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April / May 2017 edition
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Get trashy at the Trashion Show Dose opens doors downtown New Explorers Society Hotel Passive home facility opens in Revy Spring apres drinks guide
Track Street Growers’ Garlic Festival Tuning in with the Stoke FM family
Visual Arts: Local creative Glass Duck MTB spring season: bike guide, race guide and trails update Shaping up with the new CrossFit Revelstoke facility Distillery in the works for Revelstoke’s heritage Mountain View School Exploring Revelstoke’s September secrets
April / May 2017
Contents 4 News Briefs 6 100 years on: Looking back at the Revy suffragette movement 7 Street views: Has Revelstoke changed for the better, or worse? 8 April/May Revelstoke Events Calendar 10 Guerilla street trees 11 Exhibit explores Sinixt history in the area 12 Get rubbished at Revelstoke’s Trashion Show 14 When the snow people go 15 Making it work: balancing the seasonal job situation 16 Today is going to be awesome: New health and wellness column
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Adventure Quencher exhibit opens in May Spring apres drinks guide New cafe Dose opens in downtown Revelstoke Home Style: New passive home construction facility opens Boutique Explorers Society Hotel opens Spokin’ word: the biking season is here! Beetle logging to impact Mt. Macpherson trails Gear guide: Local shops share the best new bikes Instagram contest The Reel: Making long distance work in Revy Cover: Enjoy an alpine sunset this spring. Photo: Eliisa Tennant
Corrections: In our story, Is it high time for a Revlstoke cannabis dispensary? (March, 2016), we wrongly attributed a statement to City of Revelstoke staff. The statement said the city had concerns about regulating potency and purity. In fact, that statement expressed one general concern municipalities have about regulating cannabis dispensaries, and should not have been attributed to city staff. We regret the error. In our story, At Loggerheads (March 2016), a quotation was wrongly attributed to Mike Copperthwaite. It was one of two jokes, both in quotes, that were inserted into the story in an attempt to add writerly flair to the story. However, these jokes were improperly attributed as quotes and the one attributed to Mr. Copperthwaite was not said by him, and the error was not spotted during the editing process. We apologize for the error and any concern it caused.
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 (L to R) 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.
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. Nicola McGarry is a Revelstoke-based artist. Check out her story on the Adventure Quencher art expedition, then check out the resulting exhibit at the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre in May.
Cathy English is the curator of the Revelstoke Museum & Archives. Cathy is the authority on the history of our mountain town, and has been the driving force behind many publications and award-winning exhibits on our history.
Sandy Powell: 27-year-old Australian Sandy Powell has called Revelstoke home since 2014. You’ll find him combining his love of beer with his love of talking stories as the bartender at the Craft Bierhaus.
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.
Fraser Blyth owns Selkirk Planning & Design and works as a community planner and urban designer in Revelstoke. He’s a working dad who loves his job, snowboarding, the Maple Leafs and punk rock.
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.
Rebecca Critchlow is a mother of two who is passionate about health, fitness & family! She studied Journalism Print, Group Fitness Instruction and is currently training to be a Health Coach through Integrative Nutrition. She’s the owner of Revelution Fitness & Yoga and eager to share her passion with fellow Revelstokians! 3
NEWS BRIEFS
Get the latest stories here, as reported on the revelstokemountaineer.com — your daily source of Revelstoke news and information.
Avalanche Canada launches spring awareness campaign Avalanche Canada has launched a spring awareness drive targeting snowmobilers. The organization is focusing its safety message on Alberta’s snowmobilers. In a media release, they pointed out some sobering statistics: Last year, 15 people died in avalanches; 12 were snowmobilers. - Over the past five years, 45 people were killed in avalanches; 24 of them while snowmobiling. - All of the snowmobiling accidents over the past five years occurred in BC; twothirds of the victims were Alberta residents. - Of those Alberta residents, 73% were from communities within 150 km of Edmonton. - All these victims were male.
sledders to take this training where they will learn safe travel techniques for avalanche terrain and how to self-rescue is a significant goal for Avalanche Canada.” Everyone in a backcountry party needs to have an avalanche transceiver, probe and shovel. For current avalanche conditions, check www.avalanche.ca. For information on training, click on the Learn tab.
“Unlike other user groups, snowmobiling avalanche fatalities are showing a clear pattern,” explains Gilles Valade, Executive Director of Avalanche Canada. “When we see such a cluster in terms of place of residence, it raises a concern that our safety messages aren’t reaching the people who clearly need it most.” Curtis Pawliuk is the General Manager of the Valemount and Area Recreation District, a popular snowmobiling destination for Alberta riders. “Far too often we see terrain choices that simply do not fit the conditions,” says Pawliuk. “These people are getting lucky. While the snowmobile community has come a long way, we need to start seeing greater buy-in and respect for the hazards of the backcountry.” “An Avalanche Skills Training course is the first step for anyone recreating in the backcountry,” adds Valade. “More than 8,000 people take this training each season. Unfortunately, less than 15% of these students are snowmobilers. Convincing more
Morgan Gamache. Photo: Eliisa Tennant
BC Hydro submits application for sixth generating unit at Revelstoke Dam BC Hydro wants to install a sixth generating unit at the Revelstoke Dam in order to meet an anticipated 40 per cent increase in demand for electricity over the next 20 years. The new unit would add 500 megawatts of capacity to BC Hydro’s electricity system and help meet peak demand periods. An application for an environmental assessment certificate has been submitted to the BC Environmental Assessment office to install the sixth generating unit. A decision to issue the certificate is expected by fall 2017
in 2026, the units will be out of service one at a time for 12 to 18 months, reducing Mica’s capacity by 410 megawatts for up to six years. For contingency, BC Hydro is pursuing regulatory approval so it could be in-service as early as 2021 in case more capacity is needed sooner.
If approved, the Unit 6 project is estimated to cost up to $582 million (based on the earliest in-service date of 2021). The project would see the addition of a new generating unit to an existing, empty bay in the Revelstoke powerhouse. “We’re excited to be moving this important project forward. Not only does Revelstoke Unit 6 ensure that power is there for our customers during the winter season when electricity use in B.C. reaches its peak, it reflects our evolving relationships with area First Nations,” said Chris O’Riley, Deputy CEO and Capital Infrastructure Project Delivery. The project will also build a new capacitor station 19 kilometres west of Summerland needed to deliver the additional power to the grid. Originally designed to house six generating units, only four were installed when the facility was constructed. BC Hydro added a fifth generating unit that began operating in 2010 Revelstoke Unit 6 and Site C are both needed to avoid a significant capacity deficit within 10 years. If demand grows as currently forecast, Revelstoke Unit 6 will be needed in 2026 to cover a capacity deficit during major maintenance work at Mica Dam. Mica Dam is aging and work is required on four generating units. Starting
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Revelstoke Dam. Photo: Aaron Orlando
Has fentanyl or carfentanil made its way to Revelstoke? Interior Health has confirmed the first two positive drug tests for carfentanil, a drug 100 times more potent than fentanyl. This means the drug has officially made its way into the region. The drug is so potent that Revelstoke pharmacist David Lafreniere, owner of People’s Drug Mart, said the naloxone kits available through public health likely wouldn’t be enough to stop an overdose because of the drug’s potency. “If it’s carfentanil almost certainly a single dose isn’t going to save you,” said Lafreniere, who noted the drug is used to sedate very large animals such as elephants. “The people working with these animals, when they are using carfentanil they have four or five doses of naloxone with them in case they get poked with the needle. It’s that potent.” Staff-Sgt. Kurt Grabinsky with the Revelstoke RCMP said they are working together with a number of other agencies including fire, ambulance, Parks Canada and other frontline workers about the use of naloxone. The RCMP has purchased almost 14,000 naloxone kits to issue to the regular officers who are on the street. “We each now carry a kit with two naloxone dispensers. They are a nasal dispenser so we can apply those either to the public or to another police officer if they are under the effects,” said Grabinsky. He noted there have been two cases of police officers having encountered and been affected by fentynal in the RCMP Southeast District. “Now we are also seeing carfentanil,” said Grabinsky. “There are some serious concerns for both the well being of the public and the well being of the police officers.” Interior Health recently released information that there was a positive carfentanil drug test in the Kootenay region, and a positive carfentanil urine test in the Thompson Cariboo Shuswap region. Revelstoke is part of the latter region. “These recent findings confirm our suspicions and anecdotal reports that carfentanil is present in IH communities,” Dr. Trevor Corneil, chief medical officer with Interior Health said in a statement. “Carfentinal has also been detected in other parts of B.C. and may be responsible for the spike in overdose deaths seen at the end of 2016.” Lafreniere said that up until recently testing wasn’t being done for carfentanil, as it wasn’t thought to be widely circulating like other opioids such as heroin or fentanyl, “Now that it’s starting to circulate they are testing for it,” he said.
Ministry focuses on rural education The B.C. Ministry of Education is encouraging families to share their ideas on how to transform rural education in British Columbia. Open house forums are planned in rural and remote communities across the province. Revelstoke is among the communities the ministry is seeking input from. In a statement, the ministry said it will be an opportunity for residents to express their thoughts on rural education, sharing stories around the importance of rural schools and rural educational programs in a casual setting. Linda Larson, the Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Education, said the open house will guide future education policy. “I’m looking forward to hearing a wide range of perspectives on the challenges and opportunities faced by educators and families in rural communities. All of this feedback is valuable in creating the rural education strategy, which will help guide rural education and community planning for years to come,” Larson said in a statement. This open house is part of the public engagement process to help develop a rural education strategy by the summer of 2017. All feedback received will help government shape a final report on an integrated rural education strategy, including recommendations for the future. The strategy will aim to find long-term solutions for the unique challenges facing rural school districts and communities, including looking at the important social, cultural and economic roles that schools play for small communities. The Revelstoke open house is on Monday, April 3 from 6–8 p.m. at Revelstoke Secondary School.
