Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine

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May 2016 Edition

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ABOUT US

The Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine is a free monthly magazine featuring the best of Revelstoke outdoor life, food, style, visitor experiences, lifestyles, entertainment, home style, and healthy living.

Each month we distribute free copies to many public venues across Revelstoke, including accommodations, shops, restaurants, cafes, community centres, bars, and everywhere people meet. We are and independent, locally owned publication dedicated to showcasing our amazing mountain town and the great people who create the stoke.

Creative Director: Aaron Orlando Staff writer: Emily Kemp Designer: Rachel Petrie For all advertising and editorial inquiries, call Aaron Orlando at 250-814-8710 or email info@revelstokemountaineer.com For more information, including details on advertising rates, please call, or visit our parallel online publication at www.revelstokemountaineer.com and click on the advertising tab.

Mailing Address: PO BOX 112, 606 Railway Avenue, Revelstoke, B.C. V0E 2S0 Paddleboarding on Lake Revelstoke. Photo: Agathe Bernard Cover: A paddle and a splash on Lake Revelstoke. Photo: Agathe Bernard

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INTRO

Photography by: Aaron Orlando

Volume 1 | Issue 1 Welcome to the first issue of the Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine, Revelstoke’s new, independent, locally owned, monthly publication.

Every month, we’ll showcase the best of Revelstoke, focusing on outdoor life, food, style, visitor experiences, lifestyles, entertainment, home style, and healthy living.

We love this place and we want to share why. Each month, we will show off the amazing experiences available here. We’ll tell stories about what’s happening on our alpine peaks, through the river valleys, and in our lakes. We’ll showcase our thriving entertainment, food and culture scenes in our historic downtown and beyond.

We’ll also take you behind the scenes to see our skilled craftspeople creating unique and interesting works in our galleries, our homes and our shops.

Revelstoke is a thriving mountain community full of hard-working, hard-playing people united by their love of the unparalleled experiences available in our great outdoors. We want to share their stories.

The Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine strives to be a collaborative venue for local photographers, writers, artists, artisans, storytellers and creative types. Each month we’ll present new and returning contributors to find out their take on our community and its surrounds. We invite anyone interested in collaborating to get in touch with their creative ideas and great stories. We want to hear from our readers about your story ideas.

Importantly, we are a business that has worked hard to create an attractive publication with great distribution that is very affordable to advertisers. We invite all businesses, organizations and individuals to get in touch to find out how inexpensive it is to reach local residents, seasonal visitors and tourists.

Personally, I’m very much looking forward to the journey this publication will take us on, and I’d like to invite you along for the ride.

—Aaron Orlando, Creative Director, Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine

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CONTRIBUTORS Agathe Bernard grew up in the mountains north of Quebec City as well as Switzerland, seeking adventure as often as possible and always with a camera in hand. Agathe’s photography spans everything from mountain top backcountry photography to underwater photography in local lakes.

Rachel Petrie is a local Graphic Designer.

After finishing school in Toronto, Ontario Rachel moved to Revelstoke to experience living in the mountains. Besides working full time as a Graphic Designer in town Rachel is an avid snowboarder, dirt biker and overall an outdoor enthusiast.

Katie Marti is a rambling storyteller, campfire musician and swear word aficionado. She writes fiction and non-fiction and always does the Saturday morning crossword puzzle in pen.

She lives in Revelstoke with a variety of friends and family, some of whom are dogs.

Sarah Mickel is a Revelstoke photographer who specializes in portrait, fashion and commercial photography. She has lived in Revelstoke for 12 years with her husband and two children. Find her work in our style session shoot at the Main Street Cafe. www.sarahmickelphotography.com

Jara Sijka hails from the Czech Republic and put in his first full season in Revelstoke, stacking up over 60 days at Rogers Pass in 2015–2016.

Jara picked up a camera for the first time five years ago after three knee blowouts sidelined his snowboarding career. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m still enjoying riding and I wanted to be a part of action sports culture. I had great winter touring and now there’s whole season of mountain biking.”

CONTRIBUTORS

Cathy English is the Curator of the Revelstoke Museum & Archives.

She’s known for her tireless efforts creating exhibits and programming at the museum. She gives fabulous lunchtime Brown Bag history talks, and the book based on them called Brown Bag History: Revelstoke Origins. Cathy was the driving force behind several other museum books, such as First Tracks: The History of Skiing in Revelstoke. In April of this year, the Canadian Museums Association gave her and Outstanding Achievement Award at their annual ceremony for the Land Of Thundering Snow, a virtual exhibit that explored the history of avalanches in the region, and across Canada.

Emily Kemp is a Revelstoke-based journalist and writer. Originally from Queensland, Australia, Emily moved to Revelstoke to take in the experience of our vibrant mountain community. You’ll find her snowboarding in the mountains in the winter, and tackling multi-day hikes in the summer.

Jim Lawrence is an ethical nature photographer and environmentalist who captures images of wildlife that crystallize the character of the animals. Jim’s most known for his photos of grizzlies and other wildlife in his native Lardeau Valley, just southeast of Revelstoke. Jim grew up in the area, before spending years overseas pursuing photography, including in South Africa.

Jim considers observation of an animal’s life a profound honour.

Aaron Orlando is a Revelstoke-based journalist who figured out that if you start your own media company, you get to give yourself whatever fancy-pants title you like.

He’s now the Creative Director of the Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine, and is also the Creative Director of its sister publication, www.revelstokemountaineer.com, a daily, online news source serving Revelstoke.

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

May 2016 Edition 7 The Pipe Mountain Coaster 8 Jara Sijka 11 Tanner James 10 Springtime garden fever 12 Events Calendar 14 Jim Lawrence 16 Bison Lodge 18 Kyle Buhler Cabinetry 20 Le Marché 22 News Bite 24 Meet me at Main Street Café...

26 Birch & Lace 28 Romance of the Big Bend 30 Katie Marti

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OUTDOOR LIFE

“...it gives you a feeling you’re dropping off the edge of the earth, - it’s really cool.”

Photography by: Ian Houghton

Introducing The Pipe mountain coaster Snake through trees and a tunnel at RMR’s new summer offering

Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s new summer offering is creating a buzz around the world.

The Pipe mountain coaster will open on the May 21 long weekend, adding a brand new summer attraction for Revelstoke.

This alpine ride is built close to the ground, giving a ride that is similar to downhill mountain biking, without the bumps.

They’ve built it, but will they come? Already tickets are selling fast — a preview video of the ride, released last month, has notched up over 1.5 million views worldwide.

Starting at mid-mountain, riders are strapped in to this unique monorail and their starts are staggered. Riders are then handed full control, choosing between a fast and furious journey at 42 km/h or an easy cruise, taking in the sights of the Revelstoke as the coaster descends 279 metres over 1.4 kilometres, ending at the

gondola base in the village.

The journey glides past ski runs, through the sweet scents of the forest and through a tunnel. Revelstoke Mountain Resort vice-president of mountain operations, Peter Nielsen, is one of a handful who got a chance to ride The Pipe when it was completed in late 2015.

