Sun Peaks Independent News - Vol 20 Issue 2

February 18 - March 17, 2022

Vol. 20, Issue 2

free

See how Sun Peaks' new avalanche dog spends her days on the slopes.

Municipality the fastest growing in B.C. yet again, census reports.

A February night under the Clocktower. Photo by Zuzy Rocka.

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LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS

LIFE AS A LOCAL: SELLING VINTAGE SKI WEAR

Sun Peaks' growing population and community bottle depot.

8 MUNICIPALITY RECEIVES FUNDING FOR SUN PEAKS CENTRE COMMUNITY PLAZA Splash park, play area and stage planned.

KAYLA EMPEY Community Journalist kayla@sunpeaksnews.com

JARRETT HOFMANN Freelance Journalist

LOUISE HUDSON Freelance Journalist

SONIA GARCÍA Layout & Graphic Designer sonia@sunpeaksnews.com

10 VERTICAL CAFÉ CREW OVERCOME UNPRECEDENTED TIMES WITH A SMILE The owners share a solution-seeking mindset.

12 MOUNTAIN MAN DOGSLED ADVENTURES IS GUARANTEED FUN FOR ALL ABILITIES Trying dogsledding after being diagnosed with Spinocerebellar Ataxia.

There’s no limit to where Jacob Brock ships his vintage clothes.

20 ALCHEMY OF RIDE RETURNS THIS MONTH Artistic ski, snowboard, Nordic, bike and surf wear.

22 NEW GORGE SKI TOURING ASSOCIATION SAYS IT’S TIME TO GIVE THE LOCAL SKI TOURING COMMUNITY A VOICE Association aims to unify backcountry skiers.

24 BUSINESS LISTINGS & PUZZLES

local news

SUN PEAKS’ POPULATION MORE THAN DOUBLED BETWEEN 2016 AND 2021

BOTTLE DEPOT NEARS 750,000 RETURNS IN PAST YEAR

Municipality the fastest growing in B.C. yet again, census reports

Donations continue to grow as community shows support

By Tegwyn Hughes

By Kayla Empey

The population of Sun Peaks has more than doubled since 2016, new data from the 2021 census shows, making it the fastest growing municipality in the province for the second 5-year period in a row.

Released on Wednesday, Feb. 9, the report from Statistics Canada shows immense growth in Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality (SPMRM). While Sun Peaks’ official population was 616 in 2016, it jumped to a whopping 1,404 in 2021 — a 127.9 per cent increase.

The next two fastest growing B.C. municipalities were Radium Hot Springs and Tahsis, which saw their populations increase by 73 and 58 per cent, respectively.

Seeing 2021’s official figures Wednesday morning, SPMRM Mayor Al Raine said he felt happily surprised.

“It’s good news that people are finding Sun Peaks a great community to live and retire in,” he said. “That does put a strain on all of our services — That's an issue we have to wrestle with at the municipal side.”

In April 2021, Raine told SPIN he thought the municipality could have close to 1,000 residents come census time. But as the year went on, Raine said he began to think the population could even be as high as 1,200, judging by residents’ water consumption.

“Guest visits are down, but the water consumption level doesn't reflect that,” he explained.

The census data also revealed the number of private dwellings in the SPMRM, as well as how many of those dwellings were occupied by permanent residents. Of the 1,506 dwellings in Sun Peaks, only 622 house usual residents.

Compared to 2016, the number of private dwellings in Sun Peaks has only increased by 31.4 per cent, far lower than the 127.9 per cent population jump. Raine said increasing development to accommodate Sun Peaks’ growing population is a priority for the municipality.

“That’s going to be the biggest issue facing us as a community. We’ve already started the affordable housing strategy … we’re hoping the first draft of the report will be available in a couple of months,” Raine explained. “I’m hopeful that strategy will be implemented sometime this summer.”

He added working with Sun Peaks Resort LLP on development will be key, as the corporation controls a significant amount of land in the area.

“With that kind of demand, we’re going to need development over the next couple of years.”

Raine said the new data doesn’t change much for the region in terms of infrastructure and funding. The municipality is far from the 5,000 resident threshold for local police, and provincial and federal funding for small communities extends to those with a population of fewer than 100,000 people.

Also unchanged is Sun Peak’s appeal as an excellent place to live, he said, which could explain the municipality’s population boom.

“The exciting part about Sun Peaks is there’s a vibrant, can-do spirit in the community,” Raine said. “I drive around the community and see people jogging, running, biking. When you talk to people, they’re full of life.”

“For folks looking at retirement or semi-retirement, [Sun Peaks’ active lifestyle] is very attractive. And young families see the school system and health facilities we have, and the opportunities to work hard and make some money.”

Looking ahead, Raine said he hopes the population will plateau enough to let infrastructure and housing catch up to residents’ needs.

“I don’t know if we’ll keep growing at the same rate as the past 10 years, but is there going to be more growth? I would say certainly. [We should be] in the 2,000 range by 2026.”

