Steve’s Story

Born on 6 August 1962, Steven Lee is one of Australia’s most accomplished alpine skiers, with a competitive career that spanned nearly 25 years. He proudly represented Australia in three consecutive Winter Olympic Games, Sarajevo 1984, Calgary 1988, and Albertville 1992. Steven etched his name in history by winning the Super-G at Furano, Japan, in 1985, becoming one of only three Australians ever to win a race on the prestigious Alpine World Cup circuit, a defining moment that proved Australians could compete with the best on the global stage.

Off the slopes, Steve became a respected and influential voice in winter sports broadcasting. He worked with major Australian television networks including Channel 7, 9, and 10, providing expert commentary and hosting roles across a broad range of international events.

His media coverage highlights include the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics, 2006 Torino Winter Olympics, 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

Beyond media, Steven co-founded Chillfactor magazine, a publication dedicated to celebrating freeride and alpine skiing culture in Australia. He served as a national selector, national program director, and president of the Falls Creek Race Club, helping mentor the next generation of Australian ski talent.

Steven’s adventurous spirit extended into the film industry as well, with stunt and acting roles in projects alongside global icons such as Roger Moore and Jackie Chan.

steve-lee

 

Settling back into Falls Creek, Steve started the Falls Creek Backcountry Tours in 2010. But that just wasn’t enough, in 2011 Steve ventured back to Japan and started Hakuba Powder Tours. Offering private backcountry guiding along side his daughter Layla. For almost 10 years they did back to back winters providing guests with an experience to see the mountains through their eyes and be taken to places off the beaten path.

On the 6th of September 2020 Steve was found on the floor by his nephew. It had been somewhere between 12-18 hours since Steve had suffered a large and debilitating stroke. The amount of time that had elapsed between the stroke occurring, and then getting airlifted to Melbourne and receiving medical assistance meant that the news was not good.

Originally the doctors told Steve that he’d live the rest of his life from bed, requiring overhead tracking and at least three people just to transfer him into a wheelchair. Being the man that he is, this just wasn’t good enough. He endured 6 months in Wangaratta Hospital, then moved to a facility in Albury where he continued his rehab.

Thanks to his incredible dedication and strength, he is now home with his daughter, Layla, in Mount Beauty. He has defied all odds by not only making it out of bed and into a wheelchair, but he’s also now walking! He’s still dealing with no movement on his left side, a deficit that means he can’t see the world to his left, and a lot of brain damage that effects mainly his short-term memory. Whilst his quality of life has improved over the few years since the stroke, he will require 24-hour care for the rest of his life.

None of what Steve has dealt with has taken away his love for the snow, and although he is limited in his capacity to enjoy it, he loves watching others enjoy what has brought him so much joy over the years. Because of this, Falls Creek Backcountry Tours lives on, and if you’re lucky you might even catch him out on a tour.

So come and enjoy what his mountain has to offer.

Take a lap for Steve.

❊ FAQs

You’ve got questions,
we’ve got answers

    • Valid ski lift pass

    • All mountain ski/snowboard

    • Helmet (can be hired)

    • Layered outerwear, spare goggles and gloves

    • Water and snacks

    • For private backcountry tours we take all abilities and can tailor the tour to your groups level

    • If you’re booking a single seat you need to be intermediate to advanced

    • If you’re a beginner please email us at bookings@fallscreekbackcountry.com.au and we’ll do our best to find a suitable tour for you

    • You don’t need to be a backcountry expert to ride with us but you do need to be a confident rider

    • We will give you a safety briefing before departure and you’ll have a guide with you at all times

    • We’re here to introduce you to all the backcountry has to offer so no need to be nervous. Feel free to email us with any questions at bookings@fallscreekbackcountrytours.com.au

    • We have a minimum of 3 bookings to operate but will work with you to find a tour with other riders

    • If your preferred date does not meet the required minimum to operate we will work with you to move your booking to another day

    • If there are safety concerns with weather we will give you a credit to book again or move you to another day (these credits are transferable)

    • If we are having any issues mechanically that stops your touring from happening, we will issue a full refund

    • Tours commence from the containers in between Eagle and Scotts Chair Lifts.

    • If we are unable to operate due to weather we will either roll your booking over to the next suitable day or issue you a credit that can be used the same season or the next if you’re not going to make it back. We’re happy for these credits to be passed on to others. Just get in touch and let us know whose details to change it too. Email us at bookings@fallscreekbackcountry.com.au

    • All winter months offer different opportunities in the backcountry. July school holidays is a great time to beat the traffic inbounds. August offers the most stable snow, and September has the most blue bird days. There’s never a bad time to book a tour with us.

    • While you’re not required to hike or carry heavy equipment, you need to be fit enough for 10-12 laps within a 2-3 hour window. If you need a break you can always hang out for a run or 2 and catch your breath.