Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine January 2020 issue

Splitfest Celebrates 10 Years. p · 22.

Adaptive Homes. p · 32.

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FREE

revelstokemountaineer.com

Letters of Hope for the Future. p · 16.

Revelstoke's Mr. Techno-Future. p · 18.

PULSE BOOT LAB & SKI CO.

TAKING THE VOODOO OUT OF BOOTFITTING FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS as a ski boot specialty shop on a quiet Revelstoke side street, Pulse Boot Lab & Ski Co. has grown into a multi-faceted international business over the past four years.

Started by Kai Palkeinen and Kelly Hutcheson four years ago, the local business really took off in its second winter when it was moved into a prime corner location at Mackenzie Avenue and Second Street. Driven by a desire to help people enjoy skiing, the team at Pulse, which has a combined 80 years of international boot fitting experience, has developed a stellar reputation for performance fitting and a comprehensive guarantee of a proper fit.

“People have gone out of their way to write five star reviews, and that means a lot,” related Palkeinen, a boot fitting industry veteran. “It’s important when people walk in and say they had their best day skiing ever.”

With more than two decades in the industry, Kai didn’t want to rest on his laurels when Pulse opened. He started his career in Whistler in the 90s and ran a shop in Chamonix — two of the most demanding ski towns in the world — before landing in Revelstoke.

Here, he evolved his boot fitting technique into the Pulse Fit System — a high-tech process designed to get people into the perfect boot. They

don’t want to just sell you a boot, they want to get you in the right fit so you’re more comfortable and ski better when you hit the slopes.

“It was derived and developed out of frustration from the industry standard,” explained Palkeinen.

“The industry standard should be a lot better.”

The system starts with the Pulse Fit Assistant, which pairs a 3D foot scanner with a web-based app that allows the fitter to find the perfect boot for their client. It matches the shape of the client’s foot with their height, weight, ski style and more, and uses that information to select the right boot from the shelf. The system is also able to take a skier’s complete profile, including the 3D scan and 50 different measurements, and send it directly to their inbox.

This is part of their informative approach to sales, where the goal is to provide the customer with as much information as possible--what they do with that information is up to them.

Their second product is the Pulse ProFit injection liner. This hand-crafted, Italian-made liner is injected with foam so it fits flawlessly around your foot, which is supported perfectly in the base with Pulse’s own custom footbed. Next up is the Pulse WorkBench, an all-in-one tool that will let the boot fitter punch or grind the boot to work out any kinks and accommodate for any irregularities.

Put together, it means they’re confident they’ll get skiers in the right boot, and they can tweak it to make it perfect.

As the system evolved, they realized they were on the cutting edge of the industry and started marketing it to other ski shops. An appearance on the influential Blister Podcast and online word-of-mouth led to calls from around the world.

“A lot of really influential people in the industry, whether they’re in North America or in Europe, are turning their heads and looking at what we’re doing,” said Palkeinen.

This winter, elements of the Pulse Fit System will be used in shops in Banff, Fernie, Nelson, Whistler, Vermont, Quebec, California and South Korea. They will attend the SIA Snow Show in Denver – the largest ski industry trade show in North America. Where Pulse has attended as a buyer in the past, this year they’ll have a booth set up and are taking appointments to meet with prospective users of the Pulse Fit System.

“Four years ago, when we opened Pulse, the only thing we agreed on was the industry standard wasn’t good enough,” said Palkeinen. “What we have is working in a retail environment here, and that gives us a lot of credibility with other retailers.”

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

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

Each month we distribute over 3,000 free copies to over 200 public venues across Revelstoke, including hotel rooms, shops, restaurants, cafes, community centres — everywhere people meet.

For all enquiries, including details on our surprisingly affordable advertising rates, please contact us at info@revelstokemountaineer.com For Revelstoke daily news online, please see our sister publication www.revelstokemountaineer.com · 250 814 8710 info@revelstokemountaineer.com 606 Railway Avenue. Revelstoke, B.C. P.O. BOX 112 · V0E 2S0

Say hello to Uto, our new little friend CREATIVE DIRECTOR Aaron Orlando aaron@revelstokemountaineer.com

EDITOR Aaron Orlando aaron@revelstokemountaineer.com

STAFF JOURNALIST Melissa Jameson melissa@revelstokemountaineer.com

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

WEBSITE Chris Payne chris@revelstokemountaineer.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Vilja Arnsteinsdatter, Emily Beaumont, Bryce Borlick, Alex Cooper, Amaris Bourdeau, Mark Hartley, Heather Hood, Jean-Marc La Flamme, Shannon MacLean, Cara Smith, Charlotte Sit, Louise Stanway, Matt Timmins

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Ryan Creary, Keri Knapp, Jessica Milaney, Robert Sim, Daniel Stewart, Laura Szanto, Matt Timmins

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Benji Lowclass

In late 2019, here at Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine and revelstokemountaineer.com, we did some soul searching on the subject of what it means to create community journalism during our era of constant change in the media landscape.

What is our mission? What value do we provide to the community? How do we stay current? How can we grow and get better, while still dealing with the extreme financial challenges of community journalism?

In 2020, you'll notice a lot of changes at the Mountaineer. The first is our design overhaul of the print magazine.

Our new print branding and design was created by our new in-house designer, Sonia García. She is a new Revy resident originally from Colombia who has spent most of her adult life living and working as a graphic designer in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She brings extensive editorial design experience to the magazine, and we're really happy with the new look!

As part of the rebranding, we talked about encapsulating an identity in an illustrated character, so our January 2020 cover boy, Uto, was born. He was created by graphic designer and vintage illustration enthusiast Carlos Cubides, who draws inspiration from pulp magazine and pin-up illustrations from the '20s and '30s. Find him on Insta at @pulpodesigner The illustration is based on historical photos of the Swiss guides who plied their trade in the region in the late 1800s and early 20th Century, laying the foundation for mountaineering in the Columbia.

Most important to us is Uto's ethos: he's ready to get after it, here to help guide you, really excited about the adventure ahead, and is responsible for the safety of every member of the group. Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine has always made showcasing great things happening in Revelstoke our priority, and with Uto, we're doubling down on that mission.

It stems from our core belief in the power of words and ideas to reflect and shape reality: by showcasing Revy residents doing great things, we hope to provide inspiration for others to blaze a path to their personal summit.

Our print rebranding complete, now we're focusing on our digital offerings. For newcomers to Revy, did you know we also publish revelstokemountaineer.com? It's a daily news and community website where you can find breaking news, our podcast, video and other forms of multimedia journalism. Each month we publish dozens more stories that don't appear in our magazine.

In 2020, we're excited to experiment with new forms of digital storytelling, including a core focus on building partnerships and creating new participatory, community-driven forms of journalism. Our new digital ethos is a conscious response to the contemporary communications challenges we face as a community. That means trying new ways forward and also letting go of forms that aren't working anymore.

We invite you to join Uto and the team to share your stoke in 2020. Drop us a line at info@revelstokemountaineer.com.

— Aaron Orlando, creative director

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CONTENTS 8

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CALENDAR: JANUARY EVENTS There's lots going on in January! Don't forget to get your event included in our print calendar by adding it online at revelstokemountaineer.com.

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NEWS BRIEFS Our January news briefs focus on affordability for all in the new year.

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FEATURE: MR. TECHNO-FUTURE We took a deep dive with Jean-Marc La Flamme, Revelstoke's technofuture evangelist.

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ESSAY: NEXT 10 YEAR FORECAST: SMART CITIES Jean-Marc La Flamme presents his vision for a technology enabled community.

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LETTERS OF HOPE We reached out to Mountaineer readers to present their visions for a thriving community in the coming decade.

SPLITFEST CELEBR ATES 10 YEARS OF TURNS Splitfest organizer Mark Hartley shares the stoke of a decade of Splitfest.

WINTER BIKING – IT’S NOT THAT CR AZY Can you ride singletrack? Then you can ride your bike through a Revelstoke winter. Our tips and tricks.

HOCKEY NIGHT IN REVELSTOKE Our new By the Numbers section checks in on the Revelstoke Grizzlies.

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BENJI LOWCLASS: REVELSTOKE 2030 Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine artistic collaborator Benji Lowclass presents his vision for Revelstoke in 2030.

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TO ALL THE SKIS I’VE LOVED BEFORE Personal essay: Vilja Arnsteinsdatter explores her relationship with planks from the past.

HOMES: ADAPTING TO CHANGE Adaptive Homes brings building inside with their new high end modular development.

THE ROOT OF REVELSTOKE SPELLINGS Some Revelstoke words are so routinely misspelled that few are certain what the correct spelling is.

We went to the root to sort them out.

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STEEPED IN THE OUTDOORS: OTEAS Revelstoke organic tea maker Oteas uses biodegradable bags and other innovations as they expand across Canada and around the world.

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IT'S YOU TIME Our suggestions for healthy recovery options after the busy holiday season.

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NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS RITUALS We asked Revelstoke health practitioners for wellness-promoting rituals you can bring into your life in the new year.

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RHYTHM AND BLUES: HOW TO UNHINGE OUR CIRCADIAN RHYTHM Shannon MacLean on the importance of sleep to health, and how to get better at it.

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ARTS BRIEFS Our roundup of arts and culture briefs from Revy.

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JUST THE STATS! 2019 REVELSTOKE REAL ESTATE NUMBERS SUMMARY Emily Beaumont breaks down the Revelstoke real estate numbers for 2019.

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THE STOKED PALATE: FEASTING WITH FRIENDS IN A WINTER WONDERLAND Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine welcomes new columnist Charlotte Sit. The Stoked Palate will explore unique people and stories behind Revelstoke's food scene.

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LAST WORD: DIALOGUE OF HOPE Start by listening.

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CONTRIBUTORS

Charlotte Sit

Jean-Marc La Flamme

NEW COLUMNIST

THE FUTURE GUY

For our January 2020 issue, Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine welcomes food writer Charlotte Sit and her new column The Stoked Palate.

Charlotte is a backcountry chef with a boundless enthusiasm for sharing the joy of eating well.

She has cooked for hundreds of hungry adventurers at over a dozen backcountry lodges throughout B.C. and Alberta and is the owner of Mountain Standard Catering.

The Stoked Palate will explore Revelstoke's growing food scene to find unique stories about people cooking up food culture in our mountain town.

Her stories will go beneath the surface to highlight Revelstoke's unique culinary characters to share diverse and innovative deliciousness that deserves more attention.

Jean-Marc La Flamme is one of a kind. He is Revelstoke's chief tech evangelist and futurist. He's always juggling several tech initiatives at once, many of them public initiatives designed to help Revelstoke get with the tech times in order to make our hometown a better place.

If it's about drones, blockchain, the cloud, IOT, artificial intelligence, smart building, autonomous vehicles, distributed energy, the circular economy, citizen engagement platforms, or data mobilization, JeanMarc is all over it.

Most importantly, Jean-Marc is always pumped, always excited about a better future enabled by technology.

Our first issue of the 2020s is focused on hope for the coming decade, so there was no avoiding Jean-Marc, who contributed an article to the issue and is also the subject of a Q&A interview.

Aaron Orlando REVELSTOKE MOUNTAINEER MAGAZINE CREATIVE DIRECTOR 2020 will be Aaron's 12th year working as a community journalist in Revelstoke.

He transferred here from an editorship in the West Kootenay in 2008 to serve as editor of the Revelstoke Review (then called the Revelstoke Times Review) for about six years, then left to found Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine and revelstokemountaineer.com.

If it was a big local story and it went down since Revelstoke Mountain Resort opened, Aaron was probably there; he's picked up provincial awards for historical writing and investigative journalism in his time here.

He's always on the hunt for new, unique and interesting stories about the people who make Revelstoke tick.

In a time of transition for journalism business models, he's invested in pioneering new ways of doing things and new forms of journalism, including developing new non-profit journalism models for Revelstoke.

Look for more in 2020.

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NEWS BRIEFS

By Melissa Jamesson

While the minimum wage is rising, many other supports are not.

Rent supports for those living with disability has not increased in a decade.

Minimum wage increases in 2020

BC’s poorest families will be hit hardest by rising cost of living

RATES FOR SOCIAL ASSISTANCE, DISABILITY REMAIN THE SAME, LEAVING FAMILIES ACROSS BC LIVING IN POVERTY

IN REVELSTOKE, EVEN FULL TIME WORKING SINGLE PARENTS STRUGGLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET

While the provincial government has announced the minimum wage an employer must pay will increase to $14.60 per hour starting in June 2020, there has been no announcements to increase monthly rates for social assistance. This means a single parent with two children meeting the requirements for regular assistance through the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction will receive a basic total amount of approximately $1,185. With few exceptions, individuals on regular income assistance are required to have an employment plan and actively seek out employment; the Ministry of Social Development allows a maximum earnings exemption of $600 per month before it begins deducting dollar for dollar from the monthly amount.

A single parent on provincial disability (called Persons with Disabilities or PWD) will receive a basic total amount of approximately $1,600 per month.

To qualify for PWD, an individual must meet the requirements for basic social assistance as well as be granted designation under the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act. A single parent on PWD is eligible for a yearly earnings exemption of $12,000. Unlike those on regular social assistance, individuals with a PWD designation are not always required to have an employment plan.

In the case of both regular assistance and PWD, single parents and families are able to keep their monthly Canada Child Tax Benefit and GST payments. In cases where an individual qualifies for both the Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPP-D) amount and the PWD designation, the amount paid by the provincial government is reduced by the amount paid by CPP. As an example, if an individual qualifies for CPP-D and receives a monthly amount of $1,000 they would only receive a top-up from the provincial government equal to the same amount they would get if they did not also qualify for CPP-D.

B.C.’s poorest families will continue to fall behind in 2020. So far, the provincial government has made no announcement to increase amounts for monthly regular income assistance or persons with disabilities assistance (PWD), despite projections that the cost of living will continue to rise.

Unlike B.C.’s working poor, families on provincial assistance continue to disqualify for government rent subsidies such as BC Housing’s Rental Assistance Program. Based on a working single parent with two children earning $1,600 per month, equal to the average amount a single parent on PWD receives, the employed parent is eligible for approximately $440 per month through the RAP. In B.C., provincial assistance is divided into two categories: support and rent. A single parent on PWD with two children is eligible for $949 in support and $660 for rent. The rent amount has not increased in more than a decade.

Further compounding financial hardships for single parent families on PWD is the provincial government clawback of federally funded programs such as the Canada Pension Plan Disability allowance. This means if a single parent on disability is eligible for a CPP-D pension of $1,000 per month, their monthly PWD would be reduced by exactly the same amount. Other programs the provincial government claws back from include CPP retirement, WorkSafe BC benefits, survivor benefits and other insurance programs.

Single parent working families also continue to face financial hardship, despite eligibility for programs such as the RAP. On May 1, 2019 The Living Wage for Families Campaign released its living wage calculations — the amount needed to pay for basic necessities including food, clothing, rent, childcare, transportation and a small savings to cover emergencies. Those calculations are based on a two-parent family, with both adults working full time. In Revelstoke the living wage for 2019 was set at $18.90 per hour.

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The maximum allowable rent increase is pegged at 2.6% this year.

Food prices are forecast to rise 2–4%, possibly more in B.C.

Province caps rent increases at 2.6 per cent for 2020

Cost of living to increase across the province

LOW VACANCY RATE, COSTLY MARKET RENTALS FOR REVELSTOKE

HIKE TO MINIMUM WAGE, ELIMINATION OF HEALTHCARE PREMIUMS DOES LITTLE TO OFFSET RISING COSTS

The maximum rent increase for residential tenancies in BC for 2020 is set at 2.6 per cent. Under new rules introduced by the BC Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing in 2018, rent increases are now limited to the annual rate of inflation.

Under the BC Residential Tenancy Act, landlords can only raise the amount of rent a tenant pays once every 12 months, and must give three full months notice prior to the increase taking effect. Landlords wishing to increase rent above the annual maximum increase must have the additional amount approved in advance by an arbitrator. According to information on the BC Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing website, landlords are “no longer able to apply for an additional rent increase on the basis that the rent is significantly lower than other similar rental units in the same geographic area.”