RSS grad ceremony. Photo: Aaron Orlando
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Revelstoke Women’s Canadian Club members on the steps of Revelstoke Courthouse, May 23, 1920. Front: Mrs. Maud Telfer, Mrs. Emily Hume, Mrs. W.H. Sutherland and Billy; Mrs. Lyda Holten, Mrs. Jeanne Robbins, Mrs. C. Skene, Mrs. H. Keegan. Middle: Mrs. Helen Sturdy, Miss Laura McKenzie, Miss Marion Adair. Back: Mrs. E.C. Ketchum, Mrs. J.F. Shaw. Several members of this organization were also involved in the Political Equality League. The Women’s Canadian Club twice hosted Nellie McClung, who was an outspoken advocate for women’s voting rights in Canada. They also hosted a visit from Emmeline Pankhurst, well-known British suffragette. Photo: Revelstoke Museum & Archives photo
The struggle for women’s suffrage in Revelstoke Looking back at the local struggle a century later.
By Cathy English, Curator, Revelstoke Museum & Archives April 5, 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of women gaining the vote in British Columbia. This was the culmination of several years of campaigning by the women of the province. It was one more year before women were allowed to vote in federal elections. Women’s voting rights were not achieved without a struggle. By 1911, women in the province were actively campaigning for the vote. The B.C. Political Equality League was established, with branches in many towns across the province. When it was organized, the editor of the Revelsoke Mail-Herald expressed doubt that Revelstoke women would respond to the call for action, as he believed that they, “do not take any working interest in either municipal, provincial, or federal politics.” He was to be proven wrong, as the movement soon gained traction here after provincial organizers came to speak several times in Revelstoke. The Revelstoke branch of the Political Equality League was formed in November 1912, with many prominent local women joining. Miss J. Hardie, secretary of the local branch, wrote a letter to the editor of the Revelstoke Mail-Herald in December of 1912, in which she outlined some of the legal inequalities which women dealt with at the time. She stated that
a mother had no right of possession in her legitimate child and that the father had sole authority in the education and disposition of his child, although the mother was equally responsible for its maintenance. In the case of a deserted wife, the husband had the right to collect and use the earnings of their minor children, and in some cases, even his wife’s wages. A wife had no property rights: her husband could sell or give away land even if the wife’s money helped to buy it. These and other inequalities provided a major motivation for women to fight for the right to vote. They felt that until they had the power of the vote, these issues that directly affected them and their children would not be dealt with in the political sphere. In early January, 1913, Revelstoke women canvassed the community getting signatures for a petition asking the legislature to grant women the right to vote. It was noted in the January 22, 1913 issue of the Revelstoke Mail-Herald that, “almost every one who was asked to sign did so, men as well as women, and hundreds of signatures testify to the popularity of the movement.” Provincially, the petition gained more than 10,000 signatures, but the bill for women’s suffrage was defeated 24 to 9 at the spring sitting of the Provincial Legislature. Despite the evidence of community support for women’s suffrage, Ralph Scruton, the editor of the Mail-Herald wrote a scathing editorial against the movement
in the November 30, 1912 issue of the paper. In part, he stated, “In the absolutely brutal struggle which must follow any organization of society based upon equality between the sexes, the finest traits of feminine character inevitably disappear as women cannot continue to possess all the privileges of their own sex, whilst greedily and mistakenly grasping for the cares and responsibilities shouldered by men.” One of the early campaigners for women’s suffrage in B.C. was Florence Hall, the wife of Reverend William Lashley Hall, a Methodist minister. She was the first president of the Vancouver chapter of the Women’s Political Equality League, and later a provincial organizer. She made several trips to Revelstoke before coming here to live in 1913, when her husband was appointed as the Methodist minister. Once in Revelstoke, Florence Hall became active in the local branch of the equality league. She wrote an impassioned letter to the Mail-Herald on November 29, 1913. In part, it read, “A new spirit is seizing the western woman … Throughout the province, they are asking why? Why is woman’s legal status thus? Why is she a non-entity in the eyes of the law? Why has she no right to her own child? ... A peaceable revolution is taking place at this juncture in the history of British Columbia, which is destined to bring a betterment in the condition of women generally. It may be that a reversal of the old regime is about to take place; but certain it is that evolutionary forces are at work that no man-made law can stop. One may as well blot out the blue of the sky, or drain the ocean dry, as to attempt to frustrate the onward march of women.” After a long struggle, the question of women’s suffrage was put to the male voters in the provincial election in the fall of 1916. By that time, public opinion had turned, and the editor of the Revelstoke Review wrote on September 7, 1916, “every elector should vote for the Woman’s Suffrage Bill. Give your mothers, sisters, wives and sweethearts a vote at the next election.” The bill did pass, and was enacted into law the following April.
Panorama of the western end of town, circa 1915. Photo: Revelstoke Museum & Archives
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Revelstoke Museum and Archives will celebrate this historic anniversary on Saturday, May 6 with a “Suffragettes Tea.” Participants can enjoy their tea while being entertained by local actors who will portray the story of the suffrage movement in Revelstoke. Everyone is encouraged to dress in period costume, and prizes will be awarded for the best costumes.
On the Revy streets
It’s spring. Change is in the air. We took to the streets in Revelstoke to ask residents their views on changes happening in the community. We asked: How long have you lived in Revelstoke for? What changes — good or bad — have you noticed in the time you’ve been here? Mandy “I have lived in Revelstoke for 9 years. The biggest change I have noticed is the real estate. When I first moved here the market was inflated and then it crashed. Because real estate is part of my job I am always aware about what is going on.”
Wayne “I have been here about two a half years. Snow. I have lived on the coast for a long time. Living in a place with so much snow has been a change.”
Dawn “I have lived here my whole life. The biggest change is the probably the demographic - the demographic of the people that live here. It’s a good change.”
Keefer “I have been in Revelstoke for 17 years. I, personally, am not bothered by any of the changes, so for me it’s all good. But, probably the influx of people for the winter - I have had three people in the last 15 minutes ask for recommendations for places to eat.”
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Hannah “I was born here. All the people are the biggest difference and I live in Upper Arrow Heights so there is a lot of development up there - there is no forest anymore and there are a bunch of new houses. But it’s all good.”
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Jared “I have been in Revelstoke for five years. Urban development is the biggest change I have noticed.”
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April/May 2017 Events Calendar Saturday, April 1
Thursday, April 6
St.Francis Spring Tea @ St Francis Parish 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Join St Francis Parish for an afternoon tea, bake and raffle.
River Jacks
Sunday, April 16 Closing Day @ RMR 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. Enjoy the last day runs are open at RMR.
Wood N Soo @ Traverse Night Club 9 p.m. BC party rockers Wood’n’ Soo deliver urban beats and bass through creative mixing and energetic performances.
Wednesday, April 19
River Jacks @ The Last Drop Pub 10 p.m. The River Jacks keep the spirit of folk singers alive with their brand of punk rock. Friday, April 7 Devon Coyote Trio Devon Coyote Trio @ The Last Drop Pub 10 p.m. Roots and blues rockers. Sunday, April 2 Spaghetti Dinner @ St Francis Parish 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. St Francis Parish Church invites the public to an Italian dinner. Devon Coyote Trio @ The Last Drop Pub 10 p.m. The Devon Coyote Trio perform roots and blues infused rock.
Inspired By: A Members Show @ RVAC 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. The Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre presents the opening of three new exhibitions: Inspired By, My (ut)opia: Claire Paradis & Galaxia - Seeking Connection: Michelle Spragg. John Jenkins Small Town Revival @ The Last Drop Pub 10 p.m. This Golden based band plays Roots, Rock, Blues, Funk & Folk.
Incredible Edible Film Fest -- Seeds of Time @ Revelstoke United Church 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. In Seeds of Time a perfect storm is brewing as agricultural pioneer Cary Fowler races against time to protect the future of our food.
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Friday, April 21 Kraft Singles for Everyone @ Revelstoke United Church 7:30 p.m. A heart-felt performance touching on subjects such as the dynamics of small town big families. Saturday, April 22 Qigong Workshop @ Balu Yoga 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. This Spring rejuvination workshop includes Qigong, meditation, journaling and traditional burning rituals to Clear, Cleanse and Strengthen your inner self.
Locals Day @ RMR 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Bring a cash or non-perishable food donation and enjoy a day of cheap skiing, courtesy of RMR. Casino Night @ Community Centre 6:30 p.m. - 12 a.m. The Revelstoke Rotary club hosts a Queen of Hearts Casino Night featuring a poker tournament not to be missed.
Wednesday, April 12
Monday, April 3
Canada on Screen -- Double Bill @ Revelstoke United Church 5:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Watch two films as part of a project showing 150 Canadian films across the country in honour of Canada’s 150th birthday.
