A bright infectious smile has been dimmed.

“The black heads, the white in the wings
that haunting call, the loons
echoing down the lake
a Doppler chorus,
wondrous game
Marco
Polo
That call across the water
Across the years, so special
So distinctive, our bird, with those red eyes
And that haunting call"

-Raymond Foss


On Wednesday, March 28, one of our community’s most dearly beloved and respected members passed away. Lisa Korthals - mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend - died in an avalanche while guiding in the mountains near Pemberton B.C. She was 49.

Lisa was known to many, carving out a life in the mountains surrounding Whistler and Pemberton for the past 30 years. As one close friend remarked, she was “a proper legend”.

Lisa was born in Toronto and raised there with her two brothers. She attended Brown School and Branksome Hall before moving out to the west coast in 1987 to attend UBC. Her adventurous spirit and athletic passions chafed under the confines of university life. Being an accomplished canoeist, perfected over many summers attending Camp Wapomeo, she began to heed the calls of nature and started venturing to Whistler. Having learned to ski in the hills of Ontario under the guidance and inspiration of her mother, Judy, and also having taken a trip to Whistler during her last year of high school, the temptation was too great.
Getting a job with the Whistler Mountain Ski School sealed her fate, and she began a love affair with the Coastal Mountains that refused to abate.

Lisa began to pursue perfection on skis and quickly started adding qualifications to her list of impressive achievements that culminated with her reaching the pinnacle of ski instruction, the Level IV certification.  Not slowing down in her summers off the slopes, she continued to pursue her passion for canoe tripping with Camp Wanapatei, specifically long and remote adventures down the Moisie and Coppermine Rivers. These were unsupported missions in the barren landscape of Northern Canada that she co-led with her dear friend Andrea Dorfman. In hindsight, they are truly epic accomplishments.

At this point other passions called. Lisa was always  a peripatetic adventurer constantly looking for new challenges. Her close friend Leeanne Patterson introduced her to rock climbing and Lisa took to it like any skill she perfected, with drive and determination. The natural outlet to this was attending Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops to study in the Outdoor Adventure Program.
These college years were punctuated with working at Outward Bound leading river rafting trips in Idaho and rock climbing trips to places like Joshua Tree and Smith Rock.

In 1997 Lisa moved to Pemberton, fleeing the perpetual housing crisis of Whistler. She immediately fell in love with a piece of property 10 km north of town in a small nascent neighbourhood called Walkerville. She homesteaded here in true Lisa fashion, getting a friend to build her a tiny 10 x 10 shed that she lived in for two summers. At the same time she met her future husband and life partner, Johnny Foon Chilton, in a skiing contest. They proceeded to build their dream home on the hill.

Soon after settling in Pemberton Lisa decided to concentrate on ski guiding as a winter profession and began the Canadian Ski Guide Assoc. certification.  This led to working at Mike Wiegele Heli-skiing and gaining a Level 3 ticket. Her summers were occupied with horticulture, working for the municipality of Whistler.
Climbing and big mountain skiing became central to her life, taking on big objectives with her husband Johnny, culminating in the climbing and skiing of University Peak in Alaska. A daunting feat, skiing 2,700 meters at 50 degrees plus, Lisa became the first woman to log a descent of this face.

By this time family beckoned and Lisa gave birth to son Tye in the summer of 2005. Settled into her cozy neighbourhood , living alongside close friend Wendy Brookbank and raising their son, she decided to stay close to home and took a job as a guide with local Pemberton heli-ski operation Coast Range. Again she excelled here and became the operations manager for two seasons.

A long off-season demanded a shift in gears and she decided to enter the real estate trade as a realtor for Remax Whistler alongside her neighbour and long-time friend Erin McCardle Stiel. As well, her husband Johnny began to make skis from local yellow cedar and Lisa dove into this endeavour, sharing Johnny’s passion for the technical and artistic complexities of making skis.

Lisa transitioned to Whistler Heli-Skiing soon after and became a part-time guide as her real estate business began to flourish.

Lisa was a sublime skier. Fluid. Graceful. Powerful. An absolute dream to watch. Her son Tye has learned the trade well from this incredible athlete and is becoming a complete skier at the tender age of 12. Her passion for skiing and adventure were matched by her dedication and love for Tye.

She transitioned from rock climbing to mountain biking. She was dogged in her pursuit of excellence in this sport like everything else. Her texts to me about “cleaning” a trail became legendary.

Lisa is survived by her husband Johnny, her son Tye, her mother Judy, her father Robin, her brother Jamie and a colossal list of friends. She was pre-deceased by her brother Chris. She was a connector, a truly social being, a hugger and a kisser. She made people feel special. She was full of raw emotion and deeply felt love for everybody who crossed her path. She lived life INTENSELY. She leaves a massive hole in this community and in so many hearts. Her smile was extinguished by the whims of nature but its luminosity and power will forever be etched in our minds.

A Case Of You
Just before our love got lost you said 

I am as constant as a northern star and I said,

Constantly in the darkness

Where's that at?

If you want me I'll be in the bar
On the back of a cartoon coaster

In the blue TV screen light

I drew a map of Canada

Oh Canada

With your face sketched on it twice
Oh you are in my blood like holy wine

You taste so bitter

And so sweet oh

I could drink a case of you darling and I would

Still be on my feet

Oh I would still be on my feet
Oh I am a lonely painter

I live in a box of paints

I'm frightened by the devil

And I'm drawn to those ones that ain't afraid

I remember that time that you told me, you said

"Love is touching souls"

Surely you touched mine 'cause

Part of you pours out of me

In these lines from time to time
Oh you are in my blood like holy wine
Y
ou taste so bitter

And so sweet oh

I could drink a case of you darling

Still I'd be on my feet

I would still be on my feet
I met a woman

She had a mouth like yours, she knew your life

She knew your devils and your deeds and she said

"Go to him

stay with him if you can

But be prepared to bleed"
Oh but you are in my blood you're my holy wine

You're so bitter

bitter and so sweet oh

I could drink a case of you darling

Still I'd be on my feet

I would still be on my feet

hmm

-Joni Mitchell

Lisa's service was held Thursday April 5, 2018 in Whistler.
https://www.gofundme.com/lisa-korthals-and-family-fund