Two Aussie Sisters, One BC Ski Love

Rachael Oakes-Ash is an Aussie travel writer and a self-confessed Snow It All who covers all things winter and ski.

It was the vastness of British Columbia’s 10 major mountain ranges that first cast its spell upon Australia’s skiing Segal sisters.

“It dwarfed me, I saw all the peaks and it just dwarfed me,” laughs Sochi Winter Olympian and X Games multi-medalist Anna who’s called the coastal range of British Columbia home for almost a decade now, packing in an urban Melbourne life for the joy of mountain living.

“I learnt how small I was,” says younger sister Nat of her first time skiing in BC back in 2012 before moving to the interior railway-come-ski-town of Revelstoke five years later.

The Segals started their ski careers as mogul skiers at Mt Buller in Australia. While Anna went on to represent Australia on the world ski stage, Nat chose a big-mountain ski career with stints on the Freeride World Tour. Together they produced their cult ski-film hit Finding the Line, exploring the theme of fear while filming mostly in the BC mountains they now love. They still produce independent films and both are ski pros or coaches as well as summer guides.

As a slopestyle skier, Anna had spent most of her professional life in the terrain park before originally moving to Whistler to “just ski powder” in North America’s largest resort (over 3,237 hectares of skiable terrain). She soon found herself drawn into the backcountry hills for some serious mountain-style schooling.

Whistler’s vast terrain, both in and out of the resort, is a learning ground for the world’s best. You don’t tame Whistler, Whistler tames you.

“The people, infrastructure, culture, and terrain here all enabled me to learn new skills to take my skiing into a wilder environment. I had to learn a lot, then prove I was serious. I hadn’t skied really steep slopes before, I didn’t know about sluff management, or how to pack for a hut trip, or how long ski tour days really are and the techniques to be efficient when skiing.”

It may be the skiing that draws the likes of the Segal sisters in, but it’s the British Columbia locals that have them staying.

“You don’t have to search far to find someone to go on an adventure with here,” says Anna, who loves how Canadians look out for each other. “If I want to go ski something mellow or extreme, or park or groomers, I’m never short of someone to ask. People in BC love spending time outdoors. They love adventure and they are fun and open-minded, very similar in character to Australians.”

You’ll find many of them at Anna’s two go-to caffeine dens, Alpha Cafe in Whistler Village and Ed’s Bred at Creekside. At the end of a ski day, Anna loves Handlebar for beer and pizza at the base of Blackcomb mountain.

Nat also loved the entrepreneurial spirit of a town that draws big mountain athletes who have to get creative and do their own thing for an income to support the erratic life of professional athletes. 

“There are a lot of creatives, photographers, designers, jewelers,” says Nat of her beloved community. “You see most of them at Dose Coffee—that’s my hands-down coffee go-to. The owners are Australian, roast their own coffee, and know how to do it well.”

“The skiing at Revelstoke Mountain Resort is amazing. The lifts take you all the way up to the alpine where you can access incredible ski terrain. I find the resort is more fast-paced, and energetic. In comparison, a day in the backcountry is usually a slower pace. After six years living here, there is still so much I haven’t skied in Rogers Pass (Glacier National Park). Often, I will start earlier in the morning so there is time to ski-tour uphill and enjoy the walk.”

The small-town charm of Revelstoke is filled with adventurous spirit and punches way above its foodie weight. There are a plethora of dining options, distilleries, and breweries to choose from, all perfect for the snow gourmands who earn their calories with big skiing by day and inventive dining by night. Whatever ski day she chooses, for breakfast Nat hits up Main Street for classic fare or Terra Firma for local farm produce. At the end of a ski day, Nat heads to Rumpus Beer Co for après home-brewed beer and the Twilight Bite food truck parked outside. 

With 17 years of British Columbia living between them, Anna and Nat have many more to look forward to.

“Living in Revelstoke has bought me a wealth of knowledge about spending time in the mountains and environment and why it is so important to respect and look after the ecosystems that make up this amazing place,” says Nat. “Being connected to this and having the opportunity to share these outdoor spaces with friends and visitors is an incredible gift.”

The respect and awe is shared by Anna, who after 10 years “will stop multiple times, still, on the Sea-to-Sky Highway just to take photos. It’s hard to describe this place and how beautiful it is unless you come here.”