2026 Fernie Trails & Ski Touring Avalanche Bursary Recipients

The Fernie Trails and Ski Touring Club (FTSTC) 2026 Avalanche Bursary Program awarded a total of $2,500, with funding allocated based on the cost of each recipient’s training program. Applicants this year reflect the breadth of avalanche education being pursued in the Elk Valley, from first-time courses to continued skill development.

FTSTC President Magnus Leckenby commented, “This program supports people who want to learn more about avalanches and decision-making in winter terrain.”

Each year, the bursary program helps further avalanche education in the Elk Valley and has been in place for more than a decade, with over $25,000 awarded to date. Applicants must apply in writing to directors@fernietrails.com for consideration. The 2027 bursary program will open for applications on September 1, with a submission deadline of November 30.

Below are the 2026 recipients and their application requests.

Robyn Anderson – $500

Dear Fernie Trails and Ski Touring Club Directors,

My name is Robyn Anderson and I am writing you to apply for the 2025/26 Avalanche Bursary. Growing up in the South Country, I have been recreating in the Lizard Range my entire life. Over the last 4 years, I have become a keen backcountry skier, and I have been able to explore primarily the South Rockies, the Columbias, and the South Coast; some highlights of my touring experience so far have been two trips on the Bonnington Traverse and a day on the Spearhead Traverse last year. Since I started backcountry skiing, I have been constantly seeking new information, and I have taken AST 1, AST 2, Companion Rescue, Crevasse Rescue, and a ski mountaineering course.

This winter, I will be taking my CAA AvSAR Level 1 and CAA Operations Level 1. My primary goal in taking these courses is to strengthen my application for graduate school. In the next few months, I will be applying to Masters programs at Simon Fraser University and Montana State University to study snow and avalanche science. I am particularly interested in one of two research topics: Risk communication in avalanche forecasting or changes to avalanche terrain and hazard due to changes in climate. My motivation in pursuing the aforementioned certifications is to gain more experience with field methods and strengthen my technical background. Additionally, pursuing these certifications will deepen my knowledge base to provide more inputs to my decision making in the backcountry as a passionate recreational skier.

The cost of these certifications is significant, and I would be very grateful to receive a FT&STC bursary as it would significantly help to reduce the financial burden. I am extremely appreciative of all the hard work that the FT&STC does, and I have been lucky to spend some very special nights at Tunnel Creek with amazing people. This fall, I joined in on the Tunnel Creek work party and am looking forward to contributing more of my time to maintain the huts so they continue to be a special place for me and so many others.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration of my application, and wishing you a safe and deep winter!

Sincerely,
Robyn Anderson

Tamika Green – $500

Dear FT&STC
This season, I am enrolled in the CAA Operations Level 2 course and exam, and I am reaching out to apply for your 2025/26 Avalanche Safety Bursary. This bursary would greatly help in funding this course and would support me in the next step in my career as I work towards becoming a qualified ski guide and avalanche instructor.
In 2020 I started working with Fernie Ski Patrol and took my CAA Operations Level 1. I instantly fell in love with working in the mountains, the dynamic environments and the amazing people you meet along the way. Since then, I have continued my education in avalanche safety, moved to Island Lake Lodge in 2024, and I am now on the Canadian Ski Guide Association pathway. As I progress in my career and gain more experience and knowledge, I hope to branch out into avalanche education, particularly working with youth.
After an injury set me back last season with minimal skiing (torn ACL), I am excited to get into the backcountry this season and explore more of our backyard Fernie has to offer. I am very grateful for the opportunity to apply for this bursary and would like to thank FT&STC for their continued support towards the local community of avalanche professionals here in the Elk Valley.
Sincerely,
Tamika Green

Megan Henderson – $500

Dear FT & STC,

My name is Megan Henderson and I am applying for the 2025 Avalanche Bursary. This season I will be taking my AvSar in December and my OPS 1 in January. I am a MAST graduate of 2025 and have returned for another season because I fell in love with this area and the community. Previous to MAST I had minimal experience in the backcountry aside from a few days and an AST 1 course (6 years ago), though I have pretty much been skiing since birth (thanks mum and dad) and it has been a driving factor in how I shape my life. MAST was my reintroduction to the backcountry after taking a few years off skiing due to knee surgeries and it has definitely solidified my desire to work in the mountains, and have the knowledge to explore and play, and come home at the end of the day.

