#BCBanff – Week 4

Hard to believe the Banff Basecampers have been together for more than a month already. The time has just flown by. Of course the big news from this week is that everyone passed the level one CASI and CSIA courses! A prefect 100% pass rate! The snowboarders got their results first, and had to agonize though individual call ups to find out their results. High-5s and fist bumps were exchanged before the skiers found out their fates. The drama was ruined a little by instructor Connor announcing that everyone has passed before handing out the envelopes, but the Basecampers didn’t seem to mind the lack of drama. Relief quickly turned to jubilation and they joined the boarders in the Powder Keg Bar at the Lake Louise Lodge for some well-earned après celebration beers.

Andrew and myself have been very impressed with the whole crew. They worked hard through the exam and in preparation for it. Each and every one of them can be proud to call themselves instructors!

A lot of this week was set aside to exam days and early nights, so by Wednesday everyone was fit to burst. The night started at The Keg, a Canadian steak house, where the wine flowed freely. Johnny Woodhouse got the four-day weekend off to a great start ordering a massive 30oz steak, meant for two people. He finished it with relative ease; much to the surprise of the waiter, who admitted the chefs had a pool going on if he would be able to eat it all! From there, the crew headed to local favorite Mels, before rounding the night out with a boogie at the Dancing Sasquatch. Nothing quite beats that first night out as a qualified instructor!

Despite the late night (and probable hangovers), almost everyone was on the mountain the next day. They were rewarded with waist deep powder, and more snow than anyone knew what to do with. The group celebrated with cliff jumps, tree runs, gully tracks and Jack Simmonds did all this on a pair of snow blades he’d rented for the day. Friday sadly however was a wash out. A planned trip to British Columbia, and the Kicking Horse resort was cancelled, as so much snow had fallen, and so much ice had developed, that all the roads were closed. Lake Louise eventually opened…but most people just enjoyed the relaxed three-day, ski and board optional weekend!

That relaxation ended Monday, and the #BCBanff boys and girls saw the start of the Level 2 training, and the beginning of five weeks worth of intensive hard work leading up to their ultimate goal: the level two exam. It’s going to be an awesome February and March out here in Banff and Lake Louise!