Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine March 2017 issue by Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine

March 2017 edition

FREE

March 2017

Contents 4 News Briefs 6 Tickle trunk: Revelstoke’s love affair with the masquerade ball 8 March events calendar 10 Backcountry guide author Douglas Sproul 10 Feel Good Collective brings healers together 12 Monashee Spirits Craft Distillery creates unique local blends 14 The Effen Search: Photographer Robert Sim’s adventurous landscapes 16 Is it high time for a cannabis dispensary in Revelstoke?

18 22 24 24 25 26 29 29

Profile: Rising sledder Morgan Gamache Winter paddleboarding on Lake Revelstoke Food: Winter greens tips Recipe: Warm kale, broccoli and grain salad bowl Wine picks: In like a lion, out like a lion Style: Sled style The Reel: Let’s get the fail out of the way #revelstokemountaineer Instagram contest

Cover: Brandon Wiesener explodes into the blue on Turtle Mountain. Photo: Eliisa Tennant

The Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine is a free monthly magazine featuring the best of Revelstoke outdoor life, food, style, visitor experiences, lifestyles, entertainment, home style, and healthy living.

Creative Director Aaron Orlando

Each month we distribute free copies to over 100 public venues across Revelstoke, including accommodations, shops, restaurants, cafes, community centres, bars, and everywhere people meet. We are an independent, locally owned publication dedicated to showcasing our amazing mountain town and the great people who create the stoke.

Graphic Design Chris Payne

For more information, including details on advertising rates, please call, or visit our parallel online publication at www.revelstokemountaineer.com and click on the advertising tab. Phone: 250-814-8710

Mailing Address: PO BOX 112, 606 Railway Avenue, Revelstoke, B.C. V0E 2S0

Contributors

Imogen Whale: When Imogen Whale isn’t moonlighting as a journalist and writer based in Revelstoke, she’s out playing with her family or horses. She’s happily tripping the light fantastic Bryce Borlick is a world traveler, outdoor enthusiast, and urban refugee whom you’re most likely to find wandering the mountains in search of nothing in particular. With an unruly interest in sustainability and permaculture, he may be the only person in Revelstoke dreaming of one day doing burnouts in an electric F-250 towing a tiny house. Jodi Kay is originally from Quebec, but considers herself lucky to have called Banff, France and now Revelstoke – home. She is a recipe developer, food blogger and farmer’s market shopaholic. She loves hiking the trails, doing yoga and any adventure involving trail mix. You can find her work and recipes at www.happyheartedkitchen.com

Sarah j Spurr: Sarah is a mixed media visual artist originally from the 705/ Kawartha Lakes Ontario, and has been a Revelstoke resident for the past three years. Heavily inspired by the natural environment and her relationship with it. Stoked on all the things she’s discovering in British Columbia and the way these fresh influences have found ways into her home, heart and art-making. Heather Hood aspires to never be too serious, see the wonderment in every day life and take advantage of any opportunity to rhyme. She can always find an occasion to drink bubbly and has a great passion for wine. Eliisa Tennant: Born with adventure in her heart and raised in Revelstoke, Eliisa spends most of her time soaking up the mountain life. Whether it’s being on top of the world via snowmobile or paddle boarding on Lake Revelstoke Eliisa has true passion for the outdoors. She is happiest when found behind the lens exploring or writing about her experiences.

NEWS BRIEFS

Get the latest stories here, as reported on the revelstokemountaineer.com — your daily source of Revelstoke news and information.

Revelstoke population increases: 2016 Census

Revelstoke’s next generation at the 2016 Canada Day Parade. Photo: Aaron Orlando

Revelstoke has reversed decades of population decline according to the 2016 Canada census. The city grew by 5.7% between 2011 and 2016, from 7,139 to 7,547. Statistics Canada released the first batch of data from the 2016 Canada census in February. The information released focused on population size and growth in Canada. The national census revealed that Revelstoke had 3,531 private dwellings, of which 3,252 were occupied by usual residents. (This statistic is one of the few details Stats Canada provides during this information release from the 2016 survey; several more information releases are scheduled through the year). The rural area around Revelstoke, which includes lands just outside of city limits like the Begbie Bench, the Revelstoke Airport area, and the communities of Trout Lake and Mica Dam village, also experienced an increase. The population there, in the Columbia Shuswap Regional District Area B, increased by 8.3% between 2011 and 2016, from 552 to 598. There were a total of 486 private dwellings in that area. But only 267 of them were occupied by what Stats Canada calls “usual residents.” This high percentage of non-permanently occupied homes represents the nature of much of the rural recreational nature of the area, especially in the Trout Lake region, where many structures are seasonal vacation homes. Before the latest census, for over two decades Revelstoke experienced population decline as the community shed resource industry jobs, especially forestry. Now, local mills are experiencing significant increases in production and employment. That’s on top of the development of Revelstoke Mountain Resort, which opened in 2007. The census lists Revelstoke as the 73rd largest city in B.C., and 524th in Canada.

Revelstoke to install bear-proof bins downtown after 24 bears killed in 2016 The City of Revelstoke plans to replace all of its garbage containers in the downtown core with bear-proof bins this spring. This comes after one of the worst years for bear sightings in decades in 2016, when 24 bears were killed in Revelstoke by conservation officers, and possibly some more by residents. The large number of bears killed resulted in an outcry from both residents and tourists. Many were vocal in calling for the need for a dedicated conservation officer in Revelstoke. The community has had no dedicated conservation officer residing her since 2013, and the provincial government doesn’t plan on reinstating the position here. During the 2016 bear season, it was left to conservation officer Dan Bartol, who is based out of Golden, to deal with the multiple bear reports from Revelstoke. He described Revelstoke as not bear-smart compared to other communities in the province and said the situation could be completely manageable. “We don’t need to kill these bears — once they’re habituated we have no choice — but we don’t need to have them habituated or food conditioned, there are alternatives,” Bartol said in an interview with the Mountaineer. One of these alternatives is the installation of bear-proof garbage bins, which the City of Revelstoke will do at a cost of $37,600. “Given the situation with the bears last year, we thought it would be good to replace [the existing garbage containers] with bear-proof containers,” director of Economic Development Alan Mason told the Mountaineer. The city does have a number of bear-proof bins in parks and areas on the edge of town near the forest. The bins downtown were installed roughly two decades ago during a downtown revitalization drive. They do have latching metal tops, but the garbage is somewhat exposed and the bins didn’t stop the clever, motivated bears.

Protesters demand action in front of Revelstoke City Hall after scores of bears were killed in Revelstoke during the 2016 bear season. Photo: Revelstoke Mountaineer file photo

Caribou recovery program receives government funding The B.C. provincial government has announced $27 million in funding for a “comprehensive caribou recovery program.” “We’re taking action to protect the long-term survival of the woodland caribou,” said Premier Christie Clark in a statement.

