SPIN Volume 16 Issue 3 by Sun Peaks Independent News

MUNICIPALITY ANNOUNCES $6 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING

for sports centre

SUN PEAKS INDEPENDENT NEWS ON MARCH 9 Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality (SPMRM) Mayor Al Raine, alongside Chief Oliver Arnouse of the Little Shuswap Indian Band and Senator Nancy Greene Raine, announced $6 million in funding secured through the Federal Gas Tax program to expand the existing Sun Peaks Sports Centre, taking steps toward a sustainable year round community. “This is an exciting day for Sun Peaks,” said Raine. “Our challenge is to grow and di-

versify our year round tourism economy and to be a great home for more families...with this new facility we will be able to grow Sun Peaks into a strong summer mountain resort. That means more year round employment opportunities and a better community for all.” The outdoor ice rink and existing sports centre will be transformed into a multipurpose facility capable of hosting up to 3,000 participants for concerts, sporting events and trade shows from May to September, allowing Sun Peaks to continue to develop into an all season destination. The building will also house expanded recreational activi-

Resident places third IN SOULINES COMP Page 18

Volume 16 Issue > 3 MAR 23 — APR 19 @sunpeaksnews /sunpeaksnews

ties and meeting facilities beside the ice surface which will continue to be in use for the winter period. The building is estimated to cost $7.2 million and will take approximately three years from design to completion. SPMRM has already committed $1.85 million to the ice making plant, rink and land purchase. Preliminary work is expected to begin this year. Described by Greene Raine as an “anchor,” the expanded centre will provide opportunities for additional year employment and encourage further growth in the community. “This will really put Sun Peaks on the map as a ma-

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jor year round destination in British Columbia,” she said. “I have to say I’m really pleased. When we came here over 20 years ago, this was perhaps our wildest dream. And it’s really nice to sit here today and see these dreams become a reality. Not just in terms of tourism but also in terms of the community.” The building’s operational expenses will be covered by the municipality through the MRDT tax. The design will have First Nations influence and theme, which Chief Arnouse and his band will assist with in an advisory role to bring Secwepemc history and culture into the fa-

cility. Arnouse said they will help identify local artists to work with. “I think this is going to be an important bridge for us with the band,” said Raine. “We have been talking for a long time and now we will be able to do something concrete.” Each year, the Government of Canada provides over $278 million in funding for local government infrastructure projects across British Columbia through the Federal Gas Tax Fund. The Union of B.C. Municipalities administers the fund in B.C. in partnership with the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.

Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

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LOCAL NEWS Nancy Greene Raine to retire from Senate

Phone: 250•578•0276 For comments, questions, concerns email: editor@sunpeaksnews.com Email your classifieds or ads to: sales@sunpeaksnews.com

www.sunpeaksnews.com

JEAN STRONG

@sunpeaksnews /sunpeaksnews sunpeaksnews @sunpeaksnews

#sunpeaksnews

OUR TEAM

EDITOR & PUBLISHER Brandi Schier

brandi@sunpeaksnews.com

GRAPHIC ARTIST Jen Schier

jen@sunpeaksnews.com

REPORTER Jean Strong jean@sunpeaksnews.com

REPORTER

AFTER NINE YEARS IN THE SENATE, Sun Peaks resident and Olympian Nancy Greene Raine will retire this May on her seventy fifth birthday, the mandated age of retirement in Canada’s upper house. Raine was appointed to the position by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2009. She was never drawn to politics, she said, but was honoured to be selected to represent the Thompson, Okanagan and Kootenay regions of B.C. “I used to say to people ‘I’m not interested in serving in politics because there’s no snow in Victoria and no mountains in Ottawa and I’m a mountain girl.’ “I was very surprised to be asked. My first reaction was similar to what I always said when people asked me if I’d get involved in politics. That I’d always been interested in politics but never really wanted to run for political office because I felt that just having a big name is not enough of a qualification to get elected.” Raine said she started the position without specific political goals or expectations, instead planning to learn more about the role and where she wanted to focus. During her time as a Senator she was a member of the Senate Standing Committees on Aboriginal Peoples, Social Affairs and Science and Technology.

She was responsible for the bill that created the annual National Health and Fitness Day on the ﬁrst Saturday in June. The day’s goal is to celebrate being active and healthy at all ages. Also connected to her passion for health and ﬁtness was her Bill S-228, the Child Health and Protection Act, which would ban the marketing of unhealthy food and drink to children. The bill will continue after her retirement. “It won’t be impacted because it’s already through the Senate and it’s in the House of Commons and it has the support of the government, the Minister of Health supports it. It’s in her mandate actually...I would say there’s no real stopping (it).” Her work in Senate has been alongside her role as director of skiing for Sun Peaks Resort LLP and her work helping organize events. But Raine said her experience at the resort had a positive impact on her political career. “What I like about my job at Sun Peaks is it’s a great icebreaker,” she said. “My experience at Sun Peaks was invaluable as a Senator. I’m out with the public and people I don’t know and I can always ask them ‘What do you think about this, or what do you think about that?’ In a mountain resort you’ve got a great little microcosm of people. For instance,

Nancy Greene Raine introducing Bill S-228. | PHOTO SUPPLIED

in Sun Peaks, it’s really easy to meet up with young people and engage them and talk to them.” The challenging job involving a lot of travel was made even harder last year as Raine was diagnosed with Thyroid cancer and Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in her lungs. The tumours have since shrunk signiﬁcantly and will be monitored.

Nikki Fredikson nikki@sunpeaksnews.com

CONTRIBUTORS Ron Betts Allen Best Emily Perrins Each issue reaches thousands of readers and one copy is available FREE to residents and visitors. Anyone taking papers in bulk will be prosecuted. The opinions expressed in the articles do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, owners or writers. This publication may not be reproduced in any form without prior written consent from the publisher.

“The cancer thing was a new experience, never having experienced that before and learning how our medical system works. I know now why they call you a patient, because it requires a huge amount of patience.” After just over nine years of travelling across the country, Raine said she is looking forward to reconnecting with her family. “That’s one of the hardest things, it’s very time consuming...I just tried to stay in the moment when I was there and out of the moment when I was home. “I have to catch up, you do tend to neglect your family and your friends a little bit, you just don’t have as much time. I may work on my tennis and my ﬁtness and spend a little more time with the family and the community. I’m looking forward to it!”

