Sun Peaks Independent News Vol 19 Issue 5

Photo: Kaleb Trozzo.

Rider: Brady Leman.

06.

Events returning to Sun Peaks this summer.

04.

Sun Peaks Secondary graduate profiles.

Disaster funding evolves to preventative funding for Avalanche Canada.

12.

July 9 - August 5. 2021 Vol. 19, Issue 5

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sunpeaksnews.com

IN THIS ISSUE

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

For comments, questions and concerns contact us at: brandi@sunpeaksnews.com Visit us: sunpeaksnews.com 250 578 0276 editor@sunpeaksnews.com Sun Peaks, B.C.

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SUN PEAKS SECONDARY GRADUATE PROFILES

LOCAL PROFILE: MITCH UPTON

Meet the graduates who completed their secondary school educations during one of the toughest years to do so.

6 BRANDI SCHIER Publisher & Managing Editor brandi@sunpeaksnews.com

EVENTS RETURNING TO SUN PEAKS THIS SUMMER It's hard to believe, but things are getting back to normal. The sight of bare faces in public, indoor spaces is once again a day-to-day reality (as startling as it all seems).

JARRETT HOFMANN Community Journalist jarrett@sunpeaksnews.com

JOEL BARDE Community Journalist joel@sunpeaksnews.com

8 SUN PEAKS TRAIL RUNNING 101 If you're looking for a way to truly challenge yourself, get fit and enjoy all of the natural beauty Sun Peaks has to offer, there are few better past times than trail running.

To most people, carving a pair of skis and carving out furniture from recycled wood doesn’t share many similarities but luckily for his customers, Mitch Upton isn’t like most people.

12 DISASTER FUNDING EVOLVES TO PREVENTATIVE FUNDING FOR AVALANCHE CANADA The provincial government recently invested $10 million in avalanche safety, but what did the road to sustainable funding look like and what does it mean moving forward?

18 KAMLOOPS GROUP AIMS TO FOSTER A NEW GENERATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS A Kamloops organization is investing in the city's youth by providing young people with an opportunity to work on environmental issues and develop leadership skills.

SONIA GARCÍA Layout & Graphic Designer sonia@sunpeaksnews.com

on the cover "I was shooting a group of twelve riders on [Sun Peaks] opening weekend to showcase the 'ultimate guys trip.' I'm stoked one of the memories from that weekend made it here." photographer Kaleb Trozzo (Rider: Canadian gold medalist in ski cross, Brady Leman.)

local news

SUN PEAKS SECONDARY ACADEMY STUDENTS GRADUATE IN STYLE Parents come together to create memorable evening

By Joel Barde

The Sun Peaks Secondary Academy graduating class knows how to have a good time on the hill. Photo by Kyle James.

It may have been a challenging year for the Grade 12 class at the Sun Peaks Secondary Academy, but thanks to some quick thinking and hard work, students were able to graduate in style.

"It's typical Sun Peaks," said Kamloops Open Online Learning (@KOOL) vice-president Laurel Seafoot, an educator who has worked closely with the students.

"The community always comes together to make amazing things happen for their kids."

The graduating class—Tyler Dickson, Sophia (Aster) Eastcott, Toren Harris, Niko Linder as well as Madison Adams (a 2020 graduate that didn't get a graduation ceremony because of COVID-19)—experienced a graduation ceremony unlike any other.

The ceremony had to abide by strict Ministry of Education guidelines, meaning interaction between families had to be limited. To facilitate this, Seafoot and Paul Hembling, principal at @KOOL, gave five individual presentations to the students and their respective families.

The ceremony was held on a beautiful area overlooking the valley at the top of the Sunburst Express chairlift.

The theme of the graduation class was "just send it," which was perhaps best embodied by Harris, who wore an ultra-cool pair of wrap-around Pit VIper sunglasses throughout the day.

Those came in hand, as the sun was blazing on what seemed like the hottest day of the year so far.

In one special moment, Seafoot was presented with a magnificent metal rose that Linder fabricated. Over 4

the past year, Linder has been completing his firstyear apprenticeship for millwright and machinist at NorKam Senior Secondary School in Kamloops while also completing his high-school studies at night.

Seafoot has known Linder for the past 11 years, as he was in the inaugural class of what was then called the Discovery Centre for Balanced Education.

"It was pretty amazing to be able to flip his tassel today," Seafoot said. "They all have really exciting goals that are coming next."

Following the ceremony, the group (minus those working for the school district) travelled to the base of the Sunburst, and then walked through the village to the Sun Peaks Centre.

Along the way, members of the community congratulated them from afar.

Students were then treated to a transformed arena, which looked like something out of a movie, with long rows of lights hanging above tables adorned with white tablecloths and the graduating students.

The celebration at the arena was MC'd by Carol Oakley, an Sun Peaks Education Society teacher that is not an employee of School District 73 (SD73).

All four of the 2021 graduating class spoke briefly about what the day meant to them. A short awards ceremony followed.

