Fernie’s “Extreme Club”

This year we finally committed to becoming “Califernians” (Calgarians who weekend in Fernie) for six straight weeks by signing Avery up for the Extreme Club at Fernie Alpine Resort. The program helps intermediate skiers like Avery, 9, improve their skills and reach the next level (more confidence in powder, on steeper terrain and navigating bumps). She’s in a group with five other children of similar ages and abilities, and they have the same instructor every week. After only two lessons she’s already faster and more confident on the steeps, demonstrating improved turning technique and absolutely no fear.

Avery rips down the 123’s in Curry Bowl on Sunday.

I always hoped it would get to a point where my girl could ski anywhere on the mountain with me, and after taking her down the steep black diamond 123’s into Curry Bowl last weekend, I think we’re almost there.

She also gamely skis through the moguls on blue runs in Lizard Bowl, and hopefully, one of these weekends there will be some powder and we’ll see how she performs atop the fluff (Memo to Griz: can you please deliver the white stuff?).

As a parent and a skier it’s satisfying to see how far Avery has come in six years. It’s hard to think back and remember her as a preschooler learning to snowplow on the Mini Moose (a.k.a. magic carpet) and taking numerous snow-eating breaks between “runs.” I wondered if she’d grow to really enjoy skiing, or merely do it because it was her parents’ dream to be a ski family.

Avery stops for a snow-eating break by the Mini Moose in 2009.

Now, when we give her an option not to ski, or to leave the hill early to hit the hot tub and waterslide, she always chooses more runs. I watch as she carries her own skis and poles, boards the lift ahead of me with friends, looks for jumps on the side of every cat-track, and follows me gamely down every run.

Avery and a friend stop at the top of Curry Bowl’s 123’s.

It won’t be long before she’ll no longer want to ski with me, and I’ll be back to doing laps on Power Trip, now with Bennett. In the meantime, I’ll savour all our runs this winter. It will be neat to see how far she comes with her Extreme Club friends this season.

• Come out for Avalanche Awareness Days this Sat., Jan. 17
• Kokanee Snow Dreams Festival, voted Canada’s “Best Deck Party,” is slopeside Jan. 24
• Another six-week Extreme Club session, along with other ski club programs, gets underway Feb. 14. Register now.