Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine December 2017 issue

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December 2017 edition

2017/18 Revelstoke Winter Guide

DECEMBER 2017

Contents 4 6 7 8 11 12 14 17 20 26 28 30 31

News briefs Ballet Victoria brings the Nutcracker to RPAC Avalanche Canada’s newcomers guide 2017/18 Revelstoke winter events guide Eco-tourism opportunities await local entrepreneurs One-lane bridge to freedom: Big Eddy I got my drink spiked at a Revelstoke bar B.C. Adventure Tourism Coalition seeks a collective voice Working-class heroes: Shredding for yourself Revelstoke crews Looking back at 10 years of RMR Real estate roundup Some things never change

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Our guide to the best Revelstoke cocktail locations Local styles guide Revelstoke Christmases of yesteryear R Gear’s guide to slope style and performance A new community is born at Shelter Bay Mountaineer Instagram contest

Cover: Skier Carter McMillan charges a cliff at Revelstoke Mountain Resort; in the background, the community of Revelstoke sleeps in under a blanket of fresh powder. The lifts at RMR started spinning in December of 2007, bringing about big changes to the community in the ensuing decade. This issue, we look back at some of the changes and impacts of this major new edition to the community.

Photo: Ryan Creary

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.

Each month we distribute free copies to over 200 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.

Creative Director Aaron Orlando

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.

Graphic Design Chris Payne

Mailing Address: PO BOX 112, 606 Railway Avenue, Revelstoke, B.C. V0E 2S0 Phone: 250-814-8710

Contributors

(L to R) Aaron Orlando is the owner and creative director of Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine and its sister news site revelstokemountaineer.com. He works as a freelance journalist and communications contractor, an English instructor at Okanagan College in Revy and as Revelstoke City Councillor.

Matt Timmins is an Ontario-born photographer with a background in photojournalism. He moved to the Rockies in 2008, and made the move to Revelstoke three years later. His love for travel and the outdoors have kept him on the move the last couple of years, but he always finds his way back to Revelstoke. You can see his work at matthewtimminsphoto.com 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.

Emily Beaumont is the real estate columnist for revelstokemountaineer.com and Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine. She works as a Realtor at Royal LePage Revelstoke.

Melissa Jameson is the civic affairs reporter for Revelstoke Mountianeer Magazine and revelstokemountaineer.com. Contact Melissa with your news tips and story ideas at melissa@revelstokemountaineer.com Melissa Jameson is the civic affairs reporter for Revelstoke Mountianeer Magazine and revelstokemountaineer.com. Contact Melissa with your news tips and story ideas at melissa@revelstokemountaineer.com,

Claudia Bambi is a graphic designer and illustrator based in Revelstoke. Her illustrations are designed to transport you to an imaginary world of wonderment.

Nick Khattar is a freelance writer, photographer and videographer specializing in action sports. Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Nick has lived and worked in ski towns all over North America from Banff to Truckee.

Robert Sim is a Revelstoke-based photographer known for his extreme backcountry missions on his sled. Find out more about his photo missions at theeffensearch. com.

Imogen Whale is a Revelstoke-based writer. When she’s taking a break from the keyboard, you can find her riding her horse down at the Selkirk Saddle Club.

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.

Alex Cooper is a ski bum who spent the last eight years as a reporter and editor with the Revelstoke Review. He is currently riding his bike through the Andes in South America. You can follow his adventures on Instagram @lxdisaster or at alexcooperexplores.com.

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NEWS BRIEFS

Affordable housing remains a challenge for Revelstoke City exploring a housing strategy to explore ongoing issues Mountaineer News Briefs by Melissa Jameson Revelstoke is continuing to look into options for solving the ongoing affordable housing crisis in the community.

Nicole Fricot, community economic development director, said the city is developing a housing strategy.

Revelstoke city council has asked city staff to present council with options for creating a Revelstoke housing entity and a comprehensive housing strategy.

Funding has been received through Columbia Basin Trust to conduct an assessment of specific housing needs in the community.

Additional funding of $100,000 was also announced through the BC Rural Dividend program to create a housing strategy that will include future housing projects and policy changes and identify affordable housing and employee housing options.

A number of housing options are currently being explored. Revelstoke council recently lent its support for an exploration of a city-owned property on Basford Drive in Columbia Park as potential location for a mixed-market affordable housing development. A feasibility study will first be conducted to find out viability of the site and will include a geotechnical survey.

There are also plans to explore further development at Oscar Street, nearby to an affordable rental row housing project that was completed last year. Fricot said further development at the Oscar Street location is financially difficult due to a lack of underground service.

Affordable housing remains a huge challenge for Revelstoke. Some affordable projects are on the horizon, but the pace remains slow. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

Revelstoke explores environmental initiatives City focused on air quality with clean air bylaw, electric vehicle charging station and feasibility study for wood to fuel plant.

The City of Revelstoke is exploring tion by Cornelius Suchy of Canadian provincial law, which now requires a several new green initiatives. This fall, Biomass Energy Research. Suchy said six-metre buffer. This includes city hall, city council lent support to a number wood waste has been a long-standing the Revelstoke Community Centre and of new projects focused on improving challenge for Revesltoke. the Revelstoke Forum. air quality in the community. The city A feasibility study will be based on Revelstoke is also looking to reduce has also been recognized by the Union air emissions through an electric vehicle an initial market survey conducted by of British Columbia Municipalities’ RCFC that explored various technolcharging station that will be located at Green Communities Committee for its ogies on the market. The study will the First Street parking lot. The ‘level ongoing efforts to reduce greenhouse explore the technical, logistical and 2’ charging station will see two parkgas emissions. financial implications of a wood to fuel ing spaces installed with a potential to A new smoking bylaw will require plant in Revelstoke. The estimated cost expand for a total of four stalls. The city smokers to butt out on city-owned parks is installing the electric vehicle charging of conducting the study is $100,000. and trails. station to in partnership with an elecRevelstoke Mountaineer (1/4 horizontal / 10” x 3.125”): An updated Clean Air Bylaw includes December tric vehicle 2017 chargingAdvert station network a ban on smoking on city parks and through the Kootenay region.

Two new electric vehicle charging trails. The updated bylaw also includes Finally, the city of Revelstoke is asking stations are coming to downan increase in no smoking zone around the Revelstoke Community Forest Cortown Revelstoke, part of a Koodoorways and building air intakes from poration (RCFC) on options for a woodteney-wide electric charging three metres to six metres. This update to-fuel plant in Revelstoke. network. brings the bylaw into compliance with The request came after a presenta-

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NEWS BRIEFS

Backcountry tenure application receives city support Access to Greeley Creek Watershed restricted to emergency use only An application from Revelstoke Backcountry Guides for tenure overlapping the Greeley Creek Watershed has received the support of Revelstoke city council. However, not all city councillors were on board with sending a letter to the Ministry of Forests supporting the group’s amended application.

Councillors Linda Nixon and Aaron Orlando voted against the motion.

Nixon, who sits on the environmental committee, also brought forward an amendment that would have seen the group’s access to the watershed restricted to emergency use only. The revised application restricts motorized use in the watershed, but allows for skiing and snowboarding.

City engineering director Mike Thomas said the watershed already has many

overlapping uses including CAT-skiing and heli-skiing. Revelstoke Backcountry Guides’ application would offer additional variety to the company’s proposed tenure area.

Mayor Mark McKee voted in favour of the proposed tenure despite some initial reservations and noted anything to do with the watershed is something the community should be concerned about.

“But when the director of public works is in favour, I really have to think about that,” he said.

A proposed backcountry lodge near Revelstoke’s Greeley Creek drainage, the supply source for city water, has been given support by council in a spit vote.

Campground planned for Mount Revelstoke National Park Road-accessible campsites in Mount Revelstoke could be up and running by 2019 Parks Canada is wants a new road-accessible campground at Mount Revelstoke connected to the City of Revelstoke’s water supply. The campground is currently in development with an opening planned for the summer of 2019. It would include a mix of camping that would allow RVs and tent sites.

There is currently no front-country camping in Mount Revelstoke National Park. The new campground would use a former staff residential area near the entry kiosk on the Meadows in the Sky Parkway. The campground would include a total of 50 sites.

Parks Canada spokesperson Rick Reynolds said visitors have an expectation of camping as part of their national park experience.

“When people are disappointed we do find we lose them to other places,” he said during a presentation to Revelstoke

city council.

Mount Revelstoke National Park is the fourth largest national park in the country. Reynolds said a recent Parks Canada study found that international visitors to national parks spend an average of $3,500 per visit, which bolsters local economies in nearby towns.

A request by Parks Canada for water connection has been sent to city staff. If approved, the water connection would be based on a five-year agreement.

There are currently no plans to build a sani-dump at the campground. Reynolds noted that most people said there are plans to put in a septic tank to

accommodate planned facilities such as a new washroom and shower building.

McKee also asked the delegation if there are plans for a sani-dump station to be built. Reynolds said that most campers with holding tanks would be able to keep them for two days, which is the estimated average length of stay.

Campers would be directed to use the sani-dump at the Frontier Motel.

The layout of new campground in Mount Revelstoke National Park.

Photo: Parks Canada Reynolds said there are plans to put in a septic tank to accommodate planned facilities such as a new washroom and shower building.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Ballet Victoria gives The Nutcracker a modern update

Revelstoke dancers will join Ballet Victoria on stage at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre for a production of the Nutcracker. Photo: Gail Takahashi

Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre Professional dancers mentor local participants on stage as part of a unique opportunity to take part in a well-loved classic.

The classic tale of The Nutcracker will get a modern twist when Ballet Victoria brings their updated adaptation of the beloved ballet to Revelstoke.

“The traditional story is a bit dated and has some derogatory perceptions. I think we’re all about equality in the 21st Century,” said Paul Destroopers, artistic and executive director of Ballet Victoria.

This adaptation of The Nutcracker takes inspiration from the myth of Pandora’s Box. In this version Clara (played

by Revelstoke dancer Maia Zinselmeyer) opens the box and out pops various characters from the realm of fantasy and reality. Destroopers said the inspiration to base the story on Pandora’s Box stems from the idea that all children at one time or another have sneaked underneath the Christmas tree to open their presents before they were supposed to.

“She [Clara] has to dance with every single group or creature and give them a gift. When she’s conquered her fear the characters go back in the box,” said Destroopers.

Despite its contemporary update, Ballet Victoria’s adaptation of The Nutcracker still includes many of the traditional elements. There’s the uncle who brings Clara a present, as well as the snowstorm. However, in this case the snowstorm is used to make a joke about Elsa in the recent Disney movie Frozen. Destroopers said it’s an opportunity to have youth look at traditional choreography, but mix it with contemporary movement and concepts.

“Tradition evolves. Every [dance] company has a different version of The Nutcracker,” he said. “It’s a great piece for people who have never seen dance because it’s accessible, it’s entertaining.”

Unlike other versions, Ballet Victoria’s adaptation doesn’t include a battle, and the Nutcracker just happens to be a woman. Ballet Victoria also incorporates local dancers into the performance.

Aside from Clara there are 11 other

local dancers featured. Destroopers said this gives local dancers an opportunity to work alongside professional dancers

people in small communities have access to dance. He’s really doing it for the love of it,” she said.

“We incorporate young dancers from the community so they can get experience with professional dancers. They get an understanding of what professional dancers do, even if they don’t want to be professional dancers,” said Destroopers.

“People often can’t believe how much local dancers are involved.”

The experience of working alongside professional dancers gives local youth a chance to see just how hard the Ballet Victoria dancers work not only on stage, but off stage as well. Unlike many other ballet companies, Ballet Victoria dancers can do it all from stage set-up to coping with technical issues and even working on costumes.

Ballet Victoria’s professional dancers guide the local talent onstage the entire time. Destroopers said the professional dancers spend time on stage guiding and prompting local dancers. It’s for this reason local dancers featured in the performance don’t need to have a whole lot of experience. It also provides a very natural authentic look to the performance.

Miriam Manley, executive director of The Revelstoke Arts Council said it is impressive to see how Destroopers has created a ballet company in a way that is very tourable.

