Highline Magazine, Summer 2013

highlineonline.ca summer 2013 VOL. 5, ISSUE 2

FREE

FOR ALL

the evolve edition

road worthy \\ Twist of Fate \\ Death Trap \\ Caribou Comeback

Tunnel Mountain

The Cave & Basin First World War Internment Exhibit Opens This Summer During Canada’s first national internment operations of 1914-1920, thousands of men, women and children were branded as “enemy aliens.” Many were imprisoned. Stripped of what little wealth they had, forced to do heavy labour in Canada’s hinterlands, they were also disenfranchised and subjected to other state sanctioned censures – not because of anything they had done but only because of where they had come from, for who they were.

In May 2008, representatives of the Ukrainian Canadian community reached an agreement with the Government of Canada providing for the creation of an endowment fund to support commemorative, educational, scholarly and cultural projects intended to remind all Canadians of this episode in our nation’s history.

Official Opening: Thursday, June 20, 2013, 2:00pm

Located just behind the Cave & Basin Historical Site 311 Cave Ave, Banff, AB (Turn right after the Bow River Bridge at the end of Banff Ave)

www.internmentcanada.ca

For more information, please call toll free: 1.866.288.7931

Photo courtesy of the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies, V295/LC-40, Stg. William D. Buck Fonds

Recognize this?

Big Mountains sMall Crowds BRITISH COLUMBIA

SeeRevelstoke.com

letter 7 chatter 10 dating a local 18 know your neighbour 20 road worthy 22 50 years of acmg 26 still life 28 ian urquhart 34 caribou comeback 36 death trap 40 twist of fate 46 recipe 52 book review 53 locally grown 54 snapshot 58

“Mystery Isle” - Foggy morning at Island Lake, Banff National Park. Photo by Paul Zizka.

thebagel.ca Summer 2013 Volume 5 | Issue 2

Founding Publisher | Creative Director Kristy Davison · kristy@highlineonline.ca

Editor Meghan J. Ward · meghan@highlineonline.ca

Head Designer Julie McArthur · Wild Ginger Design

Assistant Graphic Designer Dee Medcalf

Online Editor Corrie DiManno · corrie@highlineonline.ca

Copy Editor Paul Davison

Additional Copy Editing Lynn Martel

Advertising Sales Nicole Larson · nicole@highlineonline.ca Kristy Davison · kristy@highlineonline.ca

Events and Illustrations Camara Boomer Miller · events@highlineonline.ca

Contributors Sara Eve Alarie, Niki Wilson, Taryn Hajnrych, Dawn Green, Christy Mackintosh, Brittany Bates, Lawrence Carter, Eric Frigon, Jody Goodwin, Camara Miller, John Reid, Mystee Maisonet, Corrie DiManno, Lynn Martel, Joanna Croston, Brita Thomas, Heather Bishop, Chris Lavery, Dillon Watt, and Paul Zizka.

Special Thanks Siri Bright, Allan Buckingham, Eric Daigle, John Coleman, Jeff Thom, Tom Thompson, Lynn Martel, Bryon Parlo, Chloe Vance, Andrew Dawson, Niki Wilson, Izzy Lynch, Andrea Johnson, Erin Cipollone, Joanna Croston and Paul Zizka.

For Information: Email · info@highlineonline.ca Web · www.highlineonline.ca

Facebook · Highline Magazine Twitter · @HighlineMag

Printed in Canada on FSC Certified Recycled Paper.

Highline Magazine is a free, semiannual publication. Donations are most gratefully accepted and can be made through the website.

FUELING ADVENTURE SINCE 1995

Cover photo: Aurora borealis over Mount Inglismaldie and Lake Minnewanka, October 2012. Photo by Paul Zizka.

Love, The Highline Team

LETTER FROM us HIGHLINE

JULIE

in which mountain conditions shift and change on a whim. Freak summer snow storms loom behind peaks and pounce on us when we least expect it. Temperature inversions bring suntan weather at the tops of shrouded summits while we shiver in the valley below.

Those who live here know all about dressing in layers and changing plans at a moment’s notice. Gorgeous and powerful in its everchanging glory, the tumultuous mountain environment awes, inspires and often puts us in our place when we venture out.

In this “Evolve” edition of Highline, we explore another environment, and one equally at the mercy of change: the internal climate.

Changing conditions in this realm may reveal themselves as a crossroads, an opportunity to make a decision that will impact our life’s trajectory forever or an accident or illness that challenges us to adapt and find new meaning.

In a flash, our lives can be changed forever, and we are forced to evolve.

This issue also features the evolution of ecosystems, both external and internal, here in the Rockies - in the landscape, wildlife and people. Read about the extinction and reintroduction of caribou to Banff National Park (pg. 36); the discovery of ancient bones in Jasper’s mountain caves (pg. 40); adaptations to the management of our national parks (pg.

34); and injured athletes who have moved towards the light (pg.46).

These stories call you - the reader - to witness, observe and look within. Take inspiration from our dynamic landscape by bending with life’s gusty winds and enduring its stormy unpredictability with grace. Let it wash over you, and emerge into the sunlight all the more wise, strong and beautiful.

summer 2013

We live in a dynamic environment

7

2. Bossypants by Tina Fey. 3. The fact that I’m wasting precious sleeping minutes being awake at night.

1. Sunset.

2. Jack Nisbet’s Sources of the River: Tracking David Thompson Across Western North America.

3. Stoking the fire in the wood stove.

1. Getting outside and shaking my booty.

2. All That Glitters, by Margo Talbot and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (766 pages, out loud, to my kids, at bedtime).

3. This only happens if I’m REALLY excited about something or if I have to pee.

TARYN HAJNRYCH It has taken six years and four failed moving attempts for this wandering soul to figure out that Banff is home.

Finally this adventurous journalist is ready to put some roots down...in a very expensive, very small condo (with the best views in the world!).

1. When the caffeine from my coffee kicks in, transforming me into a fully functioning human.

What is your favourite moment of the day?

What are you currently reading?

What do you wake up in the middle of the night thinking about?

1 2 3

2. The Life of Pi, by Yann Martel.

3. How I’m going to afford another windshield, again.

HIGHLINE

1. Snuggling my son before bed while he tells me about his day.

DILLON WATT Born in Banff, Dillon spends his time adventuring in the mountains and appreciates the value of a cold beer with great friends afterwards.

CHRISTY MACKINTOSH Christy is happiest when she is out in nature. She is celebrating her 20th year of “playing life” in Banff.

summer 2013

niki wilson Niki Wilson is an award-winning science writer living in Jasper.

She hails from an environmental science and biology background, but has traded the field for the computer screen, writing columns and podcast for the likes of the Jasper Fitzhugh and Parks Canada and freelancing for science programs across the country. Say hi at www.nikiwilson.com.

featured contributors

We asked our writers these three questions:

9

1. to develop gradually 2. to come forth gradually into being

Our readers share their personal definitions of this issue’s theme Amanda K Gradual improvement through trial, error and success.

Larry B The process needed to achieve what was previously thought impossible.

Christy M A survival skill. The ability to adapt to and make the most of change.

Chloe V To adapt, morph, shapeshift, and become wise as a result of experiences had, lives lived, mistakes made, challenges overcome, revelations unearthed, concepts grasped, lessons learned, truths redefined, stories told...

Kurtis K Personal evolution is a measurable change in one’s ability to make wise decisions (in any aspect of life) as a result of continual experience and applied learning. It is essentially emotional, cognitive and spiritual growth through an always changing environment.

EVENTS Calendar

connect

e·volve /i’välv/

This delightful little calendar is your ticket to everything hip and happenin’ in the Bow Valley. It’s your free hug from the Highline gang. And we’re not normally huggy people. highlineoneline.ca/events

Pick up a Copy Highline is spreading our wings.

Now available beyond the Bow Valley in Edmonton, Calgary, Jasper and Revelstoke. Find the full list of the fine stores now carrying the mag at bit.ly/pickupacopy.

Mountainside Storytelling Highline and the Alpine Club of Canada are teaming up to bring you a Tuesday night Speaker Series throughout the summer up at the clubhouse. Great stories to be told and prizes to be won. Head on over to our website for details and dates. highlineonline.ca/speaker-series

A Severe Case of Diorama Dig the illustration on page 40? Check out the ridiculous behind-the-scenes making of this diorama and learn how to have fun making your own at bit.ly/death-trap-diorama.

Tom S

summer 2013

HIGHLINE

The ability to adapt to and grow alongside an ever-changing environment (whether it be social, personal, environmental, etc.) to reflect and learn from the past and remain strong and present to the present day.

10

Laurel C The incremental shifts and adaptations to one’s environment that eventually culminate in transformative change.

Lydia B Grow.

NEWSLETTER Sign up for our newsletter to be inundated by jibber-jabber on a daily basis. We kid! Once a month at the most, promise.

bit.ly/highlinenewsletter

ELEVATION PLACE

Check highlineonline.ca for what’s in store this month.

Bear Hugs to the team at The Banff Centre who are working hard to build a new local radio station.

Bear Hugs to ski partners showing real friendship!

Mooseknuckles to slow-sway train enthusiasts.

Mooseknuckles to the CRTC for being ineffective in stopping multiple useless repetitive telephone calls and to Rogers for trying to charge a fee to block them. For shame!

Bear hug to Shane at Safeway.

MooseknuckleS to the individual who did my jigsaw puzzle when I wasn’t looking.

Bear HugS to Bear Hugs. You make the world go ‘round.

Bear Hugs to the guy on Blackrock Crescent who shared his parking stall so I wouldn’t get a ticket from Bylaw!

MooseknuckleS to Negative Nancys.

Bear HugS to the coyote that chased the bear out of my back yard.

MooseknuckleS to clever capitalism at local restaurants when unexpected extra charges boost your burger and a cold one to an unacceptable amount. Bear Hugs to the hardworking servers.

Bear HugS to the 5:00 rush up the hill to the mountain bike trails. Keep ridin’.