Darcy Alexander, vice-president and general manager at Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR), presented the SPR Scholarships of Excellence to Dickson and Linder.

Al and Nancy Greene Raine presented an academic sports and scholarship to Dickson and Linder and Adams.

The Rotary Club of Sun Peaks Bursary for Graduates of $1,000 was presented to Linder and Dickson by Melissa Vike.

Glen Harris also presented a Meritorious conduct to Dickson and Grade 11 student James Cannon for a life saving incident.

In her comments, Nancy Greene Raine summed up the sentiment of the crowd well, encouraging the kids to go off and enjoy all the world has to offer, but always know that they have strong roots in the community of Sun Peaks.

"Be the best you can be, and we will be proud of you as you go through life," she said.

The awards also didn't stop there. Sun Peaks Independent News awarded a scholarship to Adams in recognition of her scholastic excellence and extensive volunteering on the mountain, in the community, and the region, specifically focused on areas of social justice.

Harris and Linder also received SD73 District Authority Awards, and Linder and Dickson received SD73 District Honours in recognition of their academic grades.

Following the presentations, everyone was treated to an excellent barbeque catered by the Cahilty Creek Kitchen & Taproom.

Barb Kupferschmid-Linder, one of the parent organizers, said that while organizing two separate ceremonies involved a significant amount of organizing, which was shared among the parents, being able to celebrate the milestone with SD73 instructors was great. "[Ms. Seafoot] has been part of the school since we started in 2010, and it was really important for her to be able to flip their tassels and be part of it," said Kupferschmidt Linder.

In Sun Peaks (at least this year) the graduating class leaves their ceremony by chairlift. Photo by Joel Barde.

5

local news

Resort tracking for busier summer than last year, said Tourism Sun Peaks CEO

By Joel Barde

SUN PEAKS WILL SEE PLENTY OF EVENTS THIS SUMMER

Performers will be back in a big way this summer.

Photo courtesy of TSP.

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it's hard to believe, but things are getting back to normal.

The sight of bare faces in public, indoor spaces is once again a dayto-day reality (as startling as it all seems).

The lessening of restrictions comes as a great relief to the province's tourism industry, which was especially hard hit by travel restrictions.

Here in Sun Peaks, things are picking up, with a significant number of events planned for the summer and fall.

Some of the larger events, such as the resort's annual Retro Concert Weekend, are not happening, but many of the smaller performances that keep the village buzzing and kids happy are.

With rule changes only recently changed to allow greater outdoor and indoor gatherings, one might wonder, how did Tourism Sun Peaks (TSP) coordinate all these events in such short order?

Well...apparently they can predict the future. Or at least had the foresight to prepare for a good-case scenario.

"We were anticipating that things would open up," explained Arlene Schieven, president and chief executive officer of Tourism Sun Peaks (TSP).

"So basically we just made sure that anybody that we were hiring was flexible, in case we had to cancel, and (thankfully) everybody understood."

In terms of visitiation, Schieven said things are tracking in a positive direction for this summer.

"Well, it's definitely pacing ahead of last summer, which is great to see," she said, adding that unforeseen events and the province's forest fire season could impact those numbers.

In order to get the word out that Sun Peaks is open for business, TSP has been gradually resuming its marketing efforts, which highlight the resort's diverse summertime offerings.

This started in the middle of June, with marketing exclusively in the Interior Health Authority region. On June 15, it began advertising in the rest of the province, and as of July 1, TSP has also been advertising in Alberta as well.

These markets represent the full extent of TSP's traditional summertime marketing efforts, though of course they started later than usual.

OFFERING INDOOR AND OUTDOOR CLASSES ALL SUMMER LONG!

WWW.SUNPEAKSYOGA.CA

As usual, the lion's share of Sun Peaks events are family friendly, but others appeal to a wider range of people.

Some summer highlights include: · Family Weeks (Weekly running mid-week, July 19 to August 13, 2021) · CircusWest performance (July 24) · The Sun Peaks Market Day will take place every Sunday (until Oct. 10) · Kids 16 and under golf free with an adult (July 5 and 11) · A vintage Porsche show (July 10) · A yoga and brunch event at Cahilty Creek Kitchen & Taproom hosted by Sun Peaks Yoga (July 18, cost $40) · Laughing Loggers Lumberjack show ( July 31 and Aug 1) With a suite of changes to COVID protocol, local businesses are also adapting.

In the village, you may have noticed new signage highlighting the resort's messages on everything from mask recommendations to capacity limits.

In an effort to increase consumer confidence as businesses start to return to more normal operations in accordance with BC's Restart plan, the province has launched a COVID-19 safety certificate program, called BSAFE. The program is free for employees of tourism and hospitality businesses to take, and B.C. organizations participating in the training program will receive a decal to make it easy for visitors to identify that staff have taken BSAFE training.

