Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine June 2021 issue by Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine

Geothermal potential. p · 22. Homage to the trails. p · 26.

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Flow State. p · 15. National Indigenous Peoples Day events. p · 18.

A glimpse into the remarkable stories of people and places in the Columbia Basin.

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Bear Spray: An Essential for the Pack and the Table

TAKE A SEAT

ourtrust.org/stories

The hot product you’ve seen at the Revelstoke farmers’ market is coming to a store near you. Bear Spray, The Grinch and Life’s a Peach are just a few of the spicy flavours of Stoke the Fire Hot Sauce, made by Sarah Harper and Stu Smith of Track Street Growers. Receiving free, one-to-one business coaching from Columbia Basin Trust’s Basin Business Advisors Program helped round out their skills and take Stoke the Fire to the next level. The business is blossoming but you’ll still find Sarah and Stu at the market or on the farm with their hands in the dirt.

On Revelstoke’s best patio. Soak up the sun and enjoy the views up at the Resort at Rockford Bar | Grill. Try a new selection of summer menu items, craft cocktails & local beer and wine. Daily Happy Hour Specials From 3 - 6pm

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BOOK A TABLE & ORDER TAKE OUT AT revelstokemtn.com/dining

COVER PHOTO: 'As Harry Salisbury was pushing his bike back to the top of Gravy Bacon, the sun suddenly broke through the trees and ignited the bottom of the wood feature we were trying to film. I screamed to Harry to get a move on so we didn't lose the light. All whilst I set up a camera on a tripod to film, a drone for a second angle and another camera in my hands to shoot some photos. ' —Photographer Olly Hogan on our cover image for the June 2021 issue.

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. We are an independent, locally owned magazine dedicated to showcasing our amazing mountain town and the great people who create the stoke.

Do you have cover photo submissions for Revelstoke Mountineer Magazine? Email them to: info@revelstokmountaineer.com

Each issue we distribute over 3,000 free copies to over 200 public venues across Revelstoke, including hotel rooms, shops, restaurants, cafes, community centres — everywhere people meet. For all inquiries, please contact us at info@revelstokemountaineer.com For Revelstoke daily news online, please see our sister publication www.revelstokemountaineer.com · 250 814 8710 info@revelstokemountaineer.com 606 Railway Avenue. Revelstoke, B.C. P.O. BOX 112 · V0E 2S0

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Aaron Orlando aaron@revelstokemountaineer.com

EDITOR Aaron Orlando aaron@revelstokemountaineer.com

STAFF JOURNALIST Bailey Gingras-Hamilton bailey@revelstokemountaineer.com

EDITORIAL DESIGN/ADVERTISING DESIGN Sonia García sonia@revelstokemountaineer.com

WEBSITE Chris Payne chris@revelstokemountaineer.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Vilja Arnsteinsdatter, Connor Arsenault, Bryce Borlick, Noelle Bovon, Amaris Bourdeau, Heather Hood, Greg Nesteroff, Rebecca Pearce, Laura Stovel

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS & ILLUSTRATORS Olly Hogan, Ian Houghton, Shoal Raymond, Bryce Schroers

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Sonia García, Benji Lowclass, Meghan Porath

Shoulder season I was chatting with my friend, a wildfire firefighter, at the skatepark. A dry spring and brown grass in mid-May had me thinking about the hot summer ahead. "Looks like you may be busy this year," I said. Maybe, maybe not, he thought. He reminded me of Juneuary, also known as the monsoon in June. A solid few weeks of precipitation can make the rainforest a rainforest again. Today, as it put final touches on this issue, the provincial government announced its restart plans, with hopes for a more normal summer. The same day, June rains arrived early, pitterpattering on the metal roof over my head. Shoulder season, or the slow season between the peak summer and winter tourism seasons, is the same mixed bag as rain on a Saturday. It's a time to recuperate and reflect, but also to plan and prepare for adventures ahead.

This season brings a little more anticipation than most. After a 15-month monsoon of bad news and disruption, the clouds seem to be burning off a little, opening up possibilities for a sunnier summer. Our climate balances seasonal cycles, creating a whole made up of distinctly different parts. In the middle of winter, it’s challenging to relive the delights of the summer season. During a dusty May, it’s easy to forget the rains of June. As we move forward into summer, with all its sunny promise, get out there, but be prepared. Remember the June rains and pack your rain poncho. And, yes, that’s a metaphor. —Aaron Orlando, BA, MJ; Creative Director, Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine, revelstokemountaineer.com

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CONTENTS 7

OUTDOOR ADVENTURE ILLUSTR ATION Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine illustrator kicks off the June issue with his outdoor adventure-themed illustration.

NEWS BRIEFS Our June news briefs feature key news events from the past month as reported on revelstokemountaineer.com.

CALENDAR: JUNE EVENTS Getting your public event listed in the magazine is easy and free. Add you event online at revelstokemountaineer.com.

PHOTOGR APHER FEATURE: SHOAL R AYMOND We explore the portfolio of Revelstoke wildlife photographer Shoal Raymond.

FLOW STATE Writer Connor Arsenault explores the Flow State, with illustration from Meghan Porath.

NEW REVELSTOKE MOUNTAINEER COMMUNITY JOURNALIST Get to know new Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine's new journalist Bailey Gingras-Hamilton.

NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY ACTIVITIES Revelstoke organizers are planning a big series of events for National Indigenous Peoples Day. Find out about the arts, culture, food, film and entertainment events happening in June.

THE UNTAPPED POWER OF THE HOT SPRINGS The Revelstoke region is blessed with a number of natural hot springs. Dr. Rebecca K. Pearce explores the potential for heating our homes, our communities and more through geothermal energy.

FOR THE LOVE OF TRAILS Vilja Arnsteinsdatter teams up with graphic artist Sonia García for this fiction-based exploration of our love for our mountain trails.

WHY MODERN DAY MEDIA PROBLEMS ARE JUST OLD ONES REPACK AGED Journalist Melissa Jameson, who has reported in Revelstoke at various publications for over a decade, reflects on changes to journalism during her tenure here.

MT. BEGBIE BREWING CO.: 25 YEARS OF CR AFT BREWING IN REVELSTOKE Mt. Begbie Brewing Co. celebrates 25 years! We learn more about this locally brewed success story, and gain insights from local brewery owners Bart and Tracey Larson as they reflect on changes to the craft brewing industry and Revelstoke.

NEWS BRIEFS by Revelstoke Mountaineer staff

A 2020 Splitfest attendee checks out the splitboards. The event is a fundraiser for Avalanche Canada. Photo: Aaron Orlando.

Shred Kelly performs at a 2020 Guerilla Gig. Photo: Aaron Orlando.

Avalanche Canada receives $10 million in funding from B.C. Government

Arts Revelstoke announces the return of Guerilla Gigs and the Revelstoke Reflections art contest

Avalanche Canada is receiving $10 million from the Government of British Columbia over the next 10 years, thanks to lobbying from the group. This money will go towards expanding regional avalanche forecasts, in addition to training programs for backcountry users of all backgrounds. "We will use this funding to stabilize our existing programs and expand by forming new field teams in under-served regions in Vancouver Island and northern B.C. We will also be expanding our youth programs throughout the province," said Gilles Valade, executive director of Avalanche Canada. Approximately 75 per cent of Canadian avalanche deaths occur in British Columbia. With 90 per cent of Avalanche Canada's services delivered within the province, the grant ensures the sustainability of these programs. “We are very grateful to the Government of B.C. for this funding,” said Valade. With the securement of $10 million over the next 10 years, Valade says Avalanche Canada can focus more on delivering programs to British Columbians, instead of securing funding. Receiving this grant has not been easy. Avalanche Canada has been lobbying for additional funding from the Government of B.C. since 2019. When the COVID-19 pandemic attracted more people into the backcountry, the urgency of the funding became more apparent. Before receiving the additional funding, Avalanche Canada relied on two different provincial grants. The organization received $150,000 from Emergency Management B.C., and approximately $250,000 from an annual gaming grant fund. Previously, avalanche operations in British Columbia received less contributions from their provincial government in comparison to other regions, for example the Yukon. As a non-profit, non-government organization, Avalanche Canada relies on grants and funding from different jurisdictions to generate avalanche forecasts and other programs.

