Apex Matters February 2023

Feel The Love At Apex

By Myleen Mallach, Owner/Publisher of Apex Matters

There is definitely ‘love’ in the air at Apex! Whether that be for your snow sport, your family and friends, your favourite treat at The Edge Bistro or simply après ski time in the Gunbarrel Saloon, there is something for everyone to love at Apex. To spread a little more love, from February 14th through March 3rd you can enjoy 25% off lift tickets Monday through Friday using the “Apex Matters” promotional code. See page 3 for more details. We know you’re going to love Apex as much as we do. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Apex Matters

“Keeping You in the S’know”

Celebrating 20 Years!

December 2002 - December 2022

ApexMatters.com 250.490.6951 apexmatters@telus.net

Apex Mountain Resort

February/March Special Events:

Feb 14 ~ Valentine’s Day - Watch our social media for more information on what’s happening slopeside.

Feb 14, 21, 28 & March 7, 14 ~ Prime Time Tuesdays - Meet at 9:45 am at the Snow School. 2 hours coaching with appetizers and beer at the Gunbarrel Saloon. Ladies and gentlemen both welcome.

Feb 15, 22 & March 1, 8, 15 ~ Wednesdays is Ladies Day - Meet at 9:45 am at the Snow School. 2 hours coaching with lunch & wine at the Gunbarrel Saloon.

Feb 16 ~ Stained Glass Feathers - Workshop with Sheryl in the Artisan’s Den at Apex from 6-8:30 pm.

Feb 17 ~ Pro D Day - No school for local kids! Get out and play in the snow!

Feb 18-20 ~ Family Day Long Weekend! Apex Mountain Resort is hosting fun and games for the family in the Village. There will be snow carvings, maple snow candy and entertainment for all ages.

Feb 18 ~ It’s Western Day at the Gunbarrel Saloon! They will be holding a Breast Cancer Fundraiser with all-day events. Bull riding in the Gunbarrel Saloon, including family games. The live band at 9 pm is the “Hillside Outlaws”.

Feb 24 ~ Timjaspy Plays Live! Back by popular demand, Tim is returning to the Gunbarrel Saloon for a second night! Join us for an evening of guitar and bass looping of all styles with the bass player for Five Alarm Funk + Ninjaspyere!

March 2 ~ Alcohol Ink Masterpieces - Workshop with Greta in the Artisan’s Den at Apex from 7-8:30 (ish) pm.

March 4 ~ Brewski Returns! Craft breweries and distilleries are invited to share their bounty with guests at this special event. Enjoy beer and spirit tastings, with several food stations o ering a wide selection of tasty treats. Tickets are not yet for sale, but will be posted on social media as soon as they are available.

March 9 ~ Acrylic Landscapes - Workshop with Camille in the Artisan’s Den at Apex starting at 7 pm.

March 11 ~ Apex Après Social - Join the Apex Community Association and meet the various organizations of the Apex community. This “Meet & Greet” is open to the public and will be located in the Gunbarrel Restaurant starting at 3 pm.

1.877.777.2739

| ApexResort.com

Day Lift Operations ~ Daily 9am - 3:30pm thru April 2, 2023.

Night Lift Operations ~ Friday & Saturday 4-9pm as of Dec 16.

Tim Horton’s Tube Park ~ Friday 4-9pm, Saturday 10am-9pm, Sunday & Holidays 10am-3pm. December 16, 2022 thru April 2, 2023.

Skating Loop & Hockey Rink ~ Open daily at 9am & night lit until 10pm. Weather dependent.

Snow Bus ~ Runs every Saturday & Sunday, plus Holidays & Spring Break. Starts December 17, 2022. Visit doublediamondtours.ca for info.

Featuring ~ 80 Runs | 4 Terrain Parks

2000 Vertical Feet | 1112 Skiable Acres

16% Novice | 48% Intermediate |

36% Advanced/Expert | 20 Feet of Cumulative Annual Snowfall

Apex Mountain Resort

Where locals never need to pay full price for lift tickets!

Access our website using the QR code to the right to purchase discounted lift tickets at Apex Mountain Resort. Input the promotional code “ApexMatters” to receive 25% o lift tickets. Tickets must be purchased 24 hours in advance for use on Monday through Friday. This o er is valid from February 14, 2023 until March 3, 2023.

Avalanche Awareness Day Success

By Chad Hartin, Assistant Patrol Director

Apex Ski Patrol sincerely thanks all of the donors and local businesses who contributed again this year to make the 2023 Avalanche Awareness Day, Information Tent, BBQ, Silent Auction and Fundraising Event a great success.

Please if you have a chance to support your local businesses, please do. They support us.

Special thank you to: Kevin Sweetman & IGA Penticton, Apex Matters, Apex Mountain Resort, Avalanche Canada (Arcteryx, MEC & Dakine), Barley Mill Brewery, Blasted Church Vineyards, BritFit, Cannery Brewing Company, Eskala Mountain Sports, Finbar O’Sullivan (Ortavox), Freedom The Bike Shop, Highway 97 Brewery, Hillside Winery, Hoodoo Adventures, Jason Parkes Customs, Johnny Smoke, Let’s Finish It, Lordco Penticton, Moduline, Nickel Plate Nordic Centre, Pasta Factory, Paul Hirschfield, Peach City Runners, Peak Emergency Response Training, Penticton Honda Centre, Penticton Lakeside Resort, Poplar Grove Winery, Pure Gym & Juicery, Ramada Penticton, Red Rooster Winery, Skaha Escape Day Spa, Slackwater Brewing, Stag’s Hollow Winery, Summerland Waterfront Resort, SUN ‘n’ SUP, Taylor Miller Law Group, The Mountain Shop, and of course, the Gunbarrel Saloon for donating the venue to host our event! Close to 50% of Apex Mountain Resort’s terrain is avalanche terrain. The purpose of Avalanche Awareness Day was to increase knowledge about mitigating avalanche risk, encouraging education about avalanches both in bounds and in the backcountry. We are proud to support Avalanche Canada with this national event and sending them some funds to continue the great work they do. Thank you to the Apex community for coming out, learning more about avalanches, and supporting us too.

Nickel Plate Nordic Centre Update

By Kevin Dyck, Marketing & Communications Manager

We’re excited to announce that together with the Rainbow Outdoor Collective (ROC), Nickel Plate will be offering free day passes, rentals, transportation and lessons on the Saturday and Sunday of the Family Day long weekend, and each Sunday leading up to it.

ROC was formed this season through funding from Nordiq Canada, with the hope of increasing diversity and inclusion in the sport of Nordic Skiing.

All purchases MUST be processed online through the Nickel Plate website, starting at https://nickelplatenordic.org/rainbow-outdoorcollective.

Join us February 26th for our first ever Lunch & Learn Potluck. The esteemed professor, Dr. Todd Redding (Don’t worry, Todd’s not as stuffy as I just made him sound!) will provide an entertaining afternoon of food and information. Todd is going to regale us about weather modeling and the myth of the Nickel Plate Norwegian Weather Station. And of course, it’s a potluck and food will start at 1:00. Email communications@nickelplatenordic.org expressing your intention of attending.

And, we have to thank the grooming staff of Apex Mountain Resort once again. Not only has Snowcat Pat provided our staff with invaluable mentoring, he came up with a machine to groom for us while ours was down with a mechanical issue. Why is this important? Well, the Canadian National Nordic Ski Team was here training before going off to continue the World Cup. To the crew at Apex, thank you!!

Tough Racing Means Tough Results

By Fred Albrechtson, Nickel Plate Junior Racer Alumni

And with that, World U23 Trials came ... and went.

If you’re interested in supporting me on my skiing journey, please consider donating to my gofundme. It can be found here: gogetfunding.com/season-support/ or there is a link on my blog. I have a goal of raising $5000 to help pay for some of the race expenses.

