FAQ

Here is a list of the most frequent questions that we're asked.

Will Core Camps be open during the Olympics?

Yes, we’ll be proudly running camps all season long and during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. It’ll be a great time to be here.

Will the mountains be busy during the Olympics?

Probably not. Since most of the visitors in Whistler at that time will be watching events around the Whistler Valley, the mountains shouldn’t be busy at all.

What’s the average age at the camps?

95% of our campers are between the ages of 17 - 34. If you’d like to get technical, the average camper age is 23.4 years old. The mix of ages makes the camps way more interesting as well. Whether you’re in the middle of a fresh powder run with your group or learning new tricks on a jump day, honestly, age is the last thing on our minds. Riders from 14 to 40+ are more than welcome at Core Camps.

Do most campers come alone or with friends?

Most campers come to the camp on their own. But once you arrive in Whistler, you’ll be met by all of the other campers and be warmly welcomed into the camp family. From then on you’ll be hanging out with other like-minded riders. If you’d like to come the camps with a friend, that’s cool too. Just let us know if you’d like to share a room with them and we’ll do our best to make it happen.

Which countries do campers come from?

It breaks down something like this:
North America 32%
Europe 38%
Australia 11%
South America 7%
Asia 12%

Does my camp include weekend lift tickets?

Yes, for two and three week full package camps. One week camps include Monday to Friday lift tickets and you can request extra tickets before you arrive. Any camp 4 weeks or longer automatically includes an unlimited season pass. A season pass is valid from the day you arrive to mid June and gets you good discounts on and off the mountains.
You can request to upgrade your lift pass to a season pass if you plan on staying in Whistler longer. The breakdown:
One week camp –
5 day lift pass (Monday to Friday) with an option to add days.
Two week camp –
12 day lift pass (Monday to the next Friday) option to add days.
Three week camp –
19 day lift pass (Monday for 3 weeks) option to add days.
Four weeks+ camps –
Unlimited season pass to use all season before, during and after camp.

What are the accommodations like?

We have two types of accommodations: Our Core houses and home stay.
The Core houses are comfortable houses within Whistler. They are all fully furnished right up to the linens and towels. The Core houses are based on two riders per room. Riders are responsible for their own meals at the Core houses.
The home stay accommodations are private and shared rooms within the homes of cool, local Whistler families. It’s a great Canadian experience. All meals are included at the home stays. Riders under 18 will stay with a home stay for supervision purposes.

Can I arrive in Whistler mid week before my camp begins?

Yes, you can arrive in Whistler any day of the week, although you’ll need to make your own accommodation arrangements until Saturday. Your Camp accommodation will begin on Saturday (or Sunday if you’re arriving then). On request, we can send you a list of Whistler hostels, lodges, B&Bs, hotels and their contact details. We can also arrange your door-to-door airport transfer to drop you off at any Whistler location if you’re arriving mid week.

How do I get from the airport to Whistler?

We arrange for you door to door service with Pacific Coach Lines. Shortly after you send us your flight details, we email you your bus voucher, confirmation number, details and airport meeting area map. A driver will be waiting with a clear sign at the international and/or domestic arrivals lounge of Vancouver International Airport (YVR), and then take you to your Core Camp accommodation in Whistler. Buses leave every 2 hours from early morning to 11pm. It’s a pretty smooth and comfortable process. Return transportation is also included.

How is coaching organized?

Riders snowboard with others and a coach in small groups averaging 4:1. This ensures lots of personal coaching. You will ride in groups of a similar level. All coaches are Canadian Pros with lots of coaching experience and certifications. The coaches are here to help you improve, take you to the secret spots and have great times on the mountains.

What ability do I need to be?

Abilities range from novice to aspiring pros. We have groups for every level of rider. If you can snowboard confidently on beginner runs then you are ready for our camps. We recommend you have at least 4~5 days of snowboarding experience before the first day of camps. If you’d like to join and have never snowboarded before, custom packages are available on request.