Despite the cap on annual rent increases the availability of rental units in Revelstoke remains low. A 2018 housing needs and assessment completed for the City of Revelstoke in 2018 found that 208 subsidized units and 216 market rental units were required to meet demand. The Revelstoke Mountaineer conducted an online search of available three-bedroom rental units appropriate for a family with two children. Based on that search the average monthly rent for a three bedroom unit not including utilities is $3,000. That’s a considerable jump from a decade ago when similar units could often be found for less than $1,000.

The cost of purchasing a home in Revelstoke has also risen over the past 10 years, with the average cost to purchase a family home increasing from $433,400 in 2008 to $609,836 in 2018. While the number of homes sold across the province in 2019 dropped, the BC Real Estate Association is forecasting a sales increase of 11 per cent for 2020.

The elimination of provincial health care premiums and a minimum wage hike will likely do little to offset the increased cost of living projected for BC in 2020.

The provincial government announced plans to eliminate all health care premiums effective January 1, 2020. Previously, only those with an income of less than $26,000 were exempt from paying premiums. Minimum wage will increase to $14.60 an hour as of June, 2020.

Overall, expect to see increases to the cost of food, fuel and utilities. A driving force behind these increases is the International Maritime Organization’s implementation of new controls on pollution from ships in international waters beginning in January 2020. These new controls will impact tens of thousands of ships, the majority of which will likely opt to switch from the currently used cheap bunker fuel to lower-sulphur diesel. It is likely the increased transportation costs will be passed along in the form of higher consumer prices.

Canada’s Food Price Report for 2020 is projecting a 2 to 4 per cent increase in annual food costs for the average Canadian family, with an above average increase in B.C. There is also indication the IMO’s new regulations will have a trickle down effect for average consumers at the pumps, increasing prices of both gas and diesel.

In Revelstoke the increasing price of diesel will directly impact those heating their homes using oil forced air. Homes reliant on natural gas as a heating source can also expect an increase in cost. On it’s website, FortisBC stated Revelstokian’s can expect to see an increase to their bill. The cost of electricity may decrease slightly, however, as BC Hydro has applied to the BC Utilities Commission for a 1 per cent rate reduction. The BCUC is expected to make a decision on the request for a rate reduction sometime in early 2020.

Emily Beaumont

R E V E L S T O K E

Royal LePage Realtor

Helping you “Home” in Revelstoke, BC

RESID E NTI A L | R E SO RT | D E V E LO P M E NT View Listings www.royallepagerevelstoke.ca

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CALENDAR JANUARY 2020 WEEKLY EVENTS TUESDAY TRIVIA NIGHT

@ Traverse Night Club · 8 p.m. - 11 p.m.

50 questions, a bonus music round and a novelty game! Winning team gets a wicked prize, but there’s also bar swag and liquid prizes to be had so don’t think winner takes all!

WEDNESDAY LOCALS NIGHT

@ The Cabin · 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Enjoy $4 bowling during locals’ night at The Cabin.

WOMEN’S DROP-IN HOCKEY

@ Revelstoke Forum · 8 p.m. - 9 p.m.

The Kodiaks are a drop-in league for women looking to play a little non-competitive hockey. Drop in $10 and one time $10 insurance fee. All levels welcome.

Email revelstokekodiaks@gmail.com for more info.

OPEN STAGE

@ The Last Drop Pub · 9 p.m Open mic with hosts Catnado & The Subaneers.

Bring your band, bring your friends and come play a tune!

KARAOKE NIGHT

@ River City Pub · 9 p.m Join host Stacey for some sing-your-heart-out karaoke and a ton of fun with friends!

THURSDAY REVELSTOKE WINTER MARKET

@ Revelstoke Community Centre · 12 p.m. - 5 p.m The Winter Market brings together farm and craft vendors from Revelstoke and beyond. It is held every second Thursday afternoon.

FRIDAY DROP-IN CURLING

@ Revelstoke Forum · 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Try the sport of curling in a non-competitive environment. Cost is $5. Bring clean running shoes to wear on the ice.

KARAOKE

@ Revelstoke Legion · 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Come out and support the Revelstoke Legion and enjoy karaoke.

JANUARY EVENTS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1 NEW YEARS LANTERN SKI

@ Mt. Macpherson Nordic Ski Trails · 5 p.m. - 8p.m.

Join the Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club for an annual welcoming of the New Year including warm drinks, festive nibbles and a ski lit up by lanterns. For more info visit revelstokenordic.org.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 2 THE CARBONS

@Traverse · 11 p.m The Carbons are a rock trio known for their multiclimactic live shows, deep powerful vocals and huge groovy drums.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 3 REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES

@ Revelstoke Forum · 7 p.m.

The Revelstoke Grizzlies take on the Chase Heat in Junior B hockey action. Tickets are $12 adults, $9 students & seniors, $6 for children.

The Montreal Canadiens Alumni Tour is coming to the Revelstoke Forum on Friday, January 24.

Photo: Canadiens Alumni.

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VISIT REVELSTOKEMOUNTAINEER.COM/CALENDAR TO SUBMIT YOUR EVENT FOR FREE. WE INCLUDE A SELECTION OF THOSE EVENTS HERE IN OUR MONTHLY PRINT CALENDAR. *Please check the event online on the day of the event as details may change*

SUNDAY, JANUARY 5 DANCE CHURCH

@ Alchemy Studio · 7:30 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.

A community gathering for people who love to dance in a safe space without talking, drinking and the nightclub vibe. For details visit the Alchemy studio.

MONDAY, JANUARY 6

into the backcountry during the day, then meeting for evening events. On Jan. 10, Trapper Snowboards will host a demo night from 5-10 p.m. at their factory in the Big Eddy. The big night is Saturday, when hundreds gather at the Revelstoke Community Centre for a trade show, raffles and presentations. The annual event supports Avalanche Canada. For more details, visit canucksplitfest.com.

REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES

ISFA FREERIDE QUALIFIER 2

@Revelstoke Mountain Resort · 8 a.m.

Watch some of North America’s gnarliest compete for a spot in skiing and riding’s biggest freeride event.

@ Revelstoke Forum · 7 p.m.

The Revelstoke Grizzlies take on the Fernie Ghostriders in Junior B hockey action. Tickets are $12 adults, $9 students & seniors, $6 for children.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 7

THURSDAY, JANUARY 16

REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES

CREDTALKS: WHAT’S UP WITH WOLVERINES

@ Revelstoke Forum · 7 p.m.

The Revelstoke Grizzlies take on the Sicamous Eagles in Junior B hockey action. Tickets are $12 adults, $9 students & seniors, $6 for children.

@ Macpherson Room, Revelstoke Community Centre · 12 p.m.

Join Mirjam Barrueto, PhD (candidate) University of Calgary for a presentation on wolverines. Part of the The Columbia Region Ecological Discussions (CRED talks).

THURSDAY, JANUARY 9 ISFA FREERIDE QUALIFIER 4

@Revelstoke Mountain Resort · 8 a.m.

Watch some of North America’s gnarliest compete for a spot in skiing and riding’s biggest freeride event.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 10 REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES

@ Revelstoke Forum · 7 p.m.

The Revelstoke Grizzlies take on the Summerland Steam in Junior B hockey action. Tickets are $12 adults, $9 students & seniors, $6 for children.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11 CANUCK SPLITFEST

@ Revelstoke Community Centre · 4:30 - 9 p.m.

The Canuck Splitfest is Revelstoke's annual splitboard gathering, now celebrating its 10th anniversary. The event is focused on getting

9 -11:30AM

$4 $5

EYE OPENER SHOTS CAESARS

The Carbons, rock trio at Traverse on January 2.

Photo: The Carbons.

3 - 6PM

$5

ADD A SHOT OF JAMESON TO ANY BEER

$7

APRÈS POUTINE

9PM - CLOSE

$7

OLD FASHIONED NEGRONI RUSTY NAILS

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Calendar

FRIDAY, JANUARY 17

SATURDAY, JANUARY 25

ONLY IN NELSON FILM SCREENING

A MILLION DOLLARS IN PENNIES

@ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre · 7:30 p.m.

When a murder on main street bursts the bubble of Nelson’s utopian image, its citizens head into a raucous city election struggling with their emerging exposure to the right wing wave of populism spreading across North America. Tickets $10 at revelstokeartscouncil.com.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 18 REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES

@ Revelstoke Forum · 7 p.m.

The Revelstoke Grizzlies take on the North Okanagan Nights in Junior B hockey action.

Tickets are $12 adults, $9 students & seniors, $6 for children.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 21 REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES

@ Revelstoke Forum · 7 p.m.

The Revelstoke Grizzlies take on the Kamloops Storm in Junior B hockey action.

Tickets are $12 adults, $9 students & seniors, $6 for children.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23 Mirjam Barrueto will discuss wolverines during a CRED talks presentation at the Revelstoke Community Centre on January 16. Photo: Pixabay.

CREDTALKS: WILDLIFE MITIGATIONS AND HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS

@ Macpherson Room, Revelstoke Community Centre · 12 p.m.

Join Danielle Backman, Environmental Assessment Scientist, Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks for a discussion on Parks Canada’s infrastructure investment program. Part of the The Columbia Region Ecological Discussions (CRED talks).

FRIDAY, JANUARY 24 MONTREAL CANADIENS ALUMNI TOUR

Only In Nelson screens at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre on January 17.

Photo: Only In Nelson.

@ Revelstoke Forum · 7 p.m.

Revelstoke Minor Hockey and History of Hockey present Mt. Begbie Brewery All Stars vs. Montreal Canadiens Alumni.

@ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre · 8 p.m.

Harmony-driven duo Mike and Steph Shaver deliver a fresh take on traditional acoustic folk music. Tickets $20 at the door.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 26 SNOWED IN COMEDY TOUR @ Roxy Theatre · 8 p.m.

The Snowed In Comedy Tour with Debra DiGiovanni, Pete Zedlacher, Dan Quinn and Paul Myrehaug. Tickets @ snowedincomedytour.com.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28 REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES

@ Revelstoke Forum · 7 p.m.

The Revelstoke Grizzlies take on the Golden Rockets in Junior B hockey action. Tickets are $12 adults, $9 students & seniors, $6 for children.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29 MOVIES IN THE MOUNTAINS: THE FAREWELL

@ Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre · 7:30 p.m.

In Lulu Wang’s The Farewell Chinese-born American Billi reluctantly returns to her homeland to find that her grandmother has just weeks to live. Tickets $11 @ revelstokeartscouncil.com.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 31 REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES

@ Revelstoke Forum · 7 p.m.

The Revelstoke Grizzlies take on the Kelowna Chiefs in Junior B hockey action.

Tickets are $12 adults, $9 students & seniors, $6 for children.

Calendar

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FEATURE

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EXPLORING OUR DECADE AHEAD WITH

REVELSTOKE'S MR. TECHNO-FUTURE

By Aaron Orlando

Where to start with Jean-Marc La Flamme? His greying wavy curls, a mashup of mad professor meets Kramer, are just the start of Jean-Marc La Flamme's permanently excited look. His wooden glasses, sourced from a Canadian frame-making startup, do little to tame his surprised, wide-eyed facial expression of someone who never leaves the roller coaster. He is the undisputed Revelstoke champion of loud retro polyester shirts, and rocks up with a new one every day. He's a walking exclamation mark, and that's just his look alone, before he gets animated talking about the future and technology.

Meet Jean-Marc La Flamme, Revelstoke's technofuture evangelist, an unavoidable figure if you're putting out a magazine issue about hope for the future.

I don't think I have room for a list of all the startups and technology initiatives he's been involved with in the dozen years since he's been in Revy. SeedUps was a crowdfunding for startups company. Jump On! Flyaways was a crowdsourcing startup for air travel: if enough people commit to a flight through the app, it flies. He was a StartUp Canada member, travelling to Ottawa for their meetings, and he went on to help found the local chapter, StartUp Revelstoke. His fingerprints are all over the makerspace that is under development in an office space above the tourism info centre.

He actually had to explain to me what coworking spaces were before a group of us went on to found Mountain CoLab, the coworking and startup space above Dose Cafe downtown. He does marketing consulting for various non-tech companies and organizations, such as Kootenay Carshare Coop (where his Tesla is in the mix and he helped bring in new electric cars) and the Kaslo Jazz Festival. If you need to kill some time, just ask him what he's working on these days.

His latest venture, Smart Cities, consults with local governments on ways to integrate technology into municipal operations. In particular, his focus is on democratizing decisionmaking processes with data, providing better connection between residents and local government, as he puts it, to take out the randomness in civic policy directions. In short, better connecting decision-makers with the desires of residents by informing government on what their focus should be on. For example, housing, not dog poo.

The floral polyester shirt industry owes JeanMarc a lifetime achievement award. I once witnessed his entire collection of vintage shirts in one place, on a rack sheltered under plastic in an old barn south of Revelstoke. He was living in a tiny home on a property he was trying to develop into an

eco techno-commune of some sort, one of at least two he's tried to get going in recent years.

He never misses an opportunity to slip technology into the conversation. Here's a typical exchange: Me: "I'm hungry. Wanna get a bite?" JM: "In the future, the cloud will sense our hunger and deliver hot food optimized to our biometrics by drone." Me: "How about the Modern?" JM: "I'll see if I can preorder using an app."

Over the past decade, tech bro has emerged as a derogatory term for males working in tech-related fields. The word evokes an image of an amoral young man beavering away at code that turns billionaires into multi-billionaires and enables the bro to make a poor colour choice on a new Ferrari.

If you view Jean-Marc through this lens, you won't get him. Although he's always talking about scaling up and exponential growth, and potentially profits that come from that, his focus isn't on the bottom line, as I've learned through hundreds of conversations with him over the years.

His underlying theme is always technology's ability to change our society for the better, to replace old ways of doing things with better ones, giving us more time to slay powder or spend time with friends.

For our January 2020 future and hope, we connected with JM for a Q&A to hear his ideas and vision for a better Revelstoke in the coming decade.

Revelstoke Mountaineer/Aaron Orlando: Why did you choose to worship at the church of technology? Was there a triggering incident in your childhood, like the boy who wants to be a fireman because a fireman saved his house from burning down after it caught fire?

Jean-Marc La Flamme: I am half Swiss, so I was born into efficiency and innovation, naturally blending into modern technology. Truthfully the big tech for me didn’t materialize until the internet era when at the right place and helped build the Government of Canada's first websites by hand.

This paved the way to working at big companies like Yahoo!, WestJet and onwards to my own startups.

In an era of exponential technologies like artificial intelligence, drones, robotics, quantum computing, autonomous vehicles, Big Data and more, now I am focused on how those technologies will impact us in mountain communities. That new realm is called Smart Cities.

RM: Most Revelstokians can reminisce about their first skis, snowboard, or mountain bike.

(Gnu Antigravity and late '80s Norco Bigfoot for me.) Is there a piece of technology from your childhood that you regard in the same way?

JML: As a kid I got my pilot's licence at age 16. So the Cessna, although 1960s tech was my go-to in the late '80s, and to this day that aircraft tech is still being used. How is that for long-lasting tech! You ditch your pocket supercomputer AKA smartphone almost every other year on average. 100 years later, the basic aircraft is about due for a replacement by electric aircraft over.

RM: You and I had the opportunity to see futurist Ray Kurzweil speak in Vancouver a few years ago. I have never seen you so excited. Why does technology and the future excite you so much?

JML: Ray is a mentor to me alongside his partner Peter Diamandis and their Singularity University.

Here are five of my fave quotes from Ray: -"What we spend our time on is probably the most important decision we make."

-"Our intuition about the future is linear. But the reality of information technology is exponential, and that makes a profound difference. If I take 30 steps linearly, I get to 30. If I take 30 steps exponentially, I get to a billion."

-"No matter what problem you encounter, whether it's a grand challenge for humanity or a personal problem of your own, there's an idea out there that can overcome it. And you can find that idea."

-"By 2029, computers will have emotional intelligence and be convincing as people."

-"Biology is a software process. Our bodies are made up of trillions of cells, each governed by this process. You and I are walking around with outdated software running in our bodies, which evolved in a very different era."

As humans we have created a new being called Artificial Intelligence, and it will lead us to the path of singularity where we get to upload ourselves to the machine. The same is done with our evolutionary human bodies when we feel the need to procreate and have humans teach others. Every time you engage with your smartphone or right here online you are interfacing and teaching AI. Here are some of Ray’s predictions.

