The Stoke

We might be into the first days of summer, but it’s never too early to think about skiing or snowboarding again! Buy your Revelstoke Mountain Resort season pass before June 25 at midnight in order to take advantage of the Early Bird savings!

2010/2011 Season Pass Rates

All rates are subject to the applicable taxes.

Click here for the Season Pass Application Form, or head down to the Presentation Centre at the corner of 1st St. and Mackenzie Ave to buy your pass!

Another great reason to buy your season pass before the end of tomorrow is the chance to win a sweet houseboat vacation from Waterway Houseboats on Shuswap Lake. Purchase your season pass by June 25, 2010 and you will automatically be entered to win a once in a lifetime trip with Waterway Houseboats, valued at $2810!

Interested in knowing more about some of the bands you’ll come across at the Revelstoke Music Festival on June 25 & 26? I’ll be posting some band bios over the next few days. To start things off, here’s local band Positive Corruption!

Positive Corruption
From a snowmobile repair shop located at the foot of the legendary Boulder Mountain, British Columbia has emerged an enigma.

Positive Corruption is band that has deep roots in Revelstoke with members that have been staples of the city’s live music scene long before the worldwide attention to the community. The band’s current line-up has enjoyed each other’s company since 2006 and boasts the vocal leadership of the storied Smokey Pete Hermansen (fmr. Happy Ravens/Big Belly Blues Band/Peter Paul & Zeke). Smokey Pete, although reclusive and unassuming is the main ingredient in the volatile cocktail that fuels this act. He skilfully charms an audience with a velvety smooth delivery, casual come-as-you-are demeanour, Spiderman-like moves and a harp playing that is rumoured to be the reason the Devil moved down to Georgia to take up the fiddle.

With a quiet, almost secretive success, this six-member cast of dishevelled characters have become a favourite on the party/pub circuit, performing to crowds that don’t go away without having a great night. They are a rock band, plain and simple, and none of them will apologise for it. Guitarist Brant Benum (fmr. Happy Ravens/Big Belly Blues Band/Peter Paul & Zeke) says it’s all about the live audience for the whole band. “The music we play takes on a whole different aspect when the crowd gets their hands on it and has their way with it. They always know what to do.”

Backing up Smokey Pete are Cat Scott and Vanessa Hermansen. Vanessa, like her papa Pete, knows her way around a microphone as evident in the Positive Corruption version of Joss Stone’s Super Duper Love. Vanessa steps up to the plate to front several tunes in the band’s bountiful barrel of covers and takes charge with a conviction and soulfulness that cements this act’s dynamic diversity.

“When we were asked to play at the Revelstoke Beats Festival we said yes!… yes!… absolutely!” says bassist Dave Tataryn (fmr. Dr. Shakey/Hellahellahella) “I’ve emceed the festival a couple of times and know that the people this event attracts are out to have a great weekend and they don’t mess around. This is going to be a great party and the band will be in its element”.

Aside from being Positive Corruption’s snappiest dresser, dietician and medical adviser, drummer Trevor Hollenberg (fmr. Talk About Your Fellings/Skinback) is the backbone of the band’s rock solid rhythm section. Trevor cites his love of ballroom dancing and Harley Davidson motorcycles as the muse behind his machinegun drum work. “Just like the rest of the members, it’s our audience that makes this all worthwhile for me….I’m definitely not in this for the money”.
It would seem this band is truly “in this” for the live aspect. They thrive on their audience. In fact, they more often than not, rehearse in front of a small group of regulars that haunt the band’s rehearsal studio located in a machine shop just outside of Revelstoke. “We can try new stuff out on real people, when it works, we know it in rehearsal, says Smokey Pete.

Positive Corruption’s repertoire includes; Foo Fighters, No Doubt, U2 and Iggy Pop. “It’s all been party tested,” beams backup singer Cat Scott.

Old Man’s Beard are some very near and dear friends of The Stoke crew. The band is playing their boot-stomping brand of rock/reggae/folk/alt-country/etc to RevFest this weekend, and their set is sure to be a barn-burner (not literally, though… fortunately there are no barns around or they’d be blazin’). Singer Mike Shaver was kind enough to answer some questions for the band, and they are stoked to rock Revelstoke this upcoming Friday at 7:00 pm, as part of a stellar Friday night lineup!

First of all, tell me why you’re excited about RevFest.
RevFest is a festival in our own back yard.  How can you beat a music festival in Revelstoke?

What’s your connection to Revelstoke?
I lived in the best part of Revelstoke all winter, in the Big Eddy, aka the Large Edward.  Until this fall, Revelstoke had been a mythical place where the nightlife is peaceful, the trash cans are full of money and the skiing is amazing. One out of three ain’t bad. Two members of Old Man’s Beard played every Thursday at the Last Drop with our good friend Denis Severino of a band called Teds Amongst Men, and we really got a feel for the musical tastes of Revelstoke.