With summer upon us, Arts Revelstoke announced the return of two events: Guerilla Gigs and the Revelstoke Reflections art contest. Although Revelstoke Summer Street Fest is on pause another year, Arts Revelstoke is ramping up production on Guerilla Gigs. Guerilla Gigs takes place outdoors against the backdrop of iconic Revelstoke locations. From July 3 to August 25, shows are hosted on Wednesday and Saturday evenings. The concert series showcases local bluegrass, indie and folk artists. As described by Arts Revelstoke, the theme is "sit-down-on-a-blanket-at-sunset tunes." Tickets are $20 and go on sale one week before each event. For the second annual Revelstoke Reflections art competition, award money totals $2,500. There are four competition categories: two-dimensional visual art, three-dimensional visual art, writing, video and music/spoken-word. Each category has a $500 prize. This contest is limited to full-time Revelstoke residents. Additionally, pieces must be created in the past year. Arts Revelstoke emphasizes that any work submitted must be original. As explained on their website, "Do not submit the work if you do not own the copyright; work copied from elsewhere is not allowed." However, participants are allowed to collaborate on entries. Choosing the winners is a jury made up of Arts Revelstoke board members and fellow artists. The winners will be announced on June 28 during the Arts Revelstoke Annual General Meeting, which is hosted via Zoom this year. To learn more about the Revelstoke Reflections art contest, visit the Arts Revelstoke official website. From there, you can also sign up for the Arts Revelstoke newsletter, and receive the latest ticket information and artist announcements for this year’s Guerilla Gigs.

Jean Evans poses at the Nels Knickers installation on Mount Revelstoke. Photo: Rob Buchanan/Parks Canada.

E-bikes are now permitted on the Mt. Macpherson mountain bike trails. Photo: Aaron Orlando

Parks Canada seeks feedback on national park management plans

Revelstoke's Mount Macpherson trail network welcomes e-bikes

Parks Canada is seeking feedback on national park management plans, including Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks. The plans focus on resource and cultural protection, Indigenous relations, ecological integrity, infrastructure, and transportation. "Management planning in the mountain national parks is an opportunity for the public to help shape the future of these special places so that we can protect and enjoy them for generations to come," said Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, who is responsible for Parks Canada. Residents can provide feedback through the Let's Talk Mountain Parks initiative. Mount Revelstoke National Park, Glacier National Park, and the Rogers Pass Historic Site are included in one plan. In addition to feedback forms, Parks Canada hosted four virtual sessions to discuss different aspects of the management plans. The process is currently in the second stage of feedback, which will be followed by a final management plan. Zoning within parks is one topic up for discussion in the current management plans. There are five different zoning types in the national parks system: special preservation, wilderness, natural environment, outdoor recreation and parks services. Under the pitched management plan, there is a five-per-cent increase of wilderness zoning within Glacier and Mount Revelstoke National Parks. Additionally, there are three new special preservation zones pitched within the parks. Input from Indigenous partners, stakeholders and the public helped develop the draft plans in 2019. Feedback forms are available until June 7, 2021. To fill out the form and learn more about the Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks plan, visit the official Let’s Talk Mountain Parks website.

There's a new type of traffic on the Macpherson trail network: electric bicycles (e-bikes). The Revelstoke Cycling Association (RCA) opened the trail network to classone (pedal assist) e-bikes last week. Otherwise, motorized vehicles are still banned from the trails. In 2020, the RCA surveyed members on their support of allowing e-bikes on the trail network. The majority answered "Yes," with 55.7 per cent supporting the notion. 24 per cent answered "no," and 20.3 per cent answered "no opinion." However, even with RCA support, the rules around e-bikes can be complicated. In 2019, B.C. policy updates allowed e-bikes on trails managed by Recreation Sites and Trails B.C. However, this policy excluded locally managed trails, including those managed by the RCA. While e-bikes have been allowed on certain RCA trails for a few years now, their presence has caused debate; particularly surrounding concerns of two-way traffic. "If you're riding downhill and somebody is coming up faster than expected, there could be a bit of conflict there," says Charlotte Sit, the RCA director-atlarge. Initially, the RCA considered an e-bike "exemption allowance" for those with disabilities who cannot ride traditional bikes. However, due to complications, they decided to open certain trails to all e-bike users. Sit insists that e-bikes do not provide an opening for other motorized vehicles on RCA trails, stating that "having that class one distinction is pretty critical." While e-bikes can be controversial in the mountain biking community, they are a helpful tool for accessibility. "There's this older demographic of people who used to mountain bike a lot and they still want to have that in their lives," Sit says. "Having an e-bike allows them to join, to go out riding with younger people, and keep up on the uphill and have fun."

CALENDAR JUNE 2021 WEEKLY EVENTS TUESDAY REVELSTOKE READS - FAMILY STORY TIME

@ Online · 10:15 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. Join Vanessa, Sasha and Stacy on Zoom for super fun stories, songs and rhymes. Register once to get Zoom invitation for all sessions. Visit the events page at orl.bc.ca/revelstoke for more information.

WEDNESDAY FREE MEDITATION

@ Balu Yoga · 7:30 a.m. - 8 a.m. Free meditation every Wednesday morning at Balu Yoga. No experience needed. To view the in-studio COVID protocol visit baluyoga.com.

THURSDAY WRITER’S BLOC

@ Okanagan Library Revelstoke Branch · 1:30 p.m. drop-in Connect with other writers in a mutually supportive environment: constructive feedback, shared opportunities and fertile ground for creativity.

FRIDAY WOMEN’S DROP IN

@ Community Connections · 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Enjoy coffee, light snacks and conversation about everything women. Call 250-837-2920 for more information.

SATURDAY REVELSTOKE FARMERS MARKETS

@ Revelstoke Community Centre · 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. The weekly Farmers Markets in Revelstoke are still happening, just at new locations to allow for physical distancing. The Revelstoke Farm & Craft Market is located near Nomad Restaurant. You’ll find the Revelstoke Local Food Initiative Market is located in Centennial Park.

TAKE OUT FAMILY CRAFT DAY

@ Okanagan Library Revelstoke Branch · 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Drop by the library the first Saturday of every month to pick up everything you need for a family crafting afternoon.

(F)REE (ART) (S)ESSIONS

@ Okanagan Library Revelstoke Branch · 10:30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. On the first and third Saturday of the month drop by the library for some inspirational, imaginative, zero waste, creative fun.

On June 19, Revelstoke Mountain Resort will fully open for gondola accessed mountain biking and hiking. Pictured: Luke Stevens. Photo: Ian Houghton/RMR.

VISIT REVELSTOKEMOUNTAINEER.COM/CALENDAR TO SUBMIT YOUR EVENT FOR FREE. WE INCLUDE A SELECTION OF THOSE EVENTS HERE IN OUR MONTHLY PRINT CALENDAR.

TAKE AND MAKE SUPER STEAM SATURDAY

@ Okanagan Library Revelstoke Branch · 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Drop by the library on the second Saturday of every month to pick up everything you need for a fun afternoon of family STEAM exploration.

JUNE EVENTS FRIDAY, JUNE 4 THE PIPE OPENING DAY

@ Revelstoke Mountain Resort · 9:00 a.m. - 5 p.m. Turn up the heat and take a ride on Revelstoke's number one summer attraction, reopening for the season on June 4, 2021. This exhilarating ride is 1.4 km of twists and turns across ski runs, between glades and through a tunnel — all the while travelling up to 42km/hour.

SATURDAY, JUNE 5 ALPINE CLUB OF CANADA CMS YOUTH SPORT CLIMBING SESSION AGES 6-10

@ Big Eddy Boulders · 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Free rock climbing morning session for youth ages 6-10. Led by ACMG mountain guide Todd Anthony Malone.

ACC CMS YOUTH SPORT CLIMBING SESSION AGES 11-15 @ Begbie Bluffs · 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Free rock climbing afternoon session for youth ages 11-15. Led by ACMG mountain guide Todd Anthony Malone.

SATURDAY, JUNE 19 SUMMER 2021 OPENING DAY

The Pipe Mountain Coaster is opening on June 4. Photo: Revelstoke Mountain Resort.

While National Indigenous Peoples Day is on June 21, Revelstoke will be hosting events the entire week. Pictured: Indigenous Dance Studio head dancer Jess McMann in a contributed photo.

@ Revelstoke Mountain Resort · 9:00 a.m. - 5 p.m. Starting June 19, both the Upper and Lower Gondola's will be running — providing hiking & mountain bike access to the trail network on Mt. Mackenzie. Additionally, the Play All Day pass will be back and ready for you to enjoy.

SUNDAY, JUNE 20 – SUNDAY, JUNE 27

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 23

RIVERSIDE TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE TOUR

WE ARE STILL HERE: THE ‘EXTINCTION’ AND RETURN OF THE SINIXT BROWN BAG HISTORY TALK

@ BC Interior Forestry Museum · Call 250-837-8078 for tour times. Student guides will use a combination of artifacts, installations, and the natural environment to further participants' understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Although an easy trail, there are a couple of gentle hills and may not be suitable for some with mobility issues.