Bear HugS to my mom for putting up with me!

Elevation Place is the community hub of Canmore with an aquatics centre for kids of all ages, a climbing gym that will make you feel like you’re outside, a library that goes beyond books, an art gallery that will inspire you, and a cardio/weight room to keep you toned.

Daily drop in rates and memberships are available.

Library: Monday to Thursday from 11a.m. - 8 p.m.

Friday to Sunday from 11a.m. - 5 p.m.

Aquatics centre and fitness gym: Weekdays from 6 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Weekends from 8 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Climbing gym: Weekdays from 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Weekends from 8 a.m. - 9 p.m.

www.elevationplace.ca

HIGHLINE

win a monthly draw for sweet local prizes.

summer 2013

Mooseknuckles loud and proud on Twitter with #bhmk + @HighlineMag, where your entries could

Canmore’s Indoor Playground

Yodelay hee hoo!!! Sing your Bear Hugs +

11

FEST FOR SUCCESS

by Brittany Bates

Finally! It’s the season of long line-ups, sweet tunes, sweatdrenched body parts and dancing in bare feet until you nearly faint. It’s music festival season! After many summers of hopping between venues, I have, like any dedicated festival-goer, discovered some “dos” and “don’ts”.

(CHECK OUT HIGHLINE’S FAVOuRITE FESTIVALS, PAGE 58)

Don’t: Check out only the big names. There will be some awesome headliners, but also a handful of obscure bands. Give these aspiring musicians your time. It’s a great way to discover your new favourite artist or the next big thing before your pals do.

Do: Bring water. A lot. Unfortunately, some festivals still only sell bottled water (gross). Beer only goes so far.

Don’t: Assume being in the crowd in front of

Photo courtesy of Heather “But-is-it-art?” Bishop.

the stage is better than farther back. There you can lie down, stretch out and relax after a nice long day of sunstroke (though sometimes being squeezed into a crowd of damp strangers within striking distance of the lead singer’s spit is a wonderful and necessary experience).

Do: Make friends. Festivals summon creative and kind humans, so ask the girl behind you in line about her favourite shows, or chat up the cute bearded guy slinging your microbrew.

Ditch your friends for an afternoon and adventure alone – who knows who you’ll meet?

Do: Engage with the band by watching the show with your own eyes and ears instead of recording it on your smartphone to watch later.

You’ll have more fun and the people behind you will love you for it.

MOUNTAIN MARKETS Banff

Canmore

Wednesday 10am - 6pm June 12 - September 11

Thursday 10am - 6pm June 13 - September 19

Golden

Fernie

Wednesday 12PM - 5pm & Saturday 11am - 4pm

Wednesday 5PM - 9pm & Sunday 10am - 2pm July - August

Revelstoke Saturday 8:30am - 1pm through October 20

Invermere Saturday 9am - 1pm June 16 - September 8

OH, BABY...

PLEASE!

AROUND HERE, It’s not uncommon for parents to adorn their kiddos with rockies-themed names. Here are a few names our facebook followers came up with. you decide if these are self-esteem boosters or Busters.

Skoki

The Earl of Aberdeen

Jasper

Robson

Aster

Rundle

The Vice President

Ochre

Gendarme

Smuts

Spindrift

Hoary (Marmot)

little black prince

Miette

Palliser

Summit Block

Noseeum

Talus

Aspen

Cornice

chatter

MAXIMUM, meaning the

likelihood of seeing the northern lights is at its height in an 11-year cycle. Check out our 9 Tips FOR CAPTURING

14

DID YOU KNOW...?

summer 2013

HIGHLINE

NORTHERN LIGHTs AT bit.ly/auroratips

• Astronauts on board the International Space Station are at the same altitude as the auroras so they see them from the side.

• Earth isn’t the only planet with aurora. Astronomers have also spotted aurora on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

• The colours of the aurora are determined by the type of molecules with which solar wind particles collide as they enter the earth’s atmosphere.

PSYCHEDeLIC SKIES

This year we’re in a SOLAR

• Collision with oxygen molecules produces green and yellow light, while nitrogen molecules produce red, violet and blue light.

• The aurora borealis is named for the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, and the Greek term for “wind of the north,” boreas.

• Inuit used to fear the northern lights, believing that the phenomenon could decapitate people who travelled at night by dogsled.

Source: CanadianGeographic.ca Photo by Paul Zizka Photography.

the carless

commute Commuting without a car can be a challenge, particularly in the mountains. Here are some options to help you get from A to B.

ROAM The Regional Transit Commission now provides bus service between Banff and Canmore (roamtransit.com, oneway adult fare $6, monthly pass $80).

The Legacy Trail This paved path from the Town of Banff to the East Banff Park Gate was built in celebration of the 125th anniversary of Banff National Park. Check out some Legacy Trail Etiquette at bit.ly/thelegacytrail.

Goat Creek This path goes between the Goat Creek trailhead on the Spray Lakes/Smith Dorrien Road and the Banff Springs Hotel parking lot. Run, cycle or cross-country ski the 19km one way, and hope you can find a different way home.

Lower Traffic Roads The Icefields Parkway between Jasper and Banff and the Bow Valley Parkway between Banff and Lake Louise offer spectacular cycling.

Have you got any more bright ideas for getting around in the Rockies? Share them with our crew on Facebook at Highline Magazine.

by Sara Eve Alarie

Where comfort meets fashion...

With a Flare!

105-713 Main St. Canmore, AB joanne@shoestboot.ca 403.675.0017

chatter

100 Years Ago...

1913 was an important year for mountaineering in the Canadian Rockies.

In July of that year, guide Conrad Kain and clients Albert MacCarthy and William Foster reached the summit of the Rockies’ highest peak, Mount Robson (3954 metres). On this first ascent*, Kain cut an extraordinary 600 steps up the Northeast Face and Southeast Ridge for his clients.

When he reached the peak, he spoke the famous words, “Gentlemen, that’s so far as I can take you.” *Controversy around the first ascent of Mt. Robson still remains to this day. Check out Chic Scott’s “Pushing the Limits: The Story of Canadian Mountaineering” (pgs.

70-82) for the full rundown.

Albert MacCarthy, W.W. Foster and Conrad Kain after ascent of Mount Robson --- Alpine Club of Canada camp at Mount Robson [1913] Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies - V263/NA-1063, Byron Harmon fonds.

NANCY HANSEN IS A CLASSIC

By now you’ve likely heard about Canmore’s Nancy Hansen and her mission to complete North America’s 50 Classic Climbs. But did you know that if she succeeds she will be the first person to have accomplished this feat of mountaineering? On her heels are Mark and Janelle Smiley, who have completed 40 of the climbs and are charging hard. What drives this humble, yet highly motivated outdoorswoman to attempt such a challenging mission? Follow her story by signing up for the Alpine Club of Canada’s newsletter (alpineclubofcanada.ca/news/newsnet.html) or by following them on Facebook (Alpine Club of Canada).

While it is possible for Hansen to finish in 2014, it’s unlikely due to the difficulties presented by the final five climbs. She will attempt four of the five this year - two of which will be second attempts for her.

summer 2013

HIGHLINE

Nancy’s most recent success this spring was on the Moose’s Tooth in Denali National Park where she climbed a route on its more obscure west ridge.

16

HANSEN HAS FIVE CLIMBS LEFT * * * * *

Mt. Huntington - Denali National Park, AK Mt. Waddington - Coast Mountains, BC Mt. St. Elias - Kluane National Park, YK Mt. Logan - Kluane National Park, YK Middle Triple Peak - Denali National Park, AK

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Ski Touring, Mt. Shuksan. © Grant Gunderson

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a beginner’s guide to

DATING IN THE

ROCKIES

by John Reid

For many people, the very mention of the word “dating” can trigger sweaty palms, a racing heartbeat and memories of the time that girl brought her sick pet owl to the restaurant to meet you. (What do you mean, that hasn’t happened to you?). Playing the game is always risky, but add the challenges of dating a self-proclaimed mountain man/woman, and things can get complicated. Here are some ground rules and good ideas for navigating the strange world of mountain love.

One Liners

Top Dates

Save these bad boys for when you’re looking to seal the deal.

Because “dinner and a movie” doesn’t always fly at elevation.

“Sorry I’m late. My permaculture meeting ran a little long.”

Go Hiking: A walk up Tunnel Mountain doesn’t count. Think waterfalls, caves and something a little more adventurous. As a rule, it’s not considered a hike unless it includes a backpack of gear, sweat stains and trail mix.

“You’re more beautiful than a larch in October.”

“Oh I didn’t mean to pull you in so close. I thought I heard a rutting bull moose.”

“Looking at you takes my breath away like standing on the top of Mount Columbia.”

What to Wear The Rockies has its own fashion sense, that we like to call “eco-logical”.

Plaid is earthy, versatile and looks great…just like Rocky Mountain people. Trade in your leather jacket for fleece. You’ll blend with the locals and keep warm on a chilly mountain night.

Socks: Wool or none, depending on the weather.

Socks and Birkenstocks are acceptable only if you know in advance that your date is a climber (zing!). Down vests and toques are four-season items. Don’t leave home without them!

Conversation Killers On a first date, avoid these topics like a blister.

• Three words: Keep Jumbo Wild.

• “I wish there were more places to golf around here.”

• Think bunnies is a safe topic? Think again.

Open up this can of floppy-eared worms, and you and your date will likely end up “just friends”.

The Secret Spot: Badger enough locals, and you’ll eventually pick up on some great lesserknown locations for cliff diving, hot springs, lookouts, etc. Your local date might have been there before, but will appreciate your effort and insider knowledge.

The Local Tourist: Choose a “touristy” activity in the area. Do it. Take cheesy pictures. Laugh a lot. Locals rarely, if ever, have an excuse to go to these places, and it’s fun to see the environment with a fresh perspective.

FYI Some background knowledge to keep you from looking like a complete city-slicker.

• No, your date doesn’t personally know everyone walking by. But saying a friendly hello to people on the street is a given in the mountain towns.

