FAQ

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Some common questions people may ask, please find your answer here.

  • The Club & Membership

Q-1: What is the Ottawa Chinese Ski Club (OCSC)?
Q-2: Do I have to be a club member to participate the OCSC activity?
Q-3: How to register or renew membership?
Q-4: How much is the membership fees?
Q-5: What is included in one family membership?
Q-6: What is the coverage of one membership?
Q-7: How many ski resorts do OCSC organize ski trips?
Q-8: Where are those ski hills anyway?
Q-9: How much do I pay for each lift ticket, respectively for three mountains?
Q-10: Do you have discount for children and seniors ?
Q-11: How to register for the ski trip?
Q-12: How do I check the schedule of the ski trip if I do not receive notification email?
Q-13: Any deadlines for registration?
Q-14: I am too busy to miss the registration deadline. Anyway I can make up?
Q-15: Where and when do I pick up my tickets and rentals?
Q-16: What if I cannot find anyone distributing tickets at the lodge?

  • Ski Lesson Registration

Q-17: I am a beginner. Does the OCSC provide ski lessons for me?
Q-18: That is great. What kinds of lessons and what options do I have?
Q-19: How long does each lesson take and how much do I need to pay for?
Q-20: Can I book my instructor in advance of the ski trip?
Q-21: Where can I see basic information of OCSC instructors?
Q-22: My two little ones are all under age of 5, can they take semi-private lesson?

  • Cancellation Policy

Q-23: Can I cancel my registration?
Q-24: If I cancel my registration in the last minute, what should I do?
Q-25: What is the “No-Show” policy?

  • Logistics

Q-26: I do not have a car, can I get a carpool?
Q-27: What are the basic safety requirements by the OCSC?

  • The Club & Membership

Q-1: What is the Ottawa Chinese Ski Club (OCSC)?
A-1: The ski club is one subsidiary of the Greater Chinese Community Ski and Outdoor Club. It is a not-for-profit organization run by volunteers.

Q-2: Do I have to be a club member to participate the OCSC activity?
A-2: No. All OCSC ski activities are open to members and non-members. However, there is an non-member surcharge per person per trip.

Q-3: How to register or renew membership?
A-3: You can register online. To renew your membership, you just need to pay your membership fee. Email transfer is accepted.  Or you can pay cash at your very first OCSC activity.

Q-4: How much is the membership fees?
A-4: $15 per individual. Family membership is $15 for the family head and $5/person for each additional family member 13 years and older (i.e. A family of 4 will be $30).  Membership fees are NOT refundable.

Q-5: What is included in one family membership?
A-5: Each family membership can hold up to 2 adults and 2 children over 13.

Q-6: What is the coverage of one membership?
A-6: Membership is valid for one season, starting September 1st in the first year to August 31st the year after.

Ski Registration

Q-7: How many ski resorts do OCSC organize ski trips?
A-7: OCSC organize ski trips to several local ski hills, such as  “Mont Cascade”, “Camp Fortune”, “Mont Saint Marie”, and “Calabogie”.

Q-8: Where are those ski hills anyway?
A-8: Addresses of these ski hills are:
Mont Cascade: 448 Chemin du Mont-des-Cascades, Cantley, QC J8V 3B2
Camp Fortune: 300 chemin Dunlop Chelsea, QC J9B 2N3
Mont Saint Marie: 76 Chemin de la Montagne, Lac-Sainte-Marie, QC J0X 1Z0
Calabogie : 30 Barrett Chute Rd, Calabogie, ON K0H 1H0

Q-9: How much do I pay for each lift ticket, respectively for three mountains?
A-9: Thanks to OCSC’s strong bargaining power, club members enjoy great pricing of lift tickets, rentals and services. Detail pricing can be found at the OCSC website (https://keshikadventures.com/ski/). Please note that prices are subject to change without notice.

Q-10: Do you have discount for children and seniors ?
A-10: No. All lift ticket prices are flat and firm. You can purchase season pass at your wish from the ski resort.

Q-11: How to register for the ski trip?
A-11: All registration must be made through the app: KapokTree( you can also use web version: www.kapok-tree.com). Registration opens each Sunday evening for the coming week (Monday to Sunday). A notification email with the payment and rental information will be sent to each person who registered the trip after the deadline. If you want to change your registration please directly reply to the notification email with your change request. IMPORTANT: If you need rental, it is very important that you fill up information (weight, height, ski level, etc.) upon registration. Otherwise, you may wait 30 minutes or longer to get your rental. If you also register a lesson, please arrive the hill at least 30 minutes prior to the lesson to get your rental and dress up.

Q-12: How do I check the activity schedule?
A-12: On the club website (https://keshikadventures.com/ski/), down at the bottom, there is a Ottawa Chinese Outdoor Club calendar where you can find the schedule information. Alternatively, you can double check with the organizer at the Wechat group (not recommended though).