@ Online · 12 p.m. Laura Stovel, author of Swift River, and Cathy English, curator of Revelstoke Museum and Archives, will team up at Revelstoke Railway Museum for a Zoom presentation on the history of the Sinixt nation, and the role of Indigenous people during railway exploration and construction. Visit seerevelstoke.com for Zoom log-in information.

FEATURE Shoal Raymond explains how he captures images of illusive wildlife:

THE STORY BEHIND THE SHOT WITH SHOAL RAYMOND Story by Bailey Gingras-Hamilton. Photos by Shoal Raymond.

Last February, Shoal Raymond spontaneously decided to buy his first DSLR. He had always been interested in photography, initially experimenting with taking photos using his phone. Finally, he decided to take the plunge. Turns out, his timing was perfect. Shortly after buying a camera, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Suddenly, Raymond had a lot more time to spend with his new hobby. After experimenting with different styles and editing techniques, he discovered his passion: capturing wildlife and nature. “I enjoy the chase of the image,” Raymond explains. “It's not easy to get wildlife photography. You have to spend a lot of time doing it and kind of know where you're going, but it's very rewarding.” Born and raised in Winnipeg, Man., Raymond has lived in Revelstoke full-time for six years. Like many others, he was first lured into town with the promise of fresh powder. However, it was the welcoming community, lush scenery and yearround recreational activities that made him stay. “There's something special about this town. You just don't want to leave it once you're here,” he says. Although Raymond is not currently pursuing photography professionally, he keeps his camera with him at all times. In fact, that is how he captures elusive wildlife: constantly being prepared. For now, he is happy using photography as a form of artistic expression. “It's been a really fun journey, figuring out what kind of images I like to shoot and what I'm really passionate about.”

"I actually got both of these photos during the same session. I had been trying to get some shots of them the past couple days but I was having a difficult time actually capturing them. They move very fast and it makes it challenging to focus on them and get a good image! These ones were less nervous and to be honest all I had to do was walk into my backyard. There were at least ten of them in the yard and two of them were slow and still, making my life easy as a photographer."

“This was one of those photos I just got lucky with,” says Raymond. “Maybe five kilometres up the road after turning off from Radium, this female sheep was just walking down the shoulder of the highway. I pulled off the highway and took some quick photos from the seat of my car. I always keep the camera near me for moments like this. My dog was barking and growling in the back seat. However, that didn’t seem to bother the sheep at all. I was very thankful to get this close to one.”

“I got this image near Invermere the same day that I saw the mountain sheep. I was on the highway headed towards Radium. There is a section of road that gets really high above the valley, maybe 200 feet up. There are also several rest stops in sequence at this spot. I stopped at the first one, taking some landscape photos overlooking the beautiful valley. When I was done, I drove not even 400 feet when I caught an eagle soaring above the trees. I quickly pulled a U-turn when it was safe and pulled into that rest point. I ran down the bank hoping to see it land on a tree. Sure enough not one, but two landed and let me come within 50 feet of them to get some really awesome close ups!”

“This photo was taken on the way down to Secret Beach near Martha Creek. I give all credit to my dog for spotting this one,” Raymond says. “My fiancée did end up leashing her so I could get some photos without it getting scared off. I am thankful she did because I got some really awesome photos to look back on. My goodness, are they ever cute. A rare moment when having my dog out with me actually helped me capture some wildlife images!”

LIFE

DO YOU EVEN FLOW, BRO? EXPLORING THE 'FLOW STATE' AND HARNESSING ITS POWER By Connor Arsenault.

The Selkirks are peeking through the trees and the birds are singing as you pedal your bike along a cross-country trail over on Mt. Macpherson. The trail is an easy one and you notice your mind is wandering to what you’ll have for dinner. Should you mow your lawn this weekend, is your dog getting enough social time with other dogs? All of a sudden you turn a corner and the difficulty instantly ramps up. You have no choice but to dive into it, one berm leads to another — jumps, drops, technical sections, it’s all there. Only when it’s over do you realize all those thoughts that seemed so important a moment ago just evaporated into thin air. It could be you’ve just experienced “the flow state.” Popularized by Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in 1975, flow is this dreamy state that people can enter into when doing activities that require full engagement and concentration. Also called being “in the zone” by athletes and artists all over the world, flow is when you are totally immersed in what you’re doing, and your actions follow each other naturally from one moment to the next. Flow is even linked to a higher sense of subjective wellbeing and happiness in general, so if we can understand the factors that cause it to arise, it can be something we can craft more of, and recognize its effect in our lives. When local schoolteacher Rory Luxmoore goes out for a run, for the first while he has all these annoying thoughts in his head like, 'Why am I doing this? My legs hurt! This is lame.' After an hour or two though, all those superfluous thoughts fade away and he finds himself completely in the moment. Although he does espouse Strava’s benefits with a far-off look in his eye, Rory grasps the fact that distractions can intrude on the arrival of the flow state. There are even some people in town who *gasp* run with no watch or cell phone or anything! In a situation like this, feedback is truly instantaneous as your body relays the information to you in real time.

The neurological and physical state of exercise Here in Revelstoke, we are positively blessed with an abundance of natural areas where we can test our mettle. Running, biking, kayaking, climbing, fishing — we’ve got it all right outside of town. While it’s true that you can definitely experience the flow state and the benefits that come with it doing some non-physical activities

Illustration by Meghan Porath.

— ask any artist or creative — the physical dimensions of exercise itself combined with the flow state can compound the benefits that you feel for hours or even days afterwards. Physical exercise releases all sorts of awesome neurochemicals like dopamine, serotonin, endorphins and norepinephrine. These are all those “feel-good” chemicals that our bodies naturally produce, and they can lead to feelings of connectedness, contentment and ease. When exercise is combined with the experience of the flow state, the mood boost and heightened brain activity from the exercise mix with the clarity and concentration of flow, leading to pure magic that can last for hours afterward. So how do I get into a flow state the next time I’m out going after it, you ask? The key is the interplay of your skills and the level of the challenge. Harry Salisbury, who you’ve probably seen on the trail before, echoed this relationship when describing his experience: “It’s when you’re riding that trail that’s just above your comfort level, so it’s not too hard that you’ve got to think about how hard it is, and it’s not too easy that you can lose yourself in your own mind.”

Entering the flow state In order to hit the flow state in any activity, the level of the challenge has to be right on par with or slightly above where your skill is at in that activity. If it’s too hard you run the risk of just being frustrated and if it’s too easy you could get bored and quit paying attention. When you’re on the trail or climbing the crag that is right at the frontier of your abilities, you’ve got no choice but focus completely and dive into the moment in order to come out on the other side. So, we have figured out that in order to hit the flow state, you must minimize distractions, find yourself an activity that is just at the edge of your comfort level, focus on what you are doing, then give into the moment when you slip into this delicious and delirious state of being. But what happens afterwards? Are there any long-term benefits of having this sort of experience? Rory gets a little starry-eyed as he thinks back to how good some of his runs have been. He recognizes how good he feels during these runs and concedes that after his runs he can see the obstacles in his life in a new light. Defying the odds over and over gives him a huge confidence boost as well. You might even say that looking back on times in

Life

LIFE

the flow state is a source of strength when faced with adversity. And looking forward, Rory’s definitely stoked when he thinks about his objectives and the prospect of getting back out there and getting after it. Harry is also driven to get after it and looks forward to feeling that connection to the present moment in his activities and hobbies but emphasizes that for him, dropping into a flow state is more of a happy accident than it is something that can be engineered. That being said, recognizing where you were, and what you were doing when you hit the flow state can provide you with insight into the activities that really captivate you.

Harnessing the flow state in everyday life Virtually everyone who enters the flow state credits it with positive feelings towards the activity and their surroundings and an increased sense of well-being. When the flow state is combined with the neurological changes that come with physical exercise, this can lead to increased creative thinking and a more positive outlook on one’s problems and who you really are at the most basic level. And who doesn’t want those dreamy memories to look back on? Do not let others tell you how to hit the flow state, but just know that the trails and recreational opportunities surrounding Revelstoke are out of this world. If you remember the elements of the flow state and dive into these challenges and opportunities, get ready for the waves of clarity, productivity and creativity that are sure to follow. Go out there, get after it and see for yourself what flow can do for you.

Harry Salisbury tapping into the flow state at Boulder Mountain. Photo by Oliver Hogan.

INTRODUCING NEW REVELSTOKE MOUNTAINEER COMMUNITY JOURNALIST BAILEY GINGRAS-HAMILTON By Bailey Gingras-Hamilton.

Photo: Contributed.

