Banff 11-week Instructor Course Diary – Week 7
Thanks to Adam, Jack and Martin for their update on life in the Nonstop Banff camp:
Monday 15th Feb – This was an awesomely aggressive day on the hill at Sunshine. Conditions were perfect, with amazing visibility and grippy snow! In the evening there was an organised bonfire, where songs were sung, beer was drunk, and lucky underwear and bras were sacrificed to the snow gods… Aggressive!
Tuesday 16th Feb – At Lake Louise today. The snow was pretty fresh and powdery in the right places. The trouble was getting there, with visibility pretty much an aggressive white-out, it certainly did make things ‘interesting’. It’s the first time we have had bad visibility though so we can’t really complain! One of the snowboarding groups endured a gruelling 2 hour hike up a mountain with our legs buried in powder! But the run down was like nothing else! Epic powder and aggressive isolation.
Wednesday 17th Feb – The snow gods produced for us after our sacrifices. This made for the best day we have had so far at Mount Norquay. I spent the day with the director of club ski, Paul Thrasher. He lived up to his name and his reputation. We slayed the bumps and hit the park. My favourite day skiing so far. The evening was pretty good too, one of the boarders played an aggressive set at the local night club and we celebrated Tara’s Birthday.
Thursday 18th Feb – At Lake Louise! An aggressive amount of people missing after last night! Weaklings! Snowboarders went up the intense button lift and had an amazing run on untouched powder! Then spent the afternoon throwing down in the park! Can you have a day much better than that?!
Friday 19th Feb – This was a day off the slopes for most people, but for a few it was the start of the CSCF Race coach course. For myself and Jack, it was a race against time to complete the aggressive Norquay challenge. 27 runs off the big chair, equalling in a vertical decent of 35000ft! We made it….just! Sleep was on the agenda for that evening.
Saturday 20th Feb – A very aggressive day for me, recovering from yesterdays skiing. It was the second day for the race coach crew, and they were blessed with fantastic weather today. Very sunny and great visibility.
Sunday 21st Feb – The final day for the race coach people, and they certainly went out with a bang. Everyone had cause to celebrate with 100% pass rate. I think they have taken to the après ski culture quite aggressively!
Week 7 summary: AGGRESSIVE!
By Adam, Jack and Martin
Read all of the other course diaries for the Banff 11 week instructor course here.
Find out how to take part in Banff ski instructor courses here.
And check out the Banff snowboard instructor courses here.
