M
A
G
A
Z
I
N
E
FREE
July 2018
WATERWORLD: LAKE REVELSTOKE'S LAKE TO SKY HOTSPOT Mary Vaux: New project retraces the steps of a pioneering scientist and adventurer David Thompson Classic: race the famous explorer’s local passage on Lake Revelstoke
DISCOVER SUMMER NEW HIKING TRAILS | DISC GOLF | BUFFET BREAKFAST PIPE MOUNTAIN COASTER | PARAGLIDING | SIGHTSEEING
C A L L 1. 8 6 6 . 3 7 3 . 4 7 5 4
|
V I S I T R E V E L S T O K E M O U N TA I N R E S O R T.C O M
CONTENTS
Creative Director Aaron Orlando Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine is a free monthly publication featuring the best of Revelstoke outdoor life, food, style, visitor experiences, lifestyles, entertainment, home style, and healthy living. Each month we distribute 3,000 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. For more information, including details on our very affordable advertising rates, please contact us: www.revelstokemountaineer.com (click on the advertising tab) 250-814-8710 info@revelstokemountaineer.com
4
16
4
News Briefs
New adaptive trail opens on Mount Macpherson
7
Sweet relief for the Southside sewer stench?
Events calendar
Find out what’s happening in Revelstoke this July
It’s supposed to be hard
Homegrown music festival returns for 6th season
Volunteer initiatives bolster local trailbuilding
Preparations underway as popular art fest returns for sophomore year
31 Eat your sunscreen
Canoe (and more) race retraces explorer’s path
A natural approach to sun exposure management
New report raises concern 32 Style over socio-economic impact of The ‘90s are back! new caribou conservation plan
36 Health
38 Food
Exploring Revelstoke’s famous 24 Just the Stats! Revy real estate prices are on watery climbing hangout the rise
14 Trailbuilding
The fine points of garden genetic diversity
29 LUNA fest
22 Caribou impacts
12 Waterworld
Local potter Kaitlan Murphy on her craft
19 Golden Sound
11 Spokin’ Word
27 Gardening
20 David Thompson Classic
8
16 Jumping Creek profile
New equipment to be installed at sewage lagoon
12
25 Mary Vaux Retracing the steps of a pioneering scientist and explorer
Jade Wellness opens new location
Taco Club reopens their flagship truck as an experimental kitchen
PO BOX 112 606 Railway Avenue Revelstoke, B.C. V0E 2S0
July issue contributors COVER PHOTO Patrick O’Neill climbs at Waterworld, one of Revelstoke’s most iconic climbing spots. Photo: Laura Szanto Aaron Orlando
Laura Szanto
Amaris Bourdeau
Bryce Borlick
Sarah j. Spurr
Heather Hood
Cassidy Randall
Sara Sansom
Shannon MacLean
Emily Beaumont
Katie Langmuir
Lindsay Borque
Jake Sherman
Claudia Bambi
Creative Director
Melissa Jameson
3
NEWS BRIEF
Miller Time adaptive mountain bike trail opens at Mt. Macpherson New trail is part of a regional trend to provide accessible mountain bike trails By Aaron Orlando The Revelstoke Cycling Association opened its first official adaptive mountain biking trail at Mount Macpherson on Saturday, May 26. The Miller Time loop trail is named after local mountain biker Chris Miller, who rides a recumbent adaptive mountain bike, or aMTB. He was on hand to cut the ribbon and take the first lap after the grand opening, followed by dozens of kids and parents who were there for the opening and a fun race. Miller said it was an honour to have the trail named after him, noting that the trail was also a great facility for little mountain bikers taking their first trip out to the Macpherson trails. The 1.1-kilometre cross country trail starts and finishes at the Griffith Creek parking lot, with a trailhead at the top and bottom lot. In general, aMTB trails are wider with more even surfaces and have mellower curves that allow for wider radius turns. The bumps and climbs are mellowed out, with fewer rocks and roots. AMTB rider Matt Krueger travelled to Revelstoke from Vancouver for the grand opening event with his $15,000 aMTB bike. He heard about the event through an online group, and was stoked to be at the grand opening. Krueger said the bike technology has come a long way in the past five years. AMTB bikes come in many forms, tailored to the abilities and preferences of individual riders. Some are pedalled by foot, others by hand cranks, and there are gravity-only bikes. Some have electric assist motors. Some have a kneeling stance, while others are recumbent. Other riders use traditional mountain bikes that have built-in electric-assist motors. Across the spectrum, aMTB bike technology has improved dramatically in the past five years as the sport has grown in popularity. RCA president Henning Schipper said that aMTB trail standards are new and undergoing development and refinement. He said that Revelstoke’s steep geography makes finding locations for aMTB trails a challenge. One requirement is vehicle access to the trailhead. The location at Griffith Creek was a natural selection. He added that future aMTB trail development in the area 4
Chris Miller takes the first ride after the grand opening of the Miller Time trail in late May. Photos: Aaron Orlando could incorporate other riding styles, such as a downhill trail on Bouder Mountain.Revelstoke joins a recent aMTB trail-building trend in the region, with new trails in the Nakusp and New Denver areas. Adaptive mountain bike trails come in many different forms, too, depending on the preferences and the abilities of riders. For some aMTB riders, downhill trails are a personal preference, and others ride them due to restricted pedaling capacity. The Miller Time loop is a cross-country trail. DBP Construction Services did the construction work on the trail. Owner Dave Biggin-Pound was on hand for the grand opening. The Miller Time trail doubles as a beginner and kids trail, and is much easier than existing beginner trails at Macpherson such as Stimulus. An intermediate rider could pedal it with a kids chariot in tow. The RCA event also served as the grand opening of two new beginner trails, Leap Frog and Beaver Tail, both of which are also very near the Griffith Creek parking lot. Several dozen kids were on hand for a fun race around the new loop. Funding for the Miller Time loop came from a number of supporters and sponsors, including the Columbia Basin Trust, Revelstoke Rotary Club, Revelstoke Credit Union, Pharmasave Revelstoke and more. Chris Miller mentored Revelstoke pro rider Casey Brown, pictured here.
JONES DISTILLING REVELSTOKE - BRITISH COLUMBIA
MR. JONES VODKA - PROUDLY TAKING HOME BRONZE IN THE SIP INTERNATIONAL SPIRIT COMPETITION
MR. JONES VODKA & COCKTAILS NOW SERVING AT: KAWAKUBO | SUSHI : SAKE : STEAK THE ROCKFORD GRILL 112 RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE THE RIVER CITY PUB THE CRAFT BIERHAUS SUMMER HOURS: TUESDAY - SUNDAY TOURS, TASTINGS & RETAIL AT 616 THIRD STREET WEST, REVELSTOKE, B.C. 11:00AM - 5:00PM
www.jonesdistilling.com 5
Will sewage plant upgrades smell relief for Southside residents? By Melissa Jameson
OPENING
NIGHT
SATURDAY
SEPT. 29 6:00 PM TO
MIDNIGHT
2018 FEATURING OVER 25 ARTISTS,LUNA BRINGS ART AND ENERGY TO DOWNTOWN REVELSTOKE WITH LIVE PERFORMANCE AND INTERACTIVE ART INSTALLATIONS
WITNESS THE TRANSFORMATION
Luna is produced by the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre, the Revelstoke Arts Council and the Revelstoke Chamber of Commerce CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS ACCOMMODATION ASSOCIATION
6
It’s baaack! The overpowering sewage smell wafted through Revelstoke’s Southside neigbourhood and beyond starting in May, causing an outcry from residents who have dealt with the spring (and beyond) smell for decades. However, Southside residents could soon be smelling sweet relief – or at least be able to enjoy sitting outside without the unwelcome smell of sewage permeating from the nearby sewage treatment plant. Revelstoke City Council gave its approval for the city to enter into a contract with Triplepoint Water Technologies to install aeration equipment in the first pond at the treatment plant. Council also approved an increase in the budgeted amount for the project, which now stands at $240,000. The new aeration equipment will be installed in sewage treatment lagoon “pond one” this summer. However, it could take longer to see results or to know if the upgrade will actually work. Director of engineering Mike Thomas said the timeline for results is dependent on atmospheric temperatures, meaning the smell could dissipate within days or it could take weeks. “I wouldn’t want to predict how long it can take. If we have 35-degree weather it can take longer,” said Thomas. Despite the unknown timeline on results, Southside resident Chris Parker is happy to see the city taking steps to solve the now decades long sewer odour issues. Parker, who was among eight Southside residents to attend the special council meeting in late May, said he felt the meeting was informative but questioned the city’s timeline on moving forward with the project. He noted a community group meeting scheduled for just after the city meeting. “Whether or not the scheduled meeting influenced their decision I can’t say, but it is nice to have some action happening. I was very happy that Mike and a few of the councillors stuck around to answer questions. I know they’d all love to have this monkey off their back,” Parker told the Mountaineer. In an email to the Mountaineer, Thomas said city staff were not aware of any community meetings being planned when discussion about the special council meetings occurred late last week. “I’m really not sure when the residents started planning a meeting, but it’s not really a coincidence either, calling it a coincidence would suggest that there is no causal relationship between the two events, the sewer treatment plant odour caused and demanded a response from the city, just as it had spurred the community to set up a neighbourhood meeting and for some of those residents to attend the special council meeting,” said Thomas. The special council meeting also provided an opportunity for the public to be informed of the planned work on the sewer treatment plant. The project will see contractor Triplepoint work with city staff to replace and upgrade the aeration technology currently in use in pond one. Thomas said the current aerators in pond one are difficult to maintain. The new system will include a manifold on the shoreline making them easier for operators to manage and maintain. It’s something Thomas said is more of a maintenance project that is required due to the age of the current aerators. “Unfortunately we’re doing it at the same time there’s an odour issue,” said Thomas. The return of the sewage smell triggered the city to ramp up discussions with Triplepoint, finalizing the construction plan. With the next regular council meeting not scheduled until June 12, Thomas said senior staff decided along with Mayor Mark McKee that it was necessary to speed up the process. “We felt that waiting until the 12th would only delay the date of installation by another three weeks, which was clearly going to be an unacceptable to the community if the odour continues,” he said. Councillor Gary Sulz, who lives in the Southside neighbourhood, said he and other councillors are very aware of the impacts the ongoing sewer smell is having. City councillors spent the better part of an hour asking Thomas questions about the sewer treatment plant prior to making the decision to install new aerators at the May meeting. “We want residents to realize we’re not giving up doing what we’re doing just because we’re spending $200,000 on something. We on council are very much aware there is an issue,” he said. There is still a need for the city to look at the need for long-term upgrades to the sewer treatment plant. Thomas said with the need to replace the sewer treatment plant within the next five to 10 years, the city needs to ensure it’s not just throwing money at the problem without appreciating the possibility of spending tens of millions of dollars on a new plant in the near future. “We did not plan to trigger this work and the expense unless the odour problem recurred, particularly with a potential future, expensive upgrade of the plant on the horizon,” he said. Parker said he believes the city could see a drop in costs associated with the sewage treatment plant if a more proactive approach were used.“It’s time for the city to put off the issues of beautification and entertainment. It’s time they start being more proactive than reactive and they would notice the costs drop considerably,” he said.