Revelstoke Caribou Rearing in the Wild members capture caribou before transporting them to the Lake Revelstoke maternity pen. Photo: Rob Buchanan/Revelstoke Caribou Rearing in the Wild

According to the province, the funding will support a “comprehensive program” based on five components: • Critical caribou habitat protection and restoration • Maternal penning • Predator management • Research and monitoring • Increased compliance and enforcement “Caribou recovery is complicated by numerous factors including habitat alteration, climate change, increased predation and competition from moose, deer and elk,” said Minister of Forests and Lands and Natural Resource Operations, Steve Thomson. Two conservation programs, Wildsight and Conservation Northwest, as well as the Mountain Caribou Recovery Progress Board, expressed support for the announcement. “It’s clear that a multifaceted approach to caribou recovery is necessary as efforts to date have failed to stop the decline in caribou numbers across the province,” said John Bergenske of Wildsight. The announcement said that additional maternal penning projects like the one north of Revelstoke are being “contemplated.” The February announcement was met with opposition from some environmental groups. They are calling for the additional use of tools such as excluding logging and road building from critical habitat, restrictions on commercial and public motorized recreation, and maternal penning to increase calf survival. The funding announcement is a sign of potential future changes that could impact key economic sectors such as forestry and tourism. In the past, caribou recovery programs have led to restrictions on logging and recreation activities like heli-skiing and snowmobiling. How far potential new restrictions will go remains to be seen. The progress board has also recommended a captive breeding program, such as the Revelstoke Caribou Rearing in the Wild project. The program sees pregnant caribou captured and placed in a pen located on the shore of Lake Revelstoke, where they are protected from predators while they raise their calves through the crucial first months. Today there are some 19,000 caribou in the province, compared to between 30,000 and 40,000 at the turn of the last century.

2017 Masquerade Ball organizer Sarah Peterson dressed as the ringmaster for the circus theme. Photo: Sarah j Spurr

A mask by Sarah j Spurr from the 2016 jungle-themed event. Photo: Sarah j Spurr

Come one, come all, to the greatest show on Earth Message from the Ringmaster By Sarah j. Spurr

This March 11, become an acrobat of the dance floor and get magnificent like the un-tamed stars of the animal kingdom. Hula-hoop in Spandex, dazzle like a trapeze swinger or treat yourself to a really tall hat. Carnival folk, walkers of tight rope, juggling jesters, masked misfits and mystics unite. The circus is the town. Romeo and Juliet met at a masquerade ball, and since the birth of the Venetian carnival scene in the 15th Century partygoers around the world have celebrated, reinvented and passed down the art of masked night. Costume, is in fact a Heritage Minute still going strong straight from our community’s own memory bank. Revelstoke Museum & Archives curator Cathy English shares a beautiful collection of visual evidence from a time when masquerade parties became a colourful part of our early social, cultural legacy. Dating back to the early 1900s, accounts from the annual fireman’s ball were described in great detail each year by The Revelstoke Mail-Herald newspaper. The Second Street opera house and various halls across town were transformed into decorative ballrooms where orchestra or band-led dance parties went late into night. “Shortly before ten o’clock to the music of ORRS

Orchestra, the Grand march was led off by Floor Master Rl Gordon, about sixty couples falling in line — a vision of kaleidoscopic beauty was presented to the onlookers as the many gorgeous and brilliant costumes of all the ranks and periods mingled in the maze of the dance.” The Revelstoke Mail-Herald, 1913 Fast forward to today, Sarah Red Peterson, our Ringmaster to the 2017 masquerade main event, is perched over a pear-topped muesli in the window spot of Dose Cafe. It began with a cross pollination of ski town cultures, she tells me. A group of migrants like herself moved here from the Whistler party scene in the early years of Revelstoke Mountain Resort. They brought their tickle trunks and in some cases tickle closets with them. They were feeling the nostalgia for good times with familiar faces grooving to that Whistler sound. DJ friends would travel for a weekend escape to Revy, where they could entertain for a fresh and crafty crowd, dressed to entertain them in return. Sarah has been organizing the event at the Traverse since taking the torch from the original three inspiring years of parties led by original floor master Kit Redhead. Previous themes hosted by Sarah include Woodland Legends, Space, and Jungle boogie. This year for the seventh time, the stage has been re-set for a human powered Circus. Sarah credits each year’s success to the

diversity and creativity of its attendees and encourages you to prepare in advance by hosting an evening of mask making, costume building, and crafting with your friends. “I remember this one couple at the Masquerade in Space, that weren’t even in masks [which is generally a no-no]. They were just sitting at the bar, with costumes that were just so minimalistic, yet future superior. The chick had bleached blonde hair that was spiked straight out to one side. To this day I still wonder if they heard about the party at a restaurant from the end of the universe — and decided to make the bazillion light year trek to the party.” That same year Whistler’s dearly-loved DJ and visionary artist Chilli Thom had come back for more. As if by an extension of his presence, brought a homemade video montage of old space movies to project over and over in half hour loops for each of the DJ sets. The most memorable moments are made possible by the level of imagination you can pull together and bring with you for the night. “Unmasking was a source for endless amusement as characters were revealed. Soldiers mingled with Oriental beauties, coy peasant girls made eyes at dashing cavaliers and cowboys, while clowns, fairies, mythical goddesses, Scotchmen and Turks, suffragettes and statesmen, took life together as happily as can be. This was the Socialist’s dream and the beginning of the millenium, when people of all nations, languages, colour, speech and creed were hobnobbing together on pleasure bent.” —The Revelstoke Mail-Herald, 1909 This year, three headlining acts will take you through a parade of electric powered Circus House. Featuring Whistler imports, DJ Surgeon and Whitness and Revelstoke’s own DJ Wesside. Think: Legendary, Entertaining, Bizarre Traverse is your Big Top for the evening. Ticket Booth is located at Skookum Ski and Cycle. $15 each/ 19 +. Thurdsday March 11. No mask – No Boogie.

Masquerade balls have been part of Revelstoke for over a century. Here, the 1911 Firefighters’ Masquerade Ball. Photo: Revelstoke Museum & Archives image

Find the Facebook event page or follow @traverserevy for updates. Visit the Revelstoke Museum & Archives to learn more about what makes us unique and check out the full selection of Brown Bag History talks hosted every other Wednesday at revelstokemuseum.ca.

LUNA NOCTURNAL ART & WONDER REVELSTOKE, BC Sept 30- Oct 15

2017

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN! Luna is a new arts festival opening September 30th from 6 pm - midnight. Featuring 25 artists, Luna will bring art and energy to downtown Revelstoke. What are we looking for? -outstanding and creative art pieces (think BIG and outside the box!) -works that are interactive and installation based -art that incorporate s new and alternative media -site specific installations that use our wonderful city scape Artist compensation: $500 per piece Submission forms can be found at: www.revelstokeartgallery.ca Submit to: lunarevelstoke@gmail.com Deadline: April 15th Luna is produced by the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre and the Revelstoke Arts Council. We gratefully acknowledge the support from Tourism Infrastructure and the Accommodation Association.

The circus comes to town in this Revelstoke Museum & Archives historical photo.

