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FERNIE
Locally referred to as 'Snow Valley,' the area boasts an incredible annual snowfall of over 29ft (875cm) one of the highest in North America, and considering Fernie has a relatively short winter season (mid December to mid April) this means that there are more regular powder dumps than in almost any other ski area around the world. Fernie frequently has the deepest snowpack in the Rockies and you'll become accustomed to waking up to the sound of the mountain patrol's avalanche bombs and a foot of fresh snow on the doorstep!
In short, epic powder days are plentiful! Renowned for its 'steep and deep' conditions, Fernie has varied terrain to challenge all abilities, from demanding chutes and tree runs to mellow gullies and perfectly groomed pistes. The type of ski terrain is considerably different to that of certain European resorts. The emphasis is on off-piste skiing and snowboarding rather than the motorway pistes found elsewhere. Many of the marked runs are through gladded trees, wide bowls and long gullies offering perfect lines in the fresh powder. In addition there are also some great groomed pistes to enjoy and these are perfect for developing your carving technique and practising your instructing skills.
The town of Fernie
Fernie is not only famous for its powder conditions but also for its exceptionally friendly atmosphere and welcoming locals. The laid-back environment rubs off almost immediately on even the most stressed out souls and on returning from Fernie, you spend your first few days back in the UK saying hello to everybody, smiling as you walk down the street, driving considerately, chatting to your neighbours and other inhuman acts that are likely to see you locked up in a loony bin this side of the Atlantic!
Downtown Fernie is 2 km from the ski hill and offers an excellent selection of fine restaurants, bars, coffee shops, clothes and ski/ boarding shops, spas, a swimming pool with whirlpool and waterslides, ice skating rink, museum, gym and much more. Unlike most North American towns, Fernie has many fine heritage buildings and the main street, 2nd Ave, in particular has some beautiful 'western style' architecture.
The city of Fernie was founded in the late 19th century after the discovery of local coal deposits, and mining remains one of the main economic activities in the area. Because of this mix of local activity – tourism, mining, and forestry - Fernie has managed to retain its strong community feel rather than turning into a purpose built holiday resort (such as the likes of Whistler, Val'Disere and Meribel) even after the word has spread about its awesome powder conditions.
The ski hill itself has a good selection of hotels, restaurants, bars, café, supermarket and a ski/ boarding shop. There are also husky rides, cross country ski trails and regular organized activities so there is plenty to do if you need a break from the powder!
For those of you who fall in love with Fernie and never want to leave, the locals swear that the summer season is even better, with activities such as white-water rafting, canoeing, hiking, golf and fly fishing in abundance. The popular local saying in Fernie is 'I came for the snow, but stayed for the summer'. We strongly recommend a trip here in summer or Autumn.
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DATES & PRICES
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12th January 2009 - 23rd February 2009
26th February 2009 - 9th April 2009 |
Twin Room |
£4,850 |
Single Room (houses only) |
£5,650 |
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The focus of the 6-week course is to develop your all-mountain skills so that you can ski with confidence and style on all types of snow conditions and terrain. You'll experience the unique atmosphere of living in the Rockies, develop new friendships, and significantly improve your skiing. 
Directed by Jens Mendes, one of Canada's most respected ski pros and instructor examiners, our team of ski coaches are amongst the highest qualified instructors in Canada. Throughout the course they will develop your personal skiing technique in a variety of conditions. 
For those that do want to achieve the CSIA level 1 instructor qualification there will be a level 1 course running in Fernie while you are there. This 4 day course includes both training and assessment and is designed for people with no prior knowledge of ski instruction. In addition the NONSTOP coaching that you will receive during the course will mean that your skiing ability should be easily up to the level 1 standard and you will find that you’re familiar with teaching techniques after spending so much time with our instructors.
Close to the start of the course you'll take an Avalanche Course which provides essential knowledge, skills and confidence for off-piste skiing. You'll learn about avalanche theory, stability assessment, route finding, and search and rescue techniques. The course includes an indoor day of theory involving slides shows, video presentations and demonstrations on how to use transceivers and other safety equipment. The second part is a field day putting this knowledge to use. You'll learn how to dig snow pits, check snow layers, effectively use transceivers and probes and have your skills tested in a search and rescue avalanche scenario. 
During the third and fourth week you'll experience two days touring with professional mountain guides. This will provide a great chance to not only put the skills you learnt on the avalanche course to the test, but also to concentrate on your powder skiing. Using touring skis we head into the backcountry and travel uphill using skins and then enjoying the descent down making fresh tracks in the untouched powder. 
After 5-weeks of coaching your skiing will be much improved and you'll be pushing yourself on terrain you perhaps previously avoided! The group will head North West to Rogers Pass (elevation 4,534 feet/1382m) in Glacier National Park, Rogers Pass is famous for being one of North America's best powder destinations and one of Canada's best areas for touring. You will be flown in and out by helicopter see the video below!
We offer two types of accommodation on our Master the Mountain course: 
info@nonstopski.com 