ON THE COVER

SENATOR NANCY GREENE RAINE, CHIEF OLIVER ARNOUSE OF THE LITTLE SHUSWAP INDIAN BAND, SUN PEAKS MAYOR AL RAINE AND CAO ROB BREMNER IN FRONT OF AN ARTIST RENDERING OF THE PROJECT. PHOTO SUPPLIED

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Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

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Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

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LOCAL NEWS

READ MORE COMMUNITY BRIEFS AT

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School votes to become the Powder Hounds SUN PEAKS’ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CREATES FIRST MASCOT

The logo, created by Ben Morris, represents the team decided on by students. | PHOTO SUPPLIED

JEAN STRONG FOR THE FIRST TIME STUDENTS AT SUN PEAKS’ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL will be competing with a team name, logo and mascot. Principal Mike Johnson said

>> Brunch for a cause

The Rotary Club of Sun Peaks is preparing to host their first Mother’s Day Brunch & Trivia Sunday, May 13 with 100 per

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when he joined the school he noticed the gap and wanted to include students in creating something that would define and unite them. Students were asked to submit name suggestions which were then narrowed down and put to a vote. Some of the finalists included names like the cent of proceeds going directly to Rotary International’s End Polio Now campaign. “In June our Rotary Club of Sun Peaks will be officially a year old and part of Rotary is contributing to local projects and then also international,” said Jennifer Cox, event co-ordinator. “We hadn’t done anything international yet and so we thought we

Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

Rangers, the Stellar Jays and the Grizzlies. In the end the winner of the contest was the Powder Hounds. The invention of the name and logo was important for the students, Johnson said, as it gave them a sense of community and pride. The design of the logo and mascot was completed by Sun Peaks’ resident Ben Morris. He said he worked from key words like “fun, playful, bold, colourful and curious” to create the logo that will be used on things like jerseys, clothes and stickers. “I really like how it overall turned out,” he said. “It’s kid friendly but has a confident twist on it. “For me it was a fun project. I was very honoured to be part of it and I’m looking forward to seeing where it ends up.” would contribute to the polio campaign.” Sun Peaks Sotheby’s International Realty is sponsoring the event by covering organizational costs to allow for 100 per cent of tickets sales to go straight to the cause. Cox said the local club is excited and happy to have Sotheby’s support. All funds raised at the

brunch will be matched two to one by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which has partnered with Rotary International in their mission to eradicate polio. The event will include a gourmet buffet by the Cahilty Creek Kitchen & Taphouse, speakers, trivia and prizes. “The trivia should be pretty funny too. It’s a lot about

mothers and parenting, we just anticipate it to be a lot of fun,” she said. Mother’s Day Brunch & Trivia will be held at the Cahilty Creek Kitchen & Taphouse from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets for the event are $60 per adult and $30 for children under 12. Anyone looking to purchase tickets is asked to contact Cox at jenniferhoyer1@gmail.com.

LOCAL NEWS “High Voltage” raises nostalgia and funds EMILY PERRINS A SIGN FROM A “GOLDEN OLDIE” SKI RUN at Sun Peaks is being auctioned off to raise funds for a local charity. The Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR) Slopes Department donated the sign—formerly used to direct skiers and snowboarders to High Voltage—to Sun Peaks Mountain Rescue Society (SPMRS) after the run was decommissioned. The sign is now being sold on the SPMRS Facebook page to raise funds for emergency response equipment and training in the community. The now-defunct High Voltage followed a string of power lines down lower Burfield. It offered a continuation of Roller Coaster after hitting 7 Mile Road, with an ever-changing fall line through power poles that “was tempting to the frisky skier and a deterrent to the less adventurous,” explained Barney Mouat, outside operations director for SPR. The run was recognized as an official black diamond ski run during a period of expansion at the resort, though it had likely been skied for many years previous, according to Mouat. “It was named by an anonymous patroller in 1997, who had spent many hours of his own time clearing vegetation off his preferred winter line,” he said. “Rumour has it this anonymous patroller once grew his hair for an entire year and shaved his locks in the fall. While clearing vegetation, he tied his hair to the branches of trees as high as he could reach. He was challenging the snow gods to bury his hair in natural snowfall so that his line would be covered in powder all winter long.” The locks certainly worked their charm, with High Voltage becoming a favourite among more intrepid locals for its hidden stashes. “The run on a good day is some of the most fun you’ll have on the mountain,” enthused Chris Mark, SPMRS president. In recent years, the bottom

section of High Voltage was roped off due to overgrowth and variable conditions. Eventually, it was decided to remove it from the map; it was last featured in 2014-15. “We were not maintaining it to our regular standards, so we felt taking it off the trail map, to not encourage guests to head down that way, was a good direction,” said Aiden Kelly, chief marketing officer for SPR. Now unmarked, High Voltage has become an area skied mostly by locals who knew the terrain prior to its decommissioning. Mark said he believed nostalgia is inspiring a surge of bidding for its old sign. “Being such a classic, we knew it might tug at some heart strings,” he said. An old sign for Highway 22B—the former name of Ralph’s Reach—was auctioned off for $1,600 at the 2017 Sun Peaks Firefighters Society Gala in for the benefit of the Sun Peaks Education Society and Sun Peaks Recreational Trail Association. Mouat said he understands the appeal of owning resort memorabilia like this. “Having old signs of runs that don’t exist anymore is a bit like having a piece of history. It will prompt many stories to anyone who cares to ask, ‘Where was that run?’” Bids on the High Voltage sign closed March 22. The run where the High Voltage sign once hung. | PHOTO SUPPLIED

WESTSYDE YDE VICE SERVICE • groceries • produce Meat & Produce • Baked Goods Oso Negro Coffee • Pharmacy/Personal Items

WE’RE OPEN DAILY For all your grocery needs See you at the Bluebird Market 10:00am to 6:30p.m. Sunday to Thursday 10:00am to 8p.m. Friday & Saturday

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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Friday, April 13, 2018 7:00 p.m.

Air Conditioning Repairs Gov. Certified Inspection Facility

BILL & MIKE LINDSAY Ph: 250-579-5532 Fax: 250-579-5852 3475 Westsyde Rd., Kamloops, BC V2B 8C5

Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipal Council gives notice that it will hold a Public meeting in the Hearthstone Lodge at 3160 Creekside Way, Sun Peaks, BC, to review the 2018 5 Year Financial Plan. Questions, comments and feedback can be forwarded to Nicky Braithwaite at admin@sunpeaksmunicipality.ca

www.sunpeaksmunicipality.ca

YOUR OPINIONS, COMMENTS OR COMMENDATIONS ARE WELCOME Send your letters & opinions by mail to: Sun Peaks Independent News 102-3270 Sun Peaks, B.C. V0E 5N0 or by e-mail: editor@sunpeaksnews.com All correspondence must contain a last name & a contact number for verification—phone numbers won’t be published. Writers are encouraged to keep letters to 250 or fewer words. Letters submitted without the writer’s name won’t be published. Sun Peaks Indpendent News reserves the right to edit letters for length, style, legality & taste. Letters not published in Sun Peaks Indpendent News may be published online at www.sunpeaksnews.com Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

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COMMUNITY COLUMNIST VIEWS The bittersweet transition RON BETTS Resident Ski Writer ron@sunpeaksnews.com

A native of Cape Breton Island, Ron Betts has called Sun Peaks his home mountain since 2008. Ron splits his winter between guiding heliskiers in the central Monashees and working with the Sun Peaks Ski School. He is a frequent contributor to Ski Canada Magazine.

ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END, and so it is with winter 2017/18. Think back to November and the anticipation most of us felt: colder nights, shorter days, ﬁrst snowfalls—all leading up to the most hallowed of dates, Opening Day.