“My favourite part is as you enter the ride, you go through about a 40-foot long tunnel that goes under the mountain road,” he said.

“And then there’s a drop off right as you exit the tunnel, so it gives you a feeling you’re dropping off the edge of the earth — it’s really cool.”

RMR says the coaster is the first of this design in North America, built by European experts Brandauer who have constructed 35 similar coasters in 11 countries.

FEATURE JARA SIJKA

Czech photographer

Jara Sijka chronicles the Pass

Each season, Revelstoke attracts a new wave of type-A backcountry enthusiasts from across the globe keen for the big mountain, deep powder experience.

In addition to skiers, snowboarders and sledders, we draw talented photographers, videographers and writers who chronicle their experiences in Revelstoke and broadcast them across the globe in web and print publications.

One photographer that caught our eye this season is Czech photographer Jara Sijka, who spent his first full season here in 2015/2016, racking up over 60 days on his splitboard in Rogers Pass capturing friends and visiting Czech pros.

A virtual unknown in Revelstoke, Sijka does amazing work shooting the Pass and other local backcountry locations.

More amazing is that he only picked up the camera five years ago after his third knee blowout sidelined his snowboarding career.

Jara grew up in a rural area of the Czech Republic where he spent his youth wandering the mountains (“more like hills,� he said) before venturing to famous peaks in Europe. He visited here once before, and vowed to get his visa situation straight for a full season.

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He’s currently shooting for Czech snowboarding brands and a leading outdoor company, as well as a Czech mountain biking magazine. He creates stunning images that will no doubt seed the dream for many riders and skiers back home. There’s already a growing number of recent Czech transplants in Revelstoke, and when his photos from this season hit the stands and the ‘sites, expect to see more next season.

“I’m trying to make a community of riders and people who live for the outdoors. We live in this super fast world,” Sijka said.

“I’m not a robot behind my camera, just a normal guy nothing else. I want to show why [we are] out there and what beautiful things are around us. I like wide frames with scenic backdrops and action. I like it when the photo tells its own story. “[I] shoot what I love and live for. I enjoy my life, travel around the world, ride my split, ride my bike, meet new people and take some pics that makes everyone happy! Most of all I like to be out there! “ Find Jara Sijka on Instagram at instagram.com/jarasijka

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Springtime garden fever hits Revelstoke

Push to grow local, sustainable food to enhance the security of our food supply It’s spring and local residents are dusting off their garden ware in preparation for the growing season. Local produce is something that Revelstoke needs more than ever, with a whopping 91 per cent of the food we eat here imported from 250 kilometres and beyond.

It’s something that Community Connections food security coordinator Melissa Hemphill is working to reduce. She defines food security as everyone having access to safe, affordable and nutritious food, which is not guaranteed in our current ways.

“It leaves us quite vulnerable to global issues, in terms of food production and pricing,” Hemphill said.

Community Connections food recovery program is the most exciting thing happening right now and the team has been able to divert about 1,000 pounds a week from Cooper’s Foods that would otherwise go to landfill. “It’s a massive resource for those struggling in our community,” Hemphill said. “It’s kind of a double whammy environmentally and socially.”

Currently the food bank feeds over 220 households in Revelstoke and gets over 7,000 visits per year. Food waste is a global problem and we now throw out a third of what we produce.

“It’s ridiculous,” Hemphill said. “We’re going to extreme methods to feed the world and then we’re throwing it away.”

On average, food prices in Revelstoke are higher than elsewhere in B.C., and prices are rising across the province and beyond. “It’s not a positive thing, but it turns our view from a global food system to more of a local food system,” Hemphill said. It’s typical for local residents to grumble about rising grocery prices here but Hemphill said it means people start looking at alternatives. “Along with that, there is a lot of habitual changes we will need to adjust to in what we find year round. Finding fresh raspberries in February is not a realistic food expectation yet our global food system has created that.”

The two community gardens in town are at the United Church and at the Visual Arts Centre. Locals can rent a plot and sign up to a learning program. Go to revelstokelocalfood. com to find out more.

Revelstoke Local Food Initiative is a volunteer-run organization and another active presence in town. Hemphill collaborates with them but she also takes things a step further with high-level planning and policy development. She’s helped in securing $45,000 over three years from Interior Health and $15,000 this year in funding from the Columbia Basin Trust.

For those wanting to get active in gardening this spring, Revelstoke’s local region is great for growing hardy greens such as beans and peas, plus all the squashes. Many locals also harvest the old orchard trees around town in summer and turn them into delicious pies.

Check our website for info about season passes and summer climbing camps

Make a Mem

ory!

enchantedforestbc.com

skytrekadventurepark.com

Best Day Ever!

ENTERTAINMENT

A Folk Singer with a difference

“I talk a lot when I play live, and it’s a unique experience & kind of a lost art”

Tanner James’ quick wit delights audiences

Tanner James comes from southern Alberta and a long line of peasant farmers, trail riders, elk hunters, alcoholics and agricultural salesmen — the perfect pedigree for a folk singer.

It’s a long road to stardom but James is starting to hit the sweet spot, no longer a yes-man and now more selective about his gigs.

He’ll be treating Revelstoke to two shows in late May, connecting with the local audience through his fun and soulful style.

Although the unique ones, like playing at a juvenile detention centre or at a retirement home, provide a bit of a difference that gets the blood pumping for this musician.

James is the image of a clean-cut guy, but watch out for his barbed silver tongue — his way with words is the reason he’s managed to carve out a niche in the infamously hard music industry.

“Sometimes before you walk in, you take a deep breath and wonder what you’re doing,” James said. “It can be uncomfortable at first but I usually find those are the most rewarding and valuable life experiences.”

“All girls want is bad boys with sleeveless T-shirts, cocaine, and tattoos and holes in their jeans. All I’ve got is skunk weed and vinyl records, garage bands, and pop songs, and minimum wage.”

Catch Tanner James at The Last Drop on May 20 and 21, from 10 p.m.

Those are the lyrics in James’ first hit, All Girls Want, a universal love story that represents the youth he used to be.

It’s now been three years since James set out on the well-worn path of leaving a good job for the road full-time, something he reflects on now as being a challenging but positive time in his life.

“I absolutely wouldn’t want to do it again, but I’m super glad I did it,” James said.

“I definitely didn’t have the contacts to make everything as smooth as probably most people would have. It was a leap of faith and I started by slugging it out and putting in the time.”

James’ songs are about the people he meets and places he’s been. They are gut-wrenchingly funny and heartbreakingly confessional. He’s a storyteller — a point of difference in a saturated acoustic market.

“I talk a lot when I play live, and it’s a unique experience and kind of a lost art,” James said.

It’s James’ self-confessed tenacious spirit that has gotten him to where he is today, with a win at the Calgary Folk Music Song Contest and scoring a musician-in-residence program at the prestigious Banff Centre in late 2015.