• For the love of Ha Ling, know the difference between a deer and an elk.

• Trade in the Escalade and pick up your date on a cruiser bicycle. Bonus points if you double them around on your ride.

• The “Three Sisters” is a set of mountain peaks, not an indie band.

Illustration by Dee Medcalf

summer 2013

HIGHLINE

Rachelle

20

Honey

know your neighbour

R

achelle Honeyman must be impervious to flames because the fires she helps to extinguish during the day are the same ones she starts when she’s burning up the local roller derby track at night.

A firefighter for the Exshaw Fire Department and the team captain of the Bow Valley Roller Derby League’s Lady Macs, Honeyman is more focused on girl power and less concerned with helmet hair. “I want to represent that women are out there challenging themselves to do what they want to do and not necessarily what is conventional,” Honeyman said.

Which is why she chose “Skid Roe” as her derby name. Not only did she have long blonde hair like front man Sebastian Bach when she chose it; the moniker is also a play on her nickname (Roe) and an adaptation of the term “skid road”. The skater said it represents how she often chooses to do (and learn) things the hard way, especially when it comes to roller derby.

“Any skater who takes my path will be taking the hard road,” she said.

“Skid Roe” also fits in with the part of Honeyman that likes to drink beer, listen to loud music and smoke cigarettes.

“Not that smoking cigarettes is cool,” she adds.

However, Honeyman’s biggest piece of advice – something she learned from conquering the intimidation she once felt as the only female on the fire department back when she started three years ago – is that showing up is half the battle.

“The most rewarding experiences come from being challenged and overcoming it,” she said. “Roller derby and fire fighting have both had that and will continue to have adversity and accomplishments along the way.”

Which isn’t to say Honeyman doesn’t show her feminine side. For instance, the purse she carries is yellow and black, paying homage to her favourite superhero, “Beatrix Kiddo”, the vengeful bride from Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill: Vols. 1 & 2.

And if she won the lottery tomorrow, she would go to film school or take up script writing like she was inspired to do after watching True Romance for the first time.

Originally from Kimberley, B.C., Honeyman came to the Bow Valley five years ago and ever since has enjoyed hiking and running in the Photo and story by Corrie DiManno Rocky Mountains with her pawnter-in-crime, a black bullmastiff named Molly. She’s also known to roller skate on the Banff Legacy Trail in the summertime, so feel free to throw her a “rock on” sign out the window as she rolls by. Or better yet, come check out a Lady Macs bout this season and see the flames for yourself.

yman

For more, check out bowvalleyrollerderby.com.

summer 2013 HIGHLINE Photo

by Shutterstock

22

Road Worthy: A Second Look at Banff’s Fire Roads

by Dillon Watt

summer 2013

HIGHLINE

1916

marked a turning point in Banff that would change the character of this national park forever. It was in that year, after a gradual introduction since being forbidden in 1905, that the automobile was officially welcomed into the park. Since then the role of vehicles in the park has been adapted, and roadways have alternately opened and closed. What we’re left with is access to some truly wild places on the (now car-free) fire roads of Banff. Easily passed over in favour of the more in-your-face variety of adventure offered by epic singletrack or high alpine passes, these fire roads explore some rarely-visited, legendary parts of Canada’s oldest national park.

It would be hard to argue that some sections of thigh-burning monotony aren’t a nearly mandatory component of fire road travel.

But in defense of the doubletrack, the places they access are well worth the grind, and, with a long, clear line of sight in front of you, the wide-open sections are good value on a bike or on skis.

Over time these places have evolved in the reverse direction of most developed areas, exchanging resource extraction and vehicle traffic for wild natural areas. For example, the Middle Spray Valley Road was home to a logging operation from 1884 to 1930 and saw as many as 50,000 trees per year removed from the park.

While the Redearth Road serviced a talc mine, trucks were driven all the way from Banff to the Ya-Ha-Tinda Photo: Eau Claire logging operations in Spray Valley, Banff Ranch on the Cascade Road.

National Park, ca. 1906. V48/NA – 20. Elliott Barnes fonds.

Now you can find legitimate solitude as you lead horses through the Eastern Slopes along the northern portion of the Cascade or gaze down the expanse of Fortune Flats on the Spray.

While you can certainly gain a feeling of remoteness on the further reaches of Banff’s fire roads, you are never far from history and the constant reminder of those who have been there before you. There are signs of the old forest telephone system begun in 1914 along the Cascade and traces of prospectors headed beyond the Redearth Road to logging relics – including a gravesite fading into the forest of the Middle Spray Valley; they all remind you that the balance between humans and nature here is in constant flux. While the park now sees a volume of traffic well beyond the 1,000 cars that arrived in 1916, there is some satisfaction in cruising along roads that have made an escape from what, at one time, must have seemed like an inevitable onslaught of vehicles into the wilds of the Rockies.

23

Hit the

Road Explore Banff’s fire roads – on foot, horseback, bike or skis.

Redearth Creek Fire Road The Route: Trans-Canada Highway to Shadow Lake Junction.

Distance: 10 km.

Activity Info: Track set skiing and mountain biking for 10 km to the end of the main road. Hiking and some horseback access beyond.

Highlights: Access to Shadow Lake with Gibbon, Ball and Whistling Passes beyond. Or continue up Pharaoh Creek to follow classic prospectors, including Bill Peyto, toward the old mining area of Natalco Lake in Kootenay National Park.

Spray Valley Fire Road The Route: Banff to Spray Lake near Canyon Dam. Seasonal closure in Middle Spray Valley (April 15 - November 15) for wildlife activity.

Distance: 41 km.

Activity Info: Track set skiing, mountain bike, and horseback travel on the 11-km Spray River Loop nearer to town.

Highlights: Work your way through a long-abandoned logging area to reach the now seldom-accessed Fortune Flats.

summer 2013

HIGHLINE

Cascade Fire Road

24

The Route: Banff (Upper Bankhead) to Ya-Ha-Tinda Ranch.

Distance: 83 km.

Activity Info: Track set skiing and mountain biking for 14.6 km to Stoney Creek, hiking and horseback beyond. Some unbridged stream crossings, including the Panther River.

Highlights: Experience some legendary and truly wild places as you move past Windy Cabin and the Panther Valley, the Flint’s Park area, and the Red Deer River, among others. On the home stretch at the northern end, keep an eye for the red and yellow stagecoaches being pulled to and from the Outpost at Warden Rock, a sight right out of the classic west, or at least the label on a Pilsner can.

Photo by Dillon Watt

Need More Information?

Be sure to contact the Parks Canada Visitor Centre (224 Banff Avenue, 403.762.1550) for more detailed and up-to-date information on any of these trips.

Other Useful Resources: Canadian Rockies Trail Guide by Brian Patton and Bart Robinson Parks Canada Activities Webpage: http://bit.ly/pcactivities Map of Banff - Mount Assiniboine.

1:100 000 from Gem Trek Publishing.

Maps for Cascade Fire Road (National Topographic System): Banff 82 O/4, Castle Mountain 82 O/5, and Barrier Mountain 82 O/12.

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HIGHLINE

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summer 2013

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25 outlook.indd 1

13-03-26 5:45 PM

50 Years of Breaking Trail Alpine guides share their best stories summer 2013

HIGHLINE

by Lynn Martel

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One spring day in 1963, nine men gathered in a Lac Des Arcs cabin east of Canmore.

Led by revered Austrianborn Canadian mountain guide, Hans Gmoser, they had gathered to formally create the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the ACMG has evolved since becoming the first non-European member of the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations.

With 850 members in gym, hiking and mountain programs, ACMG guides safely lead climbers and skiers around the world. In the helicopterskiing industry that Gmoser pioneered, they work as avalanche safety technicians, coroner’s consultants, army instructors and as Parks Canada mountain rescue specialists. Clearly, they have some great stories to tell...

Working with Dummies During shooting of the Hollywood film Last of the Dogmen in 1994, legendary Canadian alpinist Barry Blanchard was hired to oversee safety in “mountain environments.”

According to the storyline, while tracking escaped convicts, a bounty hunter, played by Tom Berenger, explores behind a waterfall and discovers a long-lost native tribe living a traditional lifestyle. The movie concludes with Berenger’s character blowing up the portal to protect the tribe, resulting in he and the villain falling from the waterfall. Blanchard and fellow ACMG guide, Troy Kirwan, were tasked with tossing two fully costumed dummy-doubles from Yoho’s Takakkaw Falls. With the feet of the 12-kilogram, one-metre tall “little humans” protruding from their backpacks, the duo climbed the established rock route to the left of the waterfall. “The falls were raging, the rooster tail shooting up 100 feet off the cliffs. I’m up there working in my harness and a wetsuit,” Blanchard recalls.

Secured to bolts drilled into the rock while being deluged by gushing water, Blanchard and Kirwan awaited the director’s (Tab Murphy, now a Canmore resident) countdown.

“The biggest wave yet swamps us and we toss the dummies, but everyone’s watching us being smacked by this wave. Fortunately, the cameraman got the shot. Those were expensive dummies. They had people all along the river, but they never did find them.”

SARS, Thievery and the Silk Road In 2003, ACMG Guide Helen Sovdat organized her first independent international trip to climb 7546-metre Mustaghata on the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. Lugging skis through Chinese airports in the middle of summer with four clients and an assistant guide, she was anxious to provide a successful trip. Arriving soon after the SARS outbreak, they submitted to mandatory body temperature checks—and passed. Obsessing over details, she timed their climb to the minute, even monitoring everyone’s fluid intake.

After summitting they skied horrible snow - “giant waves of frozen sastrugi,” Sovdat describes - fortunately without breaking any limbs. Sovdat humoured the Silk Road region locals who were unaccustomed to negotiating with a female trip leader. Travelling among camels and sand dunes, her team marvelled at “ice ships” – giant boulders perched atop ice pedestals created as the boulder’s shadow prevented the pedestal from melting.