"BSAFE is a turn-key, accessible solution that businesses of all sizes and regions can easily integrate into their training activities, and go2HR is proud to offer our expertise in human resources, health and safety, and training in support of BC's Restart plan," said Krista Bax, CEO, go2HR. To find out more about the BSAFE program, check out: www.go2hr.ca.

You can find a full rundown of Sun Peaks' summer events online on their events calendar.

INFO@SUNPEAKSYOGA.CA

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get out there

TSP CEO shares her passion and experience exploring the mountains through trail running

By Joel Barde

The alpine offers spectacular views---and trails to boot.

Photo provided by Tourism Sun Peaks.

SUN PEAKS TRAIL RUNNING 101 If you're looking for a way to truly challenge yourself, get fit and enjoy all of the natural beauty Sun Peaks has to offer, there are few better pastimes than trail running.

"It's an incredible form of exercise and a great way to connect with nature," said Arlene Schieven, chief executive officer and president of Tourism Sun Peaks. "For example, on my run today, I encountered a deer, several grouse. It was just such a pleasant, peaceful experience."

The tranquility and challenge of trail running has kept Schieven, one of the resort's top running athletes, at it for over thirty years. It represents a core element of her fitness and wellness routine.

Lucky for those who want to lace up and give it a go, Sun Peaks has an excellent array of trail runs to appeal to every level. These runs often toggle between gravel backroads and the picturesque single-track most often associated with the sport.

Schieven said which trails are best is dependent on the time of year and how well things have dried up, with the highest lift-accessed routes in best shape in July and August.

It's also important to note the future looks bright for the local trail running scene.

The Sun Peaks Recreational Trail Association is currently developing three multi-purpose, intermediate trails on Mt. Morrissey.

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According to Schieven, these trails will be a welcome asset to the resort's network, as they will be extremely well built and will therefore dry out earlier in the season than other area trails.

Looking forward, Schieven said it would be great to eventually see a trail built straight up to the top of the Sunburst Express.

"It would be single-track all the way up, like the Grouse Grind, or the Blackcomb Ascent Trail," said Schieven. "A lot of people like that type of running and hiking, because they don't have to worry about coming down, which can be hard on your knees."

And if you find yourself walking part of the trail, don't sweat it. That's part of the beauty of the sport.

"The good thing about trail running is that if you are just getting started, you can start by hiking and gradually add in more running," said Schieven. "Or hike the steeper parts – it is still a great workout!"

Please be sure to bring trip essentials—such as extra food and water and a first aid kit—when trail running, as well as let people know where you're going. More information on safe backcountry travel can be found via the Adventure Smart website.

A few of Schieven's favourite trail runs:

1. A challenging alpine trail running experience:

4. Up Mt. Morrisey via Packhorse Climb

Catch the Sunburst Express up the mountain. Run the Top of the World Trail, up Tod Peak trail then over to Tod Lake then down Gil's trail. In total, the loop is approximately 9 kilometres.

"It's a really nice loop with no repeated terrain," said Schieven. Please consult Sun Peaks Resort LLP's hiking trail map for more information.

This one isn't for the faint of heart, though it’s often good in the early season as it tends to dry out quicker than other trails. Leave from the village, take the covered bridge, and go up the Packhorse Climb right to the top of Morrisey.

From there, you can come down where you came from, or go down the backside of Morrisey for some more advanced options. Please see SPR's XC Trail Map for more information.

2. A moderate jaunt to McGillivray Lake Start at the P5 trailhead, run along the undulating Vista trail and then take the McGillivray Lake trail. This will take you all the way to the McGillivray Lake Outpost.

With this run, there are options to veer off into little bits of single track as well (on what are snowshoeing and dog sledding trails in the winter—aptly named “Dogsled” and “Snowshoe”).

5. The Embelton Skyline hike, near Heffley Lake, is also a good option for someone looking for a challenge For more information, check out hikekamloops.ca.

The distance is about 6 kilometres, but straight up and down.

3. A relatively easy run east of the Village Head east and get on the SunBurf and new Family Man trails. This is definitely a shorter run, but is a good option for when you are pressed for time.

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life as a local

LIFE AS A LOCAL: MITCH UPTON To most people, carving a pair of skis and carving out furniture from recycled wood don’t share many similarities but luckily for his customers, Mitch Upton isn’t like most people

By Jarrett Hofmann

As a teenager, Mitch Upton’s summers were spent clearing trails on Tod Mountain in exchange for a winter season pass where he’d patiently learn how to properly maneuver his 215 centimetre length planks.

Nowadays, on modern skis, most people couldn't fathom what it would’ve been like to dodge towering timbers while executing perfect turns down infamous runs like Freddy’s Nightmare, especially before it was gladed into the still tightly packed double-black diamond slope that runs looker’s right off of the Burfield chairlift’s mid station.

But back in the days before Sun Peaks was incorporated and families frequented the Mt. Tod ski hill, Upton learned from the best and was up for the test.

“I remember skiing with a fellow, a really good skier named Craig Ellis,” recalled Upton.