Saturday, April 8
DJ Mihajic Touch @ The Last Drop Pub 10 p.m. DJ Mihajic Touch plays HipHop, Funk, House and Breaks
Seeds of Time
Free Flow funk band perform live at the Rockford Plaza
Open Mic Night @ The Last Drop Pub 10 p.m. Borrow an instrument, bring your own band, or have host band Maritime Kitchen Party back you up. Saturday, April 15 Free Flow Funk Concert @ RMR 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Cabin Fever 5th Annual Cabin Fever @ RMR 12 p.m. - 7 p.m. Enjoy select runs on the upper mountain, live entertainment and beer gardens. Children’s Clothing & Toy Exchange @ Revelstoke Early Years Centre 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Bring your clean and gently used children’s clothes, toys and maternity items to exchange with others. Friday, April 28 The Elliot Brood Band @ Traverse 11 p.m. Elliot Brood’s unique sound swings between alternative, folk, country and rock.
Suffragettes Tea @ Revelstoke Museum & Archives 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Participants can enjoy their tea while being entertained by local actors who will portray the story of the suffrage movement in Revelstoke. Everyone is encouraged to dress in period costume, and prizes will be awarded for the best costumes. Friday, May 12
Elliot Brood Saturday, April 29 2nd Annual Women’s Clothing Swap @ Community Centre 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Bring you gently used clothing to this annual event that raises money for the Revelstoke Helipad for Hospital Project.
A Kiss in the Wind @ RPAC 6:30 p.m. A documentary film exploring the story of Italian immigrant Angela Conte, who was killed working on CPR’s Connaught Tunne. Saturday, May 13 Create the Life you Want @ Balu Yoga From 7:30 a.m. Gain a greater understanding of yourself and the ancient practice of yoga Saturday, May 20
4th Annual Bike Gear/Swap & Expo @ Revelstoke Arena & Forum 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. Join the North Columbia Environmental Society and our many Expo hosts at our 4th annual bike and gear swap.
Jimmy Anderson Friday, May 26 Jimmy Anderson Horsemanship Workshop @ Selkirk Saddleclub From 9 a.m. Jim Anderson is the first Road to Horse Wild Card Champion and World Champion winner in Colt Starting. Saturday, May 27
Thursday, May 4
Revelstoke May Day celebration @ Queen Elizabeth Park The May Day event celebrates our diverse population.
The Learning Place @ The Revelstoke Library From 4 p.m. Get help with your computer skills and technical questions.
Sunday, May 28 Asian Dinner Fundraiser @ Revelstoke Community Centre This event acknowledges the long and rich history of Asian Canadians in the community. Tickets at the community centre.
Pedal & Pint @ Revelstoke Community Centre 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Bike around Revelstoke before enjoying a beverage at a local pub. Friday, May 5 Exhibition Opening @ RVAC 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. Three new exhibitions open: Adventure Quencher; Reimagining the Columbia, and; Annual Show: The Golden Girls. Saturday, May 6
Timber Days Timber Days @ Queen Elizabeth Park This free event includes logger sports, professional logger skills displays, and events for all ages. Come watch log burling, pole climbing, chopping and chainsaw events.
Munsch Upon a Time Munsch Upon A Time @ RPAC 3 p.m. Robert Munsch stories come to life on stage with the help of Professor Pim’s Time Machine.
BEERS, BURGERS & PATIOS SINCE 1932 9
Urban trees create value, help with water runoff, create shade and keep the neighbourhood cool in the summer. Photo: Ari Helminen Creative Commons license
Neighbourhood guerrilla street trees?
Do some DIY tree planting to spruce up your neighbourhood.
By Fraser Blyth In previous articles I spoke about potential city-initiated projects. So I thought I’d shift gears this month and talk about the things that you can do to improve your neighbourhood. For me, the most significant improvement you can make to your neighbourhood is to add street trees. To do this well, you’ll need the cooperation of your neighbours and some professional expertise. Coordinating a street tree program on your block can be a great excuse to meet all your neighbours. There’s a growing movement in cities called tactical urbanism, where underused spaces like vacant lots and under serviced streets are being improved by the community itself — guerrilla style. If you’re asking why you might want to undertake a street tree program in your neighbourhood, here are a couple good reasons. 1. Environmental: We all know about tree’s abilities to clean the air, but they also reduce the impact on our stormwater systems, reducing flooding and keeping our water cleaner. Perhaps their biggest impact is the ability to provide shade and reduce what is known as the “urban heat island effect.” The UHIE is caused by direct sunlight hitting concrete and asphalt, where the heat is stored throughout the day, making life in treeless parking lots and sidewalks very uncomfortable. When I tested this out a few summers ago my thermometer hit a balmy 34C under the shade of the trees along Campbell Ave, and an almost unbearable 50C on a sunny bench less
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than 50 metres away. This can have huge effects not only on your comfort level in the hot summer months, but also on the amount of water you use on your property. Everyone’s home improvement icon, Bob Vila estimates trees can save up to 25% in energy costs. 2. Economic: Vila also says landscaping can add 20% to the value of your home. The Natural Resource Defence Council (NRDC) estimates that a tree will return $90,000 in direct benefits over its lifetime. Gibsons, B.C. has also recognized the value that natural systems play as a part of their infrastructure. They completed an eco-asset strategy that recognizes that natural systems provide clear advantages over traditional engineered systems. They are cheaper to maintain and operate, they provide most services for free, and are carbon neutral or even carbon positive. 3. Social: Beyond the getting-to-know-your-neighbour bit, street trees can improve your health and well-being. A great tree-lined street is more desirable to walk down, encouraging more walking and biking and all the health benefits that come along with that. While you’re out walking down your beautiful street you are more likely to bump into friends and neighbours, meeting new people and strengthening your social and community ties. So if you’re thinking, “What next?” here are a few tips. First, I would highly recommend getting advice from a professional landscape architect to help you with this. They will know what trees can survive through snowfilled winters, rainy springs and hot summers in our climate.
Second, make sure you know where your property line is and plant the trees on your own property. If you plant on city property, they may come and remove the trees if they are in the way of city crews. Also don’t do this if you’ve got power lines running down your front property line. Third, trees should be evenly spaced 25–50 feet apart and be mirrored on both sides of the street (if possible). As humans we look for recognizable patterns. Having random spacing between trees will make for a less successful outcome. Fourth, if you’re doing this as a neighbourhood, don’t go all in on one type of tree. My personal favourite street tree is the elm for their cathedral-like canopy. But as we saw with Dutch elm disease, having only one species can mean the loss of an entire urban forest to disease or drought. Mix it up. It’s ok to have an “Elm street”, and an “oak street”, and an “ornamental cherry street.” It adds diversity and interest. Fifth, use deciduous trees. You’re trying to essentially create a roof for the street. Conifers don’t have the canopy spread to achieve this. With spring quickly on the way now is a good time to get your neighbourhood group together and start planning.
The new Sinixt display at the Revelstoke Museum & Archives. Photos: Aaron Orlando
Exhibit explores Sinixt history
An exhibit at the Revelstoke Museum & Archives explores Sinixt history in the Revelstoke area.
By Imogen Whale Rumours of arrowheads being found on the flats in Revelstoke got my attention. While I knew First Nations historically utilized the Arrow Lakes area for fishing, I had no real notion of their way of life. It turns out, I was not alone. A number of people I talked to believe this area to be of passing interest to First Nations. Too much snow, too much rain, and too much undergrowth was the rationale. It turns out we were all wrong. Before settlers arrived, the Sinixt Nation had a territory ranging from Kettle Falls in the United States throughout the Upper Columbia Basin. Known as the Arrow Lakes people, the Sinixt were a ‘Mother Tribe,’ meaning they rarely conflicted with other First Nations and acted as peace brokers between conflicting parties. Living in the area for thousands of years and numbering in the thousands, the Sinixt spoke a language similar to the Okanagan language. The name Sinixt translates to ‘People of the Bull Trout,’ a fish once indigenous and populous throughout the Arrow Lakes. Sinixt were recognizable by their unique canoes, nicknamed ‘sturgeon nosed’ canoes. I learned the Sinixt lived in pit homes: earthen covered circular dwellings that could likely be lived in year round. Once contact was made with settlers, homesteaders, Doukhobors, prospectors, and miners, the Sinixt history is one of misery. With land conflict, smallpox epidemics, borders, and the development of hydroelectric dams, havoc was wreaked on the Sinixt pop-
ulation and their way of life. The U.S./Canada border stopped free movement along Sinixt traditional lands. In 1872 the U.S. created the Colville reserve, trapping many Sinixt. Promised land on both sides of the border was constantly taken away for white settlers. A settler could squat on land and then claim ‘squatters rights’ to the parcel. This is evidenced by the confrontation at Galena Bay, a place many Sinixt went each autumn in preparation for winter. They hunted, fished, and dried fish and berries. In 1894, they arrived to find a shack built and when Sinixt member Cultus Jim attempted to assert his aboriginal rights, he was shot dead. Charges were placed against one Sam Hill, who was acquitted. The Western white pines, used by the Sinixt for their canoes, were over logged and scarce. Archaeological studies were not conducted prior to 1968, when the majority of sites were flooded. This is especially problematic when it comes to the pit dwellings, as such homes are evidence for land claims. They are protected under the British Columbia Heritage Conservation Act whether they are on public or private land. While many sites are underwater, is not unusual to find artifacts such as arrowheads as the rising and lowering of the water churns them to the surface. Discriminated against for over a century, in 1956 the Canadian Government declared the Sinixt no longer existed. The Sinixt Nation official website describes only one Canadian monument to the Sinixt. “In the town of Edgewood there is a totem pole that was erected in the late 1960s by British Columbia Hydro as a commemorative to an extinct race,” the site describes. “Totem poles were made by Haida natives and never the Sinixt. But beyond this fact is the reality the Sinixt are not extinct.” In 1995 Rob Irwin, Minister of Indian Affairs, said “The
Arrow Lakes band ceased to exist as a band for the purpose of the Indian Act ... It does not mean, however, that Sinixt ceased to exist as a tribal group.” But it does strip any First Nations who identifies as Sinixt; whether they were with the Colville group, scattered amidst other groups, or those who found their way back and have built and maintained a presence throughout the Slocan Valley, of recognition under the Indian Act.
