A tribute to Dave Treadway & Canada’s free range family

Skiing at the tender age of one? Heliskiing at three? Canada’s Treadway family really did start them young, writes Helen Hayes.

Introduction from our ski editor, Helen Hayes

We here at Ski & Snowboard with Kids have long been following the adventures of Dave Treadway, his wife Tessa and their children Kasper and Raffi, with Tessa due to have another boy in July. We admired their adventurous spirit, shared through their @freerange.family social media platforms and wanted to share their infectious love of life with you. I interviewed Dave in March 2019, but as it turns out it was one of the last he ever did. Dave died in an accident on 15 April 2019, and the ski world was united in their grief. Tessa said, “One of my hopes and prayers is that Dave’s life and death would not become a monument in our hearts, but instead build momentum for us all to Chase Life and the source of it.” RIP Dave.

Dave Treadway and his wife Tessa didn’t grow up in the mountains, but both fell in love with the outdoors and sliding down snowy hills at a very young age on small, family run ski hills. Now with three boys, Kasper aged 6 and Raffi 3, and Malto 1, they wanted their kids to love snow too.

But it’s not just snow they love, it is a true winter adventure. “Until this winter, we spent three and a half years living out of our camper as a family, enjoying epic powder days with our kids either shredding beside us or strapped on our backs, tent camping, backcountry cabin living, snowmobiling. Basically everything we loved to do before kids, now they get to be a part of it.”

When in the campervan, bath time was sometimes just in a tub filled with warm water, outside in the snow. “It was awesome,” Dave said. “Rough often equals simpler.”

Currently based – in a house! – in Golden, British Columbia, Dave said that this season they have done most of their skiing at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. “The terrain (at Kicking Horse) is some of the best you can get from lift access.”

But don’t think their skiing is all lift-based. Dave says; “Kasper has been heliskiing already and has experienced some hike-to terrain. He was just three years old when he first got to heliski. He LOVED it, but like any three year old with that much stimulation and excitement, a few runs in he fell asleep on the heli ride back up and we had to call it a day. Kasper doesn’t have a lazy bone in his body, he’s always up for any kind of hike or adventure to lead to more snow or a fun jump. It takes no motivating or bribes to get him to the top of a mountain, we are super lucky!”

These experiences benefit our family in every way! Living life is such a gift, and doing the things you love with the people you love – it doesn’t get much better. We try our best to make lifestyle choices that show our kids how to embrace life, adventure and challenge. Watching our kids grow and thrive in such an unconventional childhood has been amazing. We hope to raise confident, caring, brave little boys.”

“It feels crazy to having my five-year-old as a ski buddy. While skiing or snowmobiling with Kasper it’s very easy to forget he’s five and treat him as more of a peer/friend than a son. As soon as the skis come off or he hops off his snowmobile there’s always a quick reminder that he’s just a little boy with A LOT of energy!

As for Raffi, he was on skis at one year old. Now, at two, he is an old hand, often skiing with his big brother and his dad … Mum too usually, but not while she’s pregnant.

Kasper, asked what he loves most about skiing, said: “I love hitting big pillows and cliffs and jumps, and rails, and half pipes and skier cross tracks and the steeps and powder. I love to ski in any skier cross course and when I grow up, I want to be a Ninja and a ski racer.”

Raffi, asked what HE loves about skiing, said “Driving my snowmobile and ski at Kicking Horse. Do you wanna wrestle?”

As mothers often are more reluctant to let kids do adventurous things, we asked Tessa if it scared her that the kids are so gung ho? “Dave and I both know all too well the dangers involved in the mountains and pursuing a career as a professional skier, but for now I can say we are loving the stage we are at, we are loving playing safely in the mountains with our kids. Seeing Kasper and Raffi’s stoke for life is the best!”

Finally, asked is there is any chance of them coming to Australia, Dave replied: “We sure hope to spend a winter in Australia. We’ve talked lots about buying a camper and travelling around to all of your ski resorts – it is still in the dreaming stages though!”

If that’s the case, watch out for blonde-haired experts zooming through our snow gums.

Follow them on Instagram at @freerange.family and search Kasper Treadway on YouTube to see some incredible videos.

Editor’s note: Tragically Dave Treadway passed away on 15 April 2019 in a skiing accident near Rhododendron Mountain, Pemberton. Dave is survived by his wife, Tessa and their three children, Kasper, Raffi and Malto Mowgli, born in July. Malto’s older brothers, Kasper and Raffi, were allowed to choose his middle name. You can support their family by donating here.

This article originally appeared in Ski & Snowboard with Kids magazine. To subscribe to the latest issue, click here.