“He’s super passionate about having

“The company is essentially me and the dancers. That means everybody collaborates. I will do everything from marketing to grant writing because my focus is really on the artist,” said Destroopers.

The Nutcracker will be performed at The Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre on Dec. 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets visit revelstokeartscouncil.com, call 250-8149325 or email revelstoketheatre@gmail. com. Tickets may also be available at the door prior to the performance.

Planning a safe route down the Spillamacheen Glacier. Photo: Will Harding

Know More, Go Farther, Come Home

It’s winter! If you’re heading into the backcountry, make sure avalanche.ca is your first stop.

Whether heading out of bounds at RMR, exploring Boulder Mountain on a sled, or skinning up at Rogers Pass, we’re all looking for great snow and adventure.

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But sadly, some may find tragedy. Every year, 13 people are killed in avalanches in Canada—most of them here in BC. Almost all avalanche accidents, fatal and nonfatal, are caused by the victims themselves or someone in their group.

Don’t be a statistic! If you are and your friends are going into the backcountry, these are your first steps: • • •

Take a course to learn how to recognize avalanche terrain.

Check the avalanche forecast before you head out.

Make sure everyone in your group has the essential equipment—transceiver, probe and shovel—and knows how to use them!

COMING E VENTS IN RE VELSTOKE Jan 12 – 14 Canuck Splitfest Not just for split-boarders, this homegrown event has grown considerably over its seven years. Anyone on skins welcome to join the day trips and everyone welcome for the big evening event on Jan 13. See you there!

Jan 20 Avalanche Awareness Day at Revelstoke Mountain Resort Come on out to RMR and join the pro patrollers at this annual event. This is a great way to get to know your local avalanche professionals!

Jan 27 Avalanche Awareness Day on Boulder Mountain In partnership with the Revelstoke Snowmobile Club, Avalanche Canada will be at the Boulder Cabin. Come out and join us!

For more information, check the Events page on avalanche.ca

AST 1

Learn the fundamentals of avalanche formation, travelling in avalanche terrain and companion rescue.

Companion Rescue Skills

A great refresher or introduction to the latest techniques in avalanche incident response.

Have your AST 1? Try these:

Managing Avalanche Terrain

Focus on developing more advanced travel skills.

AST 2

Develop your knowledge of terrain choices, route finding and decision making in avalanche terrain.

Online Education

Online Avalanche Tutorial An easy introduction to avalanche safety and a perfect primer for your AST 1 course.

Rescue at Cherry Bowl Questioning the need for rescue training and practice? Go through this multi-media site that tells the story of an amazing backcountry rescue and you’ll be convinced.

Land of Thundering Snow Revelstoke is more than powder paradise. It’s also the centre of avalanche research and science in Canada.

Check out this great site, brought to you by our friends at the Revelstoke Museum and Archives.

This community content is sponsored by Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine.

EVENTS Weekly Events

*Events taking place every week Monday Community board games night @ Revelstoke Alliance Church 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m.

Every second Monday join in an evening of table top games including:card games, board games, dice games, tile games, RPG, strategy, co-operative, and creative games.

Valley Social (Industry Night) @ The Last Drop Pub 9 p.m.–11:45 p.m.

Revelstoke’s hottest industry night takes place every Monday at the Last Drop Pub. Tuesday Meditation @ Balu Yoga 7 a.m.–7:30 a.m.

Join instructor Anna Finn for free meditation every Tuesday morning.

Knitting Club @ Revelstoke Library 6:30 p.m.–8 p.m.

All crafters welcome! Crochet, cross-stitch, knit, embroider. Extra wool and needles for beginners.

Revelstoke Community Band Rehearsal @ Columbia Park Elementary 7 p.m.–9 p.m.

The Revelstoke Community Band meets every second Tuesday evening. New members are always welcome.

Bring your instrument and desire to play music in a relaxed and fun setting.

Trivia Night by Pubstumpers @ Last Drop Pub 7:30 p.m.

PubStumpers is a whirlwind of trivia, presented in numerous forms, which stimulates the mind and challenges players’ knowledge on a vast array of topics.

Hip Hop Tuesday’s @ Traverse 9 p.m.

All hip hop all night every Tuesday at Traverse. Free cover and free pool.

Wednesday Locals Night @ The Cabin 6 p.m.

Locals can enjoy bowling for $3 a game every Wednesday night.

Spanish Conversation @ Revelstoke Library 6:30 p.m.–8p.m.

Practice your Spanish conversation skills.

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

The Last Drop welcomes all jammers and singers. Come out and join in with a friendly relaxed atmosphere from 10 p.m.

Brown Bag History @ Revelstoke Museum & Archives 12:15 p.m.–1 p.m.

Every other Wednesday listen to museum curator Cathy English talk about Revelstoke history.

Thursday Winter Market @ Revelstoke Community Centre 1 p.m.–5 p.m.

The Winter Market features farm and craft vendors from Revelstoke and beyond. It is held every second Thursday afternoon at the Revelstoke Community Centre.

Karaoke Night @ River City Pub 9:30 p.m.–11:45 p.m.

Sing your heart out every Thursday night at the River City Pub. Free of charge.

Friday Drop-in Curling @ Revelstoke Curling Club 7 p.m.

Drop-in curling takes place at the Revelstoke Curling Club every Friday night starting December 1.

Events

Heck yes! Opening day at RMR. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the resort.

Breakfast with Santa @ Revelstoke United Church TBA Come have breakfast and get your picture taken with Santa.

Miracle on Mackenzie @ Downtown Revelstoke TBA Back for a second year Miracle on Mackenzie will whisk you into a world of wonder.

Monday, December 4 Cell phone/social media speaker @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre TBA Revelstoke Secondary School is hosting an evening for parents to learn more about cell phone and social media use. For more information visit http:// revelstokesecondary.sd19.bc.ca/.

Thursday, December 7 The Sutton Place Hotel’s 4th Annual Christmas Tree Pageant @ The Sutton Place Hotel 5p.m.–7p.m.

Ten artificial trees decorated by local businesses will on display in the Sutton Place Hotel Lobby through to the New Year. A donation of $5 gets you a chance to vote for your favourite and you’ll be entered into a draw to win a selection of spectacular prizes.

Ladies Night featuring Playboz @ Traverse Night Club 9p.m.–11:30p.m.

Canada’s most popular dance revue PlayBoz bring their Ice Breaker Tour to Revelstoke. Tickets $20.

Friday, December 1 Christmas Shop opening @ Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre 6 p.m.–9 p.m.

The annual Christmas Shop opens at the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre featuring items handmade by local artisans. The shop is open until December 17.

Campground @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre 7:30 p.m.

Lucas Myers is back with Campground. When a young man goes missing an overzealous police officer must use clues from social media to piece together what happened. Part of Welcome Week. Tickets $15 at revelstokeartscouncil.com.

Saturday, December 2 Opening Day @ Revelstoke Mountain Resort 8:30a.m.–3p.m.

Friday, December 8 Revelstoke Grizzlies Home Game @ Revelstoke Forum 7p.m.–10p.m.

Watch the Revelstoke Grizzlies in action as they take on the Kelowna Chiefs.

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EVENTS Tiger Moon @ Last Drop Pub 9 p.m.

Kelowna jug rock band Tiger Moon perform at the Last Drop Pub.

Friday, December 22 Revelstoke Mountain Resort Celebrates 10 Years @ Revelstoke Mountain Resort 8 a.m.

Celebrate 10 years of Revelstoke Mountain Resort Thursday, December 28 December Rail Jam @ Revelstoke Mountain Resort 5:30 p.m.

Features will be set up on the Last Spike next to the Turtle Creek tubing lanes for an open format jam. $10 entry. Helmets are mandatory and a $20 bib deposit is required in addition to entry.

Saturday, December 9 Shred Kelly @ Traverse 9 p.m.

Shred Kelly plays a unique style of high energy party folk music.

Thursday, December 14 BC/DC @ Traverse 9 p.m.

BC/DC pay homage to AC/DC with over the top stage energy Thursday, December 15 Reeds in the Wind: Kamloops Symphony Chamber Musicians @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre 7:30 p.m.

Members of the Kamloops Symphony showcase their artistry performing beautiful music with the power to transport you to other worlds. Opening act is the Revelstoke Community Band. Tickets $15.

Monday, December 18 The Nutcracker @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre 7:30 p.m.

Ballet Victoria performs the classic, wonder filled story of The Nutcracker. Featuring 25 local dancers.

Tickets are $25 adults, $10 kids at revelstokeartscouncil.com Tuesday, December 19 The Nutcracker @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre 7:30 p.m.

Ballet Victoria performs the classic, wonder filled story of The Nutcracker. Featuring 25 local dancers.

Tickets are $25 adults, $10 kids at revelstokeartscouncil.com

Friday, December 29 6th Annual Revelstoke Coffeehouse Hootenanny @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre 7:30 p.m.

This year’s Extravaganza Hootenanny features Chicken-Like Birds from Salmon Arm, The Eisenhaurs of Kaslo along with short performances by local favourites.

Tickets $10 at revelstokeartscouncil.com.

Thursday, January 11 Freeride World Qualifer @ Revelstoke Mountain Resort All-day Watch some of North America’s gnarliest compete for their spot in skiing’s biggest freeride event.

Venues will be selected from Separate Reality and North Bowl.

Sunday, December 31 Revelstoke Grizzlies Home Game @ Revelstoke Forum 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

Come out and cheer on the Revelstoke Grizzlies as they take on the Kamloops Storm.

Friday, January 12 8th Annual Canuck Split Fest Open House @ Trapper Snowboards factory 5 p.m.–10p.m.

Enjoy burgers, beers, and music at the Trapper factory. Tickets will be sold for the Saturday night show at Trapper, local establishments and the Rec Centre.

New Year’s Eve Fireworks @ Revelstoke Mountain Resort 7 p.m. & midnight Ring in the New Year with two fireworks shows. A family-friendly show takes place at 7 p.m. from the village, followed by a midnight display at Revelation Lodge.

Tuesday, January 2 Revelstoke Grizzlies Home Game @ Revelstoke Forum 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

Come out and cheer on the Revelstoke Grizzlies.

Saturday, January 6 Revelstoke Grizzlies Home Game @ Revelstoke Forum 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

Come out and cheer on the Revelstoke Grizzlies.

Wednesday, January 10 Freeride World Qualifer @ Revelstoke Mountain Resort All-day Watch some of North America’s gnarliest compete for their spot in skiing’s biggest freeride event. Venues will be selected from Separate Reality and North Bowl.

Revelstoke Grizzlies Home Game @ Revelstoke Forum 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

Come out and cheer on the Revelstoke Grizzlies.

Saturday, January 13 8th Annual Canuck Split Fest Tradeshow @ Revelstoke Community Centre 4:30p.m.–9p.m.

The tradeshow features an abundance of brands including freesplit board demo’s, silent auction, raffle tickets sale, and free presentations by experienced industry people.

Saturday, January 20 January Rail Jam @ Revelstoke Mountain Resort 5:30 p.m.

Features will be set up on the Last Spike next to the Turtle Creek tubing lanes for an open format jam. $10 entry. Helmets are mandatory and a $20 bib deposit is required in addition to entry.

Revelstoke Grizzlies Home Game @ Revelstoke Forum 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

Come out and cheer on the Revelstoke Grizzlies.

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Sunday, January 21 Snowed in Comedy Tour @ Traverse 8 p.m.

Celebrating its 10th year this year’s tour features Pete Zedlacher, Dan Quinn, Craig Campbell and Paul Myrehaug. Tickets are $30.

Revelstoke Grizzlies Home Game @ Revelstoke Forum 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

Come out and cheer on the Revelstoke Grizzlies.

Tuesday, January 23 Revelstoke Grizzlies Home Game @ Revelstoke Forum 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

Come out and cheer on the Revelstoke Grizzlies.

Sunday, February 4 Banked Slalom@ Revelstoke Mountain Resort All-day Test yourself against competitors in the second RMR Banked Slalom presented by Trapper Snowboards. $60 entry fee.

Wednesday, January 24 Movies in the Mountains presents Loving Vincent @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre 7:30 p.m.