Where will we ride on the mountains?

Everywhere. If you haven’t ridden Whistler-Blackcomb before, you will be amazed by the variety of terrain that the biggest resort in North America has. If you’ve ridden here before, get ready to re-discover the mountains. We ride the best spots. Powder, trees, cruisers, parks, pipes, hit runs, glades, controlled backcountry etc. Where we ride depends on the weather and snow conditions of the day.

Are helmets mandatory?

Helmets are not mandatory but are very strongly recommended. If you have a helmet, please bring it and wear it, or use one from the camps. With PRO-TEC as our protective gear supplier, all riders have free use of a wide range of PRO-TEC helmets and protective equipment while shredding at the camps.

Do I need a passport and visa?

If you are visiting from another country then yes, you will need a passport to come to Canada.
For almost all countries, obtaining special visas is not necessary. Canadian Immigration issues six month visitor visas when you arrive. To check about your country please check - http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.html

Do I need medical insurance?

Yes, you are required to have travel (medical) insurance to join the camps. If you extend your camps while you’re here, we can arrange extended medial coverage for you. We can also arrange medical insurance for you while you're here through StudentGuard at $2/day. It covers you for any type of medically related emergency on and off the mountains. It does not, however, cover you from trip interruption or cancellation. If you do get hurt, Whistler-Blackcomb's ski and snowboard Patrolers are the best in the world. Whistler has an excellent hospital and physiotherapy clinics to help you recover quickly.

What should I bring?

Please bring all of your usual snowboard gear. It is possible to buy all kinds of snowboard gear in Whistler. There are lots of shops with all the brands. There are some amazing deals on gear through out the season as well. We've set up some deep discounts at a few local snowboard shops for Core Camp riders.

Should I do training to get ready?

It’s a very good idea to do some training before you come. We've designed a simple and effective winter workout program that both campers and coaches have been using - Core Camp Winter Workout
A regular workout for your core muscles, lower body and basic stretching will help you a lot. Whistler’s runs are quite long so it’s also good to go snowboarding for a day or two before you’re here to get your legs ready.

Do you have summer camps too?

Core Camps is a winter and spring season snowboard camp, but our summer camp partner, Camp of Champions, is the sickest summer camp on the planet! For over 20 years now, COC has been offering the best summer ski, snowboard and mountain bike camp experience. They boast the largest private park in the world, great pro coaches, tones of after riding activities, free swag…there’s too much to list. Just check out their website for all the details – CAMP OF CHAMPIONS

What’s the Core Camps facility like?

The Core Camps campus is like your home away from home. Right in the heart of Whistler Village, our campus has a big comfortable lounge, WIFI, computers with high speed internet, classrooms for video analysis, heated storage space for your snowboards, boots and gear, a wax and tune-up room, a kitchen and local staff you help you. Core Snowboard Camps shares their big space with International House Whistler (an English Language School).

From what age can I join?

You can join the camps from 14 years old. Most of the Core riders are from their late teens to early thirties. For international riders under the age of 18, we will send you custodianship papers from your home stay to help you through immigration. Please try to contact us at least 4 weeks prior to complete the forms. There is a $100 fee for custodianship.

What’s a Typical Day like?

A typical day at the camp goes something like this:
8 ~ 8:30am: Meet at the school, warm up, stretch, gear up, and all walk to the gondola (200 meters).
9am ~ Noon: Riding, coaching, training, improving, floating, jumping, spinning, grabbing, jibbing, slashing, carving, hiking, and having an amazing time.
Noon ~ 1pm On mountain lunch.
1pm ~ 3ish You can keep riding until the days end.
4 ~ 5pm: Snowboard seminars (2 per week)
5pm onwards: Free time, social outings, gym, hot tub, Core Camp's own night park, movies, shopping, pubs etc... or just relax.

If we haven’t answered your questions here, please e-mail us at info@corecamps.com