Another large group of 30 Mouat outdoor education students ventured up to Sasquatch Mountain for the fourth ski/snowboard trip of the year. An already large snow base was supplemented by 22cm of fresh powder, making for amazing snow conditions on the hill. While the trip started a little rough with traction issues for the bus, as well as mountain organizational issues that delayed the start of the day for several students, in the afternoon the weather cleared up, and amazing experiences ensued. Everyone left with smiles proving the old adage that good things truly do come to those who wait. Outdoor Education students please leave a 100 word blog response below.
Mouat Extreme Outdoor Education 
On the 19 of February, we went snowboarding up at Sasquatch Mountain. I had an amazing time with my friends and I really challenged myself. I was practicing jumps and rails a lot at the stunt park and I believe I have improved a lot. I was tutoring Caelan for a little bit in the park and jumps, and he learned a lot. Ethan Black showed me a nice cliff drop, but I wasn’t very successful in the landing. I also challenged myself by going down one of the hard black diamonds on the face of the mountain. It was a challenging run, but I was able to make it down. I will definitely be going down that run again to try and improve, but it was overall an amazing day.
Good to hear that you’re enjoying yourself and working to approve your skills.
This trip was soooo much fun, Alex and Kentaro got better at snowboarding so we could actually go on the bigger chair lifts. While me and Cyrus were waiting for them to be done with their lessons we were at the top of the green chair going through amazing fresh powder. After Alex and Kento were finished their lessons we were going down the mini terrain park beside the yellow chair and I finally learned how to do a 180 spin. Of course, I fell a couple of times straight onto my face but by the end of the day, I could successfully do about 4-5 180s. I can’t wait for the trip this Friday!
It’s always great when you learn a new skill like that, and good conditions always make it easier to push yourself a little more.
This trip was probably one of my favourite times skiing because there was so much powder. One Thing that I learnt quickly is to keep track of my RFID card to get on the mountain faster. In the junior ski instructor program I learned about proper pole technique and how to teach people when they go on the yellow chair for the first time. I feel like I improved my skiing in powder ability and I learned how to drop off a cliff. One of my highlights of this trip was getting stuck in really deep powder and having to get my skis back on. Overall this trip was great and the powder was amazing.
Those conditions were incredible! I’m glad I came by right when you were doing the drop-it looked amazing and definitely something I want to add to my repertoire.
What an amazing ski trip! We were expecting a good amount of powder and we were not disappointed. Jaeya, Ethan, and I are involved in the junior instructor program and we had a blast. Our instructor showed us the best powder spots and a very exciting drop that I sent with some tumbles at the end. We also skied underneath the yellow chair to work on our teaching skills. Here we skied in a pizza, talking long parallel turns to keep the imaginary kids skiing in control. This was challenging as I hadn’t skied in a pizza while turning in a while, a little different than the pow.
It is great to see you, Jaeya, and Ethan improving your skills and learning how to teach.
I had a great ride up the mountain but the sasquatch in was not prepared for us so instead of skiing I was just standing around waitting, my trip was a mixture of fun and boredom.
Yes it was a little disappointing but hopefully the next trip made up for it.
My second time snowboarding was pretty awesome! Once I got the hang of both edges, it clicked and I was able to actually snowboard. I ended up moving up a lesson which was good, so I worked more on connecting my turns. After that, my friends and I went on some green runs which weren’t too bad, although I’m definitely not good enough for any blues yet.
How good is snowboarding once you get the hang of it?!? I’m glad to hear that you improved to the point where you could get up the big lifts!
This trip was very fun, started the day off by doing a quick run on the yellow as a warm up with Jazzi then went to lessons. The whole time for lessons we were on the yellow and I got my toe and am super excited about that! As the day continued I changed the run up a little and went on the more complex yellow run which wasn’t bad at all. It was super easy and fun. I did get better this trip and am focused on getting better each trip with or without the school. I’m sad that the season is almost over, but I will definitely be heading back up when they reopen for next season! Overall the whole trip I had a great time with Maddie, Athena, Emerline, Jazzi and Jada and I absolutely do recommend going if able to go with a friend. It can be frustrating at the start but does get better so on if not giving up.
I like hearing that you are setting goals for yourself to improve. The ski season always seems too short, but it sounds like you’re hooked into something that you will continue with for years to come!
on this trip i learned how to go backwards on my board, learned how to turn and go across the mountain. we learned how to brake better and control our boards. i learned how to get off the chairlift without falling. we went down the green run and did the yellow about 6 times.