March 2017 Events Calendar Wednesday, March 1

The New Groovement @ the River City Pub From 9 p.m.

Open Mic Night @ The Last Drop From 10 p.m.

R Gear Rail Jam @ Revelstoke Mountain Resort From 5:30 p.m.

Steve Palmer with local supporting act Aza Deschamps @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre From 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 19 Slopes for Hope charity ski @ Revelstoke Mountain Resort All day

Thursday, March 2 Revelstoke Winter Market @ Revelstoke Community & Aquatic Centre From 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Bring Your Own Vinyl Thursdays @ The Cabin From 8 p.m. Friday, March 3 Drop-in curling @ Revelstoke Curling Club From 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. $5 Mat the Alien @ Traverse From 9 p.m.

Sweatshop Union Sweatshop Union @ Traverse Nightclub From 9 p.m. Friday, March 10 Drop-in Curling @ Revelstoke Curling Club 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. $5 Saturday, March 11 Sunlight Snowshoe @ Mount Revelstoke National Park From 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. The Circus Masquerade @ Traverse Nightclub From 9 p.m. Monday, March 13 Rockford wings night @ Revelstoke Rockford Wok Bar Grill From 4 p.m. - 10 p.m Tuesday, March 14

Smalltown DJs Saturday, March 4 Mountain Magic Tour with Smalltown DJs and Christian Martin @ Traverse From 10 p.m. Monday, March 6 Rockford wings night @ Revelstoke Rockford Wok Bar Grill From 4 p.m. - 10 p.m. Tuesday, March 7 Trivia Night @ Mackenzie Common - RMR From 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. Toonie Tuesdays @ Traverse Nightclub From 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. Wednesday, March 8 Revelstoke Museum Brown Bag History @ Revelstoke Museum and Archives From 12:15 p.m. - 1 p.m. Discovering Endangered Bat Species talk @ Revelstoke Community Centre From 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

Trivia Night @ Mackenzie Common - RMR From 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. Toonie Tuesdays @ Traverse Nightclub From 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. Wednesday, March 15 Open Mic Night @ The Last Drop Pub From 10 p.m. - 1 a.m. Ring of Fire: Johnny Cash Musical @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre From 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 16 Revelstoke Winter Market @ Revelstoke Community and Aquatic Centre From 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Bring Your Own Vinyl Thursdays @ The Cabin From 8 p.m. Friday, March 17 Drop-in Curling @ Revelstoke Curling Club From 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Saturday, March 18

Tuesday, March 21 Trivia Night @ Mackenzie Common - RMR From 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. Toonie Tuesdays @ Traverse Nightclub From 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. Wednesday, March 22 Dheepan @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre Part of The Movies in the Mountains series From 7:30 p.m. Revelstoke Museum Brown Bag History @ Revelstoke Museum and Archives From 12:15 p.m. - 1 p.m. Open Mic Night @ The Last Drop Pub From 10 p.m. - 1 a.m. Thursday, March 23 Bring Your Own Vinyl Thursdays @ The Cabin From 8 p.m. Friday, March 24

Monday, March 27 Rockford wings night @ Revelstoke Rockford Wok Bar Grill From 4 p.m. - 10 p.m. Tuesday, March 28 Toonie Tuesdays @ Traverse Nightclub From 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. Wednesday, March 29 Open Mic Night @ The Last Drop Pub From 10 p.m. - 1 a.m. Thursday, March 30 Revelstoke Winter Market @ Revelstoke Community And Aquatic Centre From 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Bring Your Own Vinyl Thursdays @ The Cabin From 8 p.m.

Thursday, March 9

Friday, March 31

Koneline: Our Beautiful Land - Film Premier @ The Roxy Theatre From 6:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Rockford wings night @ Revelstoke Rockford Wok Bar Grill From 4 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Drop-in Curling @ Revelstoke Curling Club From 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Open Mic Night @ The Last Drop Pub From 10 p.m. - 1 a.m.

Bring Your Own Vinyl Thursdays @ The Cabin From 8 p.m.

Monday, March 20

Drop- in curling @ Revelstoke Curling Club From 7 p.m. New Groovement

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Feel Good Collective opens doors By Imogen Whale

After spending time in hospital several years ago, Anna Minten concluded that, while the medical care was first rate, the environment left her feeling drained. “I couldn’t eat the food, I couldn’t relax and focus on getting better, and I wondered to myself, how is this really long term healing?” Minten explains. “I think western medicine is amazing and needed, and in an emergency, we are beyond fortunate. But when it comes to whole body healing and maintenance, I don’t believe the current medical system addresses the alternatives available to get and stay healthy.” Minten, who has always been a believer in alternative or integrative healing, found energy healing vastly improved her quality of life. “I believe we have a large capacity to help heal ourselves energetically that we are never encouraged to explore,” she says. Thanks to her firsthand experience and running into many other energy workers in the community who didn’t have a space to practice, Minten felt motivated to open the Feel Good Collective in Revelstoke. “Part of my goal was to offer a professional storefront for practitioners, to help legitimize and normalize the different kinds of healing available. When you make things more accessible, you can spark people’s curiosity,” Minten explains. Minten is also a tattoo artist. “Neither my style or training is traditional,” she says. “I’m not heavily tattooed myself but find both bare skin and tattooed skin to be beautiful. I was never accepted as an apprentice. Instead I went to school for tattooing.” Much like her healing practices, Minten’s style is alternative and reflects the client’s journey to their tattoo design. “There are other great artists who excel in traditional styles in town,” she says. The reception to the Collective since opening has been very positive. “People you wouldn’t necessarily expect to be interested in alternative healing practices have been inquisitive and open. It’s starting a conversation, and I’ve just been blown away by the response,” says Minten. Run like a co-op, the Feel Good Collective is an affordable way for all prospective healers to have a professional place to treat their clients. Anna Minten at the newly-opened Feel Good Collective in downtown Revelstoke. Photo: Eliisa Tennant/Revelstoke Mountaineer

Douglas Sproul. Photo: contributed

Local author’s Rogers Pass guidebook gets an update By Imogen Whale “It’s not a new edition, but it is a huge update,” Douglas Sproul says of the recent reprint of his ski touring book, Rogers Pass: Uptracks, Bootpacks and Bushwacks. The original book, afforded a successful print run thanks to a popular Kickstarter campaign, was Sproul’s love letter (with maps) to the Selkirks. Thanks in part to his Kickstarter success, as well as several large book orders, Sproul was ready to print another run (3,000 copies) of the guide book. But before reprinting, Sproul revamped his book. “Parks Canada made significant changes to their permit structure,” he explains. “I felt it was important to have the accurate information available.” “It’s wild really, when you think about it, that I wrote a book about what is, essentially, Parks Canada terrain,” Sproul says. Of course, committing to making numerous changes before a reprint made it a lot more work. “I’ve added 54 pages of new information,” says Sproul. Despite the new info, Sproul isn’t calling his update a second edition. “For that I would really need new trails, new pictures, and more changes,” he explains. There is a second edition in the works, as every trip out, Sproul continues to collect data and images. It is likely to see publication in 2018/19. The book has been a labour of love. It showcases Sproul’s desire to both share his knowledge of the terrain and educate outward bound backcountry enthusiasts. “I’m always out there,” Sproul says. “The terrain is always exciting, you can always keep exploring.” 10

Check out www.feelgoodcollective.ca Find them at 300 First Street West.

