So Many Stories…

Georgestock 2003, Golden BC

My bestie Claire and I load up my little blue Bronco and hit the road with the rest of the 20 something Nelsonites, Golden bound. Micheal Franti and Spearhead are playing a private venue on ‘George’s’ property just outside of Golden BC. We’d never heard of George but we all knew Micheal Franti, the tall dark Roots, Reggae crooner who sang songs about love and freedom.

While everyone is flocking to the show, excited for a night of dancing and music, I have something else on my mind….a tall, gorgeous skier I met in Nelson in 1998 and knew had moved to Golden when Kicking Horse Mountain opened, Dano Slater.

The concert is in full swing and I still can’t find the hot skier when finally, from across the crowd of people, I see that smile. We squeeze and he asks me if I want a beer from his car (yup!) He’s got rockstar parking, of course, and an inflatable boat filled with ice and beer in the hatchback of his beater Ford he called ‘Fast Freddy’. Only problem is he’s locked his keys in his car, without a thought he picks up a rock and throws it through the window. We crack a beer and share our first kiss in the front seat of Fast Freddy. We danced, belly laughed and kissed all night.

The next morning he took Claire and I to his house on Birchlands and down to the slough for a swim where he quickly and casually brushed leeches off of us as we climbed back onto his floating dock. We left him in the rearview, heading back to Nelson, but I knew I’d see him again.

This was the beginning of a 19 year love affair, 15 official and 11 married.
I will love you forever.

-xo Super Barbie

—

“Hey Pups”

I hear his voice saying that phrase clearly. I was coined “Puppy” after Dano sat through what I imagine to be an agonizing hour, possibly longer, of me trying to show him photos (real ones- it was 2005) of my newest puppy while he tried to sleep. Dano at the time was not a huge fan of dogs (that came later with Rocky Boy and Jer) or high-pitched rambling late in the night, but thankfully we became dear friends despite these obstacles.

It’s hard to try and narrow down 15 years of friendship into something that will fit on the internet. The loss of Dano has left my heart and the heart of my nearest and dearest broken. We miss him so much and think about him, speak about him, laugh and cry about him daily.

We miss his quick wit, laugh, humour and constant teasing and silliness. He was always first to say exactly what was on his mind, good or bad, but in a way that was somehow always completely ok. He was real.

We miss how he connected with the kids in a way that no other adults do. When Felix was 7 he proudly proclaimed to Dano that he “had been drinking A LOT of root beer (zevia)” to which Dano gave him a high five and a “Nicccce buddy.” When he arrived at his next birthday he brought a 12 pack of the “good stuff” (real root beer). This hilarious, thoughtful, and kind gesture will not be forgotten.

Anna the shyest of babies would happily sit in his arms and laugh. One of the last interactions they had was when a big storm rolled through and Anna was scared. Dano sat with her the whole time and reassured her that the thunder was just “God farting.” He made her laugh and made her feel safe. When the next summer storm rolled through after his passing, she felt his presence deeply which I am sure she will from now on when storm come in July.

This is a tiny handful of memories and examples of how Dano touched our lives. It’s so hard not having him here. So thankful to be able to share the laughs and tears with Tessa, North and our friend family.

Always in our hearts and belly laughs. We miss you deeply.

-Sarah (puppy), Chris, Felix & Anna Goggins

—

Years ago I may have been little less Mom, a bit more Motörhead…

In honour of one my favourite songs of all time and the gentleman who introduced me to the band…

tbt That one time @dano1080 called me from the roaring crowd of screaming Lemmy fans….thats the closest I ever was to attending a Motörhead concert.

I could go on and on about all the good times I had with that guy. But for now, I’m happy to just sit with this memory and smile because it happened.

I love you Birdman. Miss you forever.

#momtats #droppingfordano #fuckcancer #dinicorn&danosaurus

-Dini Courtney
—

I met Dan I’m 1995 at Selkirk College when I started the SROAM program, we became friends and ski’d together a lot and eventually me and my buddy Jim moved into his up by the school. It was without a doubt, a total riot. A lot of fun was had with a dash of studying haha. I have a bunch of great photos I will try to submit. One of the nicest and funniest guys I’ve ever known. Rip In peace Dano.