The coolest thing is that much of the tech is here today. We are just not getting to it fast enough despite fibre internet. It’s exciting and frustrating to understand that our abundant future is here, that we could save the earth from climate crisis, but the only thing preventing us from this is ourselves. But we are caught in a web of production and inability to move status quo for affordable living (housing, food, transportation), but where there is a will, there is a way! #SmartCities RM: Is it true you want to upload your brain to the cloud? Why would anyone want to do that?

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JML: To live forever in a new dimension. We feel the need to do the same with having children. It’s evolution.

RM: Which technology do you feel will be the most transformative for Revelstoke in the next decade, and why?

JML: Autonomous vehicles. Revelstoke was named after Lord Revelstoke who financed the completion of the railway and created Canada with this ultimate transportation. That is about to be eclipsed. Also those helicopters will be drones over the next decade.

Robotics. Wood production is already half robot.

3D printing: Everything we import today can be made right here.

Exponential technologies are those which are rapidly accelerating and shaping major industries and all aspects of our lives. Exponential technologies include artificial intelligence (AI), augmented and virtual reality (AR, VR), data science, digital biology and biotech, medicine, nanotech and digital fabrication, networks and computing systems, robotics, and autonomous vehicles. We techies believe that the solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges lie at the intersection of these exponential technologies. That is, when two or more of these technologies are used in combination to attack a persistent challenge, the possibility of developing a sustainable solution becomes much more likely.

For example, consider a potential healthcare solution that leverages machine learning, public health records, and individual genetic profiles to help prevent heart disease. That's something we can all get behind. Or, consider another solution that might use personal health records, a new biosensor, and the data from smartphones and locally based Cronometer to predict the presence of cancer. These are the types of solutions we are trying to enable through the innovation and learning platform that Smart Cities bring.

RM: Let's talk future utopias and dystopias.

Ten years from now, what does a utopian Revelstoke look like? What about a dystopian Revelstoke 10 years into the future? Importantly, how does technology play a part in steering towards one or the other?

JML: 10 years from now we hopefully would have set goals like a good business does. Climate action goals, affordable housing goals, food security goals, shared mobility goals. The only way to set those goals is using online collaboration and citizen engagement tools. Not sitting behind closed doors with a select few and expecting our elected representatives to understand us.

If we manage to do this we will have achieved some great traction versus our big city peers who have a lot of money behind them — potentially saving the earth from catastrophe. Achieving affordable living would also allow us to be part of programming artificial intelligence (our evolution like it or not) instead of the corporations and big governments.

The worst scenario is that we miss the boat and professionals move to other small cities that are more progressive and have cheaper living. We could miss an opportunity to be a pioneer as an economically and environmentally sustainable city, thereby setting an example and coaching others to really be part of climate action.

RM: You often single out municipal government for tech-related criticism. What do you feel is wrong, and how would you fix it?

JML: This is not a Revelstoke issue, it’s a rural issue, and most governments around the world, big or small, especially those going through growth periods, are suffering from old systems failure (aka house on fire) and barely keeping up to the pace of new technological opportunities. The best thing is that we have a healthy population of friends, family and skilled professionals who care deeply for the city’s welfare. We are working as a country under the Smart Cities umbrella to help facilitate the change with the best solutions in the world.

RM: In the past few years, the conversation has shifted to how technology has made us worse off and ways we can better manage technology for health and mental wellness.

Using social media use in Revelstoke as an example, conversations about community issues often devolve into name-calling. The hottest heads rise to the top. Reasonable people see it for what it is and opt out, but that leads to an absence of reasonable voices in many public conversations. How has this new tech scepticism affected your tech evangelism?

JML: Let’s be clear, tech is everywhere. The first tech was fire, and before that we had to eat raw meat! Social media is the 100 trillionth version of technology and we relied heavily on it for communication recently using the super computers in our pockets. The owners of the social media giants kept on pumping us with their addictive qualities and they took over most of our communication and our data. As they say, data is the new oil and we gave all that away to the Americans and are now clawing it back for the next generation. These tech giants don’t want to change too much because they are reaping the rewards of amazing revenues, and so despite the need for humanity to accelerate forwards with new communication and collaboration tools — we tend to stay on the big guys, since that is what was most convenient, and that is why you hate it now. It takes quite a few years for the masses to understand how this impacts human health. The same can be said with fossil fuel vehicles, expensive housing, and food from around the world. We have amazing new Canadian and local products that can be used, but we switch it alone. We need to pledge our support as a community to reach these goals together. Just like competing in Bike to Work Week or banning plastics as a city — we can do the same in collaboration with ourselves and by setting goals with other communities. This is especially important with, technologies in our most critical categories of

communication, housing, food and transportation.

RM: The connected tech boom emerged during our late capitalist era and has been defined by it. Once you take money from venture capitalists or the finance market, you're in hoc to your new masters. It's easy to dunk on Mark Zuckerberg's morally vacuous testimony before U.S. government committees, but really, the underlying message is he's trying to work on the issues but has to fulfill the prime directive first — returns for his shareholders. Corrosion of democracy and genocide are just unintended by-products to be regretted. Why won't the next decade just be more of the same?

JML: These things: Canadian tech, sustainability goals, open source, open data, citizen engagement, smart cities.

The beautiful part of technology as you describe the current version is that it cost millions of dollars to develop 10 years ago, now anyone can develop using exponential technologies for thousands of dollars, and with hundreds of thousands of open source developers and entrepreneurs like Elon Musk sharing these technologies openly we can realistically make everything we have ever wanted in Revelstoke. We just need to plug into the matrix.

RM: What about over here at the Mountaineer?

What tech stories should we be writing about in the coming decade?

JML: In 2020 we will be having many more tech and innovation events that include regular citizens and how they can seize the moment. I’m excited with where we can go offline in our hack-a-thons and the Mountaineer can be the centrepiece of extending this online, with citizen engagement, open data and prioritized storytelling including a visual detail that our new creative professionals can bring forward. They can explain solutions with design thinking and in colour. This is the real opportunity to capitalize for our local media and creatives.

RM: What initiatives are you working on these days?

JML: Two years of studying Smart Cities design, and almost 10 years working with civic tech and open government. I am now consulting with Canadian communities as Smart Villages in mainly the following: citizen engagement platforms; circular economy structure; smart building devices; economic data marketplace; data for good; smart city transportation; shared mobility programs; autonomous electric vehicles; blockchain business models; distributed energy generation; greenhouse food technology; and micro housing developments.

Open Smart Cities is where residents, civil society, academics, and the private sector collaborate with administrators to mobilize data and technologies when warranted in an ethical, accountable and transparent way to govern the city as a fair, viable and livable commons and balance economic development, social progress and environmental responsibility.

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FORECAST FOR THE 2020S: SMART CITIES OUR CHALLENGES SOLVED WITH OPEN DATA AND CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT.

By Jean-Marc La Flamme

The end of the decade, a time to reflect on the past as we plan for the future. What will the next 10 years hold for us? Do you understand our community priorities? Do they match other communities? What about your personal priorities? Is it family, finance or climate and future? Or all? Are you getting the time to work on them? How do we actually deal with the big ones?

Some are focused on the now, and some the future. The two are intertwined but most focus on the former and cant seem to get to the latter.

"The best way to predict the future is to create it." — Peter Drucker What if we all understood that we can have everything we have ever wanted today instead of in 10 to 20 years? Real affordable off-grid homes, greenhouses, free transportation and amazing passion projects. Oh, and unlimited activities and experiences. We have the technology to make this happen. Elon Musk is a popular example of how anyone can push our world forward by decades.

This could be our reality right now if we could all decide on a plan together. An Official Community Plan is a start, but the most successful communities have a transparent process of co-designing and futurescaping their futures with the world’s best solutions. This can happen today, but it won’t happen in a committee or behind closed doors with a few people sitting around a table.

A good business has a plan and its team, investors and loyal customers should get that plan. It incorporates not only financial and operational management but is plugged into the competition, market and its data from around the world. Above all it has robust internal communication technologies to get its team on the same page in real time.

Everyone always says, ‘We need more communication,’ but we have always evolved our communication. From the early days of gathering around the fire, to vehicle transportation to meet others, and telephone, radio, TV, internet and software that assists with communication.

Today the vast majority of our communication is online, but the user experience of these tools we are using haven't changed much from 10 years ago. We got sucked into the social media giants that did not build them for city development. Facebook and Google took most of our data to make trillions and we stuck in a newsfeed feedback loop and echo chamber.

But all this communication contains the solution to our challenges. It’s now up to us to co-design our communities and co-create its priorities. We have the made in Canada tech to do it today efficiently. Most agree these platforms should not be centralized by billionaires or governments. If data is the new oil, we should own our data and tools.

Through the power of exponential technologies, the costs have dropped to build tools and everything in our lives including homes, food and transportation.

Cities can play a unique open innovation role. While tech companies excel at early product development, testing in a predictable lab setting is only the first step. The next step is to place your product in the real world to learn what you do not know.

Cities excel at owning and operating infrastructure like roads and sidewalks. They also work with utilities and

telecommunications companies to provide basic services to residents. If cities offer sections of their infrastructure to tech companies and convene their largest service providers to do the same, they can create test environments to jumpstart innovation.

Smart cities are bringing all the players together to understand what opportunities, challenges and problems come along with similar new technologies.

Communities also support education systems. Workers of the future need to be proficient in both understanding and utilising technology. Many countries teach tech as the equivalent of a foreign language. They require proficiency. Starting in 2020, coding will be mandatory in Japanese schools.

Our new framework in Canada is called Open Smart Cities.

Residents, civil society, academics, and the private sector collaborate with administrators to mobilize data and technologies when warranted in an ethical, accountable and transparent way to govern the city as a fair, viable and liveable commons and balance economic development, social progress and environmental responsibility.

Look around at all of the devices used today and think about a future – the internet of things – when devices will talk to other devices. Individuals with these skills will have steady, well-paying employment opportunities. After all, smart cities will require smart workers.

This learning does not have to be linear and will not end when a standard education program is complete. Smart companies and smart cities will provide technology education on-demand for everyone who wants to learn. Acquisition of technical knowledge will be expected, admired and rewarded. Innovation requires curiosity about what could be.

Air taxis, deliveries via drone and shipping robots are among the many technologies that once sounded far-fetched and yet are being deployed today and will be here in a few years. A recent study by Bloomberg showed that 80 per cent of millennials would be willing to buy an autonomous car. By contrast, the same study showed that over 50 per cent of people aged 55 and over said they would never trust a robot to take the wheel. These two age groups will have to find common ground to advance autonomous technology.

Smart cities are identifying key stakeholders and partners and bringing them together to collaborate. They are not only open to innovation but are facilitating open innovation in new and exciting ways.

When we are ready to launch our own tools we will be part of creating the next phase in our lives exponentially faster than today's "Kootenay Time.”

And this is critical to execute given our climate crisis and other global challenges like Artificial Intelligence.

Just like Revelstoke's Cronometer has a dashboard for your health data, analysis and reporting of solutions for diet and exercise, so must we have for our Smart City, so we can find solutions in real time with experts and data from around the world.

Take the next decade into our hands and fully manifest our wildest fantasies.

Choose your own adventure and let’s set these goals together on our own platforms in 2020.

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LETTERS OF HOPE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE ANTIDOTE An exciting conversation I often have that comes with the discussion on climate change is: what will happen in a natural disaster, system collapse or an impending apocalyptic event?

It’s a fascinating fantasy that’s often supported by the great number of disaster, pandemic and zombie movies. Imagining the life we would have to live in this rugged post-apocalyptic world invigorates the desire for self-sufficiency and individualism.

Life will be challenging and tasks will be hard, but we imagine that our focus will be clear, decisions will be easy and life would be simpler. These movies often portray these violent clans or rogue wanderers. The reality is that we will not be by ourselves and avoiding people we don’t trust.

Humans have evolved to be the most dominant species on our planet because of our capabilities to communicate and cooperate. We’ve developed attributes of compassion, generosity and altruism to survive in the direst of situations. The hope I have for the future lies with each one of us to practice kindness and fairness, to cooperate and compromise. We will have to work together to turn towards the problem, not away from it. We will have to create community, grow food, educate ourselves and support one another.

The reason I’ve chosen to call Revelstoke home is because of our strong sense of community. All around us are people who care and contribute. We can make our home and the world a better place by fully participating in the health and wellbeing of us all.

Adrian Giacca.

A GREEN DEAL FOR REVELSTOKE Forest are burning around the globe and the Arctic is warming at an unprecedented rate. We are facing an existential threat and B.C. is not being spared. In the last years, we have seen floods in the Okanagan in May and forest fires in June. We know about the damages and costs extreme weather events can cause.

Yet, or because of this, I am hopeful that Revelstoke will become a model community for local energy and food production. As an outdoor and resource community, we have a close connection to the land around us. Moreover, our unmatched natural and human resources make it a lot easier to wean ourselves off fossil fuels and imported food than densely populated urban centers.

Revelstoke needs a vision for the next decade, one that looks beyond the day-to-day challenges of a fast-growing community. A green deal for Revelstoke will pour significant funds into our community, demonstrating that we can exceed the carbon mitigation goals of the provincial CleanBC plan — a made in Revelstoke approach.

My letter of hope for the future: By 2030, wind turbines on top of Mount Mackenzie will produce 100 per cent of Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s electricity.

There will be more electric charging stations per capita than anywhere else in the province, powered by the Revelstoke Dam. We will have regained agricultural land by building a dyke along the Columbia River. Revelstoke Community Energy

Corporation will have doubled the number of clients it provides with renewable district heating. All new houses will be built to a net zero standard. We will no longer truck out wood fuel and truck in fossil fuel — instead, the propane distribution system will run on renewable gas produced from forestry waste. And subsidies for fossil fuels will have long been phased out as economically and socially irresponsible.

A dream, maybe, yet a necessary one.

Cornelius Suchy.

ACTS OF LOVE I saw the Mountaineer’s request for letters of hope for Revelstoke for the upcoming decade and decided to contribute my thoughts. I have worked for Community Connections for the past ten years and from this perspective I see love and hope in action every day. I have often struggled with putting the work people do at Community Connections into words that truly honor what I see as very valuable work. Even writing that sentence makes the work people are doing seem saintly and insignificant at the same time. When the work looks like spending time with your fellow community members, sharing meals, laughing at inside jokes, supporting people through loss or change, isn’t this what everyone does in their daily lives? I think most people engage in these acts of building relationships and community every day; however, I think the impact of these small acts of love is minimized and overlooked. I am reminded of the words of bell hooks; she describes acts of social justice as synonymous with the act of loving, and stresses the understanding of love as a verb. Our small city is full of acts of love: the free community meals, the tireless volunteers, and the countless people making this a wonderful place to live. When I consider what makes me hopeful about Revelstoke’s future, I think about these acts of love, and I think we will be just fine. Thank you to all the Revelstokians that contribute to our community, and to my hope for our bright future.

Erin MacLachlan, Social justice advocate.

REVELSTOKE 2050: THE EPICENTRE OF SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLES Snapshot 2050: Houses are net-zero, and high efficiency renewables are fully integrated and old news. Food is grown locally and integrated into architecture, and town planning is comprehensive.

Communities are engaged in raising families, providing guidance to young minds, and riding on sunshine in Tesla-inspired transportation methods.

As an advanced city, town planning is simplified using standard construction processes of the day with highly mandated goals of performance. As performance becomes the focus of homes, the demand for energy decreases dramatically. This ensures a sustainable future that leaves oil, gas, and coal in the ground.

Education is provided to citizens at a heightened level of efficiency, and the city attracts professionals from around the globe to come and view a snapshot of what makes Revelstoke special: a resounding

example of sustainability on all fronts — socially, environmentally, and economically Living report: Today. The theme for the 25th International Passive House Conference was on keeping oil, coal and gas in the ground. Many, many models have shown that increasing performance of our built environment steadily in one-per-cent annual increments ensures a future that keeps carbon in the atmosphere below critical thresholds.

This theme also predicates that we do not have time for half measures. If we do not commit and implement ecological solutions for our way of living, integrate technology into our lifestyles, and build responsibly, we will not have a world to pass down to our children. We must focus on high-efficiency renewables to regain the balance in our world.

Biodiversity is depreciating at an alarming rate, and political problems arising from climate-related issues are complicating community fabrics around the globe. With climate-related disasters on the rise, so is the amount of climate refugees. On an economical basis, providing new homes for millions of people seeking climate refuge, droughts, insect infestations, and crop diseases is expensive.

