The clinics on Friday will run ¾ day (ending at 2:30), leaving time for participants to explore and ski the Whitewater Ski Area. The clinics are focused on skill improvement through skiing and personal feedback. The skiing will be terrain and conditions appropriate for the group. This year we have added video analysis for the Friday clinics, which will be viewable in the Whitewater lodge. Maximum group size is 8 per instructor. 

101T – Novice Free heel (telemark) clinic.  Skill improvement with personal feedback. Ability level – Novice on telemark gear. 9:00 - 2:30

102T – Intermediate Free heel(telemark) clinic. Skill improvement with personal feedback. Ability level – Intermediate. 9:00 - 2:30

103T – Advanced Free heel (telemark) clinic. Skill improvement with personal feedback. Ability level – Advanced

104R - Intermediate Alpine/AT clinic. Skill improvement with personal feedback. Ability level – Intermediate. 9:00 - 2:30

105R – Advanced Alpine/AT clinic. Skill improvement with personal feedback. Ability level – Advanced

Saturday: 201-216:

201- 211 are in area clinics and backcountry gear is not needed. 212 – 216 are out of bounds clinic/tours and backcountry gear is required. (see gear list)   

For the in area clinics maximum size is 8 per instructor. For out of bounds clinics and tours, the maximum size is 10 with 2 guides/instructors or 5 with 1 guide/instructor. All out of bounds clinics require safety gear (shovel, probe, and beacon). In addition, skins and a day pack with lunch and liquid will be needed as all out of bound clinics will run all day. Unless otherwise indicated, all out of bounds clinics are open to free heel, fixed heel, and boards, based on ability level. The tours will be out for the day so be fit and ready to climb and ski!

In Area

201A – Entering the Steeps –Every skier has his or her own views on what steep is, and steep terrain creates unique challenges to successful skiing. For those skiers getting comfortable with black diamond runs or steeper terrain in the backcountry, often a few simple adjustments in approach and technique can increase a skier’s confidence level and success in tackling steep terrain. This clinic is for strong intermediate skiers looking to push their skiing boundaries.  Ability rating – Intermediate, ½ day morning.

202A – The Basics of the Telemark – The Telemark turn is what makes free heel skiing unique. If you have little experience or are stuck trying to figure out the basics of the tele, this is the perfect introduction to this elegant turn. Starting out with a solid foundation is the key to speedy progress and future success. Shelley has been teaching free heel skiing for over 20 years and is a master giving people a solid foundation to build on. Ability level - Novice, 1/2day morning

203A – Skiing Wild Snow – Whether on alpine or free heel gear, skiing wild snow is one of the greatest pleasures and challenges of backcountry skiing. This advanced clinic will take advantage of the ski area’s exceptional ungroomed terrain to challenge already strong skiers and hone your wild snow skiing skills.  This advanced clinic is open to alpine or free heel skiers. Ability level – Advanced, 1/2day morning.

204A – Parallels on Teles – Many free heel skiers come with a limited alpine background and lack the ability to make sound alpine turns. Parallel turns improve tele turns, work better on hard snow, and are fun in their own right. This is highly recommended for all you tele skiers looking to broaden your skills. Ability level - Intermediate, 1/2day morning.

205A – Skiing the Mountain – The wider the range of conditions and terrain you can ski, the more free you are to explore a ski area or your favorite backcountry getaway. This intermediate clinic will ski a  variety of terrain and what ever the snow is of the day, finding ways to get through terrain that might seem too challenging. There are ski skills to this but also strategies that can make exploring and extending your range of skiing easier. Ability level - Intermediate, 1/2day morning.

206D –Women on the Mountain – This is a women’s specific clinic open to both free heel and alpine skiers. Karen has a sharp eye for keying in on the details that will improve your skiing, and her laid back style will keep the clinic loose and fun. The clinic is for intermediate level skiers looking to move from blue runs to black runs. Ability level - Intermediate, all day.

207P – Entering the Trees – Trees protect snow from wind and give greater visibility in stormy weather, but many skiers see trees as areas to avoid. You can expand your options for good skiing by improving your skiing skills in the trees. There are a number of tricks to skiing in trees, some of them being ski skills but many are strategic. This is a clinic for strong intermediates and includes both free heel and alpine skiers. Ability level – Intermediate, ½ day afternoon.

208P – Mastering the Steeps - Whitewater is famous for its steep terrain and advanced skiers can always find something to challenge their skiing here. For strong skiers, it is often a subtle change that can lead to better skiing. Get some specific feed back on your steep turns and hone your skills for skiing the steeps. Ability rating – Advanced, ½ day afternoon

209P – From Groomed to Ungroomed – Ungroomed snow is the default condition for all backcountry skiers, and mastering off piste skiing is the essential skiing skill needed to increase your range and ability, both in the backcountry as well as off the groomed runs at your favorite ski area. For intermediate skiers, it often works well to work on skills on groomed conditions and then take them into ungroomed snow to practice. Whitewater has some excellent area where skiers can easily move back and forth between groomed and ungroomed runs. Ability level – Intermediate, ½ day afternoon.

