Hut Life, Powder Turns, and the Birth of “Anniverski”

After a wedding on skis, Thor and Tay turned celebration into ritual with a new kind of honeymoon that’s all about the mountains.

After getting married mid-tour at a remote British Columbian hut, Renoun athlete Thor Retzlaff and his wife Tay could’ve flown to a beach. Instead, they stayed put, skied another four days, ate gourmet food by candlelight, and woke up at 5 a.m. to ski powder with friends.

The backcountry lodge they’d rented for their wedding came with two professional guides and one absolute game-changer: a private chef. “His name’s Matteo Young,” Thor said. “He’s a master chef, like Michelin-star level. The food was next-level. He even baked us a wedding cake.”

To read more about Thor and Tay's wedding, check out our article about it here.

On Thor and Tay’s wedding night, after a full day of skiing, their ten guests gathered around the table telling stories, laughing, and sharing memories over what Thor called a “dreamy, three-to-four-hour dinner.” No party tent. No stress. Just a sauna, a fire, a killer playlist, and ten people they loved.

And while there was cake, there wasn’t champagne.

“We didn’t drink that night,” said Thor. “We wanted to go to bed early and wake up to ski pow the next morning. Most people get trashed on their wedding night. We got up at five and skied fat powder. That’s just who we are.”

That commitment to intention—living in a way that prioritizes stoke and simplicity—sparked something bigger: a new annual tradition they call “Anniverski.” “Every April, we’re doing a remote ski expedition to celebrate our anniversary,” Thor said. “That’s the deal.”

This past April, that promise took the couple to Québec’s Chic-Chocs—coastal mountains on Canada’s Gaspé Peninsula known for their remoteness and charm. It was a perfect match for a couple preparing to leave the East Coast and return to the West. “We kind of nailed it,” Thor said. “It was this beautiful mix of wild skiing and cozy hut life. Not a total sufferfest, just enough to feel real.”

That balance between grit and grace, powder and presence is at the heart of Thor and Tay’s life together. They’re not chasing luxury or ego. They’re building something deeper, trip by trip. With their matching Endurance 98s to boot.

“We’re not planning ten years ahead,” said Thor. “We’re just setting a tone for how we want to live—together, outside, fully in it.”

You can find Tay and Thor on Instagram, including video documentaries of their Anniverski trip:

@tay.zehren

@thoretzlaff

Check out their startup: Wasted* at wasted.earth

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