their youth-specific Avalanche Safety Training 1 (AST1) courses. According to Jonathan, enrollment in these programs has been suboptimal despite a huge market, and the fact most providers' AST courses are only open to adolescents if they're with a parent. That’s why MSAA developed the teen-focused AST1 curriculum.
“Backcountry skiing exploded about 10 years ago, and all of those 20- to 50-year-olds have or will have kids," he said. "MSAA, Rowan and I want to promote the idea that parents can continue touring even with kids or teens.
“Getting away from the crowds and into new areas where you have to work together has been an unbelievable experience for Rowan and I, and it can totally be done safely. You could ski in the resort for years and not get the days of untouched powder like we do: run after run of skiing bliss!”
In any case, Rowan is doing everything he can to advocate for improving youth access to the mountains.
“I want to put [backcountry touring] out there because it is way different than resort skiing,” Rowan said. “The risk plays a big part, for sure, but you won't be able to ski untracked, beautiful faces in the resort that you can in the backcountry. Yes, you might have to put in effort, but the views you get are unbelievable.”
For his part, Jonathan is over the moon that he and his oldest child have been able to bond through a shared passion.
“I'm exceedingly proud,” he beamed. “I was excited when Rowan wanted to ski. I was excited when he was nine, when he showed an interest in touring. At no point have I pushed him into any of this, because I think it's one of those things that you can't force someone to like.
“I just love that he loves [skiing] as much as I do. The time we get together is absolutely invaluable.”