This fully oil painted feature film brings the artwork of Vincent van Gogh to life in an exploration of the complicated life and controversial death of one of history’s most celebrated artists. Rated PG. Tickets $8 Saturday, January 27 Avalanche Awareness Day @ Boulder Mountain All-day The Revelstoke Snowmobile Club along with Avalanche Canada and Revelstoke Search and Rescue will be out all day raising awareness to snowmobilers in the staging areas and on the mountain at Boulder.

Wednesday, January 31 Stephen Fearing w/Oh Susanna at Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre 7:30 p.m.

Preceded onstage by the talented Oh Susanna, Stephen Fearings music is a mesmerizing blend of folk, roots, and pop. Tickets $20.

Friday, February 2 Revelstoke Grizzlies Home Game @ Revelstoke Forum 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

Come out and cheer on the Revelstoke Grizzlies.

Saturday, February 3 Banked Slalom@ Revelstoke Mountain Resort All-day Test yourself against competitors in the second RMR Banked Slalom presented by Trapper Snowboards. $60 entry fee.

Tuesday, February 6 Revelstoke Grizzlies Home Game @ Revelstoke Forum 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

Come out and cheer on the Revelstoke Grizzlies.

Friday, February 9 Revelstoke Grizzlies Home Game @ Revelstoke Forum 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

Come out and cheer on the Revelstoke Grizzlies.

Saturday, February 10 Youth Day @ Revelstoke Snowmobile Club All-day The third annual Youth Day includes snowmobile safety instructors, Avalanche Canada, Revelstoke Search and Rescue, Revelstoke Snow Patrol, and the RCMP. Youth 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult. For more information contact kburkeinrevy@gmail.com Teck Okanagan Cup @ Mt Macpherson Ski Area 11 a.m.

The Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club hosts the 2017 Teck Okanagan Cup. Saturday’s event features racers using classic technique.

Revelstoke Grizzlies Home Game @ Revelstoke Forum 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

Come out and cheer on the Revelstoke Grizzlies.

Sunday, February 11 Teck Okanagan Cup @ Mt Macpherson Ski Area 10 a.m.

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Okanagan Cup @ Mt Macpherson Ski Area. Sunday’s event features racers using freestyle technique.

Wednesday, February 14 Free Weddings & Vow Renewals @ Revelstoke Mountain Resort 12 p.m.–2p.m.

Renew your vows or get married at the Mackenzie Outpost at the top of the gondola. A Justice of the Peace will be set up. If you’re tying the knot make sure to stop by the Courthouse and grab your marriage license first.

Friday, February 16 Revelstoke Grizzlies Home Game @ Revelstoke Forum 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

Come out and cheer on the Revelstoke Grizzlies.

Saturday, February 17 February Rail Jam @ Revelstoke Mountain Resort 5:30 p.m.

Features will be set up on the Last Spike next to the Turtle Creek tubing lanes for an open format jam. $10 entry. Helmets are mandatory and a $20 bib deposit is required in addition to entry.

Revelstoke Grizzlies Home Game @ Revelstoke Forum 7 p.m.–10 p.m.

Come out and cheer on the Revelstoke Grizzlies.

Tuesday, February 19 Hank Williams Live —1952 @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre 7:30 p.m.

Joe Matheson has been dubbed “the quintessential voice of Hank Williams.” This fully scripted theatre piece is Joe’s personal tribute to the King of Country Music. Tickets $30.

Saturday, February 24 Robin Hood by Dufflebag Theatre @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre 3 p.m.

While the King is away, the people of England suffer under the oppressive rule of his tax-happy brother, Prince John. Only a straight arrow like Robin Hood, the best archer in the land, can save England! 3 p.m. Adults $10, kids $5 Wednesday, February 28 Movies in the Mountains presents The Other Side of Hope @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre.

7:30 p.m.

A failing restaurant owner hires a young Syrian refugee he finds sleeping in the inner yard of the restaurant, in this Silver Bear– winning dramedy from acclaimed Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki. Rated PG-13. Tickets $8.

Revy eco-tourism opportunities await Revelstoke’s eco-tourism opportunities are largely untapped

By Imogen Whale/North Columbia Environmental Society The definition of eco-tourism is: tourism directed towards natural environments, especially to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife, intended as a low impact and often small-scale alternative to standard commercial mass tourism.

Revelstoke offers a wide range of traditional outdoor tourism for people to enjoy, but ecotourism still has space to grow here. In an effort to find gaps in ecotourism around Revelstoke, we’ve taken to the streets to come up with some potential ideas that both locals and tourists alike might enjoy.

Hiking. There are a multitude of fantastic hikes easily accessible from Revelstoke. From the Meadows in The Sky to Mount Cartier or Boulder, hiking around town is a fantastic way to take in local flora, fauna and wildlife. A wide array of trails can challenge the fittest of hikers, while gentler, easily accessible routes are available for families or the elderly. Could this be a satisfying entrepreneurial experience for a certified hiking guide or is it better suited to a club that has yet to be started? There could be plenty of room for both.

Birds. The variety of birds in Revelstoke is incredible. A canoe paddle on the flooded flats in the early summer led to the sightings of over twelve adult and juvenile bald eagles, multiple grey herons, geese, and ducks. Hikes throughout the local National Parks are another great viewing area. Parks Canada notes there are 183 species of birds, including several currently at risk, living in Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Park.

Giles Shearing, a local ecohydrologist and a lead consultant at SEC Consultants agrees.

With a peak season between May to August (Parks Canada says it’s possible to see 50 different species a day), a birder could invest in a couple canoes, pack lunches and introduce people to the slow side of Revelstoke, filled with the sounds of different bird calls.

Currently, The Friends of the Feathers, a local group, welcomes anyone interested in birding.

Naturalist Programs. Anyone who has experienced the joy of a provincial park-run Jerry’s Ranger program can attest to this camping-based program’s

Bird watching, historical tours, naturalist programs and eco-focused backcountry tours are just a few of the untapped or underdeveloped eco-tourism opportunities available to Revelstoke entrepreneurs. value. Kids spend a couple of hours each afternoon learning about ecosystems, specific local animals, weather, and so on, through interactive games and performances. Perhaps a drop in, daily naturalist group geared to children, that meets at the same place and costs a minimal amount is a potential idea. While the North Columbia Environmental Society offers a Jr. Naturalist Program for local kids age 6-9 during March break and summer, a naturalist group open to all ages is also sorely lacking.

Historical Tours. Revelstoke is surrounded by lands appropriated by BC Hydro. Several long-time residents observed that for visiting history buffs, tours of the old Arrowhead townsite would be a unique experience. Reachable by boat and overgrown by the forest, Arrowhead was appropriated by BC hydro decades ago. The town makes for a fascinating and eerie tour. From the old school foundations to the cemetery, there is plenty to explore. Tours could be filled with historical tidbits, folklore and ghost stories. North of Arrowhead townsite float rumours of intact buildings slowly rotting under the water

where the town of Mica once stood.

Could diving opportunities to this lost town be offered?

The North Columbia Environmental Society (NCES) is actively working to foster both naturalists and stewardship.

By offering various workshops, from hunting basics to harvesting rosehips, and engaging youth with its Glacier Adventure Stewardship Program, they are creating opportunities for Revelstoke residents and visitors to participate in activities which support conservation and observe wildlife while respecting the natural environment. In an interesting twist, the Revelstoke Local Food Initiative also bridges the gap through offering various workshops throughout the year in their Garden Guru sessions, where anyone can learn to harvest wild edibles and to can and preserve goods.

Starting a tourism based business is a challenging enterprise, but perhaps these lower cost ecotourism ideas may spark the mind of a self starter in town, and/or encourage the creation of societies and groups that foster a love and respect for the great outdoors.

LIFE

One-lane bridge to freedom New Big Eddy resident Bryce Borlick meets the neighbours to find out what makes the Monashee side of town tick

By Bryce Borlick I’m not sure how it happened exactly, but somehow I’ve ended up with three non-functional cars adorning my front yard and none of them are mine. They seemed to just sprout themselves like weeds one summer night. But here in the Big Eddy, where vehicles are often “built, not bought,” I suppose I’d be the odd man out if I just had plain old grass.

Crossing the one-lane bridge is a trip to the other side where logging trucks, mountain bike-laden Tacomas, and classic cars fill the lot in front of the renowned Big Eddy Pub. Residents aren’t too bothered by things like boil-water advisories, but some get a little nervous when the bylaw officer comes around.

The Big Eddy is an unpretentious place where the ‘live and let live’ ethos attracts a fantastically colourful spectrum of people.

With this in mind, I set out on foot on a uncharacteristically cold day in November to see a little more of my neighbourhood. Lou Brown and his collection of vintage motorcycles immediately come to mind and a short walk brings me to his shop just as the bikes are going into storage for the winter.

“You came at just the right time,” says Lou, motioning to the classic iron hovering precariously on the hoist. “This one’s 1,000 CCs and it’s a bit of a beast to get up to that upper deck.”

As we pass tow straps and shackles back and forth, we talk shop. Lou downplays his skills as a commercial metal fabricator, calling himself as a “non-professional” and his livelihood as a “non-occupation,” but when you consider his long list of local clients who sometimes wait months to bring his skills to their project, his humility is apparent. The stainless steel rack just behind us will soon grace the new La Baguette kitchen and the metal work is flawless.

“I’ve got lots of clients. It keeps me busy. But when there’s downtime, I work on bikes. It’s a passion of mine.”

The machine that we’re strapping down is a 1949 Vincent HRD Rapide, purchased just six months earlier. It was the fastest and most expensive motorcycle of its time and it’s the only one of Lou’s four post-war era British bikes that he bought complete.

“I’ll take it apart, solve the weaknesses, and put it back together.”

With the HRD now lifted high on the scissor jack, we reach the critical stage of manually rolling it up a short ramp into its resting spot, just behind a 1951

BSA that’s just a tidy collection of parts.

With a little bit of coordinated effort, we get the bike in place, just in time for me to continue my journey around the Big Eddy.

“I’d never do this professionally. Don’t make your hobby into work or it just becomes a chore,” Lou offers as we shake hands and part ways.

I’m back in the cold and thankful that my next destination, an unassuming industrial building across from the taxi graveyard, is nearby. It belongs to Ray Brosseuk and out front is a crew of people unloading a trailer. I don’t really

know what’s going on so I pitch in and start hauling bags of clothing inside.

What I do know is that Ray is a gold miner who has placer claims just outside Revelstoke and in the Yukon. He also builds high-end mining machines that are sold worldwide. But what Ray may be most known for are the generous charity shipments that he sends to needy people overseas.

“My mom always said that money doesn’t grow on trees. But it does come out of the ground, so I figured I’d get into gold mining,” says Ray of his professional background.

Gold mining treated Ray well in his early years but, nevertheless, he saw inefficiencies and waste in the dredging machinery. In 1994 he built a superior machine and by 2005 other miners started to take notice and ask for their own. Ray’s machines use none of the toxic chemicals often associated with mining, they require 80% less water, they’re easy to move, and, most importantly, they yield 30% more gold. With demand for his machines jumping by 50-80% each year, Ray could rest on his laurels but instead he turned his attention to something very different.

LIFE

Left: Gold miner Ray Brosseuk builds and distributes custom gold mining equipment used extensively in Canada’s north. In his spare time, he distributes cargo containers full of clothing, food, medical supplies and job-creating equipment to Third World countries. Photo: Matt Timmins. Top: Lou Brown hoists up a 1949 Vincent HRD Rapide, one of the many rare, vintage bikes he restores in his Big Eddy shop. Photo: Bryce Borlick

“I got a letter in the mail from Fiji inviting me to a 20 year school reunion,” says Ray, whose parents served as missionaries in several Third World countries through Ray’s childhood. “There were all my friends that I grew up with and they didn’t have much. I came back thinking ‘Wow, what can I do to help?’ and that’s where it all started. The first thing I did was try to help a lot of those schools.”

Clothing, food, and medical supplies were the mainstays of the initial shipments to Fiji. The scope of the donations has grown exponentially since then.