Conscious of thievery in the wake of recent murders in the area, she was terrified one night when her tent guy-lines began rattling. “I thought we were being robbed,” she says.

“Finally I summoned up the courage to look out of the tent—it was a yak!” In the end only Sovdat became sick, and her clients cared for her for two days. “It was a great success.

I’ve been running international expeditions ever since.”

Tense Rescue In the middle of a 2011 summer night, Brian Webster’s phone rang. A pair of climbers stranded high on Mount Temple’s technical East Ridge route needed rescuing. At first light Webster and Aaron Beardmore, both Banff/Yoho/Kootenay National Park Visitor Safety Specialists, flew to the site with veteran helicopter pilot, Lance Cooper. They quickly located the climbers on a tiny ledge above a deadly drop with a massive cornice looming above them. With just one ice axe hooked into a giant snow mushroom serving as the climbers’ anchor, the rescuers feared knocking the climbers off their stance. So Cooper slung Webster, attached to the helicopter by a 33-metre long-line, onto a large ledge below them. Quickly drilling a bolt into the rock, Webster secured himself before unclipping from the line. Cooper then delivered Beardmore to the same ledge, from where Webster belayed him as he climbed up “crappy rock” to the stranded pair. Drilling another bolt, Beardmore anchored himself and the climbers, then lowered them one-by-one to be flown from Webster’s ledge. “In mountain rescue, you’re not just using climbing skills, but guiding skills,” Beardmore says. “ACMG training is really beneficial for complex rescues.

More than climbing, rescue is caring for people in the mountains.

STILL LIFE Photo by Jody Goodwin

Oh, Snap!

Highline’s annual photo contest attracts submissions from photographers all over the Rockies. Featured are the top three images from this year’s selection, as chosen by Highline’s online fans.

A wise old owl sat on an oak; The more he saw the less he spoke; The less he spoke the more he heard; Why aren’t we like that wise old bird?

-Charles M Schulz

A calm day on Bow Lake. Photo by Lawrence Carter

STILL LIFE

“Frozen world.” Lower falls, Johnston Canyon, Banff National Park. Photo by Eric Frigon

STILL LIFE

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Environmental Crusader:

Ian Urquhart On the fundamental issues facing our national parks

by Dawn Green

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assionate about wild areas and, in particular, Canada’s national park jewels, Ian Urquhart points to a childhood brimming with vivid outdoor memories while growing up in the Kootenays of British Columbia. One such memory stems from a wild encounter when he spotted movement out of the corner of his eye while fishing alone at the edge of Kokanee Creek.

“I looked downstream to see a marten leapfrogging its way upstream over a jumble of deadfall in the creek,” he recalls. “It had a cutthroat trout firmly in its mouth. It took several more leaps, saw me, froze, and seconds later dove into the deadfall and disappeared. At most the encounter lasted a handful of seconds. Although I had just arrived at the creek, my trip ended when the marten disappeared. I had to get home as soon as I could to tell my father what I’d seen.”

That desire to share wilderness experiences with others has served Urquhart well over the years. He now sits at the helm as editor of the respected news journal, The Wild Lands Advocate, for the Alberta Wilderness Association, and teaches political science at the University of Alberta.

Many Canadians take for granted just how rare true wilderness is nowadays, he laments, citing the common view that backcountry experiences are a dime a dozen. This doesn’t accurately describe our reality, which is why he suggests national parks are critical to preserving the last vestiges of wilderness areas.

And today, these parks face some fundamental problems, he notes, particularly a lack of support and funding from the government.

Parks Canada has been beleaguered by federal government budget cuts. In March last year Ottawa unveiled its 2012 federal budget, announcing three years of cuts to Parks Canada: $6 million this year; $19.7 million in the 2013-2014 fiscal year; and $29.2 million the next year. And Parks Canada staff weren’t spared –

according to the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), 1,689 Parks Canada employees have received notices that they could lose their jobs.

Urquhart has cultivated a soft spot for Jasper National Park having hiked its wild depths and having connected with its locals over the years through his magazine work.

“One of the things I really appreciate about Jasper is my sense of the people who are the backbone of that national park community,” he says, noting that they have a good sense of balance in terms of looking at the pressures to develop on one hand and the desire to preserve landscapes on the other.

As for Urquhart’s crusading sword?

It’s his pen or, more likely in today’s world, his keyboard.

“The magazine has essentially become the main tool I use to speak out about parks and the mountain parks in particular,” he explains. “For me, given where I am, and given what I do, writing and research is certainly one way in which I can be involved and raise people’s awareness about just what’s going on with respect to national parks.”

But he is more than a mere bystander. Last September, Urquhart was involved with organizing a rally to protest the proposed Brewster Glacier Discovery Walk, a 400-metre boardwalk over Sunwapta Canyon in Jasper National Park. He also wrote an extensive submission as part of its environmental assessment process.

“For me, I wouldn’t be as involved as I have been in the last 18 months if the government wasn’t giving me a record that cries out to be challenged and criticized,” he notes with a bitter laugh.

Urquhart is certainly an optimist, though, and places his faith firmly in the remarkable people he’s met on his life journey who share his vision for Jasper National Park.

“They have a sense of ... how important nature can be, and should be, in terms of our lives.”

Expanding the Environmental Experience

Do you love wild places?

Join the Alberta Wilderness Association’s (AWA) crusade to preserve and promote wild lands at albertawilderness.ca.

Subscribe to the AWA’s The Wild Lands Advocate at gowildalberta.ca or by phone (403) 283-2025.

Urquhart speaks passionately at the Day of Hope rally in September 2012 to protest against the proposed Brewster Glacier Discovery Walk, a 400-metre boardwalk over Sunwapta Canyon. Photo by Ann Clarke

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“Not enough is being done to get people off the highways and into the backcountry.”

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Urquhart believes one problem facing our national parks relates to the visitor experience. “Not enough is being done to get people off the highways and into the backcountry,” he says, which is essentially the ‘real’ national park experience.

One thing that needs to happen is the elimination of fees for school groups who come into the park to take interpretive tours.

“They are going to be the stewards of the parks in the future, so let’s assist them to get out into the backcountry and experience its majesty.”

The other huge issue facing national parks relates to ecological integrity. Case in point – the gutting of Parks Canada’s Calgary office of its natural and social sciences divisions.

“Where is the capacity in Parks Canada to measure and monitor the ecological integrity mandate? It’s going to suffer given the scientific cuts made in Parks Canada and elsewhere in the federal government.”

And as for the proposed Brewster Glacier Walk development, “The most important thing about this is less the actual project but more the actual process by which these projects are approved,” Urquhart explains. “What shocked me was the superficiality of the public consultation – it really doesn’t matter what people have to say.”

Despite all this, he firmly believes that people power can make a difference, and that through reaching out to the broader public via articles and public actions, a massive shift in consciousness will ensue, leading to a revolutionary new way of treating our priceless national parks.

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Caribou

Comeback

How the plan to reintroduce a lost species is unfolding in Canada’s flagship national park. disasters taking out the entire population, and that’s exactly what happened,” says John Wilmshurst, Acting Resource Conservation Manager for Jasper National Park. “Since that time we’ve switched gears from our reinforcement approach to a reintroduction approach.”

Though the prospects look promising, a caribou reintroduction will not, by any means, be an easy task. A 2011 report released by Parks Canada identified five factors as the key causes of herd decline; altered predator-prey dynamics; facilitated predator access; direct disturbance; direct elimination of caribou habitat; and small population effects. Parks Canada officials say they are hard at work making the necessary adjustments to ensure that if a reintroduction was to occur, the same factors would have as few negative effects as possible on a new herd.

“One of the biggest factors in the decline in caribou in the park leading up to the avalanche that killed the herd was predation,” explains Alan Dibb, Wildlife Specialist with the Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay Field Unit. However, wolf predation – previously the most detrimental of the five threats – has decreased, and Dibb says that pack numbers have dropped. “Our wolf monitoring work shows that we have achieved lower wolf densities than what was present in the park in previous decades.”

Dibb says that despite having faced a steady loss of members in the past a new herd may be better able to thrive in the park’s current ecological system. “Although we’ve lost caribou from the park, in some ways I think we have, potentially, a system that is perhaps better suited for caribou now than it was ten years ago.”

Dibb explains that Banff National Park has a number of things working in its favour: a large wilderness area that does not face industrial development pressures; the caribou area for the most part has no roads; the vast majority of the core habitat is contained within a wilderness area of Banff National Park; and the opportunity – given that it is a national park – to optimize management for maintaining caribou. “We can manage fires and we can manage the forest,

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n winter 2009 the remaining nine southern mountain caribou that comprised the Banff National Park herd were wiped out by an avalanche in Hector Bowl, north of the Icefields Parkway. This sudden loss left the park without one of its most culturally symbolic and historic species.

For many Canadians, caribou create a strong connection to place, and seeing them in the wild is a memory that remains for a lifetime.

We’ve even minted these iconic animals on our coinage, tossing them in the air to settle our scores in an old fashioned battle of heads versus tails.

When measuring the impact that the loss of a species can have on an ecosystem, there is no one better to discuss the matter than Karsten Heuer, president of the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative (y2y.net), and former biologist and warden with Parks Canada. Heuer and his wife Leanne Allison, a filmmaker, have an intimate connection to caribou.

In 2003, Heuer and Allison spent five months trekking alongside the endangered Porcupine Caribou herd, following its 1,500-kilometre historical migratory path throughout parts of the Yukon and Alaska. Their journey of ecological discovery resulted in an award-winning, feature-length documentary, award-winning books – both adult’s and children’s versions – and invaluable first-hand information used for educational purposes and increased awareness.

“It’s pretty hard for the average person to notice that the caribou are missing, especially your average person who may not have gone on long backpacking trips,” Heuer says.

“We’re always blind to what we’ve lost, that we never saw.”

In the years before this loss, Parks Canada spent nearly a decade researching factors that had led to a steady decline in caribou numbers.

