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I NSIDE : Mica Heli Skiing’s new lodge Metal sculptor Andrew Stacey In the kitchen at Paramjit’s Big Bend custom skis Inside the Sled Shed

A snowshoer goes for a walk towards the new Mark Kingsbury Bridge across the Illecillewaet River on a snowy afternoon in Revelstoke.

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Arts

Metal Man

Andrew Stacey likes to take bits of scrap metal he finds lying around and crafting it into sculptures or functional pieces. Here’s a look at how he works. By Alex Cooper

Above: Andrew Stacey’s workspace is filled with crates of scrap metal pieces.; Right: Andrew Stacey with Stereo Mike. “My wife won’t let me sell him,” he told me.

horns – started with some metal pieces a former co-worker found. “That just started with the pieces for the toes,” said Stacey. “Because the feet were so big, that meant the gargoyle had to be nine-feet tall.” Likewise, some big chains he got from Downie, led Stacey to create Fluffy, a three-headed hydra that sits in his yard. Stacey began creating metal sculptures while working for Monashee Manufacturing, a fabrication shop in Kelowna. “The truth is, I was stuck for a Christmas present so I started making things out of the scrap metal that was there,” he said. He went to the corner of his workspace and pulled out a five-armed candle holder made from some left over metal cuts that were laying about the shop, some pipe pieces that fit the tea lights and a base. He welded it all together and came away with a gift for his wife Joanne. “I didn’t go out of my head to make a five-arm candelabra,” he said. “I went and found pieces that looked like arms and turned them into a five-arm candelabra.” The roughness of that piece stood in stark contrast to Stacey’s later work, such as the steel bench that was sitting on the work table of his workspace. With a perfoYOUR PLACE TO GET DIESEL & PREMIUM MARKED FUEL rated metal seat, and square steel tubing for the legs, it has a polish and refinement that makes it suitable for the right space. Stacey was born in Vancouver, the son of an electrician and grandson of a millwright. “Fixing and building stuff is how I grew up,” he said. He got his start as a sculptor ALL DAY BREAKFAST STARTING 7:00AM in Kelowna and after gaining some recogni-

eet Stereo Mike. He’s got the brain of a disco ball, the head of a fire extinguisher, the nose of a hammer head, and the torso of an exhaust pipe. Stereo Mike is the brain child of local metal sculptor Andrew Stacey. It started when he found an old, non-working microphone at a garage sale for $1.50. “I immediately thought of a robot singing into a mic,” he told me. “The rest of it was constructing a robot guy around the microphone.” Mike’s arms are made from metal tubes Stacey found in the scrap bin at Princess Auto. The eyes are the nuts off his old utility trailers and the shoulders are from a piece of cylinder tubing he got from Downie Saw Mill. The result is a singing robot, with fully poseable arms, that looks like it came out of a 1950s B-movie. Stereo Mike is exemplary of the way Stacey works – he’ll find one piece and work from there. Bob the Gargoyle – a nine-foot tall, 900-pound sculpture complete with wings and

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tion there, he and his wife moved to Calgary, where he rented a studio and tried to make a living as an artist. When that didn’t work out, he took a job as a conductor with CP Rail and moved to Revelstoke, where he’s been a fixture at the Visual Arts Centre and at Art First. Stacey’s workspace is filled with pieces of scrap metals – metal hooks, gears, pipes, and whatever else he found or was given. He works with two types of welders, a plasma cutter, sand blaster and air compressor. His work is a mix of functional design pieces like the legs of his dining room table, which were made from some big metal chains; and creative works that are heavily inspired by science fiction and fantasy. His sense of humour is also a feature of his work. A spikemace driven into a keyboard is titled ‘Press any key to continue’ and one of his more unique pieces is a ray gun sculpture he calls the ‘TK101 Planetary Destabilizer.’ I asked Stacey why he likes working with metal. “It’s infinitely functional,” he replied. “You can manipulate it endlessly. “With steel, you can take it, cut it apart, re-use the pieces. If it doesn’t fit quite right, you can patch it up, you can fill it. It’s such a flexible medium. “This was a good fit for me because there’s so much cool stuff you can do. You can add wood, you can add rock, you can add glass. You can add other components but the basic structure is so versatile that I love it.” You can find Andrew Stacey’s work at Art First Gallery at 113 First St. West, or visit his website at www.andrewstaceyart.com.