In mid-January, my team, as well as the whole of Canadian skiers, trooped up to Prince George for Junior/U23 World Championships Trials in hopes of qualifying for a spot to represent Canada at the Championships down in Whistler. Going into the races, I knew that I had a great chance at qualifying, but I would need to give it all I had. Our first race was a sprint. I took that as race prep for the distance events, a 20km classic mass start the following day, and then a 10km skate interval start a few days later. I fought with all I could muster in the 20km, and finished in 5th place, 8th overall. To have a 5th placement in the country was huge; it was testament to my fortitude and dedication over that last few years, and more importantly, it was a good sign that I may be heading to Whistler. After a rest day to recoup, we had our third and final race of the event: the 10km skate. That day, I raced the hardest I’ve ever raced, and landed in 6th place (11th overall). Not as good as the race prior, but still a fantastic result. Finishing that race, I knew that my name would be in the mix for the U23 team. Would it be enough to send me? I had no idea. In short, I did not qualify. I’d fallen ever so short just to not make the cut. I was devastated and it took a few days to get over it. Nonetheless, I did recover, and am now more motivated than ever for Nationals. My redemption will come. Despite not qualifying, I have still spent the last week in Whistler forerunning for the races. I may not be racing, which is very disheartening, but I am still around the competition, soaking in what I can learn from the international racers, specifically the Scandinavians. It’s been another period of growth for me, and it has left me yearning for what is to come.

Up next for me is Nationals in mid-March, so I’ll keep you updated on that. Thanks again for tuning in and for the continued support.

“Leading the fight” ~ Fred in front during the 20km race.

Specialty coffees, teas, amazing breakfasts, lunches with homemade soups, sandwiches & loads of treats.

“Artisan Take & Bake” Pizzas Made fresh to order with your favourite toppings on a delicious stone-baked crust. Gluten-free & vegan options now available.

Carvers Corner

By Lesley Evans

This last month has been an exciting and busy time for the Apex Ski Club. We held a race in challenging conditions, our Carvers program is in full swing, we had racers qualifying for higher levels of competition, and a couple of alumni are out there crushing it on the big stage. Let’s get into it!

On January 14th and 15th, we hosted the Teck Okanagan Zone Race for U12-U16. This year’s race weekend will certainly be one to remember. Despite significant technical and environmental factors working against us, our club pulled off a very successful race. As we all know that was a wild weekend up on the hill with power and cellular outages, foggy conditions, and falling trees. With safety at the absolute forefront, precautions were taken, and the event proceeded thanks to the efforts of the many parent volunteers, coaches, and the support of Apex Mountain Resort. On that Saturday and Sunday, over 140 racers from Apex, Silver Star, Big White, Revelstoke, Sun Peaks and the Yukon participated in slalom races on the Okanagan Run for the first competition of the season. Although the fog was not ideal, athletes managed to turn in some great performances, and the atmosphere and energy among competitors was terrific. Our race team enjoyed competing at their home mountain and featured in many of the top 10 placings over the weekend. Congratulations to Oliver Parilak, Sam Marshall, Maddy Seddon, Leah Evans, Lily Raymond and Sophia Jaron-Flower whose performances qualified them for the BC Winter Games later this season in Vernon.

Following those successes, the U16 Team headed to Sun Peaks for the Teck Open Round 1 for four days of racing, and it was another good one for our Apex skiers. The team faced some tough conditions when they experienced windy and warm temperatures on the first couple days, but then it quickly changed to the end of January deep freeze. This event was a Canada Winter Games qualifier. However, with over 80 women and 65 men from around the province competing and only 7 spots available for each, it looked to be a tall order. Massive congratulations to Eva Wyse and Gavin Santoro! Both these athletes battled, finished strong and we are very proud as we will be seeing them head out east in March for this national event. The racing action continues this month at all levels, including our Carvers group, so good luck to all our competitors.

This is turning out to be an amazing season for our alumni skiers. Reece Howden recently dominated the ski cross competition in Idre Fjäll, Sweden, taking a second and first place over two days of racing. Following that event, Reece was holding the lead in the Ski Cross World Cup standings. And, on the heels of the news of his acceptance to Dartmouth University, Heming Sola had the best finish by a Canadian at the World Junior Championship. While wearing bib 49, Heming put down the second fastest run of the day moving himself into 14th overall. Absolutely incredible performances by these two former Apex Ski Club members!

As we reflect on the events of this past month, we are reminded of how lucky we are for the support from our many sponsors and the Apex community. We’d also like to take a moment to thank Myleen for providing us with this avenue to share our news and connect with everyone on the mountain. Thanks again everyone ... our club and our racers appreciate it!

3-Day Spring Break Camps

Camp 1 ~ March 24-26

Camp 2 ~ March 29-31

Register through the website above.

Apex Carver Program

Starts January 7 - Full Day Saturdays

Starts January 8 - Half Day Sundays

Runs weekly though March 18 & 19

The skier above in blue is U14 Avery Warriner and the skier below in red is U16 Alexis Duncan. Photos by Greg Jaron during Apex’s Teck Okanagan Zone Race.

Stay at Apex

S t a y A t A p e x i s A p e x M o u n t a i n R e s o r t ’ s p r e m i e r v a c a t i o n r e n t a l a c c o m m o d a t i o n s p r o v i d e r . F r o m s l o p e s i d e c h a l e t s t o p r i v a t e t o w n h o u s e s o r c o n d o s , S t a y A t A p e x h a s a p l a c e f o r e v e r y o n e .

I f y o u ’ r e l o o k i n g f o r s o m e t h i n g t o d o w i t h f a m i l y a n d f r i e n d s t h i s S p r i n g , l o o k n o f u r t h e r . W e a r e o f f e r i n g 2 0 % o f f a l l 3 + n i g h t b o o k i n g s w h e n y o u u s e t h e c o d e M a r c h 2 0

”Your Vacation is Our Full-Time Job!”

(250) 328-2186

info@stayatapex.ca

Busy Racing To The Finish Line

By Reece Howden, Apex Ski Club Alumni

During the last month, the Canadian Ski Cross Team and I traveled to Idre Fjäll, Sweden for the historical first race of the New Year. Idre Fjäll is know for big jumps, high speeds, high winds and low temperatures. This year was no different. Although, the addition of a new lift changed the course slightly, leading to some new challenges. The start was slightly lower and closer to the first turn, which made speed generation in the start section vital for carrying speed into and through the berms in the middle of the course. The exit onto the long final straight began with a new 20 ft drop to a hard landing carrying into a huge step-down and step-up. This section demanded precise landings, if you wanted to defend your position from the athletes behind you in your draft. Fortunately, I adapted well. On the first day, I had fast starts, but was struggling with a feature on the bottom with a blind landing. I just couldn’t get the feeling that would put me on the right spot on the landing, which costs me the win. I placed 2nd the first day. As you could assume on day 2, I wanted redemption and I poured all my focus into getting ahead out of the start and nailing the feature on the bottom. It paid off, although it wasn’t pretty. I made the bottom feature work and defended my lead and won the big final. I left Sweden with a second and a victory extending my overall points lead and my podium streak to 5.

The rest of the season is about to get busy, with 7 more World Cups and World Championships in 5 different countries between now and March 20th. I’m chomping at the bit for these races and ready to bring the pain! Thank you for all your support!

Live streams can be accessed at CBC Olympics and updates can be found at the Alpine Canada Instagram and Facebook page or at FIS Freestyle. Go Canada GO!!!

Apex Freestyle Club

For The Kids, The Club and The Community

Moguls, Terrain Park, Big Air, All Mountain, and NOW Featuring SNOWBOARDING

Competitive & Non-Competitive Programs

For ages 6 and up

www.freestyleapex.com

By The AFC Team

From Head Coach Rob Kober ~ The snow hasn’t stopped this year! We continue to have incredible conditions on our Freestyle venues and all over the mountain.

It was a very busy and exciting month. We hosted a NorAm Mogul event and shovelled a lot of snow in order to get our airbag setup and running (Special thanks to Apex Grooming crew and Ethan Phillips!!!). We had skiers compete at Sun Peaks Resort and Canyon Ski Resort, and we have been working on building strong collaborative relationships with Freestyle Ski Clubs at Big White and Panorama that will mutually benefit our clubs and continue to expand the greater Freestyle Family.

Being back at a club level, I have had to adjust my coaching somewhat this year and to this end I’d like to share a couple of resources that I have recently revisited. If you are interested in coaching, or simply on how we learn, whether it’s skiing or playing the piano, these will offer great insight and may challenge some of your beliefs about how we learn and how to teach.