It’s the day we started paying off season passes, dreaming of powder days and sharing time with family and friends in the mountains. Whether it was your ﬁrst season, or just another one in a lifetime of ski seasons, this was a fun year. Apart from a couple of cold snaps and a few periods where we were waiting for freshies, this winter delivered the goods. Powder was ridden, bumps were tamed and groomers were carved. Then, before you know it, the end of the season is in sight. If you’re a true aﬁcionado I’m sure you’ll agree, there really are only two real seasons, winter and waiting for winter. We’re about to en-

ter the latter. So, what can you do while you wait for the lifts to start carrying riders again? First, you can suck as much marrow out of winter as humanly possible. It’s not over yet; the fat lady hasn’t even started warming up her vocal chords. This year’s closing date is scheduled for mid-April. That gives us a full month of awesome spring skiing before we hang em’ up for the year. We’ve still got Easter, Snowbombing and the famous Tod Mountain Days Spring Festival to look forward to. Then there’s springtime ski touring if you’re backcountry inclined. Some of the accessible local terrain in the Coquihalla or Roger’s

Pass is great for spring laps when the lifts have stopped turning. North facing terrain can stay prime and there’s always the chance for a corn snow cycle on more solar exposures. Eventually though, despite our protestations, snow melts, grass grows and ski helmets get traded for bike helmets, or whatever your summer sport of choice may be. I have a friend who marks the turn of the season by the date he can go for his ﬁrst stand up paddle on Hefﬂey Lake. The reality is that we are the fortunate ones; our off-season training starts the minute skiing or boarding stops.

Our region has some of the best outdoor recreation options in the world. Biking, hiking, paddling, fishing, dirt biking, golfing, camping— you name it, we’ve got it. And don’t forget, Sun Peaks has most, if not all, of those things on its doorstep. Add in a fantastic lineup of summer events and the sting of winter’s end starts to fade like a suntan in October. Speaking of October, it’s only six months away. That means November is only seven months away! Winter, I’ll miss you, but we’ll meet again soon, in the meantime you can find me somewhere outside, doing good things, with good people in great places.

The Sun Peaks Health Association, on behalf of the TELUS Nancy Greene Alpine Classic Organizing Committee, extends a huge THANK YOU to all our event sponsors, donors and participants. Over $30,000 was raised in support of the Sun Peaks Health Association, Sun Peaks Alpine Club and Royal Inland Hospital Foundation. This year 30 teams and over 60 enthusiastic, hard working volunteers helped to make this event a success. Congratulations to Newport Structures Holy Shutes (Graham Simson, Stuart Fun, Elizabeth Funk, Johnes Rumi) on winning the TELUS Cup and to Powder Ventures/Dave’s Speed Demons (Scott Coleman, Neil Otsig, Joan Gardiner, Doreen Johnstone) for winning the McSporties Cup.

FOUNDING SPONSOR SUN PEAKS RESORT CORPORATION TITLE SPONSOR TELUS GALA CELEBRATION SPONSOR SUN PEAKS GRAND HOTEL GOLD SPONSORS Sotheby’s International Realty Newport Structures Powder Ventures Urban Systems Superior Gas Liquids SILVER SPONSORS EcoFluid Fortis BC DONOR Cahilty Creek Kitchen & Tap Room We are also very grateful to the many generous donors who contributed to our live and silent auctions

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Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

LOCAL NEWS Soldiering on SEARCH FOR MISSING PERSON RYAN SHUTKA REACHES ONE MONTH MARK SUN PEAKS INDEPENDENT NEWS FOUR WEEKS TO THE DAY since Sun Peaks resident Ryan Shtuka was reported missing, and on his 21st birthday, his family, friends and scores of volunteers mounted another extensive ground search. Approximately 70 volunteers were in Sun Peaks on March 17. Twenty four people were transported by volunteered shuttles from Kamloops. They were joined by dozens of volunteers from Alberta near Ryan’s hometown and by many others from Sun Peaks and surrounding communities. As the week’s temperatures were milder, Heather and Scott Shtuka, Ryan’s parents, hoped decreasing snow levels in the village would help the searchers as they canvased the area by snowshoes with probes. “It feels different this weekend because we’ve had so much snow melt so that might make things different,” said Heather. “Our problem is our search pattern and that’s always been the challenge that we face. We know which way he should have gone. We which ways he could of gone. Besides that final sighting of him walking towards the door of the house we don’t know where he would have gone. There are no other facts for us.” The weekend search was concentrated on sections of the village from Burfield Dr. outward, where Ryan was last seen leaving a party in the early morning hours of Feb. 17. Previous efforts by Kamloops Search and Rescue (KSAR), Kamloops RCMP, the Canadian Search and Disaster Dog Association and volunteers over four weeks have come close to ruling out the areas where Ryan “would or should” be based on the routes from the party to his residence. The entire village has been searched to some degree. “He (Scott) always likes to have new people start at the

Searches use probes to look for missing resident Ryan Skutka on March 17. | PHOTO NIKKI FREDERICK

house Ryan was last seen at and then get an idea of where they should go from there. We like having fresh eyes and a new perspective,” she said. Despite the thousands of man hours searching the area, authorities have found no physical evidence to aid in their investigation. Numerous tips of sightings in areas outside of Sun Peaks remain unconfirmed and RCMP only state they have no current evidence to believe Ryan left the area or was a victim of foul play. At times the RCMP investigation has seemed one-sided according to Heather, as some information in an ongoing investigation is withheld. “It feels like it’s a one way information highway where they want the information from us but we don’t necessarily get the information from them. I think I can understand that. It’s hard for me to say or make any judgement,” she said regarding local RCMP’s efforts. Heather said after the first of two official KSAR searches was suspended after the first weekend of Ryan’s disappearance there was a lack of communication and information from RCMP on how to proceed. “I don’t know if people just expected us to go home...it feels like people expected us to go home that Monday and come back when the snow melts. Scott and I look at that and just think how could anyone go home when there child is there? You’ve given us one day. “Who is going to advocate for their child except for us, who cares if he’s found if not us?

