Mountain Sport Technician Diploma Program
PROGRAM START
2026/2027
LENGTH OF STUDY
605 full time hours within 12 months
CREDITS
24
CREDENTIAL
Diploma
Cytech technical one, two and three
Accredited by Government of B.C. Private Training Institutes Branch (PTIB).
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
This program teaches the basic fundamental skills necessary to become a part of the summer and winter outdoor tourism industry. Skill sets emphasized include snow safety, ski, snowboard, trail building, survival and winter camping. Students will be equipped to enter the retail, manufacturing and outdoor industry on an entry level.
Our bicycle mechanic courses offer Internationally recognized Cytech Certification with Whistler Adventure School being the only Cytech Certified training provider in North America.
WHO IS IT FOR?
A program suited to a student seeking to learn more about mountain sports and the retail manufacturing industry, ideally those interested in Snow/Bike/Outdoor industries. No prior experience is needed but a passion for practical learning is beneficial.
PROGRAM OUTCOMES
- Utilize skills fundamental in the basic relationship of retail and manufacturing as it relates to the Snowsport and Biking industry.
- Identify opportunities within the Biking and Snowsport industry to create products and businesses people desire.
- Create the steps necessary to start a new business within the industry.
- Develop a working knowledge of retail and manufacturing terminology, trends, and strategies.
- Demonstrate workflow models for trail building with safety of workers in practice.
- Demonstrate proper trail building construction techniques.
CERTIFICATIONS OBTAINED
- Cytech Theory One
- Cytech Technical One
- Cytech Technical Two
- Cytech Technical Three
- Program Diploma
POSSIBLE CAREER OCCUPATIONS
- Trail Builder
- Outdoor Leadership Positions
- Bicycle Mechanic
- Boot Fitter
- Ski/Board Tuner
- Production Manager in Ski/Snowboard Manufacturers
- Operations Manager Manufacturing
- Retail Assistant/Manager
- Sales Associate/Representative
- Promotional Representative
- Technical Representative
PROGRAM COSTS
| Tuition Fee Domestic | TBA |
| Tuition Fee International | TBA |
| Application Fee | TBA |
| Textbook Fees | TBA |
| Lab Supplies | TBA |
| *Trip fees and Textbook fees vary according to courses taken and textbook providers. All textbooks may be purchased by students from publishers (online or print) directly. | TBA |
| Note that textbook and lab supplies will vary depending on electives chosen. These fees cover all of the core courses. | TBA |
WAS GENERAL ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
- Minimum 18 years of age or older
- All students must meet WAS Language Proficiency Assessment Policy.
PROGRAM SPECIFIC ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
- Ability to lift 20 kg /44 lbs
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS
- A bike
SPECIAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- None
COURSES –
*Note that some course dates may be altered due to Instructor availability – please consult the course calendar for exact course dates posted 60 days prior to the course start date
Mountain Sport Technician students are required to complete the 4 Core Courses and the Co-op work experience plus they must choose two electives from the table below.
| CORE COURSES All students will complete the below core courses | Program | Month | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bicycle Mechanic 1 & 2 | Mountain Sport Technician | March April May June July | 60 |
| Boot Fitting | Mountain Sport Technician | May August | 40 |
| Sustainable Trail Building | Mountain Sport Technician | May September | 60 |
| Ski and Snowboard Production | Mountain Sport Technician | October November | 60 |
| Bicycle Mechanic 3 | Mountain Sport Technician | June August | 40 |
| ELECTIVE COURSES Choose any two electives from the list below | Program | Month | Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Co-op Work Experience | Mountain Sport Technician | 300 |
CHRIS CLARK
Chris took up mountain bike racing as a young teenager, as a result was encouraged to learn how to maintain his own bike. Chris has grown up racing mountain bike’s and moved to Whistler where he’s worked in many local bike shops, moving up from being the quiet young grom at Whistler Bike Co. to head mechanic for Comor Sports.
Chris Clark is a professional bicycle mechanic who has been working in the Whistler area with bicycle retailers since 1997. As an experienced rider, racer and adventurer, he has honed his repair skills and knowledge on a first-hand level and loves sharing his passion for bikes with his students. His background education in business adds a perspective of how to operate a profitable repair center and provide cyclists with the utmost in customer-focused service.
Chris’ background in racing includes racing multiple Test of Metal, Nimby 50, Singletrack 6 events, along with Trans-Cascadia and Samurai of Singletrack events. He adventures further afield with epic Chilcotin rides and bikepacking trips, has completed the Coconino 250 loop in Arizona, and regularly explores off-the-beaten-path rides in search of new terrain.
As a mechanic in Whistler, Chris has seen and worked on the full spectrum of bikes, from early 90’s Stumpjumpers, mid-2000’s dh bikes, up to the latest electronic shifting and road hydraulic systems, custom carbon wheel builds, and assembling custom high-end builds for discerning customers. Knowing how to service older bikes and budget models is often the bread and butter of a repair center, and Chris will walk students through how to stay on budget, work with customers to meet their needs, and balance safety, performance and costs for every level of repair.
Chris has honed his skills to confidently teach most any repair skills, and sets a framework for students to identify when they have the trifecta of Tools, Knowledge and Time to safely perform a repair, recognize when they are missing something, and how to find it.
As a self professed lover of suffering, he’s often seen toeing the line at the weekly xc Loonie race events throughout the summer, ripping it up with some of the valley’s fastest riders. His passion for riding and years of mechanic experience, combined with an educational and workplace background in the bike business give Chris a well rounded view of what it’s like and what it takes to be a professional bike mechanic. As an instructor here at WAS he looks forward to sharing that passion and knowledge with others.