The Lake Louise Ski Club is gearing up for the return of its annual Grizzly Cup on Saturday, February 7, welcoming all Grizzlies and U12 athletes for a fun, supportive introduction to freeride competition. The club once again extends thanks to Bear Street Outfitters for sponsoring this year’s event.

About the Grizzly Cup
Launched in 2012, the Grizzly Cup celebrates the passion and progression of young skiers. The event focuses on fostering confidence, showcasing big‑mountain skills, and introducing athletes to competition in a positive environment. This has become a marque event of the LLSCs and a coveted prize for competitors. Past Grizzly Cup winners include athletes who have gone on to the Alberta Ski Team, race in the NCAA, star in big mountain ski movies, and now includes an Olympian, with Britt Richardson recently named to the 2026 Canadian Olympic team. 

Event Details

• Location: Grizzly Bowl
• Format: One judged run per athlete
• Start Time: 10:00am
• Awards: Top 3 girls and boys for each birth year (2020–2016) and for U12 (2015–2014 combined)​

Judging Criteria

• Control: Maintaining stability; controlled recoveries reduce deductions
• Technique: Quality of turns and big‑mountain style
• Style & Energy: Creativity, pace, and line choice

Volunteers Needed
Helpers are required to support event operations.

• Volunteer check‑in: 8:30 a.m. for instructions and equipment
• Check out volunteer sign up here

Club Social & Awards
A club‑wide social will follow in the North Face Room at 3:00 p.m.

• All LLSC athletes receive a voucher for a hamburger (gluten‑free bun available)
• Bar open; additional food for purchase
• Awards ceremony at 3:30 p.m.
• Event social sponsored by Lynn Donaldson & Associates

​We look forward to seeing all of you at this year's Grizzly Cup!

At the LLSCs we have athletes ranging in the age from U6 to U21, and a couple weeks ago we had two amazing opportunities for our older athletes to work with our younger athletes. 

Athletes in the new G12 program are gearing up for their first taste of IFSA competition later this season, and on January 17th & 18th they received an invaluable boost: a mentorship session with some of the club’s veteran Freeride athletes.
The initiative—developed by coaches Sydney and Hanna—paired younger athletes with experienced freeriders to learn how to choose a competition line and execute it with confidence. The session delivered benefits on both sides: older athletes strengthened their understanding by talking through strategy and demonstrating techniques, while the younger skiers absorbed insights “like sponges,” watching high‑quality examples right in front of them.
The coaches say the exercise not only prepares G12 athletes for competition but also deepens community, leadership, and shared learning across the program. After the formal mentorship portion of the afternoon was done, the older athletes even asked to continue skiing with new ski buddies. We love to see this!

On January 17th we mixed things up with a special on-snow crossover we’re calling Bring Your FIS Friend to Work Day — where our current FIS athletes had the chance to ski alongside former teammates who are now part of our coaching team.
These athletes spent an afternoon freeskiing with our Grizzlies athletes, creating a fun and meaningful opportunity for athletes at different stages of the pathway to share runs, energy, and experience. For FIS athletes, it was a chance to reconnect with where their journey began, and for Grizzlies, it was an exciting glimpse into what’s possible as they continue to grow.  Here are some short reflections for our FIS team about this experience. 
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Emma Peterson:
“I had the incredible opportunity to ski with Abby and Kyleigh’s G12 group. It was so cool joining them and seeing the younger racers ski and push themselves. I really enjoyed the chance to connect with the racers and hope to do it again.”
Parker Howard:
“When I was skiing with Callum and Todd’s group we focused on skiing as much as we could. We explored the mountain and hit almost every jump in sight. It was a really fun afternoon and I enjoyed every second of skiing with the younger kids.”
Bertie Booker:
“When I was skiing with Ben and Maggie's group I had a great time and I tried to help by demonstrating good pole plants while skiing bumps. I really enjoyed how much energy the kids have and how much they seem to love skiing.”

