CSGA News

After careful deliberation, the ISSW 2020 organization committee has made the difficult decision to postpone the conference by one year, due to the many uncertainties presented by the Covid-19 pandemic. ISSW 2020 is now scheduled for October 3 – 8, 2021, in Fernie, BC, Canada. 

While we are all disappointed by this development, we know it is the right thing to do at this time. The health and safety of the conference delegates, our event volunteers, and our host community is our top priority.  

Our commitment to the conference and its goals remains strong and we hope all of you will be able to adjust your schedules to suit this new date. If you have any questions, please first check this FAQ page. If you do not find the answers you need, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,
Steve Kuijt, ISSW 2020 Chair 
James Floyer, ISSW 2020 Program Chair

Due to the Covid-19 Virus continuing to excel through the province and the world abroad, we will be cancelling all scheduled Spring 2020 courses.

We will revisit setting new course dates when things return to “normal” for those of you who were affected. If you were accepted on one of the scheduled Spring programs, please check your email, everyone has been contacted individually.

Lets all do our best to contain this virus and do our part in planking the curve. May you all be safe and stay healthy.

Best wishes from the CSGA / CSGI

Dear Participants,

Thank you for your interest and commitment to the Canadian Ski Guide Institute and its upcoming Spring programs. 

We are living in interesting times, and it goes without saying that COVID-19 is having profound effects throughout the world. We’ve been in contact with all relevant training associations in Canada, including the CSIA, the CAA and ACMG. All have stated they will follow the most recent health Canada guidelines and postpone or amend their upcoming training programs.

After speaking extensively with our host locations, senior instructor pool, and administrative staff, we feel it is only prudent to postpone our upcoming CSGI Level 1 programs at both Keefer Lake Lodge and Meadow Creek. For those who have made full payment, we will provide a 100% credit towards the L1 program next season. We’ve already been in discussion with Keefer Lake and Meadow Creek locations, we are hoping to re-schedule the courses sometime in December 2020, if conditions permit.

We are however hoping to salvage the CSGI L2 and L3 program in Blue River. We will wait until March 31, 2020 before making a final decision on the L2 & L3 training sessions. We are hoping that given the timing of those courses, hopefully the situation will have improved and we can move ahead. 

We thank you for your understanding in this matter. We know you’ve all worked extremely hard to prepare for you upcoming courses, and we look forward to hosting you in the near future. Continue to train hard and stay sharp.

Wishing You Health & Happiness.​
Canadian Ski Guide Institute

Hello EVERYONE ,

In-light of the the COVID-19 VIRUS, the CSGA / CSGI is in the process of determining if upcoming courses will continue as planned.

When a decision has been made, we will notify each participant via email as well post here on the website.

We hope to have a decision soon, keeping in mind that the situation has been and will continue to change daily. In the meantime, please refrain from contacting the office. You will be notified as soon as a decision has been made.

Stay Healthy, Wash your hands, Don’t touch your face !

Carrie Holland,
CSGA Administration

ISSW 2020: Abstract Submissions Wanted!

The abstract submission page went live recently and will remain open until April 27, the deadline for submitting abstracts. That means you’ve got some time to get your presentation ideas together, but you should get going on it soon. The conference is especially excited to hear from front-line workers, providing a great venue for you to share your experience and ideas with avalanche professionals from around the world.

If you have never, or rarely, presented in public before, the ISSW is a great opportunity to broaden your horizons, with a friendly audience very interested in what you have to say. This page explains the process of submitting an abstract. And feel free to email us if you’re looking for assistance or have questions.

When submitting an abstract, you’ll be asked to select from the following list of themes that best represents your topic:

• Avalanche Dynamics
• Avalanche Education
• Avalanche Forecasting
• Avalanche Formation and Failure
• Avalanche Incidents and Case Studies
• Avalanche Rescue
• Avalanche Risk Communication
• Climate Change and Sustainability
• Human Behaviours and Decision Making
• Instrumentation and Remote Sensing
• Planning and Engineering Solutions
• Snow and Snowpack Properties
• Terrain Management

So get those thinking caps on and get working on an abstract! It’s an experience that is well worth the effort. Here are the key dates you won’t want to miss:

• April 27 – abstract submission deadline
• June 5 – review results released
• June 26 – presenting authors must be registered
• August 24 – full papers due
• Oct 4 – 9 – ISSW 2020, Fernie, BC

The International Snow Science Workshop (ISSW) is a gathering for people who love snow. This week-long conference is held every two years in a location that alternates between the US, Canada, and Europe. The next ISSW will be held in Fernie, BC, October 4 – 9, 2020, which means it’s a great opportunity for those of us in western Canada who work—and play—in the snow to attend.

Participating in an ISSW is always a great experience, both intellectually and socially. Check out issw2020.com and keep an eye on that site over the winter as more events and opportunities are posted. If you’ve attended an ISSSW before, you’ll know what a great experience it is. And if you’ve never attended, Fernie 2020 is going to be a great place to start. Hope to see you there!

Trip Cancellation/Interruption insurance for CSGI Courses

We understand that occasionally events occur that prevent you from completing your CSGI course.  You can’t predict a road closure, flight schedule change, sickness of a family member or your own injury. 

To avoid any financial hardship an unexpected cancellation or interruption could cause, we strongly recommend purchasing Trip Cancellation/Interruption to protect your CSGI Course investment.

Trip Cancellation/Interruption costs about 5% or 6% of your fees and it’s worth the peace of mind! An example of premium costs is outlined below.

You can obtain further information or get a quote for your course here : Trip Cancellation Insurance Link

You can also contact Lifestyle Financial  directly if you have questions about the coverage.    
Maria Delaney 250 542 8577 maria@lifestylefinancial.ca

Sincerely,

Maria Delaney GBA
LIFESTYLE INSURANCE & BENEFITS BROKERS
200A- 2928-29th Street  Vernon BC V1T 5A6
Ph. 250-542-8577   Mobile  250-308-4688
www.lifestylefinancial.ca

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We can assist with TRAVEL INSURANCE. Visit our website or give us a call for a quote

The CSGA and the LKMB Committee is pleased to announce the first recipient of the Lisa Korthals Memorial Bursary.

The recipient for the 2018-2019 season is presented to Jessica Roy.

Jessica is a guide at Baldface Lodge in Nelson BC. She successfully completed her CSGI Level 2 certification in 2018 and is a current CSGA Member in good standing. More recently, she completed the ski touring module that was offered this Spring at Mt. Carlyle Lodge.

Jessica demonstrates a passion for the mountains which she happily shares with her group. In addition to her guiding skills, her hard skills were demonstrated at an above standard level, having the fastest transceiver and rope rescue times on the 2018 level 2 CSGI course.

In the Spirit of Lisa, the bursary committee looks forward to watching her grow as a guide in the mountains and mentor the women who come behind her.

We encourage all women involved in the CSGI stream of courses to apply for the bursary. More information can be found at www.canskiguide.com

Congratulations Jessica !