Statistics Canada will release more information from the 2021 census throughout the year, including data about demographic profiles, families and households, Indigenous communities and housing.

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As of Feb. 1, Rotary has expanded the returnables they accept to include items like milk cartons and juice boxes. Photo provided.

The bottle depot on Industrial Way has been finding success thanks to community support, and organizers say it’s on track to collect around 750,000 bottles and cans in the span of a year.

The depot, run by Rotary Club of Sun Peaks, promotes recycling and raises funds for Rotary, Adaptive Sports Sun Peaks and Sun Peaks Education Society.

Michael Fane, Rotary’s president-elect, said the depot continues to see growth in donations.

“My charming personality accounts for some of the growth,” Fane joked. “But a huge amount of it is that it's convenient and Sun Peaks has bought in … I can't say enough about the people at Sun Peaks.”

Rotary is responsible for sorting the bottles and cans, but Fane members of the community also volunteer. As the depot continues to get busier, more residents step up. Fane said it’s rewarding to be part of a project the community is so involved in.

Fane added he’s thrilled no matter how many bottles the depot receives. Sometimes restaurants in the village drop off over 1,000 returnables at a time, but Fane said he’s equally grateful for residents and visitors who only donate a few bottles.

“I’ve had people come in and give me the water bottle out of their centre console. Those were going in the garbage otherwise,” Fane said.

“We've saved … 300,000 to 400,000 bottles and cans that did not end up in the landfill.”

As of Feb. 1, Rotary has expanded the returnables they accept to include items like milk cartons and juice boxes.

“If you or anybody you know drank it, we would like the container it came in,” Fane said.

The depot is located beside the transfer station on Industrial Way, and donations can be dropped off 24/7.

RURAL LOCATION CAUSES POTENTIAL CHALLENGES IN LOCAL POLICING

By Kayla Empey Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality (SPMRM) Mayor Al Raine said he is happy with the level of police presence in Sun Peaks, despite the RCMP not always being able to come up the mountain when called.

Sun Peaks falls under the jurisdiction of the Tk’emlúps Rural RCMP detachment, based in Kamloops, approximately 45 minutes away.

In a council meeting on Jan. 18, Nicky Jonsson, SPMRM’s director of corporate services, said there was recently an instance of a snowmobile doing donuts on public roads. The RCMP were called, but refused to respond unless they knew who the owner of the snowmobile was or where they were staying.

“We’ve actually had a couple issues with RCMP not being able to respond to some of our calls, but I am following up with the Staff Sgt. in Kamloops on that issue,” Jonsson said in the meeting.

Raine said there are police in Sun Peaks during major events, and that typically the RCMP is good at following up with the municipality.

But because the rural detachment covers a large area, Raine said they cannot always respond right away.

“There are moments when there may be some serious crime going on somewhere else,” said Raine. “They get a call to come to Sun Peaks and they look at it and say, you know, it's not a matter of life or death. And we're so strapped on more important issues, we can't make it up.”

In regards to the snowmobile incident, Raine said he understood their decision to not respond without further details, especially if they were busy in the rural detachment.

“By the time they get here, the snowmobile may be 10 kilometres away from the street, in the backcountry or neatly tucked in someone's garage,” said Raine. “I’m certain, you know, they would have come up, maybe not immediately, but within days to talk to the owner if we could identify who it was.”

Raine said there has been discussion about full-time police presence in Sun Peaks, but the costs would amount to just under $200,000 per officer.

To have 24 hour policing they would need at least three officers, which Raine said would create a 30 per cent increase in the municipal budget and therefore is unaffordable.

Based on police incident reports, Raine said there is not enough serious crime in the area to warrant a permanent police presence.

“There's the odd nuisance issue, but if you look at past reports, serious crime is very few,” said Raine. “There's a few speeding and things like that, but nothing that would make you think we need immediate police presence because there's some public danger.”

The municipality no longer receives local crime reports from the RCMP however, Jonsson said she has been in contact with the Staff Sgt. to see if they can start getting the reports again on a regular basis.

In case of more serious crime, there are surveillance cameras set up at the entrance and exit to Sun Peaks. Raine said they were implemented about six years ago after a string of break-ins in the community.

Because the rural RCMP detachment covers a large area, they cannot always respond right away. Photo Dreamstime.

“There's always that little risk because we do have a number of homes in subdivisions where maybe six or eight homes in a row are not occupied by full-time residents,” said Raine. “Therefore that street or that part of the community is very quiet in October or November, and thieves start thinking that may be a good time to come up to Sun Peaks.”

Raine said the cameras are not always monitored. They are only looked at if there is an incident, so the municipality can help police track vehicles and licence plates if needed.

“I can only assure the community it is a good step for making sure we have the ability to monitor who's coming in and out,” said Raine.

“But generally, I think we've been pretty happy with the [level of] police presence.”

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local news

Photo by Jalapeno Vision.

How this 5-year-old Vizsla spends her days on the slopes

By Kayla Empey

MEET DELPHIN, SUN PEAKS’ NEW AVALANCHE DOG 6

Photo by Kyle Sanguin.