His upcoming release, Painted Horses (2016), is a broad-stroke of life in Western Canada. It was recorded at Riverdale Recorders in Edmonton Alberta (where Corb Lund and the Hurtin’ Albertans, and Carolyn Mark have also cut records).

EVENTS CALENDAR

May 2016 Events Calendar

Sunday May 1

Monday May 2

• Revelstoke Credit Union Grizzly Fun Run @ Queen Elizabeth Park - 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

• Toastmasters @ Revelstoke Library 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

A fun run for all ages and abilities. Run five or 12 kilometres. Registration is $10 for 5K and $20 for 12K. Go to revcu.com for more details.

Improve your speaking and leadership skills and make friends within the Revelstoke community. At Toastmasters meetings you will give speeches, gain feedback, learn how to lead teams and guide others to achieve their goals in a supportive atmosphere. Held every Monday night.

• Monthly Script Reading @ Castle Joe Bookstore - 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

This month’s script reading will be My Purple Wig by Jessica Anderson.

• Harry Manx @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre - 8:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. - $32.50 Blend Indian folk melodies with slide guitar blues, add a sprinkle of gospel and some compelling grooves and you’ll get Harry Manx’s unique “mysticssippi” flavour.

Manx is a prolific artist, releasing nine albums eight-years with no signs of stopping.

He has received seven Maple Blues Awards and holds honours from the Canadian Folk Music Awards.

Wednesday May 4 • Brown Bag History @ Revelstoke Museum & Archives - 12:15 p.m. – 12:45 pm - $5 Enjoy museum curator Cathy English’s presentation on the mayors of early Revelstoke. Coffee, tea and cookies provided.

• Flowt Ladies’ Ride @ Flowt Bikes and Skis 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 pm Join a group of positive ladies for a variety of cross-country trail riding around the CPR Hill, Cartier and Macpherson areas.

• Open Mic Night @ The Last Drop Pub From 10:00 p.m.

Thursday May 5 • Pedal & Pint @ Revelstoke Community Centre - 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

• Wild T & The Spirit @ The Last Drop Pub From 10:00 p.m.

This power trio from Toronto knows how to rock! Mixing the styles of blues, rock, funk and reggae.

Friday May 20

• May Street Market @ Revelstoke Downtown 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

• Summer Farmer’s Market @ Grizzly Plaza 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

The first summer farmer’s market for the year is here. Held every Saturday morning, Grizzly Plaza comes alive with a vibrant market atmosphere.

• Hamelin: A New Fable By Axis Theatre @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. - Adult - $11, Child - $6 With surprising plot twists, Hamelin: A New Fable, is an engaging revisit to one of the world’s most endearing fairytales performed by the skilled Axis Theatre.

• Johnny 2 Fingers & The Deformities @ The Last Drop Pub - From 10:00 p.m.

A trio of rock ‘n’ roll heat scores from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Led by a short, hairy man (who was born missing digits) defying the odds and using what they got to deliver a loud, weird and woolly performance.

Wednesday May 11 • Flowt Ladies’ Ride @ Flowt Bikes and Skis 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 pm • Open Mic Night @ The Last Drop Pub From 10:00 p.m.

Sunday May 22

• Revelstoke Timber Days @ Revelstoke Forestry Museum - Daytime

• Revelstoke Timber Days @ Centennial Park 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

• The Hangman @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre - 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. - Cost of a ticket

Check out the horse logging demonstration, logger demos and practice session, antique chainsaw demonstration with a variety of kids events and a bonfire.

The annual Revelstoke Timber Days is a fun event for the whole family. There will be professional and amateur logging events, a berry bake off, a huge raffle table with tonnes of great swag from local businesses, plus kids events and activities. Go online to the www.revelstoketimberdays.ca for the full schedule of events.

In his small pub in Oldham, Harry is something of a local celebrity. But what’s the second-best hangman in England to do on the day they’ve abolished hanging? Amongst the cub reporters and pub regulars, dying to hear Harry’s reaction to the news, a peculiar stranger lurks, with a very different motive for his visit. Martin McDonagh’s Hangmen is a wry, late 1960s-set black comedy about a retired executioner hosted by the Revelstoke Theatre Company.

• Revelstoke Jazz Club night @ Regent Inn, Selkirk Room - 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Donation The Bob Rogers trio, with Bob on trombone, bassist Shannon Sternloff, and drummer Trevor Wallach, play a wide variety from swing and classic jazz standards to funk and rock fusion. Expect a refined, sit-down atmosphere with dimmed down mood lighting ideal for musical appreciation.

• Tanner James @ The Last Drop Pub From 10:00 p.m.

Tanner James is a singer, a runner, a traveler, a dreamer, a troubadour and a guitar picker.

This storyteller has been writing songs since he was 20 — the first time on a Maryland beach sleeping in a hammock on the edge of town and trying to make a girl fall in love with him. The southern Alberta boy grew up on a farm and after a stint in a touring indie rock band for five years his roots caught up with him. Folk and country music started to call his name and he hasn’t looked back since. (Plays again May 21).

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Saturday May 21

Saturday May 7

• Tanner James @ The Last Drop Pub From 10:00 p.m.

• Summer Farmer’s Market @ Grizzly Plaza 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Every Saturday morning in summer, Grizzly Plaza comes alive with a vibrant market atmosphere. You’ll find fresh local fruits and vegetables, honey, baking, preserves, locally made crafts, knitting, fresh flowers, unique metal and woodworks, food vendors and more.

Wednesday May 25 • Flowt Ladies’ Ride @ Flowt Bikes and Skis 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Join a group of positive ladies for a variety of cross-country trail riding around the CPR Hill, Cartier and Macpherson areas. The group meets outside Flowt every Wednesday, rain or shine. You don’t need great gear, just a bike, a helmet, and a good attitude.

• Open Mic Night @ The Last Drop Pub from 10:00 p.m.

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

Thursday May 12

Saturday May 14

Wednesday May 18

• Pedal & Pint @ Revelstoke Community Centre - 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

• Summer Farmer’s Market @ Grizzly Plaza 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

• Brown Bag History @ Revelstoke Museum & Archives - 12:15 pm – 12:45 pm - $5

Meet fellow mountain bikers at the Revelstoke Community Centre for a social ride and afterwards, a few pints at the River City Pub.

Revelstoke Mega Spring-Clean Women’s Clothing Swap @ Revelstoke Community Centre - 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. - Donation

• Dope Soda @ The Last Drop Pub From 10:00 p.m.

Swap your gently used clothing and shoes and have fun with your friends while you shop sustainably and score some pre-loved finds.

Clothing swaps are a fun way to participate in eco-friendly and socially conscious clothing consumption.

Enjoy museum curator Cathy English’s presentation on the early merchants of Revelstoke.

Coffee, tea and cookies provided. Feel free to bring your lunch and eat during the presentation.

This band is thirsty for music that is both dangerous and danceable, refreshing as a mojito and as eye-opening as a whiskey sour.

A cocktail party mix of reggae, punk rock, jazz, hiphop, and ska. This is Dope Soda. (They play again on May 13).