You travel the BC interior quite extensively. What makes the region such a great tour destination?
The band is based out of Salmon Arm, and traveling back and fourth between Revelstoke and Salmon Arm meant such a serious change in scenery, crossing from the Shuswap region of lakes and rolling mountains into the Columbia River Basin of serious alpine and railroad romance. The geography seems to change the demographic from place to place, and that keeps touring interesting. Within striking distance is Golden, Nelson, Revelstoke, Salmon Arm, Vernon and Kelowna. Within a six hour drive, Calgary and Vancouver become accessible. Playing cities, which is a must for a touring band, plus a wide variety of smaller towns make it perfect for us.

What do you love about playing festivals? How different is it from a regular bar show?
Festivals are great because they bring out a wide variety of music fans, rather than a bar show that brings out fans of a specific band. People come out, maybe knowing one band, and are open to absorbing new music.

Are you working on new material this summer?
Indeed! We are massaging out a bunch of ideas, trying out some new directions and angles.  Some slow dance songs, some chargers…

What can the audience look forward to at your show?
For RevFest, we are going to be putting on 70 minutes of bootstompin’. If you haven’t heard us before; bring your dancing shoes, some money for snacks and prepare for merriment.

Are you going to be dancing the nights away at the festival, as well?
We certainly are!  Old Man’s Beard are all dance fans.  We all have our own dancing styles… the cross-country ski, the hip circle, alternating knee bends, the snap-bop and the chicken wing. We have played with Sister Girl before and they are great, Greg Sczebel is from Salmon Arm and has been very kind to us and I am really pumped to see the Wassabi Collective, Skavenjah and Earthbound.

Will you be selling merch?
We will be selling shirts that Stephanie (vocals, percussion) did the art for.  We have stickers, CD’s and shirts.

How did you guys get started?
Jesse Clarke and myself met in Fernie through some mutual friends. We started jamming and decided to become a band before we really wrote many songs, or knew each other that well. Then we decided to move to the Interior and record an album before we had a band. Somehow the musicians we recruited to make an album all decided that they liked the project enough to be full-time members. So the line up now is:
Darrin Herting - Bass, additional percussion and vocals
Leon Power - Drums
Mike Shaver - Vocals and guitar
Jesse Clarke - Vocals and guitar
Stephanie Webster - Vocals and percussion

What’s next for Old Man’s Beard?
We are gearing up for an August tour that will take us to Northern BC, and an October tour that will take us to Ottawa to participate in the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals Conference.  We are also writing material that will hopefully make the cut for our next album, in addition to gearing up for the 2010-11 ski season in Revelstoke.

So pretty and handsome! And pantsless. Don't forget pantsless.

A true harbinger of spring in Revelstoke is the weekly Revelstoke Farmers’ Market which takes place in Grizzy Plaza each Saturday. Meet up with old and new friends (both human and canine), and meander down the street perusing displays of hand-crafted, organically-grown and home-baked goodies. There’s everything from fresh veggies, plants for your garden, fresh baked bread, locally-roasted coffee, homemade sausages, the ever-popular Indian food, and any number of crafty items from soaps, textiles, garden decorations, jewelry and more.
Join us from 8:30 - 1:00 every Saturday!

This Saturday, there’s a special event taking place at the Farmers’ Market - Revy local Krista Carnegie has organized a Shoes for Swaziland shoe drive on the 2nd block of Mackenzie Ave. Millions of families in the developing world lack adequate footwear, so please donate used shoes (whether it’s boots, sandals, shoes, slip-ons, or anything but high heels).

Call Krista at (250) 837-8569 for more information, or check out the Facebook page.

Hi folks,
we thought it would be a good idea to do a big season-ender bike ride, in style. Come one, come all to the Bicycles & Beverages tour! We’ll be travelling on two wheels to every establishment in Revelstoke who will have us and imbibing in beverages of the alcoholic variety.

In between locations, we’ll be busting out games, songs, and human pyramids.

MEET AT 2:00 pm at the old BIG EDDY PUB. Bring a can of beer, and we will have a celebratory shotgun to honour the Big Eddy.

WHAT TO BRING: a costume, a bicycle, at least one beer to shotgun, an entertaining diversion (cards, frisbee, golf club, tennis raquet, crokinole, baseball glove, or anything else your little heart desires), and all your friends. This is a critical mass party!