Now this research has been augmented to include future plans for a possible reintroduction of the species back into the park ecosystem.

“Unfortunately, when herd sizes get that small they are subject to things like natural

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as well as human use, to be conducive to the persistence of caribou in the park.”

However, aside from the threats identified within the park, Heuer says that there are outside factors that play a negative role in the reintroduction of this culturally significant species.

Despite the size of Banff National Park, there are larger-scale processes outside of the park that are affecting the transfer of genetic information between herds in Banff and British Columbia.

Heuer shares concern about the costs and the overall investment of a reintroduction, explaining that despite the best efforts, the entire project could all go to waste if not properly managed on a larger scale.

“There are these larger processes that are going on… that led to their decline in the first place that haven’t been addressed,” he says.

“It’s not just the caribou in Banff telling us this; it’s animals throughout the Rocky Mountains, animals throughout the world that are telling us we need to stand back and look at things at a larger scale.”

By larger processes, Heuer is referring to forestry in the interior of B.C., the Revelstoke and Mica hydroelectric dams and the development of recreational motorized sports in the backcountry, all of which have a negative impact on the habitat and migration of caribou.

When it comes to conservation efforts, “It forces humanity to think much bigger,” Heuer says.

As is common with loss of life of bears and elk, the highway and railway are not a concern with the reintroduction of caribou. According to Dibb, the railway poses no threat at all. “We are fortunate that a lot of the caribou habitat is within a wilderness area of the park, so we don’t have a huge amount of human activity or roads in their range.”

Ski touring and track set trails normally facilitate predator access into caribou habitat.

The proposed prime habitat – and real estate that the previous herd called home – is deep into the wilderness of the park, requiring at least one to two days of human propelled movement to reach it, so it is not expected that recreational use will have much, if any, impact on a new herd.

If it was determined that there would be direct human disturbance, any closures would go through a public consultation phase, as is standard for proposed restrictions in national parks. Dibb says that visitors and recreational users do not have to worry about “a big package of restrictions that would suddenly be imposed on them out of the blue.”

As for when the public can expect to see caribou in the wild once again, that is still up in the air.

“It’s really difficult to say,” Dibb suggests.

“We are only one of several [parks] in need of augmentation or reintroduction. At this point it is not known where Banff would rank on the priority list.”

It seems, however, that all parties view the project in a favourable way, despite a few intangibles.

“Was it because of us that some of these critical processes that these caribou need to survive were altered? I think the answer is yes,” says Heuer.

Wilmshurst echoes Heuer’s sentiments, insisting that Parks Canada is in a good position to move forward with the project. “We’re in a position where we have our eyes wide open, and we know what the risks are, and we don’t think that a few setbacks will automatically lead to failure.”

Allison also agrees. “It’s definitely worth trying. You risk the failure and the bad press that can come with that, but it would seem a shame to not even try.”

Stay up to date on all things caribou in the national parks at bit.ly/pccaribou.

Being Caribou Tune in to Being Caribou (beingcaribou.com) in both the award-winning book or film formats, and you’ll fall in love with these magnificent creatures just as we did.

You can watch the film online for free at bit.ly/beingcaribou.

The images that accompany this article are felt works created by Eszter Burghardt (eszterburghardt.com).

HER WORK HAS BEEN EXHIBITED ACROSS CANADA AND SHE WAS SELECTED AS A WINNER FOR THE MAGENTA FOUNDATION’S FLASH FORWARD FESTIVAL IN 2010. IN 2012, SHE TRAVELED TO BAFFIN ISLAND ON A CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS GRANT. SHE IS REPRESENTED BY CALGARY’S

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summer Diorama by2013 KristyHIGHLINE Davison and Camara Miller with assistance from Brita Thomas.

Death Trap

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How a cave specialist and a paleontologist are piecing together Alberta’s post-glacial fossil record by exploring mountain caves.

by Niki Wilson Rappelling down a 30-metre vertical shaft into a cave in the Rocky Mountains was a first for paleontologist Dr. Chris Jass. “It was nerve-racking,” says Jass, who would have been more anxious had he not teamed up with Greg Horne, a cave specialist with Parks Canada. Jass gratefully describes Horne as a “safety first” kind of guy when, in 2009, the two were investigating a cave in eastern Jasper National Park.

The story actually begins 12 years earlier when Horne first visited a similar cave, also in the eastern part of Jasper National Park. Colleagues at Alberta Fish and Wildlife suspected this cave was one of a few known little brown bat hibernacula (an animal’s chosen location for hibernation) in the province, and Horne was sent to investigate. Once inside, Horne quickly established the truth of it – little brown bats huddled in furry clumps along limestone walls, deep in hibernation to conserve energy in the winter months.

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While confirmation of the bat hibernacula was important for regional bat conservation, Horne was more captivated by what generations of bats had left behind – a yellowed carpet of bat bones and skulls glowing in the light of his headlamp, accumulated over hundreds, if not thousands, of years.

And there weren’t just bat bones. As Horne carefully moved around the cave, he saw the skulls and jawbones of large carnivores, perhaps bear or wolverine. These animals had presumably fallen to their deaths at the steep entrance or “vertical trap” of the cave. Horne rightly suspected these bones could have significant paleontological importance. He logged the experience in his memory bank, and there it sat for over a decade.

In 2008, Jass, then a new paleontologist at the Royal Alberta Museum, contacted the Alberta Speleological Society, an organization promoting responsible, safe and environmentally sensitive cave exploration. Horne, an accomplished caver with experience in caves from New Zealand to Nahanni, had been a member for 18 years.

Jass was keen to connect with anyone who had sited bones in Alberta’s mountain caves. He had recently moved to Edmonton from Texas, after having spent his PhD identifying 150,000 yearold fossils from a cave in Nevada, and examining patterns of change over time in mammal fauna in the U.S. Great Basin between the Rockies and Sierra Nevada.

Now in Alberta, he wondered what bones and fossils preserved in caves could tell us about biological patterns after the last ice age.

Did communities come back all at once, or as individual species? Were they the same species as before? Although fossil records existed for large mammals in parts of central Alberta, the post-glacial record in the Canadian Rocky Mountains was virtually non-existent.

Horne contacted Jass to let him know about the caves in Jasper National Park. He was keen to take Jass into the caves for a look, and a year

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radiocarbon dating of a black bear pelvis found in the cave. At 6,000 years old, it was 3,000 years older than anything previously found in the rest of the cave.

These findings were a treasure trove, filling a major gap in the fossil record that had been previously missing from the post-glacial record in this area. Their discovery indicated that animals had returned to the mountains at least 6,000 years before present (BP).

The excitement grew when, along with Dave Critchley of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, the team visited a high elevation cave that has sub-zero temperatures yearround. There the team collected hardened woodrat dung that was eventually radiocarbon dated to 9,600 years BP, a time not long after the glaciers receded.

When he discovered the date, Jass was staggered. He double-checked the results.

“That’s a fairly early date relative to what we currently know,” says Jass. “If woodrats were back, that probably means a lot of other rodents were back too. That gives us a minimum date for when small mammals reoccupied high elevations of the Canadian Rockies.”

These discoveries were just the beginning for Jass, who is still carefully sifting through more of the collected sediments. “It’s exciting because of the lack of data in the mountain area. I wouldn’t be surprised to find something older.”

These unraveled cave mysteries tell us that the suite of wildlife seen in Jasper National Park today is much the same as it has been for the past 6,000 years. Jass’ continued work may soon tell us which species re-emerged first, and when they arrived. Along with data from explorations in Rat’s Nest Cave near Canmore, these geological death traps are providing a broader view of postglacial re-colonization in the Rockies. Although not always as exhilarating as dangling from ropes into caves, for Jass and Horne it’s exciting enough to solve these mysteries cave by cave, and bone by bone.

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later, after a significant rappel down a narrow shaft, Jass and Horne stood side-by-side in their first joint cave expedition.

They noted the sediment of the cave floor appeared to have been disturbed from previous human activity and possibly water drainage.

Like a knife through a layer cake, some of this disturbance had exposed thousands of years of intact sediment strata. This piqued Jass’ interest because it meant the deposits in each layer would be the same age, providing enough material for radiocarbon dating. The two decided to return later for a proper dig; in the meantime, they made use of their research permit to collect a sample of the loose rubble for analysis in Jass’ Edmonton lab.

Under a microscope, Jass found tiny fragments of bones. One was the jawbone of a tiny shrew. He also found surprising numbers of tiny land snail shells, 1-2 mm in size, patterned with beautiful spirals Jass could only detect at magnification. “I didn’t expect so many of the snails, given the nature and structure of the cave,” says Jass, adding that we don’t have a great understanding of land snail fauna “because few people work on them, and they’re so small.” The fact that the entrance of the cave sits in a bowl-shaped depression may account for the large numbers. “Snails are likely washed in from the surrounding landscape,” Jass explains.

Jass and Horne later returned to the cave to conduct a “terminal dig,” in which fossils and bone were properly retrieved from the intact sediment layers. Jass identified the bones of salamanders, amphibians, snakes and even fish, perhaps discarded by birds of prey.

Charcoal from the same sediment layers provided a proxy date for the bones, indicating that most were between 1,700 and 2,700 years old. The quantity of charcoal indicated that a massive fire had once ripped through the area.

“We’re talking a fire that would have incinerated part of the park,” says Horne.

The team was also surprised at the results of

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On May 13, 2009, paleontologist Chris Jass and Parks Canada Cave Specialist Greg Horne visited the bat hibernaculum where Horne first encountered the remains of centuries old carnivore bones. During their investigation, they discovered that the cave had been inspected by another visitor – one they wouldn’t know about until months later when the camera photos were collected.

11:11 am Jass and Horne descend into the vertical “trap” that acts as the cave opening.

12:07 PM Within an hour of their departure, a black bear arrives to investigate. Notice that the bear smells the exact location on the tree where Jass had put his hand.

12:08 pm The bear creeps precariously close to the steep entrance of the cave.