“It's, ‘what if you have lost gear or a missing person or somebody who potentially is in a tree?’ Well, dogs can help for all those reasons.”

This year, Sun Peaks Resort LLP’s (SPR) snow safety team has a pup-ular new addition stealing hearts all over the mountain: avalanche dog Delphin.

Delphin, a 5-year-old Vizsla, is a National Search Dog Association (NSDA) certified avalanche dog.

She’s is also trained in bomb detection and water searches — and has even helped track down stolen gemstones.

Karsten von Hoesslin, Delphin’s owner and handler, said the pup holds the second best validation time in the history of the NSDA. She is trained to detect blood, sweat, saliva, breath, human remains and skin rafts in snow, which can help find someone in an emergency.

“We'll take four or five drops of blood, put it on a napkin, and then we'll bury it about a foot deep on a ski run and let everyone ski on it throughout the day,” von Hoesslin said. “Delphin can [still find] those four drops of blood.”

Von Hoesslin works as an avalanche forecaster for SPR, as well as a ski guide at Keefer Lake Lodge in Cherryville, B.C., where Delphin is also a part of the snow safety team. In the summer von Hoesslin teaches technical rescue, which includes swiftwater, medical and rope training, and said Delphin helps out on the rivers as well.

At SPR, after von Hoesslin checks the weather on the mountain in the morning, the duo ride the Sunburst Express Chairlift and make their way to Crystal Bowl or the Top of the World.

“She's got her little doggie sleeping blanket,” said von Hoesslin. “Then she basically just hangs out there for the day. It's also a good spot in the event that we do have an incident.”

It’s rare for a dog to actually rescue someone from an avalanche, but Von Hoesslin said they can be useful for a number of other reasons.

“It's not just about, ‘is there going to be an avalanche at Sun Peaks and does the dog then

respond?’” said von Hoesslin. “It's, ‘what if you have lost gear or a missing person or somebody who potentially is in a tree?’ Well, dogs can help for all those reasons.”

Von Hoesslin adopted Delphin in 2015 while living in Europe. He said he waited until she was two years old and fully developed before beginning to train her.

Von Hoesslin said waiting for Delphin to mature also helped him train her to search for more than one particular source, and helped Delphin better understand what exactly she’s looking for.

“We've used currency, we use drugs, we've used all sorts of things you can imprint a dog on,” von Hoesslin said. “I even had someone get their iPhone and go bury it, and she found it based on the scent. So once the dog's older, [training is] a lot more effective."

When Delphin was ready, von Hoesslin began training her in Switzerland and France. When he moved back to Canada in 2018, the duo continued to train until she was ready to begin official avalanche work in 2019.

“She's just been a great dog. I've been really lucky with her on all sides of work,” said von Hoesslin. “She's kind of become, you know, a bit of a sidekick throughout the entire year.”

Von Hoesslin said it’s also important to him that Delphin gets the opportunity to relax and just be a dog, even sometimes while she’s working.

“I know that I can still trust her and she'll still do her job even if she gets pet by other people.

Some people look at that and go oh, that's so lax,” he said. “But if you trust your dog [...] it will do the job.”

To follow along with Delphin and von Hoesslin’s adventures, find them on Instagram @adventure.vizsla.

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local news

Picnic tables, splash park, children’s play area and stage planned for development

By Kayla Empey

MUNICIPALITY RECEIVES FUNDING FOR SUN PEAKS CENTRE COMMUNITY PLAZA Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality (SPMRM) has received $898,241 to develop a community plaza at the Sun Peaks Centre.

The funding is part of the second round of the Community Economic Recovery Infrastructure Program (CERIP), allocating $21.3 million for more than 50 infrastructure projects across the province.

SPMRM Mayor Al Raine said he is thankful for the grant and excited to develop the community plaza space.

“Right now there aren't so many gathering spots,” Raine said. “There’s lots of people wandering through the village, but we do need an area where there might be some park benches if you wanted to have a picnic. If there are some entertainers around, they could perform out of there.”

As of right now the municipality only has a conceptual plan, but Raine said staff are working towards a more detailed proposal. Some of the projected developments include picnic tables, fireplaces, a water fountain and a ping pong area.

Raine said he hopes SPMRM can work with Tourism Sun Peaks to create a children’s entertainment area — reminiscent of Whistler’s Olympic Plaza — with mini

houses and bridges for kids to play on. The municipality also plans on creating a water area.

“We're not so sure what the costs are to bring the pool up to speed, but there’ll definitely be some kind of splash park area for kids,” Raine said. “We are going to be working with Little Shuswap Lake Band on the design [...] The whole motif of the park will be like a Secwépemc gathering area.”

Raine said the plaza will also include a stage area based on traditional pit house designs. Pit houses were historically used by Indigenous peoples such as the Nlaka’pamux and Secwépemc. There will be a spot inside the pit house for performers, surrounded by a semi circle of benches for community members to watch.