-Darren McGiffin

—

I met Dano in the winter of 93/94. It didn’t take long for us to become friends our love for the mountains and shredding pow made us inseparable from then on.. I have endless stories about Dano here’s a few. First of all I would like to thank him for being a huge part of my life and I miss him.

Where should I start ? Mr peaches, the hatred of wood peckers, ants in the water, endless Chatter stories. Let’s start with some skiing. So Dano and I where building a house for a friend in Golden, it was cold snowing and we would rather be out in mountains, luckily Jeff called and invited us to go heli skiing (man yoga we called it). Our boss at the time said nope,. so we went anyway and had the best time ever. Needless to say we were fired! Two days later we were back on the job with no boss and finished it ourselves. Dano and I built a lot of shit together but for some reason shredding big lines was more important to us. Thank god. But still got the job done.

Chatter creek is a prime example of that work ethic / love for skiing. Dano helped build the road network , ski program and build lodges, bridges and friendships for life. His love for skiing and having the best time still lives on at Chatter, thanks so much for leaving your mark on our business. I will always drop for Dano. I will never forget my best friend. Whenever I think of Dano I get sad but it doesn’t take long for me to smile laugh and remember all the great times I had with him. We have had some bad luck but never a bad time!

-Always missed, your bud Matt

—

Truly a special guy who I think of everyday. Was an honor to know and raise our kids together. A man who lived life on his own terms. Always up for an adventure, project, laugh, and a beer. We spent many hours together working on my house and had wonderful conversations about many topics. Hard to nail down 1 story of the man who had so many. Rest well my friend..can't wait to see you down the road.

-Dallas Wolbaum

—

I first met Dano in my early years working at Whitewater Ski Resort. My boss told me to go meet this freeride coach who needed operational support for an event. I met him where the tower four road meets the Blast. I introduced myself and asked what I could do to help. Dano said he needed a piece of ply wood to build a jump. I had no idea what he was taking about. Never having a worked at a ski resort nor having built a jump with plywood I naturally complied with his wishes and brought him a piece cut to his recommended dimensions.  As it turns out I could have brought him a car door or anything he had to work with, really. After a brief laugh about legality I helped him dig in and shape up a jump to set up overnight. The next day skiers of all ages would be jumping over the road and exciting the crowd below. I was blown away by it! A couple days after the competition I mustered up the courage to try the jump. I would only ever attempt this jump twice (so far), but every year I would meet Dano again where the tower four road meets the Blast and ask what I could do to help facilitate the event. Usually he had been shaping up the jump with his skis for weeks leading up the competition but might ask for help cutting down the knuckle or smoothing out the landing. It was always a great opportunity to chat about the event, what skiers to watch for in the competition and joke about skiers vs snowboarders. But I was always happy to help him with his mission to grow the event. Dano had helped the Jr. Freeski event in so many ways, touched so many people, and will continue to have a lasting effect on the ski community….and he even helped an old snowboarder realize his own potential to jump bigger and further than ever before. 

-Bradley Moore

—

It's a strange thing when pure joy is mixed with such pain. That is what happens when I think of you.Thinking of you every day is what we do!

Dange gave me some strong advice: Don't be defined by the hard things that happen to you. You are made up of much more than struggles. And perhaps even more importantly....ski the runs that make you happy. He told me that even though he knew full well that means cruisey groomers on a sunny day with fresh corduroy! ;)

When thinking of fave memories of my friend I can't stop laughing when I remember helping him with his new computer last summer. Let it be known I am no techie genius either - but I perhaps had a leg up on him there! We were on the phone walking through the start up together. He kept joking that the damn thing was so fancy it must also be a time machine. We rode that joke for weeks. One day I got a screen shot texted from him.... as many more techie ppl than us will know the Apple launch pad (what kind of name is that anyway?!) has a "Time Machine" button! We couldn't believe it. Laughed our asses off. He asked if he should click it. I responded it was worth a try. He decided he was going to go forward not back. There is such beautiful irony in that. Forward he went - to wait for us all at another time.

