STRANGE SCOOPS

Scoops STRANGE

Five outlets with five of the wildest ice cream flavours in town

Gone are the days when all you could get to crown your cone was ice cream available only in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. Today, there are hundreds of flavours out there, and if you want to indulge in something other than the tried and true, a few outlets would love to tempt your palate. We found the wildest options we could think of that exist in town as a challenge. Thankfully, at press time, all the venues in this top five list have pickup or curbside delivery, but check their websites for updates.

Choc ‘n’ Chili (Marble Slab Creamery)

Some like it hot, some like it cold. But Marble Slab took both preferences into consideration with this food fusion that’s bound to wake up the taste buds. Lest you think that the scoop will involve a messy blend of chocolate, ground beef and kidney beans, worry not. This spicy and sweet offering includes dark double chocolate, some vanilla and cinnamon and a hit of cayenne. (marbleslab.ca)

Peanut Butter Heat (Revolution Ice Cream)

This Old Strathcona spot certainly comes up with some ideas about as irreverent as the neighbourhood surrounding the establishment. This flavour consisting of peanut butter with a healthy kick of chili spices will likely push your senses in overdrive. And as proof of their community spirit, they also have a flavour dedicated to the famed local district called the Scona Fog. (revolutionicecream.com)

Sweet Corn and Blueberry (Kind Ice Cream)

We know we live in an age of food pairings, but who would have thought that corn from South America would make for a good match with the local, venerable blueberry? The folks at Kind who created this combo claim that the two items balance each other out for a unique taste. And it was concocted for a good cause as part of proceeds from sales of this flavour go to the Youth Emeregency Shelter Society. (kindicecream.ca)

Toyo with Carmeled Chow Mein (Yelo’d Ice Cream & Bake Shoppe)

Nope, you’re not looking at part of an Asian menu. This is an ice cream flavor that comes from the local mom and pop shop that does everything by hand. In this case, the flavour consist of soya sauce which apparently tastes like brown sugar and salted caramel. And for a crunch you might not expect, sink your teeth into the chow mein noodles added to the mix. (yelod.ca)

Matcha Green Tea (Scoop n Roll Creamery)

For those who like an ice cream that has loads of antioxidants to improve the well-being of your vital organs, you can’t go wrong with this flavor that’s probably the most exotic in this franchise’s lineup. The added benefit to health fanatics is that the flavour’s also totally vegan. (scooproll.com) n

Great Golf, we can enjoy the outdoors!

DON’T LOOK DOWN Defy gravity and vertigo in the river valley at Alberta’s first aerial park

By Markwell Lyon

In a wooded oasis just off the Whitemud, an unusual tower barely pokes through the canopy, no doubt missed by the thousands of commuters who drive by it every day. And in a way, that overlooked protrusion is symptomatic that Snow Valley Aerial Park might still be one of the city’s best kept secrets. The adventure park and ropes course gives the vertically inclined a chance to test their climbing skills — and challenge their fear of heights — in a beautiful river valley setting.

The Name of the Game

Surrounding the park’s 50 foot-high tower are some 100 elements, or “games” as staff call them, that taken together sort of resemble a supersized playground. These games lean heavily toward the acrobatic, though. Imagine tire tubes, rope ladders, steps and lines suspended in the air, which participants use to move from one elevated platform to another. Besides dealing with gravity, participants also need to rely on their strength, agility and imagination to complete each game.

Like the runs on the nearby ski hill, the games are colour coded: green means easy, blue intermediate and black hard. They’re also arranged at different heights and typically increase in difficulty with elevation. Aerial park manager Ben Evoy describes the games as “challenge by choice,” meaning there’s no set route one must follow. “You’re not forced to do anything you don’t want to do,” he says, before joking, “unless you’re with a bunch of friends who peer pressure you.”

First of Its Kind

Adding to the fun is the variety of elements, including a few custom-made for the park. As the park is operated by the same not-for-profit organization that manages Snow Valley Ski Club and the Rainbow Valley campground, many of these fit a ski or outdoors theme. One game is made up of a horizontal rope ladder affixed with slalom gates. Another, near the very top, features a canoe that you step in and out of; oars hanging above the canoe provide something to grasp onto with your hands. All while doing your best not to look down, of course.

While aerial parks like this one aren’t new — they’re already well established in Europe and Asia — the concept is just starting to take hold in Canada, with most parks based in B.C. and Ontario. “We’re the only one in Alberta,” Evoy says.

The park’s centrepiece KT90 Tower is also unique, being the first of its kind in Canada and only the third in North America. The patio topping the tower features great views of the surroundings and is a choice locale for alcohol tastings on summer evenings.

Safety Matters

As for the games, naturally it’s all perfectly safe. While taking a wrong step technically means falling off an element, one doesn’t fall far. All participants wear a harness and a specialized lanyard with two connectors, at least one of which is always attached to a cable. Before every adventure, participants attend a short “ground school” showing them how to use the system to navigate the park and its network of safety cables. Additionally, all staff are certified rope course practitioners, at the ready if someone gets unnerved while mid-air.

“It’s just as safe as any regular playground,” Evoy says. “There’s just the bumps and scrapes that happen to anybody when they’re having too much fun.” n

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SNOW VALLEY AERIAL PARK 13204 Rainbow Valley Road, Edmonton, 780-434-3991, snowvalley.ca

RESTRICTIONS The minimum height is 100 cm. The ground-level Kids Course is for kids under 140 cm; those between 100 and 125 cm must be accompanied by a harnessed chaperone (no entry charge). Kids between 125 and 140 cm have full Tower Access if accompanied by a chaperone over 140 cm (regular entry charge applies).

RATES Individuals over 140 cm: $42 (walk-up), $37 (online) Individuals under 140 cm: $29 (walk-up), $24 (online) Family (up to 5 people): $134 (walk-up), $119 (online) Twilight pricing (after 6:30 pm): $25