One school received a portable sawmill

and subsequently instituted a profitable furniture-making program that gave students employable skills. Enrolment grew from 80 to 300. Another school received a tractor and had similar results with their agriculture program. And yet another received an entire commercial bakery packed into a 40-foot container.

Nowadays the dozen containers that Ray sends annually also support similar efforts in Belize, Swaziland, Thailand and the Ukraine.

As for the bags of clothing that arrived today?

“We get 150,000 pounds a year from

the thrift store. It’s just astounding,” says Ray of this arrangement that recovers useful items that would otherwise end up in our landfill.

I’m soon on my way home, feeling refreshed not just from the brisk mountain air, but also from the conversations I’ve had today. Both Lou and Ray have found unique paths in life and they exude the creativity, wild-eyed vivacity, and raw funk that makes the Monashee side of town tick. Shuffling into the Big Eddy Market to check for mail, I notice a bizarre 4x4 van idling out front with smoke emanating from a rooftop chimney.

“Yeah she’s mine,” the disheveled owner admits. “I had the fire chief read me the riot act once for driving downtown with a fire going in the stove. In the Big Eddy though, I blend in with all the other free spirits. It‘s just that kind of place.”

ISSUES

I was a victim of drink spiking at Revelstoke bar Mountaineer civic affairs reporter shares her story of being drugged to raise awareness about the issue

By Melissa Jameson It’s been nearly eight years since I had my drink spiked while out for a night of fun in Revelstoke. Sometimes I still try to dig around inside my mind looking for memories that refuse to appear.

Maybe you’ve heard me tell the story about the time I decided to go out with my then long-time roommates, ended up trying to steal everyone’s purses, attempted to fight the bouncer and took off on my own little adventure for an hour or two. At least that’s what I’m told I did from the pieces I’ve put together from people who saw me that night. (All of which, I might add, are very out of character for me.) When I came to I was sitting on the kitchen counter using the landline in a failed attempt to cancel the cellphone I’d managed to lose earlier that night. My roommates, who had been trying to find me, were relieved to find me safe at home.

I tell the story this way because using a bit of humour deflects the raw emotions I still have about that night. Plus, it’s easier than the judgment that often comes when I tell people I got drugged at a pub here in Revelstoke. It also avoids the inevitable questions: Why didn’t I go to the police?

Why didn’t I go to the hospital? Wasn’t I watching my drink? Maybe I just drank too much? And then there’s the question I hate most of all. The one that comes up when I’m digging around in my own mind: was I assaulted? I never went to the hospital, which means to this day I have no idea.

The idea that drink spiking happens in Revelstoke may be shocking, but it’s the truth. Based on unverified reports it happens on an almost daily basis during the winter months. While it’s most likely to happen to women like me, there are also cases of men having their drinks spiked.

Not all cases of drink spiking result in sexual assault, but many do.

“Winter is the busier season for socializing. More people are partying every evening. We’re seeing more intoxicated people in the winter. We put more people

in cells in winter because they are intoxicated and it’s cold outside. We don’t get any more reports [of drink spiking] but there is a real belief based on the number of rumours. We know it’s happening. We want to support people,” said Revelstoke RCMP staff sergeant Kurt Grabinsky.

According to a 2014 fact sheet published by the Women Against Violence Against Women Rape Crisis Centre in Vancouver, alcohol is still the Number One substance used to facilitate sexual assault. There are also a number of other drugs used to spike drinks including ketamine, tranquilizers (including Rohypnol, more commonly known as “roofies”), GBL (gamma-butyrolactone), and GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate).

Local RCMP aren’t aware of the specific types of drugs being used to facilitate drink spiking due to a lack of reporting.

Despite this, they are aware drugs commonly used to spike drinks are making their way through, and into, Revelstoke.

Grabinsky said three years ago police seized a mobile drug lab containing meth and GHB passing through on the Trans-Canada Highway.

“We know [the drugs] are here,” said Grabinsky.

It’s clear Grabinsky wants Revelstoke RCMP to do more to stop drink spiking from occurring in the community. The problem is that, like me, most victims choose not to report to the police. Since there is no legal requirement to report cases of drink spiking or sexual assault, police have little information that would help them conduct an investigation and work with establishments where the incidents are taking place. Grabinsky said police are hearing multiple third-party reports about drink spiking, but need people to feel comfortable reporting directly to the RCMP. It’s also the reason police are unable to provide accurate statistics about drink spiking and sexual assault in Revelstoke.

“We want people to trust us. When

people report to the police it gives us the ability to do an investigation,” said Grabinksy. “It happens far more frequently than people are willing to admit. We want to work with the public.”

The lack of reporting may be frustrating for RCMP, but Grabinsky said at the end of the day police want people who think they have experienced being drugged to at least be connected with health supports.

There are plans to unveil a multi-agency sexual assault protocol this winter.

Revelstoke has a Victim Services program

that is able to offer supports not only to victims of drink spiking, but also to friends or acquaintances who may think someone they know has been drugged.

While it’s a police-based program, anyone uncomfortable with going to the RCMP detachment can call Victim Services to have a support worker come to them.

Victim Services can provide information on what someone can expect when reporting to police, or even going to the hospital to seek medical attention.

Queen Victoria Hospital has a team of nurses trained in sexual assault who

ISSUES

Drink spiking is happening in Revelstoke, but it’s often unreported, making it unclear how often it’s occurring. We took a look at what’s happening behind the scenes at the police station, the hospital and with victim services workers to tackle the problem. Photo: Aaron Orlando/ Revelstoke Mountaineer

“People can come at any time. If you were drinking on the weekend and don’t remember come in. We want to make sure people are medically OK, bodily and with their psyche,” said Crane.

Years later, I wish I would have known about these supports. Maybe I wouldn’t spend nights awake digging around for memories I’ll never be able to find.

Tips for a safe night out

are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Julie Lowes, acute health services manager, said the emphasis is on providing non-judgmental services. Those who choose to go to the hospital receive information about treatment options and care, and are able to have a friend, family, or support worker present.

“Even if someone isn’t sure if their drink was drugged or not, we still encourage people who think this may have happened to come up to the hospital. We want everyone to seek medical attention and to make sure they’re getting the sup-

port they need,” said Lowes.

In my case, I did consider going to the hospital the next day but felt it was worthless. Most drugs used to spike drinks have a very short life cycle, meaning that even if I had gone to the hospital the next day it would have been unlikely any signs of whatever drug was used to spike my drink were still in my system.

Nursing coordinator Donna Crane said this is a common feeling people have, but emphasized the focus the sexual assault team has on providing non-judgmental care.

1. Go out with a group of people you know and plan to stay with them. If a friend disappears talk to staff at the pub or bar you’re with. If you’re really concerned call 911 and have police look for your friend.

2. When in doubt dump it out.

“Although it may cost more money, you should dump your drink if you’ve left it unattended for any length of time,” said Grabinsky. Don’t be shocked if you’ve been on the dance floor and come back to find your $12 vodka double has disappeared. B.C.’s servers and bartenders are required to take Serving It Right Training and will remove any unattended drinks.

3. Don’t go home with people you just met. We’ve all been here. You’re single and ready to mingle, out at the bar and the dreamy dude who’s been buying you shots all night wants to take you back to his place. The problem? “Drunk people

can’t give consent,” said Grabinsky. “If a friend has been drinking and tells you they want to go home with someone, that’s probably not the time.”

4. If someone offers to buy you a drink there are a few options for staying safe: 1. Say no. It’s their problem if they get upset. If something feels off about their intentions, trust your instincts. 2. Say yes, but tell them you’ll come to the bar with them, order the drink, and they can pay.

5. Keep this list of phone numbers handy. If you or someone you are out with experiences drink spiking, or may have had their drink spiked you can call for more information: Revelstoke Victim Services: 250-8379260 What can they do? Provide information to victims of drink spiking/sexual assault including: what reporting to RCMP looks like. What accessing medical support at the hospital looks like. Providing in person supports to those who seek medical care or choose to file a report.

Queen Victoria Hospital: 250-8372131 What can they do? Queen Victoria Hospital has a team of nurses trained in helping those who have, or may have experienced drink spiking and/or sexual assault.

Revelstoke RCMP: 911 (24/7) or 250837-5255 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.). Even if you choose not to report an incident of being drugged, Revelstoke RCMP are able to connect you with Victim Services and other supports.

New B.C. Adventure

NEWS

Tourism Coalition seeks unified backcountry industry voice Newly formed coalition is working with industry stakeholders, governments, and primary resource sectors to problem solve

By Melissa Jameson In the Revelstoke area, conflicts between backcountry recreation users and other backcountry operators, such as the forest industry, spill over into the public sphere on a regular basis. Logging in recreation areas on Mount Macpherson on Boulder Mountain is a prominent example. Others include forest road access issues for ATVers and sledders and CAT-skiing operations.

In response to issues such as these, a newly formed B.C. Adventure Tourism Coalition is looking to create a coordinated approach to planning between the industry, governments and primary resource sectors.

In 2016, adventure tourism industry stakeholders got together and realized they were all going to the government

Photo: Alan Sleigher/Selkirk Tangiers/B.C. Adventure Tourism Coalition for the same reasons.

“We realized we all had the same pressures and challenges operating as a sector and as individual businesses,” said Ian Tomm, chair of the B.C. Adventure Coalition.

The coalition includes a wide spectrum of adventure tourism operators, including heli-skiing operators, hunting groups, mountain guides, backcountry lodges, mountain biking associations and many more. It’s an unprecedented move for B.C. ,with a total of 18 motorized and non-motorized adventure tourism sectors coming together for a common goal. The group pooled funds and hired a Peter LaRose and Associates of Thompson Rivers University to explore various issues that need to be fixed, to survey the pressures facing industry stakeholders and to develop an action strategy.

“We have grizzly bear viewers at the table with trophy hunters. We’ve got mechanized groups with non-mechanized groups and we all have the same goal: this adventure tourism strategy,” said Tomm. “We find ourselves today with a whole bunch of pressures on

adventure tourism. Those pressures are rooted in land use issues, land planning, as well as a fair bit of provincial regulation.”

The coalition is currently working with the B.C. tourism ministry as well as the ministry of forests. Part of the initial work includes connecting with local communities with a large investment in the adventure tourism industry.

Tomm said the initiative with Thompson Rivers University showcased the need for collaboration within the adventure tourism sector and the need to level the playing field. He said each year some ski touring companies have part of their season shut down because forestry companies begin logging too early or too late. He is clear, however, that it isn’t an anti-forestry initiative. In fact, the forests ministry is one of the government bodies with which the coalition is currently working. The provincial government has also asked the coalition to begin garnering the support of municipal governments. Revelstoke was first on the list of communities the B.C. Adventure Tourism Coalition connected with. Tomm said the BCATC chose

Revelstoke city council for the first of its municipal presentations due to the community’s large connection to the adventure tourism industry.

“Revelstoke is a focal point of adventure tourism in the province and can help lead the way,” Tomm said, during a presentation to city council in November, 2017.

Tomm said the strategy itself includes a number of action items with local level planning being just one of those. He pointed at that many adventure tourism businesses have head offices in Revelstoke.

City councillors were receptive of the work being done by the coalition, but did express some reservations about the extent to which Revelstoke local government should be involved.

“As a community we have support for adventure tourism. I’m apprehensive but I can see we should be at the table somewhat,” said Mayor Mark McKee. “It’s just a matter of how big.”

After discussion, council opted to have staff to explore options on what the city’s involvement with the coalition might look like.

17

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Working-class heroes You won’t find them flogging their sponsors’ gear on Instagram.

You probably won’t see them at all.

Words and photos by Robert Sim

OUTSIDE

Smoke rises from the chimney of a wall tent nearly buried in fresh overnight snowfall from the previous night.

Signs of life begin to stir from within our camp tent. A head appears from the door flaps to gather intel for a snow report. The snowmobiles are buried under two feet of fresh. The report sets off a flurry of activity as morning routines are accelerated for the three stirring tent-dwellers.

Coffee. Bailey’s. Food. Pack. Get Dressed.

Find your snowmachine. Start the sled. Harass the slowest member of the group. Pound trail. All before the break of dawn, in a valley far, far away from your nearest Saturday morning ski lift and coffee lines.