If you’re a reader, this is one of the more useful books I have come across:

MAKE IT STICK: THE SCIENCE OF SUCCESSFUL LEARNING by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger, Mark A. McDaniel

Season 2 of the podcast, AGAINST THE RULES, from Michael Lewis (Moneyball) is super informative and very entertaining. There are 8 coaching themed episodes that challenge what good coaching is.

If you have a chance to check those out, let me know what you think!

Apex Nor-Am January 19-22, 2023 ~ We held another successful event with competitors from around the globe facing off on our mogul course. We are thankful that Mother Nature cooperated and are very appreciative of the many volunteers who helped us to host our final major event of the season.

Thank you to coach Rob Kober and congratulations to AFC athletes Grady Parsons and Alexandre Wargniez for qualifying and participating in their first NorAm events.

Timber Tour ~ A group of up and coming athletes represented Apex Freestyle with strong performances at the first Timber Tour/ Super Youth Competition of the season at Sun Peaks. Thank you to coaches Jordan Kober and Thomas Burnyeat. Congratulations to:

MOGULS Charlie Longstreet W12 3rd

We will be sending athletes to the next Timber Tour/Super Youth competition in Fernie from February 23-26, 2023.

Rob Kober (in red toque) coaching at Apex Nor-Am in January 2023.

Grady Parsons during the Apex Nor-Am Mogul Competition

Canada Cup Moguls ~ Grady Parsons also represented AFC on February 4-5 at Canyon Ski Resort in Red Deer, Alberta. He had a great weekend placing 21st in singles moguls and 10th in dual moguls.

Online 50/50 ~ Thank you to everybody who generously supported our January Online 50/50 Raffle. Congratulations to Nicole Hackworth who won the jackpot! We will be hosting another draw in March - watch for details!

Auction ~ Our Annual Online Auction will be held from March 18th - April 1st, 2023 at galabid.com/apexfreestyle2023. We are actively looking for donations from individuals and businesses to make this year another success. Please contact lisa@freestyleapex.com for further information, if you wish to donate.

Fundamentalz “Jumps And Bumps” Program Update With Director Kata Stohler ~ We are halfway through our Fundamentalz Jumps and Bumps program and the kids are making incredible progress! It’s amazing to see these kids grow into aspiring little rippers.

To give them a chance to show off their newly learned skills, we held a “Skill Showcase” event the weekend of February 11th and 12th for parents to come up and watch. We focused on Andy’s Alley, and the terrain parks. It was great to see and cheer on our next generation of Apex Freestyle Skiers!

Apex Freestyle Snowboard Club Program Update With Director Josh Shulman ~ Holy smokes it is already February! Thanks to an amazing early opening date we are now at a point where we have more riding behind us than ahead of us. Sad? Not really! We are creeping into the time of year that brings more events and maybe some big dumps of snow! Please Ullr, more big dumps! Events we can bank on happening for sure.

During February 10-11, we saw a group of our athletes take part in a BC Snowboard Boarder Cross event at Big White. For most of our athletes, this was their first exposure to a sanctioned event and shoulder to shoulder racing. As a club, we are so excited to be able to help make this happen. If you are interested in staying up to date with the action at events and out on the hill at Apex, be sure to follow our Instagram page @apexfreestylesnowboardclub. Some other incredible snowboard community events coming down the pipe include: “Turning Man” at Salmo Ski Hill from February 25-26; “Slackcountry Cup” from March 4-5 at Mt. Baldy; “RattleCat Cup” at Red Mountain from March 11-12; and the 24th Annual “Neil Edgeworth Banked Slalom” from March 31-April 2 at Big White. We also have a couple super fun events happening at Apex in March. The weekend of March 24-26 will see our mountain community host “Elleboard”. This event is for the ladies! We have a couple amazing guest coaches coming for this one, so all you ladies who prefer to stand sideways while sliding down the mountain, please come join us! A couple days after “Elleboard” takes place, Apex will be hosting its first “GROM” series event. Like the name GROM refers to, this one is for the kids! Both days are going to be filled with heaps of fun, stoke and high fives!

I’ll wrap this up with another thank you to Apex and its amazing community for all the support for our club. If you happen to see us in the lift line, snag a high five and keep your eyes peeled for an errant snowball!

Emelie McCaughey - Silver (on left). Jackson Kendell - Gold (in centre).

Photo by David Merlin

Hello Apex Ski Community!

By Alec Henderson, Team Canada Member

I hope you have been enjoying the 2023 season so far, and got the chance to get up to Apex for some turns! I have just returned from a World Cup competition at Mammoth Mountain in California. I was so happy with my skiing there and landed my first top 20 finish. Just before Mammoth was a two week trip to Switzerland, where I trained on the Corvatsch Glacier for a week before heading to the Laax Open to finish up the trip. This has to be one of the most beautiful places I have ever skied and I hope to return again someday.

It was just confirmed that I qualified for the final two World Cup competitions of the year in the middle of March. Now for the rest of February and early march, I will be spending time in Whistler getting as much skiing in as I can, dialing in new skills and tricks before heading to France for the World Cup in Tignes. I am going to be travelling straight from France over to Switzerland for the season ender competition on the Corvatsch Glacier. I am so happy with how the season has been going so far and I’m excited to see what the rest provides.

Thank you for the continued support on my ski adventures, and I will be back to update you soon!

For more info on my competitions and to see some great videos, head to my Instagram: @alechendersonn

Excited For What’s Next

By Grady Parsons

Hello, my name is Grady Parsons. I am a 17 year old local from Apex Mountain Resort. I’ve skied here for 15 years now and ski with the Apex Freestyle Club. This year, Apex Freestyle hired a new coach Rob Kober. Since having Rob on board with the team, my skiing has taken a step up in the right direction! My experiences this year with Rob have been amazing, with him pushing me every step of the way. Rob has a very calm, clear, creative, understandable and passionate way of coaching. He has many and different exercises for my teammates and I to do. On the very first day on snow with him, he made me and my teammate Jackson Kendall carry big scoop shovels from the top of the mogul course to the bottom. The simple task of moving shovels turned into a training opportunity, as they had to be held in a certain way to teach us proper head position and posture for skiing. There is also his arm contraption, where he tapes poles under your arms and your wrists to teach proper posture. It’s kind of like Master Miyagi’s “wax on wax off training”.

At the beginning of the year, Rob helped me learn a new trick called a “backfull”. I learned this right before the Apex Classic event to help me qualify for NorAms. The NorAm is where the next up and coming mogul skiers compete to get the top spots where they could get on the World Cup circuit or Next Gen National Team spot. I had a good finish at the Apex Classic and qualified for the NorAm. My friend Rylan Koturbash suggested to Rob that I should try “Cork 720” to up my trick package. Rob and I swiftly started working away at cork 720s and I was able to showcase both my new aerial maneuvers at the NorAms. I had a respectful finish for my first NorAm considering the talent I was competing against. Last weekend, I competed in my first Canada Cup Series in Red Deer Alberta at the Canyon Ski Area. It was a great experience, as people from all over Canada came to compete, and some of them had become new friends after meeting them at the NorAms. The Canada Cup series has two days of competition similar to the NorAm. Day one was single moguls, where you get two chances to put your best run down and hope to make finals. Day two was dual moguls, where you are put against a competitor to race down the course to see who will make it to the bottom first while still maintaining good technique. Again, the countless hours of training paid off and assisted me in navigating down a very icy course. Next, we are off to Fernie for the Provincial Timber Tour Series in late February. The Timber Tour Series is where I first learned to compete. I started at the Super Youth level at age 8, and moved to the Timber Tour side at 14. I am looking forward to this event, as it has a great mixture of new athletes and experienced ones. Last year, I won the Timber Tour Grand Prix. I am hoping to defend this title this year.

I am very excited to see what is in store for the rest of the season, I’ll keep you posted.

Skaha Ski & Board Tuning

By Sean Vaisler

With over 20 years of experience tuning racing skis for racing professionals and Olympic athletes, Skaha Ski & Board Tuning specializes in tuning skis and snowboards to the highest professional standards within the snow sports industry. We are here to help you have a better experience on the slopes!

