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11 weeks of pure fun and pure improvement. We use the CASI Level 1 as the foundation for building and refining your technique, before mastering the whole hill on our All Mountain Pro program where the focus turns to everything we love about snowboarding… think powder, drops, chutes and more.
I used to watch instructors from the lift and wish I could be like that. Now I am, thanks to the amazing Nonstop instructors. Every single detail exceeded my expectations and has totally changed my life!
Bairbre Lacey
11 Week Performance Course, Fernie
Great experience, once in a lifetime. Awesome coaching, incredible terrain, great friends. The best way to spend a season
Ceri Taylor
11 Week Performance Course, Fernie
Fernie is a beautiful place. This has been a once in a lifetime experience. It has been truely amazing and I would highly recommend others do this course too.
Jen King
11 Week Performance Course, Fernie
There couldn’t be a better place to improve your riding than in Fernie. A mountain for everyone, whether you’re an expected snowboarder or relatively new to the sport. Crisp groomers to carve and work on the fundamentals, and plenty of steep and deep terrain to test your skills.
With big dumps of powder throughout the winter, Fernie is renowned for its awesome snow conditions. And with a super friendly town boasting a unique atmosphere, you’ll fall in love with the community and won’t want to leave.
Some of the highest qualified instructors in Canada, our snowboard coaches are extremely passionate about their sport and will help transform your riding. Over the 11 weeks you’ll be coached by several different instructors and all will help push your skills.
You’ll receive 4 days of coaching per week, with video analysis to supplement learning.
The eventual goal of this course is for you to leave Canada riding the entire mountain with confidence and style, carving efficiently on the piste and gliding through powder. It might seem strange but, over the first five weeks, we use the CASI Level 1 instructor qualification as a tool to ensure you establish a sound technique from which to develop your skills. Knowing how snowboarding works will put you in the best position to improve your own riding.
In the second half of the course you’ll take part in our exclusive All Mountain Pro (AMP) program where you’ll rip around the resort with coaching along the way. Designed to purely focus on your own snowboard performance, this will push your skills. By the end you’ll be taking on terrain you previously only dreamed of, charging powder, hitting drops and jumps, carving on piste and more.
During your course you will have access to our MORE Program of mountain activities for you to get involved in. These experiences can really make your season one to remember and are often some of the day’s people remember most. Embrace the winter lifestyle and experience snowmobiling, cat boarding, lake skating, winter camping, trips to other resorts and loads more.
You’ll receive 25 credits ($250) to put towards the activities of your choice, and can pay additional supplements to add as many as you want once you’re in resort.
You’ll stay in great accommodation in the heart of Fernie. The most popular option is to stay in local houses in downtown Fernie, a short walk from the course hub, the Red Tree Lodge. These provide an authentic Canadian seasonaire experiences and you’ll form awesome friendships with your housemates.
The other choice is to stay in our very own hotel, the Red Tree Lodge, which we have refurbished with our clients in mind. Plenty of facilities including a hot tub and sauna, games room, movie theatre, equipment tuning room, bar and restaurant. Everyone has full access to the Red Tree facilities whether you stay there or in one of the houses.
In the first half of the program you'll train for your CSIA Level 1 before moving on to our All Mountain Pro program. LEVEL 1 & LEVEL 2 COACHING - You'll receive 20 hours coaching per week. Our full day coaching sessions are Mon, Tue, Thu and Fri, with Wednesdays and the weekends for free skiing, consolidating what you've learnt and other activities. The maximum group size is 8 people per pro but typically they are even smaller.
LEVEL 1 & LEVEL 2 COACHING + ACCOMMODATION - Choose to stay in the Red Tree Lodge or local houses in downtown Fernie. You'll have access to all the Red Tree Lodge facilities, including:
You'll be treated to a hearty breakfast at the Red Tree Lodge seven days per week. Options include coffee/tea, juices, cereals, toast, pastries, yogurt, fruit, porridge oats, as well as hot items like eggs, beans, sausages, hash browns or bacon.
Enjoy a three course meal at the Red Tree Lodge four evenings a week. A soup and salad buffet will get you started, followed by healthy and filling main courses such as lasagne, chicken, roasts etc. before a well earned desrt.
You'll be given a season lift pass so you can ski as much as you please. Come out early or stay on after, your lift pass will cover you.
We provide airport transfers from and to Calgary Airport at set departure times.
We will provide transfers at the following times:
Start date of course: meet the transfer at Calgary Airport at 5pm, opt for a flight that lands before 3:30pm.
End date of course: transfer will arrive at Calgary Airport by approx. 1:30pm, opt for a flight that departs after 4:30pm.
Daily shuttle to and from the slopes.
Included in the course price is your Level 1 exam fee, which is held in week 5.
After your Level 1 you can choose to continue with our AMP program or, if you want to continue instructor training, you can opt for the Level 2 route.
Your host will ensure your course runs smoothly. They'll be on hand 24/7 for a chat, laugh, or to solve any problems.