On an environmental basis, repairing and remediating polluted lands and water is extremely expensive and does not fully replace the biodiversity. We have lived on this planet for untold thousands of years, in contrast the planet has perfected its recipe for sustaining life over billions of years. We are just beginning to understand the careful balance of living with nature through resilient cohesion and symbiosis: in harmony. With the collision of cultures being forced to co-exist under varied political systems, the social basis is deeply fractured, multi-faceted, and volatile.

Revelstoke can be the change we want to see in the world, serve as a model, and work together towards a bright future. Together we can maintain the beauty that is here, the harmony we enjoy, and the lifestyle we adore.

Greg Hoffart & Nik Winnitowy 2020.

INCUBATE NEW IDEAS AND ENERGY Yes, we live in an increasingly complex society – both locally and globally – but I have great faith in the resilience and ingenuity of people. It has been proven that complex challenges require complex, comprehensive solutions, so this is the approach we must take. We know that the key is to move away from working in silos – that businesspeople and entrepreneurs must work side by side with front line social sector providers, that people who are closest to and experiencing an issue are best placed to come up with solutions. But it’s so important to understand that systemic change takes time and we must be diligent, relentless, patient, and constantly check in to ensure we are all working towards the same goals – together.

We also know that the ‘old ways of working’ simply aren’t working. Change is imperative. I love the creative, entrepreneurial energy in Revelstoke and the passion, the sense of belonging that so many people have here – both newcomers and ‘old-comers.' But we must be open to and help incubate new ideas and energy. I’m really excited

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How will Revelstoke residents shape our community in the 2020s? For our first issue of the decade, we asked Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine readers to contribute Letters of Hope for the coming decade. We asked them to express their positive visions for the future of our community. What challenges will we face this decade and how can we thrive in our response? Please enjoy the ideas and visions from our readers expressed in our Letters of Hope.

By Aaron Orlando about our ‘Vibrant Revelstoke – Affordability for All’ collective impact initiative. We’ve got people who are passionate and full of good ideas working on key issues like housing and transit, in partnership with the city. Every single initiative must be viewed through the lens of impact on future generations.

We are in a time where the decisions we make now will determine the future of our community. The key is to create opportunities for people from all walks of life to come together for shared, intentional dialogue, and then to use the outcomes of dialogue to support proactive decisions embedded into policy – for local government, business, and communitybased organizations. Ideas become action. Then we make positive change, one step at a time.

Jill Zacharias.

SUPPORTING A HEALTHY COMMUNITY Community Connections has been supporting residents of Revelstoke since opening its doors in 2002, and I’d like to shine a light on the women who we’ve had the privilege of working with and getting to know over the years. Amazing women come through the doors of Community Connections daily taking part in programs that include accessing food, attending parent/child groups, seeking parent/ family supports, working with the social advocate, counselling, school programs and also as volunteers volunteering within these programs. The women and girls who bring the programs to life span all ages starting in-utero at Bellies & Babies to Grandmothers who attend groups with their own grandchildren. The knowledge gained from meeting and speaking with so many remarkable females has been invaluable.

Every day we hear of the many injustices women face in their lives, but we also hear of the connection and coming together taking place. The stories shared by the women seeking consultation with us indicate their desire to support each other and their invitation to us to come alongside to support the possibilities for them to realize their preferred lives and relationships. It is critical that women have safe spaces to gather and it is my hope for the future that Revelstoke will have a drop-in resource centre solely dedicated to women. This center will be an addition to the existing supports women have to access in Revelstoke and would do much to support our healthy community. I look forward to being a part of this creation and am excited to see what happens in 2020.

Kelly – Women’s Outreach/Support Worker.

COLUMBIA PARK GRADE 3 STUDENTS PEN LETTERS OF HOPE I want to make Revelstoke a better place. I want to clean up all the garbage and take care of the environment. Always put plastic stuff into recycling.

We are all lucky to have this place. I love Revelstoke a lot and it’s beautiful just the way it is and I always want to help it.

Madison Bouvette.

I think the government should reduce plastic.

People should cut down less trees because trees provide oxygen. People should use electric cars

because normal cars use gas and pollute the air.

And because of these things that are happening the earth is getting hotter and the temperatures are increasing and if we don’t stop this then bad things can happen.

Kade Worby.

What I hope for in Revelstoke … is for people to think about the environment. Our climate is changing and we need to think about our use of plastic. People are jealous of Revelstoke because it is a nice place to live. I hope that it is an even better place at the end of the decade.

Isla Kovalskie.

I think that there should be more indoor skate parks and more biking trails and a phone store and a new bowling alley.

Jaxon Renyard.

I love how Revelstoke has a lot of animals! I hope there is not that much garbage in the water in Revelstoke. There are so many trees. That’s one reason I like it here. Revelstoke is awesome.

Liam Thompson.

I care about the sun, water, food, love, shelter, stores, mountains and life. I love Revelstoke because it has dirt, flowers and it’s beautiful. I hope for friendly people, people to use less paper, more parks in town and more love.

Finn Hemphill.

I am hoping the ski hill is going to have a new chair lift soon. The runs can be all double black. There can be six people a chair so more people can go at a time. Maybe one or two easy runs to make it fair.

Zephlyn Seymour.

Some things I really like about Revelstoke: lots of mountain biking, a really good skatepark, skiing.

Things that I want to have in Revelstoke: an indoor skatepark, more ski runs, new mountain bike trails.

Nikolai Lapshinoff.

I hope for a toy store! I like Revelstoke for hiking trails! I care about my cat! And I care about my family! I hope for a Boston Pizza! And I hope for more trees and less cutting down! I care about trees.

Kolby Mandel.

I love Revelstoke and I think that we are a beautiful town but I really think we need to stop using all this plastic and this gas we are putting in this town. I really think that we should find a way to do things without putting plastic in the ground and gas in the air. I know we are a great town and we all want to make a difference.

Anouk Julien I think Revelstoke is great but like lots of things and places it still has room for improvement. Mostly the animals and environment. I think we can do better as humans by taking care of these things.

What I want to stay the same is the biking trails, the farmers market, and the hospital.

Bridget Johnston

I care about my town, the people, the stores, the mountains, the lakes, the sun and sky. What I hope for the future is less trash and a better place for animals.

Janson Stokman Stuff that I like about Revelstoke are trees, mountains, animals, and skiing. I want a new restaurant in Revelstoke, a new bowling alley, a new phone store, and a new hockey rink, and finally a new art store.

Jack Thornley The things I like about Revelstoke: my teacher, my family, my friends, my pets, C.P.E., Emo’s, creeks and flowers. I want there to be less litter in the environment. Revelstoke is the best town I know.

Cadence McAstocker

CARING FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE Revelstoke has a longstanding history of coming up with creative solutions to tackle its challenges (just ask Cathy English!), and there certainly are challenges. Yet, beyond its local ingenuity and “Made in Revelstoke” solutions, what gives me the most hope – or perhaps faith, is the community itself. This town has a culture of concern and support for its fellow citizens that I have never experienced anywhere else. I love where I live, not because of access to all the amazing outdoor recreation, though of course it’s a major perk, I love this place because I love this community.

I am continually inspired by all the great work that is being done here. For example, the immense mobilization for the caribou, rallies for the environment, food advocacy, early childhood and literacy programs, and so much more. When I became a mother, I was floored by the multitude of free, high quality programs and services I was able to access thanks to local organizations like the Early Childhood Development Committee, the Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy, Community Connections and the Local Food Initiative to name a few.

Through my work at the Women’s Shelter, I have become so aware of the community’s concern for the welfare of women and children fleeing abuse, and vulnerable individuals in general. We regularly see donations of food, clothing, toiletries, and financial support for our work.

Now deeply entrenched in the Vibrant Revelstoke – Affordability for All collective impact process, I see people from all sectors and economic backgrounds coming together to find solutions to make Revelstoke an inclusive and affordable place to live for everyone, with the support and backing of our mayor.

I am so grateful for this caring and resilient community, and have full faith in its ability to look out for its most vulnerable so that everyone can thrive in the coming decade.

Lisa Cyr, Communications Coordinator, Revelstoke Women's Shelter Society.

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Feature

THE INCREDIBLE POWER OF A SHARED NARRATIVE If you happen to have the good fortune to spend as much time in a library as I do, you quickly become aware of the power of stories. Every day I get to see the transformative power that stories of all kinds have in individual lives. When individuals become connected by a story, transformation on a societal level often results.

Currently, I see Revelstoke carefully crafting a shared narrative with intent: to ensure that we all thrive. I am excited to be part of this story going into the 20s.

Lucie Bergeron, Community Librarian, Revelstoke Branch, Okanagan Regional Library.

Bibliography: Harari, Yuval Noah. Sapiens: a Brief History of Humankind. Vintage, 2019.

Harari, Yuval N. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century.

Spiegel & Grau, 2019.

A HOME FOR THOSE WITH DIVERSE ABILITIES Revelstoke has been a home to thousands through the years.

What comes to mind when you think of home?

There are a lot of different answers to that question.

My hope for the 2020s in Revelstoke is that there continues to be opportunities for those with diverse abilities, those of risk of experiencing homelessness to find shelter and become a valuable member of our community.

To feel that their town is Revelstoke; they must be able to have a home that allows them a space as a permanent resident. A house, apartment, mobile home, yurt or tiny home can all be considered as place to settle into every night with the comfort of knowing you part of a neighbourhood.

With that being said, we must work together to ensure those with diverse abilities can acquire such a place of comfort and safety. I hope Revelstoke will continue to hold standards of inclusion and support as an integral part of our town we want to be.

What will be our part in this future? Will I share my home, my life, my family, my neighbourhood with those who need a hand in making their life the way they prefer?

My hope is to continue along the path of openness to all people and that Revelstoke will continue be a progressive, thriving, and welcoming hometown.

Marydell Allain, Home Share coordinator, Community Connections.

CONSERVE AND COLLABORATE WITH HEART My hope for you in the future decade is to gracefully navigate this period of transition. My hope is that as you change and grow, you do so in a way that is sustainable and organic. My hope is that in 2030, we will all continue to love this place we have chosen to call home – for the very same reasons we have all along.

Change is good, because it comes with the opportunity to embrace new experiences, perspectives, and challenges. And if there is one thing that stands out about you, it’s that you are resilient. You have an inexplicable energy all around you. You thrive on an ignited community full of passion, and I can’t see that flame ever faltering.

My vow to you is that I promise to keep my flame burning strong. I promise to be a steward for you; for your lakes and rivers, your mountains and trees. I promise to preserve your authenticity,

to collaborate with your community, and to keep those who live here at the heart of it all. I promise to welcome your best guests — those who always choose the road less traveled, the undiscovered trail, and the wild within. Those who leave no trace, chase an unexplainable freedom, and know that memories are made on more than a social media snap. Those who love your nature, respect your environment, and fit your ethos.

You stole my heart over ten years ago, just as I suspect you will for so many more to come. You have shaped in me in ways I can’t describe. My hope for you, Revelstoke, is that the next decade is as inspiring as the last.

Meghan Tabor, Tourism Revelstoke THE POWER OF SHARING Sharing circles are how we open our meetings of the Aboriginal Friendship Society of Revelstoke. It is also how we share wishes for the future. At both our October AGM and the following first meeting of the board in November we have been listening to our members. Early in 2020 the board will be gathering to find direction to make our society sustainable and increase the visual representation of Indigenous people in Revelstoke. What this looks likes is an unknown trail as more listening and building of trust will need to show us the way.

Bringing traditional knowledge keepers to Revelstoke is vital to our continued learning and respecting the practices of their traditions. Growing our programs for elders, youth, women, children and men will strengthen our community as well as nurturing our members socially, emotionally and mentally. Through public art and building projects we can share Indigenous perspectives and knowledge.

Gathering together in discussions we can learn about healing, truth and reconciliation. Growing together an Indigenous Friendship Centre for Revelstoke may begin to take form in the years ahead.

Our drums may be quietly played for now, as our society will only be five years old in 2020. In 2030, we hope that a stronger beat will be heard throughout Revelstoke. Bringing people together in appreciation of Indigenous ways of being and the land where we live. The sound of the drums will honour those who have gone before us and carry us forward into the future.

Michelle Cole, Aboriginal Friendship Society of Revelstoke.

WE ARE HOPE ITSELF In this time of climate change, environmental degradation, and government inaction, it is difficult to imagine how I could find much hope at all. But it is easy. There are politicians, community leaders, and everyday people slowly chipping away at societal problems with their tiny picks and axes, all sharpened with blades of hope.

Mother Nature herself is the very Baroness of Hope. When I see a spider web sparkling in the dew, torn down and rebuilt with the same elegance each time, when I watch the tiny micro-organisms that live in the gut of wood termites - they look like tiny jelly fish, gracefully moving around as they digest wood fiber for the termite, which becomes part of the new soil on the forest floor, or when I learned about a species of cuttlefish that is colour blind yet can blend into it surroundings, even in the darkness of night. These things are simply so beautiful, that to give up hope for the collective future of this planet seems completely insane.

Then there is the hope that my job as a teacher gives me. Each day I see the resilience of children.

Many kids are able to rise above their seemingly hopeless condition to be resilient, happy, and in many cases, successful. What can give more hope than that?

So many of our children today are little environmentalists, they are compassionate, and against all odds, succeeding to make positive change in their own lives. I receive a lot of hope from my students: it is the little artist who has never seen an adult other than his teacher do art, yet creates unique and thoughtful pieces during the 45 minutes of art class on Fridays. I feel the hope in the young musician who has never seen an adult play anything but can keep the beat and falls in love with the instrument he is assigned in grade 7 band class.

Hope is also personified in the child who dominates sports day with scuffed skateboard shoes that are hardly tied. Hope springs eternal out of the hearts of our children.

Our actions are the things that gives others hope.

We are hope itself. Think about how we can spread hope each day. We can think of it like a global bank account that we can all deposit or make withdraws from. The challenge is for us to be the big global investors in order to make the world a better place.

It is completely within in our power to be Hope Spreaders. A good axiom is this: If not you, then who? If not now, then when?

Sarah Newton, BVE grade 5/6 teacher, NCES Board of Directors, and City of Revelstoke Environmental Advisory Committee member.

LOVE, HOPE AND OPTIMISM CHANGES THE WORLD These last few years has been exceptionally challenging for our city. We are not the first nor will we be the last to deal with resort development struggles. We only have to open a newspaper, a social media website or attend a council meeting to know what issues are most critical or highest priority.

Revelstoke has not been immune to adversities.

There were challenging times after major construction projects like the Revelstoke Dam and the Mt. Macdonald Tunnel were completed.

The local forestry industry had to endure negative effects from economic downturns and the Softwood Lumber Agreement. Sure, it could have been easy to move on but we all believed that Revelstoke would be resilient and things would eventually work out.

Most importantly we all believed together, worked collectively to make the best decisions possible and set forth on the action plans. We had hope.

Over the last year I have had time and opportunity to meet many new younger people who have chosen to make Revelstoke home, whether it is for seasonal work or a permanent life move. I am impressed by their courage, open mindedness, fresh values and their desire to make Revelstoke their home. I am encouraged with the conversations I am hearing on finding solutions to the problems we are encountering in our community. There is good deal of fear or anxiety among many, especially from those people who are most vulnerable. You just need to listen to these folks and you know it is real. I am hearing solutions. I am sensing there is a building collective of people who can and will work to fix the issues. Can you be one of them?

The late Jack Layton wrote a moving ending to his letter to Canadians just before his passing due to cancer. “My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair.

So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.”

Steven Hui.

Feature

21

22

OUTDOORS Mark Hartley turns the camera on Revelstoke photographer Ryan Creary, seen here on a laid back dream line.

SPLITFEST CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF TURNS This January marks the 10th annual Canuck Splitboard Festival, aka Spliffest, which was started approximately a decade ago up in Rogers Pass. It was started by a guy from the flatlands, Wade Galloway, which may be significant in that, while we local Columbia snow bums were content in our mountain powder paradise, rummaging around for face-fulls of snow, Wade as an outsider was so much more impressed by the majesty of this place that his idea was to bring other like-sliding people to show them the way.