A Sinixt sturgeon nosed canoe. Photo: Arrow Lakes Historical Society
There is hope though. The Sinixt Nation Society is actively claiming aboriginal titles on crown land. Revelstoke Museum & Archives curator Cathy English has created a permanent Sinixt exhibit at the Revelstoke Museum. As Revelstoke comes to grips with how minority immigrant groups were treated when they were helping create this town, let us also remember and respect those whose traditional lands it is on which we live. The Sinixt history display is available for viewing at the Revelstoke Museum & Archives. 315 First Street West, Revelstoke.
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Sarah j, Spurr’s the Last Mermaid costume won the 2016 Trashion Show grand prize. It was made from foil, magazine pages, bags, paint pallets, toothpaste tubes, cardboard and much more. Photo: Sarah j. Spurr
Arleigh Garratt of Garnish created this piece called Pod Fraud out of used Nespress pods and tin can bottoms held together by copper wire. Photo: Sarah j. Spurr
Turn your garbage, refuse, waste, rubbish, junk, litter, broken, outdated and excess into wearable art This Earth Day, Birch & Lace Hair Company welcomes you to take part in a beautiful exhibition of trash. By Sarah j. Spurr The second annual Trashion Show is upon us and participants will design wearable art made of materials collected from the brink of the waste bin. Creations will challenge the way we view trash and encourage consumers to take a closer look at cast off goods by first considering their qualities, volume and even beauty. Trash is largely defined as something of little or nothing, inferior or worthless, broken or crumbled. Every day we consume and dispose but what if there was a more hopeful and constructive energy surrounding our thoughts about daily trash? Can we re-define this word by looking to the valuable and salvageable aspects first? Or can we choose to waste less, up-cycle more and design ourselves out from the fast tradition of trash? Sara Sansom, owner and creative director of Birch & Lace Hair Company, believes we can and begins by sharing a term that serves to reinforce her actions and help others to facilitate this switch. Ecopreneurship represents entrepreneurships that apply guiding principles to create businesses that solve ecological, social and economic problems sustainably. The term began to be widely used in the 1990s, and it is otherwise referred to as “environmental entrepreneurship.” 12
She started Birch & Lace as a mission-based company where the mission stands to intertwine the beauty industry with environmental responsibility. One of the main avenues her business serves this objective is through earth advocacy and waste diversion. “Since opening the salon in October 2014, we have expanded to include Dear Earth Soap Dispensary, and Feather & Stone Day Spa,” Sara explains. “Each having an environmental focus and a minimum of 95% waste diversion. We strive to responsibly dispose of all materials – including hair, chemicals and foils. Based on our environmental mission, it seemed appropriate to host an Earth Month event, to create awareness, involve community and have some fun with it!” “A trashion show is a wonderful way to marry the beauty/fashion industry with waste awareness. It creates discussion, and evokes creativity amongst the community all while raising money for a local society, and a global water movement.” Earth Month is a time of seasonal transformation and it’s an opportunity to welcome change. Take this time to reflect on the impact we have on the environment and in turn how the environment impacts us. It takes a village, so all proceeds from this event go directly to support the work and advocacy of WaterAid Canada and the North Columbia Environmental Society.
“So many local businesses and organizations pulled together to help make the Trashion show a success last year, and again this year! I am so grateful to live in such a supportive, amazing community that share similar passions and goals.” Last year 14 contestants showcased their hard work for a sold out crowd at the Rockford Revelstoke. Stay tuned to Birch & Lace social media and attend the event to learn more about all the fantastic sponsors. Open to all ages, individuals and groups. Contestants may use honest trash only – all garbage/recycling used must be materials that were already bound for the landfill. You may not consume products in order to create the trash you need. You may, however, recover other peoples or businesses’ trash (with their permission). Be sure your outfit is appropriate to be viewed in public by all ages and you may enter as many outfits as you like, each additional entry is $10. The sky is the limit! Tickets: $10 in advance, $15 at the door (100% donation), Saturday, April 22, 2 p.m. on the Rockford patio or indoors if raining. Deadline to Enter: Thursday, April 20. $25 entry fee includes your pass and model’s entry.
Photos of the Last Mermaid costume. Photos: Sarah j. Spurr
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haven’t in six months. ‘You still live here? I haven’t seen you since October.’ That’s right — the Revelstoke locals emerge from their caves after hunkering down to hibernate for the winter. Gone are the eight-foot snowbanks obscuring the view of your neighbour’s home or seas of unrecognizable faces. You start seeing the people who have decided to make Revelstoke their home through all the seasons — the lucky people who get to see the beauty of Revelstoke without the veil of snow.
See ya! It’s been a great season, but now I’ve got to go! Photo: Eliisa Tennant
When the snow people go
The snow melts, and the snow people melt away By Eliisa Tennant
Warmer temperatures. Melting snow. Daylight after work. Yes, one look at the beautiful ball of light shining in the sky and the dirty snow banks and any permanent resident of Revelstoke knows that spring is upon us.
When the snow people go, our town transforms, stretching its bones from a long winters slumber. Birds sing. Trees grow leaves anew. Flowers bloom, and all the while the physical transformations of nature are occurring the community itself undergoes change.
Subarus with ski racks and lifted F350s with sled decks head back onto the highway, the driver’s eyes give a wistful look at Revelstoke in their rearview mirror for the last time this season. Our mountain town grows smaller — both in the rearview mirrors of the people who make the trek from all over the world to spend a winter in paradise and in population size.
All of a sudden The Stoke List is inundated with miscellaneous items; everything from used Volkswagens for $500, illegal basement suites to toasters (FREE!). The thrift store fastens their annual sign: ‘We Will Not Accept Mattresses.’ Going to the grocery store for milk still takes ages, but now instead of standing behind 30 people in line with board boots and ski pants it’s because you’re finally seeing and catching up with everyone you
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Many of these people, the all-season people, are business owners or people who work for businesses reliant on tourism. If you listen closely you can almost hear their barely audible expulsion of a long held breath as the shoulder season commences. Congratulations, you made it! We made it, Revelstoke. The busiest season is over for seven months and the shops and restaurants around town relax as things temporarily slow down — many taking a break now and even closing their doors for a period of time to rejuvenate. Forever a tourism community things will heat up again soon for the summer months; music will fill the streets downtown, people will be seen dining on patios, mountain bikes will be strapped to roof racks to replace skis and people will flock in droves to Revelstoke’s new The Pipe Mountain Coaster. Summer tourists are not the same as snow people. They stay in Revelstoke for a brief period — enjoying hiking, biking, paddleboarding or adventuring for a weekend then returning home. Snow people make Revelstoke their home, if only for a season. Before we know it streams of traffic to the ski hill on powder days will be back, the sound of lilting Australian accents will be heard once more, the smell of two stroke will hang in the air at the base of every mountain and the snow people will return to this ultimate mountain paradise for another year of powder dreams.
Steve Cote
Making it work
For many, living in a seasonal town means spring is time to transition from winter to summer work, and can mean leaving town to pay for Revelstoke life. We spoke to residents to find out what they do to make it work. By Imogen Whale If you’ve committed to living in Revelstoke, when it comes to a job a little imagination, flexibility and ingenuity go a long way. The online entrepreneur/remote worker Amanda Hawthorn Geary: To stay in an industry she loved while living in Revelstoke, Amanda would have to think outside the box.
Before Revelstoke: Growing up in Ontario, Steve dreamed of being a pilot since he was a little kid. Making that dream a reality, Steve has been flying for 24 years. He moved to Revelstoke in 1995 to fly. After spending time here, Steve knew he wanted to make this town his home.