This is a typical routine for the new breed of weekend warrior. The Revelstoke version, to be precise. Tradesmen bringing the same work ethic they tackle jobs with during the week now laying siege to new zones in the backside of nowhere in their own time. Hours of studying Google Earth in search of the next holy grail of pillow zones results in an expedition approach to exploration in order maximize the weekend. You won’t find the details of their exploits splashed all over social media. If you do happen to cross their paths somewhere deep in the middle of nowhere, chances 20

are they will vanish without a trace soon after. But where you will find them is back at their jobs Monday morning, nose to grindstone with ear to ear grins on their faces as if they know something you don’t as they replay the weekend over in their minds.

The three break trail in near-zero visibility, weaving through the old growth cedars of a long forgotten era. Snow flows over the hood of their machines, burying the headlights and muffling engine noise, giving off the eerie feeling of floating through a cloud. Having never set eyes upon their destination before, the three rely upon instinct and research to find their way. Above an unnamed alpine lake, a giant wall laden with multiple stacks of giant pillow columns greets them with a foreboding silence. As daybreak begins to poke through the thickened clouds they get to work building the road up the backside in order to tandem to the top of pillow country. Before you’d have your coffee in hand at La Baguette, they stand atop of their prize with a jubilant anticipation of what comes next.

After claiming that he’s ‘just going to take it easy on this first one,’ Andrew Clarke, the mild mannered and perpetually stoked owner of Axiom Mechanical, stands above his line choice. He’s just sat out over a month due to a knee injury,

and gives a feeble attempt at a stretch.

Then, he points it straight through a 60-foot tower of pillows, completely disappearing out of sight for about forty-odd feet before emerging from the bottom with arms raised victoriously, goggles packed with snow and a grin that could be seen for miles. Behind him the stack of pillows crumble like the twin towers, first the left side, seconds later the right. War cries from the other two light up the valley as they hoot and holler at Andrew’s choice of ‘takin’ ‘er easy, bud’ lines.

Next up was Samuel Monette. He’s a builder by trade. If you were to ever to cross his path during the weekdays, you would never guess his weekend demeanour. He continually sets out to destroy mountainsides on the weekends with the same precision you’ll find him making cuts on the tablesaw during the week. With the bar now raised, Sam picks his warm up line and promptly points it straight through the middle of another column stack. He somehow ejects from the bottom of a neighbouring stack as suddenly as his predecessor before him — without visibly switching between the two. Always a smoke-andmirror act and a true master of ‘now you see me, now you don’t. Now I’m over here… AND I got your wallet.’

Not to be out done, Jarome St-Pierre

rubs his hands together in anticipation of his upcoming descent. A carpenter with Jordan Cochrane Construction, he’s no stranger to hitting the nail on the head. St-Pierre hammers a straightline through a monster stack of his own before bursting out midway and airing the final 20 feet into a waist deep landing zone. After exchanging high fives with the other two, they trudge back to awaiting snow ponies in chest deep snow. Then they get to it again, systematically decimating pillow stack after pillow stack until the whole wall is left in ruins.

Below the demolition site, the boys sit back and enjoy a leisurely ‘coffee’ break while they take in their craftsmanship.

Miles away the first gondola is loaded with frothing first trackers.

Coffee doesn’t last long as the boys load up and head off in search of the next zone to destroy before lunch. After a full day of precision cuts to the mountainside, the boys return to camp, dig up the now buried ‘fridge’, grab a cold beer and fire up the wood stove. They’ll hit the hay early as Sunday is the last chance to lay siege to another zone before heading back to the grindstone.

Even in Revelstoke, you can’t escape the Monday morning blues.

OUTSIDE

He points it straight through a 60-foot tower of pillows, completely disappearing out of sight for about forty-odd feet before emerging from the bottom with arms raised victoriously.

Pages 20: Jarome St. Pierre drops in on a huge line.

Left: Samuel Monette, Jarome St-Pierre and Andrew Clarke dig out after a deep dump.

Top: Sam Monette launches down an aggressive alpine slope.

Right: Andrew Clarke shreds an aggressive line through the trees.

Photos by Robert Sim

21

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OUTSIDE

Revy’s all crewed up

By Nick Khattar The US Department of Justice, Wikipedia, and almost everyone else, defines a gang as an organized group of people that engage in criminal behavior.

However, in this instance, I like to think Miriam-Webster’s second definition fits more appropriately: “group: such as 1: a group of persons working together 2: a group of persons working to unlawful or antisocial ends; especially: a band of antisocial adolescents”

In her 2016 article “Gang Involvement as a Means to Satisfy Basic Needs” Laina Sonterblum from the Steinhardt De-

partment of Applied Psychology at NYU uses Abraham Maslow’s 1943 paper “A Theory of Human Motivation” to argue that people join gangs (or crews) as a means to satisfy five basic human needs: psychological needs, safety needs, love and belonging needs, esteem needs and self-actualization needs.

Now I’m no Ziggy Freud over here but I do know humans are group-minded creatures. We join groups to satisfy our evolutionary need for survival and security. Our ancestors joined groups for hunting and defense. My experiWig Party’s Nathan Riley Rey steps up the the 3 Valley Gap rail. Photo: Gordon Sansom

What set you claimin’, cuz? ence defines a ‘gang’ simply as a group of people who, through the creation, organization and establishment of a crew, share a common identity or belief system. Years ago on the mean streets of Halifax, Nova Scotia, a few others and myself formed a gang of like-minded outcasts that enjoyed snowboarding in the streets and terrorizing our local ski hills. But, we didn’t call ourselves a gang. Perhaps it was because we weren’t interested in criminal exploits (although trespassing to hit a handrail on your snowboard was fairly common), but we referred to ourselves as a “crew” instead.

If you’re familiar with subcultures of any type the concept of the “crew” is very common. In the early days of hip-hop culture, crews were everything. You had rap crews, breakdance crews and spray paint or “bombing” crews. In skateboarding you have crews like the Z-Boys and Barrier Kult. Even Vegas crooners had their own crew with The Rat Pack.

And if Vegas had its own famous crew of personalities, than you know Revelstoke has at least a few.

Pussies On Planks: An all-girl crew of bad-ass shredders, rippers and climbers who stick it to the man by ditching their clothes and strapping into their boards, skis and climbing harnesses. They consist of: Tamsin Both, Nina Lindstrom, Emily Ernst, Leanne Yarrow, Sarah Kypers, Tegan Dean, Lindsay Jakus, Genevieve King, Margret Lynch, Kate Roberts, Lindsay Craig, Jess Leahey, Jana Scott and their influences include Shane McConkey and a border-

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line obsessive love of cats. Their notable accomplishments include skiing Brown Shorts without their shorts, or anything else, twice. If you want to get into the crew you’ve got to be ready to “jam out with your clam out.” Keep an eye out for kitten stickers and an edit dropping this winter. “Skiing naked is very empowering. It’s not about showing off or looking for attention, it’s about feeling confident in our own skin as women and embracing our bodies. There are many different body types and we love them all! The POP is about not taking yourself to seriously, being free and being yourself!”

—Tamsin Both, best dancer in the crew as long as it’s James Brown and there is money on the line.

Website: No Instagram: Yes. @pussiesonplanks Merch: Sort of.

The Acres: The Acres is less a crew and more a run-down farm on the outskirts of town. But that run down farm is home to some of the most talented filmers, editors, skiers and sledders in this fair town. Their idea is to focus on making videos and movies that showcase skiing, snowboarding and sledding. Consisting of Kaleb Weston and Ty “Spoons” Spooner on cameras, Jakey-Babes Teuton on skis (sometimes), snowboard (sometimes) and sled (always, even when there’s no snow), Vinzenz Keller on skis and Jordy Kidner on skis. This young crew lives together, rides together and somehow survives without Internet

OUTSIDE Left: Part of the Wasted Youth crew gets pumped for a day at RMR. Photo: Nick Khattar Below: Leanne, Tamsin, G and Tegan represent Pussies on Planks. Photo: Pussies on Planks

together. Their influences consist of working regular jobs, “gettin’ no money from no one” and sledding. Last year their web series received wide support from the skiing community and this year their first film, “Homestead” just received a nomination for best cinematography and best editing at the International Freeski Film Festival (IF3) in Montreal. Currently it’s hard to say what exactly their plans for the future are other than paying their power and Internet bills, sprucing up their kitchen, and getting their plumbing dialed. If they do manage to film more backcountry action you can bet your sweet kiester it’s going to be good.

Instagram: Yes @the.acres Merch: No. Wig Party: Maybe the closest thing Revelstoke actually has to a gang of hoodlums, Wig Party embodies a style reminiscent of old hip-hop and skate crews: shooting dice in alley ways, giving each other tattoos in wrecked motel rooms by candlelight and drankin’ 40s from the bottle. Whenever you see their telltale symbol, a giant faceless purple Afro wig, one can’t help but think of Soul Train on snow. This snowboard and skate crew of largely Manitoban transplants focuses on good times instead of, say, long times and “drinking until he/she looks better.”

You can find them on the slushy streets or on the ski hill and their video edits remind you of old Wildcat movies and make you wish you still had a World In-

dustries snowboard to ride on a spring day. Wig Party consists of: Jordie Morris, Nathan Rey, Gordo Sansom, Lucas Robinson, Tom-O, Vee, Tjasse & Chance Martens, Bryce “Obie” Harrison, Gatzke, Ben Harries, Pretty Boy Cerrano, Knapper, Tony T, Valcourt, Colin Shoechuk, Nick Myk and Slurms McGee. When they aren’t boarding you can find half of them in the Village Idiot kitchen and the other half at the mill. Their notable achievements include Gordo Samson breaking the Brandon, Manitoba chicken wing eating record on his nineteenth birthday with 102 chicken wings in one sitting — truly a great feat of endurance and athleticism. As far as the future goes, we here at the Mountaineer can only imagine there will be some sort of dance battle between Tamsin Both of rival crew Pussies on Planks and Jordie Morris of Wig Party.

Instagram: Nope.

Merch: No. Wasted Youth (Full Disclosure: I live with one of the owners of WASTED YOUTH and have contributed in the past to their movies and other media exploits, usually at my own misfortune.)

Probably the loosest definition of a crew, we at the Mountaineer would be remiss not to mention Revelstoke’s snowboard crew from Hell. Although WASTED YOUTH actually operates closer to a crew of rowdy brigands on the high seas, they are actually an

apparel company, which began in 2002.

All the same they have risen to notoriety in the snowboard scene as a crew of metal-headed, rough rednecks known for their raw, no f ’s given, DIY style, focusing almost entirely on backcountry big mountain snowboarding. WASTED YOUTH consists of: Sean “Sinner” Barrett, Christopher “Blood Money Son” Curran, Taylor “Texas Ranger” Roberts, Dozer, Twan, Keith “Big Sexy” Martin, Sebastian Grondin, Chris “Wheel House” Boyd, and a long, long list of hanger-on-ers. You can find them anywhere from Boulder Mountain to any dark dangerous back alley in between.

Their notable accomplishments include their first full-length snowboard movie “WASTED YOUTH: The Movie” and

their second full-length snowboard movie “WASTED YOUTH: The Sequel,” both two-year projects that have received wide critical acclaim throughout the snowboard industry in the Kootenay-Columbia region. Their plans for the future consist only of “getting this WASTED YOUTH thing going” and seeing if there is any money to be made in the karaoke industry.

Merch: Stickers, Hoodies, T-shirts, muscle shirts, hats.

Instagram: @support_wastedyouth Acres crew member Jake Teuton rips it up on sleds, skis and the plank.

Photo: Nick Khattar

ISSUES

RMR 2007–2017: A look back Revelstoke-based journalist Alex Cooper sums up a decade since the lifts started spinning at Revelstoke Mountain Resort

By Alex Cooper December 22, 2007, and a big lineup formed for the Revelation Gondola. The scene would look vaguely familiar today – a big powder day accompanied by a long line – but this day was different.

This day was opening day for Revelstoke Mountain Resort, the biggest ski hill opening in decades, and people had driven from far away to take part. They lined up where the mid-station now is (the lower gondola would open the next year) and eagerly waited for the lifts to start turning.

