It’s time to hit the road Jack but what a great end to the season. Final suppers, award ceremonies and many, many farewell drinks was the theme to week 11.
I might not be able to take all the awesome activities, well good weekend trips, superb skiing, insightful instructors and cool course co-ordinators with me but the friends I’ve made here, them I’ll have forever.
If the idea of doing a NONSTOP course has even vaguely run though your mind, don’t hesitate, just do it. The experience will stay with you forever.
This week was really about one thing and one thing only; not the first level 2, not the usual amazing lessons, no, it was about HOTDOG DAY! Quite possibly the greatest day of the season.
Everyone came to the hill dressed in their best?!, lots of one-pieces, fleuro colors and skin tight outfits.
After a bluebird day hotdawggin’ as a 35 person posse on the hill, stopping at the Snow Bar and Griz Bar, we headed into town, where the party lasted late into the night. Whoohoo!
At the weekend, a large number of us went winter camping. It started dumping as soon as we loaded the chair and didn’t stop until we woke up in the morning.
Life doesn’t get much sweeter than camping in a snow cave and waking up to a powder day.
READ WEEK 11
What can I say? It’s been emotional. A roller-coaster ride of thrills, spills and NONSTOP fun; I never want to get off!
Our final week was a cocktail of emotions, looking forward to seeing loved ones at home, sad to say goodbye to so many brilliant new friends, a reluctance to leave our outdoor lifestyle and euphoria at how far we’ve come and what we’ve achieved.
Celebrations went on through the week with dinners, awards and lots and lots of drinks. Thank you NONSTOP for all you’ve given me, mainly a new outlook on life.
by Leanne
Only two to weeks to go! Some of us are gearing up for the Level 2 next week so it was fairly intense in lessons.
Wednesday afternoon we competed against each other in teams for the Synchronised Skiing title! There was even half naked synchro!
Chris and Cyril, a couple of the ski instructors even demonstrated their synchro style on a tandem pair of skis.
Thursday night was a bit of a wild one. We loaded up the bus and drove to the Pass Powderkeg, for night skiing.
The group cruised the hill and spent a good chunk of time sessioning the jump and rails.
There was some great laughs as everyone hurled themselves through the air, some with interesting form!
The ride home saw a stop at the Pure Country bar, then it was The Hosmer. The party eventually finished up in The Central back in Fernie!
This week saw the last of the guided backcountry tours and private lessons completed. and a group of us headed to Whitefish, Montana for the weekend.
Whitefish was great. We all had some good turns on a different mountain and found some amazingly cheap, end of the season sales.
Saturday night was entertaining with many local pubs and bars and of course no weekend away trip is complete without hot-tubbing!
READ WEEK 10
Cat-skiing/boarding was AWESOME! Untracked bowls and tree runs galore in Red’s backcountry wilderness.
Likewise backcountry touring offered a similar experience but with the added bonus of an overnight stay in a mountain top log cabin. Our guide was amazing, a true mountain man and it was a great chance to practise some of our Avalache course training.
All in all a superb week, this is what snowsports in Canada are all about.
READ WEEK 11
Tom | March 30th, 2007