2010 was just like yesterday, but so long ago that many people still believed in the positive potential of the interwebs and for backcountry snowboarders there was an active and passionate community who were sharing ideas and stories and stoke on a website, splitboard.com, where Wade put out the word and people promised to come. This niche community was united in solidarity against the marginalization, which snowboarders had experienced in the past, from some people who thought that we didn’t belong in the wild mountains. This was back in the days before trolling took over as the prominent raison d’être of interwebbing and the members of that forum shared the bond of the snow as well as the fellowship of the craft. Beginners were given good advice and encouragement, new ideas and equipment were debated, developed and promoted, and anyone’s achievements were celebrated by all, as they showed we all were capable. These people came and the snow fell.

Glacier Park Lodge was still fighting for life, the nachos and beers were classic, although the small horde of knuckle-draggers was perhaps a bit of a denouement from its glory days of the swingers parties and gad knows what other stories were written on its walls and soiled into its carpets. At the hotel Wade was the ringleader, directing action for slideshows, presentations, sponsors, contests and raffles — wearing jeans and a hockey jersey and his long hair which paid tribute to his roots. The Splitfest, it should be noted, was organized to bring together a tribe and also to raise money for the Canadian Avalanche Association (CAA).

The timing of the festival, as chosen by Wade, was planned to expose the tribe to the best chances of experiencing the legendary deep snowfalls of the Columbia Mountains. It should also be noted that some people thought that exposing a posse of slowboarders to the legendary snowfalls that did coincide, as planned,

The swag-heavy raffle is a fundraiser for Avalanche Canada. Photo: Aaron Orlando/RMM

Tour the Trapper Snowboards facility during Splitfest. Photo: Aaron Orlando/RMM

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AVALANCHE CANADA FUNDRAISER WELCOMES ALL BACKCOUNTRY ENTHUSIASTS TO ANNUAL GATHERING OF THE TRIBE.

By Mark Hartley

along with the logistics of Glacier Park’s Winter Permit System and their Armed Forces artillery unit, was actually a bad idea that would end in disaster but, clearly, we got lucky. The first two Splitfests, held up at the lodge, and many more after that, moved down to Revelstoke when the lodge shut down, were all blessed with snowfall warnings. I think it was the fourth year that the sun came out and people realized where we had been all along.

When the lodge closed its doors, Wade asked around for ideas for where we should continue the event, then surprised us by booking the Hillcrest. Honestly, the Hillcrest was above our pay grade … a nice place, home of Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing but, generally speaking, we were dirt bags not heli-skiers! However, Wade, despite looking a bit like he’d stepped out of Fubar, or maybe Mallrats, was actually a successful businessperson with an inherently high degree of respect for himself and others. He believed in us and in our potential. When we found the STHS apres snack bar was seriously lacking a security detail, we also believed in him. Wade did get a haircut for the next Splitfest; we’re not sure if that coincided with his election as a city councillor in his hometown of Lethbridge, or if it was because he’d anticipated the security improvements around STHS’s apres treats.

The years after that get a bit blurry for me, maybe it was the dehydration caused by the sweat boxed conference room upstairs at the Hillcrest, or the lack of apres appies, or the sponsorship of Mt. Begbie Brewery, or a combination of those things. Maybe it’s because i started to recognize so many new friends as they came back year after year, or because it was all just so deep and snowy that the pow runs all blended together. Or maybe I stopped paying attention so much after that one guy won four snowboards in the raffle and all I got was a lousy T-shirt. But time keeps moving and life keeps changing, year after year.

Sadly, Wade passed away in an avalanche accident in Waterton Lakes National Park in 2014. Rest in peace, bud — we won’t forget you.

Prior Snowboards, the main sponsor of the Splitfest, took over Wade’s organizational role by putting Emilie de Crombrugghe on the job and Emilie moved the festival location to the community centre when we’d outgrown the Hillcrest’s capacity. Trapper took over the main sponsorship position when Prior stepped back, which meant locals were, at last, shouldering some of the workload, or at least helping Emilie as she volunteered to continue making it happen. Jennifer George at the CAA does a lot of the work to legitimize the raffle, which is quite a popular attraction due to the generosity of the many sponsors of the event, and there’s always a good bunch of Avalanche Canada staff volunteering to help out. The raffle raises a good chunk of change for the CAA (over $12,000 last year!) and it should be noted that the CAA uses some of the funds to support the Craig Kelly Memorial Scholarship, which is awarded to snowboarders pursuing a career as a guide or avalanche professional. Some people thought that snowboarders had no place in the guiding world, but now in 2020 it’s clear to see that idea has long been proven wrong.

One last note is, although the festival is nominally for Splitboarders, Canuck Splitfest is a LGBTQIAPK2SAATMAT+ friendly event (the last 4 letters stand for TeleMark and Alpine Touring and the + probably includes slow-shoers and Nordic skiing). If you’re passionate about, or maybe interested in, or curious about, any type of playing in the snow, then you’re welcome here with us.

Have fun, make friends, safety third, let it snow… and see you there!

Local.

Independent.

Get in the magazine: info@revelstokemountaineer.com

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OUTDOORS Jeff Zalewski has been riding through Revy winters for six years, commuting from downtown to RMR for work. Photo by Aaron Orlando/RMM.

WINTER BIKING – The winter cyclist. The frigid, the brave, the foolhardy. They lean fearlessly into the wind, the tails of their scarf flapping behind them, preparing for lift off. Their moustache is frozen, their nose white, their eyes crusted over as tears from the wind frost over.

You slow down, waiting for a moment to pass, the road shrunk in half by snowbanks.

“Get out of the way you imbecile!” you think as your heated car seat warms your backside, Christmas music on the radio.

Most of the time, I’m the guy on the bike. And, really, it’s usually not so bad. It just takes a bit of preparation and a bit of patience.

Riding your bike in winter isn’t an affair for everyone, but it is getting easier. It takes nerves.

There’s a few more hazards to worry about — ice, snow, snow on ice, narrower streets, slush, massive puddles, and the matter that it gets dark at 4 p.m.

But I’m here to tell you you can do it. I ride my bike in winter as much as possible. I have a Salsa Fargo, a cross between a mountain bike and a road bike that makes for a mean bikepacking machine and an amazing year-round commuter. Last winter there was only a handful of days where there was too much snow to bike, and one day where I went for it and ended up pushing my bike to and from downtown. Last winter was pretty exceptional with how dry it was, but it’s doable even when it’s snowier. The only days I don’t ride are the days it’s dumping. In fact, hard packed powder can be quite grippy with the right rubber under you.

There’s a few essentials to winter biking. It all starts with your wheels. Mainly – bigger tires are better. I run 2.3” mountain bike tires, and I wouldn’t want to be on anything much smaller.

Even then, when the snow hasn’t been packed down by cars, I wish I had more girth. Bigger tires means you can run lower tires pressure, and therefore have more traction. Plus-sized tires (2.8”-3”) are even better and a fat bike, with monstrous 4”-5” rubber, will plow over everything, and let you enjoy the groomed trails on the Greenbelt as a bonus. There’s also studded tires, which are expensive but give you better grip on slick surfaces.

Lights are the next bit of crucial gear. It’s dark at 4 p.m., the roads are narrower. Don’t be stupid and

25

Skookum Cycle & Ski This drop bar from Kona will get you around town and to the ski hill.

The bike has the essentials such as studded tires, and also extras to help keep you safe including stunningly bright headlight, straps for your skis and levers designed for ease of use in gloves. Throw in ski straps and a rack and you can A-frame it to RMR.

Tantrum Ride Co. Tantrum set up an economical Trek FX2 commuter, showing that a winter ride with all the bells, whistles and vital safety accessories doesn't have to set you back a fortune. This bike comes in around $1,200 with taxes including fenders, pump, rack, lights and more.

Flowt Bikes and Skis Flowt's winter commuter is a drop bar from Devinci, which can double as a touring rig in the summer.

The 500-lumen USB rechargeable headlamp from Swift will light up your path and let drivers know you're on the road. The studded tires by Icebreaker have a mediumrange stud count, balancing speed and traction with grip.

– IT’S NOT THAT CRAZY

By Alex Cooper

ride without at least one in front and one in back.

Good fenders are the third piece of essential gear. We all know Revelstoke can get pretty warm in winter and incredibly slushy. It can also be home to pool-sized puddles. I went a stretch without fenders and now my jacket has a permanent mud line down the back from the spray.

For clothes, when it’s slushy, I put on rain pants.

There’s no easier way to get your pants dirty than to spray it with road slush for 10 minutes. I switch my bike helmet for my ski helmet. I can’t vouch for the safety testing, but a ski helmet is warm and if it can be expected to protect from crashing into a tree while skiing, it can probably handle a slow impact with pavement while biking. I’ll wear a buff around my face and, if it’s really cold, stick on my

goggles. That’s only when times are desperate.

Once you hit the road, pick your routes wisely.

Major arteries are in some ways easier because they get plowed first and the traffic packs down the snow. At the same time, traffic is worse and it’s harder to get out of the way. Secondary roads are great, but during or right after a storm they can be unrideable unless you have fat tires. I’m a big fan of the paved path from Centennial Park to Southside in winter—it is longer, but it gets plowed regularly, the snow is packed down nicely, and there’s no cars. If it’s on your route, take it.

I always advise to go slow! I’m pretty sure all my winter wipeouts were from trying to go too fast around a corner. The other day my front tire slid out when I hit a patch of soft snow turning from

Mackenzie onto First a little too fast. Fortunately, I wasn’t hurt (and no one I knew saw me), but it was a reminder to take it easy. This also goes for riding in a straight line, when you might want to ease to the side to let traffic past. The shoulders are always softer and slicker than the centre lane.

Biking in winter doesn’t have to be a foolhardy idea. If you’re a confident cyclist in summer, you can do it, just take a step back and slow down.

You’ll save money and help the environment by using less gas. And, in the spring, biking to the ski hill is a great way to enjoy a carbon-free adventure.

26

BY THE NUMBERS

BEERS SOLD EACH GAME

to

300 450

HOCKEY NIGHT IN REVELSTOKE

Cheers!

NUMBER OF PLAYERS WHO ARE FROM REVELSTOKE

3

Matt Cadden, Rider McCallum & Raymond Speerbrecker PORTIONS OF POUTINE SOLD

50

YEAR THE REVELSTOKE FORUM WAS BUILT

·1968· date of completion

LITERS OF COFFEE SOLD EACH GAME

to

20 30

HIGHEST SCORE THIS SEASON

11-1 Vs. Osoyoos (Home Opener)

27

NUMBER OF PLAYERS AND STAFF ON THE BUS FOR A ROAD TRIP

23 5

players

staff

NUMBER OF SONGS ON THE DJS PLAYLIST

to

103 112

NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO COME TO COLLECT THE FRISBEES

6 8 to

NUMBER OF FRISBEES THROWN

to

100 300

28

29

By

Vilj

aA

rn s

te i

nsd

at t

er

T I’V O E L AL OV L T ED HE BE SKI FO S RE

30

FICTION

31

"Through skiing, I found a sense of identity and belonging.

I became part of a community.

And as so many others, I found my home in one of these beautiful mountain towns."

my very first pair of skis, as far as i can remember, had snowmen on them. And if the depths of my memory serves me well, they were blue and pink. I was not a fan. Of skiing, that is. I think I liked both the snowmen and the colours, but I was certainly not a skier. I was sulky and upset and longing to go home whenever my parents, Norwegian as they were, decided we should go skiing, because that’s what you do. We donned all our gear, packed our bags with oranges and chocolate, and left the house in a cloud of children’s tears and adult frustration. But off we went. All our destinations seemed incredibly far away and immensely steep; endless climbs uphill that lead nowhere but to another hill, another eternal stretch of land, requiring more strides than my short legs could handle. And if I wasn’t out with my parents on the weekends, they sent me off on what was called the ski carousel, a weekly night ski loop for kids, arranged by the local ski club.

While my sister would cruise around, loop after loop, I would stubbornly ski as slow as I could, ensuring I only did one.

All I wanted as a kid was a sled I could lie in, for my father to pull. I called it lie-down-skis, and it was my heart’s desire. My father loves reminding me of this. Whenever I send him pictures of me now, happily skiing down steeps and chutes and groomers, he’ll say, “and to think, all you wanted when you were little was lie-down-skis.”

I’ve revisited these places as an adult, and let me tell you, they are neither far away nor are they steep.

I did grow up on the Arctic tundra after all (hint: it’s very flat). Yet, unbeknownst to me at the time, they sparked what has become a lifetime of outdoor adventures, a love for nature, and a need to get out there.

After a brief hiatus of a few teenage years, where all I wanted to do was be a rockstar – the kind who survives on nothing but music and wild nights and shots at the bar – my love for skiing was rekindled. Actually, let me rephrase that. There was no rekindling evolved, but rather, somewhat of an awakening. Suddenly, I genuinely enjoyed that which I as a kid had detested. Somewhat surprisingly, I’d rather click into a pair of crosscountry skis on a Saturday night than live it up at some local watering hole. I celebrated this newfound passion by purchasing a pair of ultralight Fischer classic skis, bright yellow and black, that were on sale as a package deal with

boots and bindings and all. The deal was so good that the poor salesman had to phone his boss to ask if there had been a mistake. But no, the deal was genuine, and I scored a brand-new setup of high-quality gear that would last me for years.

Strangely enough, I bought classics, and used them for skating. I didn’t really know what I was doing.

And looking back, I didn’t know that this was the start of a life changing and formative process that would eventually lead me to where I am today. All I knew at the time, was that I was having fun. Even when skating on my classics.

The first alpine skis that I tried, I don’t even remember the brand of. They were skinny and short, and the boots were too big while simultaneously pinching my feet. Let’s just say the skis themselves were not memorable, but the experience certainly was. We had ventured out of my student city to a small, local ski hill, for my first time ever. My background in cross-country skiing provided a very impressive ability to skate and maneuver the skis on flat ground. Going downhill, not so much. I straightlined the whole mountain, claiming I enjoyed going fast more than turning. I’m fairly certain my lie was an obvious one. But I had fun. So much fun. Enough fun that I decided then and there, this is what I want to do.

This is my sport. I’ve never looked back.

While the old skinny alpines stayed behind, the Fischers came with me to Canada. Unfortunately for them, they remained largely untouched that whole first winter. I was hooked on downhill skiing. The adrenalin, the powder, the speed and the quick turns was all I was after. My first own pair of alpine skis were a set of blue Salomon QSTs, new for that year, with frame bindings. I loved them deeply. The first time I took them out I fell, double ejected, and couldn’t get back in. After battling the bindings for probably ten minutes, I was back on, and skied the rest of the run in walk-mode. Not a huge success. But we grew together, and the QSTs took me on a journey from absolute beginner to confident intermediate on the slopes of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. I have so much to be thankful to them for. Much more than just the joy of it all, substantial as it is. Through skiing, I found a sense of identity and belonging. I became part of a community. And as so many others, I found my home in one of these beautiful mountain towns.

The skis that came to define me as a skier were a pair of turquoise Black Crows Atris Birdie. A

powerful charger, a playful machine, a snappy tool to pop in and out of the trees. Something fell into place the first day I skied them. In the same way you might try on a pair of shoes that fit you perfectly, or jeans that feel as if they were made for you, these skis were exactly right for me.

They took my skiing to the next level and beyond, transforming me to the skier I wanted to be. It’s funny how two planks, two identical pieces of wood with metal edges and plastic bindings, can mean so much and become such a big part of your identity. It’s like the skis just gets you. Anyone who has ever found the skis can surely relate.

The hunt for new gear is always exciting.

Without the gear we have, we couldn’t get after it the way that we do. It is essential to our happiness.

As the ski season comes to an end, you might find yourself thinking back on the snowy months with appreciation, while already looking ahead to the next one, and all the gear to come. Sooner than you know it, the shelves will be stocked with gear reviews and buyer’s guides, and endless amounts of tempting new stuff to play around with. In today’s society, we replace our belongings at an increasingly rapid pace, and skiing is no exception.

