OFF THE BEATEN PATH

MOUNT CAIN

OFF THE BEATEN PATH KEALY DONALDSON

Mount Cain boasts the Island’s best powder

skiing and boarding, and when the snow flies, the powder is incredible at this backcountry resort. Mount Cain is located approximately 20 kilometres east of Woss and is a two hour drive north from Campbell River. With a base elevation of 4,300 feet and top elevation of 5,800, it’s nestled away in a perfect little piece of Vancouver Island North paradise.

The ski hill is operated by Mount Cain Alpine Park Society, which is a body of very dedicated volunteers and die-hard backcountry enthusiasts. Most of these volunteers work in the forest industry on North Vancouver Island. "Cain," as it is called for short, is known mostly for its wicked back-country terrain and has only two t-bars and a rope tow. There has been a recent upgrade on the mechanical side which put

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most of Cain’s tows directly on their main generator for better operational power.

It can be quite the adventure just getting to this ski hill and arriving safely is key, so here are the recommendations from Mount Cain staff:

While many of you are returning to enjoy our little ski hill, some of you may be newcomers. Sometimes, getting to Cain is part of the adventure so we thought we would share some tips with you to ensure you arrive safely.

You must bring chains with you. Moreover, you must know how to put your chains on. Many people have purchased chains and never taken them out of the box. Then, when the snow is deep and it is getting dark, there is a mad scramble to read the instructions in the middle of the road. This is hard on other drivers and dangerous. Please

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do a practice run with your chains before you leave your driveway – you won’t regret it.

Over the years significant work has been done on the road from the highway to Cain, making it wider and safer. Nevertheless it is a logging road and we plow it ourselves. Please drive with caution, be aware of other cars, and look out for the grader as you come around corners. Your safety is important to us so please drive safely.

If you use your chains and drive with caution you will arrive safe and sound but we recommend also bringing a shovel. The snow can get deep and you might need to do some digging. Having a shovel in your car is never a bad idea.

Mount Cain is scheduled to open December 12, 2020 and will only open based on snowfall that supports its operations. Open on weekends and holidays, the mountain does have rental accommodations available on a first come, first serve basis. This year, you must purchase a Society membership to be able to use the rentals.

On site, the Café will be open but limited to take out only. In the past, the Café has always been a gathering ground on the hill, especially for après, dinner and late nights by the fire. This year will be a bit different but Café operator Jamie Turko notes he’s willing to make everyone’s experience amazing with his incredible chilis, soups and to-go items. “The chili will always be on and hot! Grab n goes will include sandwiches, salads, baked goods and more. We are renaming the Café to “Turk’s Tavern” as a place to congregate and enjoy each other’s company – hopefully again in the coming years. This year’s goal is to get up and running smoothly for takeout and offer speedy service for all our regulars and visiting guests,” Turko says. He added he is definitely looking forward to opening this season and serving everyone!

For more information and details on Mount Cain, including lift tickets and accommodations, head to their website mountcain.com or connect with their regular updates on Facebook. Here’s to a deep season of the pow on Cain!

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT KEALY DONALDSON

A PIECE OF THE PIE

It’s no secret… small and medium sized businesses

have been hit quite hard through this time of Covid Pandemic. Some have closed to either re-open later or possibly never at all, and some through perseverance, tears and bit of magic have been able to pull through. With a flair for more than just on the go foods, On The Fly Café, in YQQ Comox Airport, has been able to do a full turnaround from their business model of just a few months ago.

“Adapt and change,” laughs Andrea Wagemaker, Co-owner of On The Fly. “We were able to recreate the café’s product lines and services through supporting other incredible local Food and Beverage vendors.” So much so that this directional change has On The Fly nominated for Comox Valley Chamber’s COVID Business Resiliency Award, sponsored by the BDC. Now you ask, how’d they do it? On The Fly went from having multiple flights of foot traffic built into their daily routine to a minimal amount of flights and needed to find the next level and layer of business to keep their business alive.