Friday May 13 • Santa Lucia Band @ The River City Pub 10:00 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.

Like a multi-ethnic gathering of friends, this seven-member band has created a sound that evokes the early days of Latin Rock (Santana, War, etc.), while adding their own blend of funk grooves.

Nicaraguan front man German Cantillo leads the band in an addictive combination of Nuyorican boogaloo, west coast funk and the ever present Cuban grooves engulfing the stage with monstrous horns and bass, funky breaks with furious lyrics in English and Spanish.

• Dope Soda @ The Last Drop Pub From 10:00 p.m.

Thursday May 26

Bring your bags and swap for empties to fill.

This women’s-only swap raises funds for the Revelstoke Women’s Shelter.

• Tower of Song @ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre - 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm - $25 Tower of Song is a creative tribute to the music of Leonard Cohen, presented by two celebrated B.C. singer/songwriters Oliver Swain and Glenna Garramone. Previously they have played to sold-out shows on Vancouver Island.

Sunday May 15 • Come Taste the Valley @ Fieldstone Organics 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Fieldstone Organics is a certified organic granary located north of Armstrong and produces whole grains, legumes and seeds.

Head out of Revelstoke for this fun day trip and free family event, featuring 20+ local food and beverage producers offering tastings of their products.

Friday May 27

• Getting Ready for the new Societies Act @ Revelstoke Seniors Centre 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• Revelstoke Revisited – B.C. Historical Federation Conference @ Revelstoke Museum & Archives

This free presentation will be of interest to anyone involved in a registered B.C. Society. Join Debbie Turner, deputy registrar at Registries and Online Services, as she presents information on the new Societies Act and what societies will need to do to get ready for the new Act. Debbie is joined by Jill Sinkwich, a Director at the Ministry of Finance, who helped develop the legislation.

Today’s activities include a number of talks including about Land of Thundering Snow – avalanche history and research in Canada and The Romance of the Big Bend. In the afternoon there are a number of bus tours to choose from for around Revelstoke and further afield to Rogers Pass. For more information, go to bchistory.ca.

• Revelstoke Revisited opening reception @ Revelstoke Museum & Archives 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. - $20 Participants will see the stunning recent exhibits, including Land of Thundering Snow, First Tracks, and Sinixt – People of the Bull Trout. Vocalist Jacolyn Daniluck and pianist Lyda Carey will take you back to the age of the crooners, and Gray Monk Winery will provide a taste of the Okanagan.

• Tom West @ The Last Drop Pub From 10:00 p.m.

Australian Tom West’s music traverses the rocky and undulating ground between simple, whimsical, folk tunes and grand and moody soundscapes.

• Pedal & Pint @ Revelstoke Community Centre -6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

• Aviator Shades @ The Last Drop Pub From 10:00 p.m.

The Aviator Shades understand Rock and Roll. Big choruses that stick in your head for days, massive guitar riffs intertwined with fiery, melodic leads. A rock solid rhythm section that commands its audience to shake their hips and bang their heads.

Aviator Shades are a powerhouse of pure rock energy and their timeless, empowering sound always provides an uplifting performance.

(Plays again May 28).

• Flowt Ladies’ Ride @ Flowt Bikes and Skis 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 pm Join a group of positive ladies for a variety of cross-country trail riding around the CPR Hill, Cartier and Macpherson areas.

• Open Mic Night @ The Last Drop Pub From 10:00 p.m.

Thursday May 19 • Pedal & Pint @ Revelstoke Community Centre - 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Meet fellow mountain bikers at the Revelstoke Community Centre for a social ride and afterwards, a few pints at the River City Pub. • Revenge of the Trees @ The Last Drop Pub From 10:00 p.m.

Combining aspects of psychedelic indie rock and progressive soul, Revenge of the Trees are a beautiful swamp water mix. Into The Night is the second release for the hardworking, independent band, which has been touring relentlessly in support of the album ever since.

Saturday May 28 • Summer Farmer’s Market @ Grizzly Plaza 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Every Saturday morning in summer, Grizzly Plaza comes alive with a vibrant market atmosphere. You’ll find fresh local fruits and vegetables, honey, baking, preserves, locally made crafts, knitting, fresh flowers, unique metal and woodworks, food vendors and more.

• Theatre Writing Workshop @ Performing Arts Centre - Full day starting at 9:00 a.m.

Are you a playwright at heart? Have you wondered what goes into writing a stage play and script, and how it all comes together to make a theatre performance? Join us in this free workshop as we journey through the undiscovered realm with professional writers and facilitators.

• Aviator Shades @ The Last Drop Pub From 10:00 p.m.

The Aviator Shades understand Rock and Roll.

Big choruses that stick in your head for days, massive guitar riffs intertwined with fiery, melodic leads. A rock solid rhythm section that commands its audience to shake their hips and bang their heads.

Aviator Shades are a powerhouse of pure rock energy and their timeless, empowering sound always provides an uplifting performance.

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FEATURE JIM LAWRENCE

Art First! gallery exhibitor Jim Lawrence captures the essence of regional wildlife

By Aaron Orlando

The eyes, they say, are the key to the photo portrait. A skilled photographer can draw out your personality if they capture the moment when the windows to your soul are open.

With humans, it’s difficult enough to achieve in a controlled setting, even with perfect lighting. With wild animals, the challenge is immense.

This ability to capture the essence of his subjects is what makes Meadow Creek wildlife photographer Jim Lawrence exceptional. He photographs the grizzlies, coyotes, eagles, osprey and all creatures great, and small such as mice. His intimate portraits distill the animals to their essence.

In Revelstoke, an avid hiker or mountain biker might encounter a couple of black bears a season, but they are fleeting affairs; both parties usually walk anxiously in opposite directions.

Grizzly sightings are very rare (and can be dangerous).

Lawrence, through long lenses, manages to get intimately close with grizzlies, getting to know them by name, and capturing each one’s unique personality as they feed on salmon, rest on mossy beds under cedar trees, care for their cubs, and frolic in play.

In an interview at Art First! gallery, Lawrence tells me about his trade. He grew up in Meadow Creek, southwest of Revelstoke, where he attended the tiny Jewett School. He was blessed with intimate experiences with nature in his youth. For example, as a boy, he tagged along with a fur trapper on his trapline, learning the ways of the animals.

After school, he travelled the world. He went to college in New York, and then studied photography formally at the Durban Institute of Technology, before joining on with Kodak in South Africa. He taught school in East Africa and Kenya, while pursuing photography. Eventually, the bucolic existence in Meadow Creek, drew him back.

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Lawrence spends his days roaming the logging roads, valleys and trails in the region, always on the lookout for wildlife.

He has his secret spots, where wildlife return to eat, mate and socialize. A big part of his success is constant preparedness, time and patience. “It’s like fishing, you have to put in your hours.

You have to pay attention.”

Then there’s the keen eye developed over the years. He spotted a cougar while driving to the gallery that morning, for example.

