In The News

We got some great press in the new issue of Backcountry (Winter 2008)




CHRIS ANKENY OPENS UP SHOP
written by Mike Harrelson

FORMER BIG MOUNTAIN PRO, TURNED INSPIRED LENSMAN, OPENS "SUSHI-GRADE" COFFEEHOUSE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA'S COAST RANGE

It's a chilled graybird October morning in the sleepy town of Pemberton, B.C., and snow is already stacking up in the alpine. Chris Ankeny, long respected for his big-mountain snowboarding skills and in more recent years for his evocative backcountry photography, awakens well before dawn to stoke the fires on his latest project-the Mount Currie Coffee Company. Juiced by entrepreneurial mojo-and more importantly by one of his meticulously crafted cappuccinos-Chris is ready to open the doors to the local throngs who are quickly succumbing to their newfound addiction.

Ankeny, who cut his teeth in the mountains of southwest Montana, moved to B.C. two winters ago with his accomplice, Lisa Komuro. Having ticked a good percentage of the plumb lines in Montana over the years, Chris and Lisa were keen to move to a new zone, one offering a stable maritime snowpack combined with massive, high-angle relief. They chose Pemberton/Mount Currie area, a winding, 45-minute drive North of Whistler. Having since fallen head-over-heels for their new "backyard," and all its un-trammeled potential, Chris needed to figure a way to sustain his snow-centric, ex-patriot existence. As someone who's long enjoyed the sensory satisfaction and epiphany of a premium coffee, he's just further connected the dots.

With its chocolate industrial ceiling, bamboo counters, guru roasted, 49th parallel bean (pulled at exacting temperature... 201 degrees for 24 seconds), and gaping view of the Mount Currie massif, it would appear Ankeny is onto a worthy re-invention. Asked how his blossoming photo career dovetails with his new boutique java enterprise, Chris points to the walls adorned with Komuro's brilliant paintings and his crisply lit images. "We're going to need to rotate fresh art on the walls quite frequently, don't you think?"