Says Horne, “Little does he know that his cousins or comrades are in the bottom of the cave as bones – [that date] back to 6,500 years ago – from doing the same thing: getting too curious, and falling and dying in there.”

12:08 pm (later that minute) The bear double checks on the tree smell.

12:09 pm Bear investigates motiontriggered camera.

16:43 pm Almost five hours later, Jass and Horne emerge, none the wiser. During our interview about the experience, Horne wonders what would have happened if the bear had fallen in.

Would it have lodged in the opening, effectively blocking their way out? Or would the bear have died at the bottom, or maybe just have been hurt, leaving them in a cave with an injured bear?

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twist of fate A story about losing what matters and finding what matters more.

by C.B. Mackintosh We live in a competitive world – a world in love with the idea of pushing limits, of embodying extreme. Nowhere is this mentality more rampant than in our mountain communities where “ordinary” is a four letter word and fiftieth birthdays are celebrated by summiting 50 peaks.

It can be devastating when life says “no” in the form of an injury, illness, unexpected change or other twist of fate. So what happens when life throws up a roadblock that prevents us from pursuing our passions? When diehard becomes not just hard, but impossible?

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t was August 4, 2012. After seven months or so of getting my post-motherhood mojo back by behaving like a 20-year-old in an almost 40-year-old body, I hit the proverbial wall.

My chronically unstable back failed to tolerate a hike up Cascade Mountain, and what ensued was an excruciating descent from the top of the world, marked by maxed-out physio benefits, prescription pain medication and months of mandatory mid-day naps.

Earlier in the year, I had rediscovered my childhood passion for gymnastics. I attended adult drop-in with athletes almost half my age, but my fears and inhibitions soon gave way to the sheer joy of hurtling my body through space. Doing tucks on the trampoline and turning round-off back handsprings made me feel

invincible. But I wasn’t. And as quickly as I’d found that incredible feeling, that fresh new identity, I lost it.

Why? Was I being punished? I wondered if I would have to accept the limitations of my ageing body, skip the gymnastics and give up those big scrambles for good. How would I heal, and what meaning could I find, or make, from my journey of recovery?

I thought maybe if I talked to other people who had been through something similar, or (as I quickly discovered) something far, far worse, I might reveal some answers. So I set out to interview various superheroes of the Bow Valley, who, as we all do sooner or later, had tripped over their capes, stumbled and fallen, but had gotten back up again.

realize you’re the only person who can take responsibility for your recovery.

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- Jazz Brodeur

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“People who overcome injury always say that it changed their life for the better,” says Jennifer Olson. Olson is a competitive climber and mountain guide who fell 20 feet and suffered stable fractures to her T5 and T12 vertebrae in a mixed climbing accident in Scotland in January 2012. She had been climbing well and was in a positive place in her life and sport at the time. Even though she didn’t think she had done anything wrong, Olson admits to feeling an initial sense of shame.

“You have to come to terms with the fact that if you play, you will get hurt. And not playing so you don’t get hurt isn’t an option,” says Olson. “Keeping your eye on the big picture is the challenge.”

Olson’s injuries and timeline for recovery were clearly defined.

She didn’t need surgery, and Pilates proved effective for rehabilitation. And while she made use of the downtime created by her injury to explore alternative career options, that downtime was also her biggest challenge.

“Life stuff gets in your face,” she explains. She experienced some depression, and at age 41 was grieving not having kids or a life partner. She used the time to reflect and read books and blogs by people dealing with similar issues, and shifted her focus to what she could control. She ate and slept well, got onto a spin bike within the first two weeks and went to aquafit to stay in shape. She listened to her body and ignored the surgeon who told her not to climb.

“I never considered not being able to climb again,” says Olson.

“I thought of [my injury] as a blip.” She set her sights on the 2013 World Cup and traveled to Korea, Switzerland and Italy to compete this past January. She didn’t perform very well for a variety of reasons, but got much stronger training for it and climbed two grades higher than she ever had before.

No one demands more of or has higher hopes for their bodies than professional athletes. Retired alpine ski racer, Thomas Grandi, suggests that professional athletes may have an advantage in facing injury and accepting the limitations of an ageing body over those who haven’t experienced the rigours of formal training. So, what might we learn from the pros?

“You know when you enter the world of pro sports that your career will be finite,” Grandi explains.

“You always know the clock is ticking, so maybe it’s easier to deal with that change than for those who have to deal with it unexpectedly.”

Even so, Grandi acknowledges the difficulty of dealing with the spinal instability that threatened to end his racing career in 2000. He had earned a podium and was ranked twentieth in the world at the time, so he knew he had huge potential. But, there was no defining incident or injury to explain his symptoms and no clear timeline for recovery. He missed the better part of two seasons working with therapists and trainers, then went on to earn high rankings in the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympic Games and to win multiple World Cup titles.

“You need to be patient and believe your body can heal itself,” Grandi says. “Be proactive. Seek out people who can help you get better. Belief is the biggest thing. And patience.”

Canmore climber and outdoor enthusiast, Jacynthe (Jazz) Brodeur, brings plenty of personal experience to her work as a physiotherapist.

Eight years ago, she broke both her ankles in an ice climbing accident. She had no insurance or health benefits, had just bought a house, and the surgeons who put screws and pins in her legs told her she might never walk properly again.

Two years later, her 27-year-old mountain guide husband had a stroke that left him in a wheelchair. He couldn’t speak for three months, spent 18 months in the hospital and now lives in a group home in Calgary.

Brodeur notes the distinction between physical and psychological recovery.

Physical recovery includes eating well, sleeping well and avoiding alcohol and other substances that can interfere with healing. “You need to understand your injury properly,” she explains. “You need to set realistic goals. You need to stay physically fit and know what to do at home so you’re not wasting time.”

Psychological recovery involves working your way through the grieving process. She references Kubler-Ross’s “five stages of grief”: denial, anger, depression, bargaining and acceptance, in no particular order.

“I was lucky,” she admits. “I moved through it very quickly. I didn’t get stuck anywhere.”

What was her secret?

“It’s way easier for you to realize you’re the only person who can take responsibility for your recovery.”

we tend to view and experience injury and illness as humiliation and failure.

Roadblocks to recovery are also physical and psychological. If left untreated, pain, especially chronic pain, can lead to depression, loss of sleep and appetite, and loss of strength and flexibility due to inactivity. As sport psychology consultant and author, Richard Monette, cautions, “Often people try to fight through depression without being conscious of it. It’s important to get help.”

On the flip-side, pain can become a part of your identity throughout and beyond the recovery process. Injury and illness force you to become more knowledgeable about your body.

Recovery might not take you back to your previous level of performance, but rather forward to a “new normal” that requires ongoing maintenance. Pain lets you know when you’ve let things slide.

Monette describes it as a co-dependent relationship. “It’s like an old friend. It never really goes away. Sometimes you give in to it; sometimes you push through it.”

In 1993, Monette hit a post skiing into the lift queue at Banff’s Mt. Norquay, broke both his legs and suffered whiplash and a concussion, complicated by a pulmonary embolism while in hospital. The accident transformed him from “smart jock” to “cripple” who couldn’t walk without a cane.

To provide positive distraction while learning to walk again, Monette took up golf. He bought a pass and played every day by himself, only to discover something new: “Everything I knew as a person did not apply to golf. I had physical literacy, yes, but my mind was not cut out for it. I had to recreate myself.”

He also discovered that it wasn’t the kinaesthetic side of sport that he needed in order to feel alive. It was more the feeling of “Oh, I can play again”.

Golf became his new passion, which led to the inspiration for his novel, The Gift. He now incorporates the insights gained through his transformation from smart jock to cripple to golfer to author in his coaching practice with professional athletes and Olympians.

summer 2013

HIGHLINE

“Recovery and healing is connected to the capacity to face adversity, the ability to be honest with yourself and to make meaning with your life,” Monette explains. “Finding meaning is easier for some people than others.”

He draws a line – a continuum – to illustrate different personality types and their obstacles to healing. On the left side is the Soft Core personality, which tends to demonstrate weakness and over-doubt. People on this side of the continuum tend to experience an up-and-down rehabilitation. When challenged by injury, they often exhibit a downward spiral of negativity and grief.

On the right side of the continuum is the Hard Core personality, which plays tough, acts tough, and tends to over-analyze. Hard Core types tend to overdo it during recovery, which often leads to re-injury. Based on the observations of local healing practitioners, our mountain communities lean more to the Hard Core side.

“Mountain life is about defining and pushing your limits,” says Brodeur. “Once you find that physical limit, you have to work within your abilities.

My chiropractor, Dr. David Fullerton, observes, “In other places that I’ve practiced, people just want to get out of pain. Not here. Here, all people want is to be able to do their sport.”

The drive to return to a passionate pursuit can be a healthy motivation for some. For others it becomes an obstacle to recovery. So how do you strike a balance?

As almost everyone I interviewed mentions, finding the right healing practitioners to work with is key. A good practitioner will address your body, heart and head, and is adept at reframing your injury or illness to help you keep your eye on the big picture and to set realistic goals for recovery.

As Fullerton gently reminded me during one of my many moments of impatience in treatment, “If it means losing a year, but then being able to participate fully again versus trying to get back too soon, re-injuring, and compromising a full recovery, losing a year is worth it.”

50

the world is killing itself with competition.

– Chic Scott

But what happens when diagnosis is elusive and recovery may be long term?

Psychologist and Renaissance Woman Sarah Hutchison is an expert in dealing with this difficult question. Hutchison lived for three years with undiagnosed Lyme’s Disease, struggling with symptoms that emerged six years ago and gradually shifted from mysterious inflammation, muscle strain and fatigue to debilitating nerve pain in the bottom of her feet, chronic pain and weakness in her arms and legs, vision impairment and vertigo.

Although having a diagnosis has brought some peace, the road through treatment and recovery is, on average, a two-year journey.