CHRIS JOHNSTON & ASSOCIATES
REV IRRIGATION SERVICES TM
Chris Johnston & Melissa Klages Providing legal services in Revelstoke and Nakusp Real Estate (anywhere in BC) Purchase – Sale – Mortgages – Purchase Contracts – Disputes Wills Estate Planning – Powers of Attorneys – Representation Agreements Family Divorces – Custody – Child Support – Separation Agreements – Co-habitation Agreements Criminal DUI – Drugs – Assault – Motor Vehicle Offences Corporate Incorporations – Buying and Selling a Business ICBC Claims Personal Injury - Motor Vehicle Accidents in association with the MacIsaac Group
SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR PROPERTY
-
SPRING START UPS MAINTENANCE & REPAIR WINTERIZATION SEASONAL MONITORING RESIDENTIAL INSTALLS
CALL FOR A
(250) 837-6171 202 First Street East Revelstoke BC – V0E 2S0 www.revelstokelawyer.com | info@revelstokelawyer.com
F R E E
ESTIMATE
(250) 837-8668 revirrigationservices@gmail.com www.revirrigation.com
1-888-290-3388
2380 Trans Canada Hwy NE, Salmon Arm, BC V1E 4P6
There have been many changes to Revelstoke Cable over the last few years
— from adding internet services to upgrading to digital TV to rebranding to YourLink Revelstoke. Through it all, much of the core local team have steadily supported our community. We are very proud to have served Revelstoke and appreciate all the support we have received in return along the way. As you may know, Revelstoke Cable was purchased and rebranded to YourLink many years ago. In October 2016, YourLink was purchased by TELUS. The YourLink Revelstoke Cable network will be turned down on October 3rd, 2018. We encourage our YourLink Revelstoke customers to make the switch to TELUS PureFibre. Please call 1-855-502-2332, or email pfconnect@telus.com or visit Tom Harris Cellular 103 1 St. E. as soon as possible to avoid any disruptions of service. We’re confident that you’ll be happy with TELUS PureFibre internet and Optik TV service with Video on Demand. Thank you all for your support. Sincerely, Tracey, Sheldon, Tyler, Shawn, Linda, Kathy, Sophie (and of course Cheryl)
7
CALENDAR VISIT REVELSTOKEMOUNTAINEER.COM/CALENDAR FOR MORE DETAILS AND TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN EVENT FOR FREE FOR INCLUSION ONLINE AND IN OUR MONTHLY PRINT CALENDAR *Please check the event on the day as details may change*
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. The Heels perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
WEEKLY EVENTS MONDAY LOL Monday open night Comedy @ The Last Drop Pub 8:30 p.m.—11 p.m. An open mic, hosted by comedian Katie Burrell w/Special guests Chris Griffin & Maddy Kelly.
TUESDAY Downtown Walking Tour @ Revelstoke Museum & Archives 11a.m.—12p.m. Meet at Revelstoke Museum & Archives, 315 First Street West, for a one-hour guided tour of Revelstoke’s historic downtown. Suitable for all ages. Well-behaved leashed dogs are welcome. $5 per person.
WEDNESDAY 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.
Wednesday Night Paddle @ Downtown Revelstoke 5:30p.m.—8p.m. The Revelstoke Paddling Association hosts Wednesday Night Paddle every Wednesday. Meet at 5:30 p.m. in the lot behind Apex. For more information visit www.paddlerevelstoke.com.
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.
THURSDAY Cemetery Walking Tour @ Mountain View Cemetery 3p.m.—4:30p.m. Join the Revelstoke Museum & Archives at the Mountain View Cemetery every second Tuesday. Meet at the garden gates or call the museum at 250-837-3067 for a ride. Children are welcome but there is some adult content. $5 per person.
MONDAY, JULY 2 SATURDAY Farmers Markets @ Grizzly Plaza & Mackenzie Avenue 8 a.m.—1p.m. Stock up on fresh veggies, crafts and more at Revelstoke’s wildly popular Saturday gatherings.
CANADA DAY EVENTS SUNDAY, JULY 1 Bike decorating contest @ Grizzly Plaza 10 a.m. Deck out your bike in red and white at the decorating station and then join the parade at 12 p.m. There’s a prize for top bike!
Canada Day Parade @ Downtown Revelstoke 11 a.m. This year’s parade starts at the Revelstoke Courthouse and travels up First Street to Mackenzie Avenue.
Canada Day Events @ Queen Elizabeth Park
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Kumbana Marimba perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
1 p.m.—4 p.m. Join Revelstoke artist Georgia Rayne Summer at her studio and garden and check out her watercolour art gallery.
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Baker St. Blues perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
Revelstoke ATV Club Annual 2018 3 Valley GPS Ride @ Wap Lake
6p.m.—9p.m. StartUp Revelstoke hosts this innovation night focused on outdoor activity, sport or recreational business. Fuse technology to make it powerful in the digital age. Connect with other entrepreneurs.
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. RevyMade Music perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 4
Race 4 in the series.
Studio & Gallery Raynebow open house @ 1733 Sunnyside Road
FRIDAY, JULY 6
Innovation Night: Sports, Rec & Adventure Tech @ Revelstoke United Church
Canada Day Bocce Ball Tournament @ Queen Elizabeth Park
SUNDAY, JULY 1
8 p.m. Zachari Smith performs at the Last Drop Pub.
SATURDAY, JULY 7
RCA Arrow Fiver Series @ Macpherson
JULY EVENTS
Zachari Smith @ Last Drop Pub
TUESDAY, JULY 3
12 p.m. Head over to Queen Elizabeth Park after the parade for a variety of activities.
12:45 p.m. Watch bocce in action at this Canada Day tournament hosted by the Revelstoke Italian Club.
live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
6 p.m.
Visit bikerevelstoke.org for details.
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza
7 a.m. Find hidden GPS markers at the annual ATV SxS ride. Visit revelstokeatvclub.com for more information. Pre-registration is required this year.
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Owl Puppets and Under The Rocks perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
Roller Derby Bout – Derailers vs Sea to Sky Sirens @ Revelstoke Forum 7p.m.—1p.m. Come see the Revelstoke Derailers take on the Sea to Sky Sirens from Squamish in their final bout of the season. Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door.
SUNDAY, JULY 8 Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza
6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Tequila Mockingbird Orchestra perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. The Rev perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
THURSDAY, JULY 5
MONDAY, JULY 9
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza
6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Jackson Hollow perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy
6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Band TBA. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
CALENDAR
JULY 2018 TUESDAY, JULY 10 Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Sarah Beatty performs at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live
performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
FRIDAY, JULY 13 Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. The Staggers & Jaggs perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Mountain Sound perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. The Honey Tongues perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
THURSDAY, JULY 12 Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Aerialists perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live
Summer Live Rock Show @ Last Drop Pub
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. The Tappalachain String Band perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
MONDAY, JULY 16 Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Devon Coyote performs at the Revelstoke
WI T H
• • • •
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza
6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. The Om Sound perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
SATURDAY, JULY 21
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. VISSIA performs at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
Revelstoke 3-Day Heli-assisted Enduro @ Glacier House Resort
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza
SUNDAY, JULY 15
REVELSTOKE OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza
THURSDAY, JULY 19
8 p.m. Dark Stone will be performing one night only.
get Outside & Enjoy
TUESDAY, JULY 17
WEDNESDAY, JULY 18
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza
WEDNESDAY, JULY 11
All Day 3-Days of Enduro racing, cumulative time over three days, decides winner. For more information visit www.revelstoke3day.com
6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Derina Harvey Band performs at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
SATURDAY, JULY 14
performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
All Day 3-Days of Enduro racing, cumulative time over three days, decides winner. For more information visit www.revelstoke3day.com
6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Iskwe and Aza perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
Rumble in the Jungle IV Bouldering Tournament @ Englishman Boulders
Night Light BC Tour@ Last Drop Pub
10 a.m.—5 p.m. A friendly and fun bouldering competition and festival for all skill levels. Men’s and women’s categories. For more details and registration info visit revelstokebouldering.ca.
9 p.m. Myc Sharratt and Grant Richardson bring their acoustic tour of BC to Revelstoke at the Last Drop.
FRIDAY, JULY 20
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza
Revelstoke 3-Day Heli-assisted Enduro @ Glacier House Resort
Canoe Rentals & Small Trip Outfitting Guided Canoe Tours, Trips & Expeditions Whitewater Kayak Lessons and Rentals Top Rope Rock Climbing
6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m.
• • • •
Float Rafting Tours Youth Outdoor Programs Women’s Wellness Weekends Multi-Activity Adventure Holidays
OPEN 9 TO 9 | 1-866-929-3539 | info@flexpeditions.com #connectoutside | revelstokeoutdooradventures.com | flexpeditions.com
CALENDAR
JULY 2018 Partial to Pie perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
SUNDAY, JULY 22
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza
Garden and Art Tour @ various locations All Day The Revelstoke Local Food Initiative presents this self-guided tour of local gardens and art. For more information visit revel-
MONDAY, JULY 23
6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. The Wooden Horsemen perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
TUESDAY, JULY 24 Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Malagrupa Band perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer. stokelocalfood.com.
Revelstoke 3-Day Heli-assisted Enduro @ Glacier House Resort All Day 3-Days of Enduro racing, cumulative time over three days, decides winner. For more information visit www.revelstoke3day.com
The Dam Fondo @ Hwy 23 North All Day Avalanche Canada hosts the inaugural Dam Fondo, a 3-day amazing bike ride that starts and ends in Revelstoke, enjoying the smooth pavement of Hwy 23 North. Details and registration info at www.avalanche.ca/ foundation.
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Maritime Kitchen Party perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street
WEDNESDAY, JULY 25 Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Zonnis performs at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
THURSDAY, JULY 26 Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. This Way North perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
FRIDAY, JULY 27
Swim, Pizza and Movie Night @ Revelstoke Community Centre 5 p.m.—8:30 p.m. Pizza and movie night is back for the summer! Parents with kids ages 7 to 12 can drop them off for a fun packed evening. Cost is $20 per child and includes pizza, aquatic centre fee and 3.5 hours of supervised fun! Call 250-837-9351 for more information.
Revelstoke Cycling Association Enduro Fiver Series @ TBA 6 p.m.—8p.m. Race Number Four in the Enduro Fiver Series. Visit bike revelstoke.org for more information.
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. FRANKIIE performs at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
The Pickups @ Last Drop Pub 9 p.m. Rock band the Pickups come through Revelstoke. Bring your horns out for a night of sizzling guitar playing and banging drums and bass.
SATURDAY, JULY 28 Revelstoke Squash Club golf fundraiser tournament @ Revelstoke Golf Course
Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. The Cut Losses perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
SUNDAY, JULY 29 Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. El Niven and The Alibi perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
MONDAY, JULY 30 Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Scott Cook performs at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
TUESDAY, JULY 31 Revelstoke Summer Street Festival @ Grizzly Plaza 6:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. Jesse and the Dandelions perform at the Revelstoke Art Council’s Summer Street Fest. Enjoy live performances every evening in Grizzly Plaza during the summer.
