Red Mountain Instructor Course Diary – Snow!
Canada has seen some epic snow falls all over the country recently… here’s an update from our group in Red Mt about all the powder that has been delivered!
Another awesome week of fun time was had at Red… here’s how it all panned out!
Monday – The snow is finally beginning to fall consistently at Red and the lads want to make the most of it. Luckily Matt is always up for shredding and he reorganizes the day to have us enjoying the fresh pow in the morning and leaves the real tuition to the afternoon. It’s a great mix and the day ends with a useful tech session – tonight Mark Impey has organized Mike Moretti, snowschool director at Mt. Washington on Vancouver Island, to talk to us about how to get into the industry. We learn about the instructor lifestyle as well as perfecting resumes and cover letters to help with applications.
Tuesday – Same again on the tuition front, shred in the morning and teaching in the afternoon. The whole team passed their Level 1 exam and it’s decision time. Do we do the All Mountain Pro course or push on for the Challenging Level 2? A few of the lads are unsure and Matt takes time to speak to everyone individually while riding the Motherload chair to discuss our thoughts and give us some direction. Decisions are made and most of the crew opt for the Level 2. Lee, who wants to do the AMP course will still ride with us but Matt will give him alternative exercises to focus on when it comes to teaching us the teaching aspects of the level 2 prep. The day ends with a trip down to Castlegar to watch a film – Safe House. Denzel’s still go it…
Wednesday – Another few inches of snow but wind halts the lifts so we can’t enjoy it – very frustrating! This means… it’s border-cross time!!! The new snow makes it quite slow but once we’ve been down a few times the runs quicken up. Go Pro’s at the ready and we get some great footage. Matt obviously nails everyone but it’s a great training exercise for pressure control. Off to the Sunshine Café in Rossland for dinner and tonight we get pork chops and stuffing. We’re still yet to go home hungry after visiting this place!
Thursday – Another big snowfall over night and we’re all pumped to see the Red Mountain Facebook guys announce it’s the best day of the year so far!!! We’re out early for joke of the day (a timeless Non Stop tradition) which today is me (everyone laughs… I think with me this time… not at me) and we hit Powder Fields first off for three of the craziest runs yet. Matt giggles to himself the whole way down, it’s so good!!!
Friday – The day starts off well with there still being great snow but the boys start falling like flies… Rodrigo and Craig are out with hurt ankles, Pete goes back with a cold and then I’m in trouble when I hit one of the millions of trees on Red and that’s me done for the day too. Cue ice packs and ibroprofen. I’m amazed I’ve made it this far to be honest without injury and just hope it’s not too bad. Hobble down stairs in the evening to the condo’s very own cinema room to watch a film only to be rudely interrupted by a drunken Mark Impey clad in an Elvis suit. He’s been having fun with his very own legendary Canadian Ski Quest program… and there’s us thinking he was a respectable chap…!
Saturday – Day of rest for most of us but Mogens, the great Dane and self proclaimed best skier on the mountain, is up early doors and catches the first lift to make the most of the new snow. It’s Lee’s 18th birthday today so we’re all out celebrating at the local Rock Cut restaurant but not before we’ve shaved off half his youthful mane leaving a rather hillbilly looking Mohawk to show off to the town. He may be 18 but we still need to draw on a bit of stubble too to complete the look … we stagger back to the condos in the heaviest snow to date – tomorrow’s gonna be SICK!!!
Sunday – It turns out I’m still sick… my leg has not improved enough for me to enjoy it. Mogens (again up early) return to the condo at midday saying the lift cues are absolutely mental and that the cars were backed up to the main road trying to get in this morning. That’s the way it works here at Red, we have the mountain to ourselves during the week but on a powder weekend the whole town turn out! He still manages to get in some fresh tracks down Papoose although we see from the Go Pro footage a rather large stack right under Motherload Chair. Best skier on the mountain…?! It’s fancy dress time now and we’re all busy getting arty and crafty with our costumes. We’re due to meet up with some former Non Stoppers from yesteryear who have come back to work here and it’s one of their birthdays. The small wooden “Stagger By” hut half way up the mountain has been booked for a party so we’re getting the last lift up, skiing down to the hut and partying the night away in the woods amidst the gently fresh falling snow. This is the life!!!
Come and join us next season!
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