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The original Nonstop course. Based in a powder dreamland, this is a mountain where you’ll push your riding to the max to land your CASI 1 + 2. Five huge bowls, steep and deep, plus the biggest vert in the Rockies. Featuring a packed schedule of expert coaching, big mountain freeriding and local Canadian adventures.
The course that started it all, welcoming riders to the heart of British Columbia since 2002. This is all about pro coaching in one of Canada’s most powder-heavy resorts, combined with a funky town, our favourite big mountain adventures, and a huge crew of fellow Nonstoppers.
Based at our home hill and freeride-mecca Fernie, expect deep snowfall, big terrain and a truly authentic Canadian mountain experience you won’t find anywhere else. Nestled within the Powder Highway zone, you’ve got five playful bowls, epic ridges and some of the best tree skiing on the planet, plus an infectious snowboard culture to boot. If you’re down for steep, deep and maximum progression, this is for you.
One of the best features of this course is the pro coaching from our team of Canadian specialists. You’ll be out on the hill every day clocking up laps from pistes to powder bowls, boosting your snowboarding and teaching skills to land your Level 1 and 2, all while honing your style and all-round freeride game. Exclusive to our Fernie course, you can opt to follow our All Mountain Pro program to focus on your personal riding and make the most of the incredible terrain we have.
A season with Nonstop isn’t complete without our epic events and the rotating mega schedule of weekly adventures we lay on. Dubbed our MORE Program, they’ll be everything from cat-boarding in BC’s remote powder bowls, to avalanche safety training and road trips to unknown gems.
Buckle up, we can’t wait for you to join this one.
13-Week Package:
Maximise your season and extend to our 13-week package, by adding our pre- and post-stay weeks for extra mountain and freeride time, making the most of your season pass.
Hands down, one of the best experiences of my life and all the better for the fact that I came out with a Level 2 qualification. Brilliant.
Elinor Davis
11 Week Instructor Course, Fernie
Everything in Fernie was truly awesome. My technique has progressed so much that it's barely recognisable compared to how I was when I arrived!
Jack Dedman
11 Week Instructor Course, Fernie
Best three months of my life. The instructors on the Nonstop course are without a doubt the best, most friendly instructors I have had.
James Isaac
11 Week Instructor Course, Fernie
Fernie is a ski mecca with cult status for its deep powder, adventurous terrain and authentically Canadian town, just a few of the reasons Nonstop was founded here. Set in southeast British Columbia, it receives mega amounts of annual snowfall and has the biggest vertical in Canadian Rockies.
The ski area is made up of five alpine bowls: Cedar, Lizard, Currie, Timber and Siberia. Each bowl has unique character, with steeps, narrow chutes, gladed trees, open slopes and powder fields to ride between. There are 142 marked runs, with 75 rated as black or double black. Whether you love carving groomers, weaving through the trees, bounding through pow, or navigating steep chutes, Fernie has it all – and some.
With one of the best snow records in Canada, Fernie is an epic place to ride powder. On average, more than 10m falls each winter. And it’s not just the quantity of snow that’s so good, it’s also the quality of it. A combination of the horse-shoe shape of the mountains, local weather systems and Pacific fronts are to thank for Fernie’s frequent dumps and feather-light flakes.
The town is located a short distance from the ski hill, connected via a 10-minute shuttle, and promises a real taste of Canadian mountain life. Downtown has a funky, welcoming and laid-back vibe, with plenty of indie shops, bars, restaurants and coffee stores to stay social on down days. Whether its wild nights, live music or a fresh coffee, every vibe and venue is covered. There’s a cinema, swim centre, gym and climbing wall, beautiful nature and walks, and a rich menu of events through the season.
The coaching on this program is second to none, led by Fernie’s best pros. Combining personal improvement with instructor training, we’ll not only prepare you to pass your CASI Level 1 and 2, we’ll show you the best parts of the mountain, ride all kinds of terrain and boost your freeriding. The goal is that, by the end, you’ll be an all-round rider – able to ride anywhere on the mountain – with qualifications in your back pocket.
With a varied schedule no week is the same, but coaching generally takes place four days per week. From technical sessions to teaching practice and freeride clinics, you’ll work on it all. We’ll be dialling in your technique, learning about the CASI framework, and riding everything that Fernie has to offer. And when it’s a pow day, we’ll be taking full advantage and finding the best lines in resort.
We arrange snowboard groups by ability and your general attitude with no more than 8 riders per coach. You’ll be introduced to your first week’s pro who will quickly start analysing your technique and helping you achieve your goals on snow. Each week you’ll rotate between instructors, so you benefit from all their different styles and experiences.
The course is split into two phases. The first part of the course beds you in and prepares you for your Level 1. We then up the ante and move onto the Level 2. Ahead of each exam phase, you’ll enjoy a private one-on-one session to maximise your progression and put in your final preparations.
In the second part of the course, you also have the option to follow to our All Mountain Pro route. Here, the focus is entirely on your own snowboarding and riding as much of the mountain as possible. If you are more interested in personal performance than becoming an instructor, this is an awesome pathway.
Gain your internationally recognised CASI Level 1 & 2 qualifications which set you up for an instructing career. Not everyone comes on a snowboard instructor course to actually become an instructor, and we have the perfect alternative if that's the case.