The reality: Steve spends his winters flying guests in a Bell 212 helicopter for Canadian Mountain Holidays Revelstoke. “I’ve been with CMH since 2000,” he explains. “I started in the small heli at remote lodges. Before Revelstoke: For a decade, Amanda worked on If I didn’t live in a place like Revelstoke, I would never cruise ships. Starting as a seasonal youth worker, she have had that opportunity.” Still working for CMH, later became the onboard corporate fleet trainer and Steve is now based in town for the winter, interacting then onboard human resource manager. Travelling the world, Amanda worked four months onboard at a with the mix of Canadian and international guests. In the summer, Alpine Helicopters sends Steve to work time. firefighting. He has travelled around the United States Now in Revelstoke: Amanda is an online entrepreneur, and Canada. “It’s a great way to meet people from all over and experience different lifestyles and cultures and working remotely from Revelstoke for international clients. She launched Get A Life At Sea (getalifeatsea. keep on learning,” he explains. com) in 2015. “I help adventurers navigate the cruise line application and interview process so they can get The lifestyle: “I love Revelstoke,” Steve explains. “Once I came here and worked winters and was exposed to jobs at sea and travel the world,” she explains. When heli skiing, I knew I wanted to work in it.” He embraces not working on her own business, Amanda teaches the outdoors, sledding in the winters and travelling the part time at the high school. highways on his motorcycle come summer. Thinking outside the box: “I started trying to come Changing with the seasons with Connie Marsden: An up with an online business idea that allowed me to stay tied to the cruise ship community I love. I looked outdoor adventure lover, Connie makes Revelstoke work for her by embracing the seasonal changes. at my past experiences and credentials, I looked at businesses available online that supported candidates trying to get into the world of working on cruise ships, Before Revelstoke: Connie grew up in Germany and earned her physiotherapist designation. Opting to travel and as there wasn’t anything, I created something,” and work overseas before she dove into the workforce, she says. Revelstoke was one of her first stops in 2009. Her advice for online entrepreneurs/remote workers: Making Revelstoke work: Connie met her future “Draw on your past experiences, what you love to do, husband Eric in a hostel. He talked her into giving tree and what do you want to learn to do. We have fibre internet and a fantastic colab space. There is so much planting a try. “My first time out was horrible,” she explains. “I didn’t make money, in fact I lost money, my support there for online entrepreneurs and remote English wasn’t so good, and I quit early.” Working at workers.” a different camp than Eric, she decided to pop by his The year round pilot Steve Cote: With a job you won’t camp on her way out of town, “{I wanted] to let him know what I thought about tree planting,” she laughs. find in the big city, Steve is a Revelstoke based advenInstead, he talked her into working at his camp. “It was ture helicopter pilot. much better and I did end up doing well.” Tree planting, Connie explains, is challenging and requires de-
Amanda Hawthorn Geary Photo: Stephanie Curran
termination and self disciple. But it is also rewarding, and if you work hard, you can make enough money to enjoy the shoulder seasons. Connie has embraced the variety summer work in Revelstoke has offered, working in tree planting, trail building, brushing, and contract forest firefighting. Winter: Her first winter in Revelstoke, Eric bought dogs and started up a dog sledding business. “I love the dogs,” Connie says. “We have 28 and each has their own personality. Taking care of them and guiding dog sledding is my passion. My summers are varied but the winter is always the dogs.” Advice for making it work: “Living in Revelstoke and embracing the lifestyle means often being creative and flexible with work,” Connie explains. “You meet a lot of people here who work out of town for weeks at a time to make it work because families can’t survive off minimum wage tourist jobs.” The lifestyle that this amazing town offers, Connie reasons, makes those sacrifices worth it.
Connie Marsden and family at work. Photo: Nicole Fricot
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Rebecca Critchlow and daughter Lennon. Photos this page: Eliisa Tennant
Today is going to be awesome
The Revelstoke Mountaineer welcomes new columnist Rebecca Critchlow of Revelution Fitness & Yoga. Rebecca’s columns will focus on health and wellness. Welcome aboard! by Rebecca Critchlow
Our “health” has so many components that sometimes it can get a little confusing. Where do we start? What “fad diet” is the right diet? This can be so frustrating for people that they give up before they even start. I can put it very simply into words, however, putting it into practice is where it can get tricky. Being healthy takes energy, the benefits are that it also creates energy, as well as a powerful mind shift and a more positive outlook on life. It’s the in-between phase, that limbo, that has so many people stuck. We live in the age of convenience, where we all have very little patience and are quite fond of immediate gratification. We disrespect ourselves on so many levels: we drink alcohol, we stay up too late, we worry out about money/ work/family, we spend a lot of our time sedentary on electronics, eating poisonous foods, taking toxic pills to ease the pain we feel from all of the above. It’s like one big Catch-22, we poison ourselves to feel better instantly instead of going through the pain for a little while to feel good the healthy way. I’ve compiled a small list of ways to get started on this lifetime journey of feeling your best!
Change your mind
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Small, “Exercise not only increases blood flow to the brain, it releases endorphins, the body’s very own natural antidepressant. It also releases other neurotransmitters, like serotonin, which lifts mood.”
enjoy a drink or two every so often, but try not to overindulge.
Start eating actual food
Keep the promises you make to yourself. This will boost your self-esteem and help you grow as a human! Write things down if you need to. Be conscious of how you’re feeling when you want to eat crappy food and what you’re telling yourself when you don’t want to workout. Collect motivational quotes, read them. Tell your inner critic to take a break.
As author Michael Pollan says, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” I highly recommend smoothies, fresh vegetable juices, salads, lean proteins and keeping everything as organic as possible. Invest in yourself. Your body is where you’ll be living for this lifetime, it’s more important than that new car or flat screen television.
Get moving! Any amount. Run around the block, smash out 10 pushups while you’re watching your favourite show. Start slowly, so you don’t scare your body from ever doing it again. Join group fitness classes, these are proven to be extremely motivating. Practice yoga. Meditate. Take just 15-20 minutes a day and get active. Time will pass whether you move or not, so why not get started today?
Try to avoid the poisonous stuff
Get over the hurdle — stop waiting for Monday to start, just start! If you feel motivation at this very minute, do something now — because if you wait until Monday, you may find an excuse not to. Now is always the best time!
When you drink alcohol, you don’t make conscious choices. This also accounts for a couple of days afterwards. Your guard is down. Your inhibitions are gone. Your body is dehydrated and hungry for nourishment, so it craves salt, sugar and grease. Your energy is low, so you want something quickly. Fast food always wins in these circumstances and it won’t make you feel better.
Decide you feel differently about exercise. Decide you love it. Because you will. Maybe not to begin with, but you will. Exercise is proven to cure depression. According an article in Psychology Today by Dr. Gary
You may think you need that dopamine boost by drinking booze, but you can get it by working out. Fitness, yoga & meditation are all great ways to boost dopamine levels without harming yourself. I’m not saying don’t
Be accountable
These things collectively equal loving yourself. Just make the choice to take care of yourself. You’re the only one who can do it! It may seem like a daunting task, but once you get started, it really is the easiest thing in the world.
Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre hosts Adventure Quencher show in May
Exhibit features in situ backcountry creativity inspired by hot coffee, paintbrushes, good food, long walks, saunas and cold beer. By Nicola McGarry I felt so lucky to be working at Valhalla on the day Zu walked in the store. She told me about her idea for the Art Adventure Quencher: to get a group of women artists to go on an adventure together, inspire one another and then put on our own exhibition. She put the invite out to me and I was in. The gang of girls was Zuzana Riha, Natalie Harris, Jess Leahey, our amazing chef Tara Harris and myself Nicola McGarry. To have the opportunity to watch how each of us work, what grabs our attention and then being able to talk and exchange ideas is an incredible way to really boost and refresh my creative thinking. I asked Zu to explain why she had created the Adventure Quencher. “My love for the outdoors and art has led me to the idea of experiencing an inspirational setting that would enhance and grow my creativity,” she said. “I often go for long solitary walks to inspire and energize myself, as many of us do, but I wanted more. More inspiration, more ideas, take it to another level. The idea of experiencing art, nature and adventure with a few like-minded friends in a new experience which none of us had ever done before, was both exciting and intriguing. I decided to ask a few local artists who inspire me, and who would complement one another. With simple group brainstorming and a little bit of planning we were off to Hazel Hut for our first art adventure.” The plan was to ski tour, shred and take in gorgeous alpine and mountain views, while sharing our artistic inspirations, techniques and visions.
Participant Jess Leahey described a weekend of fuelled by the arts and exploration, and, “hot coffee, paintbrushes, good food, long walks, saunas and cold beer.” “With the skiing somewhere between high avalanche hazard and a turd sandwich our rainy artist retreat to the Hazel Hut turned from a lady shredder ski hustle, to a slow, old growth, meandering snowshoe holiday,” Leahey said. We actually felt like we got a little gift with this weather, we had idle time to really get arty. We all realized slowing down felt really good for creating and thinking creatively. We saw that we were happy doing whatever came our way because there is material for ideas and exploration in everything. Artist Natalie Harris was keen for the trip. “It was less about where we were going but who the group was. To be amongst artists that I admire and getting to see each step of their creative process was definitely something I wanted to be a part of.” This is what we all found, it just really worked because there was no agenda, no ego, no competition just lots of fun and support to do exactly what you felt like doing and we were all curious about each other. Now we have parted from our adventure to head to our studios/work spaces and make art inspired by our time together as artists, friends and adventure quenchers. The show opens May 5 at the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre and runs until May 26.
The Adventure Quencher crew Zuzana Riha, Natalie Harris, Jess Leahey, Tara Harris and Nicola McGarry at the Hazel Hut. Photos this page by Natalie Harris
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Photos this page by Eliisa Tennant
Our guide to Revelstoke’s spring après season
Where to go and what to wet your whistle with as the spring sun shines through The peaks have been bagged, the missions accomplished, the footy is in the can and now it’s time to relax a little by enjoying Revelstoke’s short but sweet spring après season. For newcomers and visitors, here’s our guide to where the crowds will be during the spring après season.
Dance your face off
Find out how much you don’t know
Challenge your mind
In the mood to let loose? Traverse is the only place to go to have a fun night of dancing with your friends. Dress up, wear jeans and plaid — everyone is welcome and it’s always a good time.
Head to Trivia Night at Mackenzie Common Tavern on Tuesdays and while you’re wracking your brain you can also rack billiard balls or try your hand at Jenga. Be sure to check out their Moscow Mule — an unexpected blend of ginger beer and vodka with lime.
The Rockford patio.
