Shrine to white powder ... Jesus at Whitefish.
Jesus was the last person I expected to ski into this northern season just gone. But there I was in the hidden gem ski resort of Whitefish in Montana USA, wondering what I had done to please the snow gods with so much fresh powder, no tracks and a big blue sky when god appeared before me.
I'm far from religious, even though I am known to pray for a safe take-off and safe landing every time I fly. But I count that as a phobic ritual, kind of like ringing my mum and telling her I love her before every trip overseas - if I get that in now then I won't risk jinxing.
But back to Jesus (I know he would want it that way). The good folk of Whitefish have been skiing under Jesus' eye for sixty years when he was first installed upon the mountain. Turn the corner of the imaginatively titled 'Chairlift 2' and you won't be the only one enjoying the lake vista below.
Carrot top ... the carrot at Ohakune.
The stone statue of Jesus in powder blue flowing robes and arms wide open has a million dollar view and was installed in 1955 by the 10th Mountain Division who fought in World War II. The boys were part of the Knights of Columbus at St Matthews parish in nearby Kalispell and spent the war in Europe where shrines are found throughout the alps. Jesus is their version of said shrines.
Predictably skiers and boarders have a laugh and pose for Facebook pics with the snow-laden effigy. The smirking resort managers turn a blind eye when Jesus is adorned with ski helmets, goggles and even his own skis. Fanatics will note he freerides.
Whitefish isn't the only ski town to have some quirky monument. Aspen's four mountains are home to a number of shrines deep in the woods off the major ski runs. They even have their own website.
'Bra trees' are common at many ski resorts.Credit: FlickR/Extremepods.com
Fans of Jerry Garcia, Elvis Presley, John Denver, Marilyn Monroe and various other retro celebrities have been sneaking off for a smoke and a bit of downtime with their heroes, pinning, tacking and hammering photos, clocks, licence plates, beads and more to the trees in honour of the fallen.
Bra trees are common place in many resorts. Vail has one, so does Red Mountain, Cardrona has a fence of bras. The theory is when a bloke 'gets lucky' he steals the girl's bra and throws it on the tree. From the look of some of the bras 'lucky' is not something I'd be boasting if I was said bloke.
Castle Mountain in Alberta, Canada has a hangman's noose at their backcountry gate to the mountain's Desperado and Lone Star chutes, just in case you didn't know you were entering a no fall zone. Sure, it's not a shrine, but if you don't heed it you could become one.
The singing tree at Rusutsu.
Ski or snowboard in Rusutsu, Japan and expect to find yourself riding a ski run straight onto a rollercoaster. The resort has an amusement park at the base of the ski run and a giant singing tree in the foyer on the way to the ski lockers.
Japan is a corker of a country for bizarre ski monuments including the slopeside vending machine serving hot coffee in a can called Depresso (just in case you were having too much fun). Shiga Kogen has a faux Tyrolean designed restaurant called 'Mont Moi' which translated from French to English means 'mount me'. It serves Japanese curry and the owner has a Japanese biting dog that snaps if you get too close. Anyone order Katsu Dog?
The town of Ohakune in New Zealand's North Island is the service town for the ski fields of Mt Ruapehu. It is also the carrot capital of New Zealand which explains the giant fibreglass carrot as you drive into town. Sadly it's not small enough for a casserole nor big enough to have a kiosk so it kind of just sits there, as carrots do.
What bizarre signs, monument and sites have you experience on your snow travels? Post a comment below and let us know.
Follow Miss Snow It All on Twitter and join us on Facebook. More ski season coverage here. For the latest weather at the snow, click here.
Considering skiing overseas and searching for your own ski god? The International Ski Travel Expo is in Brisbane Thursday, Melbourne on Saturday and Sydney on Sunday.
Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter
Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now.