11 a.m. Join the Revelstoke Squash club at the Revelstoke Golf Club for a fantastic fundraiser. Cost is $75 adults/$20 juniors. Tickets include 18 holes of golf, dinner, and more. Check out the Revelstoke Racquet Den Squash Club on Facebook for more info.
FOOT WORKS
“Helping to solve your knee, foot & ankle problems.” CUSTOM ORTHOTICS BY PRESCRIPTION 90 minute Clinical & Biomechanical assessment, including gait and pressure analysis.
250-837-1662 *BY APPOINTMENT PLEASE* tmakos@telusplanet.net 1645 Mason Rd, Revelstoke
TERRY MAKOS C. Ped (C) CERTIFIED PEDORTHIST CANADA - Over 25 years experience Pedorthic Association of Canada / College of Pedorthics of Canada 10
OUTDOORS
Dust, blood, and pain
You gonna ride that, Mister? Photo: Pamela Saunders
By Bryce Borlick The Big Hill. It was sixty vertical feet of steep and marbley bicycle-devouring hell that was deemed an “impossible” descent by a fellow grade 4 kid from his stretcher in the ER. It captivated us one summer and we spent the long humid days seeking out increasingly tough terrain to practice on, and periodically sending ourselves down The Big Hill in clouds of dust and blood. No one ever made it. But that process of trial and lots of error, of adding bricks to our jumps and scabs to our knees, made us more skilled and resilient riders and made that a summer to remember. That’s where the roots of mountain biking lie, in those battered sections of singletrack that threw constant challenges at the woefully inadequate bikes of the time and the riders who dared venture into the mountains on them. It’s easy to lose sight of that nowadays as we hoot and holler our way through alpine berms on the
latest carbon wunderbikes. Nevertheless there’s wisdom in that grumpy old man saying: if it’s easy, it’s not worth doing. The greatest reward in mountain biking comes from the difficulty and personal challenge. So drop into trails that you can’t ride yet. Become comfortable with being uncomfortable. And more importantly, keep the tough sections tough even if it means having to walk them every single time. Because, in the end, it’s not sunshine and glory that makes biking fun, it’s the dust and the blood. If that doesn’t sound fun, allow me to introduce an even harder truth of mountain biking: it’s mostly uphill. You spend the vast majority of your riding time climbing and the sooner you learn to like it, the better. And what’s not to like? Heart rate redlining as you struggle to remain upright through one steep technical section after another. It warms my heart to think of the pain biking can inflict, not because I’m a sadist but because I know that when the pain starts, so does the
payoff. The benefits of hard aerobic exercise cannot be understated. Stronger cardiovascular and immune systems. Better cognitive functions. Increased metabolism and energy. Reduced stress, anxiety, and depression. Reduced risk of cancer, osteoporosis, and a host of other illnesses. Simply put, with every pedal stroke you move toward a longer and more fulfilling life. You don’t need a motor — you are the motor. Years later I returned to The Big Hill with my bike. I had looked forward to slaying that dragon but, as I peered over the edge, it still scared me. My confidence faded as memories of the dust and the blood came flooding back. Maybe it’s better to leave some lines unridden, I thought. “You gonna ride down that?” a local kid asked, dropping his Nerf football as he sauntered over to watch the show. “I’m gonna try,” I said. And I rolled over the edge once again.
11
OUTDOORS
Clockwise from right: Leah Poirer takes in the view; Patrick O’Neill ascends. Laura Szanto shoots the approach; Poirer and O’Neill share a laugh. Photos by Laura Szanto/Revelstoke Mountaineer 12
OUTDOORS
into
Take a paddle Waterworld, one of Revelstoke’s most stunning climbing spots Words and photos by Laura Szanto If you really wanted to show off some of Revelstoke’s climbing chops to someone visiting Revelstoke, you’d take them to Waterworld. I was canoeing towards Martha Creek for a camping trip when I saw Waterworld for the first time I. I was taken aback by its tall, colourful quartzite cliffs that jutted out so prominently against the jade-coloured Lake Revelstoke. The views of Mt. Begbie and the surrounding alpine are expansive, and you’ll notice that you can actually spot the cliffs from the boat launch even five kilometres away! A day out rock climbing at Waterworld is definitely a more adventurous and unique experience than your average day at the crag. You can choose to either begin at the top of the climb and rappel 90 metres to the belay ledge below, or approach with a canoe, boat, SUP or any other means of travel across Lake Revelstoke. While the scenic route is a more pleasant ride, it can be a bit of a logistical challenge tying your canoe off at the bottom of the cliffs. Hitching the canoe to a thin ledge and a not-so-sturdy piece of wood was our best solution, however we did hear amusing stories of drowned kayaks and stranded climbers. With all the interesting challenges aside, Waterworld offers steep technical climbing complete with dynamic roof pulls, thin crimps, and delicate footwork. Since you’re climbing above Lake Revelstoke there is a unique exposure content that fuels the adrenaline of the climb. While there is plenty of more advanced technical climbing, Waterworld offers some very enjoyable moderate grade climbing covering an area of three climbing sections (Gilligan’s Island, Voyage Cliff and Gangplank) and over 19 established sport routes. So whether you’re just looking to have an adventure and pull up some jugs, or looking to push your limit, Waterworld is sure to satisfy all of your climbing needs. An insider safety tip is to wear a helmet and to be mindful of those climbing above you, as the rock is considered ‘chossy’ and rock fall is common in this area.
13
OUTDOORS
Blood, sweat, and volunteers Volunteers are moving from the back seat to the driver’s seat in developing local trail networks By Bryce Borlick Taking a break in the lush forest of lower Mount Macpherson, Cormack Clowater and Emerson Lucier lean on their tools. The twelve-year-olds have taken an interest in building bike trails and, even though unauthorized building can net some hefty fines, they’re cutting in a new line below Beaver Tail. It’s not long before someone shows up to see what they’re up to. “Great job guys,” says Mark Wood as he inspects the duo’s work. “Just remember the techniques we talked about
in the classroom.” The two friends are taking part in a two-day trail building workshop, and while it may be difficult to see the forest for the trees, the work they’re doing today is part of a larger shift towards volunteer-based trail planning and construction. Their instructor for the weekend, Mark Wood, is the Principal Consultant at Trail Holistics, a company that works with community groups to plan and develop recreational trail networks. Mark is busy each summer, travelling the province to lead almost two dozen of these level-one workshops that teach basic trail building skills to participants. The enthusiasm is palpable amongst our group and most attendees are keen to apply the lessons to their favourite section of singletrack. “This season I’ll be out to more Tuesday volunteer nights, it’s a great thing,” remarks Grant Helgeson between swings of his mattock. “When you ride a trail, it takes you wherever the builder wanted to go and now it’s kinda cool to be on the other side of it.” It wasn’t always like this. Traditionally, the average hiker, trail runner, or mountain biker took a backseat in the planning, construction, and maintenance of trails. People used old routes that were originally established for industry, or they accessed the well-developed trail networks within parks. Occasionally an unsanctioned trail Mark Wood leads the trailbuilding workshop. Photo: Bryce Borlick
would pop up but they were generally built by small groups and individuals rather than through a community effort. Only in the last decade or so has trail planning and building become transparent to and inclusive of end users. What’s also become more transparent are the considerable costs of professional building. “We use $10 per metre when we are planning ‘normal’ trails at Macpherson,” explains Keith McNab, former president of the Revelstoke Cycling Association. “Trails in the alpine are much more expensive. We paid over $20 per metre for the Frisby Ridge Extension that we built last summer.” With funds too limited to cover a long wish list of trail projects, organizations like the RCA have increasingly engaged volunteers. Tapping into this vast pool of free labour to help tackle the more arduous tasks allows funds to be directed where professional work is most needed. It also fosters a sense of inclusion for the community and, ultimately, it means that more projects are completed each year. The volunteer-run RCA has even established trail ‘polygon’ areas on Mount Macpherson and Boulder Mountain which further streamlines the approval process and reduces costs. And all the work is paying off. As the trail networks have expanded over the last ten years they’ve become an anchor for summer tourism and have solidified Revelstoke’s position as an international destination for mountain biking. This process snowballs as passionate trail
users who relocate to the area often end up volunteering to further improve the network. The increase in trails also provides an invaluable boost to quality of life in a town where outdoor recreation is a cornerstone of culture. But the benefits of these workshops don’t stop there. In addition to teaching skills in grant writing and working with local governments, the level-two workshops also show attendees how to bring in local businesses as trail sponsors. Much like the Adopt-a-Highway program, a business and their employees agrees to perform a certain level of maintenance on a trail in exchange for being the title sponsor for the year. “It’s a mechanism for more people to get engaged who want to get out there but just don’t know how. It’s a huge success,” says Mark. And even though Mark is well versed in all these areas, he too learns new tricks as he travels from town to town, allowing him to constantly update the best practices that he teaches. “It’s the Japanese principle of Kaizen — this curriculum is always improving.” At the end of the day, Cormack and Emerson are dead tired but they’re happy with what they‘ve learned and accomplished over the weekend. There’s a sense of camaraderie amongst the crew as well as a sense that they’re taking on more ownership of their local trail system. And while that may not be one of the direct objectives of the workshop, it might be the biggest success.
Sarah Koriath RMT Regular Massage Therapy can effectively:
ARE YOU STARTING TO FEEL STIFF AND SORE from injury • Reduce stress-related tension • Support rehabilitation • Improve sleep • Valuable maintenance tool in your athletic pursuits. FROM ALL THAT SUMMER • Treat persistent and chronic pain FUN? • We also love to provide perinatal massage! • Speed Come inrecovery for a massage and stay on top of your game!
Make Massage Therapy Part of your At Bodylogic, we are passionate about supporting on your journey to optimal health and wellness. Holistic Approach to Optimum Health.
Call us at (250) 837-3666 Book online at www. bodylogicmassagerevelstoke.com
14
Karen Schneider RMT Direct billing available
Kel
Soak in Ancient Healing Waters A R ROW L A K E , B R I T I S H C O L U M B I A
Kelsey Knoll digs in. Photo: Bryce Borlick/Revelstoke Mountaineer
Refresh your body and soul in our world renowned mineral pools and day lodge. Enjoy our accommodations and full service spa. Experience gourmet food and wine with spectacular views in the Kingfisher Restaurant and Lounge. 68KM SOUTH OF REVELSTOKE OVERLOOKING ARROW LAKE
1.888.689.4699
Summer Packages HALCYON-HOTSPRINGS.COM 15
FEATURE
BIG CURVES & OTHER GOOD THINGS
Kaitlan holds her hanging planter in the domestic jungle. Photo: Sarah j. Spurr 16
DREAM WHEELING WITH JUMPING CREEK POTTERY By Sarah j. Spurr “This Darling is bad ass big.” —An affectionate string of words to describe a bowl, but count on its maker to spill a little language when she’s struck something special. Kaitlan Murphy is a Revelstoke-based potter who has built a reputation drawing inspiration from her deepest reserves. She’s observant, practical, not to mention multi-disciplined and her design awareness is peppered in cameos of interesting references. Her chosen superpower is craftsmanship — yes, she can literally fire into stone — all the beautiful ways in which she so chooses to serve it. Welcoming, curvaceous forms that are structured and yet relaxed can hold a whole lotta good. Kaitlin began Jumping Creek Pottery in 2014. A successful Kickstarter campaign helped spread the word and she launched her business into the travelling caravan-style shop she had envisioned for some time. She laid the groundwork, earned invaluable production experience and faced the challenges of mobile retail logistics as they came. Looking ahead, Kaitlan re-evaluated her needs, making the decision to sell her hand-built shop on wheels. Trimming the excess allowed her to grow through reinvestment, making essential
“Each pot that I make is an improvement on the one that preceded it. I am constantly trying to streamline the process of throwing. My pottery embodies stories, dreams, feelings and beliefs that I have garnered on my journeys.” upgrades where it counts in the studio. “Each pot that I make is an improvement on the one that preceded it. I am constantly trying to streamline the process of throwing. My pottery embodies stories, dreams, feelings and beliefs that I have garnered on my journeys.” At home she puts the kettle on and shows me to the pieces she lives by. We talk about things like callings, healing, relationships and how a business sometimes looks in the shapeshifting world of art: symbiotic, disciplined and subject to ramble. Trailing vines and bunches of greenery spill from clusters across the room. Hanging planters with generous “bee-bottom” shapes form the canopy of a self-prescribed houseplant jungle. Other things that hang include a warm clay pendant light, which hovers silently, beaming down on us like an earth friendly UFO — and an old wooden boat, patient for restoration or like most deserving things: “just one hundred hours of my time.”
