The Stoke

A flurry of giggles and a point made me look up the hill this morning at this sight:

Who invented this?

Eddie from Georgia seemed like a nice guy, and he took off shredding into Iron Glaiden as I laughed behind him. I’m still a bit confused as to how, and why, these things are found around, but at least people are out enjoying the snow (and blustery winds today!).

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Ladies and gents, families, kids, students and seniors - there are only five days left to take advantage of Early Bird Season Pass pricing at Revelstoke Mountain Resort. You’ll save a significant chunk of change, so make sure to buy it by October 1! Download a season pass application and then email, fax or mail it in. Check out the RMR site for more details.

The Stoke wants to see you ham it up for the camera for your season pass picture! There will be a prize for the funniest season pass mugshot - scan in your pass and email it to The Stoke!

Revelstoke local Bart Jarmula won the Squamish Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race yesterday with a time of 4:53:47, over eighteen minutes ahead of his next competitor. Jarmula raced in the solo male category, so he participated in all the events - XC mountain biking, trail running, orienteering, trekking, bushwhacking and rappelling. Congrats, Bart! more dogs than bones divx online

The Banff Mountain Film Festival is coming to Revelstoke on September 22 & 23 at the Roxy Theatre. Check out award-winning flicks and selections from the 2008 Festival, covering culture, explorations, mountain life and adrenaline-fueled adventures.

Tickets can be purchased at the Friends of Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks office, located at 301-B 3rd St. West. Tickets will also be available at the door (but show up early, because it’s likely to sell out). The show starts at 7:00 pm.

A Revelstoke tradition for more than 30 years, the Banff Mountain Film Festival promises to be two amazing nights of beautiful movies. As an added bonus, the Friends of Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks are airing Touching the Void on Thursday, September 24. TTV is the true story of two ill-prepared climbers in Peru - it will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat.

I’ll be at the Tuesday night showing, so hope to see you there.

British Columbia is full of some remarkable hot springs , and Revelstoke has some shining and varied examples. Pick up a copy of Hot Springs of Western Canada to find the best springs near you. If you’re looking for a more civilized soak, look to the heated swimming pools of Canyon Hot Springs (east of Revelstoke along Highway 1), Halcyon Hot Springs (just past the Shelter Bay-Galena Bay ferry south on Highway 23) or Nakusp Hot Springs (another half hour south along 23). Halcyon Hot Springs are particularly charming – the swimming and hot pools overlook Arrow Lake and it’s really beautiful. If undeveloped and rustic is more your style, hike in to Halfway River Hot Springs

or St. Leon Hot Springs to relax amid old-growth forest (and there’s also a great little waterfall to admire on St. Leon Creek).

Relaxing in the upper hot pool with Simon's sister Anna

It is really amazing to think that after a day of work we can jump in the car, take the free ferry across Arrow Lake, and slide into some hot springs in a little more than an hour. I won’t tell you exactly how to get there, because part of the charm of these places is the peacefulness - you’ll have to find them for yourself (but don’t worry - it’s easy!) Shh… don’t tell anyone!

The poured-concrete lower pool is much larger but not quite as hot

The history of St. Leon Hot Springs is really interesting as well - you’d never know it when you’re there, but there used to be a grand old hotel on the delta of St. Leon and Halfway Creek. An entrepreneurial businessman spend a fortune building a resort that struggled through WWI, prohibition, the Depression, and some serious transportation issues before finally burning to the ground and then getting completely razed by a flood.

A vivid rainbow brightened up the ferry ride

Columbia Basin Trust is hosting its first Youth Water Forum September 25-27 in Golden, and they are are looking for engaged, inspired and water-minded individuals to join the fun.

CURRENTS: Columbia Basin Trust Youth Water Forum 2009 is taking place at Kicking Horse River Lodge in Golden, and will be a free event for Basin youth ages 15-29.

CBT is excited to host a forum for youth focused on water issues in the Columbia Basin,” said Heather Mitchell, Program Manager, Water Initiatives. “Basin youth are the future leaders in our communities and will be instrumental in future water-related decisions. We want youth to come, get inspired and get involved in water stewardship to improve and protect water in the Basin for many years to come.”

During the forum, youth will have the opportunity to learn about water issues in the Basin by participating in field-based sessions on topics of water quality, conservation, aquatic wildlife habits, water rights and the Columbia River Treaty.