As Spring 2020 coasted by with most of us tucked away at home, Summer time emerged and that’s when Wagemaker developed a brilliant idea. “We were already working with the YQQ Management Team on incorporating more local vendors into our product lines under the ‘Island Good’ program,” she says “so it made sense to find a product that everyone loves and would come

ON THE FLY CAFÉ AT YQQ

to us, as a destination for pick up. It was late spring and I thought that everyone loves an incredible pie. So that was it, the Café started marketing fruit pies and a new clientele appeared. It is truly heart warming to see the incredible progress made in only a few months, and the support from the locals is overwhelmingly generous.”

Erin Neely, Market Development Manager at YQQ, filled us in on the changes at the airport and how quickly On The Fly Café adapted to their new Pie model. “YQQ had restricted access as soon as the pandemic hit. The airport's policy was strict, no mask=no entry, and if you were not a passenger, no entry. It was devastating to both the café and gift shop on site. We lost flights and foot traffic, and our amazing team of volunteer ambassadors were no longer accessing services on site," she says. "So when On The Fly presented their re-launch using Andrea’s Pie Model, we were on board with helping them get back on track. We had already been working towards Island Good which focused on locally grown or produced products. The airport was happy to arrange the take out window to better facilitate physical distancing, and to provide access to those currently restricted from entering."

On The Fly started with fruit pies and literally got off the ground during the summer season and the pies started to fly! “We can’t thank our customers enough for believing in our products and services. You are the reason we are still open. Once we saw that the Pie Model was working and revenues were climbing, I knew we

needed to plan for the next level. The café was able to partner with local beverage producers and we added a line of hearty dinner pies to complement the concept. Pairing Beaufort Vineyard and Gladstone Brewing products with our dinner and dessert pies was going to help us continue to build our menu and serve our clients’ needs in a different capacity than we had before,” Wagemaker explained.

On The Fly now is not only serving incredible apple, peach, and berry dessert pies, but dinner pie classics like Roasted Chicken pot pie, Traditional Tourtière and Pulled Pork n Mushroom now adorn the new menu and have all been well received. The Café is licensed, so customers have the opportunity to pair a pie, pick up and go, with a beautiful bottle of Beaufort’s Ca Beautage, which is blend of 100% Beaufort grapes, Raven Moon Cider or Gladstone’s local epic brews—it doesn’t get much better than this.

Beaufort Vineyards was also adapting their business model with the changing times, and they were the first Tasting Room to reopen, by appointment, on Vancouver Island. As the Beaufort team focused on the positives in their own transition, they found success in creating “the full experience,” socially distanced, for inbound guests and wine connoisseurs. Much like On The Fly, Beaufort’s high-season foot traffic changed from over 200 visitors per day to 36 based on their return-to-work Covid Safety Plan. Beaufort pushed their online sales, created a greater platform for their Wine Club and got back to doing what they do best: growing-fermenting-bottling some of the most amazing wine right from the Comox Valley’s rich soil.

“I’m particularly passionate about raising the awareness of this region for wine on Vancouver Island and in BC,” says Katie Phelan, Beaufort’s Sales and Marketing guru. “One of our favourite new concepts is our Private Virtual Tastings. Our Vineyard rep visits your group via Zoom, along with a minimum purchase of six bottles to share and enjoy. The feedback has been universally positive and we are greatful." Beaufort's onsite wine store will be open the first three weekends in December, 10am to 3pm, for purchases and pickups.

Gladstone Brewery has taken leaps and bounds to get themselves behind the bar again and their business has changed throughout the past few months. Now boasting a killer Burger menu for takeout, Gladstone is gearing up to release two seasonal selections this winter. Plan to see these in cans, versus kegs, but get ready for their Imperial Dessert Stout featuring flavours of Victoria's Fernwood Coffee, nuts and coconut along with their famous Anniversary Beer for their 6th birthday! Sarah Nolette, Gladstone’s Sales and Events Manager is happy to see local vendors like On the Fly include their products. “Grab your 4-pack of Gladstone with your pie order! It’s a perfect pairing.”

It’s taken a lot of ingenuity for these businesses to remain open and create a special product and experience for their customers. Many have moved to a different business model to pick up their missing revenues and make it work in this critical time of change. So: support, recommend and purchase as local as you can! Your purchases keep the economic impact of the local dollar alive. A big ‘hats off’ to all the businesses that have been able to adapt and survive and a special congratulations to On The Fly Café and the owners Andrea and Jackie! Keep going ladies!

The Gardens at Beaufort Vineyards