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For the last few winters, I have waged war with nutrition. From about Dec 15th to April 15th every season, ski touring defines my existence. At 5:30am the alarm usually goes of, and the battle begins. The stomach starts to rumble as I check the weather station and the forecast at my winter stronghold in the Valhalla Mountains of British Columbia. By 6am there is no more waiting as I stumble over to the main lodge of Valhalla Mountain Touring to help the cook with breakfast and lunch prep. The table is set, a cold breakfast is laid out and the lunch and snack goodies for the day are prepared. Slowly the guests start to filter down stairs getting psyched for another day of ski touring in powder heaven. We all suit up, skin up, boot up and fuel up for another day of 5 to 7 thousand vertical feet of backcountry skiing. And here is where The Equation comes into play.

The concept was introduced to me by my friend who ski tours, trail runs and climbs hard all the time, and basically it boils down to this:

1 Vertical Foot of Elevation Gained = 1 Calorie consumed.

Simple, I know, but extremely difficult to execute. When the season starts it isn’t that hard to stay on track with food, calories consumed and energy expended. Maybe it’s the light layer of extra girth on my frame from a fall of sport climbing and campsite beer sessions that is there to burn off. Or maybe its because I can’t really get more than 3-5 grand of vertical feet in the short days and tired lungs of December. Either way, as the season progresses, the fat reserves are gone, the fitness increases and the days get longer and the battle to maintain the equilibrium of the equation ensues.

So back to my typical morning at Valhalla Mountain Touring and how I maintain the balance.

6am: As I put out the cold breakfast, I eat one. This usually means a bowl of granola with yogurt, followed by some fruit salad and coffee (of course!).
Calorie count: 500

7am: Hot breakfast is served. This is usually something like eggs benny, waffles, or breakfast burritos.
Calorie count: 800

730am: Make lunch, and snack on the days goodies. This is what I call ‘breakfast desert’ as I am a firm believer that every meal must end with something sweet. Most likely victims of this meal are brownies, chocolate chip cookies or date squares. Lunch usually consists of 2 sandwiches (either PB & J, cheese and fixings or dinner left overs) and piles of fresh baking and trail mix.
Calorie count: 300

8am: Start touring

9am: Eat the first wave of snacks. Usually a brownie
Calories: 300

10am: Eat half of the first sandwich.
Calories: 200

1030am: Rip the first 1 to 2 grand of epic powder.

11am: Eat the other half of the first sandwich and don’t forget to follow with something sweet, every meal gets desert!
Calories: 200

1200: More snacks and start nibbling on the next sandwich.
Calories: 200

1230: Ski another mind boggling dose of powder.

1pm: Start wondering if I brought enough food to break more trail through the 30cms of fresh fluff. Eat another brownie and save the last one for the last hill climb.
Calories: 200

2pm: Hit a summit and ski a great line down the mountain. Throw on the skins for another lap and finish off the last sandwich.
Calories: 200

3pm: The early crew is feeling the pull of the sauna and tired legs. Send them home to the lodge and get the late crew psyched for the afternoon push. Eat a cookie.
Calories: 150

4pm: Pull the skins at the top of the last run and inhale the last espresso brownie you have been saving all day. Drop a 2 to 3 grand home run back to the lodge, where the sauna is hot and so are the appetizers.
Calories: 300 (you saved a huge brownie for last!)

430pm: Get to the lodge at the end of the last run, but throw it out there to the sickos of the group that you are going to do a bonus lap at ‘guide’s speed’. Who’s keen for that? Drop the hammer and hit some ridiculous pace up the mountain, tear the skins and race back for some appies with the euphoric haze of endorphins.

5pm: Devour appies, which is usually nachos, baked brie, pizza or something equally cheesy and delicious
Calories: 700

6pm: fall asleep for 10 minutes after eating and the sauna, but then race back to the lodge to help with dinner prep.

730pm: Dinner is served. Amazing organic salad, unbelievable main courses, delectable desert. Have 2 of each course.
Calories: 2,000 plus another 500 for your drinks

930pm: Pass out to do the whole thing again tomorrow.

Vertical feet skied: 6,500’
Calories consumed: 6,500’

Wake up starving the next day.

If you think I am making this all up come ski touring with me this winter and witness the epic powder and delicious food that encompasses my winter and attempt to maintain a balanced equation. Even my dog eats double rations all winter long.

*Check out more of Evan’s adventures on his blog evanstevens.blogspot.com