The hill was about the half the size as it is today; only the upper gondola and Stoke Chair were open, and Upper North Bowl and Greely Bowl were out of bounds. Few people knew the terrain and it was open season on the chutes, bowls, glades and runs. By all accounts it was an epic day, with deep powder covering the entire mountain. The best Christmas present ever, people would proclaim.

It was the culmination of decades of dreaming, planning, and negotiating when a group of investors including Robert Powadiuk, Hunter Milborne and Don Simpson finally pulled together the financing to open the resort. Powadiuk

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and Milborne were from Ontario and saw Revelstoke’s potential, and Simpson was a Coloradan who had been coming here heli-skiing and had deep pockets and access to capital.

At the time, Revelstoke was a community that had been in a slow decline since the mid-’80s, when construction on the Revelstoke Dam finished and Downie Timber closed down for several years. Several thousand people had moved away, though for those who stayed, Revelstoke was a friendly, closeknit and affordable community tucked away between Selkirk and Monashee Mountains. It was on the Trans-Canada Highway, but hidden to the thousands of people who drove through every day.

To many of them, Revelstoke was just a gasoline alley on the highway with a few fast food joints.

Locals weren’t content to let the community die. Downie re-opened and the city purchased its own Tree Farm License and started the Revelstoke Community Forest Corporation.

Politicians and business leaders worked to recruit investors in a ski resort on Mount Mackenzie. Those efforts finally started to bear fruit in the mid-2000s.

Even before opening, the resort was having an impact on Revelstoke. Housing prices – and rents along with them – started climbing a few years earlier, when the resort and the province signed the Master Development Agreement.

The plans promised the biggest ski resort in North America – some 10,000 acres of terrain, thousands of beds, 30 chairlifts and a golf course at full buildout. A map that was prominently on display showed lifts stretching across Mount Mackenzie, all the way from the Ripper Chair to Kokanee Bowl.

And people bought into the hype.

When the first phase of condos and lots went on sale in February 2007, they sold out almost immediately. Buyers from across North America were eager to get in on the hottest new resort property in the world, and they forked over down payments on luxury condos in what was then known as the Nelsen Lodge.

The resort opened at just the right time, at the peak of a global real estate boom that nearly brought down the global economy when it burst in 2008.

All that money that had been flowing freely around the world froze up when the Great Recession started. Amongst

the tumult, the resort came close to closing after only one year of operation. It was saved by Northland Properties, a multi-billion dollar restaurant, hotel and property corporation that at the time was only a minor investor in RMR. To protect their investment, they took control of the resort, assuming the debts and keeping the lifts open.

Development at the resort continued, but at a much slower pace.

Over the next few years, Northlands continued construction of the Nelsen Lodge (which they renamed the Sutton Place Hotel after acquiring that chain), and opened the Rockford restaurant.

The Ripper Chair and lower gondola opened in 2008, but on the mountain, the growth all but stopped, with mostly incremental changes taking place. The biggest skiing development was the opening of the Turtle Creek beginner area at the base. The planned golf course was cancelled, as was a townhouse development.

The slowdown impacted the town as well. The City of Revelstoke was planning for rapid growth, with the population expected to soar over the next decade. Major planning exercises were

started: the Unified Development Bylaw, Master Transportation Plan, new zoning bylaw, Parks, Recreation & Culture plan, a liquid waste management plan … the list goes on. All were controversial and few were finished as it became evident that they were too ambitious and planning for a future that may not come.

The expected growth never came, as many families left town due to rising prices, while some left because their homes were finally worth enough that they could sell and move on. When the next census numbers came out in 2011, they actually showed a slight decline in population, contrary to expectations.

The recession impacted other sectors – notably forestry. Downie Timber, the biggest employer in town, scaled back operations to one shift a day. It was

helped by generous city tax cuts. No one wanted to see a repeat of the 1980s, when the mill closed down. Downtown, businesses struggled and also lobbied city hall for a lower tax burden. At the same time, the construction sector was booming thanks to the construction of Revelstoke Secondary School, Begbie View Elementary, the Best Western Plus hotel, and ongoing construction at the resort.

Real estate prices peaked in 2009 and then started a slow decline over the next few years. People that hoped to sell their 100-year-old, run down heritage home for $500,000 found themselves chasing the market downwards. They didn’t start going up again until 2015.

Meanwhile, awareness of the resort continued to grow. Revelstoke was no

longer a backwater known only by diehard backcountry riders and wealthy heli-skiers, but was becoming a destination. People started camping out for opening day, and you would have to show up a little earlier each year to get a good spot in line. Competition for first tracks became fiercer, unless you were willing to fork out cash for the resort’s First Tracks program.

In the city, there was a major turnover in business. In 2014, I compiled a list of businesses that had opened since 2009 and it was striking. There a massive turnover in downtown businesses, with new shops and restaurants opening where others had closed. Most were owned by young entrepreneurs drawn here by the resort.

In 2014, a major shift occurred when a new council was elected and Mark McKee, who was mayor from 2002 to 2008, was brought back in. The previous council had become deeply unpopular due to spending increases at city hall and rising property taxes. The new council promised to get a control on spending and be more business friendly.

At the same time, the entire economy was rebounding and development began anew in Revelstoke. The most notable were David and Shelley Evans, wealthy Whistler transplants who had quietly bought up several major properties and Top left: Shred Kelly packs the plaza at RMR village.

Centre: The A Freeride World Tour competitor shreds the Mac Daddy face. Photo: Matt Timmins Even the lift lines are epic at RMR these days. Photo: Aaron Orlando

H E L P

U S

C E L E B R A T E

O U R

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were now set to get moving. He first proposed Mackenzie Village – a major mixed-density development in Arrow Heights that brought out concerns that it would change the character of a single-family neighbourhood. Despite that it was approved, with many arguing it would bring housing diversity and economic development to town. The first phase of 48 units is supposed to open this month. They also proposed a boutique treehouse hotel development on the border of RMR, which became controversial when they unveiled the complete plans for a multi-hotel development that the resort claimed was parasitic and would hurt the ski hill. It was also approved.

The Evanses weren’t the only ones seeing Revelstoke’s potential. Single-family home construction has boomed over the last two years, most notably transforming Arrow Heights. Despite that, Revelstoke is facing a major housing crisis, with rental properties in short supply and a vacancy rate of practically zero.

There’s numerous reasons for this – couples buying homes that were once rental housing, the growth of vacation rentals, and the lack of staff housing. Construction of affordable housing has moved at a snail’s pace, with only 12 units opening over the past 10 years.

The renewed growth has put major pressure on the city’s infrastructure and finances. A 2016 report says the city lists tens of millions in needed infrastructure projects, including a very expensive new sewer treatment plant.

At RMR, the lineups have gotten longer every year. The only major change on the mountain in winter has been the opening of a terrain park. The big development was The Pipe – a coaster ride down the lower mountain that proved a greater success than anyone imagined, attracting some 100,000 people in when it opened in 2016. It solved that age-old question – how do you get people off the Trans-Canada Highway and into Revelstoke?

Revelstoke has gotten busier every year. While the 2016 census showed a 500-person uptake in population, that doesn’t capture the number of seasonal residents and tourists that come here – numbers that have grown every year since the resort opened, according to hotel tax revenue collected.

As RMR turns 10, the risk of the resort closing is a distant memory. The resort has regularly reported growth in visits and has also put Revelstoke on the map and turned the community from a hidden gem on the Trans-Canada Highway to an international destination. The growth has spun off into the community, but also presented challenges, especially with regards to housing. It hasn’t been a bluebird powder day, but I’d say the face shots outnumber the core shots.

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Looking back at the RMR real estate ride Mountaineer real estate columnist Emily Beaumont surveys the impact of Revelstoke’s first decade as a mountain resort town

By Emily Beaumont It has now been over 10 years since the sleepy mountain town of Revelstoke received word that Revelstoke Mountain Resort was a go. This was long awaited news after 20 something years in the approval process.

The Revelstoke area is idyllically situated in the world’s only inland temperate rain forest, spanning from the US Border to Wells Gray Park. Since the late 1960s this area has been a well-known, steep and deep destination for its worldclass snowmobiling and heli-skiing, famous for ridiculous powder conditions that can actually require a snorkel some days.

This was a game-changer for the local economy; this was big news. The quiet mountain town that played host to the extreme winter enthusiasts on an epic, yet small scale on the whole, was about to open its doors to the world offering a playground said to rival the finest.

In the second year of operation, RMR expanded the gondola to the existing village base, now with the most vertical in North America at 5,620 feet and great potential to be one of the best in the world with strategically planned lifts for the predicted rising snow lines in the

coming years.

Initial real estate sales at the Sutton Place, originally named Nelson Lodge were a big to-do. Investors were flown in helicopters viewing estate lots and the three-phase strata hotel which were put on the pre-sale market. Building one sold out in just two hours. With the demand for these home-suite-homes, they released the next two phases with great success and construction began.

At the time in Revelstoke, the average sale price for a single family home in 2007 was $440,000 and at the end of the third quarter this year it was $458,000.

You could feel the momentum; the whole town was alight. I had arrived on scene exactly on time, it seemed. Something I often look back on and chuckle at. Whatever force called me here, I am thankful for daily. The town definitely has changed in a lot of ways since 2007, but it seems that it was time for a re-energization. The railway, hydro and mill were the town’s main economic drivers.

Winter was by far the busiest time for tourist season with the nuking powder days calling the winter adventurers, sledders and heli-skiers. Those who lived here full time then know that the summer (and spring and fall) are also incredible in Revelstoke. The creation of RMR provided a reason for people to

pull off the highway. How many times have I heard a visitor to town say ‘I usually just stop for gas on the highway and keep going. Didn’t know there was anything here?’ RMR gave them a reason, in every season.

But just as soon as it was off the ground it seemed the worst possible thing happened. The global recession in 2008 evaporated the original developer’s financing. The resort did not, however, go under as commonly thought. A private investor group backing the original deal, the Gaglardi family of Northland Properties in Vancouver, stepped up an took over controlling interest, thus keeping the gondola spinning and construction underway. Building one was just half built at the time. So that’s exactly what they did. Finished the hotel, changed the name to Sutton Place with their recent acquisition of the brand by Northland in combination with their original and magnanimously successful Sandman Hotel Group and Denny’s

Canada.

RMR continued to operate on a global scale, just at a slower pace than originally planned. The resort has not experienced the original growth pattern planned out, but has grown every year with extensive glading, a 25% increase to the lift capacity this year after the resort added 24 more gondola cabins and 21 high-speed quad chairs.

Good things do take time. We are incredibly lucky, most would agree, to have had a somewhat private playground the past 10 years. As time healed the wounds inflicted in 2008, people are again out and seeking adventure, both on the mountain and in real estate investments. Real estate sales at RMR have increased with continued, renewed interest in both the condo and estate lot sales with sale prices in the range of 30% below original list price in 2007.

Rental revenues are on the rise. It’s like a second chance to discover one of the world’s finest playgrounds.

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Left: Some things never change. A local hands over the keys to his vacation rental to some sledders from Alberta. Right: Edmund Wood, age 77, and Henry Okumura, age 1, January 20, 1960 — the oldest and youngest skiers in Revelstoke Ski Club. Photos: Revelstoke Museum & Archives

Revelstoke’s gone downhill ever since...

Revelstoke has changed over the years, for better or for worse?

By Bryce Borlick I tell ya’, this town hasn’t been the same since the summer of ‘11 ... 1811 that is. Before that, no one really lived here permanently, so there was hardly anyone to disagree with. Since then, people have been coming in waves and, like 57 unattended rail cars rolling down the hill from Greeley, steady change hasn’t stopped for anyone. But before you get your long johns in a knot, let’s consider how these changes have helped develop and define Revelstoke as we know it today.

In the early years, the Columbia River wound its way peacefully past towering peaks with nary a hint of human industry. When the first surveyor arrived he found that Sinixt First Nation seasonal villages dotted the lowlands, particularly in the Tum Tum Creek area of the Big Eddy where residents hunted birds, lived in non-permanent dwellings, and relied on the creeks for fresh water. Well, I stand corrected — some things haven’t changed that much after all.