The first time I came to Revelstoke, I was an angsty 11-year-old on a ski trip with my mom. I remember being overwhelmed by how long it took to ski to the bottom, but that’s about it. It’s safe to say that my passion for snow sports didn’t fully bloom until later on. Little did I know, this mountain town would become a recurring place in my life. After graduating high school, I decided to blow off applying to university. Instead, I worked as a ski instructor at a small ski resort in Alberta. Even though it was only two hours away from my hometown of Calgary, Alta., the remote village felt like an entirely different universe. I still credit Castle Mountain Resort for giving me my sense of adventure and wanderlust. I spent a couple years shuffling between ski bumming in the winter and sweating away in restaurants during the summer. Through those years flip-flopping between towns, snow schools, and restaurants, I met many people that I still call my best friends. Despite the many laughs and memories I made during that period, it didn’t take me long to realize that I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life alternating between seasonal jobs. I wanted to build a career for myself. That’s when I applied to the Journalism program at Mount Royal University (MRU). I guess I should have always known I would pursue journalism. My favourite T.V. show when I was seven was the news. What kind of seven-year-old watches the news for fun?! Aside from

my strange fascination with current events, I’ve always enjoyed writing. When math started including letters in equations, I took solace in social studies and English classes. It makes sense that I ignored the people who told me I’d never get a job (jokes on them), and studied journalism. In university, I was an executive for the MRU Ski Club, and went on one of our yearly Revelstoke ski trips. Yes, we were one of the obnoxious university groups that would take over a hotel for a weekend. In our defense, we weren’t as rowdy as our University of Calgary counterparts. When we wandered into town for dinner one night, I saw the bustling town center for the first time. Revelstoke was different from the small B.C. towns I lived in previously, mainly Creston. People braved the snow to walk down main street, and the town felt alive. It was somewhere I could see myself in the future. There was a creative, upbeat and adventurous energy in the air. I longed for the opportunity to be a part of that. Even though I enjoyed my time at MRU, I had an itch: to leave the city and return to the mountains, full time. The opportunity to work for the Mountaineer couldn’t have come at a better time. Like most 2021 graduates, my degree ended unceremoniously in my parents basement. After I logged out of my last exam, I immediately began looking for work. At this point, I was dying for change. I was willing to drive my 18-year-old Toyota any distance. Luckily, I found something relatively close. Although my car is reliable, it’s still old.

NEWS& CULTURE ARTS

By Miriam Manley.

NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY ACTIVITIES

The Revelstoke cultural sector is collaborating on a series of activities for National Indigenous Peoples Day beginning the week of June 21, 2021. These events will include language, food, films, talks, interpretive art forest tours, workshops and an art exhibition. The collaborating partners are: Arts Revelstoke, BC Interior Forestry Museum, Revelstoke Museum and Archives, Revelstoke Railway Museum, Revelstoke Visual Art Society, Revelstoke Indigenous Friendship Society and Tourism Revelstoke, with special thanks to Lisa Moore.

1. The languages of this land: Fourteen words that open doors ‘Hello,’ ‘Thank you,’ ‘What is your name?’ These are the most basic words that we learn when we want to talk with someone in another language. We, in Revelstoke, are surrounded by four Indigenous nations that have a long connection with this land yet the vast majority of us don’t know how to greet or thank our neighbours in their own languages. Most of us struggle even to say the names of these nations correctly. On June 21, National Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the Revelstoke cultural sector aims to change that. Educators from the Sinixt, Secwepemc, Suknaquin (Okanagan)/Syilx and Ktunaxa nations will present short videos to teach us the words for ‘hello’ and ‘thank you’ and how to pronounce the names of their nations properly. Because the Sinixt and Suknaquin share the N̓ səl̓ xcin (Nsyilxcen) language, Suknaquin-Syilx educator Cori Derickson will teach the word ‘friend’ and the phrase, ‘good day.’ Sinixt educators LaRae Wiley and Chris Parkin will also share the Sinixt name for the village at what is now the Big Eddy: Skxkn̓ . Louis Thomas will teach the Secwepemc language, Secwepemctsin and Martina Shovar will teach the words in Ktunaxa. The videos will be hosted on the Revelstoke Museum and Archives website. “I think it’s courteous” to learn these words, said Sinixt/Arrow Lakes facilitator Shelly Boyd. “When people take the time and make the effort to learn our language it shows respect.” Boyd said she appreciates it when people learn how to pronounce Sn̓ ʕay̓ čkstx, in her N̓ səl̓ xcin language, acknowledging that it has sounds that are not found in English. “Our language is a doorway to understanding the natural world that we live in,” Boyd said, “because the first people who lived here have had an understanding

of the land since time immemorial. Language opens up a door to a paradigm shift involving how we view the world. That opportunity is for everyone,” not only indigenous people, she said. Seven words, one short phrase and six names: that is an achievable and worthwhile learning goal. If all of city council, everyone whose organizations acknowledge those who loved, and still love, the land we now call home, and all interested Revelstokians take the time to learn these words, we will demonstrate our commitment to building meaningful relations. Our lives will be richer for the effort.

2. Riverside Traditional Knowledge Tour Host: BC Interior Forestry Museum Dates: Monday 21 June until Saturday 26 June A local student guide will lead small groups of 8 to 10 people on an easy trail below the BC Interior Forestry Museum. Student guides will use a combination of artifacts, installations, and the natural environment to further participants understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing and being. Some topics covered include reconciliation, ethnobotany, history, and cultural stories. Although an easy trail, there are a couple of gentle hills and may not be suitable for anyone with mobility issues. This event is brought to you by the Indigenous Friendship Society and the BC Interior Forestry Museum. time: Early afternoon and after work tickets: $5 available at the Forestry Museum and the Visitor Centre age recommendation: Not recommended for children under 12 due to sensitive content enquiries: Call the Forestry Museum on 250-837-8078.

3. "We are still here": the 'extinction' and return of the Sinixt Brown Bag History Talk Host: Revelstoke Railway Museum Dates: Wednesday, June 23, 12 noon Laura Stovel, author of Swift River, and Cathy English, curator of Revelstoke Museum and Archives will team up at Revelstoke Railway Museum for a Zoom presentation on the history of the Sinixt nation, and the role of Indigenous people during railway exploration and construction. The talk will explore the history of Sinixt habitation in and around Revelstoke and their use of the Columbia River as a transportation corridor. Both the Sinixt and Secwepemc were involved with explorers and surveyors including Moberly and Rogers, and the talk will delve into this history. The talk will discuss how the Sinixt were pushed out of the upper Columbia River Valley, especially after the railway was constructed through this valley and the City of Revelstoke was established, and the actions that led to the federal government declaring them to be 'extinct' in Canada in 1956. It will conclude by describing efforts by Sinixt to return to Canada, especially the Rick Desautel court case which recently resulted in the Supreme Court decision recognizing the rights of the Sinixt people to harvest on their traditional lands in Canada. joint the talk with this zoom link:

www.sae.short.gy/BBH 897 4280 3990 passcode: 217171 meeting id:

Arts & Culture

LIFE a.

ART WORKSHOPS a. Beaded Jewelry Workshop

b. Birch Bark Biting Workshop

c. The Beekeeper Art Exhibition

Host: Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre Artist: Elaine Auger Website: sweetbeadsjewelry.com Medium: Beaded Jewelry

Host: Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre Artist: Halfmoon Woman, Pat Bruderer Website: halfmoonwoman.com Medium: Birch Bark Biting

Elaine Auger is a Dene artist from the Northwest Territories. She currently resides in Revelstoke, where she creates modern- and traditional-style jewelry with beads, cord, thread and findings. You can find her work, Sweet Beads Jewelry, in the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre gift shop and during their Winter holiday gallery. Elaine will be leading two workshops, one for kids and one for adults, on how to create her beaded jewelry. Sign up on the Revelstoke Visual Art Centre Website: revelstokeartgallery.ca

Halfmoon Woman is a Cree artist from Manitoba who practices the ancient Indigenous art form of Birch Bark Biting. Her intricate pieces are created with her teeth, by biting into the bark from a birch tree. "Birch bark had many uses historically, from making canoes and cooking pots, to medicinal uses. Birch bark bitings were used as a means to create beadwork patterns on clothing and moccasins, to share stories and to record ceremonies." Halfmoon Woman has taught many workshops in the classroom all over B.C., including Nelson and Vernon. These workshops are a great educational insight into Indigenous culture and studies, as well as they have a very close mathematical connection. We are honoured to bring Halfmoon Woman (virtually) to Revelstoke to teach an adult workshop this beautiful medium of art to our community. Sign up on the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre Website: revelstokeartgallery.ca

Host: Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre Artist: Nahanni McKay Medium: Photography Dates: June 3-25 & virtual gallery: June 3 onwards Nahanni McKay is a Metis artist from Treaty 7 Territory, currently residing in Banff, Alberta. She will be showcasing her photography in a solo show in Gallery Two at the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre this June. Nahanni is a photography graduate from the Emily Carr University of Art & Design in Vancouver and creates pieces about the coexistence of people and wildlife through film. Her upcoming exhibition is centred around a beekeeper, which coincides with the proposed educational beehive by Revelstoke’s LFI that will be featured at the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre community gardens.