While we chase joy and wait to meet again someday I will always and forever hear him heckle me as I make gravy at Thanksgiving or Christmas.... "hey Monks.... you realize you are putting more wine
than juices from the bird in there right?!" Yes, Dange, I do.

My friend, as people came to sit with you, share their love for you and regale stories of all the adventures they had with you and their favourite memories, I was struck when you turned to me and said "I never knew there could be love like this". Forever grateful you shared yours with all of us.

- Monks

—

Dano was a rock solid son-in-law and a quiet, but huge presence in our life. He never tried to impress us or worry about us and yet he was fully there. There was no angst nor fanfare … just Dano doing his thing, sharing his mountain stories, loving his family and getting things done. He would share his vast ability and knowledge in a simple matter of fact way. We were constantly inspired by his ability to live a life as close to truth and freedom as possible. 

Our memories are simple and beautiful: his joy of being at home with Tessa and North; having friends drop by; relaxing in the hot tub while thinking of skiing, hiking, boating, travelling and plans to create an ever more comfortable and beautiful home.

A huge part of this was hanging out in the yard with North coming up with ideas for the best possible fun … creating their private ski hill, ski jumps, bike trails and ramps, the pond, forts, the zip line, and skateboard ramp.

We remember family hikes in the forest in search of the best Christmas tree; cross country skiing with little North in the sled and Dano making fun of us all and creating a whole new series of crazy moves on the track.

We loved meeting Dano, Tessa and North at the Hornby cottage … feasting on the deck, watching North skimboard, excursions through Helliwell and fishing from our small boat.

A few years ago, Dano arrived at the cottage with a plan to build us a modest tenting site. He knew the deck would be well used but building it meant burning up valuable vacation time. Dano arrived with hardware, concrete blocks for the footings and a blueprint in mind. Before anyone noticed Dano turned a pile of discarded lumber into a secluded little tenting area. Again, just a small example of how generous Dano was with his expertise and his time.

On the mountain he would ski up beside us in a surprise visit and just stop long enough to give us three seconds of advice - “Own the Mountain”!

When Dano was around, everything was possible. Just ask Tessa and North and those kids on the WFT. There was nothing better than listening to Dano talk about his vision of creating a great freeride team rooted in community and love, support and encouragement. He took the comp out of ‘competition ’ and changed it to his secret recipe of support and camaraderie where all of the competitors made each other better.

We love Dano’s generous spirit which he passed onto his family and Freeride team … ‘love what you do and put your heart into it. If you do it right, the payback will be huge and last forever.’

We knew that Dano was a legend on the mountain but to us he was the quintessential cool guy - a free spirit whose commitment to family and loving life to the fullest has always inspired us.

We miss him every day ❤️

-Barb & Tony

—

The biggest memories of Dano isn’t an event or a single moment – it’s the essence of how he showed up in life, not to take it too seriously, but to enjoy it fully and be present for those around him. Every summer we would pull up to Tessa’s parents cabin on Hornby Island with a car full of fresh crab to hear the music pumping and Tess, Dano and North laughing in the sunshine on the deck. This little cabin, and the joy that Tess and Dano injected into it, is like a glowing bright light in all our memories from summer’s past. Here is where I watched my best friends husband become my husbands best friend. Those two grew a true bond over air saxophone, high salah, and late into the evening chats around the fire. Dano somehow knew how to make even the small things more enjoyable, like a game of Telestrations with the kids, Dano alone would put us all in stitches with everything he drew. Here, I got a glimpse into Dano as a coach when, after a big chat about my daughters growing fears in her sport of gymnastics, Dano saw her hesitating afraid to jumping off the pier into the water. He gave her a quick pep talk and a little nudge. Don’t hold back. You wont regret it. After she sailed into the water she ran back up to the pier, smiling at him, excited to do it again.