“We got off at mid and dropped into Freddy’s Nightmare. There was no name for that run [at the time] but it was super tight. All I could hear [was] Craig swishing through the powder down below and skiing through the trees really quickly and beautifully.”

Upton continued down far behind Ellis, linking a couple of turns here and there before narrowly missing one tree after another and having to divert from the fall line to gather himself.

“We got to the bottom and I said to Craig ‘how the hell do you do that?’ He never really did say too much but I remember he looked at me and said ‘Shoot for the white spots,’ then skied away,” Upton said.

With many years of patient practice, Upton finally figured out just how to “shoot for the white spots,” after he tagged his coat on a branch while skiing a run that he didn’t even realize had trees on it.

“I stopped after realizing what happened to my jacket and thought I don’t remember seeing one tree while coming down that slope but it was full of trees. Then it came to me; that’s what Craig was talking about, focus on the white stuff.”

Upton didn’t know it at the time, but trees and patience (and of course more skiing) would be a central theme throughout the rest of his life.

Upton grew up in Kamloops, met his wife Tracy, raised two daughters, trained 12 sled dogs and worked in the forestry industry for 20 years as a tree planter, forman and millworker.

He eventually bought a plot of land in Lac Le Jeune with his wife and built a post-and-beam style home with wood that he reclaimed from the old Pine St. bridge in Chase after landing a contract with his late friend Vern Falk to deconstruct the bridge 30 years ago.

The home building project, which he 10

Mitch Upton on this slopes of Sun Peaks, likely thinking about if he has time for one more run before installing custom ski racks for his customers. Photo provided.

completed with no previous construction experience and learned on the fly with the help of Falk and a DIY book, kicked off his career making wood finishing products such as flooring and trims, as well as custom wood furniture which are all uniquely created with recycled materials.

The project combined the patience he gathered while learning to ski with the sheer determination acquired from years of planting trees throughout B.C. “It was all self taught. I wouldn’t call myself a master finishing carpenter but the creative side I think must be inside,” Upton explained.

Large planked rustic floors were a centrefold of his business, and can be found in the Sun Peaks’ Bridgegate development in the east village, as his craftsmanship was an option for those homeowners who wanted to upgrade their floors to 12 inch wide reclaimed Douglas Fir planks.

“One of the units I did was for a couple from Seattle and we became really good friends. I

would get invited for the guys' weekends up there, and during COVID, since they couldn’t travel, Tracy and I would stay up there over the weekends last season.”

Upton has continued to provide all kinds of custom furniture for homes in Sun Peaks, including custom ski racks, benches and furniture.

“Sun Peaks has been a pretty good market for me. It’s nice too when you get to deliver a piece or go instal something when it’s also a powder day and you can get out and get two hours done on the slopes then go to work,” Upton added.

He said now he prefers building his custom furniture for people who give him the creative freedom to make the pieces unique, and enjoys working with reclaimed wood now more than ever.

“We’re fighting for these big trees these days and we should be. Getting your hands on a timber that would have been cut sometimes 100 to 150 years ago, it’s cool to get your hands on that and it’s a part of the west coast’s history,” Upton explained.

During his days in the tree planting business he always wanted to see less waste out on the cut blocks. There were blown trees that were not harvested due to resistance by the lumber companies because of the amount of work it would take to gather them all.

“The reclaimed wood was sort of an outlet that way because seeing the trees on the ground you know you could do something with was something that made a lot of sense.”

Although Upton has worked, lived, and skied all over B.C. and sold many of his products across the Pacific Northwest and even as far and wide as Ontario, Florida, New York and Hawaii to name a few, Sun Peaks is where his heart is.

“Skiing here as a younger person and growing up around it, learning to ski, like really ski, and the camaraderie and the people make this place special, it’s a rarity to have a place like this nowadays,” said Upton.

Over the winter you can find Upton all over the mountain, but he said the laundry chutes of Morrisey and the Burfield side of the resort are some of his favourite spots on days where he can implement his 10 centimetre rule.

Upton can also be found at artisan summer markets or Christmas fairs where he’d love to exchange ski stories or tell you which region of the province has the best reclaimed wood for your homes next addition.

Find out more about Mitch on his website at www.oldtimbercompany.com or view his products at www.solidwoodpro.com.

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11

tourism news

DISASTER FUNDING EVOLVES TO PREVENTATIVE FUNDING FOR AVALANCHE CANADA Canada’s non-for-profit national public avalanche safety organization, Avalanche Canada, has long been advocating for more consistent funding from the government.

Historically, government dollars have been intermittently granted after winter seasons with elevated numbers of avalanche fatalities, making it difficult for the organization to plan in the medium and long-term.

On May 17, the province’s minister of public safety and solicitor general Mike Farnworth announced a $10 million grant would be administered to Canada’s national public avalanche safety, providing the organization with $1 million annually for the next ten years.

“Avalanche Canada has been advocating for funding certainty for a number of years, and this grant responds to that need,” said Farnworth, in a statement at the time.