Moments like these highlight what makes our club special: strong relationships, learning from one another, and a community that stays connected across every stage of the athlete journey, from Grizzlies to Freeride to FIS and beyond. 

Hello Race Fans,
The race club has been busy chasing the local White Circus, with multiple race stops at Norquay and Panorama, along with events at the Lake and our FIS teams current stop in Kimberley for the Dreadnaught Speed Series and Night SL. As with most race weekends, some athletes achieved personal bests, some faced underwhelming performances, and all walked away with valuable learnings as they look to improve as we enter the heart of the competition season. 
We don’t measure success by podiums alone. We measure it by day-over-day improvement in ski performance, mental performance, and human performance.
That said… we absolutely celebrate podiums and wanted to highlight the following:

• Mike Janyk, Olympian and 2009 World Championship bronze medalist in slalom, delivered excellent mental performance sessions with our U14 athletes during the hostel camp.
• Our brave U12 coaches took their group away for three nights at hostel camp and are now looking ahead to the Ski Cross event at Nakiska this coming weekend.
• Six of the ten athletes representing our zone at the Alberta Winter Games are U14 LLSC athletes:
  • Arabella Booker
  • Carmen Bullock
  • Abby Caputa
  • Alex Howard
  • Meredith Kohlsmith
  • Zach Osborne
• Parker Howard earned top spot in U18 SL at Nakiska, laying down the 3rd fastest second run overall.
• Arabella Booker and Alex Howard brought home hardware at the first U14 Provincial Series, earning bronze and gold respectively in the slalom.
• The U16s are hungry for more at their 2nd race series in Jasper knowing they have more to give following Panorama
• Kael Johnston is your U19 National Champion in Ski Cross and is heading back from Europe this weekend to re-focus on his alpine racing until the next ski cross NorAm
• Emma Peterson speeding her way to her first FIS podium with a 3rd overall and 2nd U19 in The Dreadnaught Downhill on Wednesday

Plenty of progress, plenty of learning, and plenty to celebrate. Onward.

In order to hold our banquet on the intended date of Saturday, April 25, we have had to make a change in venue. The event will now take place at the Coast Canmore Hotel & Conference Centre. The Coast has successfully hosted this banquet for us in the past and has provided exceptional service.

We are also hopeful that this change will make the event more accessible and cost‑effective for all families. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with dinner to follow, allowing for an earlier return for those traveling back to Calgary. Additionally, the Coast is offering discounted room rates for our group. Reservations may be made using the following link:
https://book.passkey.com/go/LakeLouiseSki2026. Please note that, in order to secure the lowest possible rate, the first night of each reservation is pre‑paid and non‑refundable. Any additional nights remain subject to a 48‑hour cancellation policy.
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We are still seeking 2–3 volunteers to assist with final event preparations. Increased participation will help ensure that individual time commitments remain minimal. If you are interested in volunteering, please reply to this email.

Kael Johnston, one of our senior FIS athletes had an exciting week racing in the NorAm and National Championship Ski Cross at Nakiska as week. 
 
Through two competitive days of NorAm competition, he achieved a 4th and a 5th place, and moved into 3rd place in the NorAm overall standings.  The week capped off with SX National Championships where he went head-to-head with Overall World Cup Leader Reece Howden in the semi-final, qualifying for the Small Final, finishing 8th overall, and securing the U19 National Champion title.  Kael was also grateful to get to compete against Kris Mahler, whom he’s been working with on his physical and mental preparation through the off season; Kris won the Overall National Championship.
 
Thanks to his strong SX NorAm performances this season, Kael was extended an invitation to attend three Europa Cup Races as a ski-up athlete with the Canadian Next-Gen SX team. He is currently in Lenk Switzerland and will head to Austria and France over the next couple weeks. This project will provide him with experience on new tracks, and an opportunity to test himself against a new field of athletes has he continues to build on a big season. 
 