Commemorating Canada’s largest avalanche accident - the 1910 Avalanche in Rogers Pass, Glacier National Park, BC

March 4, 1910: In a late-evening blizzard, CPR Road Master John Anderson toiled alongside 60 men to clear an avalanche that had covered hundreds of metres of track near the summit of Rogers Pass, BC. As the workers and their machinery punched a trench through the deep snow on the tracks, Anderson walked to the watchman’s shack to advise the Revelstoke dispatcher of their progress. On his return, he was met with an eerie silence. A second avalanche had come down from the other side of the valley, entombing the workers and taking 58 lives.

Since that fateful night, little has changed in the mountain environment; yet everything has changed in the way we interact with the many elements that create avalanches and avalanche hazard. Today, Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park is not only a vital transportation corridor but also home to some of the world’s most advanced avalanche risk management programs and research in avalanche science. During the centennial year of this tragedy, the organizing committee invites you to join in telling the story of this accident and how it helped set the stage for the myriad of changes that allow Canadians and our visitors to travel safely through the stunning beauty of our mountains in winter.

On Thursday, March 4, 2010, please join Revelstoke residents, visitors and special guests for the 1910 Avalanche Memorial Service at 7:00 pm in Grizzly Plaza.

Join us as we remember the men who died, and the impact that this event had on the community and on the railway. The memorial service will include telling the 1910 Avalanche story, prayers (both Christian and Buddhist), community choir singing, roll call of names of the deceased, candlelight vigil, display of over 8,000 Senbazuru cranes, a howitzer gun salute by the Canadian Forces (the first time the Howitzer has been shot off in Revelstoke!), and comments from the community, historians, and descendants of those involved in the avalanche. Revelstoke Mountain Resort Pro Patroller Tomo Fujimura has played an integral role in piecing together the stories behind individuals who died in the avalanche, and his wife Yuko organized the Senbazuru crane effort. On March 4, relatives of victim Mannosuke Yamaji will be on hand for the 1910 Avalanche Memorial Service at Grizzly Plaza in Revelstoke.

The organizing committee is made up of Parks Canada, the Friends of Mt. Revelstoke & Glacier National Parks, Revelstoke Museum & Archives, the Revelstoke Railway Museum, Canadian Pacific, and the Canadian Avalanche Association and Canadian Avalanche Centre - many thanks to everyone involved in this commemoration.

The Crane Project and Japanese Connection

Discovered only recently, 32 of the 58 men were of Japanese origin. It is believed that if you fold 1,000 origami paper cranes and link them together (called a Senbazuru), your wish will come true. Countless school children, community groups, businesses and individuals in Revelstoke, Golden, Kelowna, Vancouver, Calgary, Ontario,Arizona and beyond, have been folding cranes to make a wish “to never see such a tragedy again”. Over 8,000 cranes have already been returned to Revelstoke for an outdoor presentation during the March 4 Memorial Service! Watch the animated video to learn more about the 1910 Avalanche and its connection to the crane project:

Well, I’ll admit it. The weather has been unseasonably warm here at Revelstoke Mountain Resort, and the lower mountain is taking a bit of a beating. People have been enjoying beers out on the patio at Mid Mountain Lodge (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!) and hanging out on the deck for apres-ski at the new Rockford wok|bar|grill at the base of RMR. But despite the warm temps down low (damn you, el Nino!), the upper mountain skiing has still been quite good! The snow in Greely Bowl yesterday was fantastic - deep, lightly tracked, and tons of fun. Elsewhere on the mountain is a bit … sportier, to say the least. The moguls are huge, but I skied with a group of Easterners yesterday who were absolutely loving it. There are still some steep, deep and tight lines through Vertigo, along Gracias Ridge, and through Greely that are good to go.
Check out the newest vid posted up by Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Do you have any great ski footage this year?

I got a new pair of skis a few weeks ago and I’m still waiting for that first huge dump of snow to really test ‘em out. Last year it went off in March, so I’m hoping for the same sort of weather pattern this year. How is your winter going? How have you been enjoying the snow, wherever you are?

The Olympic Torch Relay is coming through Revelstoke this evening, and there’s a great schedule of events planned for it:

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
4:00 P.M. – 5:30 P.M.

GRIZZLY PLAZA BAND SHELL :
Parks Canada Interactive Display Snow Sculpture Competition

BETWEEN 1st & 2nd STREETS : FD Productions Video Show – “The History of Ski Jumping in Revelstoke”
5:30 P.M. – 8:15 P.M.