Arts & Culture

EDGE OF THE KNIFE

A FILM BY

GWAAI EDENSHAW & HELEN HAIG-BROWN COUNCIL OF THE HAIDA NATION NIIJANG XYAALAS PRODUCTIONS PRODUCTION TYLER YORK WILLIAM RUSS ADEANA YOUNG AND TREY RORICK DELORES CHURCHILL XIILA GUUJAAW ATHENA THENY SARAH HEDAR SANDY COCHRANE JONATHAN FRANTZ ZACHARIAS KUNUK STEPHEN GROSSE GWAAI EDENSHAW JAALEN EDENSHAW GRAHAM RICHARD LEONIE SANDERCOCK GWAAI EDENSHAW HELEN HAIG-BROWN

STARRING

GWAAGANAD DIANE BROWN

KINNIE STARR

JONATHAN FRANTZ

Dates: June 21, 7 p.m. (Available until June 27) Older Than the Crown follows the trial of Sinixt tribal member Rick Desautel, who in 2010 was charged with hunting as a non-resident and without a proper permit in Canada. Desautel harvested an elk on the ancestral land of the Sinixt people in Vallican, British Columbia. To the Sinixt, hunting on ancestral land is an aboriginal right gifted to them by the Creator. This is a right that has legally been denied to the Sinixt people since 1956 when the Canadian government unjustly declared them extinct in Canada, despite the nearly 3,000 members existing on the Colville Indian Reservation in Washington State. Now with the Desautel Hunting Case, the Sinixt people have a chance to not only bring light to their unjust extinction by the Canadian government, but also abolish the declaration completely. Sign up on the Arts Revelstoke Website: artsrevelstoke.com

e. SGaawaay K’uuna (Edge of The Knife) Dates: June 21, 9 p.m. (Available until June 27) Haida Gwaii, 1800s: At a seasonal fishing camp, two families endure conflict between the nobleman Adiits’ii and his best friend Kwa. After Adiits’ii causes the accidental death of Kwa’s son, he flees into the rainforest, descending into madness and transforming into Gaagiixid – “the Wildman.” When the families return in the spring, they discover Adiits’ii has survived the winter. Can he be rescued and returned to his humanity? Meanwhile, Kwa wrestles with his deepest desire – revenge. Sign up on the Arts Revelstoke website: artsrevelstoke.com

3. Shelly Boyd, Arrow Lakes facilitator, in front of a panel at the Hume Hotel, Nelson, B.C.

d. Older Than the Crown

1. LaRae Wiley (centre) and Chris Parkin (back) of the Salish School of Spokane teaching an N̓ səl x̓ cin/Nsyilxcen language class in Nakusp.

FILM SCREENINGS

OUTDOORS

EXPLORING THE VAST POTENTIAL OF THE EARTH’S INTERNAL HEAT AS A SOURCE OF CLEAN, RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY AND ENERGY By Rebecca K. Pearce (Ph.D).

THE UNTAPPED POWER OF THE HOT SPRINGS

Dr. R. K. Pearce is a geophysicist who specializes in geothermal resource location who has studied geothermal systems in Chile, Japan and B.C. She has also worked closely with one of Canada’s leading geothermal advocacy groups, CanGEA, and will continue to contribute to B.C.’s geothermal industry through research projects based out of Simon Fraser University.

b. A historic ad for the Halcyon Hot Springs Sanitarium. Photo: Courtesy Halcyon Hot Springs.

a. A soak in the Halfway Hot Springs south of Galena Bay. Photo: Bryce Schroers.

Amongst all the natural wonders that surround Revelstoke, the hot springs that string along the eastern banks of Upper Arrow Lake are a particularly magical blessing. While many of us have delved into the calming and curative waters of Halcyon, Nakusp, St Leon’s or Halfway for a relaxed excursion out of town, it is not always realized that these pools are connected to a vast energy resource that exists beneath our feet. Geothermal, or ‘Earth heat' energy, can be harnessed in many forms, such as small-scale domestic heat systems, to industrial-scale electricity production plants. Geothermal power is a constant, renewable and clean energy resource, which can offset significant CO2 and particulate matter emissions annually output by fossil fuels; however, Canada has yet to tap into its abundant reservoirs of this renewable power. One obstacle to the momentum of Canada’s emerging geothermal industry is the abstract concept of this energy source. Unlike wind and solar, geothermal heat is not something we often experience up here above ground; therefore, we remain blind to its existence and potential. Luckily, the Upper Arrow Lake hot springs in Revelstoke’s backyard provide us the chance to touch, even bask in the Earth’s hidden power. The main components that create a hot spring are (surprise, surprise), heat and water. In most cases, the thermal energy that heats the springs is supplied by radiogenic heat, which is the heat emitted by the decay of radioactive elements that exist within the Earth’s interior and radiates towards the surface. The second component, water, is typically sourced from rain and precipitation, or meteoric water, as well as remnant waters from ancient oceans that exist deep within the crust. These waters circulate deep underground along networks of fractures, scrubbing minerals from their surrounding rocks, which filter to the surface and collect as hot aquifers underground. When the water from these aquifers finds routes to the surface, they emerge as mineral-rich hot springs. Take the Upper Arrow Lake springs for example. The origin of the St. Leon’s, Halcyon, Nakusp and Halfway hot springs is intimately linked to the history of the Selkirks and their neighboring mountain ranges, which are geologically grouped as the Omineca Crystalline Belt. As this mountain belt rose above sea level, deep fractures penetrated the crust, which now facilitated the circulation of geothermal fluids within the roots of the mountains. These circulating waters

Outdoors

collect in a 90–95 C aquifer, approximately three kilometres beneath Upper Arrow Lake. The aquifer replenishes the hot springs at the surface, which emerge from the ground at 48–50 C, and are rich in calcium, sodium, lithium and sulfur. Throughout history, it has been observed that these mineralized waters can remedy various health conditions. The Halcyon hot spring site, whose location and health benefits have been known by the Sinixt and Ktunaxa First Nations for centuries prior to European arrival, was converted into a sanatorium after it was sold as Crown land in the 1890s. The health benefits of the sanatorium reached international acclaim for purifying the blood (lithium is now known to be a powerful antioxidant), as well as curing ailments such as rheumatism and arthritis, and Halcyon’s waters were bottled and exported as far as London, England. The Nakusp hot springs developed in a similar time frame, and similarly advertised the water’s remediating properties; however, it maintained public ownership throughout its commercialization, and remains community operated to date. Comparably, the St. Leon hot spring was used to supply hot water to a nearby hotel that originally accommodated lumberjacks and miners in the area, until it went bankrupt during WWI, burned down in the 1960s and was eventually flooded by the damming of Upper Arrow Lake. Our uses of geothermal resources have rapidly evolved since the early 1900s. Not only can entire neighbourhoods and agricultural areas be heated with geothermal waters, but this resource can now be used to supply constant, renewable and clean electricity. Geothermal power plants operate by channeling underground geothermal waters via a well to a facility at the surface, which contains a generator and a turbine. As the hot water ascends, it is converted to steam with the loss of pressure, which spins the turbine to generate electricity, and the fluids are then re-injected into the geothermal reservoirs. While there are some variations to the mechanism used in geothermal power plants, the principle of energy production is always the same. Iceland is the pioneer of capitalizing on the use of this resource, as it is a volcanically active island with an abundance of geothermal reservoirs, which supplies 90 per cent of the country's hot water and heating, and 62 per cent of their energy needs.

Some of the other global leaders of geothermal energy usage include Indonesia, Turkey, New Zealand and the Philippines. The U.S.A, however, generates the most geothermal electricity in the world. It has a capacity of 3,700 megawatts (one mega-watt equals the power required by approximately 1,000 homes), the majority of which is produced in the western states, such as California, Nevada, Alaska and Idaho. The mountain ranges that host these geothermal reservoirs are directly connected to Canada’s western provinces, where we could certainly emulate the progress that has been made in the U.S. There are approximately 150 hot springs in Canada that could feasibly be used to generate 5,000 megawatts of geothermal electricity, with the hottest and most viable resources located in British Columbia. However, we currently produce none. Some of the major barriers to the emergence of our geothermal industry include high upfront costs of exploration drilling and power plant construction with a slow return on investment, a lack of policy and regulation for geothermal products, and a tangle of provincial power monopolies and permitting systems. Nevertheless, the efforts to dismantle archaic energy grid legislation by advocates of Canada’s nascent geothermal industry have been successful, as several geothermal projects are underway in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan that will initiate our nation’s use of this clean energy resource. There is, however, another way in which we can capitalize as individuals on geothermal energy. We can use the Earth to supply

c. Photo of the Icelandic Hellisheidi Geothermal plant in Iceland. d. A historic photo of the original Halcyon Hot Springs, which was destroyed in a fire. Image: Courtesy Halcyon Hot Springs. e. A visit to Nakusp Hot Springs. Image: Courtesy Halcyon Hot Springs.