Soak up some rays
Being able to play Scrabble while noshing on things like mac ’n’ cheese with truffle and jalapeño salami should be reason to walk through the doors of the Craft Bierhaus. Then you take into account the wide variety of beer selections ranging from cream ales to pale lagers making this place a must visit for locals and visitors alike.
It’s convenient that one of the best places to chill with a beer, soak up the sunshine and surround yourself with scenic views is just steps away from the gondola. Diners and mountain users alike flock to one of Revelstoke’s most beautiful patios at The Rockford. Take a break between runs and feast on their amazing eats or chill with a pint of local Mt. Begbie beer — this is Revelstoke life at it’s best.
The Big Eddy Pub
The Taco Club
Socialize
Get a taste of Mexico Don’t eat for a week before you go to The Taco Club — you’re going to need all the stomach room you can get. Amazing (and filling) Mexican fare and inspired cocktails make this the place to go if you’re tired after spending a day on the mountain; refuelling with a massive burrito is just the ticket. They’ve got the biggest tequila selection in town. 18
Craft Bierhaus.
The Big Eddy Pub makes the trip across the bridge completely worthwhile. The parking lot littered with trucks equipped with sled decks is indication enough that this is the place to go after an epic day of hitting booters with your bros. A lively atmosphere with pub style fare makes The Big Eddy Pub a Revelstoke favourite.
Celebrate the tastes of spring with these B.C. selections By Heather Hood
Spring is here and the environment around us is coming alive again. Spring is always the time of year that I find so amazing in a climate with four very distinct seasons. It is astonishing how the flora that has been dormant all winter comes alive. A tree starts with the incipient buds, followed by the leaves. The soil looking like a slate wiped clean and then out of nowhere emerges green life in the form of snow drops and crocuses. The birds return to bring their lovely songs and celebrate the new growing season. This month I felt the Lock & Worth was an appropriate wine to celebrate the spring. There are many characteristics of these grape varietals that remind me of spring and new growth. Sauvignon blanc is a grape that is planted all around the world and like most grapes it will have very different flavours depending on if they are grown in a warm climate or a cool climate such as Canada. In cooler climates the characteristics of Sauv blanc tend to be much greener flavours such as lime or even grass. Semillon has aromas of honey and sweet flower blossoms. Here are some suggestions to liven up those longer days and celebrate spring.
Moraine Meritage 2014 Okanagan Valley, BC $21.44 Meritage is portmanteau of the words Merit and Heritage that was conceived in California in 1988. Meritage is a blend of red or white wines that are similar to Bordeaux style wines. The Moraine Meritage is a truly fantastic wine at an incredible price point for the quality. This wine is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot. It is a rich full-bodied wine with medium tannins, it has aromas of smoke and red fruit, flavours of cherries and ripe blueberries, tobacco and black olive.
The Mackenzie Common bar
Hester Creek Late Harvest Pinot Blanc 2015 Oliver, BC $20.74 Late harvest is a dessert wine that is made from grapes that are left on the vine to ripen weeks or months after the grape harvest has concluded. These wines are much sweeter because the grapes have ripened longer and begin to lose water content and therefore have more concentrated sugars. This wine was abundant in flavour, with similair aromas and flavours. Flavours of ripe pear, strawberries and cream, caramel and honey. The wine coats your mouth and leaves a sweet rich finish.
Lock & Worth Sauvignon blanc & Semillon 2016 Naramata, BC $21.61 This blend of Sauvignon blanc and Semillon brings nice characteristics of both varieties of grapes. Sauvignon blanc is planted all over the world and depending on where it is grown such as a warm climate or a cool climate like Canada, it can have very different flavour development. The Semillion is a lovely wine on its own and is and an essential grape in white blends of Bordeaux (a wine region in the south west of France). This wine is a blend of notes of lime, green apple and hay and a sharp but balanced acidity. The Semillon balances out the high acidity of the Sauv blanc and adds sweeter notes of pear and a subtle hint of honey. It is a fresh crisp wine that really awakens your palate.
A Moscow Mule at the Mackenzie Common
All wines available at Cheers! Downtown Revelstoke Open 9am to 11pm Delivery to your Door Call 250.837.4550
Dose adds to Revelstoke coffee culture By Sandy Powell
Anyone entering Revelstoke’s newest cafe, whether it’s for the first time, or even the third time that day, should expect to be greeted as a friend. Despite only having been opened by Australian couple Lauren Webster and John Pierce in January, Dose has attracted a loyal fanbase of coffee and toasted sandwich lovers. Their reputation is due to an atmosphere that is equal parts personality and quality product. Upon entering, a call of “Hi guys!” will go out from behind the bar, and John Pierce’s newest best friend will stand sheepishly in the doorway, perhaps wondering what they have done to be so enthusiastically welcomed. John’s exuberant greeting is followed by Lauren’s welcoming smile and set to a soundtrack of some chilled reggae, as the rest of the staff laugh and joke while preparing the cafe’s steadily evolving menu of espresso, toasted sandwiches and seasonal offerings. The couple has a focus on a community-forward setting, which starts with an open and warmly-lit seating area, is followed by the accessible and simple food menu and is rounded out by a range of unique cocktail options for the adults and a stack of toy dinosaurs and trains for the kids. (Though it could be argued John loves the dinosaurs more than any kid ever could.) “This community is the thing that made us want to start this. We just want to be more ingrained and embedded in Revelstoke and this is our chance to give back,” John told the Mountaineer. “We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for not just the physical help we received when we were building the place, but also just all the kind words of people who have been through,” Lauren added. Lauren said their offerings at Dose are reflective of a desire to be a part of the community which has given them so much. “We’re passionate about food and a quality product. But we’ve also done this to create a life for ourselves in Revelstoke.” 20
Aside from Lauren and John’s creative touches, the cafe’s design is the sum of the artistic and practical skills of many generous Revelstoke locals. “We only had to buy one tool! And that was a $6 chisel,” John laughed, after reeling off a list of people who had donated their time, skill or equipment during the nearly four month build. And that community support has continued since the doors opened, which they are thankful for. “We’re really fortunate this place is running smoothly, just to maintain that is our biggest goal,” Lauren said. Looking to the future, they plan to evolve Dose into an evening cocktail and elixir bar with tapas options, with potential to expand across the province. Dose is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week at 101 2nd St East, Revelstoke.
Tree Construction grows up and branches out
Tree Construction is aiming to make passive home construction mainstream with its new fabrication shop.
By Bryce Borlick The windshield wipers on Greg Hoffart’s truck are working overtime on a dreary Wednesday afternoon as we cross the Big Eddy Bridge on our way to check in with his team of carpenters. I’m already dreading the inevitable muddy conditions of a typical residential construction site, but to my surprise, we stop in front of a former truck repair shop and head indoors. The familiar smells and sounds of woodwork fill the air, and the upbeat atmosphere is spurred on by some good tunes. This is Tree Construction’s new shop that Greg hopes will not only boost his business, but also challenge the status-quo of home building in Revelstoke.
Passive houses, like the Veccio e Nuovo home that was previously featured in the Revelstoke Mountaineer, stem from European design concepts that utilize a fully-sealed and hyper-insulated building shell that is highly effective in separating indoor and outdoor climates. The end result is a building that requires very little energy to heat in winter or to cool in summer — something that should pique the interest of any homeowner who faced costly heating bills this past winter. But passive construction doesn’t always come cheap. Additional insulation, higher quality materials, and greater attention to detail in the assembly can add five to ten percent to the cost of a home and, although these upfront costs are returned to the homeowner via lower energy bills, some clients struggle to see beyond the initial sticker shock. “Some people have a hard time justifying the additional cost of a passive building,” explains Greg, “so I’m aiming to bring down those costs through greater construction efficiency.”
Tree Construction has deep roots in this community and this isn’t the first time that Greg, the owner, has broken new ground in terms of business modeling. Driven by his passion for environmental stewardship and sustainable building, Greg pioneered ultra-progressive passive house building in Revelstoke and with a growing list of completed passive homes, he’s hungry for more. “I became interested in passive house construction many years ago and I knew it was something that I wanted to bring to Revelstoke,” says Greg as we tour the shop.
Tree’s new shop allows indoor pre-manufacturing of entire wall sections, even for custom designed homes. Materials arrive at one end of the shop, they are cut and prepped and assembled in the middle, and the completed wall sections are stored at the back until they are trucked to the site and craned into place. The cost reductions that this new process achieves would benefit any type of building but its particularly applicable to passive construction where the exterior shell comprises a greater percentage of the overall cost.
tain, and no more expensive to build, why wouldn’t you? It’s simple logic that Greg preaches like gospel, and it makes perfect sense. Furthermore, Greg hopes to expand his shop space greatly in coming years to be able to accommodate production orders from other building contractors in Revy and beyond. If passive building principals and techniques can be employed on a greater scale, they’re more likely to be recognized in national building codes and mandated by forward-thinking municipalities. Companies like Tree Construction could be the catalysts of an industry-wide change that brings Canada up to the same high environmental standards being adopted across Europe. As we head back to Greg’s truck the sun is starting to shine and the snow-capped peaks that make Revelstoke such a majestic place are peaking through the clouds. Despite his hectic schedule, Greg takes a moment to reflect on the natural beauty. “This is why we’re pushing passive,” he says, glancing up toward the mountains. “We may be a relatively small business, but we’re thinking a lot bigger.”