Needing to shift with her symptoms, Hutchison gave up climbing and took up salsa dancing, then travelled to Cuba to dance and to study Spanish. When she could no longer play piano, she joined a choir. When she could no longer maintain her practice, she took a graphic design course and started a part-time business.

“Since I’ve gotten sick, I’ve actually lived out a bunch of life dreams,” she muses.

But it hasn’t been easy.

“I’ve experienced a wide range of emotions in response to ambiguity and change,” she admits. “There is this push towards positive thinking and positive distraction. In the short term, this is okay, but long term you need to allow time for negative emotions and grieving. You have to find a healthy balance.”

For anyone facing a long-term recovery, friends and family play a critical role. Many of the people I spoke to observed how difficult it was to be left behind while friends or competitors continued on with his or her adventures. But Hutchison observes that learning to reach out and ask for help has been an important shift, strengthening bonds with friends, family and community members, and forging new ones. Hutchison’s friends help her to transport a special chair around Canmore, giving her enough comfort to take in concerts at communitea and to be part of group meditation and yoga classes at The Yoga Lounge. What’s more, Hutchison’s open spirit inspired 20 friends to combine forces and carry her, Arabian princess-style (using gorilla tape, two eight-foot 2 x 2s and a plastic lawn chair) on an arduously transformative 6.4-kilometre round-trip journey to Goldstrike Hot Springs.

“I’ve learned and received so much from so many people,” she acknowledges, “and I can only hope that I’ve given them back something too.”

“

ou C r 3 r el d eb an ra We retire too early niverting sa and we die too young. ry !

Our prime of life should be in our 70’s

“The key to success is to change the game, to evolve,” Chic Scott tells me.

A renowned mountain climber, skier, writer and historian, Scott has lived and thrived through his share of missteps and challenges. After an illustrious climbing career that included working with Clint Eastwood on the 1975 thriller, The Eiger Sanction, now 67, Scott hasn’t climbed for 20 years.

“I got scared, I got heavy, I got clumsy,” he explains with a shrug.

In 1993, he failed his ski guide certification based on the feedback that he wasn’t a good enough skier. He went on to write Summits & Icefields, which Couloir Magazine called, “The best guidebook yet published in North America.”

But Scott doesn’t let his achievements or failures define him.

His only goal is to be himself. “Life isn’t about winning and losing,” he insists. “We have this incredible emphasis on being the best. We create activities for our kids where 98 per cent of them are losers. Even the silver medallists are losers. I think the world is killing itself with competition.”

Perhaps this is why we tend to view and experience injury and illness as humiliation and failure; why Olson’s initial reaction to her climbing accident was shame; and why I was embarrassed explaining to curious acquaintances that yes, I was still recovering from a hike – a hike – seven months later.

Scott’s lowest time was in 1975, when he spent two months in the psychiatric ward of Calgary’s Foothills Hospital, suffering from a nervous breakdown. When he was discharged, he was 30 years old and owned nothing but ragged climbing gear, while his friends all had houses and careers. His love for the mountains got him through it.

Scott references the work of Jean Vanier (Becoming Human) who talks about the tyranny of strength and asks, “If we only honour the strong and talented among us, what about the rest?

Don’t they matter?”

I’m reminded of Hutchison, whose illness has made her more forgiving and understanding of others.

“I’m more accepting,” she admits. “I’ve developed an awareness of mortality that has released fears and expanded freedom. An openness develops. I’ve identified with being strong. Now I can be both strong and vulnerable. I can be independent and taken care of.”

I’m also reminded of the deeper connections I have found in certain friendships since becoming injured, and of the miraculous variety of treatments and medications I have access to because of the particular time and place in which I live. I have been healed by the mountains in the past, as Scott has, and I am on that path to healing yet again.

“Think where we are!” Scott exclaims. “The world is magic, and most of us miss it. Your life is the greatest creation. Create your life.”

&

old age should not come until we are almost

100 ”

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book review HIGHLINE

summer 2013

52

Expectations Met

I

can’t say that I’m a big fan of electronic books. I’ve got a pretty hefty library of hardcovers at home, probably 500+ volumes strong, which speaks to my preference.

There’s something about the weight of a book in my hands and the smell of the pages that makes the story better. Only recently have I delved into the realm of electronic books, primarily downloading the e-versions of printed books that I didn’t want to lug around while travelling.

So when I heard about Pat Morrow’s and Sharon Wood’s new iBook, Everest: High Expectations, I took it all in stride and waited for the announcement of the print version publication date (which will never be). Then, when Morrow previewed the iBook while participating in a panel discussion at the 2012 Banff Mountain Film & Book Festival, I became intrigued. Maybe there is something to this, I thought.

Everest: High Expectations is not simply an electronic rendition of a printed work. It is a multi-media experience that includes writing, slideshows, audio clips, active links and often video. It is a truly comprehensive sensory extravaganza. Imagine that! Storytellers who speak to you right off the page – a novelty! (Pardon the pun.)

The book is divided in half with Morrow authoring one part and Wood the other.

They tell the stories of two separate expeditions. Morrow was on the large, nationally supported and much publicized 1982 Canadian expedition intent on setting the first Canadian atop the world’s highest peak. Wood was on a small 1986 expedition accompanied by climbing friends who hoped that, while climbing a new technical route without Sherpa support, they might put the first North American woman on top of the world. Both succeeded in their climbs, and their stories are intensely, distinctly personal.

When I asked Morrow what the most difficult thing about writing the book was, he said, “There were 20 people on our team, each with their own recollection of the story.

by Joanna Croston

The biggest challenge was to personalize my version and hope that it would sit well with most of them.” Morrow’s photographs also shine here, literally, thanks to the backlit effect on electronic readers.

Wood’s writing is a refreshing, humble, female voice in a male dominated alpine world.

She frequently downplays her difficulties and her suffering on the climb. Several challenging situations she describes sounded so unreal I had to read sentences twice to ensure that I had read correctly. Her writing is poignant, and her climbing achievement is astounding.

To this day the route has not been repeated.

So, am I about to clear out my library and sell off all my books? Not on your life. Will I download another iBook again? You bet.

Everest: High Expectations by Pat Morrow and Sharon Wood is available on iTunes for your iPad for $9.99.

Joanna Croston is a voracious reader of all types of writing and is the Programming & Event Producer for the Banff Mountain Film & Book Festival.

Dark skies sparkle with stars as the flames of your campfire reach upwards. You’re on dinner duty and eager to impress your friends with your flair for backcountry gourmet.

To give you the upper hand, we’ve called on our goto foodie, Mystee Maisonet, for her most-requested gourmet camping recipe.

Campfire Cookin’ 1 pkg. of extra firm or ganic tofu 1/2 r ed pepper, se eded and diced serves 3 tbsp. coconut oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/3 cup tamari 1/3 cup fr eshly sque ezed lime juice 2 tbsp. Thai Kitchen Roasted Red Chili paste 2/3 cups cashews, toasted if desir ed 1/4 cup chopped cilantr o 1/4 cup chopped basil

4

Directions Tip: Chop and prepare ingredients in advance, including cooking your chosen grain.

Heat oil in a cast iron skillet or, if you need to go lightweight on gear, a cooking pot.

Cut tofu into 1-centimetre cubes and sauté with garlic for about 5 minutes. Add tamari, fresh lime juice, and roasted red chili paste. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the tofu has absorbed most of the sauce but is still moist. Add red pepper and sauté a few minutes more.

Add cashews and half of the cilantro. Serve topped with the remaining cilantro and chopped basil over quinoa or jasmine rice.

HIGHLINE

by Mystee Maisonet

Ingredients

summer 2013

Thai Chili Lime Tofu

Illustrations by Chris Lavery

53

Knit & Caboodle Yarn Shop

Whyte MuseuM

#105, 717 Walk of Champions (9th Street), Canmore, Alberta

111 Bear Street Banff, AB 403.762.2291

403-609-5582 knitandcaboodle.ca

Knit & Caboodle Yarn Shop is dedicated to yarn and yarn lovers alike! Browse our diverse collection of designer yarns, plus unique handdyed yarns from local and Canadian sources. Patterns, needles, accessories and gifts for hand-knitters and crocheters.

of the

Of Cabbages

and

Kings POttery

Canadian RoCkies

whyte.org

Image: Peter von Tiesenhausen, “Peregrinator.”

The museum’s “Picturing the Canadian Pacific Railway” exhibition focuses on the CPR’s mainline from Calgary to Glacier House and features evocative contemporary art as well as historic Canadian artworks, including rarely seen private and public loans.

Canada day Volunteers, unIte! JoIn us at: canadadayincanmore.ca Or call Jean Samis at 403.678.5789

129 Bow Meadows Crescent Canmore, AB

403.678.1922 ofcabbagesandkings.ca

‘of Cabbages & Kings’ is a working pottery studio in Canmore Alberta, featuring the work of two generations of local potters. John Borrowman, who has been making his living with clay since 1974, was joined by his daughter Katie in 2005. Together they create several studio lines, as well as each producing their own distinctive and colourful lines of functional and one-of-a-kind pieces.

Stop by to visit Katie & John at the pottery any time Tuesday through Saturday and see how the pottery is made. They usually have a great selection of finished work available, and are always happy to make something to order!

Sunny Raven GalleRy

LocaLLy Grown Get in on it!

#156, 105 Bow Meadows Crescent, Canmore, AB 403.678.6113

Want to see your ad here? info@highlineonline.ca

403.688.5103

sunnyraven.com

highlineonline.ca

Canada Day in Canmore is one of the most successful July 1st events in the province and is the kickoff to the summer festival season. Over 150 volunteers donate their time and talent to ensure the success of this long standing tradition.

Whatever your treasure, we treat it with care.

With your help we can continue that tradition: from set up or take down, stage support, kids’ bouncy castle or helping with the Resource Recovery, there is a place for everyone.

-Artist Supplies

The Locally Grown section showcases the businesses that are rooted here in the Rockies. Align your business with Highline and reach an audience of happy, healthy, mountain-loving folks.