Tumblers by Kaitlan Murphy. Photo: Kaitlan Murphy
‘A whole lot of Booty’ a stack of recent creations by Kaitlan Murphy. Photo: Kaitlan Murphy
SjS: It’s been four years living with your dream child Jumping Creek Pottery. Update us on what’s turning. Where will you be taking your art this summer? Or rather — where is the art taking you? KM: I will be selling pottery at the market and working on a wholesale catalogue. In early August, I will be heading to California to teach pottery workshops as well as to promote my wholesale line. What inspired the name Jumping Creek? How has it stood up to your vision or taken new meaning since your Kickstarter campaign in 2014? When I started my business I lived in Albert Canyon. Jumping Creek is the next drainage up from Albert. The name Jumping Creek suits me and my pottery well. The actual jumping creek is a beautiful waterway. The rocks in the creek are stunning. It is a good place to go and be quiet. How do you bring the outdoors, inward with your work? Those who know me well know that I like quiet places. Being alone in nature defines my heart, whether that be walking along the Columbia or scaring myself on some talus slope. It is the heart-wrenching beauty of contrast. Spring-green sagebrush hillocks to old trees burnt black in last year’s fires. It all takes my breath away. Throwing pots is a meditation. Simple motions repeated again and again until it is my breath and my mantra. And then the sunlight breaks into my studio and I can smell rain coming over the Monashees. I can’t have one without the other. You are actively the artist, student and now the teacher. How do these three things create balance? I passionately love learning and I am now loving the challenge of teaching technical 17
“Big curves feel good to throw and better in hand once they are done. Smooth and light.” Kaitlan Murphy at work. Photo: Sarah j. Spurr
pottery workshops. Teaching these workshops has given me a tangible problem to solve. If all the participants of my skill and drill-based workshops are not notably better by the end of the two days, then I didn’t do my job. I am reading books and continually asking my family of all school teachers where I can improve. I love pottery so much because I can always improve. On the living room floor, I spy a homeowner’s manual turned open to illustrations on fireplace maintenance. How do you honour your do-it-yourself mentality? Where do you go gather new design information? Pottery in itself is a DIY craft. There are potters that source their own clay and minerals, grinding them into fine pastes and experimenting with clay bod-
ies and glazes. Right now I am working through an idea that incorporates wood and clay. I am playing around with wood veneer, wood joinery and as well as large wheel-thrown pots in order to make hanging chandeliers. It is a long process. I have to teach myself a lot of stuff. I come from a culture that is pretty competent also. I grew up in New Denver and the marriage of rural practicality and draft dodger hippy influence made for a mindset of, “if you truly use your intellect, your sweat equity and your heart, anything is possible.” Shine a little something on us from your own design philosophy: Twenty percent of the world’s population uses 67 percent of the world’s resources and generates 75 percent of the world’s waste. We are all part of that
population. My clay and glaze materials come from strip mines. I quit pottery when I was 27 because I couldn’t justify what I was doing. When I started back up, I decided that I had to make the best pottery I could make. My designs had to be timeless and my craftsmanship flawless. My pots had to be an investment for the soul. I want my pottery to sit in someone’s cupboard in 40 years and still look good and never end up begging for space in a landfill next to Save-on-Foods bags and old engine oil. If you could make a salad to fill up one of your recent big booty-ful bowls, what ingredients would you use to give us a taste of what’s feeding you now?
The salad would then be topped with chanterelles that have been cooked in balsamic vinegar, packed in a jar with olive oil over the winter. Follow @jumpingcreekpottery on Instagram to receive a thoughtfully curated space filled with Kaitlan’s attention to photography, flowing words, carpentry and of course beautiful locally made stoneware. When not on the road, find Jumping Creek at the Saturday farmers market or in a local retail shop downtown. Contact Kaitlan for orders, lessons, dining sets or to set up an appointment. www.jumpingcreekpottery.com
My salad would have fresh greens grown by Terra Firma and roasted garlic and hazelnuts grown by my parents.
Tandem Paragliding Flights in Revelstoke
Come fly with us!
18
250-837-7929
SPONSORED
Get down with the Golden Sound Festival Golden’s homegrown summer music fest celebrates its sixth offering Story contributed Golden Sound Festival began as a pipedream for organizers Todd Menzies, Jeremy Green & Pat Legare. Combining Menzies Music Productions and Golden Delicious Production to form Golden Sound Festival Society, in hopes of bringing the next level of entertainment to their small mountain-town of Golden, B.C. Since the inaugural summer festival in 2013 there has been over 100 artists to grace the stages of Golden Sound Festival including; Yukon Blonde, Five Alarm Funk, Bright Light Social Hour, The Dudes, We Are the City, Head of the Herd, Shred Kelly and many more. Beginning as what was known as the “Block Party”, a multi-venue style festival in the likes of SXSW, Rifflandia & CMW. Artistic director Todd Menzies has curated a diverse lineup each year, to make this boutique festival stand out among the many summer festivals across western Canada. Being one of the only festival to run bi-annually; with summer and winter festivals every six months, and to include every genre from folk, punk, electronic dance music, and everything in between.
Festival organizers are focused on bringing more than just music lovers to town Summer 2018 will bring a big change for Golden Sound Festival. With the financial support of Creative BC, BC Arts Council & Columbia Basin Trust; the festival will be expanding to an all age, family friendly, main outdoor stage, located at Keith King Memorial Park. Situated on top of Selkirk Hill, the festival will overlook the town of Golden, with the glorious view of Kicking Horse Mountain in the background. Headliners The Harpoonist & the Axe Murderer are schedule to close out the main stage, along with: The Wooden Sky, The Honey Tongues, Apollo Suns, Flowshine, Frankiie, and Golden locals Small Town Revival. The main stage will be hosted by the infamous Ricky Diamonds. With a wide variety of food trucks, local artisans and a beer garden hosted by Okanagan Spring Brewery, there will be no reason to leave the festival grounds all day. Gates open at 11 a.m., with music beginning at 12 p.m. and concluding
The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer headline the 2018 Golden Sound Festival this July 27 and 28. at 10 p.m., and gates closing at 11 p.m. As the sun sets on the main stage, the festival will continue in the downtown venues of The Rockwater & The Riverhouse. With the two venues proximity being a stone throw away, allowing festival goers the opportunity to bounce back and fourth and catch the likes of: Astrocolor, Youngblood, Wmnstudies, War Baby, Shiny Things, The Allovers, The Steadies, This Way North & Dahly Llama. (Note: Evening venues are 19+) Festival organizers are focused on bringing more than just music lovers to town though. Golden offers some of the most elite outdoor entertainment in the country including: rafting on Kicking Horse River, rock climbing, paragliding from Mount 7, and world class mountain biking on Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. Teaming up with both Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and Tourism Golden, they hope to expand the allure of not only the music festival but the appeal of what the town has to offer to make the weekend one to remember for the whole family. Tickets are available online at goldensoundfestival.com or in person at Darkside (517 9 Ave N) in Golden. Full Festival Passes (includes access to Keith King Memorial Park & evening venues all weekend long) are $50 in advance or $60 at the gate. An Evening Pass (valid for entry into The Rockwater & The Riverhouse; Friday and Saturday night) is available for the low price of $20. We also offer a daytime pass for Keith King Memorial Park only, for $40. Kids 12 and under are free with an accompanying adult. For further information, full lineup, and complete schedule visit www.goldensoundfestival.com.