We are proud to run "Community Days" in Fernie. These allow you to get real hands-on instructing experience at the helm of your own lessons. We give under-privileged locals the opportunity to get free equipment hire, lift passes and instruction for a day. This is an amazing experience to have on your CV, useful when you come to applying for your first snowboard instructor job.
The added extras on our courses can’t be hyped up enough. We’ve made a fine art out of weaving the most epic local adventures into your schedule and each week we lay on an activity or trip as part of our MORE Program.
One of the highlights is cat-boarding, where you head into the backcountry with a modified snowcat before bounding back down through untouched pow. Other activities include a road trip to hardcore ski hill Castle Mountain, skating on a nearby frozen lake, splitboarding in the Fernie slackcountry, and winter survival camping – where you’ll build and sleep in your own igloo. We also lay on weekly socials and workshops too – so the schedule is truly rammed.
You can add as many extras as take your fancy. We include $250 of credit for you to use on the activities of your choice. Here’s a sample.
We’ve always strived to offer an authentic seasonnaire experience – the best way to do this is to live like a local in one of our downtown houses. Most of our participants stay in a house – we match likeminded housemates together and set you up with your own home for the winter.
The other option is to stay the Red Tree Lodge. Each winter we reserve a limited number of rooms for our 11 week participants who prefer the hotel-style experience. Whether you’re staying in a house or the lodge, you’ll get to enjoy the awesome range of facilities at the Red Tree: bar, restaurant, hot tub, sauna, movie theatre, games room, board tuning room and much more!
Maximise your season and extend to our 13-week package, by adding our pre- and post-stay weeks for extra mountain and freeride time, making the most of your season pass. You can upgrade to 13 weeks from just £445 // $715.
Ask us for more or you can simply add when you book online.
During the 11 week course you will recieve coaching from some of Canada's leading instructor trainers. The weekly schedule varies through the course but typically, coaching sessions are Mon, Tue, Thu and Fri, with Wednesdays and the weekends for free riding, consolidating what you've learnt and the away-trips, activities and additional courses offered on our "More Program". The maximum group size is 8 people per pro but typically they are even smaller.
The package includes the cost of the CASI Level 2 exam. This is unique to Nonstop and saves you almost $600! Please note, if you decide to go down the All Mountain Pro route, the CASI level 2 will not be included but you'll get four additional coaching days instead.
Unique to this course - and essential to your instructor career prospects - is a wealth of work experience. If you are serious about an instructor career then this is one of the most valuable parts of the entire course. There are two formats: 1. Shadowing a local instrutor weekly (after you have obtained your level 1) for a half day session. 2. Taking your own real-life lessons as the lead instructor. Our "Community Days" events, enable you to put your newly aquired level 1 instructor qualification to use and teach local families. It's an amazing experience that will look great on your CV/resume and will help you establish a successful career as an instructor.
Throughout the program our coaches will make the most of technical video analysis to help with your development.
You'll get two 90 minute private coaching sessions during the course, one before your Level 1 and another before your Level 2.
You'll be given an 'Instructor Starter Kit' booklet with a directory of ski school contacts, receive seminars on topics such as life as a ski instructor, job application and interview techniques, and be given constant advice from our coaches. Additionally, job interviews with the local ski school are available.
Throughout the course we run regular technical talks on subjects like biomechanics, looking after your gear, and injury prevention.
Opt for our All Mountain Pro route in the second phase of the course to purely focus on your on snowboarding. If you are more interested in personal performance than becoming an instructor, the AMP certification is the perfect solution to focus on your freeriding.
You'll have the opportunity to gain the following additional qualifications:
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 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.
Choose to stay in the Red Tree Lodge or go for the authentic seasonaire expereince in houses. Either way 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 five 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, curries, roasts etc. before a tasty desert.
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.
Your host will ensure your course runs smoothly. They'll be on hand 24/7 for a chat, laugh, or to solve any problems.
Each week your host will organise team socials and après for all the group to get involved in.
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 instructor course in Canada:
Snow: Fernie is famed for getting the deepest and lightest powder each winter. Fernie will make you a better off-piste rider 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 snowboarders who have searched and found the best riding 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 instructor training than anyone else. Our snowboard coaches are the best in the business and will completely transform your riding.
Social: When 70 passionate instructor trainees 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 the 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.
Accommodation: Uniquely, we own our own 43-bedroom lodge designed specifically for Nonstop clients, with amazing facilities. Alternatively, we have the option in staying in houses like a true local (with your coursemates)
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 skiers. With complete control over the meals, we’re confident our meals are the best available on any snowboard instructor course.
Reassurance: Choosing to take an instructor course is a 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!
We cater for a really broad range of skiers / snowboarders on our course in Fernie and the advantage of this being the most popular instructor course in Canada is that we can have several snowboard groups all catered to a specific ability & confidence level. 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 ski 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 and 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.
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.
During the course we host a seminar that will help prepare you for work in the industry. Towards the end of the course, there is the the opportunity to take advantage of an interview with Resorts of the Canadian Rockies (who own several ski resorts) if you have applied for your work visa. Beyond the course, we’re always on hand to offer support on applications and we’re regularly contacted by snow schools looking for new recruits each winter.
We do not recommend this, and we don’t have any examples of past clients who have managed it. In other words, no! This experience should be treated as a once in a lifetime winter to purely focus on your skiing / riding & having as much fun as possible. You would need a working holiday visa in order to work – most people only ever get to have one of these (lasting for two years), so you should save yours for when you may be working as an instructor in the future.
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
