Welcome Marty Schaffer

“I really like your skis now, Hoji! They’re way better than those 2x4’s I remember skiing on,” Marty Schaffer laughingly echoes before pushing off at the top of a gladded pillow run at the Blanket Glacier Chalet, a helicopter accessed ski touring lodge outside of Revelstoke, BC. Schaffer and Eric "Hoji" Hjorleifson, who have been friends since they were kids, have been tossing zingers and jokes to each other all week.

Tall, perfectly spaced, old growth fir trees laced in lichen and caked in early season snow fade in the distance down the fall-line as Schaffer skis away cackling and pinging into the air. Schaffer, an Association of Canadian Mountain Ski Guide, owner of CAPOW guiding and operator of The Blanket grew up down the street from Hoji and has seen his evolution as a pro skier and product designer, skiing on some of Hoji’s earliest ski designs before embarking on his own career. However, now Schaffer gets to have his homecoming, joining the 4FRNT Team and bringing 4FRNT demos into The Blanket Glacier Chalet.

Schaffer’s parents bought The Blanket Glacier Chalet in the 80’s to run their telemark ski camps, a month before he was born. Adorned in a top hat and popping champagne (his mom with an 8-month pregnant belly at the time), the Schaffers began what is now referred to as The Blanket, an A-frame cobbled together by a bunch of local ski bums in Revelstoke. Old school laminated photo albums are stacked beneath the coffee table in the common room – documenting the early beginnings of the operation and Marty’s connection to this unique place. Marty, who established Canadian Powder Guides (CAPOW) in 2012 began taking on operations at the lodge ten years ago. Incrementally he began updating the lodge and opening up new terrain as his freeride focused ski touring camps began to take hold. “I always had this vision that The Blanket would be like this surf shack for the backcountry skier… It’s in the middle of nowhere, right next to the most reliable surf break in the world and the most reliable snow and conditions in the world.”

Located in The Monashees, The Blanket is the perfect place for the 4FRNT Renegade and Hoji skis, and for those who seek deep powder skiing. The region is even more special early season, when the valleys can be brown while a 5-foot base of snow sits outside the chalet before December. Flying into the lodge, creeks had begun to become engulfed in winter’s grip—banked heavily by steep snow walls before eventually freezing over. The crew consisted of Hoji, Anne Wangler, Noah Maisonet, Peter Wojnar, Marty, and myself. It was as if someone hit the gas pedal to the start of winter, as a well settled base coupled with snow squalls each day had the crew bouncing around the tenure like a bunch of kids at school recess. Days were spent watching Noah moon shot spins over pillows while Hoji put on a clinic of airplane turns and sneakily catching transitions through downed tree airs, with après beers outside the lodge during sunset, before tinkering with gear and talking about ski designs in the drying room.

The lodge had a buzz amidst this new partnership and the slew of Renegades outside the chalet just seemed fitting. Between Hoji adjusting guest’s skis who felt compelled to try the new demos, to Schaffer explaining when Noah Maisonet was a grom he met Matt Sterbenz (original founder of the brand) at the lodge years ago and has been on 4FRNT ever since—the partnership was in its infancy yet it seemed as if it was inevitable.

“When we were younger, we were all just minions doing whatever Eric was doing and followed him for years,” explains Schaffer who snowboarded in high school before finding some touring boots and fat skis from his dad so he could move around in the backcountry with his friends. “I pretty quickly learned how to ski on Eric’s EHP skis and we thought they were amazing – as Hoji interjects and laughs across the lodge… You know, Hoji is still trying to reinvent the screwdriver,” jokes Schaffer. “But, I really believe the skis are designed for this type of arena we have at The Blanket.”

Schaffer notes that even prior to beginning this partnership 4FRNT has been one of the most popular brands that shows up with guests at the lodge and he’s excited to now have an impact with the company. “You know the slogan, by skiers for skiers,” says Schaffer… It’s so true and it’s so cool to see the diversity of the 4FRNT Team. This is something I’ve been thinking about for a long time and I’m excited to help develop the 4FRNT product and get clients on the skis during their visit to the lodge.”