MONDAY WING NIGHT

39¢ wings 2pm–10pm, dine in only

WE’RE OPEN DAILY

Find us at Revelstoke Mountain Resort Sunday–Thursday: 7am–11pm Friday–Saturday: 7am–12am

revelstokemountainresort.com Call us: 250-837-7160

Josh and Jenn McLafferty at the Monashee Spirits Distillery on Mackenzie Avenue. The new craft distillery opens in mid-March 2017. Photo: Eliisa Tennant.

Monashee Spirits brings craft distilling revolution to Revy

Local, organic ingredients featured in Revelstoke’s first craft distillery By Imogen Whale Josh and Jenn McLafferty’s journey to Revelstoke began with two shattered legs. An underwater welder by trade, Josh had spent his 20s and 30s living and working in over 85 countries. “Underwater welding was a passion,” he explains. “It was what I had wanted to do since I was a farm boy in Saskatchewan, I lived like a rockstar travelling the world.” Several years ago, a motocross crash in Pemberton derailed his career. After half a dozen surgeries including a recently fused right ankle, Josh knew he would never again pass the medical certifications necessary to pursue underwater welding. “But at least now I’m part bionic man,” he jokes. The McLaffertys resided in Vancouver for over a decade, and after Josh’s injury and having a child, Josh and Jenn were ready to relocate. Both grew up in small towns (Jenn is from Salmon Arm) and knew they wanted to get back to the small town roots.

Jenn and Josh found the world of alcohol distilling to be friendly, collaborative, and transparent. “I just walked into a Vancouver distillery, the Sons of Vancouver, and told them I wanted to get into the business,” Josh explains. “They taught me everything, they poured their hearts into our distillery. Now I’m helping people getting into the business.” Officially opening their doors on March 15, Monashee Spirits Craft Distillery will have vodka distilled from sustainably farmed potatoes from Salmon Arm. They will also have their own version of Bailey’s called Big Mountain Creamer, made from Dutchmen dairy products and honey sourced from Revelstokian Ron Glave. Gin, Bourbon, Whiskey and Vulcan Fire (a Fireball-like drink) are all in the pipeline. “The gin we are working on, just getting it perfect,” Josh explains. “And whiskey

legally has to be in a barrel for a minimum of three years, so it will come with time.” If you head into Monashee Spirits Craft Distillery for a tour or sample, be sure to admire the incredible copper distillery equipment. “I designed it and though I modified and customized it, I can’t take credit for it. I did weld the gin distillery in the back,” Josh says. An antique diving helmet, a small momento to days gone by, sits in the window. The piece is functional, Josh wore it on a dive off the west coast. It sits, and now it acts as an intriguing conversation starter for those curious about the journey of the McLaffertys. Monshee Spirits Craft Distillery is located at 307 Mackenzie Avenue. 250-463-5678

“We had spent a lot of time in Revelstoke,” Josh explains. “I even proposed years earlier to Jenn in the Asulkan hut nearby. We love this place year round so it was a no brainer.” In addition to moving, the two needed to decide what new career to pursue. And so Monashee Spirits Craft Distillery was born. “When life gives you lemons, distill them and make booze,” Josh kids. “In a way, my accident was a blessing. Being a dad is the best thing ever, and I would have missed so much of that in my old job. Now we have the chance to create something sustainable, something cool and enjoyable, and something that allows us to be present for our kid. Jenn, who has been a nurse for years, is transitioning to master distiller,” he says. Photos by Eliisa Tennant

MELISSA SPRAGG ‘Orion’s Horse’

PAINTING JEWELRY WOOD

METAL PRINTS

TEXTILES POTTERY

art

FIRST

Art First!Gallery, 113 First St West, Revelstoke BC, Hours: Tues-Saturday 11-5

Wheelie king Scotty Heale on at Frisby Ridge. Photo: Robert Sim

The Effen Search

Photographer Robert Sim’s quests lead him well off the beaten path By Aaron Orlando

Revelstoke-based photographer Robert Sim has covered lots of ground in his search for the ultimate captures. The Brooks, Alberta native was drawn to the mountains from a young age, and enrolled in the Yamanuska Mountain Program, putting him on the mountain guide path. He had second thoughts about shepherding others in the mountains, preferring to strike out on his own with camera for the big ski peaks of the world. He took up drilling work on offshore rigs to support his travels, weathering cyclones off the coast of Australia and the bitter swells of the North Atlantic to make it work financially. While on the month-on, monthoff schedule, he travelled the globe to get images, visiting New Zealand, Japan, Asia, Australia and peaks all around the world in his quest. “I was chronicling the whole journey of travel photography and living the less than beaten path. Taking the other option,” Sim said. “It’s something that works for me.” After residencies in Banff, Tofino, Fernie and more, a snowboard manufacturing gig brought him to Revelstoke. “I was blown away by this place,” Sim said. He’s worked his way into the scene, building a portfolio focusing on the sled and snowboard crowds while shooting with locals like Seb Grondin, Wasted Youth, Danny LeBlanc, Tyler Riddell, Jeremy Hanke, Rob Alford, Brodie Evans and Scott Heale. Sim is known for going on extreme missions to get the shot, sledding deep into the backcountry in search of unique mountain backdrops. “I really seek for more landscape photography than anything,” Sim said. “I’m trying to find those untracked areas — the backcountry experience is what I look for and like. I like to always look for interesting landscapes with the skiing included.” His signature style palette includes carefully framed landscapes, darker colouring, crisp detail, and desaturated images. Now, Sim is back on the guide path, taking certifications on his splitboard, with the goal of turning backcountry photography into a career. So, what’s The Effen Search? It describes Sim’s search for a lifetime of adventure. “It’s meant to be the purest form of it — the adventure — the way out there,” he said. He needed a website, and you can’t say the F-word in a URL. Check him out at www.theeffensearch.com or on Instagram at @theeffensearch

Andrew Clarke gets enveloped in powder on Boulder Mountain. Photo: Robert Sim

Jean Guy Michaud drops a cliff on Joss Mountain. Photo: Robert Sim

Pixabay Creative Commons image

Is it high time for a Revelstoke cannabis dispensary? The legality of marijuana dispensaries is questionable, probably more so than you’d think. Here’s where Revelstoke stands. By Bryce Borlick

a dispensary open here?

Cannabis sativa, otherwise known as marijuana. It’s the pungent smell emanating from Jay’s backpack when he opens it to see what’s left of his supply. Just a few nuggets of bright green bud remain from the halfounce he purchased from a Nelson, B.C. dispensary just a few weeks earlier. He’s upset, not because this particularly good kind is hard to find, but because he can’t seem to find any marijuana at all here in Revelstoke.

