Whistler Blackcomb: North America's No.1 Resort.
Winter - Coaching - Qualifications
Summer - Coaching - Qualifications
Town - Accommodation - Upgrades - Support Team
Whistler - Our Pick of the Best!
• Khyber’s Pass – the King of all tree-runs
• Races down the Whistler bowl
• Barbecues in the spring sun at the bottom of the Harmony Express
• Untracked bliss – CBC trees on Blackcomb
• Sunday night rib sessions in the Crabshack
• The Peak to Creek run for a leg-burner before a long lunch at Dusty’s
• Blackcomb Superpipe during the World Ski and Snowboard invitationals
• Hiking, hitting, stacking…hiking, hitting, stacking…. Building booters in Seventh Heaven
SKI AREA: NO 1 IN NORTH AMERICA
Together, Whistler and Blackcomb mountains create the largest ski area on the continent with 8,100 acres of skiable terrain and 200 marked trails. Previously accessible only to back-country enthusiasts, the newly opened Flute Bowl zone on Whistler mountain has added yet another name to the already impressive string of 12 massive alpine bowls that Whistler Blackcomb proudly boasts.
Whistler is the only resort in North America that comes close to European standards in terms of vertical, and its consistently reliable snow conditions, mild temperatures (by Canadian standards!) and efficient network of high-speed lifts make it ‘a must’ for the keen recreational skier as well as the top pro.
Powder Alert - Snow Report - Webcams
COACHING
• 5 days coaching per week with 1-to-1 coaching, video analysis and formal feedback reports
• Ski school experience, tactical and psychological sessions, freeride and freestyle
• Full Season Ski Pass included on both our 4 and 11 week courses
• Coaching provided is by predominantly level 4's (many courses simply use Level 2 & 3's)
Whistler Blackcomb Ski and Snowboard School
The Whistler Blackcomb Ski and Snowboard School is one of the most innovative in North America and is committed to being a world leader in delivering the best learning experience.
Base Camp only employs Level 4 instructors guaranteeing that you receive only the best ski & snowboard coaching during the course. Instructors specialise in improving technical performance, get to know each person on the course and most importantly make ski & snowboard lessons are fun and exciting.
Steve Hancock
Steve is from Peterborough, Ontario. He has taught for 19 seasons, 14 at Whistler Blackcomb and 8 of those years as a Supervisor or Assistant Manager for the Ski School. Steve is one of the most highly regarded instructor in BC and his said to have some of the best communication skills in the bsuiness.
Phil Wilson
Phil started skiing aged 5 at Glenshee in his homeland of Scotland. He then began teaching on artificial slopes in Scotland at 16, and has taught full-time in Cairngorm, Scotland, Aosta Valley, Italy and now in his 8th season full time at Whistler Blackcomb, 3 with Base Camp. Craig has a BSc Applied Sports Science from Edinburgh University.
Rick Ranscombe
Having learnt to ride in New South Wales at the late age of 24, Rick wasted no time in becoming an APSI level III instructor and a level I examiner. He moved to Whistler after hearing about the quantities of powder snow and his enthusiasm for snowboarding soon made him an invaluable member of the Snowboard School.
Luke Kenchington
Luke's been teaching for 7 years, 6 of which have been in Whistler and 1 in Copper Mountain, Colorado. Luke's been riding for 14 or so years, and when he is not in Whistler snowboarding, he's surfing at home in his native Sydney.
QUALIFICATIONS
• CSIA/CASI Level 1, Level 2 & Level 1 Freestyle, CSCF Level 1 Race Coach, CAA First Aid & CAA Rec Avalanche Course all including Manuals & Course Resources.
CSIA
The Canadian Ski Instructors' Alliance, founded in 1938, is an association with more than 20,000 professional skiers located across Canada and is a member of the ISIA. The level of excellence of instructors and ski school directors is internationally renowned and the CSIA is at the forefront of developing innovative and effective skiing techniques and teaching methods.
The CSIA system is split up into 4 Levels each one becoming progressively more difficult. On our North American courses you will take your Level 1 exam and, depending on your performance, we can put you forward for Level 2 as well.
CASI
Formed in 1994, the Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors trains and certifies snowboard instructors and coaches and ensures that a national standard of safe and efficient snowboard instruction is maintained.
CASI has a membership of just over 6,700 instructors and coaches now and is growing rapidly as the industry expands. The CASI system is also split up into 4 Levels, and you can take your Level 1 and 2 on the course.
SUMMER
Summer in Whistler – Our Pick of the Best
- Watch the pros lay it down at the Crankworx Slopestyle Competition.
- Dirt Merchant to Upper A-line to Lower A-line – race your mates…
- Drop in at GLC drops in front of the crowds.
- Spend a morning riding the local’s spots with shuttle runs in Pemberton.
- 20 cent wings and cheap pitchers at the Crystal Lodge, 2 – 6 every day.
- Push yourself to your limits and beyond at the foam-pit, the perfect place to practice tricks before taking them to the mountain.
WHISTLER – THE WORLD’S NO. 1 MOUNTAIN BIKING DESTINATION
Over the course of the last few years, Whistler has become the world’s most popular mountain biking destination. Ideally located in Canada’s North Shore, the training ground of some of the world’s best pro riders, Whistler offers not only the famous lift serviced Bike Park, but also extensive freeride and cross country trails in Whistler Valley and around the surrounding towns of Pemberton and Squamish. The addition of the Garbanzo area in recent years has hugely increased the size of the Bike Park, and with new trails being added every year, Whistler looks set only to get bigger and better…
COACHING
Zep Techniques, our partners in Whistler, have been involved with the coaching of mountain biking and training of instructors for over 8 years. Nestled right in the heart of Whistler itself, their programs, experience and coaches have all the expertise, professionalism and local knowledge to take your riding skills and confidence to the next level, whilst providing the most exhilarating and fun riding experience you’ll ever have!
