by Alan Smith
With just one week to go, the boarders and skiers are preparing for their Level 1 course. As always the instruction is first class; Emily, Aubrey and Jason are working really hard to make sure we’re as good as we can be and everyone’s feeling confident for next week.
Wednesday night is our regular Ice skating night with many of the ‘Nonstopper’s’ perfecting their skating skills. It’s also turning out to be a great chance to chat and mix with the locals.
On Friday night some of the Nonstopper’s took a journey across the US boarder to Northport. The trip was touted as an interesting taste of small town America, with the promise of ‘wall to wall’ women. And as the lads will testify, they were not disappointed!
To let off a little steam on Saturday night everyone was invited to a ‘Superhero’ party at Red house. As with all the previous parties at Red house this one did not fail to impress. Sara and Laura are still a little hazy on what happened that night but the mountain was definitely a quieter place the next day!
Nonstopper’s give yourselves a high five! Oh Yeah!
READ WEEK 6
The pressure was building this week! Everyone was super serious and focused on lessons since it was the last week before the Level 1 CSIA. We even got some fresh snow to help refine our skills. Private lessons were a definite bonus come Friday, one on one instruction really helped to iron out any last minute concerns.
Many people seemed to come down with the ‘Fernie plague’. At least that’s what we’re calling it. I think most people have now bounced back stronger than before!
Our social night was a great hit, literally. We went tobogganing in the dark and found ourselves flying down the Mighty Moose in some unusual positions until crashing to a stop. A few shots at Kelsey’s, and we were back on the bus to continue the evening in Fernie.
The weekend was refreshing. More snow, some chill out time, some personal practice and the opportunity to shadow ski lessons and ski patrol on the hill. Hopefully we are all ready to rock next week for the level 1!
READ WEEK 5
by Jack Packham
Level 1 exams…. The week we had all been waiting for! All starts well with my first instructor being Pat aka Coots McGoots.
Each day we had a workshop, breaking down different areas of technique and skills required for teaching, the sessions were informative and extremely useful.
The first day had no major dramas apart from a couple of stacks and everyone ending the day more relaxed than first thought. However, Thursday began with a lot more anticipation in the air. After a morning of teaching and sychronised skiing the instructors left us to consider our fates!
To calm our nerves we spent the next hour straight lining rather than snow plowing and then we returned to the lodge, with a Kokanee/vodka slime in hand. The instructors entered the room to a hushed silence and we received our results.
Big celebration for the end of the course started at Wild Bills, then $1.75 high balls at Melissa’s….. plenty of singing, dancing and mischievous antics! The party train careered into Hoodoo’s to celebrate with the captains of our ships, the instructors!… More drinking, more dancing on speakers.
Friday morning and we wake up to 17cm of fresh powder at Lake Louise!! The decision was made to get up and hit the slopes hard… living the dream! The day ended with some fantastic stories of waist deep powder and some good wipe outs shared over an awesome BBQ at the Y.
Just when we thought the week couldn’t get better, we finish at Panorama snowmobiling!! After being kitted out and getting our rides for the day, the first crash is 20 mins into the trip by a snow boarder! Sending his snowmobile down the ravine and into a tree! After the rescue operation… conducted heroically by the skiers the adventure was back on track riding through some stunning scenery and ripping it up in the powder bowl!
Pete rolled his snowmobile after getting stuck, Andy got pulled over for jumping and Teri & Claire nearly involved in a head on collision. After mucking about in the bowl it was time for a BBQ lunch. The day ended with a couple of beers and good stories.
READ WEEK 6
This week saw us night boarding at Powderkeg followed by a bus bar crawl home. To be honest the emphasis was definitely on the bar crawl although it was fun to be out boarding after dark.
A number local bars welcomed us with open arms and curious looks! We’re certainly a bit of a novelty an hour out of Fernie and over state lines!
To keep up moral between bars we had the choons pumpin’ and the whole bus a rockin!
The team’s really come together in such a short space of time, there’ll definitely be some life-long friendships cemented by the end of the 11th week.
READ WEEK 5
by Ben Henry
Dear diary, Monday was awesome – 1 day before CASI 1 and we
spent the whole day ripping it up in the fresh powder on the mountain, woo hoo.
Tuesday to Thursday was spent at Sunshine, where it was
dumping whilst we were doing our exam. I say exam, but it wasn’t like any exam I’ve ever had before, riding around
with my buddies, doing a bit of teaching and even learning some new stuff!
Our evaluator, Chris was super laid back and wanted the whole thing to be fun, so we got to enjoy the snow.
Everyone did pretty well so Thursday night was an opportunity for a few ‘quiet shandies’, followed by a lengthy lie in on Friday!
We went shopping in Calgary on Saturday and checked out the ‘Cool Runnings’ Winter Olympic Park which was amazing – any of you reading this who
haven’t, go buy it/ rent it/ whatever!
Sunday was also incredible, loads of us went snowmobiling which is super cool – fast, crazy riding and we had a barbecue at a mountain cabin, followed by a session when we all rode around at ludicrous
speeds, flying off jumps – everyone loved it.
Sunday night was another quiet one, dinner out at the Olde Irish, followed by a sociable drink and boogie!
Anyway diary, that’s it from me – see ya!
READ WEEK 6
Tom | February 18th, 2007