We are incredibly proud to watch Kael as he takes this next step in his ski racing journey, setting his sights further along the SX pathway. We wish you the best as you represent Canada and the Lake Louise Ski Club in Europe! 

Our Level One Official course has been rescheduled to this coming weekend, January 17 & 18. This course is open to all club members and is highly recommended for those who wish to volunteer at races we are hosting this season. There is no cost to attend and no previous experience is needed.

The course consists of two parts:

1. On-Hill Component (Optional but Highly Recommended)
   This session will be led by Joey O’Brien. He will meet participants at 9:30 a.m. in the kids’ drop-off area to ski over to the Juniper Chair as a group. The session is scheduled to run until 11:00 a.m., but Joey will remain available for those who have additional questions and wish to continue.
2. Classroom Session
   The classroom portion will be lead by Sean Johnston and will take place at 1:00 p.m. in the Race/Timing Center, located at the base of the terrain park. For those unable to attend the on-hill component and unsure how to get to the Race Center, we will at 12:45 p.m., again in the kids drop off area, to ski up as a group.​

Please sign up below so we know who to expect!

We’re excited to start planning our Year-End Awards Banquet, and we need 2–3 volunteers to join the planning committee!
This is a great opportunity to help shape an event that celebrates our club’s hard work and achievements. Committee members will assist with tasks such as:

• Coordinating decorations and setup
• Set up and manage ticket sales using our existing platform
• Organizing awards and recognition details

If you’re interested in contributing to this special event, please reply to this message or reach out to me directly by Friday, January 16.
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Thank you for helping make this banquet a memorable celebration!

Please bookmark this link and monitor it regularly throughout the season to ensure it remains up to date. You have until May 1 to confirm that tracking is complete for your family. Please note that once your family has fulfilled its volunteer commitment, we will no longer provide further updates for your family.
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If you have any questions regarding our volunteer policy or available opportunities, please contact our volunteer coordinators, Mandy Long and Sheena Johnson, at [email protected].

💖 Sisters in Send – Galentine’s Ski Day at Lake Louise! 🎿
Date: February 13th
Location: Lake Louise Ski Resort
Cost: $50

Celebrate friendship and community on the slopes! Join us for this year’s Sisters in Send – Galentine’s Ski Day, a fun-filled event focused on fostering a love of skiing and building strong connections.

This event is open to:

• All athletes born in 2018 and earlier
• All moms of the Lake Louise Ski Clubs (including snowboard moms!)

What to Expect:

• Athletes and moms will be placed in groups that provide an appropriate challenge throughout the day.
• The day will be led by our amazing female coaching staff from the Grizzlies, Freeride, and Race clubs.
• Morning: Try some basic gate environments.
• Afternoon: Explore the mountain, finding the perfect challenge for every ability level.

Registration is now open on RAMP:
👉 Click here to sign up
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Don’t miss out on this incredible day of skiing, learning, and celebrating Galentine’s together!

We hope this message finds you well. As part of our ongoing commitment to provide the best experience for both you and your children, we are conducting our Annual Survey to gather valuable feedback on our club's programming.

Our annual survey takes place in January of each season and is a requirement to objectively evaluate club member satisfaction. The insights gathered from this survey inform our Board of Directors during their annual review, helping us continue to deliver professionally designed ski programs in a highly professional manner while upholding RISE principles. Together with our coaches, parents, volunteers, and athletes, we strive to build a community of lifelong skiers.

Your feedback on these critical areas is important for us to meet our objectives. Please note that the survey is not anonymous, as our management team needs to be able to respond to meaningful member feedback in a very deliberate way.

Please take a few moments to complete the survey:
The Lake Louise Ski Clubs Annual Member Survey - 2025/2026 – Fill out form

As an incentive to complete this survey we will giving a prize for participation. A survey respondent will be randomly drawn from the club that has the highest number of responses. The deadline to complete the survery is Sunday, January 25.
Thank you for your support and for being an integral part of the Lake Louise Ski Club.

​We look forward to hearing from you!