For many kids, shushing down the popular runs of Cypress Mountain's ski park offers plenty of excitement.
Others, however, seek out something different and maybe more challenging.
This season, Cypress has developed a program specifically for more advanced skiers and snowboarders who have been taking lessons or have been riding around the mountains and want to get a more whole mountain experience by venturing off the trails, through some trees, and over some moguls and bumps under the wing of experienced instructors. Sky Riders camp is a multi-day program geared toward skiers and snowboarders ages eight-16. Kids are divided into two groups, one for kids ages eight-12, and one for kids ages 13-16.
Lili Kolaric, snow school manager at Cypress, explains that the program is suited for those young skiers and snowboarders who have experience on the mountain, have maybe taken some lessons, and are ready to take it to the next level. Those interested in the program should be fairly comfortable on blue runs and on some of the easier black runs."It's not like a structured lesson where there's a certain curriculum that you're following, it's very much geared toward what each of the kids' ability levels are and what their goals are for the program," says Kolaric.She says the Sky Riders program helps kids develop more skills, and improve balance, agility, self-confidence and their technical skills so their skiing or snowboarding is improved.And it's also about "just getting a lot of mileage on the snow," says Kolaric. It also provides an opportunity for young snow athletes to gain something necessary to improve their skills: "Practice, practice, practice."
Last year was the first year of the program and about 30 kids participated. The program is expected to attract more kids this season. "There are some kids who are much more comfortable staying on the groomed runs and there are some kids that really want to get out and try different things," says Kolaric, adding instructors know the runs and they know the best learning areas to start off navigating through treed runs. Once kids get more advanced, they generally go to a club level with more competitive programs. Sky Riders is "sort of in between the regular snow school lessons before you get into the more competitive end," explains Kolaric.The first session of the camp is scheduled to run during Christmas break starting on Dec. 26 for four days. It will then run for eight weeks on Saturdays or Sundays starting the first week of January. Visit cypressmountain.com for details.