QUALIFICATIONS
PBMI
Professional Mountain Biking Instructor (BMBI) courses have been formed from many years experience of training instructors and are specifically designed to produce professional instructors in every aspect. The PMBI course is a new course developed by Zep Techniques to fill an urgently needed gap in the Mountain Biking coaching world – the lack of an internationally recognised instructor qualification.
Through the 3 and 5-day, practical based courses, riders will cover topics such as Teaching & Guiding Theory, Riding Skills, Theory & Demonstrating and Client Safety & Satisfaction in both x-country and downhill settings. With daily evaluations, video analysis & feedback, it's also the best value coaching course out there.
TOWN
Whistler is one of the most international and exciting resorts in the world. Its village style and pedestrianised cobbled streets create a unique and vibrant atmosphere by day and by night.
Shops including North Face and Salomon sell all the latest equipment and you can play squash, train with Whistler’s ice hockey team or go to the gym at the local sports centre. There is an efficient local bus network, servicing the entire area of Whistler and its environs and a free shuttle bus service that runs all day around some of the main points in town.
The 2010 Olympics have prompted impressive real estate and hotel developments with Whistler's facilities constantly improving. The TELUS World Ski and Snowboard Festival takes place every April in the village and international bands and acts often play in the many clubs and concert halls of Whistler.
Outdoor cafes, restaurants and bars fill up as the mountain begins to empty and the partying often carries on through the night. Whether you want to hang out with the locals at Dusty’s, listen to live music at Moe Joe’s or dance the night away at Garfinkles, Whistler has just about everything you need during a season.
Town Map - Clubs, Bars & Cafes
In the summer, Whistler loses none of its excitement – the lifts continue to run all year round, attracting bikers, hikers, fishermen and climbers. In the valley you can, among other things, go bungee jumping, play on one of the world-class golf courses, hit the concrete skate park or even go windsurfing and kitesurfing in Squamish.
The vibe is more relaxed than the winter, with longer days and warm evenings; people spill out onto the patios of the GLC and Longhorn bars in the afternoon and early evening to watch the local shredders in the Bonepark, before heading down to Splitz Grill with the locals for dinner. Most of the clubs are open all the way through the Summer, so there is plenty to keep you occupied into the early hours.
In August Whistler plays host to the huge Kokanee Crankworx Mountain Bike festival, with the world’s best bike riders descending on the town for a week of everything mountain biking, including the huge Slopestyle event, live bands and parties.
ACCOMMODATION & FOOD
• Central apartments in Whistler, only 5 minutes walk to the centre of town and the lifts.
• Upgrades available to single and double rooms, or have an apartment to yourself.
• Food available as an optional upgrade.
Accommodation
Accommodation in Whistler is in self-contained private lodges. The properties are homely, spacious, individually decorated.
All of the properties have spacious common areas; comfortable dining rooms and sitting rooms with wood-burning stoves, fireplaces, comfy sofas, televisions and telephones. There are washing machines and dryers in each house and electricity, water and heating bills are covered in the rent price.
Each property contains several bedrooms of different shapes and sizes. With a mixture of queen, king, twin as well as the odd bunkroom we are able to accommodate you according to your budget. There is room for storage and personal belongings and all bedrooms come with sheets and bedding. Each property also has 2 or 3 bathrooms that are well-fitted with showers, wash-basins and toilets.
You can upgrade to a queen or king sized room and we also offer a hot tub, a regular cleaning service and internet / dvd player for a supplement.
Chalet Bald Eagle - Erin Lodge
Food
Kitchens are modern, clean and well-equipped. All the properties have fridge-freezers, ovens, hotplates and microwaves, making the self catered option very easy and economical too - there are large supermarkets just outside the centre of the village.
There are various fast food joints dotted all around the village, as well as friendly cafes and more up market chinese restaurants and steak houses. Sushi is surprisingly cheap too! For this year, we will be offering a catered option, in the form of vouchers that can be exchanged for tasty grub at a selection of whistler's finest eating places.
ACTIVITIES (11 week only) & SOCIAL EVENTS
Thanks to the local expertise of our Resort Manager, we can provide a full and lively social programme for you do dip in and out of as you wish.
We organise pub crawls, the huge End Of Course Party, ice skating, live music nights, torch lit skiing, fancy dress days and more! Put that together with 10 - 20% discounts in local ski/board shops and a handful of Nightclub Local's cards, and you are all set up to make the most of your time at Base Camp!
- Snowmobiling
It might not be environmentally friendly but it sure makes up for it in terms of adrenaline. Join
us for a day where we rip up the backcountry on machines that were born to ride.
- Fresh Tracks Breakfast
Get up at the crack of dawn to head up the mountain with snow patrol to where a big hearty breakfast awaits. As soon as you are given the all clear the whole mountain is yours!
- Vancouver Trip
Head down to Vancouver to check out Vancouver Island and big town shopping before heading to the local ice hockey game.
- Cross-Country
Join our pros in our fancy dress cross country day. Prizes get awarded for most outrageous costume and not just how you fare on skis!
- Bike Park Road Trip
Take in one of B.C.’s other great bike parks, Silver Star, and hit Kelowna for its famous shuttle accessed trails. Head to Vancouver Island to ride Mt. Washington, Darren Berrecloth’s home spot.