Through this experiential learning, youth will also acquire new skills, network with professionals working in water and learn more about water resources and how they can get involved to improve and protect water values in the Basin. Not all work, participants can expect lots of interactive games and everyone will also be treated to an adventure in canoeing with the experienced guides from North Woods Canoes. The forum will include lodging and meals for approximately 40 participants free of charge.

Register online until September 16 at www.cbt.org/currents. For more information on CURRENTS contact Heather Mitchell, Program Manager, Water Initiatives at 1.800.505.8998 or by email.

This Stoke post is care of:
CBT Communications
445 13th Avenue. Suite 300
Castlegar, BC V1N1G1

The Columbia River

Do you want to have a say regarding Revelstoke’s future Transportation Plan? Whether you’re a cyclist, walker, bus rider, skateboarder, driver or hiker, the City of Revelstoke’s Planning and Engineering Departments want to hear your opinion via their survey.

The Planning and Engineering Departments are working with a consultant to come up with a Transportation Plan for Revy - the plan will include active transportation routes like walking and biking paths. Residents and tourists alike are asked to complete the short survey and add their suggestions on where trails, sidewalk, road work and new paths are needed make commuting to work and play earlier.

There will be an open house on the Transportation Plan on Tuesday, September 22 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Revestoke Community Centre.

There has been a perceptible change in the vibe around Revelstoke - the snow is long melted and the dress code has changed to “shorts and a toque,” as JJ Vinet put it. The smell of fresh cut grass and sprouting leaves is everywhere, and the aroma of barbeque is becoming more and more frequent. So what do we do in Revelstoke when we’re not skiing? The past month has been spent road biking, climbing, mountain biking, hiking, skateboarding and gardening (all to varying degrees).

Brodie levitating at the skate park

The Stoke house was pretty quiet for much of April - Brodie was down in California, and Simon and I were in Tofino, BC for a surf trip birthday weekend and then over to Vancouver for a few whirlwind days. Our new roommate John D moved in and things have been great. He started up a group called the “I Like to Do Fun Stuff” club - check it out to see when fun drop-in activities are happening, like frisbee, soccer games, hikes and bike rides. Everyone is always welcome!

JJ doing what he does best - being a monkey

Though the ski hill has been closed for nearly a month, Revelstoke is still a super destination. There is loads of biking around - flowy cross country, gnarly downhill, and smooth road rides. We’ve mainly been playing on our road bikes lately - there aren’t that many rides around, but the roads are great and some of the climbs are awesome. Our new favourite climb is the road up Mt. Revelstoke, which opens up in stages over the spring and summer and culminates in a Steamer Hill Climb race in September. Let us know where you’ve been biking around Revelstoke.

Simon doing bike tricks on Moss St.

There are hundreds of bolted climbs in the vicinity for all levels of climbers - I’m hoping that climbing this year will help me get over a pretty big fear of heights. Who else has found that their sense of self-preservation increases every year?

Be sure to check out the Visitor Centre in the heart of Grizzly Plaza - it just opened up again for the season.

Coming up on Saturday night in Revelstoke, Reved Quarterly and The Last Drop pub host In The Spirit Of Music, a free night of local music. Come out to support local talent at The Last Drop. Music starts at 7:00 pm and runs to 1:00 am. There will also be door prizes, Reved t-shirts and stickers up for grabs. T-shirt sale profits go to the Revelstoke Humane Society.

The lineup includes: Blindspot, Sister Girl, Havok Way, Positive Corruption, Highway One and Steve Smith.

Blind Spot rocking out on the RMR deck after the Slush Cup

The Revelstoke Theatre Company is performing Lee Blessing’s Down the Road at the Regent Inn Traverse Lounge Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9 at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $12.

Here’s their blurb:
Down the Road is the story of a convicted serial killer and the husband and wife writing team hired to help him write an account of his crimes. The killer, Bill Reach, has admitted to the murders of nineteen women, but there may have been more. Over many weeks of interviews, the couple - Dan and Iris Henniman - grow more and more uncertain of the ethics of what they are doing. Are they simply relating terrifying events, or are they helping readers consume rape, murder and mutilation as if they were consuming any other product of our society? Are they, in fact, helping to turn Bill Reach into a celebrity?

Next weekend, Down the Road

will play in Nakusp in the Kootenay Zone Festival on Saturday May 16th at 7:00pm at Nakusp Elementary School. Tickets are $15 at the door.