Email eagle13@aeontech.ca

Is TEAM! framing on your Christmas WE’D LOVE TO HAVE YOU ON OUR list? Bring it in early!

-Specialized in Custom Framing -Ready-made mats & frames -Original Art & Photography Celebrating 30 years!

Reserve your space in our next issue today.

arts + culture

Locally Grown Wild Bill’s

Valbella Gourmet Foods

Rocky Mountain Bagel co.

403-762-0333

104 Elk Run Boulevard jeff@valbella.ca

wildbillsbanff.com

403.678.9989

102-830 Main Street Canmore, AB T1W 2B7 403.678.9978

LEGENDARY SALOON

201 Banff Ave, 2nd Floor

6A-1306 Bow Valley Trail Canmore, AB T1W 1N6 403.678.9968

valbella.ca

A deliciously authentic Smokehouse menu, 3 patios, Banff’s largest dance floor and only mechanical bull plus almost nightly entertainment makes Wild Bill’s Legendary Saloon your first choice for nightlife, flavor and fun in the Rockies. Celebrate the legend.

Valbella Gourmet Foods has been serving the Bow Valley locally sourced and naturally produced meats for 34 years and counting.

Our goal continues to be, unbeatable product quality tied in to tradition as well as product innovation. Visit us in our Deli this summer to taste what it’s all about!

communitea café

Always has been and always will be a proud supporter of the community. The Bagel Co is where locals love to meet: it’s like Canmore’s living room! www.thebagel.ca

Chez FranCois

O BistrO

Bow Valley Trail

#117 1001 6th avenue canmore, alberta 403.688.CAFE (2233) www.thecommunitea.com

1604 2nd Ave. Canmore, AB T1W 1M8

creating fresh, healthy and delicious breakfast & lunch with as many local and organic ingredients as possible. plenty of gluten free and vegan choices.

80+ varieties of premium loose leaf tea, Intelligentsia coffee. live music select evenings. follow us on facebook, twitter or sign up for our newsletter to win tickets to our shows. book your private party, wedding reception or fundraiser with us. great rates for a 40-95 capacity venue. don’t miss cupcake fridays!

#2, 626 Main Street Canmore, AB, T1W 2B5

403.678.6111

403.678.3313

restaurantchezfrancois.com

restaurantobistro.com

Breakfast and Brunch served 7am-2:30pm. Wake with a cappuccino, daily smoothies or fruit cocktails. Famous home-made eggs benedict, crepes, French toast, pancakes, and smoked salmon bagels. Gluten-free and take out available!

A great meeting place for any meal or dessert!

Fresh and tasty food in a friendly environment. Chef Olivier Gouin prepares Canadian & French classics with quality ingredients to provide a gourmet experience in a casual setting.

Take out available to fuel your journey! Lunch 11am3pm, Dinner from 5pm.

restaurants

The Yoga Lounge

Canmore Hot Yoga

Red eaRth Spa

2nd Floor, 826 Main St. Canmore, AB

101-1002 8th Avenue

Banff Caribou Lodge & Spa 521 Banff Ave.Banff, AB

Canmore, Alberta

403.678.6687

Happily helping folks in the Bow Valley realize their full potential: physically, mentally and spiritually. Ten years and counting! Namaste.

Psychologist Carl Jung stated: “The afternoon of our life cannot be lived by the morning’s rhythm.”

This great insight explains why many of us reach a point in our lives where we feel drawn to change. For some, the afternoon of our life arrives quite early. For others, it may never come at all. If you are in a place of confusion, take heart - perhaps you are on the cusp of something big...

ExcEl FitnEss studio 160 - 105 Bow Meadows Crescent, Canmore, AB

403.762.9292

403.675.9642

theyogalounge.ca

re:focus PILATES

canmorehotyoga.com

redearthspa.com

Canmore Hot Yoga offers you a dynamic yoga series designed to strengthen, heal and rejuvenate your body. The heat helps warm the muscles and aids the body in detoxification.

Be prepared to challenge your body and transform your mind!!

Boasting an extensive treatment menu, The Red Earth Spa at Caribou Lodge makes spa-ing a perfect post hike activity. Unwind in the huge hot tub and steam room or enjoy a couples massage and private plunge in our geisha tub.

Life Works Gym 403.609.2019

www.excelfitnesscanmore.com

contact@refocuspilates.ca 403.688.5500

christa_excelfitness@yahoo.com

refocuspilates.ca

lifeworksgym.net

The MODERN approach to Pilates | Celebrating 2 4 years in downtown Canmore!

Specializing in pre/post-natal, post-rehab care & athletic conditioning. All instructors are Stott Pilates certified, trained in massage therapy, fitness/ dance instruction & extensive continuing education in spinal injuries & post-rehab care.

The biggest gym in the Bow Valley just got bigger!

403.609.4162

All fitness levels welcome!

Fitness Classes: *Boot Camps * Core and Stretch * Kickboxing * Spin * Outdoor Boot Camps Drop-in, punch cards and unlimited passes are available! More info online!

1412 Railway Ave, Canmore, AB

We are celebrating our 10 Year Anniversary with original local gym owners, Neil & Jessie Fox. “Wow… April 2013 has been the busiest month in Life Works history! We have nearly tripled sales from April 2012.” - Neil Fox

health + wellness

Locally Grown Redstone

Natur’el tea

Custom WindoW Fashions

Canmore, AB redstonewf@hotmail.com

Raven Rescue

LTD.

Training & Equipment info@NatureLifestyle.com

403-609-1609

info@ravenrescue.com

1.800.880.0287

Skookum CyCle and Ski revelstoke@skookumcycle.com

250.814.0090

redstonewindowfashions.com

www.NatureLifestyle.com

ravenrescue.com

www.skookumcycleandski.com

Redstone is the first choice for custom drapery, blinds, and home décor. We’ll help you design a home that’s more beautiful, functional, and inviting with our passion for drapery, wood shutters, bedding and everything in between. Consultations and installation are included.

Artfully hand-blended in small batches, we create premium loose-tea infusions.

Enjoy some of our favorites like Alpen Glow, designed with herbs and flowers native to Banff National Park. Visit us online and receive your free tea sample today!

Internationally-recognized courses held in Canmore:

Located in the heart of downtown Revelstoke, Skookum is your one stop for all your biking needs! With a full service shop, knowledgeable staff, bike rentals and lots of trail info, we make your next bike trip easy!

Ultimate Ski & Ride

Pub Pedals

Canmore WoodCrafters Ltd.

- Bike ReNtalS

403-300 Palliser Lane

canmorewoodcrafters.com

206 Banff Ave.

Canmore, Alberta contact@pubpedals.com pubpedals.com

403.678.4767

403.762.0547 ultimatebanff.com

• Swiftwater Rescue • Surface Ice Rescue • Technical Rope Rescue • Wilderness First Aid • Wilderness First Responder

Canmore, AB

PP

PUB PEDALS

Ultimate Ski and Ride is dedicated to providing you with the greenest way to experience Banff. Glide through the streets on a fashionable cruiser or dive into nature with a full suspension bike. Whatever your needs we have something for everyone.

Say goodbye to the difficulty and discomfort of riding to the pub on your tiny little Eggbeater pedals without your bike shoes on! Just slide Pub Pedals on over your Eggbeaters, and you are ready to ride --- no matter what shoes you are wearing.

See the value of shopping locally?

We proudly make ALL high end custom residential/commercial cabinetry, and architectural millwork in house, from start to finish.

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snapshot

Highline’s Summer 2013 Festival Bucket List are you Still reminiscing about the summer of ‘69? We have a good feeling this summer is about to put it to shame thanks to this playbill of Rockies events

June 13-16 (Banff)

Bike Fest. Grab some street food and cheer on cyclists in their skin suits while they zip around the roadways of Banff National Park.

June 22 (Banff)

Juno Award winner Serena Ryder pipes up outside at Performance in the Park at Cascade Gardens.

July 6 (Revelstoke)

Timber Days is a celebration of logging culture. Cheer on the locals as they heroically compete for top spot in an array of wood-themed sports. Watch out for splinters.

July 20 (Canmore)

Head up to the Nordic Centre any time after dark to observe the riders of the 24 Hours of Adrenaline in their Gu-fueled, headlamped, sleep-deprived glory. It’s a trip.

July 30 (Banff)

The last Tuesday in July marks The Annual Johnson Lake Float up at, you guessed it, Johnson Lake. Show up with a supersoaker at noonish and cool off with a crazy capture-the-flag-style community watergun fight.

August 3-5 (Canmore) Get links to tickets and more info on all of these events at bit.ly/summer2013events.

The Canmore Folk Music Festival at Centennial Park is arguably the most beautiful setting in the world for an outdoorsy fest of sweet tunes. ***Don’t have a pass for the fest? Relax and beat the crowds at the Festival Pub at the Miner’s Union Hall where the entrance fee is nominal and the beer is flowin’.

August 9 and 10 (Fernie)

Canadian Indie bands get fresh at Wapiti Music Festival. Current Swell and Plants and Animals headline with lots of Rocky Mountain favorites (Shred Kelly, anyone?).

Send your summer events our way and we’ll list them on our Online Calendar.

Camara’s your girl at events@highlineonline.ca.

See you all out there

summer 2013

HIGHLINE

this summer.

September 1 (Canmore)

Get your tickets REALLY early for the Evening Ceilidh at Canmore Highland Games. A Scottish classic.

September 7 (Golden)

Check out the first annual Golden Sound Festival for a full day of funk, rock and indie music by Golden’s locals’ choice of bands.

September 13-15 (Jasper)

The sorely-missed and highly-anticipated Jasper Folk Music Festival makes a comeback this summer. Woot!

September 14 (Revelstoke)

Keep your bike season rolling and head out to the Martha Creek Meltdown, Revy’s enduro downhill mountain bike race.

TBD - This summer’s Know Your Neighbour Night, hosted by Highline Magazine. Keep an eye on highlineonline.ca for updates.

58

tak you e pic r k

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