We tune up all our winter sports equipment by hand and don’t rely solely on machines to do the job for us. Hand-tuning your gear will prolong the life of your equipment, produce better results, and allow complete customization for every ski and snowboard to suit the user’s needs. We are extremely versatile in how we tune and what we service, so no matter which winter sport you are into, we can bring new life to your gear.

Grady Parsons competing in Canada Cup ~ Photo by Chad Parsons

Penticton Sno-Trackers Club

By Simone Wyles, Director at Large

Every club has a diverse group of riders in their collective sport and the Penticton Sno-Trackers have been offering up a variety of rides to suit every sledder. From the seasoned expert to the very beginner, the Penticton SnoTrackers try to offer a variety of terrain, ability and skill level to keep it interesting for all.

The Penticton Sno-Trackers are so fortunate to have members who are willing to organize, lead and share their specific knowledge of popular riding areas. These are the group rides the Penticton SnoTrackers have done so far ...

• Whipsaw Ride ~ President Joey Millar took the reins and arranged an epic ride to the historic Whipsaw trail area near Princeton. It was an early morning for most, as we all met at the Princeton Chevron to begin the trek to the trail head. With over 20 riders, radio checks and frequent collection points, a successful day was had by all. It’s not easy assembling a group of that size; however, we all made it back safe and sound with awesome stories about the day. A group dinner at the Little Greek Grill in Princeton topped off an epic ride.

• Family Day/Full Moon Ride ~ Planned for the first full moon in January, Curtis Turchack lead the way and showcased some of the snowmobile trails that we have mapped on our website, www.pentictonsnotrackers.ca. The Penticton SnoTrackers later met up at the emergency shelter for chili, hotdogs and hot chocolate. A bonfire was lit and members conversed about the adventures of the day. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate and we couldn’t see the moon. However, we had a surprise for the littles and grown-ups alike as Lloyd Nyhus put on a 15 minute fireworks display! We had a great turnout with only a few breakdowns and nobody left behind. Thanks to everyone who was able to make the ride and the after party at the Sno-Tracker Shelter.

• Unwed Mothers Cabin Ride ~ Greg Smith tasked himself with this endeavour that had an awesome turnout! Behind the hills of Peachland towards Headwaters was an amazing trail ride to a historical outbuilding, stopping to play by the many frozen lakes and meadow areas that appeased many of the riders. A few of our more mature members showed us how it’s done in a few spots! A fire was built, coffee and hot chocolate were served and appetizers were cooked (or burnt) on the fire, but they still tasted good! A huge thank you to Greg and Lacey for leading the way.

There are still a few organized rides that are coming up. The Ashnola, Beaverdell, as well as our big group ride to The Selkirks. The Penticton Sno-Trackers will be staying at the historic Trout Lake Windsor Hotel and enjoying some of the best snow conditions seen this side of the Kootenays in awhile.

The Penticton Sno-Trackers pride themselves as being an inclusive and welcoming organization. From the youngest to the oldest, we encourage our members to bring along anyone who may be interested in being a member to see what we are all about. It’s not easy to walk into a club meeting where everyone already knows one another, but we make it a point that when you leave, you will!

Members are encouraged to meet up and help each other outside of organized events as well. Maybe someone needs help with their sled deck or another member is doing a parts run out of town. We encourage reaching out to one another.

We’ve already hosted an Avalanche Skills Training Level 1 course and another scheduled for February 25 is filling up quickly. If you would like more information on the AST1 course, the Penticton SnoTrackers can be contacted at pentictonsnotrackers@gmail.com. Check out our website at www.pentictonsnotrackers.ca. as well. Look for the Penticton Sno-Trackers on Facebook and Instagram. Come join the fun, be safe and keep the shiny side up!

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A Glance At Our Night Sky

Do you look up at the night sky and question more than the snow conditions the next day? In this issue, we share a thought provoking article by Ken Tapping, an astronomer with NRC’s Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory in Kaleden.

The Celestial Vermin Threat

On January 26, a tiny asteroid passed us by a mere 3600 km away, at a speed of around 9.3 kilometres a second. Known as 2023 BU, it was discovered by Crimean amateur astronomer Gennadiy Borisov about five days earlier. Fortunately, the object was too small to constitute a real threat to us. However, this event showed that even with special telescopes designed to spot asteroids, some of them slip through, to be discovered by dedicated amateurs, or possibly missed altogether.

Until the end of the 18th Century, the Solar System presented a puzzle. There is a big gap between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, which should not exist. There should be a planet there. In 1801, Giuseppi Piazzi, an Italian priest and astronomer, found something. He called the “new planet” Ceres. It was a bit small, with a diameter of about 1000 km, but at least there was planet where one was expected to be. However, soon after, three more “new planets” were found orbiting in that gap. They were named Pallas, Vesta and Juno, all in similar orbits. This was entirely unexpected. It was agreed these bodies were not planets, so they became known as “asteroids”, because through the telescopes of the time, they just looked like stars. They are better referred to as minor planets. Now we know there are millions of these objects ranging in size from Ceres down to rubble. We now believe that many of the asteroids are bodies that would have joined together to form that expected planet. However, Jupiter’s strong gravitational pull stopped this happening. Others are wandering lumps of material that somehow never got captured by a growing planet. Although,

most of them spend their time between Mars and Jupiter, others range around the Solar System, with a good number venturing in among the inner planets, flying past us, and in a few instances over our history, hitting us.

When astronomers started using cameras on telescopes, which involved carefully controlling the telescopes’ tracking during the hours-long photographic exposures that were needed to image the most distant galaxies and nebulae, the astronomers were not happy to see tracks across their laboriously obtained images. These were due to asteroids drifting across their field of view during the exposure. This led to asteroids being referred to as the “Vermin of the Skies”.

With people living over most of the surface of the Earth, and its resources being stretched to meet their needs, even a relatively small asteroid impact could be a disaster. This has led to a number of sky monitoring programmes to detect threatening vermin. A recent experiment has shown it is possible to change the orbit of asteroids on potential collision courses if they are detected early enough: years, or many months in advance.

Most of the asteroids were formed from dust and ice. Many of the smaller ones are basically orbiting rubble piles just about holding themselves together by gravity. One of these approaching the Earth would be torn apart by the Earth’s gravity, due to it pulling at the nearest parts on the asteroid more strongly than the most distant parts. Then much of the resulting rubble stream, moving at many kilometres a second, would burn up in the atmosphere. If 2023 BU had come closer to us, that would probably have been its fate. Asteroids a few kilometres across or more, like the one that sealed the fate of the dinosaurs, some 64 million years ago, are much more solid. There are solid, rocky ones out there, and some that are lumps of nickel iron. This is why we take the celestial vermin threat so very seriously.

Next New Moon ~ February 19. Next Full Moon ~ March 7.

Richard Cannings

Member of Parliament

South Okanagan - West Kootenay

Richard.Cannings@parl.gc.ca

250.770.4480

#202 - 301 Main Street Penticton, BC V2A 5B7

From The Hill

By Richard Cannings, MP South Okanagan-West Kootenay Childcare

When the Royal Commission on the Status of Women recommended a national childcare program in 1970, I was still a Pen-Hi student. I never thought that it might take over a halfcentury for Canada to create legislation for such an important program. But, on the heels of the birth of my third grandchild, Canada is very close to doing just that.

After 50 years, the tireless advocacy of women, unions, childcare workers and my own political party has resulted in the passing at second reading of Bill C-35, and we are on our way to a highquality, affordable, flexible, and inclusive early learning and childcare system.

In BC, record provincial government investments have come a long way, and now with federal commitments, the path to universal $10/day coverage is on track for 2026.

In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, where the cost of almost everything has increased, childcare is a rare exception. Parents are already seeing as much as a 50% reduction in childcare costs, providing real relief to thousands of families. In Penticton, we now have multiple $10/day facilities, with over 250 $10/day centres across the province.

Last week I spoke with Amanda Burnett, Penticton mother of two and passionate childcare advocate. She agreed, things are definitely on the right track. She shared that, for the first time in two years, she has childcare for both her children and is no longer on a waitlist. Her childcare bill used to be over $625 a month per child. She is now paying $200 per month per child for full time care. This has not only removed a huge financial and emotional burden, but allowed her to shift those investments to going back to school to finish her degree.

