A three week ski instructor course, via the medium of tweet
Tom Davies (@Smirnoff_skier) recently took part in our 3 week ski instructor course in Fernie, BC, and by all accounts he had a blast. Here’s a selections of his Tweets, pics and videos that tell a great story of the experience:
I will be in Fernie in less than 24 hours, OMG! #wetwithexcitement
Dec 26th, 2010
First day in Fernie and it is very windy and down to -20
Dec 29th, 2010
Day 2, this is what happens when Mark starts thinking too much about the hot-tub instead of stopping #carnage
Dec 30th, 2010
Early morning of the 4th day in Fernie, I have a sore head after going to watch the icehockey. More video analysis of technique today
Dec 31st, 2010
Day 3, Our playground #skiing #awesomeness
Dec 31st, 2010
Just got in from skiing, its -30 in Fernie today. Not much of a problem until the inside of your goggles ice over and you can't see #carnage
Dec 31st, 2010 
Day 4, New Years Eve fancy dress; Tom (Tinkerbell), Me (Jamaican Bobsleigh Team) & Mark (Mr Motivator)
Sat Jan 01 2011
After a big NYE last night we have no instructing today, so its time to head to the hills and build some jumps in the trees
Sat Jan 01 2011
What an amazing day today, found a huge jump in the trees and made the most of the sunny weather.
Sun Jan 02 2011
Day 5, no lessons today so found some jumps (some successful some not)
Sun Jan 02 2011
Day 6, back to lessons today so not much picture taking opportunity, but here we are going back into the trees
Mon Jan 03 2011
Another quality day in Fernie, some powder runs in the trees, massive lunch and 100% in the level 1 theory exam!
Tue Jan 04 2011 
Day 7, yesterday was the best day of lessons yet, had a video session of ourselves and did loads of tree runs
Tue Jan 04 2011
Its the start of Day 8 and we are doing avalance training today, so lots of hiking into the mountains, digging holes and tranceiver action
Tue Jan 04 2011
Powder powder and more powder, I never want to ski in Europe again! Realy good avalanche training today which meant digging lots of holes
Wed Jan 05 2011
Day 8, yesterday was avalanche training followed by some more tree runs. Here we are digging holes to test snow
Wed Jan 05 2011
Another great day on the slopes. Did some instructing today which went well, then hit the trees again, success.
Thu Jan 06 2011
Thu Jan 06 2011
Also did some good instructing yesterday. Was teaching fore/aft balance and had to think of drills that kids would relate to, I did horses!
Thu Jan 06 2011 14:20:39
Just looked out of the window and it is still snowing. We have got our last day of lessons today before our week of exams start on Sunday
Thu Jan 06 2011
Also, congrats to @Hairrman for getting an instructors job after the course finishes for the rest of the season, living the red jacket dream
Thu Jan 06 2011
There are some quality busses in Canada, its a different level! Here is the one that goes to the hill
Thu Jan 06 2011
Had our last day of lessons today. Camille (our instructor) bought us 12 pitchers of beer to celebrate, its now 7pm and I need some sleep!
Fri Jan 07 2011 
Day 10, Was the last day of lessons before the instructor exams, still lots of snow coming down, here's one of me
Fri Jan 07 2011
We have 3 day off now before exams start, so going to make the most of the powder this morning and come up with some lesson plans later
Fri Jan 07 2011
The weather has put paid to our skiing today, its snowing so hard the avalance risks are too high so most of the mountain is closed, bummer!
Fri Jan 07 2011
Day 11, we only got a few runs done yesterday as the snow was so heavy the avalanche risk was very high
Sat Jan 08 2011
I have finally got the cold that everyone has had these past weeks, my head feels like iits going to explode. #bugger
Sat Jan 08 2011
However, the weatherman says there is 20cm of new snow on the hill. Who am I to argue with a weatherman, lets go skiing!
Sat Jan 08 2011
OMG that was the best 2 hours of my life. On the lift at 8.30, first tracks down Morning Glory 3 times then back on the bus to bed #amazing
Sat Jan 08 2011 
The Canadians get excited aobut the snow
Sat Jan 08 2011
Here is a little taster of why Fernie is so good; fresh tracks down Morning Glory today
Sat Jan 08 2011
Day 12, Bit of a quiet one yesterday because of the snow, we had a few amazing runs and then went home
Sun Jan 09 2011
Today is the first of our assessed days. We get marked on our own free skiing, basic parallel and our teaching style & content #nervous
Sun Jan 09 2011
Jesus, first day of assessment was well hard. Lots of drills and listening to lessons and now have homework from the instructors bible
Mon Jan 10 2011
Day 13, We had assessment all yesterday so I didn't take any pictures, but here is one from the jump earlier
Mon Jan 10 2011
Wow it was cold today, -27 again and we spent a ot of time standing around pretending to teach kids. Thought my toes were going to fall off
Wed Jan 12 2011
Day 15, Our third day of assessement yesterday, it was so cold the mountain was empty so could take pics like this
Wed Jan 12 2011
When the sun comes out there are some amazing views especially above the clouds, here's another
Wed Jan 12 2011
I am now a qualified ski instructor and have a little badge which says Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance, result!
Thu Jan 13 2011
Day 16, yesterday was the last day of assessement and everyone in the group passed. Then we played in the trees
Thu Jan 13 2011
Also, big congratulations to @Hairrman who starts as a real-life instructor today, less than 24hrs after qualifying, I am mega jealous
Thu Jan 13 2011
As we no longer have to teach, we have a tick list of things for today; hike Cedar Bowl, try a backflip, Holywood cliff & 360 off everything
Thu Jan 13 2011 
Day 17, well we didn't tick everything of the list yesterday but we still found some good things to drop off
Fri Jan 14 2011
Today we are going Cat-skiing where we go out into the backcountry in one of the big Catapillar machines to where no-one else had skied
Fri Jan 14 2011
Thye are a cross between military vehicles and giant snow-mobiles, going to be awesome. However, it is our last day skiing which sucks
Fri Jan 14 2011
Well that was the most rediculous day ever! Cat-skiing was cancelled because of avalanches so we spent the morning trying to break ourselves
Fri Jan 14 2011
When this is a still from a video you know its a painfull day
Fri Jan 14 2011
Tequila is never ever a good idea! Fact! Just woken up and our 3 hour transfer back to Calgary is in a few hours, rubbish
Sat Jan 15 2011
Day 18, Our final day involved a lot of messing about and throwing ourselves off things, as demonstrated by Pete
Sat Jan 15 2011
So I get back to sunny (cloudy) MK unpack and then Ski Sunday comes on the TV, way to rub it in!
Sun Jan 16 2011