Over the years he’s got to know the grizzlies in his region, and their personalities. Many of them have names. There’s a gentle sow named Apple. “She has a distinctive scar on her nose,” Lawrence said. “She picked up the name Apple a long time ago.”

Last year, Lawrence captured an exceptional photo of grizzly he knows well. “The bear with the camera is called Harry, because it has really long hair.” Lawrence was driving on a logging road when he spotted Harry walking along the far bank of a river. Lawrence drove ahead, and set up his tripod to capture the moment as Harry passed. In the meantime, Harry crossed over the river to check Lawrence out, sending the photographer scrambling for his car, leaving his equipment behind. From near his car, he captured Harry peering at the camera, as if he was looking through the lens. He shared the photo and it went hyper viral, racking up uncountable views. (I googled “viral bear photo” and it’s the number one image result.)

Lawrence’s intimate relationships with nature, and especially the grizzlies in his region, has led him to advocate for the

abolishment of the trophy hunt in B.C. He grew up in a rural area where hunting was prevalent, and neighbours shared meat with each other when a deer or moose was taken.

He’s not opposed to hunting, but he’s a staunch opponent to the trophy hunt, joining petitions that push the B.C. government to ban the practice.

“I do photography, I’m not a big instigator,” Lawrence says of his role in the movement. By sharing intimate portraits of the elusive bears, he brings out a personal connection with a rarely seen animal, allowing the animal to stare through your eyes, into your soul, and maybe leading you to ask if shooting it for the thrill is the right thing to do.

You can view and buy Jim Lawrence’s framed prints at Art First! gallery, 113 First Street West in downtown Revelstoke.

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HOMES

Bison Lodge

In iron and stone, Revelstoke’s new Bison Lodge pays tribute to heritage CP hotels While waiting in the gondola line on a powder day at Revelstoke Mountain Resort, most of us have gazed up at new multi-million dollar mansions under construction above. But at thousands of dollars per night, most of us do not have the chance to step inside.

We scoped out the new Bison Lodge and revelled in its incredible interior, the result of detailed work by many local tradespersons.

Bison Lodge was inspired by Canada’s iconic century-old hotels built by the Canadian Pacific Railroad, and design elements throughout the house pay tribute to Revelstoke’s deep rooted railroad history. Iron, heavy timbers, and solid natural stone are the building blocks of Bison Lodge. “Bison Lodge will still be standing long after I’m gone,” Redekopp jokes.

In 2011, Revelstoke-raised Ray Redekopp completed construction of Bighorn Lodge here. The creators say it was the first European-inspired, full serviced, private, luxury ski chalet in North America. Owned by two brothers from the UK, Bighorn rapidly climbed the ranks to become the top private ski chalet on the planet, winning multiple European awards saying just that.

Open the nine-foot, solid walnut front door and you’re greeted by a stunning 28-foot, fireplace build out of intricately stacked stones ranging from 20–700 pounds. At the top of the fireplace, in the main great room, are two auto belay climbing units that allow guests to race up a 28-foot indoor natural stone climbing wall.

Redekopp’s newest build aims to prove bigger is not always better. Bison Lodge, which opened in early 2016, offers opulence in a more intimate configuration that’s financially accessible to a broader audience.

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The dining room and chef’s kitchen features rough sawn alder cabinets, handmade railroad spike handles, and granite counters that resemble dark petrified wood. It boasts Wolf appliances, an indoor forno oven, and a 12-person solid walnut table supported by custom legs built of salvaged railroad tracks, held together by a massive railroad tie.

Left of the grand entrance lies the suspended railroad staircase. Designed by Redekopp and William Hogan, the solid walnut treads hang from hand-wrought baluster rods that are structurally supported by the top handrail, which is built out of salvaged Canadian Pacific railroad track. The suspension system is extremely solid.

On the lower level lies the second great room with ample seating for a dozen people, with a black felt pool table, wet bar that offers complimentary Mount Begbie Brewing Co. beer and Blasted Church wine on tap. A 300-bottle wine cellar offers new- and old-world wines for purchase ranging from $40 to $4,000.

Down the hall is a sound insulated massage room and an acoustically engineered theatre room with three levels of tiered seating and a massive 4k display streaming the latest blockbusters over a fibre-optic broadband connection.

Outside the lower level is a 12-person radiant hot tub with a stone waterfall fire feature overlooking Revelstoke Mountain Resort, Mount Macpherson and Mount Begbie. The garage even has flooring.

Spread out over three levels Bison Lodge offers four master bedrooms and a bunk room, each with their own unique views and architecture. All master ensuites are equipped with a heated towel rack, deep soaker tub, steam shower, custom broken edge stone countertops and granite sinks.

Bison Lodge has 24/7 concierge service, daily housekeeping, a world class chef serving Canadian inspired dishes, complimentary beer, wine, and a fully stocked wet bar.

At $3,500 per person per week (based on 12-person occupancy) Bison Lodge delivers the best that Revelstoke has to offer. www.revelstokebisonlodge.com.

Back Country Metalworks forges railway identity into Bison Lodge

Bison Lodge is a luxurious open-concept chalet that matches wood with steel features.

Construction was a labour of love over a number of years and Jason Rutledge, of Back Country Metalworks, came in towards the end for a couple of months.

His contribution, like many of the other tradespeople who worked on this home, ensured that the finished product came together as one.

Rutledge performed a variety of intricate, accent work. This included using an old school ship building technique of hammering hot rivets in for a blunt industrial look.

Rutledge also installed decorative steel caps on posts and maneuvered sidings into the stonewall to hide rough construction edges. A sleek staircase to the loft bedroom also has his mark.

“I enjoy doing this sort of stuff, I can get artistic with it,” Rutledge said. “If I get an idea, I can run with it.”

Originally from Ontario, Rutledge has lived in Revelstoke for about five years and had his business for six. He’s been in the industry for about 15 years, first starting as a machinist before finishing a welding apprenticeship.

The Bison Lodge artisans, craftspersons & trades

Builder: Ray Redekopp, Urban Enterprises Owner’s Representative & Procurement: William Hogan Timber Frame: Hamill Creek Timber Frame Cabinets: Vic Van Isle, Revelstoke, B.C. Stonework: Hoover Masonry, Adrian Hoover, Revelstoke, B.C. Stone Masonry: Revy Stone Masonry, Richard Savard, Revelstoke, B.C. Baluster Rods & Custom Railroad Bracket Fabrication: Rich Prohaska Iron Mountain Works, Pemberton B.C. Railroad staircase welding and custom Fabricating: Jason Rutledge Backcountry Metal Works, Revelstoke B.C. Electrical and Lutron Lighting Control: Canyon Electrical Plumbing and Mechanical: Andrew Clarke, Axiom Mechanical Home Theatre, Audio Video & Conceptual Design: William Hogan 17

Evolving Revelstoke’s mountain kitchen aesthetic Kyle Buhler’s contemporary kitchen interiors blend function with nature

What is the Revelstoke home style? We’ve been a ski town for well over a century and boast several generations of heritage spaces. When resort development surged a decade ago, it kicked off a boom in home renovations, blending our heritage homes with contemporary aesthetics that match our functional approach to life, and love of nature.