Indeed, what was true in 1970 rings just as true today. The social and economic benefits of child care are well established in 2023. Accessible child care is one of the most significant factors in promoting gender equality by allowing more parents, particularly mothers, to participate in the workforce and achieve greater economic security. Through the pandemic, women were disproportionately impacted, and the fallout has been devastating for gender equality. Women have always held increased burden for unpaid care, but the pandemic ratcheted up these inequalities. Upon trying to re-enter the workforce, finding the childcare needed was a challenge for far too many women.

Often when we think of the solutions to the labour shortages much of our region is experiencing, access to affordable housing is a key

consideration. But access to affordable, flexible and inclusive child care will go a long way to getting the productive work force that is already housed in our region into the labour market.

It has been 30 years since the Liberals first promised a national childcare program. Without the NDP at the table, this would not have happened. We worked hard to achieve this legislation and pushed to make it stronger. We insisted the government prioritize non-profit daycare to also ensure accountability and for livable wages for childcare workers. We also held them to commit to longterm funding.

As this legislation goes through the House, I will continue to push to make this bill even stronger. A national childcare program will only be successful and sustainable if the workers who make it possible are treated with dignity and paid fairly. Buildings and spaces are not the key pieces of the childcare puzzle - workers are. We need to improve this Bill with a workforce strategy to address staffing shortages in this sector.

This is a good news story. This legislation in another example of what can be accomplished when parties cooperate. A universal childcare program, much like our public health care system, brings us all a step closer to a fairer, more inclusive Canada.

“Thank You”

From ApexHockey.com

By Marc Tougas, Apex Hockey Organizer

Apex Hockey hosted 2 outdoor hockey events at Apex Mountain Resort this season. Both tournaments took place in January.

The 23rd Apex Shootout was made up of 14 teams from all over BC and Alberta. Winners of the Old Timer’s division was a local team from Penticton, the Highway 97 - Slackwater combo. The Firefighter division final and the women’s final could not be played, due to the weather turning to wet snow. The women’s final was to be the Trash Pandas from Kelowna vs. the Kootenay Thunder, while the Firefighter final was to be Penticton Fire vs. Saanich Fire. The 20th Apex Shotgun tourney was played the following weekend, where the Dog Puckers won the Men’s division and the Stick Figures won the Women’s division. Both teams were from the Vancouver area.

We know everyone enjoyed the mountain activities. Many of these participants ski and board during the day, play a game of hockey, then enjoy the night life Apex has to offer.

I would like to thank all the teams for participating and the Apex staff who worked so hard to keep the event going during the adverse weather conditions. I would also like to thank all the residents at Apex Mountain for having the hockey world invade your space. Hope to see everyone next year.

For more information, please visit www.apexhockey.com

Monthly MLA Report

By Roly Russell, MLA Boundary-Similkameen

Last weekend, the day before heading back to Victoria to begin three months of spring session, I had the privilege to have some excellent conversations with folks at Apex. That said, it felt a tad sacrilege to be spending the night at Apex and not actually getting on skis to enjoy the fresh snow that had arrived overnight!

My visit to Apex was both productive and interesting. We coordinated with RDOS Director Subrina Monteith, who was at Apex with Manager of Finance Jim Zaffino to share the proposed RDOS budget (look it up online for details, and opportunities to have your say on the draft!), and we had a good discussion on local and provincial issues. We had representatives from the APOA, ACA, Apex Fire Rescue and more. Special thanks to Subrina for helping coordinate, and I’m already looking forward to the next opportunity to be back.

As expected, predictable registration and access to schools was a priority issues in the meetings. As I know from previous conversations, this is the sort of foundational support that can make the difference for newcomers to the community deciding to stay or leave. Given the persistent challenges of recruitment and retention of new families, being able to help deliver those foundational supports becomes enormously important for community development. I’ve reached out to the Minister of Education, and we’ll hold further meetings with the School Districts to explore scenarios to fix this problem. It’s a real and significant issue and needs a solution.

Forestry issues were also a recurring theme in the discussion. I shared some of the work that the BC Government is tackling to modernize the sector, recognizing that we need to manage our forests for the multitude of values our communities hold, shifting away from a volume-above-all-else approach, and incorporating more input from the community in the process. Issues were raised around visual quality objectives and harvesting techniques, as well as consultation (or lack thereof). The Minister’s office has agreed to help set up a community conversation to address these issues in more detail. Specifics to follow once we find a date!

Complexities of effective and affordable rural transit, healthcare, fire services and more were also raised. Much of these have to do with ‘right-sizing’ regulations and policy so they work well for rural communities, which is precisely the work that I (and some other rural colleagues) am tasked with helping resolve. The need is clear, and we’re working toward solutions. Indeed, in day one of our legislative opening for spring session, we heard explicit direction in the speech from the Throne that identified a rural strategy as a focus, which will help support this work!

Much more to share, but no space! Ministerial visits to the region, new programs to foster private sector innovation, supports to make life more affordable ... they’ll all have to wait for next month. Meanwhile, in Victoria while I write this, I’m watching robins flit about in the green grass outside my window. I do love the diversity of this province!

FROM THE DIRECTOR For RDOS Area ‘I’

The Apex community was presented the financial budget for Area “I” in person on Saturday, February 4th. A special thank you to everyone who attended to learn about the budgeting process, as well as the many budgets that the RDOS manages in order to provide all the services to the entire region. RDOS Finance Manager, Jim Zaffino (on far right in photo below), shared an overview of the RDOS authorities, as well as the budget process. Following the financial community meeting, MLA Roly Russell answered questions regarding logging, roads, access to education, transit and anything else residents asked. Lots of great conversations and it was an honour to be apart of the process.

Subrina Monteith Director of RDOS Area “I”

If you haven’t done so yet, visit the RDOS Regional Connections website and participate in both surveys currently underway. One is on Vacation Rentals and the other is a review of Emergency Management. Visit rdosregionalconnections.ca to share your view. Dogs off leash continues to be a concern for residents at Apex. Dogs must be kept on leash to keep our fur friends safe, as well as community members. Please visit www.rdos.bc.ca/assets/bylaws/ ByLawEnforcement/Bylaw-2671-Dog-Control-CONSOLIDATED. pdf to review the bylaw. Reporting of dogs off leash is done by calling 250-490-4113, as it is a complaint driven process.

Subrina Monteith, Director of RDOS Area ‘I’ Direct: 250.460.0723 | smonteith@rdos.bc.ca | www.rdos.bc.ca

NOTICE OF APPLICATION

Notice of Application to the Comptroller of Water Rights under the water utility act and the utilities commission act. Notice is hereby given by Apex Mountain Resort Ltd 1997, that an application has been made to the Comptroller of Water Rights for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity Amendment for the proposed system to serve the following land parcels; 134, 135, 136 Clearview Cres. Lot 12, Plan KAP65691, District Lot 395S, Similkameen Div of Yale Land District. The amendment is to change the single family lot to a duplex lot. .

Any person wishing further information in connection with this application should apply directly to Apex Mountain Resort at 250-490-5680 or email shawn@apexresort.com. Any objections to this application are to be forwarded to the Secretary to the Comptroller of Water Rights, Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations, P.O. Box 9340, STN PROV GOVT, Victoria, BC V8W 9M1, or email chris.McMillan@gov.bc.ca, and should be received in this office on or before April 28, 2023.

Slushy Thoughts From The Snow Bank

By Brad Nunes

Hello Everyone! February is here and you know what that means? That is right. It is a short month!

Such a funny little month. Every once in a while, it gets a little longer, but it is still short of a full month. I had heard both July and August have 31 days because some Romans got into a tiff about whose ... month ... was longer. And, poor February was like “What the heck!? You could both lose a day and still be just as long as like half the months!” Poor stunted February. At least it got a holiday with the addition of Family Day. I mean it has always had that phony holiday of Valentine’s Day ... the conspiracy of Hallmark and Hershey. And, sometimes Victoria’s Secret sneaks in for a cut. I have ranted about how millions of roses have to die each year just to wow the ladies (or gents). You know, sometimes I wish the gender norms would flip. A nice bunch of flowers and some chocolate would not be dismissed if they showed up for me. And frankly, if anyone got me some sexy undies, I would be totally flattered. I’ve been doing my lunges. My buns deserve to be shown off. But yeah. Here is to you February. You weird, short month. We still love you, especially on the ski hill.