VANOC MAIN STAGE – 2ND ST. & MACKENZIE AVE.:
Official Introduction – VANOC First Nations Welcome
High School Band
Revelstoke Visual Arts Children’s Lantern Parade
Community Choir – Olympic Anthem
“Sister Girl”

7:00 P.M. VANOC MAIN STAGE – 2ND ST. & MACKENZIE AVE.:
Torch Arrives On Stage
Royal Bank of Canada and Coca Cola Entertainment

8:05 P.M. – Fireworks Display

(This program is subject to change)

See the Revelstoke Torchbearer Route at www.vancouver2010.com/torchrelays
REVELSTOKE OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY

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Check out this awesome video made over a week at Revelstoke Mountain Resort! I’m still so amazed by the quality of videos that people can produce now. What a cool age we live in - some of you are incredible video editors!

Killin’ Revelstoke from Paul Lapides on Vimeo.

We’re going to start profiling health care professionals in Revelstoke on The Stoke to let you know how to keep playing hard (and working hard too, if that’s your thing). It’s important to take care of your body when you’re pushing it to its limits - on the slopes, out on the trails, or even by sitting in a chair at work all day.

Our first profile is Katherine Weed, an amazing body worker and an all-around beautiful person. Candid and smiley, Kat’s own deep breathing while massaging are a great cue to slow your own breathing and relax. A yoga guru as well, Kat’s own personal philosophies on staying healthy and happy really ground her and her practice.

I asked Kat a few questions about massage and her recent move to Revelstoke:

What sort of modalities do you use?
I use Deep Tissue, Swedish relaxation, joint release, Reiki (a form of energy healing), Zen Shiatsu (a form of Japanese acupressure), and deep flow (a form of massage emphasizing structural, emotional and spiritual alignment). I use all of these modalities individually, but my favourite thing is to blend them all together, because it creates a unique healing fusion which I can tailor to client’s specific needs. I think every modality has so much to offer, and integrating different types of bodywork is a deep and powerful way to give massage treatments.

Tell me a bit about what differentiates you from other therapists.
Every practitioner is special and unique in their practice….I think it all depends on the way the practitioner conceives of the human body. I believe the body, mind and spirit cannot be separated from one another; treating one aspect of a person has a profound impact on other aspects of the person. The body is much more than just a mechanical, physical machine and my healing treatments work on the person as a whole, energetic unit. I think my Shiatsu treatments are especially powerful, because their aim is to re-establish harmony within the body’s subtle energy system (called “Ki” by the Japanese) through the application of deep finger, elbow or knee pressure on acupuncture points throughout the body. Stimulation of these points can help relieve stress and anxiety, chronic pain, and can improve overall health in the body. Plus, it feels really amazing!

How do you keep your own body and mind healthy so that you can help others?
I think that self-care is one of the most important aspects of being a massage practitioner; it’s important that I take time and make space for myself, so that I can go into treatments and share that same time, energy and space with my clients. In order to give an effective treatment, I need to be present, mindful, and aware so that I can be truly open and listen to my clients. My daily yoga practice is probably the most important thing that I do in my day, because it grounds and strengthens my body, mind and spirit. I maintain a healthy, mostly vegetarian diet, I don’t drink coffee or alcohol, and I generally try to listen to my body and nourish myself with what I need for that specific moment or day. I try to practice mindful awareness in my daily life and stay tuned into the present moment. Most importantly, I smile and laugh a lot, and spend a lot of my time in very deep, fluffy powder snow.

What led you into massage?
I was actually in school for Traditional Chinese Medicine before I chose to go to massage school. I really loved the essence of the TCM theories, but as I got deeper into it, I began to realize that I connected much more with the art of touch and hands on healing than I did with administering needles and prescribing herbs. TCM definitely instilled in me a love for the healing arts though, and my TCM foundation prepared me for learning Shiatsu a year later, which is based on the TCM theory of the body. I absolutely love giving Shiatsu treatments!

What brought you to Revelstoke
The mountains, the snow and the incredible people. I first visited Revy 2 years ago, and I couldn’t believe how amazing the RMR terrain was. I remember experiencing the endless, steep trees for the first time, and feeling like I was the only one on the mountain. Having lived in Whistler for 4 years, I wasn’t initiated to the concept of an uncrowded mountain, nor the unhurried nature of the people in town, and I fell in love with the energy…..I knew that I would one day live here.

Are you planning to stay for good?
As for length of stay, there are still countless places on the planet and other massage modalities that I want to explore, but I have a feeling that Revelstoke will be a home base for a long time.

What are your hours this winter and how can people book an appointment with you?
This winter, I’m dividing my time between The Mindful Body in town and Eagle Pass Heliskiing at Griffin Lake (where I’m also doing massage), so my hours will vary from week to week, although I’m generally quite flexible. I run The Mindful Body out of Trans-Canada Fitness, which is located at 501 West 2nd St. You can book appointments by calling the front desk there at (250) 837-3440, or you can call my cell phone directly at (250) 814-3615.