Dano had a way of making you feel seen. I don’t remember a conversation we had where he wasn’t engaged and present. I don’t remember him looking at his phone, or his mind being somewhere else. I remember him fully there- in the moment. I remember him dancing in the setting sun, on the deck with the kids, giving them fake tattoos, letting them draw all-over him. I remember him throwing the disk and kicking the soccer ball with the boys on the beach, wrestling them to the ground. I remember their family of 3, perfectly matched, happy. I remember him smiling, enjoying life, living it well.

-Claire (and Matt) Campbell

—

I’ve been racking my brain about how I can possibly put nearly two decades of friendship, that has been a constant in my life, into words.

While our friendship goes back further than the 15+ years since we became neighbors, that’s what really sealed the deal. A bunch of our friends all bought homes close to each other within a couple of years and that became our dinner party, bonfire, beach days, backyard shenanigan crew.

While everyone knows Dano was an amazing skier and legendary freeride coach, I doubt many people knew that he was part of a biker gang. This little ‘gang’ consisted of two bright red 50cc mini bikes that he and AJ bought from Canadian tire. They called themselves the Blewett Danger Hawks and had a touring radius of about 4kms. I’d hear that little crappy tire bike sputter down my driveway and then the crack of a beer can followed by “ehhhhh Old Duffer’. One day my bumpy driveway bounced the gas cap right off the tank and so the Danger Hawk sat by my shed for literally years. I miss it. I miss Dano and our visits.

I miss sharing music with Dano. We both loved listening to vinyl. Another thing that a lot of people might not know about Dano is that beyond The grateful Dead, metal, and classic rock that he had on constant rotation, he also really loved Rhianna. Like a lot. So much that he almost got us kicked out of Kokanee Park by playing ‘Shine Bright Like a Diamond’ on repeat while we were camping. When the camp attendant came by for like the 4th time to tell us to keep it down, Dano held up his phone in a cup, pressed play and just said ‘What? You don’t like Rhianna?!’ I laughed so hard I cried.

Dano made me laugh. I hope when we all get together in March that we share a lot of laughter. A lot of stories. And a lot of love. Because he definitely gave us a lot of all of those things.

I can’t talk about Dano without also talking about North. Dano was the proudest, most dedicated Dad. If you ever had the pleasure of watching Dano ski, and you see the way that North skis now, you know that his legacy lives on. It blows my mind and I could not be more proud of both of them.

Tessa, Dano, North… I love you. More than I can ever put into words.

-Ali Duff (old Duffer)

—

After reading Ali’s story about the red motorcycles. I have to admit Dano lied about the cost to Tessa ‘cause he thought she’d be mad. We made up a story that Canadian Tire gave us two-for-one. They were $500 each. Haha. I didn’t even want one but i was willing do do whatever Dano wanted if it meant we could do something together. So we became the Blewett Danger Hawks. Baddest two 50 cc kids on the block!

We also had a plan once to build a secret cabin up in the woods in Blewett to hang. Not even ski. Just basically an adult tree house. There’s so much to tell and say and laugh and cry about.

I miss my best bud and nieghbor everyday. Love ya buddy. Danger hawks !!!

-AJ

—

I haven’t called many people a “hero” in my life. I’m quite sure Dano was in fact the first, but since then I’ve come to understand what defines a hero to me.

Years ago, when he and Pete started coaching the Kootenay kids, some of whom I knew well, onto podiums, to be recognized as being as the best in the world at what they do, he told me there was less technical coaching and more friendship and life coaching; to help the kids have the safe space to discover that in themselves, it opened my eyes to the magic of that kind of gift.

This is years before his diagnosis, every time I would talk about what they do, and to this day, tears come to my eye.

That undeniable stoke and the wisdom to share it in a way that others might find it in themselves is what defines a hero to me. And Dano Slater taught me that. And damn it all if it doesn’t make me cry every time I think of it. Truly, what a great man.

-Blair Leamen