“The work they do is vital to our public safety, particularly as interest in winter recreation grows and as the frequency of extreme weather increases due to climate change, and I’m pleased we are able to work with this organization to support their important work.”

Gilles Valade, executive director of Avalanche Canada, said while the long-term funding is a welcome development, it will only make about a quarter of the organization's yearly budget going forward. He will still need to cobble together other funding to allow the organization to continue to provide its essential functions.

“In one year, a million dollars is only a quarter of our budget, give or take a few,” explained Valade.

Tragic beginnings and a busy future In the past much of Avalanche Canada’s funding, and the organization itself, was sparked by tragic backcountry accidents.

The world-leading avalanche forecasting organization was created after a winter season took the lives of a total 29 backcountry skiers, including seven school aged children 12

during a backcountry skiing field trip to Rogers Pass in 2003.

The combined tragedies prompted a public outcry that led to the incorporation of Avalanche Canada (originally named the Canadian Avalanche Center) the following year.

Valade explained that since 2004, government funding has been static and uncertain, even with inflation, multiple seasons with elevated numbers of backcountry tragedies and increased demand for their avalanche forecasts and safety courses fueling additional need for the organization.

Another particular season of note was the 2008-09 winter when 24 avalanche deaths occurred, 19 of whom were snowmobilers.

A report by the B.C. Coroners Service gave several recommendations including “Partnering with the Canadian Avalanche Center to develop and deliver avalanche awareness programming for snowmobilers, similar to the Snowmobile Outreach Program funded by the Government of Alberta.”

Solicitor General at the time, Mike Heed, responded with support for the recommendation and committed to government action.

Another recommendation, made to the Canadian Avalanche Roundtable (CAR), who were a committee of avalanche industry stakeholders and professionals, outlined the

Ski Touring in Glacier National Park at Rogers Pass. Photo provided by Parks Canada.

The provincial government recently invested $10 million in avalanche safety, but what did the road to sustainable funding look like and what does it mean moving forward?

By Jarrett Hofmann

need to implement more detailed avalanche forecasts in smaller regional zones and increase frequency of forecasts.

CAR responded in a letter stating they supported the recommendation but funding remained a key determinant in how quickly it could take place.

“The CAR and its member organizations agree to work collaboratively in the spirit of cooperation towards an enhanced public avalanche forecast system that incorporates smaller bulletin regions and more frequent forecasts, however additional incremental funding and a staged approach will be required to meet this recommendation in its entirety.”

Other recommendations were made to provincial ministries outlining the need for better public education of the dangers of avalanche terrain, signage, as well as the development of the avalanche terrain exposure scale known as ATES. Today, Avalanche Canada is still trying to implement more of the recommendations made in 2009 but has been held back due to financial uncertainty.

“Funding hasn’t really increased since [2004], it was annual funding so every year I would have to ask for money, apply for grants; it was always uncertain and the timing was unpredictable,” Valade explained.

In fact, the provincial government’s most highly trained avalanche experts work in the ministry of transportation and infrastructure avalanche and weather programs, who draw on the InfoEx, and Avalanche Canada’s free avalanche bulletins to help keep roadways open for British Columbians.

Planning ahead

A splitboarder overlooks a human triggered avalanche near Wells Gray provincial park. Photo SPIN.

He said the funding was like disaster funding, and compared it to buying an alarm system after a house gets vandalized.

“Sadly, it was easier for me to get funding after a really bad year. More fatalities, for me, made funding easier. It’s tragic and it’s backwards but that's the reality.”

Money would also come from various sources such as grants, private sponsors, provincial and federal governments.

In 2017 the federal government provided Avalanche Canada with a $1.2 million endowment which was put towards funding new software to produce timely public avalanche information to help users make more informed decisions about managing avalanche risk.

“Sometimes we got a bit of a grant to add more money but it was only for a year or two and then [funding] would go back down. Two years ago we finished a grant that we had gotten so this [past] year I got like $250,000 less than I did [the year before],” Valade said.

“In the early days we used to get a higher percentage of our revenue from sponsorships, but over the years that’s declined. I think they were happy to give us a boost, but everybody [mistakes] us as a public service. Why would the private industry fund a public service?”

An inherent reliance Last season was a record setting year in avalanche skills training (AST) participation with more than 15,000 students taking part in courses during one of the busiest suspected seasons in B.C. 's backcountry, according to Valade.

Not only are the number of backcountry recreationalists who rely on Avalanche Canada’s services increasing, but industry professionals, public and private entities also regularly use the service for their own operations.

The Canadian Avalanche Association (CAA) is responsible for training avalanche professionals within the industry. These professionals include Avalanche Canada and ski resort forecasters, the ministry of transportation and infrastructures avalanche control professionals, as well as ski guides.

The CAA also runs an information exchange (named the InfoEx) which is a source of avalanche forecasts and observations, snowpack analysis and weather from organizations all across Western Canada.

Avalanche Canada forecasters commonly contribute to the system and use it to release more accurate avalanche forecasts.