“Pre-manufacturing in our shop should reduce our bottom line and put the cost of passive building roughly in line with traditional methods.” The percentages may not sound like much, but it makes passive construction a viable option for most clients and that’s a significant step forward. If you could build a house that’s greener, higher quality, cheaper to main-
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Explorers Society Hotel owners Rebekah and Stephen Jenkins. Photo: Eliisa Tennant
The Explorers Society Hotel brings boutique trend to Revelstoke
Historic McKinnon Building remodeled into nine-room boutique hotel that blends contemporary design with historic themes. By Eliisa Tennant 12 minutes. That’s how long it took Rebekah and Stephen Jenkins to make one of the biggest decisions of their life. While drinking a beer one evening they received a call from their real estate agent that the primary offer on a building they held a back up offer on fell through. 12 minutes was sufficient time for them to fall in love with Revelstoke’s historic McKinnon Building. To some it might seem impulsive for an American couple from Seattle, Washington to walk into an old building, spend a few short minutes inside to dream up possibilities, create a vision for a boutique hotel and restaurant then purchase it on the spot. But for a couple who has been invested in the idea of making a life here since 2007, it was really about time to take the next step. In 2007 Revelstoke started down the path to becoming a resort community with the opening of Revelstoke Mountain Resort. This sleepy little mountain town popped up on the international radar and caught Stephen Jenkins’ attention. He came to Revelstoke
looking for the start-up skiing experience that had eluded him in the States. Initially he stayed in various hotels, but after falling in love with the community he and Rebekah decided to build a home in Arrow Heights. The couple had remodeled homes in Seattle but never built from the ground up. It was this build that gave them the taste for design and architecture. Creating this home from scratch then opening its doors as a rental to other ski and snowboard enthusiasts set the wheels in motion for vision behind The Explorers Society and adjoining restaurant Quartermaster Eatery. “It was meant to be a haven for us, but also a place that skiers and boarders could share. We started to get this really nice payback from it … these people that walk into your home they are all from cool places, they have cool stories they’re all here for a reason and they would stay at our home.” Opening their home and hosting people from all walks of life, but driven by the same passion, paved the way for Revelstoke’s newest boutique hotel. The nine beautifully appointed rooms play to the Jenkins’ desire to deliver a unique and intimate experience for their guests — expanding on their initial enjoyment of having people
The Quartermaster Eatery. Photo: Eliisa Tennant
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stay in their rental and welcoming people into this stunningly remodeled building. Rebekah did have some design mentoring from Brian Paquette of Brian Paquette Interiors in Seattle, but the building showcases Rebekah’s impeccable taste. Highlights include the contrast between softly white-washed wood and concrete walls, the elegant tin roof panels, the boldly tiled floor, and the industrial chandelier. These features are all individually unique but together compliment each other in an exquisitely modern way, while still paying tribute to the buildings rich history. It’s obvious that Stephen is both proud of the building remodel and with his wife’s vision and execution of the project. “Rebekah did all of this — the colour of the cushions, the finish on the table, what we did with the lighting, the three colours of green on the chairs — it’s all her. Rebekah comes from a very creative family. Their family is a combination of artists and engineers. She has both the analytical power and the creative power to pull off a massive project like this.” (continued on page 24)
Photos: Eliisa Tennant
we believe in exceeding performance standards And so do our building partners. Trusted by industry leaders, Innotech manufactures European windows and doors with outstanding thermal insulation, industry leading air, water and sound resistance, and remarkable durability. Visit innotech-windows.com/explorers or call Nicolay at 1.250.215.0510 for more info.
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Photos: Eliisa Tennant
(continued from page 22) Walking through the boutique hotel, located in the heart of the city on First Street just off Mackenzie Avenue, with Stephen is walking through 3D art. And while the finishes and final remodel are staggering what is most impressive is the devotion the Jenkins’ have to The Explorers Society and to our community. Whether it be through employing local staff, referring their guests to other locally owned businesses, committing to excellence by making the addition of Revelstoke culinary guru Olivier Dutil St-Pierre to the Quartermaster Eatery or by hosting community events in their event space, the Jenkins’ have completely committed themselves to embracing the city of Revelstoke as their forever home. “For the traveller we are creating a memory — that’s what you take away from a trip. Guests are walking into the lobby after a day of heliskiing and saying “this is the best day of my life” and we get to share that with them and that’s powerful. For the community we are a destination. I want the community to hang out here — this is not just a tourist place. This is a community place; a place for you to celebrate your birthday or host your wedding.” Love for the community brought the Jenkins to Revelstoke, love has made them invest themselves wholeheartedly into the success of The Explorers Society and Quartermaster Eatery and love for creating an experience for locals and tourists within this mountain paradise is what is going to make their business a fixture in downtown Revelstoke for many years to come.
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Hard to Find Unique Brands the and big brands that (at everyone sells in Canada in order with great products with great pricing to beginProshells with & Pants greatelse prices!) Karbon – Ski & mountain wear designed by Canadians based advice Berghaus - Clothing, Outerwear, Packs & Luggage then we add friendly service and experience Berghaus, Peak Performance, Strafe, Westcomb unique. to bring you a total value package. Kombi Dare 2 Be - Tremendous value in mountain wear GV Snowshoes – Award winning Canadian made designs
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Jupa - Fully featured snowsuits for the kids! - Fashion & Travel Clothing all in one! For example, for almost On top of that our “Shop Local” membership program gives Berghaus – a leader in Europe now you “no tax”Factory pricing year round on all regular price Message Fjellraven - Norwegian natural clothing for the outdoors Women this amazing range of outdoor clothing and gear! Other expurchases. Kari Traa Slopes & Touring Polarfeet for women that uses color and design to new levels of In fact, a “Shop Local” membership can save youwear lots even if Westcomb - Technical Mountain wear made in Canada! Minus 33 only shopping with us on one occasion. & lifestyle clothing for women. There are many morePlus, toolots … more in store! Plus, lots more in store! & see below for a more complete list. Hand & Head 201 Mackenzie Ave. open 7 days a week 250.814.2575 All the Time Canadian Hard to Find Unique Brands Warm &Brands GV Snowshoes – Award winning Canadian made designs
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Revelstoke once again increases its presence in the world of mountain biking with two high-profile races that will shine the international spotlight on our most epic and quintessentially Canadian singletracks. First up is annual Trans BC Enduro, which expands from five days to six this year, adding Revelstoke for the big twoday finale on July 14 and 15. “I’m excited to showcase a completely different course with six brand new days of communities and trails in B.C., while keeping the atmosphere and overall feel of the event the same as last year,” says race organizer and Revy local Megan Rose. With registration limited to just 120 riders, this exclusive event will showcase some of eastern BC’s finest loam descents and technical rock slab riding. As with most enduro races, the course details will be announced just prior to the days of racing, so if you hear rumours, keep it zipped! For riders interested in taking on the course at a more relaxed pace, Wandering Wheels offers the all-inclusive Trans BC Tour that follows essentially the same course, just with medals and podiums replaced with ice cold beers.
Introducing the spokin’ word
New Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine cycling column explores the two-wheeled world. By Bryce Borlick Editor’s note: This is the first installment of a new cycling column called the spokin’ word we’ll be running during the biking season. Please contact writer Bryce Borlick with news tips on races, results, events, profiles, issues and any other bike news. Because it’s Revelstoke, it’s mountain bike focused, but we will cover all cycling. The warmer temperatures and longer days of spring bring a host of changes to Revelstoke — the songbirds gradually return, the two-metre-high snow banks melt out, and people break out the shorts and T-shirts long before they‘re actually appropriate. As a period of rebirth, spring is also the time to tune up your mountain bike and make plans for what promises to be another summer of stoke.
Kicking it up a notch, the Revelstoke 3-Day enduro race, scheduled for Sept 1-4, will be Canada’s first heli-assisted mountain bike race. Taking full advantage of the alpine access that only a helicopter can provide, the race boasts a total of 4,500 vertical metres of rugged big-mountain descending for a lucky 110 participants. R3D organizer Ted Morton requires racers to have expert-level riding skills and adequate First-Aid training, meaning this is destined to be a true Canadian backcountry classic. At the gentler end of the spectrum, the Revelstoke Cycling Association is planning trail expansion at the Griffith Creek base area to better serve beginners, families, and adaptive athletes. In addition to a pump track and skill-building technical features such as small drops and ’skinnies’, a 1.3 kilometre green-rated loop is in the works. The bi-directional loop will be smooth-surfaced and roughly five feet wide, making it an ideal learning environment for kids and one of the few places where adaptive athletes can access wooded trails on their highly-specialized equipment. Plus, it’s a loop — if you get lost, just keep going! Last but not least, the trail that everyone loves to love is back in action after a oneyear hiatus. The Frisby Ridge trail was closed last summer and now, with critical drainage and surface damage issues addressed, it should be in fine form. But wait, there’s more! Never a group to rest on its laurels, the RCA is planning to construct a 5.8-km extension along the ridge, bringing the total length of this gorgeous alpine singletrack up to nearly 18 kilometres. But wait, there’s still more! A two-kilometre connector trail running down from the parking lot to the Ultimate Frisby DH trail is also on the agenda. For further information on opening dates, visit the RCA Facebook page or inquire at local bike shops where you can also pick up a 2017 RCA membership.