For the most part, the 19th century was a peaceful period in which development was slow. Provincial Surveyor AS Farwell had an approved land grant of 1,175 acres and had grand plans to build

the modest settlement of Farwell into an economic hub of the west. However, when the Canadian Pacific Railway rolled into town and located their new yard just a few kilometres to the east and named it Revelstoke, businesses followed and Farwell’s plans were dashed.

Despite his legal challenges and numerous rants on Ye Olde Stoke List (which was just calligraphy on a tree back then) Farwell was told to get Revelstuffed and he became the first local to gripe about CP Rail.

The railway only accelerated change as settlers capitalized on new opportunities that the rail line created. Revelstoke thrived as resource extraction grew and, without caribou habitat or tree-hugging mountain bikers to contend with, logging became an economic mainstay. The prosperity of the sawmills brought fine architecture and elements of culture to the area, such as The Ol’ Frontier Motel and open mic night at The Last Drop Pub. It was also in this era that fundraisers for the Kovach Park skatepark began.

The construction of the Revelstoke Dam was met with grumbling about the hordes of newcomers, many of whom stuck around to grumble about the next wave of newcomers. Photo: Revelstoke Museum & Archives

But prosperity only sent Revelstoke downhill, especially when the Norwegians arrived with their fancy long snowshoes and their unusual desire to explore the mountains in winter, even when they didn’t have to. In fact, it went downhill so fast that a guy named Nels Nelsen eventually said “Hei, kan bygge et hopp!” which roughly translates as “Hey, let’s build a jump!” Little did he know that with this innocuous comment, an illustrious legacy of Canadian ski-bumming was born. To their credit, European ski bums are still keeping the Revelstoke Search and Rescue team alert and ready to search the Greeley drainage. Again.

Tales of rugged peaks and rugged people only piqued public interest and by the time Revelstoke National Park was created in 1912, a new scourge was arriving via rail: tourists. Visitors flocked from such places as Spread Eagle Bay, NL; Happy Adventure, NL; and even Dildo, NL, just to leave their money in town and spend a mere day or two in this wonderful valley that we indulge ourselves with year-round. What nerve, eh?

But if Revelstokians thought that was a problem, they were in for a big dam surprise. In the early 1980s, BC Hydro built a new energy generation facility on the Columbia River that would also control flooding of the homesteads and farms that dotted the lowlands. Of course, some those homes would first have to be vacated and burned to the ground but at least they were safe from flooding. The boom-and-bust cycle that resulted from this intensive project also spurred the restoration of many historic downtown buildings and, thankfully, a shift away from a gag-inducing faux-Bavarian alpine style. Dam good decision.

Nowadays, lots of locals seem to aim their disparaging hot air in the general direction of Revelstoke Mountain Resort. It’s to blame for rising municipal taxes, the high cost of housing, and that general eau de sewage down on Oscar Street. Those complaints have merit, especially if your glass is half empty, but the ski hill has also brought positive

change. Even if you’re not interested in fantastic on-piste skiing and the colourful outdoor culture that has grown around it, you can’t ignore thriving retail, fantastic restaurants, and a bright economic future ahead. Not into any of that stuff? Well, there’s always Quesnel.

So change has always been a part of Revelstoke and there’s always been a steady influx of different people, ideas, and cultures. We have loggers and hippies and tech entrepreneurs and ski bums and sledders and artists and environmentalists and train engineers and people from very diverse backgrounds.

Can we really find common ground on which to build a prosperous community?

You betcha Revy! The spirit of cooperation is strong in Revelstoke and it not only brings us together, but keeps us together. A culture of volunteerism germinated here more than a century ago and it’s grown into something we can all be proud of. The Revelstoke Fire Rescue Services volunteers have been saving people’s lives and homes since 1892. The Rotary Club of Revelstoke has developed facilities at Williamson’s Lake and has championed countless other goodwill initiatives since 1929. The Revelstoke Hospital Auxiliary Society has been improving our medical care and facilities since 1901. These are just three of the more than three dozen volunteer organizations that work tirelessly to improve our daily lives. Rest assured, when you’re most in need of a helping hand, it will be there. It may be young, old, calloused, tattooed, white, brown, or even in a duct-taped ski glove … but it will be there.

So, no, Revelstoke isn’t what it used to be. Nor should it be. Without change we’d never have the diversity and colourful history that we celebrate today. No, we don’t always agree on everything but that only helps ensure that growth is balanced and healthy. Ultimately, those differences of opinion fall by the wayside and it’s the selfless generosity of countless people, past and present, who make this town a dam good place to call home.

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FOOD & DRINK

Revelstoke apres cocktails with a Canadian twist Revelstoke’s a blue-collar town where suds will reign supreme forever. Cocktails? Just a fad that’ll never take off — like snowboarding, amirite? But what’s that noise? Ice cubes clinking in a cocktail shaker? What’s that there?

A craft distillery on the main drag? Times are a-changin’ in the Stoke. We got shaken and stirred scoping out beta on the best cocktail locations in Revy. Our mission? Ahem. Bartender: your best cocktail with a Canadian-style twist.

Photos by Matt Timmins

Jay Shoji of the River City Pub/ The Regent whips up a cranberry infused Rudolph’s Remedy.

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Josh McLafferty of Mackenzie Avenue’s brand new Monashee Spirits Craft Distillery not only makes their designer cocktails, but also distills their craft spirits in house. Here, he’s creating a BC Negroni.

Jay Wellstein of 112 Steakhouse (located at 112 First Street East) whips up a Ginger-Maple Nog.

The Cabin is a downtown bowling alley, snowboard shop and bar. Here, Sarah MacNeil creates a Rosemary & Maple Bourbon Sour. Ingredients: Rosemary Sprig, Bourbon, Maple Syrop, Lemon Juice, Egg White

The Quartermaster Eatery on First Street West is one many downtown establishments that opened up this year. Here, Mike Hallman creates a House-smoked Old Fashioned.

Brandon Bourne of Rockford Grill (located at the base of Revelstoke Mountain Resort) concocts a Dark & Stormy: Black Spiced Rum, Ginger Liqueur, Ginger Beer, Lime & Bitters.

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Revelstoke lit up with live Christmas trees. Photo: Revelstoke Museum & Archives

Welcome the winter entertaining season with these selections

By Heather Hood Winter has settled in and the holiday season is upon us. The days are shorter in daylight providing ample time to come inside and appreciate the coziness of our homes. This is the last month of 2017, which is generally the start of reflecting upon a year gone by.

These wines will help you enjoy the final weeks of 2017 and provide an exciting range of flavours and styles for your palate.

Revelstoke Christmas traditions of the past

By Imogen Whale Revelstoke streets are decked for the season. Strands of Christmas lights wind up lampposts. Store window displays are in friendly competition. Cafes brew eggnog lattes and bake gingerbread cookies. The Revelstoke Secondary School band has sold plenty of seasonal wreaths, the grocery store has your pick of poinsettias, and homes are bright with Christmas lights.

It was the beginning of the 20th Century, and commercialism was on the march; religious overtones were becoming less apparent and by the time the First World War ended, Christmas was transitioning into a commercial secular holiday. International traditions including burning yule, hanging mistletoe and singing carols made their way to Canada and became incorporated into Canadian Christmas culture. Turkey replaced goose or beef, presents became more extravagant and Christmas shopping started earlier and earlier.

The history of Christmas is an intriguing one, but what are the changes and similarities between Christmas traditions of today and those of Revelstoke in the early twentieth century?

There are plenty of things that have held their place in our festive hearts. It is a time of nostalgia and tradition and of making new traditions.

The Christmas tree made its first Canadian appearance in 1781, though trees had long been utilized in pagan festivals and, from the fifteenth century, were a mainstay in German Christmas celebrations. Originally decorated with fruit and candles (more than one house fell victim to a tree fire), trees are now decorated according to the tastes of the homeowners. A wide array of ornaments and lights are available. The city of Revelstoke has intermittently had a lit tree downtown since the 1930s.

In contrast to today’s commercialism, a hundred years ago there was little mention of Christmas in papers or stores until the first of December. “The only ads in the paper in November regarding Christmas were from bakeries taking orders for Christmas cakes, which traditionally sit and age before being eaten,” explains Cathy English, curator of the Revelstoke Museum and Archives and local history buff.

Historically, Christmas celebrations were steeped in religion, and it was the churches and schools that had celebrations for the community. These celebrations often took place the week before Christmas in couple of weeks that followed. “The twelve days of Christmas actually start on Christmas eve,” says English. “They extend into January, so Christmas parties in the New Year were normal.”

Examples of post December 25th parties in Revelstoke include a memorable event on December 30, 1902, when the congregation of St. Peter’s church had a tea and dance, and a Santa deputy handed out presents to the children.

Another post-Christmas celebration at the Roman Catholic Church involved sleigh rides and games.

The ‘shop local’ concept in rural communities, and embraced by many Revelstokians, hearkens back over a hundred years. The town paper of December 29, 1909 reads, “Christmas trade, although slow in the commencement, brightened up exceedingly towards Christmas eve and a large volume of business was done … The general opinion around the city is that the stock this year put in by the merchants was the best that has been seen in Revelstoke yet, the selection and quality being as good as can be secured in any big eastern house.

Never was the fact more strongly demonstrated that our people should buy at home, than during the recent holidays and the merchants deserve all encouragement from the public.”

Winter celebrations hold a special place in our collective hearts, be they secular or religious, Christmas or Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Solstice celebrations or Chinese New Year. The global call for kindness and gratitude, the desire to be with family and celebrate, seems universal in its appeal. Whatever and whenever you celebrate, may your holiday season be merry and bright. *special thanks to Cathy English 34

Clos du Soleil Fumé Blanc 2016 Keremeos, BC $22.95 Sauvignon Blanc like many wine varietals over time, went through a period where it waned in popularity.

Robert Mondavi, a California vineyard operator who really helped put Napa Valley on the map, was responsible for rebranding Sauvignon Blanc, calling it Fumé Blanc. Clos du Soleil has done a fantastic job creating a balanced wine with this 88% Sauvignon Blanc and 12% Semillion blend. There is a slight herbaceousness, notes of lime and grapefruit with a hint of honey and peach. This wine could easily compliment any charcuterie plate, poultry or vegetable dish or seafood dinner.

Gehringer Late harvest Riesling 2015 Oliver, BC $22.95 Late harvest and ice wines are stylistically similar sweet wines. Late harvest grapes are left for a longer period of time on the vines to concentrate the sugars and flavours. Ice wine grapes must be frozen to -8C or colder before being harvested.

The results of this late harvest Riesling is a sweet wine that coats your mouth in a range of wonderful flavours. In typical Riesling style, there are notes of green apple and stone fruit. The sweetness is balanced by a nice acidity.

Enjoy this wine with dessert or sipped on its own.

Liber Farm & Winery Let me be Franc Cabernet Franc 2015 Cawston, BC $25.78 Cabernet Franc is such a fantastic wine that is not produced by many wineries in the Okanagan as a single varietal wine. In comparison to a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Cabernet Franc is more delicate and soft wine. This wine has medium tannins with a nice finish. It has flavours of tobacco, violet, black current and plum. This Cabernet Franc is still young but enjoyable to drink now, it will also age nicely in the cellar to drink at a later date. Overall this is a lovely wine that provides good value for your money and its made from organic grapes.

As the label states, ‘it pairs well with days, nights, friends and most any dish they bring over.’

All wines available at Cheers!

Downtown Revelstoke Open 9am to 11pm Delivery to your Door Call 250.837.4550

NICOLA MCGARRY

!

‘A Day with Sir Donald’ photo, digital drawing

PAINTING JEWELRY WOOD

METAL PRINTS

TEXTILES POTTERY

art

FIRST

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

Relax. Indulge. Explore.