The value of the InfoEx is commonly agreed by industry to be a multi-million dollar contribution to the safety of the public and ski industry as it plays a primary role in Canada’s public avalanche safety, according to a letter written to Farnworth in February 2021 by Joe Obad, the executive director of the CAA, which called for the need of long-term provincial government funding for reasons surrounding tourism and worker safety.

“Destination BC, the province’s marketing agency, makes it clear on its website that the government supports responsible outdoor activity in avalanche terrain, with several prominent references to Avalanche Canada,” he wrote.

“Following this lead, countless regional tourism agencies, municipalities, and local businesses direct visitors to Avalanche Canada’s resources. A casual observer would quickly recognize that winter tourism in B.C. holds use of Avalanche Canada’s product as a pillar of its tourism strategy.”

Obad included that not only does the tourism industry, and the fabric of B.C.'s mountain tourism economy rely on Avalanche Canada’s services, but so does the government itself citing WorkSafeBC regulations that require employers who work in avalanche terrain to write, develop and implement an avalanche safety plan for their worksite.

In this, Avalanche Canada plays a key role by providing cost effective, time sensitive forecasting support over broad regions for workers and employers.

Not only does the private sector benefit from the public avalanche bulletins, but so does the provincial government ministry of forests, lands, natural resource operations and rural development, ministry of environment, emergency management BC, BC Hydro, ministry of transportation and infrastructure, and the BC public service natural resource agency.

Now, the recent $10 million announcement will allow Valade to continue his quest to meet more of the recommendations made in the 2009 B.C. Coroner’s report with two new forecasting teams, including one on Vancouver Island and another in the northern community of Smithers.

Last season also saw a continuing trend of reduced avalanche fatalities.

“We’re seeing the number of fatalities pretty well stable and going down, meaning that even though we’re seeing all these increases, the fatality numbers have decreased which means something’s working,” said Valade. “It’s not entirely because of Avalanche Canada, but because everybody in the backcountry is doing their part and we have a system and a culture now that we’ve developed together.”

Down the road, Valade said Avalanche Canada will continue to improve its website, mobile app, and the user-generated Mountain Information Network (where recreationalists share their avalanche related field observations).

Eventually, Valade and his team would like to see annual $20 donations from those who use their services to help make up the 75 per cent of their annual budget which is not covered by the B.C. government.

“It’s the one we dream about. We don’t want, or need, a ton of money from our users, but we have a couple 100,000 users, $20 each. You do the math.”

The necessity of Avalanche Canada’s services will only continue to grow as outdoor recreation becomes more popular and next season is expected to be even busier than the last.

“I think we’re looking at a super busy year again this year. COVID added another layer of busyness to the backcountry,” added Valade.

Valade’s aim is to incorporate the ATES scale to the trip planner with computer software that will scan terrain using Google Earth to quickly inform users how dangerous the terrain is they plan to travel through.

“It’s very time consuming and costly, but we’re working on a project with a few other countries to make that automated with a supercomputer to rate [avalanche terrain] across the whole province,” Valade explained.

Eventually, more complicated computer software could become available for the public which will take data from thousands of weather points to make a profile of what the snowpack should look like.

“It’s quite a jump from having somebody dig a pit with a shovel,” Valade said. “It’s complicated analysis but we started using it last year and tried to validate it [with field observations] to see if it has potential.”

To find out more, or to donate to the Avalanche Canada foundation, visit www.avalanche.ca.

13

sports

RIDING INTO LIFE HELPS ADD GENDER DIVERSITY TO TRAILS

Andrea Locke coaches young student on how to gain confidence at the top of the Kamloops Bike Ranch.

Provincial organization aims to help women connect with others and feel confident on Kamloops and Sun Peaks Bike Park trails

By Jarrett Hofmann

Sunny

A Lifetime of Bright Smiles

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Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 4:30 pm 1-1222 Tranquille Road Kamloops, B.C V2B 3K2 (250) 554-2032

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SLEEP DENTISTRY | EMERGENCIES | DENTURES | IMPLANTS 14

Andrea Locke, founder of women's mountain bike coaching organization Riding Into Life, has added more program options for Kamloops-based riders.

Riding Into Life was created in part due to Locke’s lifelong experience recreating and competing in male dominated sports such as freestyle skiing and mountain biking, and wanted to fill the gap with women’s mountain bike coaching.

“I just figured there had to be a way to get more women and girls involved,” Locke explained. “So I started [coaching] women's only bike nights and girls camps and saw a huge success. I realized this was the way to create that space for females to get into the sport.”

Programs offered include introductory and intermediate courses, jump and drop clinics, which can be great ways for women and girls to transfer their skills into the Sun Peaks Bike Park, among others.

By-donation unstructured teen girl drop-in rides are also available in Kamloops to help teenagers build their community within the local mountain biking scene. As well, online programs are offered to accommodate provincial health orders and restrictions associated with COVID-19.