19
FEATURE
Paddling in David Thompson’s historic wake Race from Mica to Revelstoke with the David Thompson Paddlesport Classic By Cassidy Randall Our canoe cuts through the glassy water, and I lose my count of paddle strokes in drooling over the fairy-tale waterfall we glide past. Glaciated mountains stand sentinel over the crumbling vestiges of the old Big Bend Highway that punctuate the shoreline along this sublime stretch of the Columbia between Mica Creek and Revelstoke Dam. It almost makes me forget that my shoulders are on fire from paddling frantically, I’m sick of counting to ten over and over, and I’m thirstier than I’ve
ever been in my life while also desperately needing to pee. I decided at the last minute to participate in the first-ever David Thompson Paddlesport Classic. Organized by canoe legend Bill Pollock, it’s the longest paddle event in British Columbia at 125 kilometers with six portages over three days. There were just two hitches: 1) I’d only known my teammate for 72 hours, and 2) I’d never raced a canoe. To sort out the first hitch, my pinch
Writer Cassidy Randall heads into a portage. Photo: Rob Buchanan 20
David Thompson Paddlesport Classic organizer Bill Pollock on the bullhorn. Photo: Rob Buchanan paddle partner Nathanael and I met nity here together. He masterminded for beers to make sure we wouldn’t kill the David Thompson, from conceiving each other in a canoe for three days. of the idea and designing the course to He’d been thinking about entering the leading the behemoth logistical effort to race, and when Pollock sent out feelers make it go. for a partner for me, he jumped on the In short, he’s something of a legend in opportunity. the paddling world, and we were someI asked him about his paddling what intimidated to be racing his boat. experience, and he admitted to being a Pollock blew his whistle to signal the proficient whitewater kayaker and raft start, and Nathanael and I took off in a guide. The next day I watched him run burst of mediocrity. We were immedia series of big drop class IV rapids at the ately left in the wake of the real racers, Jordan River Fest. If anything, he was confused as to why our effortful paddle over-qualified for flatwater canoeing. strokes weren’t yielding more distance, I’d been paddling packrafts and rowing while sort-of-politely and definitely-unfully-loaded rafts on whitewater myself successfully offering each other totally for years in the Pacific Northwest. I also uninformed advice for troubleshooting. used to guide student trips down the Our second mistake was not treating Lower Colorado River in aluminum this like a race. I’ve done my fair share of canoes. Between our combined boating long races, from adventure races to bike experience and the added bonus of the races to running relays, and I should fact that Pollock himself has lent us his have known to treat hydration and food lightweight racing boat, Nathanael and seriously. I developed a bit of well-intentioned We learned that in canoe racing, cockiness. How hard can flatwater cathere’s no time to scratch your nose, let noeing be? we joked. Actually … what if alone root around for the water bottle we could WIN this thing? that slid somewhere just out of reach, Until we showed up to the put-in at screw it open, pour it desperately into Mica Creek the morning of day one. your mouth (missing most of it), screw There were only six canoe racing teams, it closed again, and toss it somewhere and all of them actually had racing in the bottom of the boat — just out of experience — some with upwards of 20 reach for the next time, obviously. And years of it under their belts. We watched unwrap a granola bar and eat it? Forget the first wave of SUPs and recreational it. We longed enviously for the real boats take off, and mentally took stock racers’ sophisticated hydration systems of our formidable competition left in the with long tubes that went straight to race wave. Our cockiness ebbed a little. their mouths, filled with powdered We lined up loosely on the water at the calories. Our assumption that flatwater start line for the second wave, waitcanoeing “wasn’t that hard” was quickly ing nervously for Pollock to blow his coming back to bite us. whistle. But then we hit the first portage. At 83, Pollock is a venerated whitewaNathanael hoisted the canoe over his ter and flatwater guide and decorated head, I gathered our paddles and gear, racer. He’s paddled the Adirondack and we ran. Turns out portages were our Canoe Classic 20 times, placing in strength, and the only time we actually class 14 of those, along with racing the passed other racing teams. We became Raisin River, Jock River, and the General scarily adept at unwrapping granola bars one-handed and shoving them in our Clinton. Earlier in 2017, he founded the mouths as we sprinted, miraculously Revelstoke Paddlesports Association to avoiding aspirating on crumbs. bring the dispersed paddling commu-
Teams portage for the David Thompson Paddlesport Classic race. Photo: Rob The obvious question arises, “Why would you need to portage on a lake?” First, any excuse to get out of the boat on a 125-km race is totally welcome (for me, anyway). Second, Pollock designed the course to follow the submerged Columbia River, with its twists and turns before it was flooded with the twin dams we were paddling between. The Big Bend Highway was flooded along with the river, the original Trans-Canada before the iconic route through Rogers Pass was built. The portages ran on ruined stretches of the old highway, rising from the waters for brief stretches for our mad dashes before plunging into their glacial depths again, where we’d take flying leaps into our canoe and resume our less-than-impressive paddling. Finally, on day three, Nathanael and I hit our stride. We’d finally learned to
paddle correctly by gratefully accepting tips from the real racers. But the biggest advantage? We were locals, and we knew this last stretch of lake close to town like it was our backyard. We passed Martha Creek like it was a religious sign, and sprinted all-out for the finish at the boat launch. We even beat two teams that day (to everyone’s shock, including our own). So, the moral of the story is that if you’re new to canoe racing, always let your paddle partner carry the boat on portages. And make sure to practice eating several granola bars while sprinting. That’s all you need to know. Really. In all seriousness, the David Thompson Canoe Classic is an epic adventure well worth the entry. This year’s race takes place August 17–19. Register at www.paddlerevelstoke.ca.
PADDLESPORT CLASSIC Lake Revelstoke · British Columbia
AUGUST 17 – 19 2017 – – PADDLE FROM MICA CREEK TO REVELSTOKE DAM 3 DAYS
125KM
FLATWATER
non competitive + competitive classes RACE ENTRY INCLUDES: T-Shirt, Mileage Pin, Awards, Snacks, Shuttles, Post Race BBQ
BOATS CLASSES: Canoe, War Canoe, Kayak, SUP, Outrigger, Pro-Boat
REGISTER TODAY Entry deadline: July 15th ONLINE E-MAIL CALL
PADDLEREVELSTOKE.ca info@paddlerevelstoke.ca (250) 814 7473
Hosted by:
REVELSTOKE PADDLESPORT ASSOCIATION Natalie Harris paddles past a tugboat on Lake Revelstoke. Photo: Buchanan 21
Report warns of impact of new caribou plan on forestry, backcountry industries Under pressure from the federal government to improve efforts to save the threatened southern mountian caribou, the provincial government faces difficult decisions that could have big socio-economic impacts for Revelstoke By Melissa Jameson An alarming new report from the city of Revelstoke’s economic development department warns potential changes to the provincial mountain caribou conservation program could significantly impact two of Revelstoke’s main economic drivers, specifically forestry and tourism. The potential resulting negative economic impacts would cause cascading socio-economic effects through the local economy. The June city report dated highlights several alarming potential outcomes of changes to the mountain caribou conservation strategy. These outcomes include: -the removal of “between 65% and 100% of local [forestry] companies’ remaining Timber Harvesting Landbase” -the removal of between 40%-80% of local heli-skiing tenure areas that could cut heli-skier volume in half -“increased restrictions on snowmobiling in the matrix habitat would
significantly damage the community’s ability to both attract snowmobilers to our community and generate the associated tourism revenues from snowmobiling activities” The B.C. government is currently ramping up its efforts to protect threatened southern mountain caribou populations. This comes after Catherine McKenna, the federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change, issued an order in early May that places pressure on the B.C. government to take immediate action to improve southern mountain caribou conservation efforts. If the provincial government doesn’t take adequate steps, the federal government could step in on the southern mountain caribou file and impose further, more restrictive conservation measures. The Revelstoke Mountaineer covered the potential cascading effects of Minister McKenna’s May 4 “imminent threat” declaration in a feature in the June 2018 issue of Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine. In a report to city council, Director of
Community Economic Development Nicole Fricot said staff believe it’s imperative the city take a proactive approach in engaging the provincial government on caribou recovery. City staff has prepared a draft submission to the Ministry of Forest’s Provincial Caribou Recovery Program. An accompanying report outlines potential socio-economic impacts to the community. The report warns that harvesting restrictions could threaten the viability of the forestry industry in the region. The report notes forestry remains a major economic driver for Revelstoke with more than $29 million in direct employment income. Potential impacts on timber supply could take local forestry companies below operating efficiency thresholds. In her report, Fricot warns: “If harvest restrictions were to be placed on the Matrix habitat, it is anticipated that it would remove between 65% and 100% of our local companies remaining Timber Harvesting Landbase.” The report warns of significant
impacts on tourism, another major economic driver for Revelstoke. The potential increased restriction on recreational and commercial activities would directly impact tourism activities including heliskiing, snowmobiling, mountain biking and backcountry activities, threatening their viability. “Much of the terrain that would be lost is key skiing terrain for bad weather and periods of high avalanche hazard,” Fricot writes. “Several of our local operators have estimated that restricting access to this area would cut their skier volume in one half.” The economic impact would have trickle-down effects on industries benefiting from tourism including accommodations, retail, arts and entertainment organizations. Many of these businesses and organizations have become heavily dependent on tourism revenues. The report also notes major impacts to avalanche forecasting in the Revelstoke area, which is home to Avalanche Canada, the national avalanche fore-
GREAT SELECTION OF CRAFT BEER AND CIDER.
WIDE ASSORTMENT OF BC WINES. ALL THE LOCAL DISTILLED SPIRTS YOU NEED FOR YOUR SUMMERTIME COCKTAILS.
CH EERSLI Q U O R.CA
2 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU BETTER! CHEERS DOWNTOWN
IS LOCATED NEXT TO THE REGENT HOTEL, ACROSS FROM THE GRIZZLY PLAZA. 109 EAST VICTORIA ROAD.
CHEERS ON LAFORME
IS ADJACENT TO THE BEST WESTERN PLUS REVELSTOKE JUST OFF HIGHWAY 1. 1925 LAFORME BLVD.
ICE COLD BEER, CIDER & WINE #CHEERSTOREVY 22
DELIVERY DAILY FROM 3PM TO 11PM
250-837-4550
Revelstoke Caribou Rearing in the Wild workers release a captured and pregnant caribou doe at their maternal pen near Lake Revelstoke, a facility that protects pregnant does during pregnancy and while the calves are young. Photo: Rob Buchanan/Revelstoke Rearing in the Wild Society casting centre. Further restrictions would decrease the quality and amount of avalanche forecasting data available through their public avalanche warning system. The report notes that many of the data points used to determine avalanche danger are currently provided by helicopter and snowcat skiing opera-
tors. Restricting these operations could increase potential risk to recreational backcountry users. The report points out social trickle-down effects on the community, such as reduced support for social organizations and groups. The potential reduction in viability for the tourism and
forestry sectors could result in reduced financial support for many social organizations and programs and impact the services they are able to offer. The city report recommended that the City of Revelstoke’s response to the Draft Caribou Recovery Program focuses on cooperative and collaborative
solutions including: -Using a science-based collaborative approach. The report says research and monitoring has shown effective caribou recovery in the Revelstoke-Shuswap Planning Unit requires multiple management actions or levers. -The report recommends building on previous mountain caribou conservation efforts, and requesting that provincial authorities review mountain caribou recovery activities to date and assess key knowledge and learnings as part of planning future activities. -Public sharing and exchange of data. Publicly sharing data on current counts, herd locations, herd movements and mortalities could enhance stakeholders’ ability to more fully participate in recovery efforts. At their June 12 meeting, Revelstoke city council opted to support the main recommendations from the report. The consultation period for the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations & Rural Development’s Draft Provincial Caribou Recovery Program ended on June 15. Currently, provincial authorities are reviewing the input as they revise their caribou recovery plan. Although there is no explicit timeline, it’s expected that the provincial government will unveil their completed plan sometime this summer. Until then, Revelstoke waits to find out the impact the new conservation measures will have. This story first appeared in our online sister publcation revelstokemountaineer. com. It received an intense amount of traffic, so we’ve included it in the July issue.
A 4 hour round trip Up to 26 km of rafting All equipment is provided 9:00am and 1:00pm departures Includes photos, fresh fruit and pastry
apexrafting.com
26 years of exhilarating trips. Always our best to keep you impressed.