Fresh white paired with the golden wood of a Douglas fir, which once stood in this home’s front yard, creates a unique story for this airy mountain renovation in Revelstoke.

This crafted kitchen is the recent proud work of cabinetmaker Kyle Buhler.

The owners gave Buhler the tree’s milled wood and with directions to incorporate it into the design. Buhler worked it into the kitchen’s counter tops and its feature waterfall island table.

The overall finish is complimented by soft, cedar-filtered light from two feature windows, which glints off immaculately combined natural wood, steel and stone.

A small character feature is a stain from a nail that was lodged into the tree, creating an unexpected dark blue streak on the table’s side, an added element of character.

The bench tops were intentionally left to feature the tree’s natural jutting form, although sanded back to a smooth finish with layer upon layer of varnish.

Kitchen basins are under mounted below the wood countertops, a feature usually seen with quartz or granite, but more unusual and challenging with wood.

Buhler has lived and worked in Revelstoke his whole life and said the majority of his work is in renovations. He’s in his sixth year working for himself as Kyle Buhler Cabinetry and as word-of-mouth spreads, demand for his work grows.

“I think there are always people that want a custom kitchen versus something from Ikea,” he said.

Photography by: Sarah Mickel

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“I think there are always people that want a custom kitchen versus something from Ikea�

FOOD

Le Marché Gourmet Specialty Market welcomed to the Revelstoke food scene Standout new Revelstoke grocer blends old world specialty foods with new wave focus on local, natural and organic, backed up by the award winning La Baguette team.

By Aaron Orlando Revelstoke’s retail scene has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past decade, coinciding with the development and opening of Revelstoke Mountain Resort. A new wave of young proprietors have opened dozens of new businesses, bringing new products, services and ideas to town.

After a payday loan business shut down next door in 2015, the pair seized the opportunity to create Le Marché Gourmet Specialty Market, linking their kitchen with the new space.

They also partnered with Sarah-Jean Bernard, an employee who is now part owner and manager of Le Marché.

La Baguette was amongst the first of the new wave when they opened at 607 Victoria Road. Revelstoke embraced the café, bakery and catering operation and its owners Sonia Ratté and Olivier Dutil, who brought a unique Quebec and French fusion to their business.

Le Marché specializes in local produce, meats, imported European foods, French specialty foods, and has a bakery and a deli. As a grocer, they have filled an obvious niche in Revelstoke, bringing in specialty foods that people didn’t know they craved until now.

They have grown to become a bona fide Revelstoke establishment. The pair were awarded the Revelstoke Chamber of Commerce’s 2015 businessperson of the year award.

A stroll through the aisles will turn up foods you may have never heard of: roasted pecan oil, vodka infused raspberry thyme mustard, smoked paprika powder, cajun pickled onions, and homemade creton.

La Baguette serves a delicious mix of pastries, desserts, coffees, sandwiches, breads, gelato plus hot breakfasts and lunches.

Most days, it’s a busy hub from open to close. Ratté and Dutil have since opened a bigger satellite location at the resort and operate the Mackenzie Outpost at the top of the gondola.

In the back of the Victoria Road location, the kitchen is much larger than the retail space, supporting a catering business that does everything from heli-skiing lunches to weddings to community banquets.

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“It’s just making people discover new flavours,” Bernard said.

“Going out of the comfort zone and trying new things. Most of the [foods] are things we like.”

Their freezer case is stocked with organic and free range meats, including local beef from Greenslide Cattle Company, Revelstoke’s BA Sausages, and organic producers from B.C. and Alberta, like Two Rivers. “Its the only meat I want to eat — I don’t want to support industrial farming,” Bernard said.

They also prioritize local farmers, like vegetables from Terra Firma Farms and local producers Stu Smith and Sarah Harper.

They’ve also introduced new concept, such as their Left Coast bulk foods sections includes a mill where you can process your own grains.

Is all this gourmet product expensive? They do have lots of high end, quality foods which are priced accordingly, but many of their staples — like eggs, standard cheeses, breads, pastas and organic dairy — are surprisingly competitive.

“We try to keep our margin as low as possible,” Bernard said. “We know how expensive it is already in town.”

Le Marché has done brisk business since they opened in 2015, a reminder that there’s a demand here for the best in life. Their niche is a hybrid of ideas: old world specialty foods, new wave organic locovorism, and a willingness to experiment and embody new fusions.

Their creation obviously means a lot to the people I see shopping there over and over.

The reception, Bernard agreed, has been pretty amazing. “We didn’t know what to expect. What I have heard … is people love it. People keep coming back which is the biggest complement we can get,” Bernard said.

They’re still experimenting. Look for a nursery and picnic tables down the side of their shop this spring.

Le Marché Gourmet Specialty Market is located at 101607 Victoria Road. They’re open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Monday to Friday.

NEWS BITE

Bike bait tempts thieves in Revelstoke

Renovation boom in downtown Revelstoke

Some bikes are worth a few thousand as their owners indulge in adrenaline sports such as mountain biking that need all the bells and whistles.

Sage & Brush Artisan Lounge will be the result of everything entrepreneur Lisa Weber loves, from coffee to wine, from sculptures and leatherwork to incorporating her side business K9 Synergy.

Bikes are a popular way to get around Revelstoke in the summer and they range from the high-end to townies, depending on the owner’s preference.

Regardless, they’re all at risk to bike theft, something that the local RCMP has been fighting over the years.

The bike bait program will be kicking off again this summer and any bike left around tempting opportunistic thieves is also a potential trap.

Bike theft in Revelstoke has previously added up to about $35,000 in a year, with bikes are stolen from out in the open to private spaces like garages. They often get sold for parts or are shipped out of town.

Last month local RCMP celebrated after the winter sled bait program resulted in the arrest of one man, and the identification of another.

Staff Sergeant Kurt Grabinsky said they have wanted to reduce sled thefts in the community for years, “It peaked at 17 sleds stolen, and it went down to about 12,” he said.

“This year it was two in total and one of those was one of the bait sleds.”

“The bike will be parked in different places in the community. We have no idea if we’re going to get the same results as with the bait sled.”

Next month will see the opening of a brand new concept for Revelstoke on Second Street East.

“There’s lots of locals involved in it, selling their products,” she said. “It’s a different business concept, working with the community not independently.”

Depending on liquor licensing, Weber hopes to open next month. Further along on First Street, Helios will also open its doors next month, after moving from its previous spot on Victoria Road.

The old Nickelodeon Museum on First Street West will have renovations continuing throughout summer as the building’s second floor is converted into a nine-room boutique hostel with a restaurant on the main level.

A brand new, upscale, five-storey hotel is also in development for the corner of First and Wright Streets.

Revelstoke Council to consider impacts of vacation rentals

It’s an issue that tourist destinations across Canada is facing — how to make residents who open their homes up to some extra cash through sharing economy websites such as Airbnb, pay their way like the accommodation industry does with commercial taxes. (Amongst lots of other concerns.)

