Grouse Tyee Ski Club Silent Auction
Your Opportunity to Train With Us in Beautiful Austria
A Week of Immersive Ski Development for a group of Up to Four Skiers
The winning bidder receives a complete Development Cycle based on coach Massoud’s coaching philosophy for up to four people—an immersive ski-development experience designed to help serious intermediate-to-advanced skiers make meaningful, lasting progress.
Bring up to three other people and spend 5–6 days training together in the mountains, with approximately 25 hours of structured on-snow skill development supported by physical training, deliberate practice, technical feedback, and a clear plan for continued improvement.
It is not a race training camp, extreme skiing camp, conventional ski holiday or high-mileage ski camp. The emphasis is on technical skiing, athletic development, decision-making under load, and building skills that continue to develop after the experience ends.
For more about our philosophy and how Development Cycles work, please see Our Approach, and Development Cycles.
We have tried to think of everything you need to make an informed decision. Please see below for details of:
What You Receive
The auction experience is based on a complete True North Alpine Mastery Development Cycle.
For up to four participants, this includes:
5–6 days of structured on-snow development
Approximately 25 hours of focused coaching and guided practice, with the emphasis on quality and purposeful training rather than simply accumulating ski mileage.
Pre-trip readiness and suitability assessment
Before the trip, we establish whether the experience is appropriate for each participant and identify any important physical or practical considerations.
Individual technical assessment
We assess each skier's current skiing and identify the technical priorities that will have the greatest impact on their development.
Deliberate practice and progressive application
Rather than simply demonstrating techniques and moving on, we use structured practice to help participants understand, feel, and apply new skills in progressively more demanding situations.
Two physical-training sessions
These sessions connect physical preparation directly to skiing and help participants understand how strength, movement quality, balance, mobility, and fatigue affect their skiing.
One development seminar/workshop
The group steps away from skiing to explore aspects of the development process that are difficult to address effectively while moving on snow.
Training-load and fatigue management
The objective is not to ski until everyone is exhausted. We manage the training load so that participants can continue to learn and perform well throughout the experience.
End-of-cycle feedback and direction
At the end of the Development Cycle, participants receive feedback on their progress and guidance on what to practice after returning home.
The result is not simply a memorable week of skiing. It is a development experience with a beginning, a progression, and a path forward.
Number of Participants
The auction winner may participate alone or bring up to three additional people, for a total of four participants included in the donated coaching experience.
If the winner wishes to add a fifth or sixth participant, additional places may be available at €2,500 per person, subject to coach availability. These additional places would require a second qualified coach to maintain an appropriate coach-to-athlete ratio.All other expenses remain the responsibility of the participants regardless of group size.
The maximum group size is six, and all participants must meet the suitability requirements.
Who Is This Experience For?
This experience is intended for serious intermediate-to-advanced adult skiers who want to improve their skiing in a structured and purposeful environment.
It is particularly suited to skiers who see skiing as an important athletic pursuit and are interested in more than simply exploring new terrain or accumulating ski days.
Participants should be prepared to:
Think about how they ski rather than simply where they ski
Work on specific technical priorities
Practice deliberately
Accept feedback
Manage fatigue and training load
Connect physical preparation with skiing performance
Continue working on their skiing after returning home
This is not a race training camp, conventional ski school experience, guided ski holiday, or high-mileage ski camp. The purpose is skill development with appropriate intensity and volume to make participants versatile skiers.
Suitability Assessment
Every participant must complete a pre-trip readiness and suitability assessment.
This is an important part of our approach. We want to understand where each skier is starting from, whether the experience is appropriate for them, and what should be prioritized during the Development Cycle.
The assessment also helps us build a group in which participants can train effectively together.
Successful completion of the assessment is required for every participant, including additional participants invited by the auction winner.
If the Winning Bidder Is Not Suitable
If the winning bidder is not yet ready to participate, they can transfer their winning to another suitable participant.** Alternatively, if the winning bidder or another intended participant needs more time to improve their skiing or physical readiness, they may choose to participate in November–December 2027, allowing additional time to prepare.
Where and When?
The Development Cycle will take place during one of two windows:
March–May 2027
or
November–December 2027
Neither window is preferred. The exact dates will be mutually agreed in advance, taking into account coach availability, snow conditions, and the needs of the participants.
Kaprun, Austria
Our most likely training base is Kaprun, Austria.
Kaprun gives us the flexibility to use several ski areas and, when conditions permit, the Kitzsteinhorn glacier. This allows the training environment to be selected according to snow conditions and the objectives of the Development Cycle rather than committing the group to one hill regardless of conditions.