“If I could sell marijuana legally here in Revelstoke, I would.” says Dinah Collette, owner of the Spice O’ Life Emporium.

Marijuana dispensaries have sprouted up all across B.C. in the last five years. There are roughly 75 concentrated around Vancouver, where city authorities and police have allowed them to operate largely without prosecution. It’s a similar story in Nelson, which has eight dispensaries serving a population of 10,000. Some of these retail dispensaries sell marijuana openly, to anyone over 19 years of age, with or without a doctor’s prescription. Given that a large part of Revelstoke’s economy relies on fun-seeking visitors, could

Although Dinah’s shop specializes in adult products, including paraphernalia often associated with marijuana use, selling marijuana itself would be illegal under federal law in Canada. On their website, the Department of Justice bluntly notes: “Possessing and selling marijuana for non-medicinal purposes is still illegal everywhere in Canada.” Currently, the only way to access marijuana legally is to get a doctor’s prescription, purchase it from a licensed medical supplier, and receive it through the mail. Or drive out of town with your prescription.

So how do dispensaries in other municipalities seem to clone themselves so rapidly with few repercussions? It’s basically a question of who is enforcing the law and to what extent. Both Vancouver and Nelson employ their own city police forces, rather than contracting the service to the RCMP, and that allows those municipalities to instruct police to prioritize more serious crimes and to essentially ignore marijuana retailers. In contrast, dispensaries in RCMP-contracted cities like Kelowna and Vernon operate under a constant legal threat and have been shut down in the past. Undaunted, many reopen just days after a bust.

“If a marijuana dispensary attempted to operate in Revelstoke we would be seeking warrants and tending to the location to seize items because they are illegal. From a law enforcement perspective, it‘s the same as cocaine, or heroin, or fentanyl,” says Staff-Sgt. Kurt Grabinsky,

The shaky legal ground on which dispensaries operate may solidify if the Trudeau administration follows through on their 2015 campaign pledge to decriminalize marijuana completely. On April 20, 2016 the administration announced that proposed legis-

208 First Street East

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the top police officer at the local RCMP detachment. On three occasions, local proponents have queried the RCMP on this topic and been told “absolutely not.”

Time to start those seeds! facebook.com/emporium069

Dinah Collette from Spice ‘O’ Life Emporium sells smoking paraphernalia, and says she’d also sell cannabis if it were allowed. Photo: Eliisa Tennant.

lation changes would be ready in one year. This is a welcome announcement for activists like Dana Larsen and Marc Emery who have long sought an end to the prohibition of the cultivation and sale of marijuana, as well as amnesty for those convicted of marijuana offences. But don’t expect to see a local joint cashing in on the Revelstoke market anytime soon — a business license from the City may not be forthcoming. “The city does not have a process and requirements for a business that wants to sell marijuana for recreational use,” explains City of Revelstoke Chief Administrative Officer Allan Chabot. The city’s concern is that, unlike most retail products that are regulated by federal and provincial agencies, marijuana and its associated derivatives can vary greatly in potency and purity. In other words, you don’t know exactly what you’re getting and that’s a major safety concern for the city. Furthermore, there may be philosophical opposition

from local residents. Jill Zacharias, Revelstoke’s Social Development Coordinator, points out that the city strives to reduce substance abuse through community outreach, and that proposed tax-generators such as casinos have met strong opposition here. But without legal dispensaries, the default option for many marijuana users is the black market. To many, the benefits of dispensaries are clear: a safer alternative to black market sources, and taxable revenue taken out of the pockets of organized crime. Until such time when this legal impasse is sorted out, Jay will have to find an alternate source. Luckily for him, just a few minutes of internet investigation reveals numerous online marijuana retailers willing to sell and ship up to two ounces with only a proof of age. It’s a shockingly simple way for dispensaries to sidestep many of the issues faced by brick-and-mortar shops and, given the claims made by many websites that neither they nor their clients have ever faced prosecution, it seems quite effective. With just a few clicks, Jay’s order is on its way, scheduled to arrive via Canada Post in two days.

Trying to make sense of this hazy issue is enough to make your head spin, and it’s going to take some time to hash things out. Update: As this story went to press, a B.C. Supreme court judge issued a ruling that said municipalities do have the right to regulate marijuana dispensaries. The case centred on an Abbotsford dispensary’s legal challenge against the local municipality, which had tried to shut it down. Lawyers for the dispensary argued the city’s actions violated the constitutional rights of medical marijuana users. In a ruling, the judge said that although cannabis is regulated by the federal government, that doesn’t mean that a lower authority like a municipality can’t also regulate it. The decision ads some more smoke to an already hazy situation.

Photos of Revelstoke sledder Morgan Gamache by Eliisa Tennant.

Profile: Morgan Gamache

Revelstoke sledder sets sights high for 2017 season By Eliisa Tennant Man and machine hurtle through the air independently from one another, arcing across the blue skies and rugged mountain landscape before simultaneously crashing down to Earth like comets. They send up twin eruptions of snow with such ferocity you have fear for the rider’s life and limb. Okay, @morgan. gamache, you have captured my attention. As a snowmobile photographer I remember watching the social media video with admiration and awe and thinking I just had to get to know the man who could put it all on the line in such an aggressive way. The man who had the skill to perform such extraordinary back country feats, the man who could fly. So, I did.

In early March, I opened a garage door and walked right into Morgan Gamache’s life. Sled parts littered haphazard throughout the garage, the smell of gasoline biting my nostrils and a lanky man wearing plaid bent over an Arctic Cat snowmobile eyes crinkling in laughter at something his buddy said. It’s almost a year later and I now find myself routinely opening the same garage door and walking into the same scene. A year’s worth of adventures, sharing stories and snowmobiling later and the complex pieces that make up the man are coming together. Raised in the mountains of Pemberton, Morgan was

entrenched in an adventurous lifestyle from an early age. An only child to two active parents meant full saturation in the lifestyle so many residents of B.C. seek: skiing, camping, dirt biking and mountain biking were all regular occurrences in the Gamache household. At age three Morgan took one ride, doubled by his father on a snowmobile. The love affair with throttle, snow and adrenaline began. At age 5 Morgan opened a Kitty Cat sled on Christmas Day and his fate is sealed; Morgan Gamache is a sledder. Fast forward to present day and Gamache is considered one of the best in the industry. His signature gravity-defying whip can be seen all over social media, gracing the cover of magazines and featured in the snowmobile films The Hickshow and BRAAAP. People took notice and this year Arctic Cat offered Morgan an exclusive sponsorship to join their backcountry team, The Arctic Cat Blackcats, as a factory sponsored rider. While it’s obvious that Morgan is a thrill seeking adrenaline junkie — not many consider launching themselves in the air or dropping off cliffs attached to a 500 pound machine to be their idea of a good time — his motivations for the sport go much deeper than just the rush. For Morgan sledding isn’t an activity you do a handful of days in the winter. It’s a lifestyle. For him it means hauling his broken snowmobile into his garage and working into the wee hours of the night after a long day of “tree bashing.” It means researching how to do metal work, then designing and fabricating a flat deck for his lifted Dodge so hauling his two snowmobiles around is easier. It means producing creative content for social media channels — mastering editing software to produce amazing videos and photographs. It means making the permanent move to this amazing mountain paradise — a hub for snowmobiling known globally — to immerse himself in the culture and lifestyle of Revelstoke. For Morgan, it means walking out his back door, firing up his snowmobile and riding, something he does for six months of the year.

