Demelza Clay
High performance Ski Coach
About the Course
Skiing powder is easy…
The real challenge? Gaining access to fresh snow and a low-pressure setting where you can focus on dialling in your technique by getting plenty of good quality practice. Resorts make this tough: powder days are scarce, lift lines are hectic, and it’s usually tracked out after 2-3 runs. And while cat and heli-ski lodges offer awesome access to untouched snow,
guides are rarely in the position to offer coaching around powder technique. People are often grouped with skiers at different ability levels on terrain that is difficult to learn on.
That’s why I’m hosting an immersive powder skiing camp at one of North America’s top cat skiing lodges. This is more than a dream trip - it’s a transformational leap in your skiing journey.
We have a private cat filled with a supportive group of like minded skiers who are there to progress their technique. You’ll progress at your own pace, on terrain that matches your ability, we will challenge you with special pow skiing drills... and in the process you're going to have some of the best runs of your life!
What you get:
4 days of guided cat skiing (includes a Lead Guide & Tail Guide)
All-Inclusive experience: Gourmet meals and comfortable lodging.
Pristine terrain; Access thousands of acres of untracked snow via snowcat—no lift lines, no pressure, just pure powder.
2 coaches; Demelza Clay and Darren Richmond
Progressive learning; tasks and exercises to help you improve your pow turns
Terrain specific coaching
Video feedback session during the ski day (in the cat on the way to the top)
Lots of practice time and feedback, approx 10 runs per day!
Video review session after skiing
Indoor technique simulation session
A safe and stress free environment; a fun focused experience and lots of good vibes.
Max 11 skiers in our group (5-6 skiers per coach)
Evacuation coverage
$5950 CAD per person (inc. taxes, fees and exac. coverage)
About Your Coaches; Demelza Clay & Darren Richmond
Demelza is a high-performance coach with extensive heli, cat, and backcountry guiding experience in BC and Japan. She knows the challenges people face learning to ski deep powder and exactly how to help skiers progress. An APSI Level 4, National Team alumna, and former Level 4 Examiner/Trainer, she also holds a, Exercise & Sports Science degree, majoring in biomechanics and coaching sciences. She is also a content creator for Carv and has shared some of her powder skiing coaching on their YouTube:
https://youtu.be/i83AAImE1mM?si=K3poYTk1HPfgxRiz
Darren Richmond is a high performance coach, CSIA Level 4, CSIA National Team Alumnus, Former Snowsports Director at SilverStar BC Canada and Former CSIA Examiner/Trainer. Known for his smooth, dynamic ski technique and his positive, inspiring coaching style, Darren is widely regarded as one of the CSIA’s top demonstrators... and fun fact; he has also podiumed multiple times when he competed at the World Powder 8's!
Ability Requirements
Whilst you do not need to be an aggressive skier, you do need to have some experience skiing powder and in off-piste terrain. Some indicators that you are the right ability:
You can make short radius turns down a steep blue groomer with speed control.
You have skied bumps (it might not be pretty, but you can confidently link turns down a blue/black bump run.)
You have tried cat or heli skiing before! Maybe you didn’t have the best day, maybe the group was way too fast, but you could link turns in powder, especially in open terrain.
You know how to pole plant and you use your poles when you ski.
You’ve skied some resort powder days; you were linking turns very comfortably on steep blue or black terrain, maybe you had shot at a powdery off piste/bump run.
About Monashee Powder Snowcats
Monashee Powder is one of our favorite cat-skiing operations, offering ideal terrain for novice to advanced powder skiers—from mellow alpine slopes to wide-open tree runs. The lodge has a relaxed, cozy vibe, great food, hot tubs, and exceptional guiding staff who help make your trip safe and comfortable.
Click here for information about Monashee Powder Snowcats:
Your Coaches
Demelza Clay & Darren Richmond
Demelza is an internationally renowned ski coach, movement specialist, and former Australian National Team member. Known for her powerful yet fluid freeskiing style. Her husband, Darren Richmond, is a CSIA Level 4 and former National Team Member who has been recognised over the years as one of Canada's best demonstrators and a standout powder skier having competed and placed in the World Powder 8 Championships. A virtual coaching 'power couple' these two are empowering personalities who will help you fall in love with the process. Between them they guided heli/cat-skiing trips in Canada and Japan, coached, off-piste, technical freeski camps in Japan, Austria, Switzerland and Chile.