The new plaza is planned at the current location of the tennis courts outside the Sun Peaks Centre. Raine said the municipality hopes to move the courts east of parking lot five as a separate project. He hopes they can also add pickleball courts.

Development for the plaza is slated to begin this summer.

“We're very excited,” Raine said. “We're looking forward to coming up with some good ideas.”

The new plaza is planned at the current location of the tennis courts outside the Sun Peaks Centre.

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local news

THE LITTLE CAFÉ THAT COULD: VERTICAL CAFÉ CREW OVERCOME UNPRECEDENTED TIMES WITH A SMILE

By Louise Hudson

Despite hardship, creativity and timely partnerships have helped the family-owned eatery thrive. Photo by Kyle James.

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“We might be competitors but we’re all part of the same community and what benefits one, benefits all.”

Even throughout the pandemic, the O’Toole positivity has prevailed. In keeping with varying COVID protocols, creative adaptations have included contactless online ordering, a takeaway window and plexi-glass partitions.

Re-igniting his membership with the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association (BCRFA) gave Rob access to webinars, government resources and networking.

COVID restrictions also reinforced the family’s commitment to farm-to-table.

“In some of the early meetings, it was clear … that the buying public would want to know more where their food was coming from,” Tania explained.

B.C. suppliers include The Very Good Butchers, Blackwell Dairy, Cherry Hill Coffee, Craig’s Bakery and Honeyberry Farm Market. The ‘Jones Garden’ — a collaboration with friends Helen and Mark Jones in Whitecroft — also meant the O’Tooles could grow their own ingredients.

“We plant lettuces, swiss chard, kale, arugula, peas, radishes there, all of which can be blended into our salad mix,” said Tania, who grew up on a farm in Manitoba. “It is even more sustainable if a café can be involved in growing, picking and serving their own ingredients.”

All of these innovative ideas emanate from family collaboration, the couple explained,

with 19-year-old daughter Darby embracing the latest trends in gluten-free and plant-based eating and 16-year-old Liam acting as chief tester and occasional extra hand.

Darby, who works part-time at the café while studying online for a biology degree with TRU, also has a knack for décor, notably creating the café’s signature multi-coloured window mural.

Soon to be officially launched is the Vertical Café’s new webstore, which will sell branded water bottles, re-usable coffee cups from Keep Cup, and a unique range of apparel including beanies, hoodies and t-shirts.

“The café just screams tie dye and I love wearing it, so I looked locally and found BCbased Wildflower Dyes who are creating a colour mix just for us,” Tania said. The gear will also sport an edgy emblem designed by local artist Zuzy Rocka.

Another one of this year’s ongoing projects is an extension to Vertical Café’s patio garden, which will double the venue’s to 40 this summer.

With only 475 square feet indoors, Tania and Rob focused on expanding outdoor seating and adding heating when COVID first hit.

“Our heaters are infrared, radiant style,” Rob explained. “Infrared might cost more initially but it is lower maintenance. People love to be outdoors in ski resorts and having those heaters provides the warm ambiance.”

In the future, the O’Tooles envisage Sun Peaks becoming a ‘foodie destination,’ and look forward to being a part of it.

The O'Toole family. Photo provided.

Whether it’s overcoming limited space, tackling natural disasters or embracing culinary trends, the owners of Vertical Café share a solution-seeking mindset. In the words of co-owner Tania O’Toole, it’s “The little café that could.”

The café, nestled among other businesses near the village core, has seen quite the year.

Despite hardship, Tania says creativity and timely partnerships have helped the familyowned eatery thrive.

Wildfires in August of 2021 effectively halted peak summer trade, but an anonymous donation from a local sparked a breakfast project for the B.C. wildfire crew.

“The sponsor wanted to donate $750 per day for a whole week,” Tania’s husband and business partner Rob recounted. “I said yes, I think I can make that happen.”

Having consulted with the fire chief and another supervisor, Tania and Rob prepped breakfast for 40 workers the first day. Although BC Wildfire Service rules made further donations impossible, Vertical Café managed to keep feeding crews.

“They ended up offering us a contract — we did breakfast, 5Forty Café & Cantina did lunch, and Masa’s did dinner for a little over two weeks,” said Rob. “We averaged around 50 people per morning, the whole time doing this all from scratch.”

Floods, landslides and road closures in November led to more hurdles but the optimistic O’Tooles managed to find a silver lining. “We were trying to keep that positive outlook, keep everyone’s spirits up in the community,” recalled Tania.

Although shipping interruptions caused by the adverse weather created culinary challenges, Sun Peaks’ businesses stepped up and collaborated to keep the community fed.

Ohana Market & Deli managed to get a lot of local produce but they ran out of large paper bags, Rob explained. When he saw this on Facebook, he dropped off an extra case of bags.

“Then all of a sudden we couldn’t get whole wheat wraps, so I posted that on the food and beverage community Facebook page,” he continued. “Marty from 5Forty had some surplus.”