Outdoors

heat to our homes in the winter, and to cool them in the summer, using a geothermal heat pump system, commonly referred to as geoexchange. These systems are over five times more energy efficient than propane, natural gas or electric heating/airconditioning systems, and can reduce your home's carbon footprint by around 50 per cent. There are about 20 geothermal systems in operation in Revelstoke, some that have been constructed with new builds, others as retrofits to existing homes. I had the chance to discuss both scenarios with a couple of Revelstokians who opted for geothermal. Mas Matsushita, an engineering-technologist who worked for CP Rail on twin tracking the Rogers Pass and for BC Hydro on the Mica and Revelstoke dams, provided a very thorough insight into the geothermal system that was installed during the construction of his home in Southside in 2009.

or electrical air-forced system is around $10,000, however our energy bills are significantly cheaper than these classical heating methods. Annually, we pay about $700 for heating/cooling energy, whereas energy bills are about $3,000 annually for propane or electrical systems. So it took about 10 years to break even for the geothermal system, which was worth the investment for us.” Both Mas and Ben used Okanagan Geothermal Ltd., which is based in Enderby, and have both been very satisfied with their conversion to geothermal. These systems, which have gained considerable popularity in the US and continental Europe, have

revelstoke mountaineer (rm): “Can you tell us a bit about the layout of your residence’s geothermal system?” mas matsushita (mm): “The geo-heat exchange unit replaces the conventional heating system furnace inside our home, which is connected to a forced-air duct system and to wells that collect/expel the heat in the ground. We have 12 vertically oriented wells in our backyard in a grid configuration. Each is about 55 metres deep, with three meters of spacing between them.” rm: “Sounds like you would need quite a lot of yard space to accommodate the wells.” mm: “You need that much spacing so that one well isn’t ‘stealing’ heat from another. Also, our wells are relatively shallow, but if you drilled deeper you wouldn’t need as many” I had the chance to compare this with a retrofit scenario with Ben Wilkey, a Revelstoke based helicopter pilot with a BA in science in physics, who converted the oil-furnace system to geothermal in his 1906 heritage home in downtown Revelstoke in 2007. ben wilkey (bw): “We have four wells that are about 76 metres deep, which fits fine within the yard in our downtown lot” rm: “And how did the retro-fit work?” bw: “We had to replace the original air-ducts on the main floor with wider ones for the geothermal system, but this was a relatively simple process considering the other renovations that needed to take place. Now all our heating and cooling, as well as 75 per cent of the heat for our water tank, is supplied by geothermal, which we haven’t regretted once in 15 years.” rm: “Which brings us to the burning question. How has your financial investment in geothermal paid off?” bw: “All in, the installation was about $25,000; however, this was subsidized by a $5,000 rebate that was part of a federal incentive plan. It took about 12 years to pay off the remaining $20,000 through energy savings” When I asked Mas Matsushita a similar question, he responded: mm: “The system was about $37,000 after the $5,000 rebate, which included the drilling, ducts, and the geothermal unit. A conventional propane

a lot of potential for Canada, especially in northern and remote communities that rely on diesel generators for heat. About 65 per cent of Canada’s carbon emissions come from energy expended on heating and cooling purposes, therefore geothermal could seriously negate this value. Unfortunately, the tax rebate is no longer available across all provinces. Overall, geothermal energy is a versatile renewable resource that will have a significant part to play in our renewable revolution, from electricity production to heat supply, store excess heat, as well as mineral resource extraction. We have the technology, we just need to get there.

NON-FICTION

FOR THE LOVE OF TRAILS By Vilja Arnsteinsdatter.

i once fell off a bridge on tantrum. In slow motion I found myself tipping over to the right, feet fruitlessly searching for the planks underneath me, bike giving way to gravity, a faint scream escaping me as I became weightless for a second before wrapping myself around a tree stump a meter or so below the bridge. The bike landed upside down next to me, handlebars caressing the bushes; the chain mysteriously off. Unscathed and peculiarly enough somewhat proud of my tumble, I happily pedalled on, motivated rather than resigned. Mountain biking will do that to you. My first trail, like so many others in this town, was Flowdown; the eternal Revy classic. Aside from a frustrating interlude on the black part of Tantrum (“You promised it would be easy!”), it was a good enough experience to have me hooked — and broke — for years to come. In fact, we might be looked at a lifelong infliction … I was on a borrowed Santa Cruz Bronson, two sizes too big, frustrated and off balance, but with that sense of accomplishment mixed with adrenaline that can only be found in these adventure sports. And I’ve been chasing trails ever since. When winter releases its hold of our town, and ski season comes to an inevitable end, our community seems to make a unison switch from ski town to bike town. Even though I have spent an entire winter out on Macpherson with skinny skis on my feet, going out there with a different agenda is still like seeing again an old friend. I revisit the trail area with fervor and anticipation, making a goal out of riding them all, spreading my attention and my energy across its expanse. My ardor knows no favourites at this point, with early season turns and climbs causing my legs and lungs to ache. Happiness ensues.

One time, I invited my roommate out for what I deemed a cruiser. “We’ll take this shortcut up this logging road,” I happily declared, and much to my roommate’s dismay (and perhaps to my secret knowledge), the logging road was not a shortcut at all. A good amount of exertion and frustration later, my not-so-shortcut eventually turned in to the cruisy ride I had promised. This may or may not have happened several times, yet our bike adventure partnership persisted. I find myself surrounded by bike buddies who allow for shenanigans and challenges, who challenge me in return, who want nothing other than to share in the joy and to be a part of it all. Give your bike buddies a pat on the back. They’re great. A dear friend of mine, to my puzzlement, refuses to bike the ski hill. He exclaimed, upon being invited to a ride at RMR, “There’s too many berms! It makes me dizzy!” Buddy, that’s the whole point. If we’re picking favourites, there is a trail that outshines them all for me. My love, my one and only: 5620. That endless, flowy, berm-y dream of a trail with no equal has brought me conspicuous amounts of fun. To each their own, of course — but if you just want to get sendy and have a blast of a time, a day pass to the hill might be just the ticket you need. Another excellent location to go get rowdy is the confronting trail network of Boulder Mountain. After my first time shuttling Boulder, I felt as if I now belonged to an exclusive club, only for the invited: not only was I now a mountain biker, I was a mountain biker who did shuttle rides. It felt like an all-time level of coolness. I crashed multiple times, set a new personal speed record, pretty much just held on as best I could while fighting my demons along the way, and felt like a superstar in the end. Good times were had, and Boulder keeps me coming back for more, with that fleeting coolness lingering in the air every time.

Non-fiction

Illustration by Sonia García.