I forever maintain that, on average, February is the best ski month. If we are going to have snow, we typically have a good base by then. And, it doesn’t tend to get blasted with cold fronts like January. If you get a powder day in February, it is often extremely epic. Man, oh man, this year all the soft stuff is just a treat. We have been hella blessed. I mean, I have still found a rock or two in the Window, but like there are more important miracles that need to be granted.

Lastly, in this month for lovers, remember to give yourself some love. Check in and do something that makes you smile. Ground yourself and if you can’t find any grass to touch, then at least make a snowball. Be good to yourselves and be good to each other. Make a new friend on the chairlift or cheer on a newbie on the bunny hill. We are all spinning on this globe together, so let’s all take care of ourselves and spread it around to our neighbours. I started doing Yoga. And by “doing Yoga”, I mean I found a YouTube video ... so of course, I am an expert. The only issue is I don’t really bend, so my downward dog is more like a semi-prone porpoise. But whatever. It makes me feel good. So, try your new thing or pick up an old thing. But do it for you. You got this. You are awesome. Much love everyone. Cheers!

The APOA ... The Heart of the Apex Community!

APOA membership is open to all Apex property and condo owners.

Love your Apex playground? Want to keep it pristine? Love to use the snowshoe & cross country trails?

Like to drive on safe roads to get to Apex?

Concerned about the status of logging?

Many voices make a strong community. Add your voice and become an APOA member.

Annual Membership ~ $30/year

www.apexpropertyowners.com

Thank You From The APOA

By The APOA Board

The APOA would like to thank RDOS Area “I” Director Subrina Monteith and RDOS Financial Manager Jim Zaffino, as well as Roly Russell, our local provincial MLA, for making themselves available to meet with Apex residents and property owners here at Apex on Saturday, February 4, 2023. Jim’s budget presentation was very insightful and we appreciated being able to meet and discuss local issues with Roly as well. Finally, a thank you to James Shalman and Apex Mountain Resort for providing the venue and A/V support for the meeting.

If you would like more information or to join the APOA, please visit our website at www.apexpropertyowners.com.

Let’s Finish It ... Custom Ski Furniture

By Jay Mallach

Got an old pair of skis that has sentimental value? Ever thought of turning them into a piece of furniture to enjoy? Let’s Finish It can recycle them into custom handmade end tables, lamps, racks, coffee tables, benches, or anything else you desire. Let’s Finish It provides creative ways to meet your custom design needs. Why not repurpose your old skis into something functional and new.

Apex Community Association Update

By Erica Fletcher

Happy Valentine’s Day Apex lovers! Whether you’re in love with the snow, this magical place or your significant other (or all of the above?!), I wish you joy in your loved ones and hope that you have a wonderful snow-filled day of love!

I know I’ll be having a good day this Valentines, as I’ll be on my long awaited honeymoon. For those of you dudes who find yourselves lacking a special someone to worship this Valentine’s Day, check out a little known ski goddess of Norse mythology named Skadi. She was a formidable mountain woman who lived where the snow never melted, hunted on skis, and was just in general a pretty awesome chick. Ullr, you have some competition!

The ACA, with the help and support of Hoodoo Adventures and the Gunbarrel Saloon, hosted the Kendal Mountain Film Tour this month. By the time this has gone to print, this event will have passed, so I hope that everyone who came out enjoyed their dinner and a movie night at Apex! Thanks to everyone who helped pull this off.

I’m saddened to have to tell you that the Disco Night I mentioned last month that we were cooking up will have to stew a little longer, until the next winter season in fact. We’re all too busy (skiing!) with lots of other events that need our input and attention coming up, so something had to give. But, rest assured, we will do it up properly next year when we have time and sufficient volunteers to make this event an unforgettable one. Don’t worry, all that practice you put in doing disco moves on skates will not be wasted!

Next month, the various societies of Apex will be coming together to co-host an Après Ski Social, or “Meet and Greet” if you will, from 3-6 pm on Saturday, March 11th in the Gunbarrel Dinning Room. The ACA, the APOA, the AVFR and AFBS (and any other Apex groups that would like to join us) would like to invite you all, the community, to come and share a beverage with us, chat, ask questions and mingle. Everyone is welcome and appetizers will be provided. We can’t wait to share the evening with you and hope to see you there.

Well, cheers everyone! Here’s to hoping that mother nature, or Skadi, feels the love this month from Apex and sends us a few dozen inches of fresh snow instead of roses!

Apex Fire Brigade Society AGM

By Chris Collins, AFBS President

Join us on Tuesday, February 28th at 7 pm in the Gunbarrel Dining Room for our Annual General Meeting. Everyone is welcome to attend to learn about what the AFBS has been up to over this past year and what our plans are moving forward. Hear from Graeme Lindsay, Deputy Chief of AVFR on an update of the firehall. We can look forward to a social after the meeting!

We are looking for community minded people to join the AFBS to support the AVFR. We would love to have you a part of the team! There are no requirements ... The only “requirement” is that you want to help out the community whether you live here full time or not. We are specifically looking for interest in the subjects below, but there is something for everyone.

• Fundraising

• Grant Proposal Writing

• Community Events

• Emergency Support

There will be 3 board positions to be filled, along with as many members that want to join in assisting the board members with above subjects. If you are interested in being a part of the board or joining the AFBS as a member, this is a great opportunity to introduce yourself to the group and have a chance to nominate yourself for a board position.

If you are interested in learning more about being a part of the Apex Fire Brigade Society or joining before the AGM, please reach out to Mark at mark.rufiange@apexfirerescue.ca to get on our mailing list or ask questions.

Skadi hunting on skis. (1901) by H.L.M.

“Nickel Plate

Photo by Leigh Trusler Photography

Ditch Ibuprofen For A Better Ski Day

By Dr. Deirdre O’Neill, Naturopathic Physician

Does this sound like your pre-ski morning routine? Early rise. Carb load with pancake, bacon and eggs. Some stretching exercises to wake up the muscles. Start getting your gear on before the lifts turn. Oh and pop an Advil or Tylenol - possibly to reduce the hangover feeling from last night’s après ski - but more likely to keep your muscles and joints limber to keep you going throughout the day.

I get it. Your joints can speak your age, but your heart and mind are years younger - seeking the endless laps. So if only the pain can go away, so that it doesn’t dampen your fun.

So, what’s the harm in front loading with Ibuprofen? Many people consider NSAIDS to be fairly safe to take. Just like any drug, NSAIDS can cause trouble. More commonly known is that they can upset your stomach and cause intestinal bleeding. Taking NSAIDS for a longer period of time can cause cardiovascular problems, including increasing risk of heart attack, in those with an increased risk.

From a musculoskeletal standpoint, NSAIDS don’t have a good profile here either. NSAIDS stop the body from remodelling. When you work out, changes occur to your muscles, ligaments and joints. This change needs to heal, so that you are ready for your next work out. If tended to correctly in the remodelling phase, your body comes out stronger.

Secondly, NSAIDS block pain. Without pain as a guide telling you to call it a day, you may be prone to push further than your body should handle. Next thing you know, you have an overuse injury.

Outside of resting or switching to less strenuous sports, you can enhance your experience on the hill by improving your threshold of inflammation. This can be achieved by getting proper rest, staying hydrated and eating an anti-inflammatory diet.

Sleep is the ultimate restorer. Getting deep sleep is how the body remodels. Make sleep a priority. For every hour you sleep prior to midnight is equivalent to two hours of restorative sleep after midnight. Sleeping pills tend to knock you out, but don’t necessarily enhance deep sleep. There are many over the counter sleep aids - from Melatonin to help you get to sleep, to Theanine to improve relaxation, to CBD to reduce pain that prevents sleep. Drink half your weight in fluid ounces per day. A quick look at your urine can give you a clue if you are not drinking enough water. You want your urine to appear light yellow. Anything darker than that you are likely dehyrdated. Muscles and joints are often the first to suffer, getting stiffer and sorer as the day goes on. Consider packing a flexible water bottle with you while you ski. Throw in some electrolytes to give some stamina to your water.