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local news

MOUNTAIN MAN DOGSLED ADVENTURES IS GUARANTEED FUN FOR ALL ABILITIES

By Darrin Rein

Darrin Rein in the dog sled. Photo provided.

The dogsledding team. Photo provided.

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When I was given the chance to get back to enjoying winter by going dogsledding earlier this month, I was grateful, but also anxious.

Even though I used to love exploring Sun Peaks as a snowboard enthusiast, my diagnosis of Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA) in 2018 affected my mobility and balance, and has changed my life in a lot of different ways.

Dogsledding is probably the one adventure at Sun Peaks I never experienced in my able-bodied days. I don’t know why I waited so long, but I would definitely do it again.

I had a lot of fears heading into the day — Turns out I am pretty good at psyching myself out. It snowed quite a lot the night prior and usually when it snows that much, I stay put. Trying to get around in any amount of snow is a challenge for me.

As a former winter freak, I used to be happier the more it snowed. Now, winter can be depressing for me because I can’t enjoy the snow like I used to. But that was not the case when visiting Mountain Man Dogsled Adventures.

Staff were prepared for me and I really didn’t have much to worry about. Guide and co-owner Chris slowly walked me to my sled.

This had been my biggest worry because I have very little balance and didn’t know the terrain. But the distance to my sled was not far — maybe 25 feet. Once I was seated in my sled all my anxiety and worries were gone. I knew I was in good hands!

Taryn, co-owner alongside her husband Chris, walked me through everything, and gave me the rundown of all the dogs who were going to be pulling my butt down the trails. The dogs were probably more excited than I was — They were definitely ready to get out there.

I had one special guest dog, Sonic, who ran beside us the entire tour. From what I gathered, she is 12 years old and retired from sledding. I think she was there for my protection, but honestly, maybe she just wanted to be by her owners. I thought that was so cool because I imagine that just like a lot of people, she just wanted to be included.

I was amazed by how fast the dogs pulled us, even up inclines.

Taryn was a great guide; she explained the commands they use to talk to the dogs and told me about the terrain we were crossing.

With the fresh snow there were even a few face washes, which I didn’t realize how much I missed as a former snowboarder. Even rosy cheeks and runny noses are kind of appealing in that neck of the woods.

The ride was predictably bumpy in some spots, but very tolerable, and I never once felt like I was going to be thrown from my sled.

The snow-covered trees were so nice to see. There were a few stops along the way, and Taryn took some pictures for me from the front of the sled to include all the dogs on our team.

If you want to have a fun mountain experience then let me assure you, Mountain Man Dogsled Adventures is the perfect place to have it! It was safe, exciting and ideal for anyone. Words don’t really do the experience justice.

I especially want to thank Colin from Tourism Sun Peaks, who is my very good friend and treated me to this unique adventure. I was grateful to have this experience — He might think this is repayment for all the times I’ve helped him with his personal computer, but this opportunity can’t be repaid. I hope he knows how generous this was.

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local news

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life as a local

Jacob Brock, ski patroller and volunteer firefighter, spends his free time selling vintage clothes through his Instagram account JD’s Vintage

By Kayla Empey

LIFE AS A LOCAL: SELLING VINTAGE SKI WEAR New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, the United States and around Canada — there’s no limit to where Jacob Brock ships his vintage clothes.

Originally from London, Ont., Brock has lived in Sun Peaks since June 2020. Brock fills his days working as a ski patroller for Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR) and volunteering for Sun Peaks Fire Rescue, but in his free time, Brock turns to selling vintage clothes.

Specializing in outdoor apparel, Brock thrift shops clothes and posts them for sale on his Instagram account, JD’s Vintage, or on other online platforms like eBay or Grailed.

“There's a lot of people that are into that kind of vintage apparel,” said Brock. “I had a few friends of mine back in Ontario that started some Instagram accounts, so that kind of inspired me to start kind of going to that platform.”

Brock started JD’s Vintage in 2019. At first he did a lot of in-person sales, where customers could come into his apartment to look at his selection of clothing and pick out what they wanted. But due to COVID-19, Brock has turned more to online selling.

Since moving to Sun Peaks, Brock said he has found there are quite a few people in the area interested in vintage clothing, especially vintage ski jackets.

“There's no one else that really does it in Sun Peaks,” said Brock. “I tag Sun Peaks Resort or wherever on my location, so for sure it pops up and people see it.”

But a large portion of his market is outside of the area, and Brock said shipping out clothes has been a bit trickier here than it was when he first began.

“The post office back in London where I'm from is like, you know, a five minute walk away or a minute drive,” said Brock. “I could just sell something and ship it the same day. In Sun Peaks it’s obviously a bit more difficult.”

Brock used to have to go to the Heffley Creek post office to ship his items. Now, the Sun Peaks Pharmacy has begun to offer Canada Post services, as long as he is able to pay for the shipping label online and package the items himself.

Before coming to Sun Peaks, Brock went to school for ecosystem management and worked doing biological research on reptiles and amphibians. In the winters, Brock was a ski patroller and a freestyle coach.