For those seeking thrills in a less perilous package, When I first got into biking I wondered, how much could there’s trails out there that allow for learning and, simply, a bike be? About the same as a pair of skis, I guessed. Let’s cruising. Despite its gnarly reputation, our town offers safe just say I was very wrong. You get to be new to something havens of trails interspersed with more challenging bits, only briefly. Don’t be afraid to have truths, great and small, enough to keep all levels of riders entertained, and short burst upon you. enough to not feel overwhelmed as a new biker. Adrenalin If anyone tells your they ride TNT without automatically comes in many forms. thinking of AC/DC’s 1975 hit, they’re lying. If anyone says It was perhaps to everyone’s surprise, even more so my something along the lines of “Let’s just do a quick pedal up own, that I would become such a downhill advocate. I Ridge Walk,” they’re lying, too. If someone invites you to a compare it to skiing: I invested in expensive touring gear, sunset ride on Frisby Ridge, say yes. convinced I would be spending my winters with long hours There’s no way around it: We are incredibly fortunate in the elusive backcountry. That didn’t happen. Turns out here in Revelstoke. When considering the number of trails I’m a resort skier at heart. And we have in this mountain lo and behold, what do you town of ours, frugality is a know, the same rings true for "I’ve broken parts of my bike and futile pursuit. The plethora me as a mountain biker. When of trails we find conjures parts of myself. I’ve had inconvenient adjectives of surplus and I started out, I envisioned myself with a light and nimble abundance. flats and (many) expensive repairs. bike, clocking fast uphills, Very few places can setting personal trail records. Only to go out and do it all over again compare to the variety, Definitely not. Although I quality, ease of access, and admittedly splurged on a the next day." sheer amount of biking trails carbon bike for this season, and areas available to us. my last bike was heavy enough to earn the moniker “The We have a community of bikers who volunteer, encourage, Tractor.” I pushed it uphill more than I pedalled it, and I engage, and include. And we have other arguably worldloved every second. Lesson learned? Turns out I just want class biking parks and trail systems within a few hours’ to ride downhill fast and crash hard. I’ll never set a Strava drive in either direction. We are indeed lucky, and — dare I record or be the first one to the top of Frisby. And that’s ok. say it — blessed. It is a wealth we must share and cherish. I’ll still be faster than you Nordic skiing. As another summer is on our doorstep, I look forward to I’ve crashed forwards, sideways, and backwards. I making memories of sunny hours in the mountains once somehow haven’t flown straight over my handlebars yet, but more. We do not know what the future holds but the past is I have a feeling it’s in the cards for this season. I’ve broken ours to access. My imagination offers affluent illustrations parts of my bike and parts of myself. I’ve had inconvenient of summer days to come, days spent riding bikes with flats and (many) expensive repairs. Only to go out and do it friends, on trails high up in the mountains, our shadows all over again the next day. What a wonderful sport. leaking onto the wildflowers beneath us, spilling across Exhilaration. Effort. Excitement. Words that come to forest clearings as we pass. I immortalise the moments in mind when pondering this sweaty and rather dangerous my personal collection. form of escapism that we pursue in the mountains. See you out there.

Cheers to 25 years

Kootenanny Party Pack $1 from every 12-pack will be donated to help protect fresh water for all Canadians.

TASTING ROOM

THU-SUN

12PM-8PM

mt-begbie.com

ESSAY

WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE: WHY MODERN DAY MEDIA PROBLEMS ARE JUST OLD ONES REPACKAGED By Melissa Jameson.

Set to move on to new work after serving for six years as a freelance reporter with the Revelstoke Mountaineer, and before as reporter at the Revelstoke Review, Melissa Jameson reflects on changes to the journalism world during her career, finding resonances between current and past changes.

Photo: Melissa Jameson.

The newspapers shout a new style is growing But it don't know if it's coming or going There is fashion, there is fad Some is good, some is bad And the joke is rather sad That it's all just a little bit of history repeating ~ Propellorheads, History Repeating I am supposed to be writing a story about all the ways journalism has changed. In the 20-plus years I’ve worked in the industry — both as a staff reporter and freelancer — journalism has gone through numerous changes. The thing is, while there definitely are changes happening today, the more I explore journalism’s current state of affairs — the more it seems we’ve been here before. In the late 1890s sensationalized headlines splashed across the pages of the New York Journal and the New York Word, as newspaper titans William Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer battled it out to attract readers as they competed for sales during the lead up to the Spanish-American War. Both publications included stories filled with fake interviews and false or twisted facts — sound familiar? Yellow journalism, with its sensational, exploitative style, exaggerated headlines is well and alive today. The problem with modern-day yellow journalism is that while stories filled with false facts do exist, accusations of fake news are often thrown about to denounce stories that, while true, do not align with personal viewpoints. There is a significant difference between news reports that are partially or entirely made up, and stories that are politically aligned, one-sided or contain biased reporting.

Media bias and the problem with advertiser-supported media I’m going to let you in on a secret: most journalists are aware of the biases they hold. A good journalist makes an active effort to ensure the stories they write are balanced. Sure, there are also journalists who hold unconscious biases, and that’s problematic, but media bias is much more complex than personal viewpoints making their way into a story. Delving into all the different types of media bias requires more space than this story allows, so I’ll just touch on the two I believe are most problematic: corporate and advertiser bias. With corporate bias, journalists and editors are often strongly encouraged to pick stories that are agreeable to, or align with the beliefs and viewpoints of, the owners of a media publication or network. Much like corporate bias, advertiser bias can also impact how and what does or doesn’t go into a story. While that’s a really simple analysis, in the end what it really boils down to is money: The corporate owners and advertisers are the ones paying for the publication to reach the public, and they often not only want to control what goes into the ads they pay for, but also what does and doesn’t get published. Early on in my journalism career, I worked as a staff reporter for a newspaper in an Alberta community where Big Oil reigned supreme. They provided corporate sponsorships for pretty much any and every community-based group you can think of and were also the biggest advertiser for the publication I worked for. I didn’t truly understand the clout they held until I was called into the publisher’s office to discuss a story I’d written the week before. I don’t recall the specifics of the story, but I do know that it was a community event sponsored by Big Oil, and at that event there was a woman who had given a speech. In the story I wrote, I’d quoted parts of what the woman had said. Sitting in the publisher’s office, he told me the woman (who either worked for Big Oil or had a spouse who worked for them — I can’t remember which) had accused me of misquoting her and that I needed to prepare a correction to run in the next issue. The rest of the conversation went something like this: Me: “But that’s exactly what she said.” The publisher (who happened to attend the event I had covered): “Look, I know that’s what she said. I was there, and she definitely said that, but I’ve had a call from Big Oil.” Me: “Oh. So …” Publisher: “Yeah, look you didn’t do anything wrong, but …” Me: “I’ll write up a correction and let the editor know.” That, my friends, is what advertiser bias looks like in action.

ESSAY

Clickbait is old news While media bias has existed as long as journalism, what is new is pay per click advertising. In the early 2000s, print news publications begrudgingly began making their way online, unsure of how to co-exist with emerging bloggers and citizen journalists. As time went on, some publications opted to place their content behind a paywall, while others chose online advertising. One of the most popular styles of online advertising is pay per click — meaning the amount payable to the publication for displaying the ad on its website is determined by the number of times readers click the ad. It’s a great model for businesses. For publications, however, it can create a funding deficit if the stories being published aren’t getting a decent number of people reading them. The solution? Clickbait headlines, sure to catch the attention of readers. Here’s the thing: clickbait isn’t new. A child of yellow journalism, clickbait has been around for centuries. Those sensationalized headlines I mentioned earlier? Yeah, that’s clickbait. Sometimes, though, headlines are perceived by the public as being clickbait, when that was never the intention. At the beginning of the pandemic, I wrote a story about several restaurants who made the decision to close for a short duration after being informed of COVID-19 exposures that had occurred inside their place of business. The headline I wrote was something along the lines of “businesses put people before profits.” Once the story was posted to the Mountaineer’s social media pages, people quickly took to the comments section to voice their disdain — how dare I write a headline suggesting businesses lose money by closing because of a pandemic we barely knew anything about at the time? What I was actually trying to relay in the headline, and in the story, was that those specific businesses, the ones who had a phone call from Interior Health telling them a COVID-exposure had taken place, were putting profits before people— not that I thought every single business in town should shutter its doors. Eventually the backlash became a bit too much, and a decision was made to change the headline.

Why media literacy and critical thinking are key So, if modern day journalism problems are just old ones repackaged, what can we do about it? For me, the most common-sense solution is to teach media literacy skills that result in the public’s critical analysis of reporting for accuracy and credibility while also looking for evidence of bias. And when a bias is discovered, seeking out stories and reports that offer opposing, or preferably balanced, viewpoints. I’m now 400 words over my assigned word count for this story and I’ve barely touched on the changes (that often aren’t really changes) to journalism. I haven’t touched on the growing demands large circulation publishers are putting on journalists to not only report on the news, but to also act as photographers and videographers, tasked with writing stories under increasingly tight deadlines while simultaneously creating content for social media pages. I haven’t even skimmed the surface of why I think the move from advertiser-based to user-based funding models aren’t the financial field of dreams we’d like to believe they are. I could go on ... But at the end of the day, this is only my opinion. Are modern day changes to journalism just a repeat of ones that have happened before? You’ll need to decide that on your own.

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MT. BEGBIE BREWERY OWNERS TRACEY AND BART LARSON REFLECT ON 25 YEARS OF CRAFT BREWING IN REVELSTOKE By Bailey Gingras-Hamilton.

25 YEARS

During the summer, people flock to the patio at Mt. Begbie Brewing’s third location. Photo courtesy of Tracey Larson.

Bart and Tracey Larson pose proudly in front of beer taps in their third (and hopefully final) location. Photo: Bailey Gingras-Hamilton.