You know the old saying, “you are what you eat”. Food can ramp up or ramp down your inflammatory baseline. Eating more processed food, sugar, wheat will ramp up your inflammation. Après ski drinks also set the stage for more of an inflammatory body. Pushing over to a Mediterranean diet - filled with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals - is a sure way to combat inflammation and get your pre-ski pain levels down. Bonus if you load your Mediterranean diet with deep sea fish - upping your omega 3 content in your food. Beyond dropping your inflammation threshold, here’s an important reminder to keep at it. If one of the causes of your pain is due to osteoarthritis - building muscle is crucial. Osteoarthritis is where the cartilage in the joint has worn down. With the bone on bone feel there is less cushion within the joint - less shock absorption through the bumps and jumps. You would think that less activity would be better for an aged joint. Research has shown that the converse is true. More activity leads to more time strengthening the muscles around the joint and ultimately improves function of the joint and drops the pain.

If you try all of the above and you are still finding it difficult to ditch the Ibuprofen, it’s time to look at therapies that are directed at the pain generators. Contact my office to learn about the regenerative therapies that I provide to keep you out on the slopes longer and pain free.

Dr. Deirdre O’Neill, Naturopathic Physician, has an expertise in Prolotherapy and Platelet Rich Plasma. She practices in Penticton at Alpine Natural Health. You can also find her on the hill as part of the Volunteer Canadian Ski Patrol.

The Making Of A Mug

By Jane Ono of The Artisan’s Den at Apex

The Artisan’s Den at Apex

Featuring work by Local Artists, an Active Pottery Studio, Guest Artist Sessions, & a Cozy Café!

“EVERYONE IS AN ARTIST” Series, continued ...

We all have our favourite mug! Large or small, narrow or wide, with a handle or without, its texture and colour ... but have you ever thought about what it takes to make a pottery mug?

Starting with the design elements, a potter considers the type (and colour) of clay, and the desired shape, size, and purpose of the mug. There are several basic techniques for forming the body. Hand-building involves either slab-assembly, coiling, pinch-pots, or a combination of these methods. Alternatively, one can ‘throw’ the mug on a potter’s wheel. Using any of these techniques, a potter needs to focus on the clay’s characteristics, such as moisture level and thickness, to ensure success. Adding texture or design with stamps, tools, or other bits of clay can also be done. Once the body of the mug is complete, it dries to leather-hard stage. Around this same time a handle is formed and attached, and the mug is trimmed. It takes a day or two to get from a lump of clay to the mug shape. Then it needs to air dry, but not too quickly! Here at Apex, the air is so dry that we need to slow the drying process down, so that the pottery doesn’t crack.

The next step is a bisque fire in the potter’s kiln. Firing the clay to 1828 degrees (F) removes the moisture and hardens the clay to its solid state.

After choosing the desired colour(s) and effects, the potter can apply underglaze and/or glaze(s) to the mug. Then, the mug goes into the kiln again. This time it is fired to 2232 degrees (F) where the glaze melts and turns into its final, beautiful state. It takes one to two hours, over two weeks, to go from mud to mug. So, the next time you are sipping your favourite beverage from your favourite cup, think about what it took to create it! Enjoy!

CatMatch

Meet Tiger Lily

This pretty grey tabby is Tiger Lily, a 4-5 year old spayed female. She came to us with a lot of fear and refusing to eat. However, with time, patience and kindness this gal has learned to trust and now spends many daytime hours sleeping with her head on her foster Mom's feet, purring and occasionally gently snoring. Cuteness overload when she plays with her favourite red wool ball, which for some reason she talks to as they play together. Very cute! Visit www.alleycatsalliance.org.

Jardin Estate Jewelry & Antiques

Recycling the Elegance of the Past 5221 Hwy 97 Okanagan Falls 250.497.6733 www.jardinantiques.com

Stained Glass Feathers with Sheryl ~ An evening of stained glass, where you will create a beautiful boho feather to take with you at the end of the class. Each participant will choose their colour palette from pre-cut pieces of glass, then foil and solder their feather and finish with black patina. No experience necessary. Please be advised that you will be working with glass and hot equipment. Use caution! Due to the nature of this media, the session is limited to adults only.

The workshop date is Thursday, February 16 from 6:00-8:30 pm. Cost is $80 per person (includes taxes). Min/Max: 3-6 participants. To register, please email and e-transfer to janeonstrike@gmail.com.

Alcohol Ink Masterpieces with Greta ~ Using alcohol ink, yupo paper and a bit of direction, you will create a two 5” x 7” masterpieces. It’s just a matter of choosing a few of your favourite colours, dropping some ink onto paper, using some artistic tricks, adding your signature, and voila, your masterpiece is complete. You’ll go home with happy memories and two cool matted, ready to be framed, original pieces of art. All material will be supplied. Come prepared to have fun.

The workshop date is Thursday, March 2 from 7:00-8:30 (ish) pm. Cost is $55 per person (includes taxes). Min/Max: 5-10 participants. Adults only, please. To register, please email and e-transfer to janeonstrike@gmail.com.

Acrylic Landscape with Camille

Thursday, March 9, 7:00 pm.

Acrylic Paint Pouring, with Colette - repeat performance

Thursday, March 23, 7:00 pm.

Top Articles In 10 Years Of Writing For Apex Matters

By Lyndie Hill, Hoodoo Adventure Company

Every month over the wintertime, I sit at my laptop and try to come up with something to write about for Apex Matters. Sometimes I know well in advance, sometimes I ask other people for advise on topics, and sometimes I look back at other things I’ve written for inspiration. Tonight, when I looked back, I realized that I have been doing this for 10 seasons now! That’s right, it’s my 10-year Anniversary writing for this wonderful publication. For that reason, I thought I would share my “top 4” that I have written over the years (and only 4 because that’s all the room I have on the page;) …

1. The History Of Nickel Plate Lake Area. This back road has historical significance that dates to the late 1800’s. Ore of commercial promise was discovered in 1898 and by 1904 a 4000’ tramway was built to bring that ore from the mountain top to the stamp mill in the valley below. By 1920, the area was producing 200 tons of ore per day. This high rate of production accompanied with increased costs caused the mine to close in 1930. In 1934, a well-known American geologist re-examined the geology of the Nickel Plate deposit and discovered new gold reserves sufficient to reopen the mine. During the period of 1904 to 1955, the Nickel Plate deposit was mined as an underground mine. From that time, the mines operated an open pit until October 1996. The Nickel Plate and associated ore bodies have yielded over 2.5 million ounces of gold from both underground high grade and surface open pit production in their time.

3. The Importance Of Outdoor Education In A Community. I can’t express enough how valuable outdoor education is for kids. Outdoor/Adventure Recreation includes a range of leisure, recreation, cultural or sporting activities undertaken in natural, heritage, rural and urban open space, which offer opportunity for improved mental and physical wellbeing, educational gains, social development, building an area’s identity and understanding our environment. This style of recreation offers value to all parts of our community at all stages of life. By introducing such opportunities to the children, we have the ability to create an adventurous culture in our community that can truly put us on the map. Programs within the school curriculum are said to be of valuable assistance, as they operate outside the limitations that govern traditional and formal teaching and learning in schools by aiming to promote the development of the whole person as a social individual being, in a balanced and integrated fashion. This holistic approach challenges current forms of schooling, which are competitively preparing their students for final exams and placing vocational outcomes and tertiary entrance scores as paramount, rather than giving their students a total life experience to assist in the development of the person as whole.

2. Can My Dog Poop In Your Office? Pick up your dog poop!! Pooches for the Planet’s literature states, “Rainwater can wash those little presents your pooch leaves on the ground into streams and rivers leading to our lakes. Just like human waste, dog poop poses a threat to both public health and water quality, can make people ill, as well as cause algae blooms and rob the water of oxygen needed to support fish and other aquatic life.”

Dog waste is more than just a cosmetic issue. Stepping in it is no longer comical. 49% of North Americans own a dog. It is estimated that 38% of dog owners don’t clean up after their pets. Research shows that 73 million dogs pile up 6.3 billion pounds of waste annually. Shamefully, 40%, or 2.5 billion pounds, is never picked up by owners. From green spaces to watershed and then into our waterways, if you don’t want to recreate in or drink dog poop, take a bag and pick it up!