Who would be searching for our son but for us?” While thousands of people go missing in B.C. every year, Ryan’s case has garnered high media awareness across Western Canada and online. One Facebook group dedicated to finding him has over 20,000 members and an online GoFundMe campaign is on its way to raising $75,000. While Heather pointed to the tight-knit communities of Sun Peaks and Beaumont, Alta. for the foundation of support during her son’s disappearance, she’s overwhelmed by the amount of strangers who have also taken an interest and supported the family. “Why so many people outside of that? It really does boggle my mind. There’s so many people. We are grateful.” Heather said she feels by publishing her daily writing, which she finds cathartic, she helped make her son real and relatable to many people. “This is what I can do to search. To bring my son home. It’s good to be able to write about memories…I never thought I’d still be writing 28 days later and it helps me to remember all those beautiful things and it helps me get through.” The online interest in Ryan’s disappearance has another side as well. In the vacuum of information, many people have speculated online that something more sinister happened, focusing attention on Ryan’s peers, despite no official suspicion by the RCMP or Ryan’s family at this time. Several pop-

ular YouTube video creators have indicated his family has suspicions, which Heather said is not true. Heather said while in this type of situation everything does cross one’s mind, overall they have not questioned the integrity of those involved. “Everybody’s been forthcoming. There’s been no tips, nothing has come into Crimestoppers.” She said they have knowledge of online posts of screenshots of Ryan’s peers’ social media profiles, photos and posts insinuating wrongdoing or a of withholding information. “I think it’s disgusting to be honest with you. It’s disgusting. Everyone thinks that they’re an armchair detective when they’re sitting at home and they don’t know people. They don’t know us. They don’t know our son and I get that people want to help, but disparaging people who have to go through this? They (Ryan’s peers) don’t get the support from 20,000 people. They’re on this on their own.” A $10,000 increase from $5,000 to $15,000 in reward money offered by the family for information leading to Ryan’s location has not yet garnered any additional solid information. Until there is evidence to point in another direction, his parents will remain focused on searching Sun Peaks. “We are well aware of what all the theories and possibilities are,” Heather said. “Scott and I are neither naive or stupid. We also know there are not a lot

of happy ending scenarios that come from this but that doesn’t mean that the search is less important. People can tell us what their theories are and go off all their theories, but again, until there’s a fact that moves him to a different location or proves consistently that he was in that spot, then all we can do is search. So that’s what we do.” Ryan’s friends and family celebrated his birthday at Masa’s Bar + Grill near the slopes Ryan enjoyed riding before his disappearance. “He would have celebrated it here. He wouldn’t have come home for his birthday and we just wanted to have something where we could gather and his friends and family could celebrate in Ryan’s name. Because he’s still here. Right now he’s still here.” Other events in Beaumont, Alta. were held and an online campaign was conducted encouraging others to do random acts of kindness in Ryan’s name. Heather admitted she and others involved in the search are growing tired. “Scott and I are exhausted. We want to go home too. I get that this place is not the same as it was a month ago. People here came here for a reason, to live this life and enjoy the time that they are here and this is definitely a dark cloud over the whole experience if you came here. I get that. We feel it too. I can’t change it.” To volunteer or for more information go to ryanshtuka.com. Ryan was last seen wearing dark grey jeans, a grey and white shirt, a blue coat and a burgundy ball cap. Anyone with information is asked to contact Kamloops Rural RCMP at 250-3141800 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

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LOCAL NEWS Heffley Lake residents adapt to new normal JEAN STRONG HEFFLEY LAKE RESIDENTS are preparing for another wet spring after last year’s flood and drought cycle hit hard. Torsten Schmid, a member of the Heffley Lake Community Association (HLCA) and lake resident for more than 40 years, said this year the lake froze about 18 inches below past years which left many homes’ water lines exposed to the elements requiring costly heaters or sandbagging to protect the lines. Schmid said if spring is anything like last year’s, with alternating warm sunny days and heavy rainfall, he expects the lake to rise quickly. In the time he has lived at the lake the spring thaw has gone from taking around seven weeks to about two and half weeks each year. He said he believes part of the problem is logging in the watersheds. “There has been substantial

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logging in our watersheds. The lake will fill fully to the top half of the spillway, more than five feet higher than now. That’s the normal now.” The sudden spring rise in water levels is behind many of the problems now facing residents. Docks must be carefully secured to shore and shoreline structures are at risk of damage. More timber is also being swept into the lake which clutters bays and congregates around the release at the west end of the lake. It has also forced more rock work to be done to protect the shore. “With increasingly high water over the last 15 to 18 years, almost all property owners have done a lot of work protecting their shores,” Schmid said. “Highwater is now two, to two and a half feet higher, we’ve had to rebuild rock work (from the eighties).” Changing water levels and increased boat use also affect birds like ducks that nest in the shoreline just above previous high water marks, said Schmid.

Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

The volume of water also increases the amount of silt coming into the lake which raises concerns about water quality. “(It) is a potential problem for the phosphate loading of the water,” Schmid said. “We may have to change the way we monitor the water.” Phosphorus-loaded water can be dangerous for humans and animals to consume and may cause cyanobacterial blooms. HLCA’s goal this summer is to address some of these issues. A boating committee was formed to track use of the lake in order to compile statistics to be presented to owners and used to create solutions. The HLCA also has plans to continue strengthening their relationship with the Heffley Irrigation District which holds a license to draw water from the lake for their livestock and crops in the valley. Schmid said twenty years ago they never imagined they would face the problems they are now but, “That’s the normal now until the logged areas green up.”

CLIMATE IMPACTING PROPERTIES, ANIMALS AND WATER QUALITY

Heffley Lake as seen from above. | PHOTO SUPPLIED

GET OUT THERE The reawakening of bike season “THE TREND I AM SEEING IS SO MUCH POSITIVITY AND ENTHUSIASM (FROM THE BIKING COMMUNITY). PEOPLE ARE MAKING THINGS HAPPEN.” EMILY PERRINS ARE THE RISING TEMPERATURES GIVING YOU AN ITCH to get back on the bike trails? With snow still on the ground, it will be a later start to riding season in Kamloops than in previous years, but it’s still only a few weeks away. Cheryl Beattie, owner of The Bicycle Café, is an active proponent of the biking community in Kamloops which is closely involved with the Sun Peaks Bike Park. She is also a founding member of the volunteer community board that manages and maintains Kamloops Bike Ranch and other local biking areas. Beattie said biking trails that are normally open

this time of year are still inaccessible due to snow and ice. Snowfall this winter meant prime fat biking, as snow and ice pose little challenge to the winter-friendly bicycles. But riders with a penchant for thinner tires and dustier trails will have to wait a little longer depending on the weather, according to Beattie. “We’ve had trail riding as early as late January before,” she said. “This would be one of the latest seasons I’ve seen.” Riders must ensure trails are dry before riding them to keep them in good shape. “If people go out there (when it is muddy) they’re just going to ruin the trails and ruin their bikes,” she said. Batchelor is normally the ﬁrst area to be “rideable” once spring arrives. Kamloops Bike Ranch will be open in April with in plenty of time to host the ﬁrst local competition and kids camp of the season near the end of the month. Other recommended “prePeaks” riding include trails in Savona, Whitecroft, Pineview and Harper Mountain, which should all be accessible by

April, according to James Jeffries, Bike Park supervisor for Sun Peaks Resort LLP. There are plenty of options for warming up the pedals ahead of the Sun Peaks season, in the best area for it. “(Kamloops) is a world class riding destination at our back door,” Jeffries said. Beattie agreed; it’s why she originally moved to Kamloops. Her favourite area to ride, though? “Sun Peaks,” she answered, without hesitation.

