| Ski School Instructional Staff |
Bill Mills - Ski
Instructor
Bill took his first ski lessons at "100 Steps Skihill" in 1968. He has
skied at Purden since it opened. Certified as a Level 1 CSIA Instructor for 6
years, Bill has taught skiing at both Purden Ski Village and Tabor Mountain.
Bill spent 3 seasons coaching Nancy Greene racers (prior to Nancy becoming a
senator). When Bill isn't instructing the finer points of skiing, or wearing out his Staff
Pass on the hill, he keeps the rental department in shipshape order.
Ray Clarke - Ski & Snowboard Instructor
Ray Clarke is a Canadian Ski Instructors' Alliance Level 1 instructor, and
a Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors Level 1 instructor. He is a
retired school teacher, and is known to take all the time necessary to get kids
safe and comfortable on the hill. He is in his sixth year of helping students
enjoy themselves on the mountain.
Jen Clarke - Ski
Instructor
Jen Clarke started skiing at Purden in 1971. She earned her Canadian Ski
Instructors' Alliance Level 1 in 2007, and has been instructing beginners in
the Purden School Program for the last two years. In summer, Jen can be found at
the Prince George Tennis Club.
Harold Spensley -
Ski Instructor
Harold is a Canadian Ski Instructor Alliance certified Level I Instructor.
He acquired his certification 3 years ago and has completed upgrading each year.
For the past 2 years has been instructing elementary school classes at the Tabor
Mountain Ski School as well as private lessons at PowderKing and both school and
private lessons at Purden Ski Resort. For 2008 / 2009 he will be dedicating more
time to Purden Mountain and will be available most days on request. Harold
specializes in getting new skiers safely and comfortably started to enjoy the
thrill of downhill skiing. He also has additional training in skier analysis and
can assist intermediate skiers to improve their style and performance. Harold
learned to ski in Northern B.C. and for his personal skiing prefers powder and
ungroomed terrain. Conditions permitting, he would be happy to provide tips and
training to those wanting to tackle some deeper snow conditions.
Terry Cramer - Snowboard
Instructor
Terry Cramer has been on skis all her life. Her dad worked on Seymour
Mountain in North Vancouver BC as a chairlift operator so that his 3 kids could
ski for free. Those were the days that most runs only had rope tows to get you
up the hill! OK...so you have figured it out she's pretty old. Terry and her
family became Purden Mt. cabin owners in 1986 and have been spending winter
weekends at the hill since then. Terry started to self-learn the 'New Snowboard
Thing' about 15 years ago and has helped many new snowboarder get on their feet!
Her 12 year old grandson is her personal best...and has been snowboarding with him at Whistler for a few years. Terry especially enjoys instructing children...the most impressive was a Cerebral Palsy Student that was able to
handle a board better than skis. Terry will teach you the basics of snowboarding and more!
Ed Day
- Snowboard
Instructor
Ed is a CASI member. Come and join him for a lesson and ... get excited about snowboarding! .
Rick Brine - Snowboard
Instructor Rick with both
his experience in the mountains and as a CASI Certified Level 1 Instructor,
looks forward to teach you the basic snowboarding course. With the “Step”
progression program, you will soon able to ride & glide the board down the hill
with skill, proficiency and independence!
Robert (Bob) Nelmes - Ski Instructor
Stephan (Goose) Guhs
- Snowboard
Instructor
In his own words " I love being outside and getting my face pierced by ice
crystals. Love working and of course snowboarding.
Lorena Tillotson
- Snowboard
Instructor "Your
safey and fun are my priorities." says Lorena. And you will have fun with her!!! .
Thomas (T-Bone) Sandvoss - Ski Instructor
Juliana Chong
- Snowboard
Instructor
Doug Hallman - Ski Instructor
Cheryl Sandvoss - Ski Instructor
Patti Jorgensen - Ski Instructor **Lesson Prices INCLUDE the GST** Last Updated:
March 13, 2010 Webmaster: purdenweb@purden.com
Ed Day has a long history with snow sports. Think back to the early 50's. He's been skiing and for the last 10 years, snowboarding every winter since then. After skiing full time in the early 70's,
(including a few km @ the 1976 Innsbruck Winter Olympics), he taught in SD #57 for 35 years. Now retired from school teaching, he likes to excite newcomers to the "Joy of S....nowboarding".
Like a few other instructors, Rick too started downhill skiing as a kid in
the wood skis/cable bindings generation. A few years ago while back country
skiing, Rick blew out a knee to the point he was no longer able to telemark or downhill. Rick said “none of this”; then tried, and was able
to snowboard. “What a cool sport!” he discovered. Carving with speed
yields a sense of freedom & enjoyment. Rick has lots
of instructional experience. As owner/operator of
Backwater Paddling, he has
helped introduce many Prince George-ites to whitewater paddling, and has even
taught a liftee or two how to complete the 2nd half of the kayak
eskimo roll.