Nice work! A lifetime of enjoyment on the hill starts with small steps and it sounds like you’re making good progress.
This was my second time snowboarding and there were huge improvements from the last time I went. At the start of the day, I did a short run on the yellow chair as a warm-up and already saw improvement after that I went to my lesson. It was only me and one other in the lesson so it was basically a one-on-one lesson, I learned how to turn smoothly on green terrain thanks to the legendary teachings of Sheldon my instructor. After the lessons, I ordered pizza from the lodge then continued to snowboard on the yellow chair and the green chair’s green run. My friends convinced me to try bigfoot (a blue run) near the end of the day. I was tired at the time and could not turn well on blue terrain, with many falls I made it and just did yellow chairs run for the rest of the day. This day saw a huge improvement to my snowboarding skills and I can’t wait to go again.
I guess the next step is to get yourself on some blue runs. You and Kentaro have made great strides in your development as snowboarders this year. Well done!
This was only my second time up to Sasquatch Mountain, so I was still a bit unused to skiing in so much powder. I definitely did better than the first trip, where I’m pretty sure I fell over every two feet. It was much warmer than I was expecting, so I was a bit overdressed and ended up taking off a few layers halfway through the day. I also wore a cloth mask which was a terrible idea, as it ended up completely soaked an hour in. Next time I would either bring several backups, to switch them out, or wear something a bit more water-resistant.
You and Keira have hit the conditions perfectly on your two trips. Probably nice not to have to spend your time on the mountain searching for a phone this trip 🙂
This ski trip was so much fun! There were many more people on this trip than the last one I went on which brought the energy up and made me super excited to go on it! When we got there I got my rentals and new ski pass and we were off to the lifts. I really challenged myself this day because I’m not so amazing at skiing on black powder runs but Clea and zak encouraged me to do many of them. They went very well and I think I definitely improved a lot. We went off a few little jumps on the side of the runs which were pretty fun but I did fall a lot! My major highlight of today is that I didn’t lose my phone and that was a big lesson for me last time to put it in a zip up pocket. For next time I want to continue to go with people who push me to do harder runs which will help me to become a better skier. Overall I had so much fun and I packed well except next time I am going to bring a small water bottle in my pocket and a new mask for the second half of the day since mine got soaked.
As I said to Clea, you two definitely picked two great days to go up the mountain! It’s always nice when you get to go with friends who push you to be better!
This Snowboarding trip was a lot of fun for me. It was my 2nd time snowboarding and I felt so much more confident than the last one. I learned a few new skills during the lesson in the morning and was able to learn how to turn. I also got to watch my friend go for the first time which was entertaining. The heavy snow caused a bit of a problem for me because I didn’t have goggles but other than that I’m very thankful for the fresh powder. Overall it was a very fun trip and I’m excited to go again and try different runs.
It’s great to introduce new people to the mountain, and even better when they decide to come back out and try again. It sounds like you’re improving and gaining confidence!
I enjoyed skiing with my friends and had fun trying black diamonds for the first time.My favorite part was doing the jumps and stuff like that. I also loved going off jumps and crashing. I learned that you need to lean back on powder or else you will just stop or fall, also that it is good to go fast on powder.
My favourite riding conditions on my boards are the days with heavy powder. Good to hear that you tried something new and found success at it!
This trip was my very first time snowboarding and I certainly don’t think it will be my last. I’m going to be honest it was a lot harder then I thought it was going to be but I feel like I got the hang of it pretty quick. What made the trip even better was that I was able to experience it with all of my friends even though they were the ones that were making me feel extra nervous. I was so grateful for the lesson and all the instructors, they were all so calm and reassuring which really helped me a lot because I was pretty nervous. Towards the end I think I was a great deal better then I was at the beginning. I can’t wait to go on more trips with this program in the future so I and better myself in this activity.
I’m so glad you made the choice to join the program for a trip, and that I was able to facilitate your first trip on the mountain! You are a quick learner and will definitely get the hang of it quickly!
Let me just start off by saying that I had an insane amount of fun on this trip. This was my first time boarding in 3 years, and it felt great to be out on the mountain. Surprisingly after all these years I still remembered how to board decently which was a pleasant surprise as I was a bit nervous that I wouldn’t remember anything. My friend Jakob gave me tips and pointers throughout the day which was a big help. I spent most of the day on the yellow hill riding through the terrain park. I hit quite a few boxes and jumps which was super fun. ( I have some amazing videos of me wiping out.) I also went on a couple green runs with some of my friends at the end of the day. Overall, this was such a great experience and my boarding skills progressed a lot. Next time I go I hope to do some black and blue runs!