But at the heart of everything for Morgan it’s always about the personal connections made through the mutual love of sledding. “It always comes back to the people. There are a million different ways to have fun on a snowmobile. It’s who you’re with that makes the difference,” he said. While snowmobiling has led to many friendships for Gamache, his riding skills in all aspects of the sport are phenomenal, his mountain awareness and his cool and calm demeanour in crisis situations makes riding with him a pure pleasure. What keeps the people around off the mountain is who he is as a person: Morgan is magnetic. Easy to laugh, dynamic, ultra intelligent, genuine and warm, he is the kind of man who will lend a stranger his sled for the day, help a fellow rider fix their machine on the mountain or welcome a new parking lot friend to his table for dinner. His caring attitude and endless patience make him a

natural ambassador for the sport. Morgan gets a lot of enjoyment teaching backcountry snowmobile skills and hopes to continue facilitating growth and development in new riders going forward. Most would be satisfied with the sponsorship, the film segments and the knowledge that their skill set is at the top of the game in the sport. Not Morgan. The name of the game is relentless progression and that is why Gamache is loading his sleds and making the trek to Afton, Wyoming this winter to compete in the Rocky Mountain States Hillclimb Association, where the best of the best lay it all on the line to race up gnarly mountains with the hopes of making the fastest time. 2015 whetted his appetite for RMSHA and Morgan raced semipro at the Vernon Hillclimb event. 2016 saw Morgan finish first in open-improved and finish second to Carl Kuster in Vernon in the pro class in the King of the Hill competition. The taste and thrill of victory last season left Gamache hungry for more. He decided to become

fully invested in the race side and is committed to racing for the 2017 season. Relentless progression on the mountain, at the races and in the shop leaves one asking what else is possible for a man in pursuit of so many different snowmobile-related passions. The answer? Creative content. An eye for photography, superb video editing skills and a zest for pushing the envelop on regular media conforms means that we can expect great things from Gamache through his social media channels. The day I walked into Morgan’s garage and his life, my own life improved. I met a remarkable athlete, an innovative inventor, an adventurer, a creative force, I met Evel Knievel crossed with Bill Nye The Science Guy, one of the best people I know and I made a best friend.

A skidder at work. Photo: Bryce Borlick

At loggerheads

I took a trip to an active cut block to get a glimpse of logging life in the Revelstoke area. By Bryce Borlick It’s 7:12 a.m. and despite the fact that sun‘s first rays have barely crested the horizon, Al is already taking a well-earned lunch break. He’s been hard at work since 2 a.m., running the grader up and down the mainline logging road, clearing the recent snowfall for the rest of forestry crew who had the luxury of arriving at 5 a.m. As a visitor to this logging operation, I figure I ought to break the ice: “So, two Irishmen were walking past the sorting yard the other day and they saw the sign “TREE FELLERS WANTED.” One guy says to the other, ‘Too bad Murphy’s not with us today.’” And the ice is broken. I’m 40 kilometres north of town in the landing of an active cut block on tree farm license 56 with Revelstoke Community Forest General Manager Mike Copperthwaite. For Mike, it’s a routine visit, but for me it’s a curious glimpse into the daily work of a logger. The massive machines working all around us — a skidder, a hoe chucker, a processor, and a loader — are juggernauts of the forest that I’ve only encountered a few times, rarely up close, and certainly not in action. The landing, situated on a hillside just below the clear cut, is where logs are sorted, checked, cut to size, and loaded onto trucks. Although Al and Mike walk the landing casually, they’re well-aware that mistakes and inattentiveness can be deadly in the logging industry. The processor just off to our side is swinging huge logs around like toothpicks, and it’s quite apparent that the only real safety zones in this landing are the steel cages of the machines that we’re not in. “Forestry has always been a dangerous profession, but the industry puts protocols and safety requirements in place to mitigate those risks.” Mike explains. “The mandatory training nowadays is extensive. Unfortunately, it also costs about ten grand, so you don’t see a lot of young guys out here.”

One of the young guys is the faller, Ben. His chainsaw hums on the far side of the cut block. As we watch the trees fall from a safe distance, Mike gives me a quick rundown of how the size and location of a cut block is determined. First they consider environmental constraints like water courses and caribou migration. Then they look at practicalities like steep hillsides and road access. After that, a timber cruiser assesses the forest, identifying species, density, maturity, and health. Lastly, Mike marks out the blocks on foot, ensuring that no site details have been overlooked. Just to the side of the active falling area, a hoe-chucker (think: huge excavator) crawls up the hillside, picking up the freshly fallen logs and piling them in bunches next to the road. From there, a skidder drags them down the road by the dozen to the landing, where Al is now operating the processor. His machine is similar to the hoe-chucker, except that it has a computer controlled cutting assembly. The cost of each machine varies, but million dollar figures aren’t uncommon. Al motions for us to climb into the cab. “See I can select my species here. This is spruce. When I hit this button, it’ll automatically cut it at forty-nine foot, six.” he says. The computer in the processor, pre-programmed with the cut lengths requested by mills for each type of wood, measures the length of the log and the diameter at each end. It then combines this data to determine the most efficient cut lengths, and it makes the cuts at the touch of a button. The log in the jaws of the machine is cut and piled next to the road for loading. “What’s wrong with that one?” I ask, referring to another log he’s dumped off to the side after making an initial cut. “It’s a pulp log. Too much rot in the middle. It’ll go to the pulp mill eventually,” Al replies as he moves fluidly to a new position. It’s evident that the computing power and hydraulic power of this machine are natural extensions of the operator’s dexterity, experience, and judgement.

Al cuts back the engine, “You guys oughta go, we’re gonna need to load pretty soon and your truck‘s in the way.” We’ve reached the end of our visit and Mike and I drive back down the mainline toward the highway, periodically calling out our position on the radio to the logging truck coming up. Mike points out some unique sections of forest, like an area earmarked to produce telephone poles once the trees are large enough. He trails off occasionally, wondering if the non-responsive logging truck driver is on another channel. When we round the final bend, the cause is clear — he’s hit ice and he’s in the ditch. “I’ll get out OK but, Mike, we need salt up here, these corners are getting icy,” the driver says. Mike nods and I suggest quietly that maybe we need another joke to break that ice. As he pulls away, Mike says to the driver, “Hey, what’s the difference between a logging truck driver and a puppy? The puppy stops whining after six weeks.”