Locke said she expected to hire more coaches so she can keep expanding offerings, as programs are quickly filling up, and is planning on including coop kids camps.

Summer dates and registration for camps and clinics can be found by visiting www.ridingintolife.com.

Girls camp group shot overlooking Kamloops from The Bike Ranch.

Proper cornering is an asset for any Kamloops rider.

Learn more with Andrea at her cornering clinic.

15

sports

LISTENING TO LEGENDS Brett Tippie, the man who helped shape the sport of mountain biking, has started a podcast filled with legends, superstar athletes and unsung heroes

By Jarrett Hofmann

The Brett Tippie Podcast is a brand new, interview style podcast with a vision to deliver authentic mountain biking history mixed with stories of modern free riding and racing from athletes, along with Brett Tippie’s own stories, dad-jokes and listener questions submitted via Instagram.

Brett Tippie is a professional Kamloops and Sun Peaks-bred mountain biker and snowboarder who played a key role in turning the sport of mountain biking on its head. Tippie is now contributing to the sport by recording a unique podcast.

“It’s a passion project that I’m very proud of...it’s the real deal. It’s people telling stories from their heart,” said Tippie.

Tippie has been told a million times he should start a podcast considering his depth of experience of hosting Pinkbike shows, commentating for events such as Red Bull Rampage and Crashed Ice, the BC Cup and Canada Cup downhill mountain bike circuits, BMX World Cup finals, World Cup ski races and a myriad of other mountain biking events.

“I get along with my fellow riders and peers,” explained Tippie. “I think I have a knack for keeping the conversation rolling and I pull things out of people that they may not divulge to anybody.”

Tippie said he believes his history of experience coupled with his love of talking to people, and their mutual respect for his history in the sport of mountain biking provide an interesting and unique format to deliver new and experienced riders with some of mountain biking’s history, as well as what is to come in the future.

“I’ve been around and I know a lot of these riders, I know what went down and I think what might be cool about my podcast’s is that people can’t BS me because I was right there. I was around and I knew what was going on so people got to tell it like it is,” Tippie explained.

“I know little tidbits about people and their accomplishments, the ups and downs and whatnot so I can draw attention to that and reference it in our conversations, no podcast will have more history than mine,” Tippie said. “I’m a mountain bike nerd...I’m trying to keep on top of what’s happening recently [and] the latest trends.”

So far, Tippie’s favourite interviews include a recent episode release featuring Christian Begin, who directed the first three Cranked mountain bike movies, and fellow Kamloops-born freerider Graham Agassiz. The episode was also recently released. “[Agassiz] really let us into his brain of what it was like to be in Rampage,” Tippie explained. “He qualified three times in the top position but never won the whole thing. One time he almost won.

He had to land one last jump: a giant three sixty [and] if he would have landed we would have won Rampage. He also let us behind the scenes of what was going through his brain as he was doing flips off of 40 footers, which is insane.”

Scheduled guests on the Brett Tippie Podcast include: Thomas Vanderham, Andreas Hessler, Micayla Gatto and Darren Berrecloth.

Tippie, alongside his partner Sarah and producer Mike Warner, will produce at least 50 episodes, as per their contract with sponsor Ride Wrap, which are released weekly on ‘Tippie Tuesdays.’

Listeners can find the podcast for free on Spotify, Google Podcasts and will soon be made available on Apple Podcasts. They can also watch the podcast on YouTube.

Fans of the show can also pay to subscribe to additional content and special features, one of which include Tippie’s favourite moment from his podcasts so far, where he beat Canada’s top downhill mountain bike racer and two time Jr. World Cup Overall Champion, Finn Isle’s, in a race... to the bottom of a can of Red Bull in a shotgunning contest.

“There will be some other comedy stories as well.

I'm going to tell a bunch of stories from my own particular past called ‘Retro Brettro’ so there’ll be some depth and very cool bonus material,” Tippie added.

One of the stories Tippie teased was from his childhood where his dad selflessly worked a second job to provide Tippie with something that would change his life forever.

To avoid spoiling the story for listeners, they’ll have to subscribe and tune in to the additional content on www.theBrettTippiepodcast.com for more.

Brett Tippie and Graham Agassiz recording a show for the podcast in a makeshift studio. Is it a coincidence both of these free riding legends are from Kamloops? Photo provided by the Brett Tippie Podcast.

16

PARSE AND PARCEL

by Barbara Olson © ClassiCanadian Crosswords

Across 1 6 9 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 27 29 30 35 36 37

Spruce (up) A house divided, essentially: Abbr.

Crook's "bracelets" "By the ___ Get to Phoenix" Help for a bad hair day Set for simmering, as a burner Former spouse in a contemplative mood?

"You could ___ pin drop" Steak order specification Some pillow stuffing Stallone and Stone Jailbird's side of the story?

Tick off "Rabbit ears" component Talk trash about swearing?

Topaz or turquoise, e.g. "___ that back" (retractor's words) Film buff's network

38 40 41 43

"Ready or not, here ___!"