Good to hear that it was a positive experience for you! Please add your videos to the trip pictures on the website.
it was snowing up there a lot and raining i suggest wearing goggles that for you because mine didn’t and it sucked. I went over jumps and ramps i haven’t done it before and mr.Rahe says not to but if you’re 100% confident i would do it. The green chair lift is so much fun i would suggest going with a group of 4 or 6 and go with a group that will wait for you if you’re slower.
I never said you could not do the jumps, but rather the trip isn’t the right time to hit big air for the first time. I’m glad you enjoyed the day with your friends and made improvements in your skills!
This was my second time on the mountain with the school and it was a lot of fun! When we first got there it was rough, mainly because I forgot my RFID card, so I had to wait for that to be printed again. After that was sorted out my friends and I were able to go off and do our own thing. It was a lot of fun snowboarding in the powder, made the falling less painful. Unfortunately I was not able to go on the blue chair as much as I wanted to because I did forget that it closes earlier then the rest of the chairs. Overall it was very funny and worth it, I hope next Ski trip is just as fun!
This was my second time going on a Ski trip with the school and it was loads of fun and totally worth it. At the start it was a little rough because I forgot my RFID card so I had to wait for that to be printed out, but other than that it was awesome. It was very fun to snowboard in the fresh powder, made the falling hurt less. I was able to improve on my carving which I was very happy about and now I’m able to be on my toe side more confidently. Sadly I wasn’t able to go on the blue chair lift as much as I wanted to because I forgot it closed earlier then the others, so that’s going to be a goal for the next Ski Trip. Very fun trip and would definitely do it again!!!
I’m glad that you enjoyed the trip and improved your riding ability. Hopefully the weather conditions cooperate on our upcoming trip!
I went snowboarding on this trip and had an awesome time. I have never been snowboarding/skiing until then and since it was my first time I learned a lot. I opted with snowboarding as it was what my mom had done and suggested that I do. I learned how to ride a snowboard, started with the basics, start/stopping, how to turn, and some other things. I learned that I ride goofy, which is the right food forward. We arrived at the mountain dropped off our stuff in our designated room and went to the rentals shop where they gave us boards/skis, helmets, boots, all the gear we needed. After that those who needed lessons headed out to the lessons area while we waited for our instructors. The lesson was 1h – 1:30h and I got to learn most of the basic skills. After that those of us who were hungry could go into the little restaurant and grab a bite to eat, if you weren’t hungry right then you could keep doing runs with friends. We needed to check in with our teacher by 2pm just to make sure everyone was safe and doing ok. Once you were checked in, you could do runs with friends all the way up until 5pm, when we had to be in our designated room. Once everyone returned the rentals and our teacher did a roll call, we jumped back on the bus and headed home. In the end, it was an epic experience and I’m very glad I went on this trip.
I’m excited that you got introduced to snowboarding through the program. It is definitely a passion of mine and something I’m sure you will enjoy long into the future!
This was my first time Skiing since last year, and it’s just as fun as I remember! It took me a lesson or so to get back into it, while doing so I managed to get better at it as well as go on the yellow chair for the first time! It was exciting going on the mountain and skiing, I definitely want to do it again. Maybe I could go with my family next time on Sasquatch! The only downfall about being there was the fact that my bottle cap melted from my hot chocolate and I couldn’t drink it (Lol), but the trip was overall amazing!
Seeing you conquer your fears is a real highlight for me. I’m impressed that you got up the yellow chair, and then pushed yourself even more the next week to get to the top of the mountain. Awesome job!
During our ski and snowboard trip I got the opportunity to participate in the junior instructor program for the second time. This program taught us how to teach others to ski and expanded on what we learned last time. It is much more difficult than expected and our instructor showed us some drills that they use to teach. We were still fortunate enough to have time to ski on our own. I got to do some black diamonds with some of my friends and the powder was amazing. We kind of got stay for night skiing and left later in the afternoon at 1700. This trip was my second school ski trip and I enjoyed it more than I expected. This was the one of the only times that I had been skiing with a large group and it provided a new experience for me. Overall this was a great experience and I can’t wait for the next one.