“I basically did the ski patrol in Ontario for volunteer,” said Brock. “I thought it'd be sweet to 16

Brock started JD’s Vintage in 2019. Photo provided.

Brock is a volunteer with Sun Peaks Fire Rescue.. Photo provided.

get paid to do this, so I moved out to British Columbia in hopes to get on with ski patrol. I didn't have any major leads, I was just kind of banking on that I’d get on through my recent experience.”

When he saw that the Sun Peaks Fire Rescue was recruiting volunteers, he put in his name and got on with the department. Through volunteering Brock met the director of ski patrol at SPR, who hired him for the winter.

Brock is now working his second season as a ski patroller. He also worked as a marshal for the Sun Peaks Golf Course last summer, while going through training for several firefighting certifications and working 12-hour night shifts helping to fight the Embleton Mountain wildfire.

“Living here year round, working for the resort for multiple different positions, and then also being a part of the fire department, I definitely would consider myself a local,” said Brock. “It's a great spot to be. The summers are great. I love mountain biking, dirt biking, fishing — I have a boat that I fish quite a bit on in a lot of the local lakes.”

Brock said he hopes to be with fire rescue for a couple more years while he works on getting his full paramedic license, with the end goal of becoming a career firefighter located somewhere along the coast of B.C. “I'm just getting experience right now, and then hoping to keep building my JDs vintage account.”

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arts

KAMLOOPS FILM FESTIVAL PRESENTS BURIED The 25th annual Kamloops Film Festival (KFF) is returning in-person this March and will feature over 25 events and film screenings, including the award-winning documentary BURIED. BURIED is a full-length film centred on the 1982 avalanche in Alpine Meadows, California.

The documentary follows a rescue team after millions of pounds of snow fell from the mountain, destroying the resort’s base area and burying the parking lot.

“The wreckage was unimaginable and for the shell-shocked patrol team there was no time to dwell,” the film’s description reads on the BURIED website. “Eight missing victims were buried in the slide — co-workers, friends, family — and every passing second was precious.”

BURIED was directed, written and produced

by Jared Drake and Steven Siig, who are both full-time residents of Alpine Meadows and say they’re dedicated to telling the story “truthfully and fairly.”

The film premiered during the Whistler Film Festival in December 2021, where it won Best Mountain Culture Film. It has since gone on to receive nine other awards, including Grand Prize at the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival.

BURIED is scheduled to play at the Paramount Theatre in Kamloops on March 9 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. A portion of the proceeds from the film’s advanced screenings goes towards The American Avalanche Association, to help with avalanche safety, education and research.

The Kamloops Film Festival, run by the Kamloops Film Society, will take place March 3 to 12. The festival will feature films from B.C., Canada and around the world.

For more information and tickets, visit kamloopsfilmfest.ca.

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Film based on unprecedented avalanche in Alpine Meadows, California screening in March

By Kayla Empey

Behind-the-scenes of filming with director and producer Steven Siig (left) and cinematographer Tom Day. Photo from Buried: The 1982 Alpine Meadows Avalanche on Facebook.

events

EVENTS FEB. 18 TO MARCH 17

Weekly Saturdays Live music at Morrisey's Public House Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays Free Family Activity Nights

Fun activities at the Sun Peaks Centre Great Hall from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

February Feb. 11 to 21 ArtZone Anonymous Art Show and Sale

This event showcases original artwork from emerging and established artists at the Grand Hotel & Conference Centre.

Feb. 19 Alchemy of RIDE Pop-Up Sale

The colourful ski gear will be sold on the Cahilty Creek Kitchen & Taproom patio.

March March 3 to 12 Kamloops Film Festival

SPIN is proud to 25th anniversary at the Paramount Theatre in Kamloops.

March 10 to 12 Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival Hosted by ArtZone Sun Peaks, the festival will feature films from various mountain regions.

March 11 Sound Bath with Sound Quest

Sun Peaks Yoga is hosting this relaxing workshop series.

March 12 to 13 Telus Nancy Greene 3 Mtn Tour

This fundraising activity features a self-guided tour of the three mountains.

March 13 Sun Peaks Loppet

A family-oriented cross country race open to all ability levels.

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arts

Alchemy of RIDE apparel designs. Photo provided.

PAINT THE PISTES: ALCHEMY OF RIDE RETURNS THIS MONTH

By Louise Hudson

After a two year gap due to the pandemic, Alchemy of RIDE (AOR) designer Lynne Harrison is returning to Sun Peaks.

Harrison will be staying at the Grand, and her vibrant van stacked with artistic ski, snowboard, Nordic, bike and surf wear will be brightening up the centre of the village. On Saturday, Feb. 19, the designer plans to hold a pop up tent event on the Cahilty Creek Kitchen & Taproom patio.

From 11a.m. to 6 p.m., skiers and snowboarders can slide right up to the sale from the Gentle Giant green run off the Village Platter, or on foot from the side stairs.