210P – The Basics of Free Heel Skiing – Free heel gear gives a skier the freedom to use a variety of turns. Learning a variety of turns gives the novice skier a bigger platform of skills to work with in becoming a stronger all around skier. This novice level clinic will not just focus on telemark turns, but also parallel turns and a variety of ways to get down the hill. Ability level – Novice, ½ day afternoon.

211P – Skiing Wild Snow – This is an intermediate level clinic for those skiers wishing to broaden there skiing to include that vast area of winter landscape that is never groomed. Wild snow can be the most fun as well as the most frustrating for skiers. Learn some specific techniques as well as strategies for tackling what is at the very core of all backcountry skiing. Ability level – Intermediate, ½ day afternoon.

Out of Bounds – All out of bounds clinics require safety gear (shovel, probe, and beacon). In addition, skins and a day pack with lunch and liquid will be needed as all out of bound clinics will run a full day. The tours will be out for the day so be fit and ready to climb and ski! Unless otherwise indicated, all out of bounds clinics are open to free heel, fixed heel, and boards, based on ability and fitness level.

212BC –Routefinding and Reading Terrain - Understanding and deciphering terrain, and how to safely and efficiently move through it is the core skill used by all accomplished backcountry skiers. Brian Gould has been guiding and teaching these skills for over 10 years both in Canada and in Europe. Join Brian in working on developing these essential skills along with a great day of touring in the Whitewater backcountry.  You should be a strong intermediate skier with some experience skiing ungroomed backcountry conditions. Ski ability level –  Strong Intermediate, good or better fitness, this is an all day tour.

213BC – Steeps in the Backcountry /Eric Pehota – Eric has been one of the pioneers of steep ski descents in Canada. This is the third year of him leading these tours and he has consistently been able to get skiers to safely ski lines they would normally shy away from. Join him in assessing and skiing some of the bountiful steep terrain found in the Whitewater backcountry. This tour is for strong advanced skiers.

Ski ability level – Advanced, good or better fitness, this is an all day tour.

214BC – Snowboards in the Backcountry - Snowboarding in the backcountry often has its own rhythm and line choice. Improve your skills in backcountry travel and learn some of the tricks that make the up and the down go easier. This is a wide ranging tour that will include routefinding and safety as well as riding Whitewater’s excellent backcountry terrain. Splitboards or snowshoes. Ski ability level – Advanced, good or better fitness, this is an all day tour.

215BC –Backcountry Basics – For those of you who have wanted to go backcountry skiing but have limited  backcountry experience and are unsure where to start, this is the clinic for you. Learn the basics of travel, both up and down, as well as how to read and move through mountain terrain. While one tour cannot teach you all you need to learn as a backcountry skier, it can give you a taste of the pleasures of touring and point you in the direction of what you need to know and the skills involved. A Ski ability level – Intermediate, moderate or better fitness, this is an all day tour.

216BC – More Touring Less Work - Ski touring can be hard work even for the experienced. Our ski guides have years of touring under their belt and have dialed in the efficiencies of backcountry travel like few others. Learn about pacing, route selection, and many other simple but essential skills that make touring easier, safer, and leave more time and energy for the ski down. Ski ability level – Advanced, good or better fitness, this is an all day tour.

Sunday: 301-317:

301- 307 are in area clinics and backcountry gear is not needed. 308 – 312 are out of bounds clinic/tours and backcountry gear is required. (see gear list)   

This year the bulk of the in area clinics on Sunday will run all day, rather then ½ day. This gives students and instructors more time to work together and gives the day a more relaxed pace (after Saturday night this might be a good thing!). For the in area clinics maximum size is 8 per instructor. For out of bounds clinics and tours, the maximum size is 10 with 2 guides/instructors or 5 with 1 guide/instructor. All out of bounds clinics require safety gear (shovel, probe, and beacon). In addition, skins and a day pack with lunch and liquid will be needed as all out of bound clinics will run all day. Unless otherwise indicated, all out of bounds clinics are open to free heel, fixed heel, and boards, based on ability level. The tours will be out for the day so be fit and ready to climb and ski!

In Area

301D – Skiing the Mountain – Sometimes skiers can get into a rut of only skiing in certain places or in certain types of terrain. This all day clinic will move around the hill, both exploring the great terrain that Whitewater offers and trying out different ways to approach and ski new areas. Ability level - Intermediate, all day.

302D – Mastering Challenging Terrain - It’s said that learning to ski is a journey without end.  If advanced skiers want to keep learning, they need to keep challenging themselves with new terrain and conditions. Whitewater has the terrain to challenge the best of skiers and this all day workshop will focus on giving individual feedback on advanced skiing in specific terrain and conditions. - Ability level – Advanced, all day.

303D – Entering Challenging Terrain – Intermediate skiers can often ski groomed runs with confidence, but their skiing, and their confidence can go to pieces in more challenging terrain and ungroomed snow. This all day clinic will work at developing ski skills and building confidence in tackling the vast areas of skiing that lay beyond the groomed runs- Ability level – Intermediate, all day.