4. An Industry Worth Pursuing In The Okanagan. A study done in 2012 estimates the value of the global outbound adventure travel sector to be US$263 billion, excluding airfares. When this US$263 billion is combined with the estimated $82 billion spent for related gear, apparel and accessories, adventure travelers spent more than $345 billion in 2012 for travel related to adventure.

“Adventure tourism’s steep climb is attributed to growth in the global tourism industry, a significant increase in the percentage of adventure travelers, and an increase in the average amount spent per adventure travel trip”, said the Adventure Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA) President Mr. Shannon Stowell. “This comes as positive news, of course, and reinforces the ATTA community’s rising commitment to safety, education, training, and development of innovative and culturally and environmentally sound travel options. As we watch adventure travel tourism grow, it is imperative that we continue to provide travelers with transformative experiences, all while helping to protect and respect the very people and places visited.”

From history and geography to science, mental health and economic impact, I have truly enjoyed writing for you all over the past 10 years. I am elated when I get stopped and told how much someone enjoyed reading my article that month and that it really meant something to them. I look forward to continuing to write about a bunch of random outdoorsy kind of things for as long as you all continue to enjoy it! Thank you for your years of readership.

Apex Mountain Resort would like to remind local residents and visitors alike that water conservation is extremely important all year round! It is integral to the well-being of this beautiful mountain that we love so much. We all need to make a conscious effort to conserve water when you can.

Great Cabin Recipes

Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowl

By Dee Milton

In today’s day and age, we are getting busier and of course, we are always looking for scrumptious meals that can be made in short amounts of time. If you’re like me, wanting a quick, delicious meal that also checks some of those health requirements off the list, then you’re in luck! This Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowl is amazing and is a sure crowd pleaser!

Begin by whisking together ¼ cup of olive oil, ¼ cup of finely chopped chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (you can buy this in a can, in the ‘Mexican’ or ‘ethnic’ part of most grocery stores), 3 tbsp. of honey, 2 tbsp. of Dijon mustard, a handful of chopped, fresh cilantro leaves, 4 cloves of crushed garlic, the juice from half a lime and one shallot diced finely. Once combined, add salt and pepper to taste. If you are unable to find the canned chipotle peppers, chopped jalapenos or chilis do the trick!

Next, place 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a dish or ziplock bag. Take the above marinate, pour it over the chicken and let sit for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. Once marinated, in a large saucepan over medium heat, combine ½ a cup of quinoa with 1 cup of salted water (or chicken stock) and bring to a boil before reducing the heat to low and simmering for 15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa can be easily fluffed with a fork. Remove from the stove top and stir in the zest from ½ a lime. If you really love spicy food like me, add a dash (or three) of chili oil to the quinoa! Set aside for assembly of meal. Heat 2 tbsp. of oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Once the pan is warm, remove the chicken from your marinade and place in the hot skillet. Cover the chicken and cook, turning once or twice until each side is golden in colour and the chicken is cooked through (about 10 minutes) total. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and allow it to cool off before slicing it into small strips for your bowl.

In the same oiled skillet, add one medium, diced onion and ¾ cup of corn (this can be frozen, canned, or fresh - if fresh, cut the corn off of the cob, place fresh corn in paper towel and microwave for 40 seconds), for 4 minutes or until it begins to caramelize. Add one can of rinsed black beans and cook, stirring constantly until warm throughout. Be careful not to mush the beans up - but if you do, don’t worry, they’re still yummy!

In a small bowl, whisk together with a fork; 1 tbsp of honey, the juice from the other ½ of the lime, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper until combined. Once complete, you are ready to serve! Begin preparing your bowls by placing salad greens in the bottom, top with chicken, quinoa and black bean mixture, sliced cherry tomatoes, avocado or guacamole, peppers, and onions. For an added kick, I add sliced radishes! Drizzle the tops of the bowl with the honey lime mixture and voila! A delicious and healthy meal that guests, children and adults will all enjoy!

Lifeskills

By Jim Ongena, Life Coach in Summerland

Life Is A Classroom

Running out of gas is not a pleasant or positive experience, yet it can teach any number of lessons. Gratitude (if someone stops to help you), the value of planning, altruism, (if you’re the one stopping to help), acceptance, attributions and much more. Sadly, you could also learn negative or depressing lessons from the same event ... Why me, life’s not fair, stupid gas gauge, etc.

Do you see your role in all this? You can choose what you learn from stuff that happens to you. There will always be learning opportunities and your responses will eventually become ingrained, habitual, and therefore, an integral part of you.

Be mindful of THE GAP between stimulus and response, because that tiny gap is the important piece. It is this GAP that allows for you to choose your response. Once you become aware of THE GAP, you’ll find you start making better choices. The best life can do is present lessons, but the learning is up to you.

“Don’t ever let school get in the way of your education.” To contact the author directly, email jimongena1@gmail.com.

Zoe’s Tunes To Turn To

Artist ~ Cornershop | Song ~ “Brimful of Asha”

This song isn’t chosen specifically for the lyrics, but instead for the feeling. The upbeat tempo and music alone could be in a skiing or boarding montage in a Warren Miller movie. Heck, skiing with this song in my ears has me gripped in the curves and dips of both the song and the slopes.

Zoe is a life-long skier and daughter of Jay and Myleen Mallach. Jay was the former writer of this column for many years. The time has come to pass the torch to the eldest child. Join Zoe this season in “Zoe’s Tunes To Turn To”. Look up her tunes and join in the fun.

Osteoarthritis

By Ashley Reddy, MSc(PT), BSc Registered Physiotherapy and Local Adventure-Seeker

It’s that time of year again when the cold sets in, and our joints can start to feel a little creaky or cranky ... so this month, let’s talk about joints and a common disease that can affect them: Osteoarthritis (OA).

OA is the most common disease that can cause difficulties with mobility and disability in older adults, and is also common in younger and middle-aged people. Approximately 5% of people between 35-54 years of age have OA, many of whom have injured their affected joint earlier in life. Approximately 30% of the population between 50-70 years of age have problems related to OA and the percentage increased in older age groups.

Osteoarthritis is a disease that affects the whole joint, including the articular cartilage. A little anatomy to create the picture (see figure 1 and 2 below): The articular cartilage covers the ends of bones, and in a healthy joint, creates a smooth surface between the bones. An articular capsule surrounds the joint, which helps to secure the joint and contains synovial fluid (a lubricant providing nutrition to the cartilage ... essentially the oil of your joint). Muscles and ligaments then surround the joint and help secure it. In an osteoarthritic joint, the articular cartilage becomes thin and fragile. This can be due to healthy cartilage being exposed to heavy loads over a long period of time, an acute injury, or unhealthy cartilage that for some reason cannot handle normal loads. There are a number of factors that increase your chance of getting OA - some are modifiable (things you can change), and some are nonmodifiable (things you can’t change).

Most of us are familiar with hearing this described as ‘wear and tear’ of the joint. This gives a certain perception that loading the joint is bad ... that is incorrect. Loads are still needed to keep cartilage healthy in fact! In a healthy joint, there is a balance of regeneration (new cell formation) and degeneration (breakdown) of cartilage. Osteoarthritis occurs when there is more degeneration than regeneration of cartilage. This imbalance causes cartilage to thin, crack, and sometimes disappear, increasing the chances of bone-on-bone contact. Once cartilage has disappeared, it cannot regrow. However, appropriate load needs to be applied to any remaining cartilage in order for it to regenerate and be healthy. Think of the cartilage more like a sponge ... when you load your joint (i.e. put weight on), that squeezes the synovial fluid out of the sponge, and when you unload your joint (i.e. take weight off) if soaks it back up.

Treatment for osteoarthritis focuses on reducing symptoms and improving function of the joint. Learning about OA is part of the treatment. Special exercises can be done to relieve pain and boost joint function. When function improves, the next step is to get more active! The appropriate amount of load to apply to joints is individual, and working with your Physiotherapist to determine this can be helpful for progression of your activity. So, if you have questions, ask your Physio! The sooner you get started, the better. Happy snow hunting!

Reference: (2016)

Figure 1

Figure 2