250-837-6376 23
REAL ESTATE
Real estate sale prices remain high After bottoming out in 2013, the average Revelstoke home sale price continues to increase as supply tightens By Emily Beaumont
The Revelstoke real estate market is correcting in some ways but is yet still strong as evidenced by the number of recent sales. Average sale prices are higher than they were in 2008, although they are not continuing through the roof contrary to the word on the street. A primary factor driving prices in this unique market is a lack of inventory creating an advantage to sellers, moreso at the beginning of the year. However, buyers over the past couple months have been more reluctant to pay higher prices and they’re pushing back with lower offers and/or waiting for more inventory to arrive. We are also seeing price reductions around town with the more motivated sellers. The lack of supply comes at an unfortunate time because the global eye is again looking at Revelstoke. How ready are we for this renewed interest in our little mountain town? Growth demands change. Revelstoke has a very unique opportunity to do it right! The problems become the doorway for innovation. We need homes entering the market that are attainable at all price levels. We need to create higher density areas, and approve laneway homes giving a potential revenue steam for long term rentals. We need to allow smaller parcels of land to accommodate smaller, skinnier and tinier homes. Build up in the downtown core. Smaller homes. Great outdoors. We need infrastructure improvements to water and sewer. We need the City of Revelstoke’s permitting processes streamlined, including a schedule for the issue of building permits to allow people to plan their build accordingly. We need accountability to the people! The geography and climate make Revelstoke’s mountain town an incredible action-packed adventure playground where one can work and live life to the fullest. The City of Revelstoke was
Incorporated in 1899 and has obviously changed over time. We must learn from what we have seen in other areas. Such as places where many of us have come from to find freedom. We need to do everything we can to make Revelstoke an option for the quality people who make up the colorful fabric of our community. Just the Stats! Here is a breakdown of the types of property sales so far in 2018: -39 Single Family Residential sales from $234,000 to $1,415,000 -8 Strata & Recreation sales from $212,500 to $535,000 -12 Manufactured Home sales from $60,000 to $355,000 -17 Lots & Acreages sales from $40,000 to $311,000 -For a total of 76 Residential Sales from January 1 to June 15, 2018. Number of Single Family Residential Home sales by month the past three years:
A recent new build in South Revelstoke. Photo: Keri Knapp/Revelstoke Mountaineer file photo 2010 $358,459 2011 $355,780 2012 $341,468 2013 $331,109 2014 $333,230 2015 $345,101 2016 $376,931 2017 $486,708 2018 $609,836
-54 of those are ‘Single Family’ Residential. Just 8 homes are under $450,000 where the majority of the Buyers are. A property can have an accepted, conditional offer waiting for subject removal which then makes the deal firm and unconditional. A property is not reported sold until the subject conditions are removed.
Current listings as of June 15
Emily Beaumont is a Realtor for Royal LePage Revelstoke. Her quarterly Just the Stats! column focuses on real estate statistics updates.
-13 Commercial -110 Residential
Month 2015 2016 2017 2018 Jan 3 6 3 5 Feb 2 10 4 5 Mar 7 11 8 8 Apr 8 8 6 8 May 13 10 9 6 Jun 12 10 14 7 Jul 10 7 9 Aug 17 14 12 Sep 17 10 6 Oct 19 7 8 Nov 8 7 9 Dec 4 1 6 Average Sale price of Single Family Homes the past 10 years: Year Sale price, average 2008 $433,557 2009 $365,094
Revelstoke
Optometry Centre
Dr. Christy Ayles 250.837.5244 www.revelstokeoptometry.ca
Age 19 +
25 Years!
NOT YOUR TYPICAL
Gift Shop, Head Shop, Sex Shop, VApe Shop (We don't sell cigarettes). 427-B Second Street East | Tuesday - Saturday Noon - 7 p.m. | 250-837-2002
“Legends throughout the world tell us that it is in that moment of uncertainty that the call to adventure comes. It arrives in various forms. An inspiration. An inner voice. Or a dream.” —Mary Vaux
Among her many accomplishments, Mary Vaux was published by the Smithsonian, published by the Canadian Alpine Journal in 1911, the first woman to successfully ascend the over 10,000 ft. Mt. Stephen in Yoho National Park, and the president of the Society of Women Geographers. Photo: Whyte Museum
Following in her dirt-covered footsteps Women warriors, the Illecillewaet Glacier, and the battle to preserve the past and transform the future By Jake Sherman Mary Vaux was a groundbreaking scientist and female adventurer who helped break down the glass ceiling, but Google her name and you’ll find she’s more often remembered for being a painter than a scientist. A local adventurer, scientist and documentary filmmaker wants to change that It’s been more than 130 years since Mary Vaux first stood atop the Illecillewaet Glacier. At the time, the narrow confines of the Victorian mindset still demanded women cover their legs. Relegate themselves to domesticity. Raise children. The thought of a woman studying science, no less — just studying — raised eyebrows. Add to that equation climbing mountains, and you had a sure fire recipe for controversy. But Mary Vaux didn’t mind.
Rather than simply be a man’s wife or a mother, the affluent daughter of Philadelphia Quakers spent her life drawing the flora of the American West, climbing and photographing the
“Curiosity, it’s like taking footsteps. It will take you places that you never thought it would” —Agathe Bernard mountains of North America, and conducting glacial research. And not just before men were doing it. But before, well, really, almost anyone was. In fact, her research methods, which relied on early large- and medium-format photography, (because hauling a large format camera and glass plates up
a mountain isn’t an accomplishment in its own right) were considered a breakthrough in the emerging field of glaciology, and her work photographing and recording the melting and movement of the Illecillewaet Glacier, just west of Rogers Pass and on the south side of Mt. Sir Donald, has made it the longest observed and recorded glacier on the continent, and among the most studied in the world. Yet, even though she helped pioneer a science, 131 years after Vaux first stepped foot on the south side of Mt. Sir Donald, and almost 80 since she last visited Rogers Pass, Google her name and you’ll find she’s more oft remembered for her watercolor paintings, or for being the wife of a prominent explorer, (one she didn’t marry until she was 54) than for being among the first people to study glacial movement in
North America, a prominent mountain climber, or the first woman to complete the more than 10,000-foot ascent of Mt. Stephen in Yoho National Park. One of the female adventurers, scientists and woman warriors who followed in Vaux’s dirt covered footsteps, wants to change that.
Finding a glimpse of the past, and moving forward Agathe Bernard nearly went blind in a work accident before she found her calling. She thought she’d never be able to take a photograph again. 25
“My first thought was that I wouldn’t be able to take pictures anymore, and that’s what I live for.” It marked a critical turning point in her life. Among other things, it took Bernard from being a full-time scientist to a photographer and storyteller. It also led her to Mary Vaux. It was during her recovery, some six years ago, that she caught a glance of a picture of a woman working up in a glacier in a Victorian-era dress. It astounded her. “I thought to myself: how the hell could she do this? Even working in Gore-Tex is difficult. And it was visually striking. It made me want to dig into her story. And the more I looked at it, the more I realized we had similarities. We had both had to overcome similar challenges.” Years later, Bernard teaching photog-
raphy to teen-agers on the Illecillewaet Glacier when she realized that this story, one that had seemed to follow her around, kicking in the back of her head, drawing her in for years, was one she wanted to tell.
the better, and the worse.
Now, after successfully applying for a $50,000 in funding from STORYHIVE and the Columbia Basin Trust, the scientist turned storyteller is working on an immersive film, two years in the making, that she hopes will help cement Vaux’s place in the history of glacial science and research. She hopes it will motivate people to take action on climate change, and empower women to get out into the mountains.
“Legends throughout the world tell us that it is in that moment of uncertainty that the call to adventure comes. It arrives in various forms. An inspiration. An inner voice. Or a dream.” —Mary Vaux
Bernard’s film, shot by FD Productions this June, sets out to tell Vaux’s story by monitoring the recession of the glacier over time. But it is more than simply about a glacier, or about a woman. It is about both, she says, and also, the state of the contemporary world. One that is constantly changing and evolving, for
at a time.
The south side of Mt. Sir Donald saw Vaux return to its glacier nearly every year, watching it slowly recede over the course of her life. That recession, a
natural process of the earth, has been accelerated by climate change. Bernard hopes her research will not only inspire more women to get out into the mountains and kick ass, but for more people to help save the planet, one small action — or even photograph —
Fact List: Among her many accomplishments, Mary Vaux was published by the Smithsonian, published by the Canadian Alpine Journal in 1911, the first woman to successfully ascend the over 10,000 ft. Mt. Stephen in Yoho National Park, and the president of the Society of Women Geographers Despite the many obstacles she encountered, Vaux’s research has helped make the Illecillewaet Glacier, just west of Rogers Pass, on the south side of Mt. Sir Donald, the longest studied glacier in North America. Vaux first visited the Illecillewaet Glacier with her brothers in 1887.
Left: Despite the many obstacles she encountered, Vaux’s research has helped make the Illecillewaet Glacier, just west of Rogers Pass, on the south side of Mt. Sir Donald, the longest studied glacier in North America. Vaux first visited the Illecillewaet Glacier with her brothers in 1887. Photo: Whyte Museum. Right: Actor Liliane Lambert portrays Mary Vaux in a new production by Agathe Bernard that will debut in May. Photo: Agathe Bernard
ELITE SEPTIC & EXCAVATION elitesepticsystems@gmail.com
• • • • •
26
Certified Planner & Installer Site Servicing Excavation & Landscaping Trucking Skid Steer & Excavator Rentals
NORTH WEST SURVEY & DESIGN nwsurveyors@gmail.com • Construction Surveying • Building & Property Layouts • Topographic & Geodetic Ties
Located in Revelstoke
GARDENING
It takes (at least) two to tango Preserving genetic diversity in Revelstoke’s native plants By Lindsay Bourque There is increasing awareness around the loss of our pollinators with discussions typically framed in the context of food security, and with good reason: 35 percent of the world’s food supply depend on pollinators such as birds, bees and bats. What gets less attention, however, is the loss of diversity in our plant communities and, more specifically, the loss of genetic variability in the wild. Habitat or pollinator gardens are increasing in popularity to help support local pollinators; using native plants, people can create oases that provide important food and shelter. However, there is a lot of misleading information out there as to what, exactly, qualifies as native. Firstly, what’s often sold as native at nurseries is some genetic variant of a wild species (called a cultivar) that has been selectively cultivated to enhance colour, fruit size, drought tolerance, fragrance, etc. Moreover, these cultivars are often not the species native to a particular region; for example, ninebark is a popular deciduous shrub native to Revelstoke; however, the species you’ll often see in the nursery is not our native pacific ninebark (Physocarpus capitatus) but some genetic variant of the eastern species, Physocarpus opulifolius; either the red-leaved variety, Diablo ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius; Monlo) or one of the golden varieties, such as Dart’s gold (Physocarpus opulifolius; Dart’s Gold). A closely related genus of plants that poses a similar problem is spiraea; there are 80–100 species belonging to this group along with hundreds of cultivars. A number of the more popular cultivars can be seen around town: the graceful, floriferous branches of snowmound spirea (Spiraea nipponica ‘Snowmound’) and the bright, chartreuse colour of goldflame spirea
(Spiraea japonica ‘Goldflame’). However, you rarely see our native species, commonly known as hardhack or western spirea (Spiraea douglasii var. menziesii) sold in nurseries, despite this species being recognized by pollination ecologists as attracting a large number of native bees. Some may argue that many cultivars will happily hybridize with our native species and that the majority of pollinators are food generalists anyway, so what’s the harm? Most cultivars are propagated clonally, which means there’s zero genetic variability from one generation to the next. This is particularly problematic in the face of severe weather events brought on by climate change; plants rely on their genetic diversity to respond to changing conditions. Moreover, while not all cultivars are created equal, most cultivars will disrupt ecological functioning in some way. For example, double-flowering varieties prevent most pollinators from accessing the nectar and are almost always sterile. So how are we to respond? We all have a responsibility to provide habitat plants to pollinators who, in turn, provide essential ecological services to our communities. However, not every plant in your garden needs to provide a laundry list of services and cultivars are often chosen for practical reasons; a smaller cultivar is chosen because it will be used close to the home, for example. One good strategy is to plant the straight native species and use the cultivar as an accent. For example, you could plant a variegated red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea ‘Variegata’) as a bright accent close to the house and incorporate our native cornus into a wildlife boundary – not only will you be increasing habitat value to
Two cultivars of the eastern ninebark (Dart’s Gold, left, and Monlo, right). The dark red foliage of Monlo has been cultivated through the introduction of anthocyanins, a naturally occurring compound used in topical ‘pest’ deterrents. Evidence suggests that the caterpillars and moths that host on ninebark are avoiding these cultivars, which are widely sold as native and beneficial to pollinators. Photo: Lindsay Bourque your yard, you will also be unifying the different areas of your yard by using a consistent plant palette. Our overarching goal should be to further understand the needs of our pollinators by educating ourselves on their plant hosts to maximize ecological functioning within and beyond our fences.