The bright yellow and black Fischers are gone, sold to my former boss. In their stead came a pair of red and grey Madshus skate skis. The blue Salomon QST’s are gone, too, sold to a girl in town looking for an upgrade. They were replaced by my trusty Black Crows. My first pair of boots are no longer with me, sold to someone in need of a cheap touring setup, dismissed in place of slightly fancier, much stiffer Tecnicas. My very first pair of skis probably don’t exist anymore. If they do, wherever they are, I hope they’re being put to good use — pushing a small kid in the right direction, sparkling a love for the outdoors and for gliding on snow. In retrospect, those blue and pink snowmen started what became a long chain of equipment, clothing, shoes, boots and adventures, that I would never be without. I have replaced tons of gear over the years: tried, tested, loved and refused. I’ve exchanged jackets and pants and anything else for newer models, cooler colors, better fits. I’ve used and abused gloves, socks, googles, and baselayers.

And I have loved them all.

But when you find the one, you know. I am still on those Black Crows, and I am not going anywhere.

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HOMES

ADAPTING TO CHANGE On a dark winter evening, my dog Coconut and I take a familiar stroll through the Tum Tum area of the Big Eddy, past the original farmhouse and past the famous pink Taco Club truck. But off the shadows of this nicely underlit neighborhood lies the foundation for a new home, something not often seen in this archaeologically protected area.

Adaptive Homes, a relatively new builder in Revelstoke, is ambitiously taking on the challenge of building a high quality home in a very competitive housing market, on land that other builders have shied away from. The plans call for a 5,100-square-foot duplex with five bedrooms and three bathrooms within the stacked units, centrally located on the .29-acre lot. But it's the planned studio space, three covered decks, and indoor food cultivation area that get my attention and hint that this home is aimed at a new generation of buyers who want a home that integrates with their outdoor-focussed lifestyles. The design also incorporates ultra high efficiency thermal performance, materials with low embodied carbon, and traditional timber framing on the south and west walls.

"The two main things we are demonstrating in this home is a year-round food production room and an extremely energy efficient home built in a modular format," explains Jocoah Sorenson, who co-owns Adaptive Homes with Logan Ashley.

The modular format, meaning that large assemblies like walls and roofing are prefabricated in a shop and assembled on site, is still a somewhat uncommon technique in North America. The advantages that it offers are numerous: no restrictions on noise or working hours, shelter for materials, security for tools, access to machinery like fork lifts and gantry cranes, better working conditions, and replicable building processes.

In short, it means greater efficiency and lower production costs.

It's a concept also utilized by Revelstoke's Tree Construction, so it’s no surprise that Jocoah

Jacoah Sorenson and Logan Ashley, partners in Adaptive Homes, a modular pre-fabricated home building company based in the Big Eddy. Photo: Daniel Stewart.

Adaptive Homes buildings are built in the warehouse, then transported to location for installation. Here, they work on a home for a Big Eddy property. Photo: Daniel Stewart.

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ADAPTIVE HOMES ADDS THEIR DISTINCTIVE BUILDING STYLE TO THE TUM TUM.

By Bryce Borlick

worked for Tree for about five years. His 15 years of experience in sustainable building took him from Baja, Mexico to the Gulf Islands and eventually to Revelstoke where he mastered the skills of passive house construction. Logan, a lifelong friend and partner in the business, brings experience in commercial building, interior systems, and project management.

"Adaptive Homes came together as two entrepreneurs with goals to provide a higher standard of living for their community," says Ashley. "We knew that we wanted to provide homes that were environmentally friendly, would lower the inhabitants living costs, and provide food security."

Despite the duo’s combined skillset, putting together the pieces hasn’t been a simple task.

Permitting, financing, and CSA certification have taken quite a bit of time and the archaeological restrictions of this historically Indigenous area were a unique hurdle.

"The Tum Tum project is a hybrid of concrete grade beams and screw piles to reduce the ground disturbance," explains Ashley. "We reduced the ground impact to mitigate the risk of an archaeological find."

The physical pieces will finally be on site in early February with completion scheduled for mid April.

Once this project is wrapped up, Adaptive Homes will be developing a carriage home that integrates with progressive community housing bylaws and that can be shipped anywhere in the province.

Through scale and replication, Logan and Jocoah hope to produce high performance homes with low upfront costs.

The changing housing market here in Revelstoke offers opportunities for enterprising builders to think outside the box and take an active role in building a greener community. It takes commitment and it takes vision, and I can see that Adaptive Homes has both. Even here, on a dimly lit street in the Tum Tum.

Building inside means avoiding seasonal hassles like the Revelstoke snow. Photo: Daniel Stewart.

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QUIRK

THE ROOT OF REVELSTOKE SPELLINGS Is it Mount Macpherson or Mount MacPherson?

WE WENT TO THE SOURCE TO SORT OUT REVELSTOKE'S MOST RANDOMLY SPELLED WORDS.

By Aaron Orlando

The all-caps on the City of Revelstoke signs don't give hints about the bicapitalization of many local Scottish-origin place names. Google Maps has spelled the name of our main street wrong: Mackenzie, not MacKenzie, as they have it. Because the same few Revelstoke place names are so often randomly spelled, figuring out the correct spelling becomes a challenge. We rounded up the most commonly misspelled place names in Revelstoke and compiled it into a handy spelling guide. Thanks to Cathy English at the Revelstoke Museum & Archives for her assistance.

valley of the Spey, in Morayshire, Scotland. In the days of the clansmen, a sentinel kept watch here against all enemies; the lighting of a beaconfire summoned the Clan Grant to battle. The battle cry of the Grants was "Stand fast, Craigellachie!"

The story goes that after the Canadian Pacific Railway ran out of money to build the railway, CPR representative George Stephen travelled to London trying to secure more funding. When he found it, he telegraphed the Grants' battle cry back to CPR President Donald Smith, a sign that the railway project was back on track.

Mackenzie Avenue and Mount Mackenzie

Illecillewaet River and Glacier

(1818–1896), who is pictured below in the tricorne hat and robe. He served as Canada's Minister of Interior from 1883–85, during the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The mountain name was adopted in 1887, one of several new geographic names to honour "persons intimately connected with the inception and execution of the great national highway [railway]."

Williamson's Lake

Another hard one. This is a Sinixt name meaning big water. It is pronounced sill-wha-eet-kwe in that language, and the common spelling is an Anglicized form of the word.

This one is possessive, with an apostrophe. This lake is named after Albert Williamson, a pioneer who had a family farm in the area. (See a photo of the farm, farmer and family below.) I checked with Cathy English and she confirmed it is possessive, despite the fact that the street sign on Airport Way has it as Williamsons and the sign across the street has it as Williamson. (See the image below.)

Downie Street and Downie Creek

Greeley or Greely?

Roger is not a ski legend for whom the mountain pass was named after, so it's not 'Roger's Pass.' A. B. Rogers is the surveyor who, while working for the Canadian Pacific Railway, discovered and surveyed the railway's route through the pass in 1882. Did you know there is another Rogers Pass in Montana, also named after him for doing the same thing there while working for the Great Northern Railway?

Neither place names require an apostrophe.

It's not actually that hard to spell, but the creek and the street are named after two different people.

The street is named after CPR Trainmaster at Revelstoke, Thomas Downie, who was killed in an avalanche in 1904 east of the Illecillewaet Canyon.

The creek was named after a different Downie.

William Downie (1819-1893) was a native of Ayrshire who was raised in the Maritimes. After joining the Gold Rush in California, then serving as a major in the Union Army in the American Civil War, he led an unsuccessful expedition up the Columbia River in 1885.

No definitive answer on this one. An old railway magazine article claimed the Greeley area, which is just east of Revelstoke and is slated for development into the Revelstoke Adventure Park, is named after Horace Greeley, a U.S. newspaper editor and politician, who is credited with coining the phrase, "Go West, young man." However, Cathy English told me that source doesn't pass muster, so feel free to spell it however you like for now. If you've got any leads on this one, or an interesting story behind any other local place name, please let us know. Red Devil Hill?

Craigellachie

Mount Macpherson

This one's just hard to spell. According to GeoBC, Craigellachie is the name of a high rock in the

Lower case P. The local biking, touring and Nordic skiing hotspot is named after Sir David Macpherson

Lowercase K. Both are named after the Right Honorable Alexander Mackenzie, Canada's second Prime Minister. Connecting Canada via a transcontinental railway was one of his major projects while in office. Macpherson is pictured at bottom right.

Rogers Pass

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The Winter Permit System Permis d’accès hivernal Planning to ski Rogers Pass?

Vous comptez skier au col Rogers?

The Winter Permit System is in effect between November and March annually. Learn it.

Get your permit.

Le Permis d’accès hivernal est en vigueur entre novembre et mars de chaque année. Apprenez-en le fonctionnement. Obtenez votre permis.

In Rogers Pass, artillery is used to fire explosives and trigger avalanches for the highway avalanche control program.

Before you go:

Dans le col Rogers, le programme de déclenchement préventif d’avalanches pour la Transcanadienne est axé sur des tirs d’artillerie. Avant de partir :

• Learn how the system works at pc.gc.ca/skirogerspass.

• Check daily to know what areas are open or closed before you park, ski or ride.

• Get your winter permit and national park pass at the Rogers Pass Discovery Centre.

• Look after your own safety. Have the skills and equipment to travel in avalanche terrain.

• Apprenez le fonctionnement du système : pc.gc.ca/skicolrogers.

• Chaque jour, tenez-vous au courant d’où vous pouvez vous stationner et faire du ski ou de la planche à neige.

• Obtenez votre permis d’accès hivernal et votre laissez-passer de parc national au Centre de la découverte du Col-Rogers.

• Possédez les compétences et l’équipement nécessaire pour voyager dans le terrain avalancheux.

Learn more at pc.gc.ca/skirogerspass

Pour en savoir plus, consultez pc.gc.ca/skicolrogers

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MADE HERE Oteas co-owner Shelley Evans with the goods. Oteas counts a biodegradable teabag among its innovations. Photos: Contributed

STEEPED IN THE OUTDOORS DAVID AND SHELLEY EVANS TAKE INSPIRATION FROM REVELSTOKE TO CREATE A TEA THAT IS ENTIRELY WASTE-FREE.

By Amaris Bourdeau

For David and Shelley Evans, co-owners of Oteas, setting up shop in Revelstoke was a no-brainer. Like their teas, these two business-savvy and outdoorsy locals are totally steeped in an appreciation for the environment.

In fact, says Shelley, having a product that mirrors their values and interests is more important than the nature of the product. David and Shelley are avid skiers, hikers, gardeners, and horseback riders. And it so happens that Oteas is currently the only packaged tea in North America that is entirely environmentally sound.

The tea sachets are made from cornstarch, the string tags are biodegradable (printed with vegetable ink), and the inner liner around the tea and sachets are made from a plant-based biofilm — it’s wood pulp!

“We also have a great product. Our packaging means nothing without a great product,” says David.

“The whole package, no pun intended, is the best we can do.”

But the packaging sure is great. And it’s the reason the teas made a name for itself. For $6.99 (that’s what they suggest as a retail price), you get 15 cups of tea that will leave behind virtually no trace.

Compared to other tea products, which are often made from cellulose and cotton, it’s easy to see why consumers are opting for the zero-waste alternative.

“It’s loose leaf tea in an environmentally friendly

bag,” says Shelley. And few understand the need for an exceptional yet convenient product like Shelley does. The businesswoman grew up in North Vancouver’s mountains and made a career doing business in ski towns. Adventure has always been a part of her everyday—and that comes with a need for practical items. Both David and Shelley wanted a product that people could easily bring with them on their exploits.

Running a business from a land-locked island David and Shelley first learned about Oteas from a friend in the UK, where David was born and raised. The company’s founder, Paresh Thakker, was an acquaintance of this friend, and he was looking for people to invest in and take charge of the company. They were totally sold on the tea, but the packaging had a bit too much plastic for their liking.

A few modifications and two years later, the two locals, who employ Shelley’s niece Kris as their sales manager, consider Oteas a family business.

The company is run virtually from the owners’ passive home, which they had built by local

contractors and heat with a woodchip biomass furnace. A big feat for a sprawling 10-acre property — yet unsurprising considering their company’s commitment to nature. The owners have the resources here to breed and train horses, and they also grow most of their own vegetables.

Despite the challenges of running an international business from a location so notoriously remote (we’re mostly talking Canada Post problems), their lifestyle is the reason they do what they do.

“If you want to live here and do what you love, you have to bring your work with you or find a niche for yourself,” says Shelley. Be prepared for your business to take longer to start up, they advise.

Still in its early years, you can already find Oteas dominating tea isles all over North America. The teas, of which there are 19 in total, are available at Save-On-Foods, Safeway, Sobeys, Loblaws, Whole Foods, Nature’s Fare, and online at Ocado.com, the UK-based online supermarket.

Of course, David and Shelley are no strangers to business. David has a background in the stock market and Shelley was Director of Sales for Whistler Blackcomb. Both are also the brains behind Mackenzie Village. And with backgrounds so impressive under their belts, we can only imagine how the Revelstoke-based company will flourish in the coming years.

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UNLOCK THE POTENTIAL OF YOUR INNER HEALER

Our integrative and holistic family practice offers

• OSTEOPATHY • RMT • NATUROPATHIC MEDICINE • FAMILY DOCTOR 222 First Street East, Revelstoke, BC www.revelstokeosteopathy.ca | 250-814-8983

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HEALTH

IT'S YOU TIME It’s that time of year again where we vow to cut out sugar or make use of that stationary bike gathering dust in the garage. But instead of making and breaking impossible promises to ourselves for the coming year, why not focus on self-improvement and self-care through more attainable goals like eating a few more natural

1.

2.

Treat yourself to a customized organic facial at Sointula Massage & Day Spa.

Start your morning with a gentle flow class Balu Yoga & Wellness.

2020 is a year for trying new things. Why not start with a seaweed facial? Sointula is a brand new day spa at RMR aiming to create a utopia or place of harmony. In fact, their name means “place of harmony” in Finnish. Their facials are done using an organic skincare line from Vancouver Island called Seaflora, the primary ingredient of which is seaweed, a plant surprisingly rich in vitamins and minerals.

What better way to begin your day than with some mindful morning movement? Balu Yoga & Wellness has created a safe, inclusive space for the community to practice yoga.

Their gentle flow class aims to help restore the mind and body through meditation, breathing exercises, sun salutations, and flow movement through yoga postures.

It’s suitable for both beginners and more experienced practitioners.

3.

Build Strength with Revelstoke CrossFit If you’ve ever wanted to build some strength and be part of a close-knit team while feeling like a total badass, Revelstoke CrossFit may be the right spot for you. CrossFit is a popular strength and conditioning program based on functional movement. This particular box (the CrossFit term for gym) has a diverse membership, from professional skiers and mountain guides to weekend warriors and grandmothers.

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FROM RECOVERY AND REJUVENATION TO REVVED UP AND RIPPED, REVELSTOKE HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE EXPLORING HEALTHIER OPTIONS IN THIS WINTER.

By Cara Smith foods or trying out that boxing class for the first time?

Revelstoke offers no shortage of ways to work on being a happier and healthier you in the new year.

From learning a new sport to spending a relaxing day at the spa, here are ten ways to get yourself well on your way in 2020.

4.

Discover somatic experiencing with Catherine Allen Catherine Allen is a local RN practicing somatic experiencing, a body-awareness approach to mental and physical trauma.

This practice could be the perfect thing to help you recover and relax from the stress of the holidays or your everyday life. Visit Catherine’s website at balanceandrenewaltherapy.com to find out if somatic experiencing is for you.

5.

6.

Take a break from the downhill with Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club

Get a naturopathic assessment by Dr. Kim Niddery

While Revelstoke is known for its epic alpine skiing, Nordic, or cross-country, skiing has a strong presence here too. The sport is a good option if you’re looking for a winter activity that caters to any ability level and is relatively inexpensive. Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club operates over 26 kilometres of groomed trails and hosts a league for children and lessons and skills clinics for adults. They also offer day passes and rentals, and a night ski on their lit course is a Revelstoke bucket list must.

Naturotherapy has been growing in popularity over the last few years as people search for health solutions that will tackle their particular ailments in a holistic way.

Revelstoke’s Kim Niddery works to uncover the root cause of health concerns and symptoms and support the body in healing itself. Whether you have particular health concerns or are just looking to improve your overall wellness, Niddery’s practice is set up to help.

Health

7.

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Take a road trip to Nakusp Hot Springs

8.

If you’ve got a bit of time for a day trip and a quick ferry ride, hop on over to Nakusp to let your cares float away at the Nakusp Hot Springs. These particular hot springs are relatively remote but easily accessible and offer the convenience of cedar chalets if you’re looking to stick around for a while.