Q-13: Any deadlines for registration?
A-13: Yes. Registrations will be closed Wednesday 9pm for Saturday trip, and Thursday 9pm for Sunday trip.

Q-14: I am too busy to miss the registration deadline. Anyway I can make up?
A-14: We understand sometimes things happened. Depending on each ski hill, on-site registration maybe accepted, but no guarantee. Late registration fee will be applied (see https://keshikadventures.com/ski/ for more detail)

Q-15: Where and when do I pick up my tickets and rentals?
A-15: You can pick up your lift tickets at the main lodge of each respective ski hill. We suggest that you pay exact cash in order to get your tickets faster and easier.
Usually, tickets will be distributed before 10:30am.
Once you pay and get your lift/rental combo tickets, you need to go to the rental office to get your rental equipment. You may speed up the process by telling the rental staff that you are one of the Ottawa Chinese ski club members (sometimes, just say Chinese).

Q-16: What if I cannot find anyone distributing tickets at the lodge?
A-16: That means you are late. We understand it is always because of traffic. It’s your responsibility though to find us after regular hours. You may find us either at the baby hill in the morning or in the main lodge during the lunch time.

  • Ski Lesson Registration

Q-17: I am a beginner. Does the OCSC provide ski lessons for me?
A-17: Yes. There are many CSIA (Canadian Ski Instructor Association) certified ski instructors and CASI (Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructor) certified snowboard instructors in OCSC. While beginners are strongly recommended to take lessons, the club offers lessons to intermediate skiers as well.

Q-18: That is great. What kinds of lessons and what options do I have?
A-18: OCSC offers private (1 on 1, 1 on 2, and 1 on 3 and up) lessons and public group lessons for beginners. In addition, OCSC provides programs and packages (see programs: https://keshikadventures.com/ski/ski-programs/) that designates one instructor to you or your kids and ski more effectively over 4 consecutive lessons.

Q-19: How long does each lesson take and how much do I need to pay for?
A-19: Each lesson takes one hour. You need to pay prior to taking a lesson. You can book two consecutive lessons in one registration.
You can find the rates here: https://keshikadventures.com/ski/

Q-20: Can I book my instructor in advance of the ski trip?
A-20: yes, please use app, KapokTree (or web version: www.kapok-tree.com) to book lessons and choose available instructors before the deadline for each lesson. Instructors will contact you after your registration is successfully completed to confirm the student skiing/snowboarding level, lesson time, meeting location, special requirement, etc

Q-21: Where can I see basic information of OCSC instructors?
A-21: On a voluntary basis, OCSC instructors post some of their information on the club website (https://keshikadventures.com/our-team/). It would nicer to chat with instructors on the lift chair.

Q-22: My two little ones are all under age of 5, can they take semi-private lesson?
A-22: For the sake of safety, we DO NOT offer semi-private for kids under 5. Each kid younger than 5-years old MUST take private lesson(s).

  • Cancellation Policy

Q-23: Can I cancel my registration?
A-23: Yes, you can cancel your registration without a reason. However, you need to notify the OCSC 12 hours in advance of the ski trip (ie, 21:30 the day before the trip) to waive cancellation fees.

Q-24: If I cancel my registration in the last minute, what should I do?
A-24: You just need to pay FULL payment (tickets, rentals, or lessons) owed for the trip you missed when you participate in the NEXT ski trip.

Q-25: What is the “No-Show” policy?
A-25: The first time no-show is treated as “last minute cancellation”. Individuals who have “no-show” for more than once will be “Blacklisted”.
If a club member is “Blacklisted”, then his/her individual membership will be suspended until membership due is paid again plus “last minute cancellation” payment owed is paid in full. For nonmember, OCSC will charge $15 extra to reinstate his/her privilege to participate in the next ski trip.
Please note: OCSC is run by volunteers. A no-show not only gets volunteer organizers some troubles (e.g. return tickets), but also affect other skiers (e.g. postpone lessons).

  • Logistics

Q-26: I do not have a car, can I get a carpool?
A-26: We have WeChat groups for carpool purpose. You can post your request there. Carpooling fees are at the discretion of the driver.

Q-27: What are the basic safety requirements by the OCSC?
A-27: Safety is the top priority for everybody. You are at your own risk at the ski hill. OCSC recommends that all skiers put on helmet at all time on the snow (no matter you are skiing or just standing at the slope), set binding DINs at the proper value, and ski at your level at all mountains.
If you take a ski lesson, your instructor will give you clear safety instructions. Ski instructors reserve the right to NOT offer the lesson if you do not follow the safety instructions. In this case, your lesson fees are not refundable.