I’m glad you got to experience something new that was social rather than just skill based. I got some great video of you hitting a jump. I’ll upload it to the website tomorrow so you can pull it from there.
I had to wait for an RFID card and when I got the card I stuck mostly to the yellow chair lift and practiced the whole time however it was still fun and i’m glad I went.
Yes it was definitely not a good start but it improved as the day went on. Please make sure to include more details in your future responses.
this trip was really fun! i had a great time skiing with friends. i pushed myself to try runs i haven’t tried before but was very conscientious about the run and what was groomed and not. i was reserved when skiing on those terrains. when i got through it the first couple of times, i knew my way around and just whooped down. one thing i’d change about the trip to improve my experience would be getting a new tint on my googles. they blue and red tint i have on mine is not ideal for the overcast days. i’d get some which would allow me to see clearly for the overcast days. anyways, overall it was a very good experience and can’t wait for the next one.
I agree about the google point-I too would like a brighter tint on my goggles to see the definition in the snow. I’m glad you are pushing yourself but still staying within the adventure zone. Well done!
Ah what a wonderful day it was not. It was freezing cold with wind but that didn’t stop my determination to get better at snowboarding. The day was going pretty good. I was in my second lesson and it went so much better it helped that it was a smaller group so the instructor could focus on each individual. I started off a little rough but then the instructor helped me out and I ended up doing so much better I had so much control and ability to stop better. The lesson definitely helpful and think something I would remember for next time is goggles but I had so much fun and definitely go again
Yes that was definitely a rough weather day on the hill but still better than being in the classroom 🙂
I had a good time today it was actually my first time snow boarding and i had a good time. At first i thought it would be easy then i hoped on and fell like 5 times before even getting the hang of it. i tried two runs on the bunny hill and they weren’t half bad then i went to my lesson. i thought lessons were going to suck so i tried a level three. it was a perfect level to start on for me and at the end we did a blue run. it was a good day and it was my second trip of the year and it was a good one.
I’m glad you tried something new and found success at it!
this trip was really fun except my lessons were pretty hard and i was really nervous because it was only my second time snowboarding so i did my lessons and learnt to ride backwards and do turns but it was pretty scary and i fell quite a few times. i did some green runs with my friends without falling which was really exiting because on my first time snowboarding i kept falling and it got pretty frustrating. there isn’t a whole lot i would’ve done differently because my jacket kept me warm and i had a good lunch so everything was really good.
Sounds like you’re improving every time you get out. Well done!
Maddie S and I waited for her card because she forgot it so I wait with her and then went down the mountain with her all day we did runs I’ve never done so that was super exciting but then everyone got out of there lessons so we were zooming down the hills together and jada and I were throwing snow balls at rahe and he push her into the snow so I ran away it was super fun and excited and the bud ride was very bumpy
Sounds like I push a lot of people into the snow…
On February 19th I went on my first extreme outdoor education trip! My friend and I were super excited to spend some time up the mountain and finally ski again. When we first arrived, there was an issue with our RFID-Cards, so we had to wait for 30 minutes. After that problem was fixed, we realized it’ll take us too long to go on a run before our lesson would start. So it was already 12 pm when we got on the mountain. Because of the delay I was in such a bad mood, the lesson seemed completely useless to me. But as soon as I got off the lift and went on my first run all by myself, I immediately felt the improvement and did not regret taking the lesson anymore. My friend and I spent all afternoon up the mountain and just stopped for having a short lunch break. At the end of the day, I was sitting in the bus, was feeling every single muscle and was thinking too myself: I should be more patient next time! All in all the skiing trip was fun and altough we had a rough start I enjoyed every minute.
I shared your disappointment about the start of the trip, but I’m glad your time on the mountain made up for it and that you learnt the value of patience!
First of all, I really enjoyed my first ski trip in Canada!!! It was so much fun to be able to ski again. The weather conditions were perfect and even though I took a lesson first, I had enough time to ski more freely with a friend afterwards. For the next time I would not take a lesson anymore, because I learned skiing before. The lesson was fun though. In general everybody was really friendly and the instructors gave me some really helpful tips to work on my technique a bit. The runs were so much fun and the view from the top of the mountain was truly breathtaking. It was an unforgettable experience and I’m so grateful that I got the opportunity to participate in such a fun outdoor activity:)
I always find I enjoy learning a few new technique corrections from a lesson which makes my time on the mountain even more enjoyable!