Currently there are about 190 vacation rentals available in Revelstoke, and while many have been going through the city bylaw process, many are not legally recognized.

The Revelstoke Chamber of Commerce is pushing for the province to intervene and recoup taxes, while the City of Revelstoke will finalize a report into the issue, which will go to council this month, before the city makes a move.

New Starbucks and Petro Canada for Revelstoke Revelstoke’s first Starbucks and second Petro Canada will be completed later this month if construction goes to plan.

The landowner and developer, Gary Johal, said the development has had some delay due to snow, but is positive it will bring good things, including employing about 30 residents.

“Starbucks will be a new thing for Revelstoke,” Johal said. “People driving through will stop in. There is no Starbucks in Sicamous or Golden.”

“We have chosen Starbucks because of the quality.”

Along with Starbucks and Petro Canada, the building has room for another business opportunity, which will likely be a fast food option. Once construction is done, Starbucks staff will start their installations, aiming to open at the end of June.

The development has brought some consternation about traffic jams in the summer, and the City of Revelstoke is trying to find solutions to the congestion (see below).

RMR prepares for summer visits Visitors to Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s midstation this month will notice a facelift to the gondola footprint.

Gone are the pebbles and brick and replaced with a larger expanse of pavers.

“It’ll look miles better and it will help manage the people flow,” RMR’s vice-president of operations, Peter Nielson, said.

It’ll be just in time for the summer activities with the The Pipe mountain coaster and weekend Revelation Lodge breakfasts starting up on the May long weekend.

“We had a record year this year for visitors in winter and in visitation last summer,” Nielson said. “We are anticipating with the coaster, a massive increase in resort visitations.”

The resort this summer will also continue shaping and rehabilitating ski runs to further improve grooming during the winter. The resort may later, in 2017, expand its summer sightseeing to the upper gondola.

Revelstoke to fix congestion near Trans-Canada The City of Revelstoke is mulling over options to deal with the congestion around the Victoria Road and Woodenhead Loop intersection off the Trans-Canada Highway.

and out of Revelstoke, to a roundabout on Victoria Road and Wright Street.

Construction is expected to begin late this year and the total project cost is estimated to be over a million dollars.

The area is typically busy throughout the peak summer tourism season, as road-users navigate The consultation process is underway, and it their way around McDonald’s, Tim Hortons, Shell seems unclear exactly what the final solution will and the Trans-Canada. be, but extensive rejigging of many of the Preliminary designs remove the option to turn roadways there is on the table. across lanes and instead direct traffic, heading in

STYLE

Meet me at Main Street Café...

The Revelstoke folk are an unassuming bunch, more likely to judge you based on your latest adventure tale than the brand of clothes you wear.

But for when we want to step it up a notch, whether its a café date — featured here at the cosy and spectacularly renovated Main Street Café — or to one of the many funky bars in town, we’ve got you covered.

Style Trend Clothiers has been a mainstay in Revelstoke’s fashion scene since 1976.

The Revelstoke Mountaineer matched items from the popular store with products from Society Snow & Skate, Universal Footwear and Pharmasave, creating a spring on-trend style shoot with a dose of Revelstoke.

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Opposite Page Jake wears Groveton Chukka Timberland boots - $99.95 Universal Footwear, Mavi jeans - $118, Billabong flannel $75 Style Trend Clothiers.

Mandy wears Gizeh Birkenstocks - $139.95 Universal Footwear, Dex pants - $79, Pink Martini top - $25, Jackson Rowe scarf - $45 Style Trend Clothiers.

Top Left Mandy wears Pink Martini maxi vest - $72 Style Trend Clothiers, Nikita Ornithos Tank - $34.95 Society Snow & Skate Top Right Jake wears Fluchos surf shoe - $134.95 Universal Footwear, Quiksilver shorts - $48, RVCA button-up - $60 Style Trend Clothiers.

Mandy wears Joslin Chukka Timberland boots - $114.95 Universal Footwear, Dex moto jeans - $89 Style Trend Clothiers, Nikita Dubberan Top - $49.95 Society Snow & Skate, fedora hat $29 Pharmasave.

Bottom Left Jake wears Groveton Chukka Timberland boots - $99.95 Universal Footwear, Quiksilver shorts - $48 Style Trend Clothiers, Matrix hoody - $74.95 Society Snow & Skate.

Mandy wears Gizeh Birkenstocks - $139.95 Universal Footwear, Dex pants $79, Dex top - $59 Style Trend Clothiers, leather purse$20 Pharmasave.

Photography: Sarah Mickel Photography

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STYLE

Modern, classic, fresh. Model - Becky, Hair & Wardrobe - Alyssa Sanderson, Makeup - Alison Fieldhouse, Photo: Zoya Lynch Photography

The Eclectic Styles of Revelstoke A local salon’s inspiration

Revelstoke style is a mixed bag of hippy influences offset with modern mountain vibes. Local salon Birch & Lace Hair Company rejoiced in the wide variety of our characteristics to create a number of looks.

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Running on simple directions, the stylists were let loose and their skills were on-point.

Check out Amanda’s wild and curly locks — you would never know her hair is naturally straight.

Top: Fun fresh, youthful, lilac, hip.

Model - Cailin, Hair & Wardrobe - Sara Sansom, Makeup - Alison Fieldhouse, Photo: Zoya Lynch Photography Bottom Left: Fresh meets retro, sultry and attractive in a way that suggests a passionate nature.

Model - Anna, Hair & Wardrobe - Sara Sansom, Makeup - Alison Fieldhouse, Photo: Zoya Lynch Photography Bottom Middle: Whimsical, romantic, vintage.

Model - Jess, Hair & Wardrobe - Pam Jensen, Makeup - Alison Fieldhouse, Photo: Zoya Lynch Photography Bottom Right: Retro, funky, quirky and fashion-forward.

Model - Amanda, Hair & Wardrobe Birch & Lace Stylists, Makeup - Alison Fieldhouse, Photo: Zoya Lynch Photography

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Prospector Kid Price’s cabin in the Big Bend, 1920. Emma Roberts photo, Revelstoke Museum & Archives P3587

Romance of the Big Bend

By Cathy English, Curator, Revelstoke Museum & Archives If you travel north of Revelstoke on Highway 23 North, you are entering an historic region known as the Big Bend. Many of its stories have been drowned due to the damming of the river as part of the Columbia River Treaty. What is now Lake Revelstoke was once the mighty Columbia River, with a series of treacherous rapids, one of which was ominously known to the early explorers and fur traders as Death Rapids, and for good reason.

The stories of the Big Bend go back thousands of years to the time when the Sinixt and other First Nations were living and travelling in this region. They continue with North-West Company explorer and mapmaker David Thompson, who explored and mapped the entire Columbia River by 1811. Tales of the fur traders who travelled the Columbia River route include accounts of starvation, cannibalism, and drowning.

Missionaries, artists, botanists, and the families of fur traders all followed the river on their way south into the Pacific north-west.