For some exploration before or after your dip, check out the nearby trail network, the perfect spot for snowshoeing or crosscountry skiing. Make it a hot springs weekend by stopping in at the more well known Halcyon Hot Springs, or pack your way into the natural Halfway Hot Springs.

Try out one of Canada’s favourite sports with the Revelstoke Curling Club What better way to get your social and physical activity fix on a Friday night than spending the evening learning to curl with the Revelstoke Curling Club? This affordable activity promotes flexibility and fitness and is accessible for a huge range of physical abilities. The curling club has an organized league and offers $5 Friday night drop-ins with free instruction and equipment.

Readjust your Qi with acupuncture at Jade Wellness

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9.

Health

Blow off some steam with Revelstoke Boxing Club Whether you’ve had a stressful day at work or just looking for a way to mix up your regular fitness routine, pounding on a heavy bag will do wonders. The twice-weekly classes at the Revelstoke Boxing Club are open to beginners of all ages and combine a cardio and strength workout with the development of boxing skills. An added bonus is the confidence boost you’ll get from knowing you can throw a solid left hook.

1O.

This form of alternative medicine is one of the oldest practices of traditional Chinese medicine and dates back thousands of years.

Today it’s commonly used to help strengthen the immune system, prevent disease, control pain and improve quality of life by promoting the healthy flow of “Qi.” The insertion of very thin needles into specific points on the body can be surprisingly relaxing. You can find out for yourself at Jade Wellness.

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HEALTH

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS RITUALS THE NEW YEAR IS A TIME WHEN PEOPLE SHIFT THEIR FOCUS TO HEALTH, WELLNESS AND PERSONAL RENEWAL. TRADITIONALLY, WE SET RESOLUTIONS THEN PROMPTLY BREAK THEM. INSTEAD OF RESOLUTIONS, WE REACHED OUT TO REVELSTOKE HEALTH AND WELLNESS PRACTITIONERS FOR THEIR NEW YEAR'S RITUALS, PRACTICAL, WELLNESS-CREATING DAILY ROUTINES YOU CAN WELCOME INTO YOUR LIFE TO PROMOTE WELLNESS.

By Aaron Orlando

Steph Calvert

Bodyworker/RYT, Steph Calvert • Massage • Yoga

My New Year’s ritual is to dance more often. Not only is it fun, but also the benefits of dancing are plentiful. Through dance we strengthen our physical literacy and tap into the cognitive, emotional, creative, and physical aspects of ourselves. This can help towards living a balanced life.

Even on days when feeling stressed or having a case of the grey day blues, a good kitchen dance helps to blow off some steam and lighten my mood. This allows me to face things from a more positive perspective.

I encourage you to join me in this ritual. Maybe you dance alone at home or while at your desk. Maybe it’s on top of a mountain, or at a live show on a crowded dance floor. There’s hardly a bad time to dance.

Let’s boogie!

Shannon MacLean

Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Spruce Tip Holistic Nutrition

The New Year's ritual I’m prioritizing is in line with both my vision for 2020 and with 20/20 vision. Our circadian rhythm is affected by light and temperature exposure, and affects all aspects of health including sleep timing, quality and quantity, metabolism, food cravings, immune function, hormone balance, and mood. Today, we often find ourselves maligned with the cycles of nature: disconnected from natural light, awake under a bath of artificial and harmful blue light (via electronics) well passed sundown, in an environment with constantlyregulated temperature. The 2020 ritual I’m focusing on is to honour my circadian rhythm by exposing my eyes and skin to the rising sun whenever possible, spending time outside interacting with natural light and temperature during the day, putting my blue-blocker glasses on once the sun goes down, and enjoying the warm light of Himalayan salt lamps or a crackling fire before an early bedtime.

Noelle Bovon

Author, entrepreneur, spiritual teacher, visionary & mama

It is easy to get caught up in the idea of setting a ‘resolution’ for the New Year.

However, we often set resolutions that are based on not feeling worthy enough in one or multiple areas of our life. The discipline it takes to actualize those intentions often is challenging and easy to get distracted from. Most of us know the hangover that comes from feeling like a failure after we don’t follow through on our resolution and how that minimizes any 'success’ we may have felt.

I like to simplify this process by choosing one word that will be my ‘word’ for the New Year. We all have goals we would like to accomplish — but if I make my life about the goals and not about how I want to feel, I end up chasing life instead of distilling a feeling and allowing that to navigate my year.

This year’s word for me is playful, about learning to be more playful in all areas of my life and learning to connect to my inner child. The beautiful thing about 1 word is the word will evolve and take on new meaning as the year progresses. So what’s your word for this year?

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Megan Beaton

Registered Massage Therapist, Balu Yoga & Wellness

Spending 10 minutes a day mobilizing with a ball or foam roller is a safe, easy and effective way to feel and move better.

Choose a small area, even a couple of inches is plenty. Spend two to five minutes each side, and be as specific and thorough as possible.

When you come to a spicy spot, tack that spot down and rub your body back and forth across the roller or ball, feeling movement increase between the stiff tissues.

Incorporate movement. Still tacking that spot down, move your head, legs or arms and see how that changes the sensation.

Most importantly, breathe. If you can't take full deep breaths, or relax your muscles, you need to ease off a bit. You are trying to convince your brain that this area should release, so guarding or tensing is counter-productive.

Set your timer, be consistent, and listen to what your body is telling you.

Dr. Lauren Goss, ND

Naturopathic Doctor, Revelstoke Osteopathy & Wellness

As a New Year’s ritual, let’s play! This can include music, board games, imaginary games, sports, singing in the shower, or being playful throughout our day-to-day activities. Play is anything where rules and guidance don’t exist and freedom and self-direction prevail.

We prioritize being busy, indicating a physiological state of stress, where the sympathetic nervous system dominates and cortisol surges. Generally, the left-brain governs our analytical, logical worlds, while the right brain houses our imagination and intuition. Stress strengthens the left-brain, while play activates the right.

Playing is a primal urge. In the brain it feeds the pleasure centers, releases endorphins, supports neuroplasticity, and our ability to collaborate, empathize, problem-solve, and persevere. Not only does play increase our productivity at work, but it can also help prevent depression and age-related cognitive decline.

So why does it stop in childhood? Play is different for everyone; it is more the mindset than the activity. If you feel relaxed, free, and joyfully immersed in the moment, you are likely playing. Let’s reap the health benefits and play everyday!

Dr. Kim Niddery, ND

Naturopathic Doctor, Revelstoke Osteopathy & Wellness

In the never-ending journey to balance, stress-management is one of the most important goals but often the hardest to achieve. To keep my stress to a minimum this new year, I found that what I need is to feel like I am getting the most out of my week-days in terms of productivity, and fun, all-the-while keeping stress to a minimum.

Turns out the most productive and high achieving people have it right; it's all in the strong morning routine. Being a night owl, this is tough, but creating an earlier bedtime routine that I can look forward to, makes all the difference. For me to maintain healthy habits I first have to start by “scheduling” them in until they become second nature. I set aside two to three hours per weekday morning, at the same time, to do a few things that are important to me. A regular morning routine is the cornerstone to accomplishing meaningful results, decreasing stress, and shaping your mood for the rest of the day.

Erin Potter

Registered Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner, Jade Wellness Co.

Chinese New Year follows the lunar calendar and this year it is celebrated on Jan 25. In Chinese astrology, each year is represented by an animal. 2020 is the year of the rat, which symbolizes new beginnings, diligence, kindness and generosity.

My New Year’s ritual is to buy a crisp new journal and begin with a reflection on the year past. I ask myself three questions: What was challenging in 2019?

What was beautiful? What are my biggest learnings and epiphanies?

Next, I think about the year coming up and ask myself questions related to three major areas in my life: family, health and work. What do I want more of in 2020? What do I want less of? What is the feeling I want to evoke? This year I want to: feel ... manifest … let go of.

Wishing you a successful new year filled with kindness and new opportunities. Gung Hey Fat Choy!

Diane Mahoney

Welwinds Therapeutic Spa

The Christmas holidays are one of the most ritual-dense periods of the year, all bright with promise and filled with love. Let's not forget that there will also be some darker times in the seasons because of losses both big and small. In the darker times we can all hold tight to our traditions and rituals allowing them to support and shift in ways that brighten these more tender moments.

Candles are one of the most universally used ritual tools and very easy to add to your family's traditions. If your ritual is a weekly family dinner, add light-blue candles to the table to encourage patience and understanding. Writing your dreams down? Light a purple candle to inspire ambition and power. Setting goals for health and fitness? Light a red candle to support courage and health. Want to build community or open your heart to romance? Burn a pink candle to attract friendship and love. When you want to banish or scatter energy burn a dark blue candle and for creating more abundance in your life burn a green candle.

Complete these three simple prompts and you have a little prayer or incantation to strengthen your candle light ritual.

Zoe Purvis

Registered Massage Therapist

There's something beautiful about waking up to a new year. The wonder of the unknown and the awe of possibility. A ritual that I like to start my year with is mindfulness in nature. To get outside and embrace the beauty of the wild. Starting off the year with fresh air and mindfulness is a recipe for good beginnings. Mindfulness is a translation of the Indian word Sati, which means awareness or attention. To be mindful is to purposefully and non-judgmentally pay attention to the present moment. When you are outside in Nature, there is no pressure to be something you are not, there are no judgments. Just the present moment. So I like to take a moment to stop, to slow down and take a deep breath. Feet planted firmly into the earth, I connect with nature, and with myself, and set my intention for the New Year.

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HEALTH

RHYTHM AND BLUES AN EVOLUTIONARY MISMATCH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO UNHINGE OUR CIRCADIAN RHYTHM AS WILD GENES FUNCTION ISOLATED FROM NATURE.

By Shannon MacLean, RHN, CHNC, BA-IR

Sleep: it really is dreamy Sleep may be even more essential than food. Every single animal on this planet exhibits at least a primitive form of sleep, and would die of sleep deprivation long before starvation.

An adaptation to life on a spinning planet, this sleep-wake cycle is our circadian rhythm, a molecular clock inside our cells that aspires to keep us in sync with the sun.

The dark side of light While the science behind sleep and health accumulates, the length of an average American’s sleep decreases beneath the suns dutiful rise and fall. The ability for us to stay awake independent of natural light can be attributed to the invention of electric lights, televisions, computers, and smartphones. Thomas Edison declared sleep “an absurdity, a bad habit” when he gave us light bulbs, believing we would eventually do away with such a purportedly unproductive state of mind. With the invention of LED bulbs, energy efficiency soared, along with exposure to sleep-disturbing blue light. Smartphones, laptops, and TVs bathe us in blue light in the name of elongating the day’s entertainment and productivity - yet this light tricks our brains into thinking it’s daytime, inhibiting the production of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate our daily biological rhythms, reduce the risk of chronic disease, and contribute to regulated metabolism and blood sugar. Blue light can truly have us feeling the blues.

From moonlighting to bluelighting Ironically, while we are up late in the name of efficiency, our memory is

declining, we’re guzzling coffee to stave off yawns, and we’re missing out on what some theorists posit is the most intelligent, creative, insightful, and free playtime of the brain; the brains’ self-activation. Some even entertain the idea that we survive during the day only to ensure the body is ready to sleep at night. While sleeping, it’s theorized that spindles stimulate the cortex to preserve information acquired during the day, and link it to knowledge in long-term memory. In studies, when people are introduced to certain new tasks, their spindle frequency increases that night. The more spindles they have, the better their performance the next day. “Sleeping on a problem” is founded in science, as sleep makes connections otherwise not consciously formed. Knowing this, the misguided irony of burning the candle on both ends is hard to ignore.

Red sky at night, sleepers’ delight Picture a sunset; it’s beautiful pink and orange colours showcase a calming red light spectrum. It’s hard not to notice that this warm light has less power to alert the brain or reset the biological clock. Humans are visual creatures, with more than a third of our brain devoted to processing visual information. For early Homo sapiens, aside from firelit communions, most activities would have ceased with the sun. Follow suit by powering gadgets down after dusk, or using apps like f.lux for your computer screens, wearing blueblocking glasses, using Himalayan salt lamps, dimmed “warm” full spectrum lighting, or candles. These small changes can help you dodge that tired-and-wired feeling when you lay down to sleep. Keep your room dark and cool, and use blackout shades or a sleep mask. Shutdown your electronics early and head to bed: the greatest virtual reality world available to you is waiting to be found in sleep and dreams.

Shannon MacLean, of Spruce Tip Holistic Nutrition, is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist with a BA in International Relations. She is passionate about empowered, rootcause healthcare, wild foraging, recipe creation, and all things health and wellness.

She is currently offering one-on-one wellness consulting as well as menu plans.

Visit her website www.sprucetipholistic.com for online booking, send her a message at sprucetipnutrition@gmail.com, and follow her on instagram @sprucetipnutrition.

Our circadian rhythm and sleep cycle is heavily influenced by our exposure to light, both natural and artificial.

Photo: Jonas Ferlin. pexels.com

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46

ARTS & CULTURE

By Cara Smith

The Powder Highway initiative has resulted in a regional colab beer. Photo: handout

Revelstoke author Noelle Bovon's The Art of Transformation.

Powder Highway

The Art of Transformation: A Daily Approach to Uplifting Your Life

By Noelle Bovon

It’s a term you might hear whispered by road-weary travellers from across the globe who come in search of the best snow conditions in the world. The envy of snow sport enthusiasts everywhere, this mecca of the white stuff stretches across seven million acres of the BC Interior and has been romantically dubbed the “Powder Highway.”

Encompassing eight alpine resorts and numerous backcountry huts, lodges, and cat-skiing and heli-skiing setups, the Powder Highway lays claim to the title of birth-place of heli-skiing and cat-skiing and boasts an average annual snowfall of 18 metres.

It’s a catchy name adopted by Kootenay Rockies Tourism to lend some cohesion to an area that has become world-renowned for its snow conditions and terrain, but it has certainly caught on with visitors and locals alike. It’s even been put to use recently by a group of breweries across this legendary landscape.

Four Kootenay breweries, Fernie Brewing Company, Nelson Brewing Co., Whitetooth Brewing Co. and our very own Mt. Begbie Brewing Co. banded together to create a dark saison that was launched at the end of November, just in time for the beginning of the ski season.

The collaboration is also meant to bring awareness and support to Avalanche Canada, with a text-to-donate number listed on every can and a release of coordinating socks. $5 of each purchase of the socks will go directly to the organization and their work in public avalanche safety.

There’s a certain level of pride that comes with claiming some of the best snow conditions in the world and as tales of the expanses of champagne powder spread and our communities embrace the term more and more, tales of the Powder Highway are likely to become less whispered and more proclaimed loudly far and wide.

Among countless self-help and self-improvement resources, it can be easy to get derailed and confused in the search for the most helpful and effective methods to work towards a happier and healthier life.

Revelstoke’s Noelle Bovon wants to simplify that process. Her new book The Art of Transformation: A daily Approach to Uplifting Your Life is designed to be less daunting and easier to digest. It’s formatted in a way that allows readers to consume the book’s guidance in small doses when they need a pick-me-up or a bit of inspiration for the day.

“What often happens when we are taking in new ideas or thoughts is it becomes a bit overwhelming,” she says. “The goal is to create tools so that you can take them and digest them in as much or as little time as you need.”

Bovon never considered it her life’s goal to write a book. But through her work as a life and business coach and through sharing some of her wisdom through a blog, she realized that there was a demand for this kind of tool.

Bovon lives by the adage that self-improvement about the journey, not the destination and the main ideas she’s hoping to communicate through the book are that the process doesn’t have to be complicated and finding happiness, whatever form it may take, is not an end goal.

“I think we can overanalyze self-growth and make it into something that we achieve,” she says. “It’s just a process that is ever-going for the rest of our lives.”

“We’re just humans fumbling around, dealing with our hurts and our pains and our traumas and our love and our joy and our bliss and all of it matters …

We need the diversity of our emotions to grow and be a fully-formed human.”

Bovon’s book is available for purchase at Balu Yoga & Wellness or online at Indigo.ca.

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Get swag at the Canuck Splitfest, celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Photo: RMM

New digital music collective Cymatic Grounds will be spinning at parties this winter.