RELAX in a beautiful chalet with your own private hot tub and fireplace INDULGE in a fine dining experience at the Cedar House Restaurant EXPLORE the onsite trails and town of Golden, BC FOR A SPECIAL GIFT AND 15% DISCOUNT PLEASE QUOTE: FALL15 Minimum 2 night stay required for discount

250-290-0001 | info@CedarHouseChalets.com www.CedarHouseChalets.com 35

STYLE

Made by locals, for locals We checked in with Revelstoke designers to see what’s up with locally made styles this season Photos by Matt Timmins Zoe is looking comfy in her Somewon Easter Egg Hoody ($59.99) and the Trout Trucker Hat ($29.99). Christopher is wearing the Revelstoke Trasher Hood — part of the Revelstoke Trading Post/Timeless Souvenir Collection ($59.99), line created for locals to wear with pride and tourists will love. Available at Revelstoke Trading Post, 308 First Street West.

Kalika Jewelry Designs Bracelets, $29–$34. Mackenzie Jones Silver Rings, $27 each. Styles available at loveMaking Designs, at 110 Mackenzie Avenue in Grizzly Plaza.

Zoe is wearing the Somewon Women’s Boyfriend Plaid layer ($49.99) over the Easter Egg Hoodie ($59.99). Christopher is wearing the Somewon Men’s Favourite Plaid ($49.99) layered up over the Revelstoke Thrasher Hood ($59.99). Available at Revelstoke Trading Post, 308 First Street West.

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Lisette wears Kalika Jewelry Designs Bracelets, $29– $34. Mackenzie Jones Silver Rings, $27 each. loveMaking x emk 3/4 length tee, $64. Kilner Bag, $175.

Styles available at loveMaking Designs, 110 Mackenzie Avenue in Grizzly Plaza.

SPONSORED

Take time to enjoy a mug of cocoa and enjoy the views after a day of hitting the slopes. Louise is wearing: Picture Signe Jacket, Picture Treva Pant, Picture Moder Jacket, and Picture Uncle Touque. Bryn is wearing: Picture Naikoon Jacket, Naikoon Pants, and Donut Toque.

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SPONSORED

From head to toe, R Gear has you covered this season Store stays focused on promoting local goods and ensuring guests have comfy feet

By Melissa Jameson R Gear is the place to head if you’re looking for eco-friendly or locally sourced clothing and goods.

In the store, located at the base of Revelstoke Mountain Resort, you’ll find items from in-town favourites like Integrated Apparel, Board Butter Glide Wax and Love Making Designs.

Benoit Lafon, manager of R Gear, said he began to look at creating an eco-friendly environment about three years ago. Much of that has included sourcing out locally available options.

When local options aren’t available Lafon seeks out Canadian made items or products that are eco-friendly.

Picture Organic Clothing from France is one such example. The company creates its clothing using a minimum of 50 per cent recycled materials.

“Each time a jacket or pair of pants is at the end of its life you can ship it for free back to the company and they use it to make new clothing,” said Benoit.

From Left to right: Louise Stanway, Retail Supervisor / Courtney Hill, Retail Lead-Hand / Vicky Roy, Merchandiser & Buyer / Benoit Lafon, Retail & Rental Manager / Bryn Vickers, Head Boot Fitter.

The store’s eco-friendly policy also includes how customers take home their purchases. Two years ago Lafon got rid of plastic bags, swapping them for craft paper bags.

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SPONSORED

“It’s an additional cost, but we don’t give away any more plastic bags. It’s a long-term vision. I know our guests value that. They understand the effort of changing plastic bags. They recognize we are trying to do better,” said Lafon.

R Gear’s support of all things local goes beyond retail items. This year the store has created a program to sponsor young athletes. Skier Ryland Grimm

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will be sponsored by R Gear and they are currently looking for one or two more athletes to support. Lafon said they are looking for athletes under 16.

“The idea is to help start their careers by providing them with gear they might not be able to afford,” said Lafon. “Next year my goal is to connect them directly with a brand and they can be sponsored by the brand.”

Avoid sore feet with custom-made footbeds for your boots When it comes to supporting skiers and snowboarders on the mountain,

head bootfitter Bryn Vickers isn’t worried if you’re a sponsored athlete or even practically pro. He just wants to make sure your feet are comfortable.

For Vickers the better your boots work the better your experience on the hill is going to be.

Fit, flex, and footbed are three of the things Vickers focuses on.

“In any sport in order to stay bal-

SPONSORED < Having proper fitting boots means you’ll be able to enjoy more time on the hill. Problems with your boots? Pop by R Gear and chat with head bootfitter Bryn Vickers.

Devin is wearing: ARC’TERYX Tantalus Jacket, Cerium LT Vest, Sabre Pant, Smith Aspect helmet, Smith I/O goggles, Arc’teryx Rush Glove, Salomon S/Lab MTN boots.

Louise is wearing: Sentinel Jacket, Cerium LT, Sentinel Pant, Smith Squad XL Athlete Collection - Sage goggles, Atomic Hawx XTD 110w boots.

> Skis and snowboards are available to rent at RMR. On Bryn: Dakine Sawtooth 3L Jacket, Dakine Stoker 3L Bib pants, Smith Gage helmet, Smith I/OX Athlete Collection - Xavier De La Rue goggles, Smith Rover Glove, Salomon X-Pro 110 boots, Atomic Bent Chetler.

On Louise: Dakine Silcox 2L Jacket, Dakine Westside Pant, Smith Squad XL goggles, Dakine Team Fleetwood Mitt, Salomon Pillow Talk snowboard, NOW Ipo bindings.

anced you bend at the ankles, the knees and the waist. That dynamic movement is what lets you stay centred. As soon as we’re putting you in a fairly rigid piece of plastic and sending you down the hill we want you to be able to absorb those forces and work with them,” said Vickers.

amount of support to ensure both comfort and performance. By creating custom orthotics for boots Vickers is able to provide proper supports.

The process starts with an assessment of your feet. After this a mould of your feet are cast using a specialized machine.

Stock insoles included with boots purchased from the manufacturer generally don’t provide the required

“Everything that we do is about continuing to learn we’re very proud of the level at which we fit, but we’re

also aware it’s a continuous process. We learn we get better every year.

Vickers said he is happy to help anyone with their boots, even if they weren’t purchased at R Gear.

“We’re on the mountain. If you’re on the hill and you have any issues you can come see us. If we can fix it on the spot we can get you skiing in the time it takes you to grab a coffee,” he said.

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HOME STYLE

New Revelstoke community takes shape at Shelter Bay

8180 Hwy 23 South. Photo by Zoya Lynch

First buyers take possession in a waterfront development just south of town

By Imogen Whale When a bankrupt logging company sold its land to Ender Ilkay, president of Shelter Bay Lands, he spent the next four years ensuring the proposed development, at Shelter Bay, would be something unique.

“I listened to feedback from meetings with Revelstoke residents. Shelter Bay was designed based on that feedback,” Ilkay explains. “The development is focused in several small areas. Most of the land is undeveloped and will be left in its 42

natural state apart from an extensive trail network.”

The inaugural phase of Shelter Bay, comprising of several sloped, waterfront acreages, has a few homes remaining and in early 2018 the next stage will be released for sale. Designed in a loop, this neighbourhood will boast 52 small acreages. The land is usable, offering good grades and extensive mountain and lake views.

“The first 20 of these lots will be avail-

able early next year,” Ilkay explains. “The lots are five acres each and will start in the $200,000 range. We’ll be offering lots and finished houses and can also build to suit.

“Everyone from Revelstoke knows it’s a spectacular setting,” Ilkay elaborates.

“This place is amazing and this development is special so we are patient. It’s really important to us that we do this right.”

Each lot has a drilled well and the water has been tested to ensure quality. The land has been perked with an identified area suitable for a septic field. Services like snow removal, yard maintenance, garbage pickup and rental management are optionally available. The lots are fee simple and not strata.

For those who want to build their own home, there are neither time nor building size restrictions, although each home design needs to be submitted for approval.

HOME STYLE

Photo by Lyndsay Esson Photography

“The lots are five acres each and will start in the $200,000 range.”

“We’re very flexible and interested in every sort of design, style and size,” Ilkay explains. “The approval is so we can preserve value and ensure adherence to the aesthetic of the community. Someone could build a 3,000-square-foot home or a 700-square-foot cabin,” Ilkay says. “It could be a timber frame or a prefabricated modular home.”

The concept of Shelter Bay is ringing true with a younger crowd. “Four committed buyers are in their 30s,” Ilkay says, while others are active retirees. He adds that currently, committed buyers hail from four provinces: B.C. Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario and notes that buyers plan to live in Shelter Bay full time.

LOGAN MILLER DESIGN INTERIOR DESIGNER, DID

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL INTERIORS

250.683.9993 www.loganmiller.design loganmiller.design@gmail.com

INTERIOR DESIGNS TO ENHANCE YOUR LIFESTYLE

HOME STYLE In ten to fifteen years time, Shelter Bay will have several neighbourhoods; from communities of small acreages through to quarter acre and half acre lots. The future could hold a lodge, restaurant, general store and marina.

Although Revelstoke residents are not the primary target market, local families priced out of the market may decide to live in Shelter Bay. A 30-minute commute to your home set in nature, especially for those who have relocated from large city centers and have experience with commutes, is a tempting alternative.

The notion of a new community with easy access to thousands of acres of pristine crown land wilderness half an hour from Revelstoke is intriguing. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a stretch to say that over the next few years, Shelter Bay will develop into a vibrant living area filled with adventure seekers or commuters.

Visit www.shelterbaylegacy.com/mountaineer or call 1.877.879.8137 to find out more about the lakefront lots and homes at Shelter Bay Photo by Zoya Lynch

COMING IN 2018 C R E E KS I D E A T S H E LT E R B A Y

yC ree k

20 - 5 ACRE LOTS | FINISHED HOME PACKAGES AVAILABLE r Cranbe r

FUTURE LAKE/ BEACH ACCESS

Lot 8 6.62 acres

Lot 9 4.94 acres

Up

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rro w

La ke

Lot 10 4.94 acres

Lot 11 4.97 acres

Lot 7 4.97 acres Lot 19 5.16 acres

Lot 6 4.94 acres

Lot 12 4.94 acres

Lot 20 5.04 acres

Lot 13 4.99 acres

Lot 5 4.97 acres

Lot 18 4.94 acres

Lot 17 4.94 acres

Lot 3 4.94 acres

Lot 16 4.94 acres

Lot 2 4.94 acres

Lot 15 4.94 acres

Lot 14 5.02 acres

Lot 1 6.84 acres

Highway No. 23 <- Revelstoke (30 minutes)

Ferry (5 minutes) ->

Call 1.877.879.8137 shelterbaylegacy.com/mountaineer

Shelter Bay Lands Ltd. | Suite 1200 - 1021 West Hastings St. Vancouver, BC V6E 0C3 This is not an offering for sale. Such an offering must be accompanied by a Disclosure Statement. The Developer reserves the right to make changes and modifications to the information contained herein without prior notice. Renderings, maps and photos are representational only and may not be accurate.

INSTAGRAM

#revelstokemountaineer Add the hashtag #revelstokemountaineer to your Instagram posts to get your photos featured on the Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine monthly Instagram feature page. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to follow @revelstoke_mountaineer on Instagram.

This month, enter to win a $50 gift certificate from Society Snow & Skate by entering your early season shredding pics and tagging @societysnowandskate in your Insta post.

Congratulations to @timminsphotos for winning our October/November Instagram contest. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve won a $50 gift certificate from Society Snow & Skate!

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MODERN LIVING. MOUNTAIN LIFEST YLE.

Mackenzie Village is a landmark new community in Revelstoke, BC featuring a variety of home solutions just minutes from Revelstoke Mountain Resort and downtown Revelstoke. The village embraces outdoor living, closely connecting you to a vast array of essential amenities while offering everything you need to spend your time where it matters the most: outside.

R EG I S T E R YO U R I N T E R E S T AT W W W.M AC KE N Z I E V I L L AG E.C A

This is not an offer for sale

PHASE 2 COMING WINTER 2018

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in tune with Revelstoke.

Our full service tune and tuning supplies shop now offers ski, snowboard & backcountry rentals.

250.814.2531 | THEWAXBENCH.COM | 106 ORTON AVE. OPEN 7AM - 7PM DAILY DURING WINTER