It’s been 25 years of beers, sweat, and tears for Mt. Begbie Brewing Co. Looking back, Tracey and Bart Larson have watched the craft beer industry, and Revelstoke itself, undergo massive changes. What started as a honeymoon idea grew into a town landmark, earning international recognition within the brewing community. For the Larsons, their recipe for success is simple: stick with the classics, and remain consistent. Luckily, the duo’s backgrounds in science have helped them master this formula. Before opening Mt. Begbie Brewing Co., Bart Larson was a nuclear physicist, and Tracey Larson graduated with a masters degree in zoology. “In general, being a scientist, it teaches you how to think is the main thing. And it teaches you to problem solve, and that's number one,” explains Bart. In addition to problem solving and critical thinking skills, Bart took courses in chemistry and physics, an often overlooked but vital part of brewing. With her background in zoology, Tracey implements knowledge of microbiology for quality control. Together, the skills they developed in the sciences created the methodology for a consistent, tasty product.

OF BEER, SWEAT AND TEARS Construction underway on the second Mt. Begbie Brewing location. Photo courtesy of Tracey Larson.

The hunt for the perfect location Despite the crossover between their science degrees and the brewing industry, opening a craft brewery in 1996 was a risky endeavour. However, when the Larsons weighed their options, returning to Revelstoke was a key factor. Their first location was on Victoria Road, and the building did not have water or gas. But, it checked two major requirements: cheap rent and availability. From there, the Larsons built the brewery upwards. The second location was as Bart describes a “right place and right time” scenario. His cousin had recently purchased the building, and although it required multiple renovations, the location was great and the additional space allowed them to add a tasting room. Bart and Tracey’s favourite aspect of that building? Big windows, and the addition of a tasting room. Now, Mt. Begbie Brewing is continuing to finish its warehouse, has a fully functional restaurant and tasting room, and state-of-the-art brewing equipment. It is a tremendous improvement from their previous locations, and Bart and Tracey are proud of that. Unlike their former locations, their current space was built specifically to house a brewery. However, the scenic views and bright brewing spaces are what really shine in this location. “It’s not like a Vancouver brewery, where you're in an industrial area right up on the street eating your meal. It's nice up here,” says Tracey Larson. In addition to the scenic vantage points, the overall functionality and aesthetic of the brewery has made it a better place to work, says the Larsons.

Standing out in a rapidly expanding industry When you’re in business for 25 years, things are bound to change. The craft brewing industry has undergone a massive boom in recent years. According to a 2020 report from the Government of Canada, the volume of craft beer sales increased by 70.1 billion litres from 2014 to 2018. During that same time period, the volume of non-craft beer sales dropped by 96 million litres. In 2018, Canada recorded 995 federally licensed breweries and over 1,000 small or independent craft breweries. From 2017 to 2018, the number of breweries in Canada increased 21.8 per cent. That rapid growth and increase of competition worries the Larsons. They question the sustainability of the craft beer boom, especially when it comes to smaller scale producers. Bart says he is unsure if he would have entered the industry at this present moment. “I don't know if there's room for everybody to grow to whatever size they want to be. The market is pretty competitive right now,” says Bart Larson. “There's only so many people to drink the beer.” When it comes to surviving in such a competitive market, Mt. Begbie Brewing’s reputation for consistency and quality comes in. Instead of investing in “glitzy marketing,” all of their money goes back into beer production. They don’t hop on fads or trends, instead focusing on what they know works.

Feature Made Here

However, that does not mean their beer is bland. “We've gone from the traditional lager, maybe a black lager, or very bland universally. Budweiser brews the most universally liked beer they can because they want sales,” says Tracey. She explains that craft brewing is the opposite of traditional “popular” beers, like Budweiser. It focuses on incorporating local ingredients and big flavour profiles; whether that’s hop-y, malt-y, or crisp and light. However, with the explosion of craft beer came brewers creating wild concoctions, almost inspired by shock value. That is not the approach that Mt. Begbie Brewing Co. takes. As the old saying goes, consistency is key. “Everybody is always looking to do different things. But I think now to some degree, it's gotten a little ridiculous,” says Bart. Tracey emphasizes Bart’s statements that their philosophy is different from the more experimental, trend-driven breweries. “You always want to come back to a tried-and-true style or flavor that you like. You want to come back to something that is consistent,” she explains. “When you try some of these new and wacky things, sometimes it's like, ‘Oh, man, I just bought a six pack of that and it tastes like socks.’” Those tried-and-true flavours include four long-term, awardwinning staples of Mt. Begbie Brewery’s beer collection: Begbie Cream Ale, Tall Timber Ale, Alpine Amber Ale (now Powerhouse Pale Ale) and High Country Kolsch. However, the team still rotates more experimental, seasonal brews.

Looking back and moving forward

Larsons to overcome: personally and professionally. Tracey Larson explains that being an introverted female in a male-dominated industry was particularly challenging for her, in addition to approaching the overall sales market. “There was only one other female beer rep that I knew in the province. It was tough,” she says. However, these challenges made Tracey more resilient, and a better problem solver. She has learned to “not sweat the small stuff,” since issues tend to come and go. It still shocks the Larsons that they have hit the 25 year milestone. At this point, they have established a comfortable spot in the craft beer industry. Bart Larson says that there is a cap that most breweries hit, where focus shifts from expanding to solely running your business. However, Mt. Begbie Brewing Co. has not hit that cap yet. This means that the Larsons can continue to be hands-on in the brewery, something that Bart enjoys. “I like to work. I don't really like sitting at a computer so much. I think it would kind of be sad if we ever got so big that [brewing] was no longer even part of your job,” Bart explains. Even after 25 years, the Larsons say there are always things to improve at Mt. Begbie Brewing. However, after three locations and multiple renovations, the warehouse they are currently building will likely be their last expansion. In reflection, the Larsons are thankful that the risk they took back in 1996 paid off. They are proud of the beer they brew and the legacy they have created. Most importantly, they are happy they chose Revelstoke as the home of their brewery, explains Bart. “The town of Revelstoke, you can't ask for more. It’s a great place to live, and a great place to work. I think we made the right call.”

Despite receiving awards and community support from the beginning of their journey, there have been challenges for the

Tracey Larson reminisces while flipping through old photos of their first location. Photo: Bailey Gingras-Hamilton.

TOURISM TALKS At Tourism Revelstoke, we are increasingly focusing our efforts destination management and sustainability. The pandemic has given us the opportunity to take a breath and reimagine the future of tourism in Revelstoke. It’s important to us that tourism benefits our community as a whole. To that end, we are working towards a Destination Management Framework and furthering our efforts to educate travellers about responsible visitation. Each month this summer, we will share messaging and content on a variety of sustainability topics. We’ve partnered with different community organizations to help develop this information, all of whom are featured on our Sustainability page.

BIKE REPAIRS NOW OPEN 7 DAYS/WEEK If your shifting is clunky or your brakes aren’t snappy, it’s time to give your bike the tune up it deserves. Let our qualified bike mechanics make sure your bike is as trail-ready as you are. Pre-booked appointments are recommended but not required.

USE GREEN TRANSPORTATION. This campaign’s purpose is to educate visitors about how easy it is to select green transport in Revelstoke; whether by bike, foot, public transit, or EV, we want to encourage locals and visitors to use green transit where possible, especially to visit our local arts and culture attractions. PRACTICE RESPONSIBLE VAN LIFE. In recent years, we’ve seen a trend towards visitors staying in their vans and trying to save money by camping for free. We want to educate van lifers that it’s important for them to benefit our community by contributing to our economy, our community, and by being respectful. @thelifewereafter

KEEP OUR WILDLIFE WILD. In Revy, we’re close to nature, and that can lead to close encounters with wildlife. We want to ensure that visitors and locals understand the consequences of feeding wildlife, either accidentally or on purpose, and are equipped to deal with wildlife encounters should they occur. LEAVE NO TRACE.

BOOK A SERVICE OR FIND MORE INFO AT revelstokemtn.com/repair

The seven Leave No Trace principles are well established practices that we hope to see our locals and visitors following, particularly in the backcountry. As part of our Leave No Trace campaign, we will also be promoting education information about stopping the spread of invasive species. We look forward to furthering our sustainability initiatives and helping Revelstoke thrive as a community. We care deeply about the place where we live, work, and play, and we want it to remain in tact and healthy for future generations. To read previous Tourism Talks columns, check out seerevelstoke.com/about-tourism-revelstoke/

MOUNTAIN BIKING OPEN JUNE 19 The famed Fifty Six Twenty trail and more are open for the summer on June 19. New for this summer, we’re introducing over 10km of new bike trails and extending our operating hours from 8:00 am until 5:45 pm.

MTB SEASON PASSES are on sale until June 15. Save up to 30% off unlimited access to all of Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s mountain bike trails from June 19 until September 27. revelstokemtn.com/bike