304D - Free Heel Turns – Because their heels are not locked down, the free heel skier has a lot choice in style of  turns. Learning to use a variety of turns builds a strong foundation and adds some fun and creativity to your skiing This novice level clinic will spend the day exploring different turns and where and how they might be used.  Ability level - Novice, all day.

305D – Women on the Mountain – This all day advanced women’s clinic will be part exploring the mountain and part skiing improvement. Naheed has taught women’s specific clinics all over North America and has a keen eye for pulling out the subtle changes to improve your skiing. - Ability level – Advanced, all day.

306P – Telemark for Alpiners  - For those of you that are skiers but have little or no experience with free heel (telemark) gear, this is a great opportunity to try some teles. Thanks to our many sponsors, there is a wealth of gear available to the festival participants. If you want to take the morning off from clinics, you can get into this ½ day afternoon clinic and see what tele skiing is all about. - Ability level – Novice, ½ day afternoon.

307P – Turns for the Terrain -  This ½ day afternoon intermediate class is focused specifically on adapting turns to the terrain. Whether tele or parallel turns, the terrain (and conditions) often can dictate – or at least suggest – certain turn shapes, a more pronounced turn for steeper terrain or tighter turns to control speed in confined areas. The clinic will explore ways to adjust and adapt your turn shape to the needs of the run. Ability level – Intermediate, ½ day afternoon.

Out of Bounds – All out of bounds clinics require safety gear (shovel, probe, and beacon). In addition, skins and a day pack with lunch and liquid will be needed as all out of bound clinics will run a full day. The tours will be out for the day so be fit and ready to climb and ski! Unless otherwise indicated, all out of bounds clinics are open to free heel, fixed heel, and boards, based on ability and fitness level.

308BC – Routefinding and Reading Terrain - Understanding and deciphering terrain, and how to safely and efficiently move through it is the core skill used by all accomplished backcountry skiers. Brian Gould has been guiding and teaching these skills for over 10 years both in Canada and in Europe. Join Brian in working on developing these essential skills along with a great day of touring in the Whitewater backcountry.  This is an advanced level tour, you will likely ski through challenging terrain and conditions.  Ability level – Advanced, this is an all day tour.

309BC – Backcountry Basics – For those of you who have wanted to go backcountry skiing but have limited backcountry experience and are unsure where to start, this is the clinic for you. Learn the basics of travel, both up and down, as well as how to read and move through mountain terrain. While one tour cannot teach you all you need to learn as a backcountry skier, it can give you a taste of the pleasures of touring and point you in the direction of what you need to know and the skills involved. - Ski ability level – Intermediate, moderate or better fitness, this is an all day tour.

310BC – Snowboards in the Backcountry - Snowboarding in the backcountry often has its own rhythm and line choice. This is a wide ranging tour that will include routefinding and safety as well as exploring some of the great terrain that the Whitewater backcountry has to offer. Learn the many tricks of  touring on snowboards, from climbing to assessing terrain and conditions. Splitboards or snowshoes. -  Ski ability level – Intermediate, moderate or better fitness, this is an all day tour.

311BC – The Women’s Tour – For the last two years we have offered a women’s specific backcountry tour, and it has been very popular. Wren and Heidi are back again this year to lead another tour into the Whitewater backcountry.  The tour is part touring part learning as the group will look at all aspects of backcountry travel. Ski ability level – Advanced, good or better fitness, this is an all day tour.

312BC – Steeps in the Backcountry /Eric Pehota – Eric has been one of the pioneers of steep ski descents in Canada. This is the third year of him leading these tours and he has consistently been able to get skiers to safely ski lines they would normally shy away from. Join him in assessing and skiing some of the bountiful steep terrain found in the Whitewater backcountry. This tour is for strong advanced skiers.

Ski ability level – Advanced, good or better fitness, this is an all day tour.

Monday: 401-403 All Monday tours require safety (shovel, probe, and beacon)equipment and touring gear. Tours are all day so will require pack, lunch, liquid, skins…. the usual backcountry kit. All tours will leave from Whitewater Ski Area at 9 AM.

401BC – Intermediate Tour with Emphasis on Learning and Avalanche Knowledge – This tour emphasizes learning with information in some basic avalanche knowledge, terrain, route finding, and basic touring skills. There will also be some good skiing along the way and the terrain will be intermediate with some advanced sections. Strong Intermediate or above skiing skills are necessary. Ski ability level – Intermediate, moderate or better fitness, this is an all day tour.

402BC – Advanced Tour with Emphasis on Learning and Avalanche Knowledge – This tour emphasizes learning, with information in avalanche knowledge, terrain, and route finding. There will also be some great skiing opportunities and the terrain will be advanced at times so strong ski skills are recommended. Ski ability level – Advanced, good or better fitness, this is an all day tour.

403BC – Advanced Tour with Emphasis on Skiing - This tour will emphasize skiing, and will also include information in assessing and traveling through more technical terrain. Ski terrain will be challenging with possible confined terrain and steep tree skiing. Ski ability level – Advanced, good or better fitness, this is an all day tour.