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Business I set out to find the most hardcore sled motorhead in Revelstoke. When I heard his official nickname was ‘Turbo’, I knew I was on the right track.

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Sled motorheads

By Aaron Orlando

ho is the most hardcore snowmobile motorhead in Revelstoke? To what extremes does he go to make souped up sleds growl and claw their way to the peak? I set out in search of a the best representative of the niche sled subculture that puts the machine first. Everyone pointed me towards “Turbo” Al Williams at the Boulder Mountain Sled Shed. I’ll admit I was a bit worried as I drove past the giant Smokey Bear on my way to the shop. Cold-call interviews can easily go badly and turn into a teethgritting awkward session. What if it’s a room full of standoffish, grease-stained guys grunting answers at the stray who’s wandered into the pack’s den? Boy, I couldn’t have been more wrong. There were grease-stained dudes – but Al Williams is the nicest, most welcoming guy I’ve met in a while. The whip-smart sled guru is an expert welder, engineer, mechanic, physics experimenter, businessperson, pilot, product designer, manufacturer and star tinkerer – and he’s all self-taught, starting back on a Saskatchewan farm. And now he makes a living converting snowmobiles into ovens. Let me explain … he Boulder Mountain Sled Shed is a repair shop. Their seasonal arc starts with the snowfall. First sledders crash into trees and rocks they can’t avoid, leading to minor repairs. More snow falls and they crash into rocks and stumps they can’t see, leading to bigger repairs. Then the snow gets deep so Williams and his crew deal with burned out motors. Then the snowpack firms up and hill climbers roll their sleds down hills and “bend it around a tree.” Once the snow melts, Williams gets onto his 2012 Harley Road Glide and goes fishing. Williams and his tabby cat George greeted me at the counter. He was wearing a leather Harley-Davidson baseball cap, a suede welder’s jacket with Jiffy markers tucked into the sleeve and navy cargo pants. George wears stripes. Repairs are actually a smaller part of the Sled Shed’s business. Williams manufactures custom ‘Sledshed’ cooking cans – modified exhaust parts fitted with a slot for a stainless steel cooking container. The part also boosts performance. The can can slow cook the food if you’re trail riding, or get up to 450 degrees if you’re climbing in the alpine. “You can burn your bacon for sure,” he said. There’s no recipe book, but the key is combining the food right. “A guy did a steak and lobster from the Boulder lot to the Boulder cabin,” Williams said – he started with the lobster frozen. Some restaurants in town sell foil-wrapped foods especially for the cookers. They manufacture the exhaust attachments for many makes of sleds. The shop is an explosion of jagged metal parts, pipes and pieces. It has an order to it, but its organizational theme is ‘improvised.’ The smell of motor oil, metal and the cedar/birch mix in the stove fill the air. Metal ‘jigs’ line the shops, many welded onto old car rims. They look like abstract metal sculptures and serve as guides as the pieces are cut and welded together.

Clockwise from above: The repair shop at the Boulder Mountain Sled Shed gets smoked up as a fixed sled is backed out; Al Williams, his cooking can, and the reception tabby George; The Frankensled is a tribute to modification; These cooking cans are partially completed; The manufacturing room is cluttered with jigs, which are metal bases upon which parts are welded. Each jig corresponds to a different make and model of snowmobile. Aaron Orlando Photos

After dozens of parts are welded together, they add ceramic paint and ship them to most continents in the world. While I was there, an Albertan walked in and buys one. The young man also asked about some mechanical issues, and Williams threw out a very technical explanation, including memorized compression ratios and lots of tech jargon. “You only know by looking on your secondary helix,” he said. (I guess, like me, the fellow has no idea what a secondary helix is.)

