Grouse
Overview
We caught up with Colin, our Snowsports Manager at Grouse Mountain. Colin discusses what it's like working as a ski instructor with EA Ski and Snowboard Training.
Grouse Mountain is a vibrant resort offering world-class skiing and snowboarding close to the city of Vancouver, Canada.
Grouse Mountain offers some of best winter skiing in Canada and is known for its extensive snow making capabilities. It's run "The Cut" was named a top 100 run in the world. Whether you're new to skiing or a seasoned ski pro, a winter at Grouse Mountain is an experience of a lifetime.
Boasting an average annual snowfall of almost 10 meters, four chairlifts, 33 runs and six terrain parks, Grouse Mountain has all the necessary ingredients for a winter of fun.
Serious about becoming a ski instructor? Train, qualify & work all in one season. Work in Canada, Japan, Switzerland, New Zealand or the USA.
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* Please be aware that the City Orientations are an extra cost for the Internships. There is no City Orientation option available for Queenstown (NZ), Imagine Niseko (Japan), Niseko Village (Japan), Niseko GoSnow (Japan) & Rusutsu (Japan).
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* Accommodation differs from resort to resort, please speak with our team to check on this for your preferred resort. Usually accommodation is covered until the end of the level 1 exam with an option to remain at your own cost for the remainder of the season.
We caught up with Colin, our Snowsports Manager at Grouse Mountain. Colin discusses what it's like working as a ski instructor with EA Ski and Snowboard Training.
Before arriving in Japan, you will complete your training in Saas-Fee, a world-class ski resort nestled among Switzerland’s highest alpine peaks. Famous for its long, scenic runs and dramatic mountain scenery, Saas-Fee is uniquely surrounded by numerous 4,000-meter summits, creating an unforgettable training environment.
Grouse Mountain is a world-class ski resort just 30 minutes from the center of Vancouver, one of the world's top cities. When you spend a season here, you'll benefit from their extensive snowmaking systems ensuring great coverage over a truly epic 5 month season. The mountain is also open for night skiing which presents even more opportunities to spend time on the mountain.
When you feel like some fresh air and exercise, the Seawall tops the list of free things to do in Vancouver. Choose the nine-kilometre stretch that runs around Stanley Park and you'll get fantastic scenery in every direction. To make the trip go faster, hire bikes or skates. Keep your eyes out for sea otters and seals in Vancouver Harbour.
Almost everyone visiting Canada wants to see bears in their natural habitat. At Grouse Mountain, just half an hour from the CBD, you can meet Grinder and Coola, two grizzly bears who live in a protected wildlife refuge. In winter they spend about five months hibernating, so check they're up and about before visiting. At Grouse Mountain you can also see a live 'Birds in Motion' show starring owls, hawks and eagles and a vulture.
From oysters and gooseneck barnacles to Dungeness crab and smoked sockeye salmon, Vancouver's proximity to fishing grounds makes it a seafood lover's dream come true. The city is also respected for its Japanese cuisine - the best outside Tokyo according to some. Bring these two facts together and you're all set for a sublime seafoodie time.
The historic neighbourhood of Gastown has a dark and interesting past that you can hear about on a night-time walking adventure called 'Lost Souls of Gastown'. Based on real history, the tour takes you through cobbled back streets and alleyways, where it's easy to imagine the gold prospectors, gamblers, saloon girls and tricksters of Gastown's murky past. The tour includes a visit to Vancouver's oldest hotel.
It's a vertiginous cliff-side journey along cantilevered and suspended walkways that are attached to the granite cliff face above Capilano River. Trees all around you, sky above, water below – awesome!
Being a spectator at a live sports match is an excellent way to witness everyday Canadian culture in action. From September to April, ice hockey rules supreme at Rogers Arena as the Vancouver Canucks take on teams from the National Hockey League (Canada and USA).
Granville Island Public Market is the place to stock up with snacks and ready-made local delicacies. As well as artisan edibles and drinks, this market has a community of crafts people and musicians. You'll find something unique to take home while you enjoy some great sounds.
Accommodation is provided in nearby Saas-Grund, a traditional Swiss ski village just a short bus ride from the Saas-Fee lift station. You’ll stay in a chalet-style lodge, sharing a room with 3 to 5 other trainees. The lodge includes a large communal kitchen, dining area, ski room, Wi-Fi, and a TV. It’s a cozy and convenient base for your alpine training adventure.
As Grouse is a ski resort near Vancouver and only a short drive away, accommodation is typically based in apartments in North Vancouver. These are close to shops, cafes, and the Grouse bus stop, it is a cool place to be based for a winter. We provide accommodation through private apartment rentals. After the initial training and exam period you will be responsible for accommodation payments - you can expect to make an advanced rent payment before the season starts covering the length of your tenancy. Rates and locations may vary from time to time, and if they do we will endeavour to let you know at the earliest opportunity. Average monthly rent in Canada is approximately $1000-1200 CAD for seasonal accommodation.
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EA Ski and Snowboard Training want you to have the best season possible in Switzerland and Canada. This means that we have Loz on the ground in Saas-Fee, Switzerland, who is easily contacted and there to offer advice and support at all times. Not only is he familiar with Saas-Fee itself, but he also works for the ski school and will be a familiar face to make your training period easier.
Once in Canada we have someone on the ground, who is easily contacted and there to offer advice and support at all times. They are familiar with Grouse Mountain and Vancouver and will be a familiar face to make your gap year and first winter that much easier.
Our ski instructor course at Saas-Fee, Switzerland allows you to obtain a globally recognised qualification with the BASI (British Association of Snowsports Instructors). BASI formally constituted in 1963, is a UK based membership and its qualification pathway is recognised internationally and BASI is a member of the International Ski Instructors Association (ISIA).
