Valemount and Area Recreation Development Association (VARDA) manager Curtis Pawliuk is actively involved in the Valemount snowmobile scene. He is a busy man—a husband and father to two young girls—yet seems to always make time to better the sport of snowmobiling.
In his time away from VARDA, Pawliuk has launched Frozen Pirate Snow Services, a revolutionary business that merges avalanche education with skills, safety and development.
Pawliuk enjoys pushing his own limits in tight, technical terrain, relishing every opportunity to grow as a rider, and he wants the same for the people he mentors. His approach is somewhat different than what other skills development camps offer, as he wants peers to learn together.
“Sledders simply need to learn from other sledders, in small specialized groups of their own peers, to learn how to ride effectively together,” Pawliuk said. “By mentoring a group of riders who normally hit the backcountry together, we get to identify each rider’s strength, weakness and role in that group.
“Someone may have superior shoveling skills, another may be an effective group leader, and others may need to develop more skills.”
Mentoring a group gives Pawliuk and his Frozen Pirate team the ability to affect the entire group dynamic in a positive way, further ensuring the safety and skills development of everyone. For more information go to frozenpirate.com or email [email protected]