“I can’t wait until it opens.” Sun Peaks Bike Park will remain in hibernation until the Sunburst chairlift starts turning again on June 22. Lift tickets and passes for the summer season go on sale May 1. Until then, Beattie and Jeffries remain tight-lipped on any planned new developments to the Kamloops and Sun Peaks trail networks. However, with a similar arrangement to last year, for a fulltime excavator to help build and

rework the Bike Park, riders can expect more exciting changes, especially with the Bike Park’s twentieth anniversary just around the corner. “I think it’s going to be another amazing year in Kamloops and at Sun Peaks,” Beattie said. “The trend I am seeing is so much positivity and enthusiasm (from the biking community). People are making things happen.”

50+ shows featuring headliners Odesza | Daniel Caesar | NGHTMRE

TOD MOUNTAIN DAYS

Spring Festival

SunPeaksResort.com/Tod-Mountain-Days

APRIL 14 • Coors Light Spring Sender @ Masa’s Bar + Grill • Retro Ski Party @ Masa’s Clubnights

APRIL 15 - last day of winter ski operations

. For tickets and packages, visit SnowbombingCanada.com or call 1-855-578-5395

• Slush Cup @ 12:30pm • Top to Bottoms Race @ 3:30pm Top of the World to Bottom’s Bar & Grill

All Retro Days weekend long!!! Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

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GET OUT THERE Heffley Lake couple float new stand up paddle board JEAN STRONG AS ONE OF THE PIONEERS OF STAND UP PADDLE BOARDING (SUP) in Canada, Paddle Surfit owner Bodie Shandro has tried a lot of boards. He has competed across the world on all kinds of boards from surfing to racing to whitewater. Shandro, and his wife Brenda, have used that experience to design their own board under the moniker Escape SUP. “We’ve paddled almost every board, we knew what we wanted,” Shandro said. “I like to be different. I’m a customized kind of guy.” With their perfect board in mind they set out designing every part of the Aloha model, an inflatable board that can do it all. “Inflatables used to be like paddling an air mattress,” Shandro said. But with new technology and materials inflatable boards have become fierce competitors to

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their hard counterparts. The couple started the process one year ago and went through a few iterations of the product, tweaking it to make it exactly what they dreamed of. They worked with the manufacturer used by top brands in the industry, using Shandro’s thirty years of product development experience to create a template. On their list was being safe, accessible and fun and being more affordable than others on the market. They also spent time devising the perfect name and logo that reflected what SUP meant to them. “It’s a way to escape, a form of distraction from reality,” Shandro said. What they finished with is a board that can be used by anyone interested in the sport whether they want to surf, do SUP yoga, fish, or river paddle. “It’s one model that does it all...the biggest thing is stability. It has a wide tail but pulled in nose for gliding and tracking.”

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Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

Bodie Shandro tests out the board he and his wife designed. | PHOTO SUPPLIED

Another benefit with inflatable boards, he said, is the durability and portability. The board fits into a backpack size carrier for easy transportation. It’s twoplydesign also beats out hard boards or single ply inflatables which are more fragile. “It’s as durable and structurally sound as a hard board,” Shandro said. “It’s also lighter... we’ve raked it over rocks and

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sand and left it in the sun in Hawaii and surfed in over head surf...we tested it on docks, rocks, with dogs, kids and gear and they’re amazing.” It was also important to the couple the board come with all the equipment needed like a paddle, carry bag, leash, repair kit and pump. They have already sold more than twenty five per cent of their

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first order through friends and word of mouth and are trying to order more to keep stock for the busy summer months. Shandro said he is excited to introduce people to the board once the snow and ice melt. “The first time out (on the prototype) was really fantastic. It was cool to see it on the water.”

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Kamloops DJ prepares for Snowbombing debut NIKKI FREDRIKSON FROM DJING HOUSE PARTIES, to performing at nightclubs in Victoria B.C., 20-year-old Kamloops native Chet Flanagan’s music career is about to skyrocket. The young artist will perform at this year’s Coors Light Snowbombing Canada music festival in Sun Peaks in April is planning a high energy set. “I’ve got kind of a general idea just because the whole aspect of the festival is going to allow for a little more like a niche audience,” said Flanagan. “I think a lot of people, if they’re there to see a DJ, they’re there to listen to elec-

tronic music.” As a DJ, Flanagan’s style is more house and trap. He said if there’s any sort of theme for his performance it will be a bit dark and mysterious but still high energy. “I’m a young DJ and I try to inﬂuence as much as I can in my set, so I try to keep it as eclectic as I can,” he said. “I like being able to draw on some ethnic backgrounds that I have which you know is East Indian. I like to keep each set kind of different and live pace.” The opportunity to play at Snowbombing came about after a friend heard festival organizers were looking for local DJs to include in the lineup. Flanagan’s friend put his

name to organizers at Blueprint Events. Having worked with the company in Victoria, they were already familiar with his work and he was added to this year’s lineup. Flanagan received a lot of support from friends and family following the official festival lineup announcement in November. “It’s actually incredible. I’m super super excited because when I first announced it, it was absolutely crazy... I think there’s a lot of support because of the network that I was able to build in Kamloops.” Flanagan has yet to find out which of the festival venues he will be playing at but plans to

bring his “A game.” Coors Light Snowbombing Canada runs April 5 to 9

with headline performances by Odesza, Daniel Caeser, and NGHTMRE.

15 WEEK Food Box! same-day harvested fruits & veggies - certified organic -

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Wednesdays

June 13 - Sept 19

EVENT

EVENT > listings FRIDAY & SATURDAY

SUNDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

HUB INTERNATIONAL NANCY GREENE FESTIVAL

PARTY IN THE PARK

COORS LIGHT SPRING SENDER

CLOSING DAY OF SKI SEASON

MARCH 23 & 24

More than 600 children and their families hit up Sun Peaks for a weekend of fun activities like racing, skier cross, moguls and more. hubngfestival@gmail.com

FRIDAY & SATURDAY

MARCH 23 & 24

TASTE OF THE MIDDLE EAST

A chance to try food from two chefs from India and Egypt. Enjoy a street food celebration, cooking demonstration and banquet dinner. Pricing available without rooms. 250 578 6080

APRIL 1

Oronge Boardshop brings music, prizes and fun at this annual slopestyle event. Everyone is welcome to try their hand at competing in the intermediate park in 30 minute jam sessions.

SUNDAY

APRIL 1

EASTER EXTRAVAGANZA

Meet up with the Easter Bunny to find stashes of treats hidden in the trees and snow. Meet at 10:30 a.m. at the top of the Sunburst chairlift. 250 578 5542

MASA’S RETRO 80’S PARTY

SNOWBOMBING CANADA

250 578 5434

Celebrate the end of the season with a cold beer on a warm patio. Masa’s Bar + Grill supplies a free beer or freezie to every seasons pass or day ticket holder today.

Hit all of your favourite runs one last time before the mountain closes for the season! 250 578 5474

250 578 5474

FRIDAY TO SUNDAY SUNDAY

APRIL 20 TO 22

SLUSH CUP

Watch pros and amatuers fly up the mountain or take part yourself. This exciting event also includes vendors with the latest and greatest gear for show.

