Middle School Winter Outdoor Days Information and Consent Forms
Please read through the Ski/Snowboard Day information below and find the Online Consent Forms and Rental Information at the bottom of the page.
If your child is unable to travel to Mt. Washington on the day of their Outdoor Day, or there is another reason they cannot participate, please complete the form at the bottom of this page and indicate that they cannot attend.
Middle School Winter Outdoor Days
Grade 8: Friday, Jan 17, 2025
Grade 7: Friday, Jan 24, 2025
Grade 6: Friday, Feb 7, 2025
ACTIVITES & DETAILS:
We are excited to be planning winter Outdoor Days for all SMUS Middle School students. These full-day adventures are designed to help students try out new outdoor and experiential activities, make new friends, visit new areas around Vancouver Island, spend time outdoors in nature, and develop activity specific skills (skiing/snowboarding, snowshoeing, cross country skiing…).
Working with our professional outdoor guides and instructors, the students will also be challenged to work on their time management, organization, tolerance for adversity/uncertainty, equipment care, risk assessment/management and communication skills. Activities will endeavour to draw connections to what students are learning in their classes.
Students will get to choose from the following options:
Mt. Washington-Based ACTIVITIES
Ski/Snowboard day at Mt. Washington Ski Resort
Snowshoe Adventure
Cross-country Ski Adventure
If your child is unable to attend the Mt. Washington-based activities, please complete the form below with that information.
No prior experience is needed for any of the activity options.
Consent forms, activity selections, ski/snowboard waivers and rental forms will be sent out to parents by grade, with the Grade 8 and Grade 7 receiving their forms in December, and Grade 6 receiving their forms in January after the winter break. In the meantime, please read through the following information.
Mt. WASHINGTON-BASED Activity DETAILS
DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTIVITY: This is a 1-day recreational trip to Mt. Washington Ski Resort, near Courtenay, BC. The day is designed to give students an opportunity to develop their winter activity skills. Options include skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Students will be required to attend a lesson or skills assessment, regardless of ability. For Grade 7 and 8 students, with parent permission, and once the lesson/skills assessment has been completed, some students may be permitted to ski/snowboard in groups of their choosing. Chaperones/teachers will be on site to assist students as needed.
Grade 6 students will ski/snowboard with an adult or Grade 12 Outdoor Leader for the whole day. They will still be able to ski/snowboard according to their ski/snowboard ability.
The snowshoe and cross-country ski options will take place at Mt. Washington Alpine Resort’s Raven Lodge area. Outdoor guides and instructors will lead the group. This activity is designed to give students an opportunity to develop new winter activity skills and to explore snowy alpine meadows. No prior experience is required.
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES: All students in downhill skiing/snowboarding will spend the morning in either a formal lesson (for all level 1/new/beginner skiers/snowboarders) or will be skiing/snowboarding with a SMUS teacher/OED guide/Ski Coach to ensure students are familiar with the ski hill, terrain and ski lifts. For snowshoe/cross-country skiing, the students will be in a lesson with a instructor or OED guide.
TRANSPORTATION: Students and teachers/OED guides will be travelling to and from Mt. Washington in a Wilson’s coach bus. It takes approximately 3-3.5 hours to drive to the ski hill.
ITINERARY:
6:15 AM Meet at the Hillside Mall Parking Lot (North East corner at Shelbourne & N. Dairy) to load bus. Depart for Mt. Washington
~9:15 AM Arrive at Mt. Washington
Morning ski/snowboard lesson or sessions with ski coach
Snowshoe/cross-country ski instruction with a guide11:30-12:00 In-person lunchtime check-in in the main lodge with SMUS teacher/OED guide Afternoon skiing/snowboarding/snowshoe or cross-country ski session
3:30 PM Depart Mt. Washington for Victoria. The coach will not stop for food on the way home.
~6:30 PM Return to Crothall (At the SMUS campus on Knight Ave.) for pick up
PROGRAM COSTS: Charges will be billed to student accounts.
SKI/SNOWBOARD OPTION:
$70 - Base cost for all participants. Includes coach bus transportation & ski/snowboard lesson/ski coach
$40 - Ski pass for the day (Students with season pass or 6-pack tickets will not be charged)
$40 - Equipment rentals (Students with all of their own gear will not be charged)
SNOWSHOE/CROSS-COUNTRY SKI OPTIONS:
$70 - Base cost for all participants. Includes coach bus transportation & equipment rental, lessons, and instruction.
$40 - Nordic/snowshoe day pass & Equipment rentals
LESSONS/SKI COACH SESSIONS: At the start of the ski/snowboard day, all level 1 (beginner) students will be enrolled in a formal ski/snowboard lesson. All level 2 and 3 students will complete a ski hill orientation session with a SMUS teacher/OED guide or ski coach. During the orientation session, students will snowboard/ski a series of runs with the SMUS adults. The goal of these sessions is to confirm student ski/snowboard ability and ensure students are familiar with general ski hill operations (lines, lifts, loading and unloading, ski run signage and ski hill layout).
Once students have completed their lesson/orientation session, Grade 7 or 8 students may be permitted to ski/snowboard with a student buddy. Parents will be able to indicate their supervision preference on the permission form. Grade 6 students will ski/snowboard with an adult or Grade 12 Outdoor Leader for the entire day.
FOOD & MEALS: Students should bring a breakfast/morning snack to eat while travelling to Mt. Washington. For lunch at the ski hill, students can either purchase food at the cafeteria or bring a lunch with them. On the way home, students should bring food or snacks to eat as the bus will not be stopping for dinner. The bus will return to SMUS around ~6:30PM.