You'll get two 90 minute private coaching sessions during the course, one before your Level 1 and another before your Level 2.
Throughout the program our coaches will make the most of technical video analysis to help with your development.
Throughout the course we run regular technical talks on subjects like biomechanics, looking after your gear, and injury prevention.
Each week your host will organise team socials and après for all the group to get involved in.
You'll be able to get involved with tons of winter activities and experiences during your time with us, from cat skiing to ice hockey. We'll give you $250 worth of credits to use on the activities of your choice.
You'll have the opportunity to gain the following additional qualifications:
Come out before the course begins or stay on at the end. You'll have a season lift pass so it's just a case of booking extra accommodation.
1% of revenues support environmental non-profits, including Protect Our Winters
We make your trip carbon neutral by offsetting emissions we can't reduce, including flights
On behalf of all participants, we offset the measurable carbon emissions of your trip based on the duration, location and type of course, as well as the journey you’re taking to reach your course. Through our partnership with Climate Impact, we contribute to effective carbon reduction projects.
These things are not included in the package:
In brief, here’s why our Fernie 11-week course remains the unrivalled leading course of its kind in Canada:
Snow: Fernie is famed for getting the deepest and lightest powder each winter. Fernie will make you a better off-piste snowboarder and you’ll have way more fun.
Terrain: Great snow is only as useful as the quality of the slopes it falls on and Fernie is unrivalled in this aspect; it’s a huge off-piste playground complemented by wide groomed pistes.
Scene: Fernie is a super cool, lively-but-not-spoilt-by-tourism, community of mountain enthusiasts who have searched and found the best skiing & snowboarding and snow in Canada. Incredibly friendly, you’ll soon find yourself saying hi to strangers and walking around your new home with a permanent grin.
Coaching: With 17 years of experience, and over 40 11-week courses under our belt, we’ve delivered more training courses than anyone else. Our team of coaches are the best in the business and will completely transform your snowboarding.
Social: When 70 passionate skiers & snowboarders from all over the globe come together to spend a winter in Fernie, the friendships and shared experiences are nothing short of epic. We guarantee that some of your life’s best memories will be made in Fernie.
Extras: With Nonstop, it’s not all about snowboard coaching: we put a huge emphasis on enjoying as many Canadian mountain experiences as possible and organise a massive program of activities, away-trips, courses and socials to make this the richest, most enjoyable, winter possible. Find out more.
Accommodation: Uniquely, we own our own 43-bedroom lodge designed specifically for Nonstop clients, with amazing facilities. There is also the option to live like a local in your own house with coursemates - an authentic seasonaire experience!
Meals: Again, unlike any other training company, we own and run a restaurant with an awesome team of chefs and a delicious and nutritious menu designed for our hungry clients. With complete control over the meals, we’re confident our meals are the best available on any course of its kind.
Reassurance: Choosing to take an 11-week course is massive investment. We not only have unrivalled experience built over nearly two decades, but our clients have shown their appreciation by voting us to victory in three consecutive “World Snow Awards”.
Skiers & snowboarders fall in love with Fernie because of the combination of awesome snow & incredible terrain. Choosing a resort with challenging terrain is so important, because you’ll only ever progress as far as the terrain you’re skiing / riding. Rest assured you’ll push yourself to the limit in Fernie. Off the snow, Fernie is a super friendly town with a chilled-out vibe, yet there’s an awesome nightlife for anyone that’s so inclined. Get in touch to learn more!
The instructor course & big mountain performance course are treated as the same group from a social perspective; so, there is a massive pool of people to get to know. The coaching groups are also mixed for the first five weeks of the course; everyone will achieve the CSIA / CASI level 1 certification. The final six weeks of the performance course are purely focussed on all mountain improvement – there is no focus on instructor training. Each week there will be a set goal so it is a super structured training programme – but heaps of fun!
Generally, we cater from early intermediates right through to experts. If you have any doubts about your ability, you can always join us for some coaching beforehand to boost your skills and confidence. Get in touch to learn more.
One of the best things about our course in Fernie is the range of people we get involved. With around 70 participants on the course each winter, you can be confident of finding likeminded people, as well as meeting others you wouldn’t necessarily have met! The recommended minimum age is 18; however, we are open to mature & independent 17-year-olds. There is no upper age limit; as long as you consider yourself fit enough to ride most days for 77 days! The average age on our course in Fernie is 24, but each season we have people from almost every stage of life.
We provide inclusive airport transfers at set departure times from Calgary airport; these are available on the advertised start & end date of the course. For those that want to arrive early, we have a transfer available 1 week before; likewise, for anyone wanting to stick around in Fernie after the course, we have an option 1 week later. Full details are provided so you know all your options.
As a ballpark figure, we suggest having a budget of $200 - $250 per week to cover your spending money. By preparing packed lunches for the mountain and cooking your own meals at the weekends, you can certainly make your budget go further. Between coaching 4-days per week, free skiing & the activities available on the MORE programme, we keep you busy. For many people, how much they spend will really come down to night time habits.
We look forward to speaking with you.
Course Guide