I will be working at Island Lake this season as a first aid attendant while I work towards gaining the avalanche certifications needed to apply for tail guiding or patrol next season. I am not only excited to further my formal training this winter, but continue to use these skills to ski the amazing terrain right at my doorstep, and with planning a multi-day glacier trip for this spring.

Receiving this bursary would help relieve some of the financial pressures of taking both AvSar and OPS 1 this season, and kickstart a hopefully long and enriching career in the mountains and avalanche industry.

Thank you for your consideration, your support is immensely appreciated in this community.

Best Regards,
Megan

Corbin Hus – $250

I understand that the ski touring club may have a fund for avalanche training education. I am signed up for a youth AST 1 course with Mountain Addicts on March 8 to 9.
My name is Corbin Hus and I am in grade 7. I ski on the Fernie Freestyle ski team and have been doing a lot of big mountain ski comps. I have had a lot of fun participating in them and I would like to take my skiing further. I am interested in skiing in the backcountry but would like to do it safely. In my school outdoor club we have been learning how to use transceivers and probes. The AST course will be cool because we will get to ski in the backcountry and learn skills from a ski guide. I think I would be a good candidate to receive training money from the club.
Skiing is the funnest thing I do and I would like to ski pow in the backcountry.
Thank you so much for your consideration.
Corbin Hus

Olivia Johnson – $250

To the board members of the Fernie Trails and Ski Touring Club,
I’m applying for support from the Fernie Trails and Ski Touring Club to help cover the cost of the Canadian Avalanche Association (CAA) Advanced Weather Course. This course is the next key step in my career in the snow and avalanche industry, and I’m excited to keep building on the skills I use daily at my job. I’m always working to grow my technical knowledge so I can be a stronger part of the backcountry community. I am currently the Team Lead for Avalanche Canada’s South Rockies field team, and this course will help me excel in my continued work of communicating backcountry safety to our community.
I’ve spent 10 years working and skiing in the Fernie backcountry, gaining experience season after season. My interest in the snow and avalanche industry keeps growing and I am motivated to keep building my knowledge. My goals are to continue developing as an avalanche professional and to help keep people safe through strong communication and solid field work.
Taking this course will directly improve my weather analysis, forecasting, and decision-making in avalanche terrain. It will sharpen my ability to understand complex mountain weather and apply that information to support better, safer decisions in the field. As I continue to grow in my role, I want to bring these skills back to the Fernie community through better observations, safer practices, and meaningful contributions to local forecasting. Your support would help me keep moving forward as an avalanche professional who cares deeply about safety, learning, and giving back to the area we all love to recreate in.
Thank you for the consideration, I look forward to hearing from you
Olivia J.

Lenaya Vesely – $500

My name is Lenaya Vesely. I am a 15-year-old girl from Fernie, BC, and I am applying for the 2026 Bursary. This winter, I would like to participate in a week-long, hut-based educational ski touring program. The program offers ski touring experience, knowledge about avalanche safety, backcountry experience, mentorship, and is a great way to meet peers who also enjoy the backcountry.

The trip takes place December 19th, 2025 at Blanket Glacier Lodge in the Monashee Mountains near Revelstoke. The total cost of the program is $2571.90. I would love to participate in this program because over the past few years, I have developed a love for the backcountry and would like to develop my knowledge so I can continue to discover places less traveled. Over the past four years, I have had the opportunity to experience and learn about the amazing adventure that ski touring is. In January 2024, I took my first avalanche training course, the AST 1. Through this course, I discovered not only how cool learning about the mountains was, but also how challenging and fun it could be to keep learning more.

I want to learn more about not only how the mountains work but also how we can exist and play in the mountains safely. I have had the amazing opportunity to experience the backcountry many times with my parents. I love learning from them and getting to go to some very beautiful places along the way. I would very much like to have an experience that can not only teach me more but can also give me a sense of how I can help in the backcountry, how I can help make decisions, and keep not only myself safe but also the people I am with safe.

After this program, I would like to continue my learning, and when I turn 16, I would like to take my AST 2. After completing this, I would like to build up to being able to take the CAA Level One when I turn 18.

I think that this program would be a great kick-start to my mountain learning, and I would be very grateful if you could help in any way. Thank you so much for considering me!