If Kaprun is unavailable or coaches are travelling for the dates that participants prefer, we may instead conduct the Development Cycle at another appropriate location in Austria or Italy.
The final location will be mutually agreed in advance.
What Is Not Included?
The auction covers the donated coaching experience for the first four participants.
All other costs are the responsibility of the participants.
These include:
Airfare
Airport and local transportation
Accommodation
Lift tickets or ski passes
Ski equipment and equipment-related expenses
Meals
Travel insurance
Ski/training insurance
Personal expenses
These costs apply to everyone, including the first four participants.
Approximate Travel Costs
As a rough planning guide for November - early December 2026:
Round-trip economy airfare from Vancouver to Salzburg or Munich: approximately *CAD $1,500–$2,000 per person**
Salzburg Airport to Kaprun: approximately *€18 per person by direct bus**, or approximately €220 for a private taxi/minibus for 1–8 people
Munich Airport to Kaprun: approximately *€500 for a private taxi/minibus for 1–8 people**
Six-day adult Ski ALPIN CARD: approximately *€440 from December 19, 2026 onward**
Eligible 2026/27 Epic Pass holders may be able to use their pass for five days at the participating ALPIN CARD resorts, subject to their specific pass terms.
Once the dates and location have been agreed, participants can make their own arrangements according to their preferred travel and accommodation standards.
Insurance
Appropriate ski/training insurance and travel insurance are conditions of participation. Participants must ensure that their coverage is suitable for their individual circumstances and the activities they intend to undertake.
Ski/Training Insurance
Participants may join and arrange ski/training insurance through Grouse Tyee Ski Club or another ski club registered with BC Alpine, subject to the applicable membership, eligibility, registration, and insurance requirements.
Under the current arrangements being explored, this option includes the applicable Masters program fee and insurance ($186) and SAIP Level 2 insurance for travel outside Canada ($415). These amounts are provided as a guide and should be confirmed before registration.
Sport accident insurance arranged through a participating club is intended to cover eligible members taking part in the sanctioned training program and associated travel, subject to the applicable policy terms and conditions. Participants should not assume that this coverage extends to an extended stay in Europe, independent skiing outside the sanctioned program, or tourism activities.
Insurance for Extended Stays
Participants who plan to extend their stay in Europe beyond the sanctioned program should arrange appropriate additional insurance for their individual travel plans.
This should include suitable emergency medical coverage for skiing and organized ski training in Europe. Participants should also consider travel insurance covering trip cancellation and interruption, as these benefits may be separate from their medical or sport accident coverage.
Coach Massoud can provide guidance on insurance options acceptable under the club's arrangements and consistent with BC Alpine and Alpine Canada's requirements. Participants who need assistance identifying suitable options should contact him through the True North Alpine Mastery website contact page or at the club fundraising event.
Participants who are not already members of an eligible club should contact Coach Massoud before making arrangements to confirm the applicable membership, registration, and insurance requirements.
Proof of the required insurance must be provided well in advance of the intended dates and accepted before participation. All coverage remains subject to the applicable policy terms, conditions, eligibility requirements, and exclusions.
Participant Responsibilities
The auction experience is a shared commitment between the coaches and the participants.
Participants are responsible for:
Completing the pre-trip suitability and readiness assessment
Providing accurate information relevant to their participation
Obtaining and maintaining appropriate ski/training insurance
Obtaining appropriate travel insurance
Providing proof of required insurance before participation
Making all travel and accommodation arrangements
Paying for lift tickets, equipment, meals, and personal expenses
Arriving appropriately prepared for the Development Cycle
Participating responsibly and following reasonable coaching and safety requirements
Coach(es) are responsible for delivering the donated Development Cycle and providing the coaching, structured practice, physical-training sessions, seminar, assessment, and feedback described above.
What Makes This Different?
Most ski experiences are built around skiing more: more days, more terrain, more vertical, more runs.
Coach Massoud takes a different approach. More fatigue does not equate to better learning outcomes.
We are interested in what actually makes a skier better.
That means identifying the technical and athletic qualities that matter most, creating appropriate challenges, practicing deliberately, managing fatigue, and progressively applying skills under increasing demands.
Physical preparation is connected to skiing. Technical improvement is connected to decision-making. The work done during the Development Cycle is connected to what the skier needs to do afterward.
The objective is not simply to make participants better during the week in Austria.
It is to give them a better understanding of how to continue becoming better skiers.
Questions?
If you have questions about the auction experience, participant suitability, scheduling, travel or anything else, please contact Coach Massoud directly through our contact page: https://www.truenorthalpinemastery.ca/contact
We are happy to have a conversation before you bid so that you understand exactly what is being offered and whether it is right for you.