Once the fur trade waned, miners in search of gold found their way into the Big Bend, and a gold rush

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was in full swing in 1865 and 1866, with thousands of people flocking to the region in search of their fortune.

The rush produced towns such as French Creek City, which boasted a population of around 5,000 and just as quickly became a ghost town within two years.

Mining continued in the Big Bend throughout the years and was part of the regional economy once the community of Revelstoke was established in 1885.

Miners and trappers lived throughout the Big Bend and farms such as Boyd’s ranch provided food for the population. The steamship SS Revelstoke traveled as far as Downie Creek from 1902 to 1915, as one of the important transportation links in the Big Bend.

Wagon roads and trails were built, and after the first automobiles came to Revelstoke in 1907, motorists could drive a few miles up the Bend, but it was not until the late 1920s that construction began on the Big Bend Highway. Construction was slowed down in the 1930s due to the economic depression, with some of the work performed by destitute men who were paid only $7.50 per month, and housed and fed in camps organized by the Department of National Defense.

With the onset of World War II, the urgency to complete the road increased, and the Big Bend Highway finally opened on June 29, 1940, with 150 vehicles travelling over the new road that day. The Big Bend Highway remained the only auto route from Revelstoke to Golden until the opening of the Rogers Pass Highway in 1962.

The history of the Big Bend will be one of the features at the British Columbia Historical Federation conference to be held in Revelstoke from May 26 to May 28, with a talk on the Romance of the Big Bend

by Cathy English. The main keynote address will be presented by Dr. John Woods, featuring the Land of Thundering Snow project, which recently won an award of Outstanding Achievement from the Canadian Museums Association. A variety of receptions, talks, and tours will be featured during the weekend, which is open to everyone.

To see the full schedule and to register for all or part of the conference, go to www.bchistory.ca or contact curator@revelstokemuseum.ca for more information.

Elijah McBean, Big Bend miner and trapper, 1920.

Earle Dickey photo, Revelstoke Museum & Archives DN-858

Woodenhead at original location at Boat Encampment on Big Bend Highway, circa 1940. Earle Dickey photo, Revelstoke Museum & Archives DN-710

Packard belonging to Warren Cooper at Downie Hill on the Big Bend Highway, circa 1940. Earle Dickey photo, Revelstoke Museum & Archives DN-946

Opening of Big Bend Highway at Boat Encampment, June 29, 1940. Earle Dickey photo, Revelstoke Museum & Archives DN-345

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Revelstoke: A summer camp for adult dreamers and doers

By Katie Marti

I’m writing this from an airplane, scrambling to meet the inaugural deadline for the Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine’s first issue. We left Calgary not long ago and the skies have been mostly clear, so I had been staring out the window watching the mountains get pointier and snowier for about half an hour, my laptop open and a fairly standard opening paragraph blinking up from the screen in front of me. Then, just a few minutes ago, a valley appeared kind of by surprise.

It was wide and brown except for a dark ribbon snaking through the mud flats, and I could see a town toward the top of my window. Obviously, it was Revelstoke. Through my tiny oval of a viewfinder, I could see RMR directly beneath me, the top of Mount Mackenzie spilling off into all of our favourite lines and secret stashes. I shifted my focus to look down upon mighty Cartier next door, Greenslide falling like a flat white sheet before fanning off and trickling down to Airport Way far below. I actually gasped when I realized that we were also flying directly above Begbie 30

and Mount Macpherson. I’ve always wanted to see what the landscape looks like beyond the two-dimensional backdrop I’ve Instagrammed a million times, and it’s enormous. If I use the word gnarly I know it will sound cliché, but that’s the one that comes to mind.

To glimpse a town from 30,000 feet provides an incredible amount of perspective, literally and figuratively. To most other passengers on that plane, we were flying over a random place somewhere off the highway between Calgary and the coast.

Nobody else had their face smashed up against their window. Nobody else was whisper-swearing frantically at their phone, trying to turn it back on so they could take a picture before the moment passed.

They couldn’t see what I could from almost ten kilometers away: friends running into each other in front of the Modern and changing their plans on the fly so they could sit and have a coffee together in the

sun because it felt like they hadn’t seen each other all winter; people packing up their trucks and vans and station wagons because it’s time to move back to their summer jobs with heavy hearts and empty wallets; dogs running through tall yellow grass on the trails below the green belt; greenhouses and garden beds starting to expand and grow once again; the squeal of muddy bike brakes working out the kinks; the smell of BBQs and bonfires; little feet dancing in the kitchen.

The mountains shape our town, but it is the people who give it life.

When I was a kid, I went to summer camp; the first time for a week and eventually for two months every summer until I was the oldest person on staff, and then one more summer after that. The gates of the property opened onto a long, tree-lined dirt road that stopped in front of an old farmhouse and common area, and arriving there always evoked a surge of something I couldn’t articulate as a kid, but which I know now was love. We slept in cabins with no electricity, had two showers a week, swam and paddled and hiked and played games and performed skits and built things out of wood and ate questionable food, usually with our dirty little hands. The counselors were friendly and talented and quirky and healthy and the coolest, most attractive people I had ever met.

I arrived in Revelstoke in 2012, hot off a two-year stretch of living in Vancouver, where I had been working at a private school and spending most of my income on parking tickets. I had a place to live down on Track Street, at the very bottom where the pavement ends,

and came into town off the highway via the Eastern Access Road, hanging a right just before the bridge onto a sneaky little tree-lined dirt road; my favourite kind. When I pulled into the driveway there was, of course, a potluck in progress. I was greeted with a Tall Timber by a collection of artists, athletes, scientists, teachers, entrepreneurs, parents, travelers, students and adventurers. The love was instant: that old, familiar surge.

Revelstoke is a place where people (and parking) are free. I know that’s an incredibly corny thing to say, but it’s also incredibly accurate. There are no limitations or norms, really. The status quo is that anything goes.

Be strong, be smart, be funny, be rad, be broke, be pregnant, be creative, be ambitious, be lost, be whatever you want and whoever you are. It’s like summer camp for quasi-adults. The only rule, I’ve learned, is that you must be something. Four years in, I find myself impressed on a regular basis with how keen people are to root for each other. More than any other common characteristic, this place is a collection of dreamers and doers, celebrating the art of going for it.

And so, this magazine was created in the spirit of the diverse mix of people and places that make Revelstoke more than just a dot on the map. It’s a spotlight to illuminate our hidden gems and a round of applause for the community at large. Here, we will keep the party rolling, offering words and images to praise and inspire. Here, we will celebrate the people going for it and the familiar surge that unites us all.

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MOUNTAIN COASTER

O P E N S S P R I N G 2 016

Ride the gondola up to the start, from there the unique single-track coaster drops 279 vertical meters (915 feet) over 1.4 km (0.87 miles) of high-speed rail, twisting and turning across ski runs, between glades, and through a tunnel all the way to the finish line in the Village Plaza.

W W W. R E V E L S T O K E M O U N T A I N R E S O R T . C O M