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A fan of Harrison’s designs, Cahilty Creek owner Yolanda Yoshy-Dye is thrilled to be part of the event.

“We love supporting local businesses as well as entrepreneurship,” she says. “Fun and different pop-up events like this are always exciting and an opportunity to bring in new business which can turn into repeat business, both for AOR and Cahilty Creek.”

Anticipating a flow of happy shoppers enjoying al fresco food and drinks, YoshyDye feels the wrap-around view from the piste-side patio pairs perfectly with AOR’s panoramic prints.

“Our music theme is classic rock — that will be pumping out on the patio for an energetic and amped vibe,” she added. “It will be a busy long weekend and a great opportunity to showcase AOR’s beautiful apparel while enjoying some great local craft beers and delicious cocktails.”

The designer’s prints are inspired by her original artwork. Harrison told Sun Peaks Independent News she calls on a lifetime of painting and drawing inspired by mountains scenery while crafting her pieces.

Assiniboine, Mt Temple, Mt Hood and The Three Sisters are just some that have featured on her limited edition gear. She also offers custom designs, like making team kits for a variety of sports.

“I have brought in exercise shorts — like bike shorts with no chamois — and I’m also bringing in yoga tights and sports bras,” she explained. “My wind jackets are very utilitarian and can be used for a multitude of sports and my bike jerseys can be worn on the golf course as they have a collar.”

Founded in 2016, AOR was born from Harrison’s frustration with the lack of colourful mountain biking jerseys available.

After seeing success with collections of apparel bearing her art, Harrison diversified into ski wear.

Harrison’s designs can be found in-person at her Canmore gallery, as well as in some B.C. and Alberta retail stores, but she explained her web presence has had the most significant impact since COVID. “Online sales have increased tremendously,” she says. “The pandemic has definitely changed how people shop.” With a core market throughout North America, she is gradually expanding into Australia and the U.K. Going on the road and hosting pop-ups is another opportunity to keep in contact with customers, Harrison added.

“I have done pop-ups at Vernon and expect to host in Whistler and Revy later in the season,” she said. “I love interacting with the public and helping them find something to wear that they are going to love.”

Face-to-face feedback is a chance for valuable research, too, yielding suggestions for zipper placements, removable hoods and other technical features.

With more Canadians than ever flocking to the ski hills, the pandemic could be fueling an increased demand for Harrison’s artsy sportswear.

“While bike apparel is the big market for me, ski apparel has really started to take off in the past couple of years,” she said. “I think people are tired of looking at another black jacket.”

Although she skis weekly at Sunshine and Lake Louise, Harrison loves to revisit Sun Peaks.

“I lived in Kamloops for seven years, my kids both learned to ski here and I have a ton of friends at the hill,” Harrison explained. “I love the village and find it to have such a wonderful welcoming atmosphere.”

“Coming back here to such a friendly familyoriented place is very fulfilling for me.”

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get out there

Bostock ski touring. Photo provided.

NEW GORGE SKI TOURING ASSOCIATION SAYS IT’S TIME TO GIVE THE LOCAL SKI TOURING COMMUNITY A VOICE The Gorge Ski Touring Association aims to unify backcountry skiers after a recent history of nonmotorized and motorized recreational groups clashing in the area

By Jarrett Hofmann

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After years of unmanaged non-motorized recreation in a popular winter backcountry area north of Malakwa, B.C., one group aims to designate a small portion of the area for ski tourers and splitboarders.

The Gorge backcountry recreational area is located on the Gorge forest service road (FSR) near North Queest Mountain and is a popular spot for Sun Peaks-based skiers and snowmobilers.

Historically, backcountry skiers and snowmobilers have followed an unwritten agreement which essentially split the area for the user groups; the northern part of the area for skiers, with the south open to sledders.

Adrian Bostock, operations manager for the Shuswap Trail Alliance, told Sun Peaks Independent News the unwritten agreement was based on a land resource management planning exercise initiated by the government of B.C. in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

“The management plan was never actually ratified, and never became a legal document, but people assumed that the [north side of the] Gorge area was for non-motorized use,” Bostock said.

Nevertheless, the two recreational groups coexisted and abided by the government's management plan in the Gorge area.

In 2009, the area was further split when the Eagle Valley Snowmobile Club signed an agreement with the Ministry of Environment to help protect a designated caribou habitat management area at the Gorge.

This time the boundary was east and west across the area previously occupied by snowmobilers. The west side became a seasonal motorized closure to protect the caribou habitat, while the east side became a motorized riding area used by the Eagle Valley Snowmobile Club.

Around the same time, snowmobile technology improved, allowing snowmobiles to travel further, faster and into more technical terrain previously only accessible by ski.

Complaints and concerns began to arise from the ski touring community about sleds in an area that once only saw skiers.

Bostock, who both ski tours and snowmobiles recreationally, explained the two activities are not compatible.

“One snowmobile can track out an area in a matter of minutes, while this area would last for days for many ski tourers. The nature of the cross-slope — deep ruts created by snowmobiles — makes them difficult to navigate around on skis,” Bostock said.