Cutting to the core
Bark beetles have spread to Mount Macpherson and another round of clear-cutting will occur at the popular
By Bryce Borlick
It was months ago when I last wandered aimlessly in the lush forests of lower Mount Macpherson and yet here, in a small meeting room illuminated by the light of a digital projector, my memory of the towering trees comes streaming back. The foreboding pink flagging tape that I found, laid out in deadly straight lines, makes sense now. Macpherson will be clear-cut again — this time to deal with a rapidly-growing infestation of Douglas fir bark beetles. “Under the Forest Health Strategy for the district, all licensees … are obligated to deal with forest pests,” said Practices Forester Rob Mohr, speaking on behalf of BC Timber Sales at a recent Revelstoke City Council meeting. Over the last year, the BCTS has been monitoring beetle activity in a three-hectare patch of forest that contains sections of the Berm Donor and Super Happy Fun trails, and its conclusions are that the area should be harvested before the trees die and timber value is lost. The prescribed plan is to set pheromone traps this spring to concentrate the beetles within this patch, and to clear-cut and replant a total of six hectares next winter — the smallest area that is economically viable for a forestry contractor. “We don’t have a lot of viable options here. And unfortunately due to the challenging terrain and the beetle type, we can’t leave a trail corridor this time like we did around TNT,” explains Rob Mohr. This is not a new story in a province that has seen roughly 18 million hectares of forest affected by Mountain Pine Beetle, a close relative of the Fir beetle. It’s also not a new story for the Revelstoke Cycling Association, the group responsible for building and maintaining much of the trail infrastructure in the area. Boulder Mountain has seen large infestations of the same beetle and, according to some RCA members, clear-cutting has had detrimental effects on the volunteer-built trails there.
While the plan to clear-cut fir beetle affected trees on Mount Macpherson will undoubtedly be unwelcome news to some trail users, this is unlikely to be a recurring event in the area due to the wide diversity of tree species there. However, it is a working forest and periodic commercial logging is planned to continue on the lower flanks of the mountain for the next 40 to 50 years. Keith McNab, president of the RCA, has worked closely with the Recreational Sites and Trails division of the Ministry of Forests, the provincial office that oversees the BCTS, and he has an optimistic perspective on the issue.
management issues at the local and provincial level, and it gives the RCA a stronger voice when applying for funding to build and maintain trails,” Keith points out. When the RCA meeting adjourns, I head out into the serene silence of a cold snowy evening. In the midst of winter, it’s hard to imagine that, soon enough, the heat of summer will be upon us and we’ll be digging and pedaling amongst those towering trees. But as I walk home I realize that a summer spent without those towering tress, is almost unimaginable.
“Because the Macpherson area is a working forest, as opposed to being park land, we have much better access to build recreational infrastructure.” says McNab. Still, some people feel that the steady growth in outdoor tourism in Revelstoke justifies shifting focus from forestry to trail expansion and improvement in the areas immediately adjacent to town. Local bike shops and tourism-based businesses have seen a steady increase in mountain biker visits in recent years and they want to keep that momentum going. “In the last four years, mountain bike tourism has gone through the roof,” says Andrew Danyluk, who opened Tantrum Ride Co. bike shop in 2016. “We support everything the RCA is doing to improve and expand the trail network and, despite the logging, we’re optimistic about the future of mountain biking in Revy.” The RCA does have plans for trail expansion on Macpherson, Frisby Ridge, and Mount Cartier, and they’re hoping that membership numbers and volunteer turnout this summer will be enough to support these projects. “RCA membership is not only important to provide working capital for building trails, it also gives local cyclists a stronger unified voice when addressing land
Photo: Aaron Orlando
HAPPINESS IS
APRÈS WITH FRIENDS
ROCKFORD IS OPEN DAILY
Kick back on the patio after a day on the slopes. Find us at Revelstoke Mountain Resort Sunday–Thursday: 7am–11pm Friday–Saturday: 7am –12am
revelstokemountainresort.com Call us: 250-837-7160
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#revelstokemountaineer @revelstoke_mountaineer + @tantrumrideco 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. @tantrumrideco For April/May, we’re partnering with Tantrum Ride Company and have a Tantrum T-shirt for the winner. We’re picking the best spring mountain biking Instagram. To enter, tag your photo with #revelstokemountaineer. Good luck! Congratulations to @matteo_sea for winning our March colab with Society Snow & Skate! You’ve won a Society hoodie.
@john__cherry 28
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@bkbroadwell
@matteo_sea
bwr_photography86
@ John__cherry
@mperodrigue
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Gearing up for mountain bike season
Mountain bike season is just around the next switchback. We stopped by Revelstoke’s local shops for a look at the best rides for the 2017 season.
The Shop: Tantrum The Bike: Trek Remedy Why you need it: The Trek Remedy is a whole new bike for 2017. This is this most exciting model yet; more travel and slacker geometry make it really appropriate for riding the trails we love in Revelstoke. This bike does it all from the people who like to pedal and do trail riding at Macpherson to the ones who haul their bikes to Boulder to ride down rowdier trails; this bike can comfortably do both things. Gone are the days where people have multiple bikes for multiple purposes; they don’t need to when bikes like the Trek Remedy exist. Head in to Tantrum to check it out.
$4,199.99
The Shop: Flowt Bikes and Ski The Bike: Transition Patrol 3 Why you need it: When the owner of the bike shop orders this bike for himself you know it’s going to be good. Transition got it so dialed with this bike that they didn’t need to make a ton of upgrades on their newest model — after all why mess with perfection? This bike has rave reviews in all arenas and is ideal for big long alpine missions on Sale, trail riding and downhill shenanigans. A slack head tube makes it great for descending and 155mm of travel enable riders to climb like a boss. Available at Flowt in both carbon and aluminum frames.
$4,825.00
The Shop: Skookum Cycle & Ski Ltd. The Bike: Rocky Mountain Slayer 750MSL Why you need it: Looking for the latest and greatest bike from Rocky Mountain? Enter the Slayer 750MSL, a one pony horse show. This bike was made in Vancouver by a Canadian company and tested and designed specifically for the terrain British Columbia has to offer. It’s the first year with a full carbon frame and will 170mm of travel in front and 160mm in the back making it the exciting bike this year. This bike is perfect for everything Revelstoke has to offer and perfect for the rise of enduro racing — the fastest growing segment of mountain biking. The premise of the enduro race is that downhill sections are timed and climbing sections are untimed. Look for an enduro race to be held in Revelstoke this year and while you’re at it stop by Skookum to pick up this bike!
Starting at $6,200
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Going the distance for Revelstoke relationships
Given the puddle-size dating pool in Revelstoke, long distance relationships are a frustrating reality for many people who live here. Here’s one recipe it you want to try it for yourself.
By Anonymous Separated by the pursuit of education, jobs that pay or dream lifestyles, many Revelstokians are all too familiar with a love life that exists somewhere in the grey zone between being in a relationship and not. They’re emotionally taken, but physically no different to the phone screener sipping coffee next to them at Dose, who’s swiping and accidentally super-liking their way through the pool of potentials. It’s a tough gig. A schizophrenic existence of multiple personalities and bi-polar emotions. Anyone can play. This is one recipe. Meet someone who makes you glad it never worked out with anyone else. Start to think all the thoughts you never thought you would; what it would be like to marry this person, to have children with them? Love him in a way that makes you feel like a teenager. Love her in ways that surprise even you. Love him because of his dreams and his drive to achieve them. Because of the mission that he’s on and your respect for people on a mission. Love her because she’s not idle. She’s passionate. She’s taking action and pursuing her goals. She’s like you in that way, and that’s what you want in a partner, why you’re so perfectly suited. But pursuing your individual goals means being apart. Tell him that you don’t want him to sacrifice his dreams for you. Question whether you really believe that.
Grapple with your stupid decision at four in the morning as you lie awake yearning for him, aching, physically aching, over the feeling of missing something so vital to your existence. Become attached to your gadget. Upgrade your plan. Have phone sex. Send images. Feel weird about it. Do more of it. Think about her all day long. Wonder how much she thinks about you. Doubt it’s anywhere near as much. COUNT DOWN the days until you see him again. Prepare. Remove hair. Select your best underwear. Lose sleep over the excitement of seeing him, imagining your conversations, anticipating his touch, his breath on your skin. See her face. Grin like fool and be hilariously awkward. Have the frantic, desperate sex that’s only possible when you crave someone this much. Scrunch his hair in your hands. Fall asleep in his arms. Wake up next to her and run your fingers all over her body. Be filled with peace and beauty. Wonder what the fuck you are doing. Shower with him, buy groceries with him, do nothing with him. Stop yourself a hundred times from saying, “This is crazy, let’s just be together.” Avoid conversations. Have others.
Go to dinner with your coupled friends. Wonder what she’s doing tonight as you feign interest in their renovation conversations. Accept an invitation to go sledding knowing you would never have been asked if he didn’t think you were single. Decide not to tell him this time. Watch the attractive bubbly energy instantly drain from the girl who’s hitting on you, as you drop “my girlfriend” into the mix. Call her. Fight with her. Apologize and be confused.
Decide to give long distance a try. Nothing else about your lives is conventional, why would your relationship be? If anyone can do it, it’s you two.
Hug him tight enough to stop time. Watch her go again.
Try to figure out a plan. What’s the end goal? How long are we going to keep doing this for?
Disregard the skepticism of everyone who brings it. Think them narrow-minded fools for telling you he doesn’t love you enough if he’s not putting you first.
Question everything.
Disagree. Fight. Cry. Question everything.
Go to The Drop with your single friends. Watch their
Repeat until something gives.
Check out our Schedule and Prices on the MindBody App
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eyes scan the bar as they feign engagement in your conversations. Spend the night dodging uninvited advancing crotches on the sticky dance floor.
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