Bob is a Canadian Ski Instructor Alliance certified Level 3 Instructor.
Using the body's centre of gravity and natural movement, Bob can show you how
easy it really is to learn how to ski!
For a more through background check on Bob, surf his personal website:
http://www.rwnelmes.ca
Goose hails from Germany, has been riding the board for ten years, and has
been teaching snowboarding to both kids and adults for the last 2 seasons
at Skischule Heidenheim in Baden-Württemberg. In real-life, he is a
carpenter, and in his off-days at Purden seems to be pretty popular with some of
the folks looking for minor cabin renovations. Goose is living in a
rustic cabin on Purden Lake for the ski season, and whiles away his evenings
working on his music. Once the season is over, he heads to Caracas, Venezuela.
Hate: cold feet, & rain when I already bought my lift ticket. If you've
got a question or just want to go for a ride with me hunt me down at the
ski-hill or
write me an e-mail at Stephan.GuhsATgmail.com
- I'll gladly response to your needs. Special feature: If you want a
German snowboard lesson: No problem! I'm looking forward to instruct in German
as well as in English."
Lorena Tillotson is a Level 1 snowboard instructor (certified by CASI) and
has been riding the slopes for about 10 years. She has a passion for outdoor
sports and loves passing on her knowledge and enthusiasm to others.
Originally hailing from Williams Lake she will return there come April to
continue her seasonal (and awesome!) job as a Wildland Firefighter.
Thomas is a CSIA Level 1 instructor. Thomas (or ‘T-bone’…his on hill
persona) has been skiing for over half his life, starting off on XC skis to
develop balance & finesse on pre-owned ‘skinny’ skis & 3-pin bindings. When
track skiing reached its maximum speed potential (yawn!) it was time to move on
to downhill skiing, learning (self taught) at the school of Hart Knocks (skiing,
falling, skiing, crashing, and skiing day and night at the Hart Ski Hill).
It was with the realization that taking a few actual lessons from a certified
instructor would have removed most of the ‘falling’ and ‘crashing’ from his self
guided learn-to-ski regimen, that he decided to become an instructor and pass
along the secrets of his patent pending ‘Pizza Turn to 720 Iron Cross in Four
Years’ program to others. Thomas will have you ‘shredding the nar’ before you
know it….but up until then, teaching you everything you need to know to ski and
most importantly, to love doing it. You’ll recognize him on the hill as the
green helmeted streak flying down The Face looking for any bump holding the
promise of anything from a 180 or better (in 180 degree increments ONLY! ;o)
Juliana is a Level I Snowboard Instructor certified by the CASI. She has
been skiing for thirteen years and snowboarding for four.
If Juliana seems like a familiar face, that is because she did "time" as a liftee last year at Purden. In Juliana's own words: " I was a liftee last season
at Purden and the perks made it the most fun job I've ever had."
When she isn't helping newbies get used to those big boards on their feet,
Juliana is working on her Master's degree at UNBC in International Environmental
Policy.
Certified as a Level 2 CSIA ski instructor and a
level 1 CSCF coach Doug has taught part-time at ski resorts throughout British
Columbia since 1981, & full time since 1996 following his retirement as an
educator in Prince George School District. Doug instructs when required at time
at Sun Peaks & Tabor, and is a key instructor in the Schools Program at Purden
Ski Village. He is dedicated to his own ski improvement and is constantly ( and
futilely) in pursuit of the technically perfect turn. Doug loves sharing his
passion for skiing with his clients of all levels, ages and abilities!
Cheryl started skiing at Silver Star (it was only ‘Bronze Star’ back then)
when she was three years old, and by six had graduated to the runs on Granite at
Red Mountain Resort. By the tender age of eight she became instrumental in the
development of safety bars on ski lifts (didn’t want to wait until the chair
started moving again “…it’s only 20’ down and snow is soft, right?”). By the
start of next season she was back on the hills just like the adage ‘If a
chairlift bucks you off, you get right back on after the cast comes off’.
Moving easily between downhill skiing, back country touring (the hills around
the lower mainland got a little bit crowded), tele-mark, and back to downhill
she has married her love of skiing and teaching (kids and teachers from the
local school districts might recognize Cheryl as half of the ‘Science in Motion’
team) to become a ski instructor at Purden. If she can make science fun, just
think what she can do with something like skiing that’s already fun to start
with!
Patti is a Canadian Alliance Ski Instructor, Level 1. She has been skiing all of her life, starting back in Ontario where she also taught beginner skiers. She has been in the Prince George area for five years and really appreciates how close the ski slopes are. Patti likes to share her enthusiasm for skiing and other winter sports with the people that she teaches.
Lessons
Private lesson $ 39/hr 
Additional person $
10/hr
Learn to Ski!
(lift/lesson/rental)$ 39.95
Learn to Board!
(lift/lesson/rental)$ 60.00