APRIL 15

SNOWMOBILE HILL CLIMB

This classic spring event for ages 16 and up sees skiers and boarders fly through the air into a giant pit of frozen slush and ice. Costumes and unique style earn bonus points. Register at Guest Services from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

info@wchahillclimb.ca

250 578 5474

THURSDAY TO MONDAY

DeLorean hits the stage for an 80’s throwback night complete with references to Prince, Starship, Madonna and Journey. Live out your 80’s dreams. Starts at 9 p.m.

APRIL 15

250 578 5474

SATURDAY

MARCH 24

APRIL 14

APRIL 5 TO 9

SUNDAY

Bands? Check. DJs? Check. Loads of activities and events? Check! The coolest party on snow returns to Sun Peaks for the second year of great music and fun. Festival wristbands and daypasses available.

TOP TO BOTTOMS RACE

events@sunpeaksresort.com

APRIL 15

Claim one of the community’s most coveted titles at this long running race. A $20 registration fee at Guest Services from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. gets you entry, a burger from Bottom’s Bar & Grill’s famous patio and a donation to the Sun Peaks Health Centre. Speeds suits prohibited, costumes strongly encouraged. 250 578 5474

HOSTING A COMMUNITY EVENT? Add it to our online calendar at sunpeaksnews.com/events

Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Museum exhibit honors ski history JEAN STRONG I CONSIDER MYSELF to be knowledgeable on Sun Peaks’ history; my family has connections to the area since before the mountain existed, I regularly interview locals who shaped the resort and I read stories on history whenever I can. But an exhibit at the Kamloops Museum and archives is showing that even the most

informed can learn new things about Sun Peaks and ski history in the area. Matt Macintosh, the museum’s curator, said as area residents have visited the exhibit they have contributed more information and stories. “People have been reliving memories and sharing stories,” Macintosh said. “There’s lots of local knowledge.” Macintosh said part of the reason it was created was to compile the history of skiing in

the area. “Kamloops doesn’t really have a compiled ski history despite being a ski town...Looking at the material from the area there seemed to be gaps. “The research produced will be saved and there are a few donations we can keep...We have to take advantage of the fact people are still here.” His personal favourite part of the creation is the photographs that capture the development in the area and the contribution of the community.

“When there weren’t lifts serving the hills it was just a make it work, ﬁnd people with experience, western do-ityourself attitude that’s revealed through photos.” Other highlights of the display are facts that may not be widely known. One such fact is that Harper Mountain was named after ranchers who worked the hillside there in the 1800’s. Another is that Mt. Lolo, a mountain beside Hefﬂey Lake, was once a popular spot for skiers who

would brave the tough drive then hike or skin up the mountain to reach snow. It also might surprise newer residents to learn long time locals Kenny Dale and Lark Frolek Dale are both accomplished speed skiers with Kenny holding the Sun Peaks’ course record until this year. For more on the history of skiing in the area, both past and currently being made, check out the exhibit until May 26.

A display about Sun Peaks skier Elli Terwiel is one of many that make up the engaging exhibit. | PHOTO SPIN

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Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

SEND US YOUR PHOTOS TO BE FEATURED IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF SUN PEAKS INDEPENDENT NEWS

EMAIL PHOTOS TO

EDITOR@SUNPEAKSNEWS.COM

IN PHOTOS Luc Dallaire took first place in the BC Winter Games slopestyle competiton.

Sun Peaks Alpine Racer Talyn Lorimer with her bronze medal in Giant Slalom at the BC Winter Games held in Sun Peaks in March.

- PHOTO SPIN

Troy Morrison completed the Bluebird Banked Slalom course with a time of 128.91 on March 11. - PHOTO SPIN

ABOVE Stuart Funk took on the Bluebird

Banked Slalom course while in costume.

- PHOTO SPIN

LEFT Over 20 of the fastest skiers in

the world took on Headwalls duing the annual Velocity Challenge.

- PHOTO SPIN

BELOW Senator Nancy Greene Raine and

Chief Oilver Arnouse of the Little Shuswap Indian Band look at artist renderings of the planned expansion to the Sun Peaks Sports Centre.

- PHOTO SPIN

Forerunner Mike Forster at the bottom of the World Cup Speed Ski course. - PHOTO SPIN

Vol 16 Issue 3 March 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; April 19

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MOUNTAIN NEWS Mountain Town News ALLEN BEST ALLEN.BEST@COMCAST.NET MOUNTAINTOWNNEWS.NET

Labor professor evaluates potential for ski area union WHISTLER, B.C. – A unionization effort by a small group of ski instructors at Whistler Blackcomb is underway. But a professor of labour economics and relations told Pique Newsmagazine that he sees a major challenge to the instructors. “It’s a tough labour force to unionize because many of them are only here for short periods of time,” said Craig Riddell, who teaches at the University of British Columbia. Pique said 3,700 of the ski hill workers are employed this winter for the ﬁrst time or are working here on a seasonal basis. Under labor laws in British Columbia, union organizers must get support from at least 50 percent of non-managerial workers in order for the union to go forward. Riddell went on to explain

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that a union is like an investment. Workers willing to invest the time and effort at the beginning may have to go on strike to get the initial contract. Presumably it pays off in the future. “But if you’re only involved in that activity for a year or two, that may not be worth it.” Pique said it’s unclear just how much appetite there is for a union at Whistler Blackcomb. However, added the newspaper, employees generally hold a dim view of Vail Resorts, the company that purchased the ski resort for $1.4 billion in 2016. As basis for this claim, the newspaper cited an internal e-mail to the staff of the ski area that reported an employee engagement survey found results were lower than in the previous three years. However, other results in 2002, were signiﬁcantly lower. With eyes on Paralympics talk of local accessibility BANFF, Alberta – While Paralympic athletes compete in South Korea, local residents

Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

of Banff and Canmore were asked to consider the work that remains to make their communities more accessible to those with physical, mental, and cognitive handicaps. “We’re not thinking with disability in mind,” said Robin Slater, who suffered a brain injury in 1984 after a vehicle accident with an elk. “There has to be an attitudinal switch, so instead of just watching Paralympic athletes we need to think in terms of what disability is like 24/7 and how it impacts people’s lives.” Slater and another individual interviewed by the Rocky Mountain Outlook said building codes require only the bare minimum. “We actually need quite a bit over the minimum to make things welcoming and comfortable for people,” he said. Walking the climate talk in ensuring greener buildings WHISTLER, B.C. – Whistler may adopt a greener building code called the BC Energy Step Code. Some builders say

it’s desperately needed to address the community’s contribution to the greenhouse gas emissions that scientists say are primarily responsible for the warming climate. “If society wants to move to more carbon-neutral construction, there have to be goals set forward both federally and provincially,” Bob Deeks, president of RDC Fine Homes, told Pique Newsmagazine. “If people want to do this in accordance with goals set forward by the Paris Accord (climate change agreement), they have to get moving now … you can’t wait until 2030 and move the industry from 0 to 100.” Buildings are a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions, but accounting mechanisms vary. The Canadian government calculates that buildings produce 11 per cent of the nation’s emissions. This ﬁgure, however, excludes the electricity used in homes and also the extraction process of natural gas. The end product is commonly used to heat homes. The U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency similarly lowballs the contribution of buildings at just 6 per cent, again stripping buildings of their electrical use. The U.S. Green Building Council uses a different accounting. It blames buildings for nearly 40 per cent of emissions. Architecture 2030, an advocacy group for improved building methods, went even higher in a 2013 estimate. It linked buildings with 47 per cent of emissions in the United States. If Whistler adopts the building code, it will help the province of British Columbia meet its 2050 target of 80 per cent fewer emissions by 2050 as compared to 2007. Unlike existing codes, the Step Code does not specify insulation requirements or window ratings. It does, however, require builders work with energy advisors. But the big test comes at the end, when the efﬁciency is measured. Among the testing devices is the blowdoor exercise, which detects how many leaks the building envelope has.

