By Geoff Scotton, Mountain Division Ski Improvement Clinic Coordinator (geoffscotton@skipatrol.ca)
About 200 attendees wrapped up the 2020 version of the CSP Mountain Division Ski Improvement Clinic with lots of great stories, improved skiing and snowboarding skills, some new friends – and some pretty tired legs.
The clinic ran in two separate week-long sessions in late January and mid-February at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort near Golden, B.C. During each clinic participants enjoy five days of skiing or snowboarding, four days of group lessons and a wrap-up celebratory banquet. There’s also daily, er, hydration sessions, a tuning and wax clinic, a party (or two) and plenty of good times. Participants also enjoy a swath of great discounts at resort shops and restaurants. And, there is awesome swag!
Attendees for the 2020 clinics came from across Canada and around the world, including one participant who came from Spain. For the Week 2 clinic, the sizable contingent from the CSP Saskatchewan Division hosted a Saskatchewan party to celebrate all things Land of the Living Skies. (What happens at the Saskatchewan party stays at the Saskatchewan party.) Thanks to Saskatchewan Division president Dennis Ambrose for leading the charge of the flatlanders.
Now in at least its fourth decade, the CSP Mountain Division Ski Improvement Clinic is bigger and better than ever. After doubling capacity to two separate weeks in 2018, with each week capable of hosting 100 people, the event this year was an effective sell-out. The event is open to CSP members and their friends and family. Friends and family are very strongly welcomed. Participants receive group instruction in either skiing or snowboarding in groups based on similar competency levels, from beginner to expert. There were 13 instruction groups in Week 1 and 17 groups in Week 2.
Since 2012 the event has been held at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, which offers an intimate atmosphere with on-hill ski-in, ski-out accommodation steps from the gondola, world-class instruction and fabulous amenities. The mountain boasts 130 named trails spread across about 3,500 acres of terrain, with 4,300-plus vertical feet of skiing starting at a base elevation of 3,900 feet. The summit gets an average of seven metres of snow a year.
Planning is already underway for the 2021 version of the CSP Mountain Division Ski Improvement Clinic, with dates, rates and venue being finalized. Look for details here when they are finalized, likely in late March.
This post is also available in: French