Lindsay Bourque has been working in the landscape trade for over a decade, first as a gardener/landscaper then earning her master’s degree in landscape architecture at UBC. Since then, she spends more time on a computer, but Revelstoke allows her to keep a foot in both design and construction – and both feet on a board as much as possible.
Third Street OOces
mountain views and open spaces
MONTHLY RENTABLE OPEN CONCEPT OFFICE SPACE WITH 360 DEGREE VIEWS OF THE MOUNTAINS ARE YOU LOOKING TO START A NEW BUSINESS? DO YOU NEED A QUIET SPACE TO WORK? ARE YOU WORKING ABROAD AND NEED A DESK? SEE WHY OUR OFFICE SPACE COULD BE RIGHT FOR YOU
info@thirdstreetooces.com www.thirdstreetooces.com 27
HAPPINESS IS SERVED SAUCY Rockford offers approachable yet addictively flavourful Asian fusion and traditional dishes. Join us at breakfast, lunch and dinner for the unique dining experience we’re so proud of.
VISIT US IN THE REVELSTOKE MOUNTAIN RESORT 250-837-7160 | rockfordgrill.com
Universal Footwear
For those who are committed to Quality
#7-555 ALPINE MALL, NEXT TO SAVE-ON FOODS Monday-Thursday 8:15am-6:45pm Friday 8:15am-8:45pm
28
Saturday 8:15am-6:45pm Sunday 10am-4:45pm
A school of fish and a legacy to remember LUNA exhibit will live on as permanent art installation By Jake Sherman For the first time in Revelstoke’s history, over 300 artists have come together to create a piece of installation art. Almost all of them are under 12. The student based collaborative project — School of Fish — which sees kids from kindergarten to grade seven create their own uniquely collaged wooden Kokanee Salmon or White Sturgeon, will be exhibited en mass during the Luna festival in September, complete with interactive lighting and sound. The project is the brainchild of Begbie View Elementary kindergarten teacher Linda Dickson, who said she picked the two fish because she knows students have had some awareness of the two as being uniquely local. Dickson has taught in the Revelstoke School system for some 35 years. That’ll all end in June when she
Sturgeon ready for artistic interpretation.
retires, leaving behind a legacy of lives transformed. The local schoolteacher said that it’s been a really neat way to leave, giving her the opportunity to work with students she had in Kindergarten years earlier. “It’s been really lovely to be able to get to work with some of my former students one last time, and really see them grow,” said Dickson. But more than just allow Dickson the opportunity to engage with some of her former students one last time, the project will also give them something tangible to remember her by as they walk the halls of Begbie View Elementary. School of Fish will be on permanent exhibition there. That’s an exciting prospect for Executive Director of the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre, (RVAC) Victoria Strange. Strange can only guess at how quickly the city of Revelstoke will fill up with local art if each year Luna left behind a new piece. “How cool would it be if Luna could leave behind a new piece of art each year?” Strange wondered. “Think about how quickly our city would fill up with art.” The RVAC executive director also praised Dickson, who Strange says has been a valued member of the educational community for over three decades. “This is by far (Dickson’s) biggest project, and what a way to go out and leave behind such an amazing project for the school.” The piece will open in Downtown Revelstoke at the LUNA festival on September 29, 2018, between 6 and 12 p.m.
Begbie View Elementary School students create an installation for the fall LUNA festival. Photo: Rob Buchanan
29
Eva Lake, Revelstoke National Park - S Cross - September, 2013
Tents - 1 Person, 2 Person, 3 Person, 4 Person, Family Packs - 10 liter to 80 litre; big selection of proven comfort Cooking - Pot Sets, Stoves, Fuel, Utensils, Freeze Dried Meals, Sleeping - Pads, Mattresses, Ultra-light sleeping bags in synthetic & down Survival - Bear Protection, Compasses, Emergency Blankets, Flint Knives, Firestart Essentials - Water Bottles, Sunscreen, Compression Stuff Sacks, Dry Bags, Headlamps Clothing - Quick Dry shorts, pants, shirts, Tights, Base Layers, Rainwear, Hats, Hike & Run Socks
Plus, save lots with our Shop Local program!
The Gear Shop at Revy Outdoors Revy Outdoors . 201 Mackenzie Ave., Revelstoke . 250.814.2575 . open 7 days a week
HEALTH
Building a healthy relationship with the sun The many benefits of sun exposure, how to love the sun without getting burned, and ways to eat your sunscreen
By Shannon MacLean, RHN The sun is a very special, middle-aged star at the heart of our solar system. Its gravity pulls on Earth, and we orbit, receiving its life-giving gifts. Our bodies are designed to be addicted to this exchange, our skin designed to be exposed to its rays. Yet it seems the sun needs a new PR rep; many are scared to enjoy its gifts for fear of skin cancer or aging, and are encouraged to avoid intimate meetings. In turn, we have a massive cultural vitamin D deficiency (roughly 75% of people in North American have insufficient levels), chronic disease is increasing, and rates of the deadly skin cancer melanoma are higher than ever despite climbing sunscreen use. Read on to heal your relationship with our most beloved star. Our bodies convert sunbeams into vitamin D3. As this vitamin travels through our body, it influences many functions, including organ repair, immune boosting/balance, lowering insulin and blood pressure, boosting neuromuscular functioning, and preventing cancer and autoimmune disease. When our vitamin D receptors are brimming with the sunshine vitamin, it prevents the gene expression of an array of disease-causing genes, Recent studies have found that with adequate amounts of vitamin D in our body our risk for breast cancer is reduced by a whopping 50%. Most melanomas occur on the least sun-exposed areas, and it is more common for people who work indoors under artificial lighting to get melanoma than those who work outside. Vitamin D regulates the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, helps maintain healthy bones and teeth, and treats various skin diseases. The sunshine vitamin also plays a role in neurotransmission. Deficiency has been associated with many neurological disorders. The blue wavelength of sunlight (received by our naked eyes) is particularly important for regulating circadian rhythm, This helps improve mood, sleep patterns, energy levels, and depressive symptoms. Sunlight feels good. UV rays stimulate creation of beta-endorphins. Sun exposure on bare skin also produces nitric oxide and carbon monoxide that cause vascular relaxation, improve wound healing, and help fight infections. If you’ve ever hung a smelly towel in the sun you’ve experienced the powerful germicidal properties of sunlight. Despite all these assets, we are vulnerable to sunburn, and repeated sunburns can create visible damage of the skin and contribute to disease. This can be prevented by starting to expose skin in the spring, from the early hours until solar noon, slowly but surely, covering up as soon as (or before) our skin starts feeling warm.
This safely produces melanin, which transforms 99.9% of UV radiation into heat that is easily dissipated. We can avoid exposure during peak hours (11 a.m.–4 p.m.) by seeking shade or wearing long-sleeve tops and hats at these times. Infants and children are extra sensitive to the sun’s benefits and damage. Babies should only be exposed for a few minutes at a time. Children are generally moving around in the sun. Noses, cheeks, and tops of shoulders are areas sunblock may be most necessary. If a sunburn does occur, fresh aloe vera soothes and speeds healing when applied topically. The app D Minder helps avoid burning by considering the time of day, season, latitude, and your degree of skin pigmentation, then issues warnings about impending sunburn while providing an estimate of vitamin D levels being received. Natural sunscreens utilize plant oils, which offer some degree of ultraviolet protection to their own tissue as well as ours. Non-coated, non-nano zinc is a naturally occurring mineral which blocks the sun’s rays, preventing skin from burning. Badger sunscreen, available at Mountain Goodness, uses these natural ingredients. Chemicals, in contrast, block UVB rays while allowing UVA through, which can lead to heat exposure and an overabundance of UV rays, all while blocking the benefits of vitamin D. Chemical sunscreens are also destroying reefs around the world and are set to be outlawed in Hawaii. As always, Mother Nature is smarter than us (after all, she’s taught us everything we know). Summer’s fresh, colorful sun-ripened fruits and vegetables provide antioxidants that boost our internal sunscreen by nourishing our skin and altering the way it responds to sunlight. Examples include pink and red, sun-ripened fruits such watermelon, papaya, apricots, grapefruit, tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, red peppers. Researchers in the UK have demonstrated a 30% increase in sun protection after eating a tomato-rich diet. Dark leafy greens and herbs such as leeks, broccoli, kale, romaine, spinach, cilantro, celery, and parsley help prevent and repair sun damage. Black, white, and green teas, as well as cacao protect our skin from sunburn and skin cancer. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, arugula, cabbage, and bok choy contain an antioxidant that helps protect our cells from over-exposure to the sun’s rays. One of the most powerful antioxidants found in nature is high in seafood, especially wild salmon, and has been shown to protect the skin and eyes from an imbalance of UV. Grapes, dark berries, pistachios, and cacao contain resveratrol which has also been shown to protect skin cells from UV damage. Healthy organic fats and essential fatty acids such as cold-water fish, meat and dairy from
The sun’s rays provide a plethora of benefits, yet sun is only fun when not overdone. Photo: Shannon MacLean pasture-raised animals, nuts, avocados, coconut oil, and olive oil are required to amplify the benefits of the sun’s rays. Abstaining from the standard American diet of processed food produced using pesticides, factory farming, additives, preservatives, processed sugars, and polyunsaturated/rancid fats (vegetable oils) also helps prevent sun damage, as these foods cause inflam-
mation, trigger collagen breakdown/ wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, DNA damage, immune system suppression, and impaired intracellular communication. Shannon MacLean is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and is currently accepting patients at Jade Wellness.
Visit us in our new location 204 First St East Shannon MacLean, REGISTERED HOLISTIC NUTRITION.
BOOK NOW www.jadewellness.co
31
STYLE
Four page Style Shoo
Plaid & Rock Bands The ‘90s saw a lot of plaid. And for the older angsty kids, that plaid was usually paired with a badass rock idol and some worn out Vans. Solo hangouts in the backyard to hash out the day (Walkman in hand, of course) were a basic right of passage.
32
oot
The New Vintage 1990s resurgence offers the perfect excuse to get creative and colourful Fashion in the '90s was carefree, defiant and wild. With the highly talked-about decade making a comeback, we’re rewinding to an era where anything goes (more or less!). We’re talking crazy pattern-on-pattern, overalls, denim jackets and everything grunge. We’re also seeing a great opportunity to play up our love of slow fashion, where thrift stores and digging through old favourites is preferred – not to mention more sustainable. In a pre-cell phone decade, where staring out the window with our thoughts was commonplace, fashion did the opposite. It was rebellious. MODELS Justin Nicholas, Conner Platten, Alyssa Sanderson & Reuben Sanderson MAKEUP, HAIR & WARDROBE Birch & Lace: Sara Sansom, Conner Platten & Alyssa Sanderson SHOUT OUT Revelstoke Thrift Store PHOTOS Katie Langmuir
Never Duplicated The weirder the better was the general understanding when it came to ‘90s garments. Wild colours, patterns and materials were not only acceptable, they were sought-after. Luckily, Revy’s got the best thrifty around and unusual patterns aren’t a tough find.