Al Pylatuk operating a processor. Photo: Bryce Borlick

Timber! Photo: Bryce Borlick

Ben Parson taking a break from falling. Photo: Bryce Borlick

The cold water kid By Eliisa Tennant

It’s the end of February. All around town, skis, snowboards and snowmobiles are strapped onto car roofs and truck beds. I, myself, have a Ski-Doo strapped into the box of my half-ton GMC pickup most of the time. But occasionally I unload my sled and replace it with my paddleboard. I am sure I raise a few eyebrows as I drive across town and head for Lake Revelstoke with my board in the back. After all, it’s snowing and –7C. More than once I’ve pulled up to the boat launch to people staring at me with looks of disbelief as I carry my board into the water. More than once someone has muttered that I was crazy. ‘It’s freezing and you’re going to die when you fall in,’ they say. So, as I was paddleboarding I thought about crazy. To me, crazy would be staying home and not experiencing an epic solo paddle. Crazy would be missing out on watching the sun dip behind the jagged Monashee mountain peaks, seeing the sky change from hues of blue to fiery shades of oranges, pinks and yellows — their reflection illuminated in the gentle ripples of the lake. It would mean not seeing the trees veiled in fresh snow or snowflakes swirling around in circles in a light breeze as they fall silently into the calm water. Crazy would be unhearing the water lap at the cliffs in an age-old rhythm or not experiencing the sound of scattered chunks of ice scrape along my board. It would mean not smelling the scents of winter, the sweet smell of fir mixed with wood-smoke. Crazy would be not experiencing the frigid air kiss my exposed skin on a breeze or the shock of glacial water splashing me when a rogue wave crashes over my board. Revelstoke is at its most magnificent in the winter and paddleboarding during this time is no exception. Some might call it crazy but to me it means exploration and adventure. To me it means living the way I want to live my life — no matter what the season. Oh, and I never fall in.

A winter paddle on Lake Revelstoke. Photo: Eliisa Tennant

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Photos by Jodi Kay

Tips for eating green at the end of winter The keys are knowing which greens to use, and where to find them By Jodi Kay Editor’s note: We’re sorry to say that Jodi Kay will be leaving town, so this will be her last column and recipe. Thanks Jodi for all the food tips! It’s always around this time of year when I start to crave a little bit more green on my plate. The winter palate of carrots and cabbages has worn a little thin. With spring seemingly just around the corner, I start dreaming of things like spinach, broccoli and asparagus (oh my!) Eating local all year round can be a bit of challenge, especially in our snow-covered town and most notably in March. Every two weeks I head to the winter market in search of a little kitchen inspiration, and I’m always happy to see Hermann Bruns and his colourful assortment of produce.

Hermann, along with his wife Louise, are the organic farmers that run Wild Flight Farms in Mara and have been bringing their beloved vegetables here to Revelstoke for the past 25 years. In the middle of February, WWF is still offering an assortment of B.C.-grown vegetables, including carrots, beets, watermelon radish, many different varieties of apples and squashes, and, of course, three different types of potatoes (Hermann’s favourite). Among the familiar winter produce you will also find kale, broccoli and yams. “We felt that in order for the winter market to succeed here, it was important to have a reasonably diverse selection of produce,” explains Hermann, “so we decided to offset diminishing local vegetable supplies with similar imported ones.” All of the price signs have a code in the top left corner that denotes where the produce was grown (WFF = Wild Flight Farm, B.C., US, MX). All produce grown on the

farm (WFF), sourced from other B.C. farms or import is strictly certified organic. A bustling winter market is something I look forward to every two weeks, and I am so grateful for those who make it a success. As someone who is very connected to local food production, I wondered what Hermann is most looking forward to as the weather starts to warm. “Certainly, our first over-wintered greens, green onions, and fresh garlic greens are a treat,” he says. “Notice the repetition of “green” — my favourite colour!” For more information on what Wild Flight Farms will be bringing to the market, sign up for the weekly newsletter by visiting the market stand or the website (www.wildflightfarm.ca). You can also find more information by following the Revelstoke Winter Market Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/RevelstokeWinterMarket/)

Warm Kale, Broccoli and Grain Salad Bowl with Cider Dijon Dressing A warm bowl of green things to hold us over until spring. The broccoli and kale are sturdy enough to stand up against the dressing in the fridge, so dressed leftovers can be kept for a day or two without getting soggy. I like to steam my broccoli until just tender and vibrant green, more blanched than cooked, but if you prefer a different texture or cooking method, feel free to go with that. It is important, however, to let the kale crisp up a bit around the edges, the flavour is reminiscent of toasty kale chips and add great crunch to this salad.

wheat, quinoa, lentils Optional add in: cooked chickpeas, white beans, cooked salmon, crumbled feta.

What to do

Toast seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden. Remove and set aside. Add nuts to the dry skillet and toast until golden and fragrant. Add to seeds and set aside. Steam the broccoli in a double boiler or blanch it in a pot of boiling water for a minute or two. Once the brocIngredients coli is vibrant green the the tops of the florets are tender, drain and rinse under cold water, set aside. 1 head broccoli, cut into little florets Remove the kale leaves from the stems and give the 1 bunch curly green kale, about 5 stalks leaves a rough chop. Add a drizzle of heat-resistant oil 1/4 nuts of choice; walnuts, hazelnuts, slivered almonds to a pan over medium/high heat, then toss in the kale 4 tablespoons seeds of choice: sunflower seeds, pump- leaves with a good pinch of salt. Sautée the leaves until kin seeds, sesame seeds just some are starting to get crispy around the edges. 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Remove from heat. 3 tablespoons organic apple cider vinegar Toss cooked grains, steamed broccoli and crispy kale 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil leaves together in a large bowl. Whisk together mustard, Fresh cracked black pepper and sea salt vinegar, olive and black pepper and then pour over the 1 cup cooked grains of choice: wheat berries, buck24

salad. Top with toasty nut and seeds. Serve warm or refrigerate for later.

Make 2017 your year

GROW IT EAT IT

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In like a lion, out like a lion By Heather Hood

As the saying goes about March, in like a lion, out like a lamb. In most places in North America, March begins with winter and finishes with spring-like weather. Luckily for the majority of people who live in Revelstoke, March is merely a bonus month of winter. So the appropriate saying for March in Revelstoke is most often in like a lion, out like a lion. In keeping with the theme of the bonus month of winter we are enjoying, the pride of wines this month are selected with the cooler weather in mind.

Hardys Shiraz Rosé 2015 Australia $12.30

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Shiraz is a red grape, but in the case of this wine it is a Rosé. A Rosé is made from red grapes. The grapes are crushed and for a limited time the grape and the grape skins are in contact. The skins are where the Rosé colour of the wine is derived from. This might be the one wine this month that is more representative of a warmer weather wine. There is so much fruit and flavour to this wine. There was one flavour on the nose that was reminiscent of my childhood that I couldn’t quite pinpoint. The nose is very grapey and has flamboyant flavours of ripe berries and pears. The finish is very flavourful with similar characteristics of the nose, a balanced acidity and creamy finish. This is an easy drinking wine that would be great with rich or spicy foods.

