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Fernie Live Event Schedule

At The northern 6:00PM-8:00PM

Meet the Fernie Team

SOTS Fernie Event Coordinator
Ian Shopland is a Fernie resident with a love for year-round outdoor recreation. Above all, his primary goal is always to return home safely to his family.

SOTS Fernie MC/HOST
Jade is from the UK and grew up snowboarding a couple of weeks a year in the French Alps. She ‘retired’ from teaching and moved to Fernie in 2018, originally just for the winter as so many people do, and now calls this town home! She spends a bunch of her winter split-boarding and has taken her AST 1 & 2. She is the Operations Manager for Mountain Addicts Guiding and Instruction.

CAA 2 / Practitioner / Avalanche Canada South Rockies Forecaster
Nik was born and raised in Fernie. After a brief stint away on Vancouver Island, the Rockies called him home. He is an Avalanche Practitioner, Ski Patroller, AST instructor, and member of Avalanche Canada South Rockies Field Team.

CAA Level 3 / Alpine Solutions, Lead Avalanche Technician
Ben Jackman is a seasoned Avalanche Professional based in Fernie, BC, beginning his avalanche career in 2005. Over his career, Ben has developed a diverse background in avalanche risk management and planning spanning various sectors, including ski areas, transportation corridors, industrial construction and avalanche education for the Canadian Avalanche Association's industry training program.

Originally from Calgary, Olivia built her snow and avalanche career after moving to Fernie, BC 10 years ago. Starting in ski patrol and later becoming an assistant forecaster at Fernie Alpine Resort, she is in her 10th year of working in snow safety. She now leads the South Rockies Field Team for Avalanche Canada and previously served five years as president of Elk Valley Snow and Avalanche Workshop. Alongside her fieldwork, Olivia teaches avalanche safety and is dedicated to public education and backcountry risk management.

Snowpack Presenter / CAA Professional Level 2 / ACMG Ski Guide
Mel is the proud owner of Mountain Addicts – Guiding and Instruction. Mel built her guiding expertise in the Rockies, first developing her avalanche forecasting skills as a ski patroller and later as a cat skiing guide. She currently works as a guiding manager at Last Frontier Heliskiing and continues to guide ski touring from a sail boat in Norway. Mel is passionate about sharing incredible mountain experiences and particularly loves facilitating mountain travel confidence and independence in women.

CAA Level 3 / Fernie Alpine Resort, Senior Advisor to Operations
CAA Professional Member since 1983. Level 3 graduate and I have been a CAA instructor for the Level 1&3 Industry Training Program. I was on the CAA board of directors for a period as the Vice President. I am starting my 48th season at Fernie Alpine Resort I was a ski instructor, ski patroller, avalanche forecaster, avalanche rescue dog handler, operations manager and currently a Senior Advisor to Operations with a focus on mentoring the young avalanche forecasters and patrollers.