33
The Ying & the Yang Our iconic Canadian tuxedo will always be in style. Might as well ‘90s-it-up with some Docs, a choker necklace and some killer bangs – not to mention the tiny, pre-smart phone wristwatch. Bonus points if you can dig up an old school anti-authority attitude to go with the look.
The Cool Kids The ‘90s were especially kind to kids’ clothes, leaving tons of room for playfulness. Even better, the style called for weirdness and creativity. We’re talking funky hats, denim jackets (preferably with patches), neon shoelaces, personalized friendship bracelets and wild Topanga Lawrence-style hair. It just so happens that ‘90s moms were also legendary dressers.
34
The Comeback Kid Perhaps the one item that dominated the ‘90s across all cliques and social groups was the platform shoe. Whether it was on a Dr. Martens boot, a strappy heel, a jelly sandal or a foam flip-flop accompanied by a silver toe ring, the platform was undeniably ever-present. Having said that, make sure you’re high above ground when trying to emulate our fave decade.
An Overall Staple This decade would have been drastically different without the ever-versatile denim overalls. Paired with mandatory patterns, graphics and bright colours, the garment is a ‘90s staple. And even better when your best friend’s baby doll dress happens to compliment your throwback outfit.
35
HEALTH
Jade Wellness expands into new downtown location Complimentary health services continue to grow and branch out in Revelstoke as more people seek alternatives to enhance their health town location Street West about 10 years ago, you were on the vanguard of complimentary health services in Revelstoke. What changes have you experienced over that time? EP: Since I first opened beneath the Selkirk Medical Clinic in 2009, there are many other alternative wellness options available in Revelstoke. Demand from society for complementary treatments related to mental, physical and spiritual well being has increased, as has a desire for careers in alternative health care. At Jade we are really working hard to constantly improve our offering to the community. I can’t state enough how excited I am about the team we are building. Has your client base changed? How?
From left: Jade Wellness staff Sylvia Graham RMT, Kathryn Kennedy RMT, Erin Potter R.TCM.P, Camille Landry R.Ac, Caillie Wallace RMT, Shannon MacLean R.H.N. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer
trition
After nearly a decade serving the community, Jade Wellness has just completed a move to a newly renovated, larger location at 204 First Street East, another sign that complimentary health services continue to grow in popularity in Revelstoke. We spoke with Erin Potter, registered traditional Chinese medicine practitioner (R.TCM.P.) and the owner of Jade Wellness, about Jade’s expansion
to their new location and trends in complimentary health services in Revelstoke. Revelstoke Mountaineer: In addition to the new location, you’ve added new services. What’s new? Erin Potter: We have three registered massage therapists: Caillie Wallace, Kathryn Kennedy and Sylvia Graham.
We have a second acupuncturist, Camille Landry, who will be taking over for me while I am away on maternity leave. We also have a Registered Holistic Nutritionist Shannon MacLean. We plan to bring on two more wellness practitioners in the future, but are waiting for the perfect fit. RM: When you opened on First
Well, for starters, it has grown! In the beginning I would mostly see people who you might expect to seek alternative practices for their health care — people who think outside the box. I would say that now my client base is more mainstream — I see people who range in age from 9 months old to 99 years old, and from all different demographics. My clients are often curious about the theory underlying Chinese medicine and acupuncture, so I try to educate as much as I can. Others clients don’t care about the theory and just appreciate the results. For holistic health services, what are the trends you’re seeing these days? There is a growing number of complementary practitioners in Revelstoke and I’ve noticed that there is a trend
Visit us in our new location 204 First St East CHINESE MEDICINE, ACUPUNCTURE, REGISTERED MASSAGE THERAPY, NUTRITION Online booking and Direct billing available
Contact us at 250-837-3900 or www.jadewellness.co
36
BREWERY
towards more subtle treatments. In addition to conventional services, patients are requesting different ways to achieve their long-term health goals. For example, someone might use Western medicine coupled with meditation as a holistic strategy to control high blood pressure, whereas in the past they just took medication. Do you have a typical client? No, and I like it that way. Although, I have found myself treating more women’s issues related to fertility, pregnancy and postnatal care. These are areas where I have personally benefited from Chinese medicine and perhaps that’s what draws me there. That said, I find interest in a diversity of clients. Treating someone who has back pain or an injured shoulder can be just as rewarding as helping someone get pregnant. In terms of health outcomes, what are some examples of the successes you’ve seen over the years? The range varies from helping some-
one get over a cold, to decreasing the effects of seasonal allergies, alleviating pain in the body such as back pain, treating migraines and improving digestive issues. Of course it is so satisfying when I can help women regulate their periods (reduce pain, improve the quality of the period, for example) and support them on their journey to get pregnant. Menopause is a time that can bring some unpleasant symptoms. I’ve had successes by helping to regulate unwanted side effects. What do you see in store for the next 10 years? I am so excited when I think about the health potential in Revelstoke for the next 10 years! We have so many wonderful practitioners — not just at Jade Wellness but all over town. I envision Revelstoke as a destination where people come to get better. Not only heal from injury or illness, but build their potential for living a rich life. I see the possibly to host more wellness retreats and create holistic healthcare education. Generally, I see bright things for the health and wellbeing of this town.
TOURS TOURS
BREWERY TASTING ROOM & GROWLER FILLS
- FLIGHTS, PINTS & TAPAS 11:30AM - 9PM MONDAY - SATURDAY
- F L I G H T S , P I N T S ROOM & TAPAS TASTING
& PATIO TOURS & PATIO TASTING ROOM
CANADIAN BREWERY OF THE YEAR 2017
4PM MONDAY – SATURDAY CANADIAN BREWERY OF THE YEAR 2017
Retail Open 9am-8pm Monday – Friday 10am-8pm Saturdays
FamilyFriendly Friendly Family
MT. BEGBIE BREWING CO.
37
Taco Club reopens its beloved food truck Revelstoke’s finest taco shop goes back to its roots By Amaris Bordeau When it comes to Revelstoke’s best food spots, it’s no secret that Taco Club makes it out on top. The colourful Mackenzie Avenue hangout is known for its pan-equatorial Mexican/South American fusion creations, cheerful staff, and knowledgeable bartenders – and now we can add local, organic produce to that already impressive list. With the grand reopening of Taco Club’s beloved food truck having
happened June 9, we’re already seeing an exciting change on the streets of Revelstoke. Fun, mellow, tasty, and relaxing are just a few descriptors. Plus, there’s no better way to a guarantee a good menu than a chef who sees first hand his customers’ reactions to his food. “We compliment; we don’t compete,” says co-owner Mike Brown, who likes to think of the food truck as a barefoot alternative to the town’s existing sit-down scene. In terms of unique, what it does have going for it, though, is its dedication to composting, waste diversion, and making use of local veg and protein. The Mexi darling already surprises with the amount of local foods and compostable materials it works with. Certainly it leads the way for locally sourced restaurants in the area, and even more noteworthy is the price point at which it comes. Being a Mexican restaurant, it will never be one hundred per cent local – avocadoes and limes
don’t bloom in B.C., sadly. But its food truck is setting a precedent for what can be. Since the food truck is seasonal (it shuts down for winter), it has the advantage of being present when the veggies are at their happiest. Suppliers will include Mara Valley, Wild Flight Farms, Hoisington Organic Farms, and Lions Gate Fisheries. While local food means the restaurant’s budget goes up, nothing compares to a fresh, organic tomato, for
The truck, parked out by Grizzly Plaza from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every weekend, will soon become a most welcome everyday occurrence. We’re thinking après bike, après siesta, après Williamson, etc. Locals and tourists alike are welcome!
instance, says head chef Austin Luciow.
CUCUMBER SERRANO SALSA
The food truck’s menu will vary. Both because summer’s harvest permits this and because Luciow will be working with seconds veggies. This means if he receives a bulk load of squash, roasted squash tacos may take over the menu (or at least we hope!).
2 large cucumbers 1/2 red onion 2 Serrano peppers 8 garlic cloves 1/2 bunch cilantro 1 lime zested, Juiced 1 tbsp salt
Plus, this time around, the truck will serve as a tester for the restaurant. What works here will surely be applied to the storefront come fall. For instance, the menu’s handwritten on a chalkboard, making it easy to change. Even better, change is encouraged – based on the truck’s beloved customers’ fave dishes. One thing’s for sure, Luciow plans to keep two veggie options and two proteins at a time. The chalkboard concept along with the food truck’s aim to significantly reduce its environmental impact, are two things Luciow and Brown hope to add to the restaurant.
• Cut the cucumbers lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. • Dice the cucumber and red onion. Mix together. • Thinly slice the Serrano peppers and mix in. If you want it to be less spicy you can split the peppers and remove the seeds or use jalapeños and remove the seeds as well. • Mince the garlic and mix in. • Chop the cilantro roughly and mix into the cucumbers. • Zest and juice the lime into the mixture. Add the salt and mix together.
Selections for the hot summer months By Heather Hood Hot weather, long days and time to relax, the perfect opportunities to sit back and enjoy a glass of wine. With all of the wines this month, encourage you to chill them down and once you’re ready to drink them, take the bottle out of the fridge and let them slightly warm up for 15-20 minutes. This allows the flavours and aromas to open up and be enjoyed in the wines.
Moraine Pinot Gris 2017 Naramata, BC $20.34 There is something lovely about a chilled Pinot Gris on a hot summer day. There are wonderful flavours of pear, floral, and lime. It has a nice minerality with a zing of acidity that nicely balances this wine. This Pinot Gris is a fabulous wine to pair with rich or spicy foods.
Joie Rosé 2017 Naramata, BC $24.48
Clockwise from left: Taco Club co-owners Mke Brown and Riley Geidt with Mike’s daugter Asha. Centre: Peter Digby serves it up at the Taco Club van. Bottom: Chef Austin Luciow picks up fresh veggies at the Revelstoke Farmers Market. Photos: Laura Szanto
A Rosé nose that just makes you feel ... happy! This Rosé is a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay, it has a bouquet of flavours: ripe strawberries, cherry, a hint of citrus and wet stone. Rosé really pairs well with most foods and it’s a good choice if you’re having trouble deciding on whether red or white wine. This is flavourful on the palate and has a nice finish.
Stags Hollow Vidal 2016 Okanagan Falls, BC $29.44 In this particular Vidal wine, the orange colour is from the grapes being fermented on the skins. As a varietal, Vidal is often used in Canada in the production of ice wine. This wine has interesting aromas and flavours which might not be appreciated by all wine drinkers. The nose has amazing aromas of ripe stewed apricots. There are subtle flavours of stone fruit, blossom, citrus, tart apple and a hint of minerality. If you’re wanting to drink something a little different and fun, try this Vidal.
All wines available at Cheers! Downtown Revelstoke Open 9am to 11pm Delivery to your door Call 250-837-4550 39