Zero, in soccer Terrific sunshade?

Big buyer of concert souvenirs, maybe 46 Netanyahu's ctry.

47 "About stopping over", in a memo?

50 April summers?: Abbr.

54 Author's reps: Abbr.

55 "Do not make 180s" sign 57 Tubby one's moniker 59 Paid athlete preparing for a photo?

60 Oodles 61 C.B.C.'s "Dragon's ___" 62 Turn back to 0 63 Staffs at a yacht club 64 "Sale!" items 65 Superman costume letters

Measuring Up on the Job - solution

Down 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 18 21 24 25 26 28

Meat and potato mélanges Computer image bit Get at React to the motion of the ocean, say Seek successfully One-horned beast Acknowledged expert ___-Foy, Qu bec Like-minded sidekick Feeling of discomfort Pink lawn ornaments Tit-tat bridge Namibia, before 1990: Abbr.

Long hockey gear ___ shui (Chinese design principle) Megahit "Riptide" singer ___ Joy "___ Time" ('70s musical) One choosing a handle Line on a "carte" of Montréal

30 31 32 33 34 38 39 41 42 44 45 48 49 51 52 53 56 57 58 59

Libyan loot Stick-to-___ (tenacious) Emulates a Pavlovian dog Hinder the growth of Little rascal Drips that hang around the E.R. Barnum and Bailey shows "Je ne ___ pas" (French shrugger's words) Assemble a contraption Uses a shovel on Camera settings "Lady ___" (Chris de Burgh hit) High times during the day?

Oh-so-proper one Span of 365 "jours" Some R.C.M.P. officers Ran, or got a run in "The whole ___ damily" "I knew it!"

Palm Pilot, for short 17

local news

KAMLOOPS GROUP AIMS TO FOSTER A NEW GENERATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS A Kamloops organization is investing in the city's youth by providing young people with an opportunity to work on environmental issues and develop leadership skills.

The longstanding Kamloops Naturalist Club (KNC) has been running the program for the past three years.

Known as the Next Generation Naturalist program, it has brought together young people with an interest in the environment and directed their passion into worthwhile causes and projects.

Jesse Ritcey, program manager for the club, said the program gives participants the "tools" to make a difference.

Participants are able to work on worthwhile environmental projects going on in the Kamloops region and deepen their knowledge of the natural world, he explained.

This, in turn, has a knock on effect, as participants spread the word and ethos to others.

"The idea is to create a ripple effect," said Ritcey. "Everyone has a network that they can influence."

The club undertakes regular conservation work in coordination with the KNC. And going forward, Ritcey said the group will be working on a podcast about sustainable issues in Kamloops and doing restoration work at Lac De Bois this summer.

While 35 originally signed up, the number of participants is now down to 12. Thanks to a successful grant application, the KNC was able to create paid roles for five of the participants with the organization this summer.

As part of the program, participants attend a speakers' series in which they get to learn from professionals in a wide range of fields, including medicine, business and even law.

According to Ritcey, the message from these professionals is that you don't "necessarily have to go into natural resource science or biology to become involved in conservation work."

18

Kamloops Naturalist Club initiative in its third year of operation

By Joel Barde

The Kamloops Next Generation Naturalists taking in the subalpine terrain of Sun Peaks last winter. Photo submitted.

"You can take whatever field you go into, and find ways to incorporate the environment and conservation into it," he explained.

That said, the group takes on plenty of work that would be applicable to a career in environmental science or conservation.

This includes survey work in the wider region.

"A lot of times we're learning about wildlife," said participant Isaac Nelson. "Fairly recently, we did a trip to Osoyoos, which involved

making an inventory of the bird species in an area that may eventually be designated as a key biodiversity area."

Over the last three years, the group has also made the trip to Sun Peaks several times, even taking part in a snowshoe adventure during the winter.

Nelson is a big fan of the area.

"It's probably one of the most accessible sub-alpine environments near Kamloops, and I love going up in July, early August for the wildflowers," he said.

Shekinah Jimenez, who is originally from the Philippines, said the club has been a huge benefit to her life, having connected her to people and places she might not otherwise get to know.

"Next Gen has given me that opportunity to meet people, learn about Kamloops and the natural environment and get to explore a lot of places here in B.C.," she said.

Jimenez is currently majoring in geography and environmental studies at Thompson Rivers University with an eye on a career in sustainable development. So far, her favourite trip has been to Wells Gray Provincial Park, with its stunning landscape resonating with her.

She added she loved the snowshoe adventure in Sun Peaks, though it did result in "tired legs."

When asked about the level of environmental stewardship among her generation, Jimenez said there is a spectrum, with some students not really caring while others (including her and her friends) being very passionate and vocal about it.

In her view, the apathy among some is a result of being detached from nature, something that can be changed when people spend time in it.

"I can't really force them to care about the environment, but I try my best," she said. "I tell them that, 'it matters because it affects us all.'"

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19

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