Canuck Splitfest’s 10th Anniversary

Cymatic Grounds

Originally considered to be a very niche sport, the popularity of splitboarding is on the rise. Nowhere is this more obvious than at the Canuck Splitfest, a twoday celebration of the sport featuring demos, training workshops, guided tours, presentations, a trade show and talks from experts in the field. The event is organized in support of Avalanche Canada’s Craig Kelly Fund and in memory of the event’s founder Wade Galloway.

For those unfamiliar, a splitboard is a snowboard that can be split into two parts for climbing, making it possible for snowboarders to enjoy the backcountry experience that’s historically been limited to skiers.

Rather than an event just for those experienced in splitboarding, organizer Emilie de Crombrugghe says it’s a great opportunity for anyone who might be interested in trying the sport out to get a taste of what it’s like and decide if it’s right for them and what type of equipment might be best for them.

This year’s event, its 10th anniversary, is meant to be bigger and have more of an offering for attendees than previous years. De Crombrugghe says they’re expecting a greater turnout and will have more brands on board. They’re also bringing back fan favourites for the Saturday night speakers and adding demos at the Revelstoke Mountain Resort.

“I think more and more people are realizing that splitboarding is a little more accessible than they used to think. I know a lot of beginners never really know what they should do and if they should come to these events,” de Crombrugghe says. “If you’re a beginner, you should absolutely come.”

The event takes place on January 10 and 11 and will be hosted at RMR, Mt. Begbie Brewing, the Trapper factory and the community centre. More information can be found at canucksplitfest.com or in the events calendar in this issue.

What do you do when you’re frustrated with the lack of diversity in the party music being performed in your town? Well, start a DJ collective focused on techno and house music and terrific audio-visual integration, obviously. Okay, maybe not so obvious a solution, but it was the clear choice for a group of music lovers and professionals who came together to form Cymatic Grounds.

With most coming from cities where the techno and house music scene is a bit more established than it is in a smaller town like Revy, these young music connoisseurs, who hail from Montreal, Australia, Arizona, and elsewhere in B.C., organized to bring the experience they so loved to a new audience.

The group is made up of six members (Alexandre Rouleau, Marie-Pier Ruest, Murray Elliott, Lauren Nagy, Joe Brailsford and Huw Saunder) and is an eclectic one. But together they’ve managed to host experiences that have been a hit among the Revelstoke community. Cymatic Grounds events are usually based around a theme and combine experimental light shows with quality sound and performances. Their last event, “Download," was hosted at the United Church and sold out in less than 24 hours, primarily thanks to word of mouth.

The group has been overwhelmed by the reaction from the community and says it’s clear that people wanted something a little more than they’d been getting from the typical performances here. They plan to host as many events as possible and are working right now to find a venue for the next one, which is tentatively scheduled for January 18.

“I think people are very appreciative of something new and quite different than the sounds they’re generally hearing,” Nagy says. “People use the dance floor as a way to self-express and it’s nice to create a safe and comfortable environment for people to dance and explore.”

“We’ve grown really organically and all we feel is love and gratitude from the community… The headliners we booked for our last party were blown away by the family community vibe in Revelstoke. They’d never seen anything quite like it on a Thursday night.”

Follow Cymatic Grounds on Facebook to keep up to date on their upcoming events.

Local.

Independent.

Get in the magazine: info@revelstokemountaineer.com

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ARTS & CULTURE

By Aaron Orlando

Greg Hill, left, presented Electric Greg. Jonathan Parr, centre right, presented his short film, Shelter. At right, Revelstoke Protect Our Winter organizer Izzy Lynch. Photo: RMM

Karl Jost on the mic at the premiere of Wast3D Youth, the third video from Revelstoke-based Wasted Youth. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine

Protect Our Winters launch/ Electric Greg/Regeneration

Wasted Youth/Wast3D Youth

The regional chapter of Protect Our Winters (POW) held a film night kickoff event in late November to raise awareness for the new Revelstoke chapter of the U.S.-based organization. POW was founded in 2007 by professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones, who sought to activate outdoor athletes, creative people and scientists to turn their passion for the outdoors into action for the climate. Revelstoke resident Izzy Lynch is a program director for the Canadian chapter and emceed the film night. First up was emerging local backcountry filmmaker Johnathan Parr with Regeneration, a short film about climate change and splitboarding in fire ravaged forest in the Kootenays, the charred trees standing starkly against the white powder. The main feature was Electric Greg, a new documentary by Revelstoke mountain adventurer Greg Hill, who is most known for his extreme endurance challenges, such as ski touring two million vertical feet in a year. This time, he set out to summit 100 peaks using only an electric powered car. In the film and the Q&A, Hill talked about the personal challenges of trying to adopt a low-carbon lifestyle, such as foregoing trips with family abroad due to the carbon impact of air travel.

I've interviewed Hill several times over the years and bump into him regularly.

I can say he's one of the most levelheaded and nicest guys in town, which made his observations about the personal impact of the trolling he's faced since launching Electric Greg interesting. Physically, he's pushed through a lot and is someone who's not afraid of a challenge. With his electric adventures, he's set out to make positive changes for the planet in his life, and in response, has earned the ire of trolls seeking to ridicule him for trying. He admitted it's been disheartening to him: I'm looking forward to seeing how his response to that adversity develops.

Local.

Vital.

Get in the magazine: info@revelstokemountaineer.com

What do you really love about being in the mountains and playing in the snow?

Take your time and come up with an answer.

Probably, your answer was something about having a good time exploring with your friends. That's what it's about.

Revelstoke's Wasted Youth crew, a Revelstoke snowboard gang of — according to their website — Sean Barrett, Chris Curran, James Coombs, Taylor Roberts, Seb Grondin, Karl Jost, Nick Khattar, Chris Boyd, Keith Martin, Johan Rosen, Anthony Miller and Mike Moynihan, presents their third video offering of shredding in Wast3D Youth.

In a world of artiface-laden ski movies, Wast3D Youth puts the focus on fun with friends and stays true to core snowboarding. If you came for time-lapse shots of ice crusting on a cedar bough, or a ravens cawing in the foggy mist, you're going to be disappointed. If you're looking for core snowboarding in the Monashees and Selkirks, and a smattering of party shots, this one's for you.

The scene at the premiere at Traverse in December was chaotic, like all the WY video premieres: retro tunes cranked past 11, alcohol-fuelled hi-jinx, punk bands, and Sean Barrett on the mic calling out the audience, telling them if they want to talk trash about the riding, he'd like to see them step up and give it a try.

Don't show your mom Wast3D Youth because she's not going to like it. It's tothe-point with riding and partying, friends' sections, Monashee pillow lines, and some lifestyle B-roll like keg stands and drunk wrestling.

Like all their videos and their crew, Waste3D Youth is rough at the edges and far from perfect — no consistent colour toning, not the greatest sound levels, inconsistent camera formats — a perfect reflection of mountain life reality stripped down to the essentials.

Arts & Culture

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REAL ESTATE

The December 'Atmospheric River' event left this downtown home delightfully draped with snow.

Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine

JUST THE STATS! 2019 REVELSTOKE REAL ESTATE NUMBERS SUMMARY

By Emily Beaumont Each quarter, Emily Beaumont reviews Revelstoke real estate statistics for our Just the Stats! column. This quarter, she has reviewed the 2019 statistics, minus the last couple weeks of the year due to our press deadline.

Winter has once again arrived in our snow globe town of Revelstoke and the real estate market remains active.

As of mid-December, there are 91 Single Family Residential sales compared to 94 in 2018.

In 2019, 61 sales were in in the $400,000 to $700,000 range, 15 were under $400,000 and 15 above $700,000.

The average sale price for a single-family residential home in 2019 was $567,000 compared to $538,000 last year.

There was an increase in the overall sales volume by 2%. The number of sales is down, but the prices are just slightly up.

The average number of days on market for 2019 is down to 70 from 89 in 2018. Sellers are updating listing prices and the demand for single-family homes remains strong.

Land only sales are up, with 56 sales in 2019 compared to just 31 sales in 2018.

The average sale price for land is also up, at $251,000 compared to $193,000 in 2018.

The average days-on-market-to-sell was 110, compared to 68 days in 2018. Prices are higher, which accounts for the additional time to sell, but there remains a strong demand for single family lots.

2020 will be an exciting year with plans for new subdivisions, homes and townhomes.

Wishing everyone the magic of the season from the team at Royal LePage Revelstoke!

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THE STOKED PALATE An evening with friends at the Ole Sandberg cabin. Photo: Robyn Goldsmith

FEASTING WITH FRIENDS IN A WINTER WONDERLAND SKI YOUR WAY TO A SEAT AT THIS TABLE WHERE SUPPER IS SERVED WITH A SIDE OF ADVENTURE

By Charlotte Sit

It's early evening at the Mount Macpherson Nordic Lodge parking lot, and the last light of the sun is giving way to the evening’s chill as I arrive to meet a few friends already there. Under the lights of the lodge we layer up, turn on the headlamps, click into our cross country skis, and begin the journey to tonight’s dinner destination in the woods, the Ole Sandberg cabin.

Leaving behind the well-lit trails of the night skiing loop, the darkness is offset by the light of the full moon reflecting off the snow covered trail, silent except for the sound of gliding skis. The next half an hour slips by as we cruise along, while catching up with each other over the past week’s happenings. Cresting the final bend, an opening in the trail reveals the Ole Sandberg cabin, a true ski in ski out setting for gathering with friends.

The cabin usually remains unheated, so we work quickly and soon have the interior wood stove going, using fire wood that is stocked just outside.

Tealight candles provide a cozy atmosphere, and as the fire warms up, we begin to dig into the mobile feast that has emerged from our backpacks; Thermoses of mulled wine, an assortment of snacks, plus grilled cheese sandwiches ready to be toasted on the woodstove. Someone has also brought in a tightly wrapped foil package filled with roasted root

vegetables tossed with olive oil and herbs, which we heat up along with the sandwiches.

The Ole Sandberg has been the venue of choice amongst my friends for a few birthday potluck dinners, with musical instruments having been known to make appearances as well. Another occasion I’ve celebrated at the cabin was the Spring Equinox, where a friend of mine with German roots hoofed in an impressive Feuerzangenbowle setup involving a full size stock pot. This is a traditional German beverage that features a loaf of pure sugar that soaked with high-proof rum, which is suspended above a pot of warm spiced wine, and set ablaze. The flaming rum and sugar unit eventually melts into a caramelized syrup which drips in the wine below. Wunderbar!

As our dinner winds down and the last of the coals burn out in the stove, we make sure to pack up everything we brought and prepare for the ski back down to the parking lot. The cold of the night air jolts us awake from our warm, post dinner lethargy as we click back into our skis and push off from the cabin. Giddy from the cold and invigorated by the return to activity, we zip down the trails with only the light from our headlamps barely giving enough definition to what lies ahead. Just another dine and dash evening at the Ole Sandberg cabin.

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Charlotte Sit is a backcountry chef with a boundless enthusiasm for sharing the joy of eating well. She has cooked for hundreds of hungry adventurers at over a dozen backcountry lodges throughout B.C. and Alberta and is the owner of Mountain Standard Catering.

Ole Sandberg cabin. Photo: Aaron Orlando

TOURISM TALKS In 1987, BC instituted the Municipal and Regional District Tax (MRDT) with the goal of funding tourism marketing programs and projects. The tax is collected on traditional short-term accommodation (i.e. hotel rooms) and comes directly from our visitors. Currently, Revelstoke accommodators collect 2% on all stays, and that money goes into a pool that is administered by Tourism Revelstoke.

In order to be eligible to collect the MRDT, communities go through a rigorous application process with the province. Revelstoke has been collecting the MRDT since May of 2008. In our first full year of collection, Revelstoke received $289,348 in MRDT. Since then, annual MRDT revenues have seen a total increase of 167%.

Revelstoke’s MRDT growth since inception.

Where does Revelstoke’s Annual MRDT go?

Revelstoke’s annual MRDT is spent on various initiatives. The largest portion, approximately $500,000, goes into marketing initiatives for Revelstoke. This includes, but is not limited to, digital marketing (i.e Facebook ads, Google Ads, content creation), traditional marketing (i.e billboards, print ads), and media recruitment & hosting (i.e Vogue, Forbes, Amazing Race Canada).

Nordic Night Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (makes 4 servings)

Other initiatives include: • $100,000 goes into a fund for affordable housing projects through the City of Revelstoke; • $80,000 towards access to Revelstoke and transportation within Revestoke, including the resort shuttle; and • $85,000 towards supporting the Visitor Information Centre.

8 slices of hearty bread.

1 cup grated cheese, such as aged cheddar, gruyere, brie, gorgonzola. ¼ cup butter, softened.

2 tablespoon grainy mustard.

Additional fillings: sliced apple, baby arugula, prosciutto, fig chutney, chopped walnuts.

The final $200,000 goes into supporting other non-profits and community events, including locally produced events like the Summer Street Fest, Luna, & Timber Days, and external events like the Trans Selkirks running race. Some funding goes towards assisting local non-profits, such as the Revelstoke Snowmobile Club, Golf Club, and Cycling Association, to help promote recreation activities.

Spread each slice of bread with butter on one side and mustard on the other side. Place slices butter side down, and divide cheese evenly among four of the slices. Add additional filling of choice and top with the remaining four slices, butter side up. Wrap each sandwich securely in foil. Place foil wrapped sandwiches on the surface of a hot wood stove and let brown for a few minutes on either side, or until cheese is melted.

Finally, the MRDT is directly tied into the RMI (Resort Municipality Initiative).

The more MRDT that the accommodators collect, the more money comes back from the government for infrastructure initiatives. Stay tuned… we’ll dive into that in next month’s tourism talks.

WANT FREE SWAG? BRING THIS ARTICLE TO THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE AND WE’LL HOOK YOU UP! To read previous Tourism Talks columns, check out https://seerevelstoke.com/tourism-talks/

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By Aaron Orlando

DIALOGUE OF HOPE

LAST WORD

In their book, The Enigma of Reason (2017), cognitive scientists Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber break down the evolved human trait of reason, arguing that our main advantage as humans is cooperation; however, cooperation is difficult to sustain. In a tribe or at a complex societal level, each individual sees a personal advantage in slacking off while others do the work, so we project that onto others: 'If only they'd do the job we pay them to do, our society would be back on track.' Our evolved trait of reason, they argue, was not developed by experimenting on how to fashion better spearheads or weave better baskets, but instead through millennia of communication with each other, as we constantly negotiated and argued about group decisions. Their theory seeks to better understand reason, in particular the prevalence of so many illogical and unreasonable human tendencies, such as confirmation bias, or every Facebook comment from your uncle. The authors highlight that within a social context, the valued skill is not, as the Age of Reason philosophers would argue, to illuminate the abstract mechanisms just beyond our senses and common comprehension, but to help us exploit the social environment we exist in, and a more basic function: winning arguments.

Just as the anatomy of our hands evolved to allow us to better manipulate objects, our faculty of reason evolved to win arguments, they argue, and has found its calling on the internet, where there's always someone who's wrong.

While we may feel we're slaying trolls by illuminating deeper truths inherent in our reason-based arguments,

in fact we're fulfilling a deeper biological need to put people in their place. A logical extension is to spread misinformation and disinformation, all in service of our belief that we're serving a well-reasoned, higher purpose that puts us in the right.

For example, if there is an enraged grizzly bear behind the door, it's entirely reasonable to obfuscate, gaslight or lie if your goal is making sure nobody opens the door.

I came across the authors' theory a couple years ago, at the time when voices critical of social media's corrosive effect on democracy and society were gaining traction. Since then, it's been hard not to see outlines of this dynamic everywhere in failed communications, such as arguing as a default reaction to any topic that we encounter.

In Revelstoke, we're all worried about that grizzly bear. For some, it's renoviction from our apartment and town. It's unwelcome change in the community. It's knowing your children likely can't afford to live here. It's knowing that the decisions we take this decade could condemn all future humans, flora and fauna to a dystopian environment forever.

Fight or flight, also hardwired into our minds, tells us to run like hell when a grizzly charges. But what if the right action is to not run, but stand our ground and hope for the best — to break the pattern.

This year my plan is to open the door, invite the grizzly in and then truly listen. Then listen some more. What's the worst that could happen?

BE WHERE YOUR BEST LIFE IS

HAPPY NEW YEAR WISHING YOU THE BEST FOR 2020

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