SUPERVISION: There will be SMUS teachers/OED guides on the coach bus with students and additional chaperones/instructors at the resort. The SMUS teachers/OED guides will be skiing at the hill and available by cell phone throughout the day.
Students will check-in in person with a SMUS teacher/OED guide at lunch.
SUPERVISOR/STUDENT RATIO: 1:25 on the bus. 1:10 at Mt. Washington Alpine Resort
TRIP & ACTIVITY RULES/PRE-REQUISITES: Please discuss the following pre-requisites with your child:
Terrain Park NOT permitted: There is an increased level of risk in the terrain park. Middle School students are NOT permitted to enter or use the terrain park.
Students should NOT be building/constructing jumps.
Students are NOT permitted to do or attempt inversions or flips.
The Outback (Back side of the hill) is NOT permitted. Frontside only. Inbounds only.
Parents must review the Alpine Responsibility Code below with their child.
Students must wear a helmet at all times while skiing/snowboarding.
Students must ski/snowboard with a student-buddy or adult at all times.
ALPINE RESPONSIBILITY CODE (ARC):
Skiers and Snowboarders are required to know and abide by the ARC. Violations of this code may result in loss of lift privileges and injury. The ARC is posted in various locations in the mountain. Parents should review the following with their child in advance of the trip. Observe the code listed below and share with others the responsibility for a great outdoor experience:
You must remain in control and proceed in such a manner that you avoid other people or objects.
As you proceed downhill or overtake another person, you must avoid the persons below and beside you.
Do not stop where you obstruct a trail or are not visible from above.
When entering a trail or starting downhill, look uphill and yield to others.
If you are involved in or witness a collision you must remain at the scene and identify yourself to the Ski Patrol.
You must use proper devices to prevent runaway equipment.
You must not use the lifts or terrain if your ability is impaired through use of drugs or alcohol.
You must keep off closed trails and observe and obey all signs and warnings.
Boundaries are marked with ropes and signs. Minors (18 or younger) are not permitted to cross these boundaries. Mt. Washington accepts no responsibility for the safety of persons choosing to cross these boundaries. Rescue of out of bounds persons may or may not be possible and should costs arise from the rescue operations, persons involved may be charged.
EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT: Mt. Washington Alpine Resort has Ski Patrol and First Aiders on site. SMUS teachers/OED guides will carry cell phones and have emergency contact information. In the event of an emergency, students should proceed directly to the nearest ski patrol hut. The ski patrol will contact SMUS staff.
SKIER/SNOWBOARDER ABILITY: Mt. Washington Alpine Resort divides skiers and snowboarders into THREE ability types. Students who are TYPE 1 ski/snowboard ability will automatically be registered for a formal lesson.
Type 1: (First time skier/snowboarder up to beginner skier/snowboarder)
Can or will learn to navigate gentle, smooth green slopes with cautious skiing/riding techniques.
Never ever touched snow or up to skied/ridden four times before
Easy Acres beginner terrain only
Type 2: (Novice skier/snowboarder)
Can confidently link turns on all Green runs
Skied/Snowboarded 5+ times
Starting to cautiously navigate on Intermediate (Blue) terrain
Hawk Chair terrain primarily. Possible Whiskey Jack and Eagle terrain.
Type 3: (Intermediate skier/snowboarder up to advanced skier/snowboarder)
Can confidently ski/ride on Blue terrain at moderate to fast speeds up to an aggressive skier/rider that may venture onto Black runs
Shows an interest or may already ski/ride on varying terrain such as moguls, un-groomed terrain or the terrain park
Hawk, Whiskey Jack, Eagle and Sunrise terrain
RENTAL EQUIPMENT: If your child requires rental equipment, please complete the appropriate sections of the permission/rental form. Rentals will be picked up when students arrive at the resort. Gloves and goggles can not be rented.
PERSONAL EQUIPMENT: Students should bring a backpack with the following items:
Breakfast to eat upon arrival at Mt. Washington
Money to buy lunch in the cafeteria or a hearty lunch and snacks (Meals or meal money will be provided for boarding students)
Snack for the end of the ski day before loading onto the bus
A full water bottle
Ski/snowboard clothing
Gloves or mitts (cannot be rented)
Long underwear top and bottom
Neck warmer or balaclava
Warm fleece or sweater
Wool or synthetic socks
Snow pants
Winter jacket
Toque
Goggles (cannot be rented)
Helmet (can be rented)
Sunscreen & lip balm
Skis, poles and ski boots (can be rented) or Snowboard and boots (can be rented)
TECHNOLOGY AND PHONES: Students may bring a phone with them for emergency-use only while on the mountain. Phones should be used to contact SMUS teachers on the ski hill if needed, and only for this purpose as we are a phone-free school. Teacher chaperones will collect phones for the bus ride up to Mt. Washington and return the phones to students once at the mountain. Phones will be collected again on the return trip. Please keep this policy in mind for the bus ride to the mountain. Students may bring an e-book.
Mt. Washington Alpine resort is located within the traditional territory of the K’ómoks First Nation in the mountains of the Pentlatch, E'iksan, Sahtloot, and Sasitla peoples. We similarly recognize these first peoples as our neighbours and honour their living culture, rites, ceremonies, and unfolding history.
The Local Outdoor Days take place in the heart of Straits Salish territory, a living culture with its own rites, ceremonies, and unfolding history. We honour the Esquimalt, Songhees, and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples – whose homelands we share and whom we recognize as our neighbours.