He added snowmobile tracks can be dangerous to quickmoving skiers, and the noise they emit can be disturbing to those hoping to spend a quiet day in the mountains.

Bostock said the Gorge Ski Touring Association won’t try to tell snowmobilers they can’t go anywhere, but instead will represent ski-tourers who need a place to recreate in the Gorge area that isn’t overrun by sleds.

“Snowmobilers are very organized, which shows in the huge riding areas they have. Just in the Shuswap, there are six designated groomed riding areas where they can go, where they collect fees.”

Bostock said he hopes the association will eventually represent the entire East Shuswap ski touring community.

First, the association will look at designating the area on the north side of the Gorge FSR between kilometres 12 and 18 for non-motorized use, and examine the financial viability of regularly plowing the road to allow for winter-long ski touring access and more comfortable sled access, at a small user fee.

“We first need to consider the caribou habitat management piece, as well as the local Indigenous band’s concerns about the popularity that may arise from the increased organization of the area,” added Bostock.

The Gorge Ski Touring Association is currently in the early stages of formally organizing after releasing a Gorge User Survey in the Fall of 2021.

The survey had over 400 respondents. Over 300 identified as ski tourers while the remainder identified as snowmobilers.

“What everybody said [in the survey], was ‘this is an important area for access.’ We need to be careful with how we manage it,” said Bostock.

An initial call for members was released on January 4 and as of January 15, the association had quickly accumulated over 100 interested members.

Bostock said he expects there to be another meeting in February with all members who sign the letter of interest to gauge members’ interests and level of expertise for their involvement in the association.

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sports

HOCKEY GAME AT SUN PEAKS CENTRE HELD TO HONOUR RESIDENTIAL ‘SCHOOL’ SURVIVORS AND LIVES TAKEN Kamloops hockey club unveils orange uniforms to ‘keep the conversation going’

By Kayla Empey

This article contains content about residential “schools” that may be triggering. Support is available. Call the Indian Residential School Survivors Society at 1-800-721-0066 or 1-866925-4419 for the 24-7 crisis line.

The Kamloops Free Radicals Hockey Club recently debuted new Every Child Matters jerseys during a Winter Classic game at the Sun Peaks Centre ice rink.

On Jan. 29, club members joined together at the rink wearing bright orange jerseys to honour residential “school” Survivors and in memory of the lives taken. Kevin Orton, a member of the team, said players plan to wear the special jerseys at least one night a week and at all out-of-town tournaments.

“We're a bunch of guys that have ties to the community and thought that this would be a great way to help keep the conversation going and move ourselves towards reconciliation,” Orton said.

The Winter Classic featured a pre-game ceremony with drumming by the Big Sorrel Horse family and words from Indigenous team member Leonard Jackson.

In his speech, Jackson said he acknowledges that some non-Indigenous people want to recognize the history of injustices, and asked

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that they stand by Indigenous people as their truths are told.

“We don't condemn and we don't fault nonIndigenous people for what has occurred, but you know, the hope is that they’ll support us in that journey to reconciliation,” Jackson said.

The idea for the jerseys stemmed from the confirmation of 215 unmarked graves at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School by Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc last May. Orton said the club members immediately decided they wanted to do something, but members weren’t sure what the best approach would be.

Wanting to do it right, a group of players approached Jackson to ask what they could do to show support.

“My direction to them was not to rush into anything, just to give it some time and think about it because, you know, the issue wasn't going anywhere,” Jackson said. “There's no need to rush into making a statement or taking a stand or supporting a cause.”

A few months later, they came back with the idea of a tournament uniform. Jackson said he thought this was a great idea because it’s highly visible and the message is easily understood.

While the jerseys were being ordered, the club was also planning their Winter Classic at the Sun Peaks Centre ice rink in Skwelkwek’welt. Skwelkwek’welt is the traditional name of the area that emcompasses the settler-named Mt. Tod, Mt. Cahility, Mt. Morissey and Mt. Lolo areas, as well as Morrisey, McGillivary, Cahility and Eileen Lakes and all associated watershed systems.

Since the Winter Classic and the jerseys were coming together at the same time, Orton said they thought the game would be a great opportunity to honour Every Child Matters.

“It was a good way to introduce those jerseys and then get up there to Sun Peaks and try out the rink and have some fun,” Orton said.

Drumming by the Big Sorrel Horse family. Photo by Mary Putnam Photography.

The Free Radicals Hockey Club first began about 19 years ago. Orton said a group of 30 to 35 guys decided they didn’t want to be a part of the competitive leagues anymore and started their own group.

Since then, the club has become deeply rooted in the community. Orton said members do a lot of charity work with the Christmas Stocking Fund and sponsor Night of Champions for Kamloops Minor Hockey.

Jackson, who has now been on the team for four years, said he is proud to know this group of men.

“We're all sort of aligned morally, aligned as far as values go,” he explained. “So it's obviously something that I'm proud to be part of.”

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