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Answers can be found in the next issue of SPIN FOR RENT One bedroom in village. April 15-Nov 15. No smoking, no pets. References and damage deposit required. $800 per month. 250-812-9228. Three bedroom furnished townhouse for rent: two full bathrooms, hot tub, wood burning ﬁreplace, hardwood ﬂooring, washer/dyer, cable, internet, two tenant parking stalls. Backs on to 2nd hole of golf course and valley trail. Seven minute walk to village. Available May 1 ( 2000.00/mnth). Contact 250-572-4485 or email generationcentre@yahoo.ca.

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LOT FOR SALE Sun Peaks building lot for sale. Bella Vista. Ski-in, close to Village. Spectacular view. GST paid. 250-320-6871.

EMPLOYMENT Steakhouse at Sun Peaks Lodge is hiring for end of Nov 2017. Head Chef. Please email resume to info@sunpeakslodge.com. Sun Peaks Lodge is hiring for summer April 28-Oct 17. Housekeeper/Breakfast Server. Housekeeper (incl. Laundry)/Bell Boy. Please email resume to info@sunpeakslodge.com. Trade in your skis for a surfboard and get ready for your adventure in Toﬁno, where friendships are forged and acquired skills last a lifetime. Explore employment opportunities available at the Wickaninnish Inn! Recruitment presentations and interviews will be held at Sun Peaks on Monday, March 26th and at Big White on Tuesday, March 27th. E-mail jobs@wickinn.com or go to www.wickinn.com/employment for times, locations, and more information.

Do you enjoy our puzzles? Too easy? Too hard?

Let us know!

The Parents of Cam Gledstone and Danielle Cutler would like to congratulate them on their engagement.

Send your thoughts to: editor@sunpeaksnews.com

or phone 250.578.0276

They will be married in their favourite place: Sun Peaks, Sept 8, 2018. We couldn’t be happier.

Hey don’t litter! what, it’s only gum.

ptooo...

to be continued...

Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

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Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

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>> SPORTS Records broken at Velocity and FIS Speed Ski World Cup NIKKI FREDRIKSON NORTH AMERICA’S ONLY WORLD CUP SPEED SKIING COMPETITION WRAPPED UP AT SUN PEAKS RESORT ON MARCH 7 with a new record set for the traditional Velocity Challenge. The previous three year record held by local Kenny Dale of 178.22 kilometers an hour was broken by Italy’s Simone Origone with a speed of 179.57 kilometers. “It was exciting. Everybody was looking to see it happen,” said Scott Coleman, event organizer. “The prize money for doing so was up and Simone walked away with $2,000 in his pocket.”

Throughout the week of World Cup competition, 23 competitors from around the world took on the Headwalls course. According to Coleman, the event might be the first time an international three time World Cup has been held as the Sun Peaks Velocity Challenge & FIS Speed Ski World Cup held three separate World Cup races throughout the week. “It’s a very unique group of individuals. There are only 200 registered speed skiers in the world and the best of the best were here this week and come here every year,” said Coleman. This year’s event brought out the top-ranked World Cup circuit athletes including men’s division leader Simone

Origone and women’s leader Valentina Greggio. Greggio took first place in all three races progressing from a time of 164.35 kilometers per hour to 165.72 on day three. In the men’s Speed 2 category Switzerland’s Michel Goumoens earned first place all three days with the fastest time of 155.13 kilometers per hour. Canadians Brad Wallinder and Rydr Strobl both had top five finishes throughout the competition; Wallinder finished with two silvers and a bronze placing. “The racers were happy they got lots of runs in and three completed world cups leading the racers onto Sweden now,” said Coleman.

Simone Origone of Italy broke the Veloity Challenge record previously held by Sun Peaks’ local Kenny Dale. | PHOTO SPIN

Topping the podium six years running NIKKI FREDRIKSON “NO ONE BEATS MARLIE in the women’s open snowboard category,” said Koach Thiessen, event sponsor and co-owner of Oronge Boardshop, speaking about the annual Bluebird Banked Slalom that took place on March 11. Sun Peaks resident Marlie Marchewka entered the Bluebird Day Banked Slalom six of the seven years the event has been held and has yet to lose in the women’s open snowboard category. As an avid snowboarder for the past 17 years, Marchewka said she prepares herself for the annual event mentally but doesn’t do any physical training for the competition. “I tell myself don’t miss a gate

and don’t fall, pretty much all I can ask for of myself. Then just giver’ balls, just go for it,” she said. Marchewka and her partner Joey Riegler, a snowcat operator, have been active volunteers in the Bluebird Day Fund (the beneficiary and organizer of the event) since it began in late 2006, and have been involved in building the famous course over the years. “I remember the first year we ever did it was under the Crystal chair and the course was all pretty much hand built without snowcats and a lot of shoveling,” said Marchewka. Never having entered a banked slalom competition before, she was excited to try something new and the event has since become one

of her favourites put on by the organization. “It’s fun to try something new in snowboarding. There’s so many avenues that you can learn and grow. Every day I try to push myself personally,” she said. This year she volunteered her time building and designing the course and said every year volunteers throw around ideas to make the 5 Mile’s “Hully Gully” even better. “This year we added a new little section where you come back out of the gully and it was meant to slow people down a bit before re-entering one of the hairpin turns. It was called ‘Marlie’s Wave,’” said Marchewka. “We wanted to create a little bit of a slower section in that part of the course this season so we changed it up.”

With the same core group of volunteers working on the course, they have slowly began naming sections such as the “Autobahn.” “I kind of break it down in three parts when I think about the course. There’s the upper section, then there’s the gully and then there’s the mogul section, which is like survival run pretty much, you just want to make it,” she said. Marchewka finished with a time of 109.10, besting many of the event’s male competitors and earned her sixth first-place finish in the event. She finished just ahead of Whistler competitor Sarah Niblock who took second place in the pro category at Mount Baker Banked Slalom (the pinnacle of banked slaloms in North America) and Abigail Lewis, Sun Peaks LLP

terrain park co-ordinator. “To be on the podium with those two girls was quite an honour for me. I felt really proud to be there,” said Marchewka. This year’s event brought out 75 kids in the second annual Youth Saturday Banked Slalom on March 10 and 140 competitors in the adult competition on Sunday, March 11. “It’s on the map now after seven years,” said Thiessen. “We have people coming from the north from Prince George, we had people come all the way from Calgary we have people coming from all over parts of B.C.” The Bluebird Banked Slalom donates $15 from each rider’s registration fee to the Bluebird Day Fund which provides athletic and recreational programs to the community.

Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

sunpeaksnews.com

>> SPORTS Glowczynski finds his flow at Soulines NIKKI FREDRIKSON NESTLED IN THE MOUNTAINS next to Kokanee Glacier near Nelson, B.C. is some of the best backcountry skiing in the province, making it the perfect spot for Soulines Backcountry Big Mountain Freedride competition. The three-day camp-in event held at the beginning of March challenged skiers and snowboarders on technical features such as cliffs, pillows and open faces. For Sun Peaks resident 20-year-old Jan Glowczynski, who came away with third place and new nitro gear, it was the experience of a lifetime. The conditions on and off the course challenged him mental-

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Jan Glowczynski skis through the trees during one of his competition runs. | PHOTO SUPPLIED

ly and physically, admitting after the first night of camping he realized he didn’t bring a warm enough tent and sleeping bag for the -10 C temperatures. “The first night it snowed just over a foot of snow so we kept brushing off our tents. The sleds,

Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

skis and helmets were just covered in snow. It was so fluffy and dry though,” said Glowczynski. The competition is an exclusive event with only the strongest riders being accepted. Glowczynski was referred by fellow Sun Peaks skier Kieran

Nikula who won the competition last year. He explained Nikula had to vouch for him, telling organizers he had the necessary skills before he was able to go through an interview process to be accepted to the competition. “They want to have people there having fun. It’s all about having fun pretty much and it seemed super relaxed and mellow.” With a shortage of big mountain lines available at home, Glowczynski and Nikula prepared by skiing under the Burfield chairlift going as fast as possible while focusing on fluidity. He added skiing on hard snow helped him better his skills for the powder conditions at the event. The starting list was determined by an avalanche beacon

search with each competitor sent out to complete a timed beacon search; Glowczynski was slower so he was at the bottom of the start list. Soulines allowed competitors to do as many runs as possible in their allotted time, but with a half an hour skin up to the zone, most competitors only had two runs. “That terrain is so much different than what I’m used to. It’s just like you don’t have time to stop and look at the drop you’re getting. You kind of just have to piece it all together and look at the face at the bottom but you can’t like go up and look over the cliff jumps,” he said. While Glowczynski didn’t crash on either of his runs he said many of the competitors did, with one even setting off a small avalanche after dropping off a cliff. He said that because there was so much fresh snow event organizers took every safety precaution so riders were safe from avalanches, even having different areas on the mountain ready as alternate zones. Before dropping in Glowczynski asked his friends for advice, admitting he was intimidated. He gained confidence after completing his first run. “You can’t see over the rolls, it’s like blind rolls and there’s cliffs everywhere. If you mess up your line you can get into some pretty gnarly stuff,” he said. Due to the terrain he couldn’t see any of his competitors runs so he didn’t know how he was performing in comparison. He was confident he’d do well but he was not expecting it when his name was announced for third place. Glowczynski said the best part of the three days was getting better at skiing, feeling more confident in the mountains and pushing himself. With plans to attend the event again next year, his advice to anyone looking to go is to make sure they have a good tent, lots of layers, a warm sleeping bag and to have fun.

>> SPORTS Emotional moments in Pyeongchang VOLUNTEER BRINGS HOME PARALYMPIC INSPIRATION

NIKKI FREDRIKSON “SEEING HER COME DOWN FILLED ME WITH SO MUCH EMOTION I couldn’t breathe... I was so proud and overwhelmed that my little girl was out there in the world doing what she loved,” said Rachael Chubb-Higgins, mother of Canadian Paralympic athlete Mel Pemble. “The tears of joy were unstoppable and it was the same magical feeling every single run.” Sun Peaks resident Chubb-Higgins travelled to Pyeongchang, South Korea in March to support her 17-yearold daughter as she competed in the standing slalom, giant slalom, super G and downhill competitions at the 2018 Paralympic Games.

She explained Pemble was the youngest competitor on both the Canadian Alpine Team and the World Circuit and was able to keep calm and ski consistently throughout the competitions. “I never imagined when she began skiing and racing that this is where we would be today. All I do know is that when Mel puts her mind to something that she wants, she is tenacious and focused,” she said. Not having been a “sporty” family prior to getting involved in skiing in 2010, Chubb-Higgins credited her daughter for sparking her own ski career. “Thanks to Mel I am now a ski instructor who enjoys 8 a.m. training every morning at Sun Peaks with the best ski instructors in Canada. It’s amazing to be on Sun Peaks’ moun-

tain early in the morning with its magnificent views, learning and training the latest in ski teaching,” she said. Chubb-Higgins has been a consistent volunteer with Adaptive Sports Sun Speaks (ASSP) and said experiencing the Paralympic Games has solidly confirmed she is on the right path and credited former ASSP president Pat Mckimmon to opening the door to her volunteer career. “Now because I have been to the Paralympics with Mel it’s clear that my goal as a volunteer is to give opportunities to students in the same way that the one opportunity was given to Mel back in 2011. Whatever the dream is, we open the door and show them the possibility,” she said. “It’s such a rewarding vocation and Pat Mckimmon opened the door for me. My ambition with ASSP is to help reintroduce the adaptive race program with my co-instructor John Sharun at Sun Peaks, a goal they are wholeheartedly supportive of.” Chubb-Higgins saw every one of Pemble’s runs, only giv-

I NEVER IMAGINED WHEN SHE BEGAN SKIING AND RACING THAT THIS IS WHERE WE WOULD BE TODAY.

ing her one piece of motherly advice, to have fun. “After every run, I would run down to greet her before she went down to the team. I was able to give her a tremendous hug, a truly special mummy moment,” she said. She kept busy throughout the games waking up at 5:30 a.m. each day to be ready to load the bus with all the other athlete’s parents heading to the ski hill at 7:15 a.m. “The hour before (the race) is a crazy build up with famous Korean singers and dance crews getting the crowd going. It’s non stop cheering and shouting jumping up and down waving a six foot flag and ringing my cowbell... I’m exhausted... I jokingly said to Mel’s ski coach I haven’t had four years training for this,” she said.

In total Team Canada earned 10 alpine medals. Chubb-Higgins said she’s never been so proud to be part of something so big. Pemble’s Paralympic debut was successful, finishing in the top 15 in the majority of her competitions, with two top 10 finishes: ninth in both downhill and super combined. Reflecting on her experience as a parent supporting their child through their Olympic dream, Chubb-Higgins said her favourite part of being in South Korea was watching Pemble race alongside the top athletes in the world. However, she said she is looking forward to returning home to Sun Peaks to finish the ski season and thanked ASSP for their support.

Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19

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Vol 16 Issue 3 March 23 — April 19