Tussock Jumper Pinot Noir 2014 France $16.87 revelstokelocalfood.com

215 MacKenzie Ave., Downtown Revelstoke, BC p. 250.837.7005 | www.bigmountain.kitchen

In my opinion, it is rare to read a wine label that describes a wine as accurately as this Tussock Jumper. Pinot Noir does. When I first opened the bottle and poured a glass I have to admit I wasn’t very impressed right away, but I am glad I waited as I ended up really enjoying it. After about 30 minutes, once the wine had a chance to breathe, the flavours became more prominent in the nose and the mouth. This wine has nice floral notes: subtle vanilla, blackberry and blueberry. This would be a nice wine on its own but would pair nicely with salmon, red meat or any vegetable dish.

Therapy Freudified Naramata, BC

$24.48

The Freudified wine from Therapy is a fortified wine. If you are familiar with Port or Sherry, then you will appreciate this wine which is made in a similar style. The different names for fortified wines are because certain grapes in specific regions are designated names for where the wine originated. For example, Port comes from Portugal and Sherry only comes from Spain. A fortified wine has additional alcohol added to it during the fermentation process and generally has a higher alcohol content. The nose has aromas of rich dried cherries and a subtle smell of flint. When you taste the wine, there are strong ripe fruit flavours, but it is also slightly tart and dry. The finish is long with flavours of cassis and tobacco. This is a wine that is enjoyed on its own or accompanying dessert. For me, this wine facilitated a lot of procrastinating and many moments of sitting down and letting the world stop around me for a while.

All wines available at Cheers! Downtown Revelstoke Open 9am to 11pm Delivery to your Door Call 250.837.4550

SLED STYLE

Snowmobiling isn’t just a sport: it’s a lifestyle. Fresh threads keep you looking cool while staying warm on and off the mountain. Head in to Rough Country Marine and Johnny’s Fishing & Hunting for your snowmobiling accessories and garment needs. Eliisa wears True Northern Industries TNI Original Series Women’s Hoodie $59.98 and Alpyne Apparel Kootenays Curved Snapback $29.99 available at Rough Country Marine

Morgan wears FXR Sonic Hat $24.99 available at Johnny’s Fishing & Hunting and Klim Powerxross Pullover $399.96, Klim Stealth Bib $749.95 available at Rough Country Marine

Eliisa wears 509 Aviator goggles $159.95, Alpyne Apparel Vernon Pom-Pom Beanie $24.99 Diva Snow Gear Diva-Tech Subpolar Base Layer Shirt $74.95 and Diva Snow Gear Avid Technical Neoshell Pant $419.95 from Rough Country Marine

Morgan wears Klim Stealth Bib $749.95 and Highmark by Snowpulse Avalanche Bag $999.95 from Rough Country Marine and FXR Renegade Softshell Jacket 16 $139.99 from Johnny’s Hunting and Fishing

Morgan wears FXR Renegade Softshell Jacket 16 $139.99 available at Johnny’s Hunting & Fishing

Eliisa wears Alpyne Apparel Aspen Hoodie $59.95 available at Rough Country Marine

Successfully failing on first dates Why settle for failing if epic fails are to be had?

By Anonymous Ever found yourself on a date you didn’t want to be on, but didn’t know how to end it? The answer is: don’t. Get them to do it. Straight communication and handling things head-on is for old-fashioned chumps. If you can master this craft, you get to have the date end and walk away a victim. Booyah. 1. Be obnoxious to your server “Where’s that dumb server gone?” “How does it take so long to pour a beer?”

3. Plan future trips Nothing says crazy clinger like inappropriately early future planning. Field their ideas for vacation options this time next year and ask whether their parents might be interested in joining. Suggest casino-fuelled cruise ship trips or a vacation with the “in-laws” to the West Edmonton Mall.

4. Overshare Being a rude to your server is the tried and tested go-to Launch into intimate details about move when it comes to spoiling a first date. your last relationship and why it didn’t work out. Tell them how If your goal is to have the date fail with minimal you’re still good friends with your self-disgrace, gentle server-bashing should be your ex, and how you’ll always love them, first port of call. With any luck, your date will quickly just not in that way. Maybe show a fabricate an excuse to bail, and you’ll be home faster quick Facebook pic of them and start reminiscing about than you can say, “You get this one, I’ll get the next.” that day the photo was taken. Describe the difficulty and angst that arose when you decided to not have children Of course there’s a scale, so if gentle server-bashtogether, and then eventually, ended it. ing doesn’t work, you can always just ramp it up by clicking your fingers or shouting ‘Garçon!’ to get their Retell the story of your recent medical scare and how attention, or just move on to number two. you never thought that a little rash like that would end up being such big deal. 2. Rip on their friends Don’t really know this person all, but have a gripe with Talk them through your decision to use your selected one of their friends? Maybe your date’s best friend is method of birth control and the pros and cons that were a gossipy, two-faced cow or a sexist Trump supporter? weighed up in the process. Now is the time to unleash those pent up feelings and start working your way through the pile of reasons Ask incredibly intimate questions like “When was the why you don’t like them. last time you cried?” and bask in the awkward space it creates. The conservative option for this one is to employ it semi-subtly, with intro phrases like, “Don’t get 5. Phone snoop me wrong, I really like Jessie, however…” and then Overtly look at their phone every time it makes a noise proceed to verbally pummel them without mercy. You and ask questions about the names that appear on the could also round it off with something like, “but she’s screen. “So who’s Julia?” Grab it when they go to the got a sweet heart though.” washroom and search for juicy details in the messenger account. You may spend some time figuring out their

passcode first. 6. Fart Loud and proud and early, and be offended if they have an issue with it. 7. Bed ambush If you still haven’t been able to shake your date by this point, it’s time to pull out the big guns. The bed ambush is guaranteed to abolish any chance of future dates, or possibly any contact at all with this person. (In scientific terms, the sample size of people who have actually pulled this move is tiny, but in real life terms it’s mind blowing, with a success rate of 100%). As a word of warning, it may also lead to a restraining order or criminal charges. Creep into your date’s bed and either surprise them if they’re in there, or get comfortable and wait for them to join you. Boom. That should set you free.

Thanks for all your support Revelstoke!

#revelstokemountaineer #societysnowandskate @revelstoke_mountaineer + @societysnowandskate Insta contest colab Win prizes and get your Insta photos featured in Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine by tagging your photos with #revelstokemountaineer. Check the print issue and follow us at @revelstoke_mountaineer for monthly photo contest themes.

This month, we’re partnering with Society Snow & Skate and have a sweet Society hoodie for the winner of the March contest. This month, we’re picking the best snowboarding image. Go shred and don’t forget to tag #societysnowandskate and #revelstokemountaineer and follow @societysnowandskate Congratulations to @greasedya for winning our February Somewon colab contest! We’ve got your Somewon hoodie waiting!

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SELLING SPRING 2017

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