Sled shed, page 8

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Alive

High life at the new Mica Lodge

Story by Aaron Orlando Photos by Keri Knapp for Mica Heli Lodge

Mica Heli’s new elite-class backcountry crown jewel was created by Revelstoke craftspeople in just eight months

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Clockwise from opposite top: Fir beams adorn the dining room; A commanding view of the Kinbasket reservoir from up above the Mica Dam; The raw log interior is complemented with locally-quarried rocks and custom metal lamps & fixtures; the bar features shuffleboard overlooking a commanding lake view; the Mica lodge pictured at night. Photos by Keri Knapp for Mica Heliskiing

he newly-completed Mica Heliskiing lodge perches on a ridge above the Mica Dam, overlooking the Kinbasket reservoir – a jewel in a crowning achievement done mostly by Revelstokians. The old lodge was bulldozed on April 5, and just eight months later on Dec. 5, Vic Van Isle delivered a new, 12-bedroom, and nearly 14,000 square-foot luxury lodge. Mica Heliskiing marketing manager Darryn Shewchuk had high praise for the contractor and small army of subcontractors who built and polished the lodge. “It’s just absolutely amazing that they could pull off such a high-end luxury building in eight months. There are luxury homes half that size that have taken two years to build.” he said. “It’s unbelievable. It’s truly an eighth-wonder of the world.” The building is certainly not a ski shack. It boasts a massive living area, a media room, a full kitchen, bar and many high tech amenities. There are hot tubs, private views of the reservoir from every room, a full gym, a gourmet kitchen and massage studios. “The building is ridiculously overbuilt. The walls are all six-inch thick with double matting and double drywall for sound-proofing,” Shewchuk said. “The floors are saw-cut, 12-inch wide timber and all the stone … is all from Mt. Robson.” Giant fir beams, wooden planked flooring, natural cedar finishings, log walls, custom concrete counters, immaculate rock work, sheer glass and engineered lighting design synthesize rustic the cabin feel with modern sheik. Local artist Tina Lindegaard was handed a $50,000 budget to scout and commission works from local and Kootenay artists, which are featured throughout. It’s the work of CEI Architecture, who add the lodge to an impressive array of public and private buildings in B.C. including the Chuck Bailey Rec-

reation Centre in Surrey, the Northwest Community College in Smithers and Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence at Okanagan College. The B.C. company has received many accolades for green and sustainable construction. “They really got what we were looking to accomplish in keeping the cozy feel of the existing lodge, but really making something that’s modern, state-of-the-art and combining those two elements,” Shewchuk said. “They pulled it off amazingly.” Behind the natural wood and glass, there’s a high-tech substructure. The media room offers bigscreen TVs next to the fireplace. Many rooms wirelessly sync the built-in sound system with your smartphone. The ski room features lockers with built-in drying fans. The room has an overall negative pressure so, “You don’t get that wet boot smell going thorough the whole lodge,” Shewchuk joked. The finishings match the modern/rustic mix. The wire-brushed solid fir doors cost in the thousands. Restored metal lamps accentuated the rooms. The luxe linens and light-cancelling drapes welcome you to a dark sleep, and open to a panoramic view in the morning. Shewchuk wouldn’t disclose the price tag. Mica Heliskiing is a partnership between minority owners Dan and Susan McDonald and newer majority owner Patrick Callaghan. The McDonald’s are heliskiing veterans who operated Island Lake Lodge near Fernie before moving to Revelstoke and starting Mica. Callaghan is a California-based computer industry veteran and hardcore ski enthusiast who backed the project. “It’s one specific owner who put the money out of his pocket to build something he wanted to build,” explained Shewchuk. “That being said, he wouldn’t have done it if the company wasn’t profitable. We’re sold out nine or ten months in advance.”

see page 8

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Eats

Inside Paramjit’s Kitchen What’s the secret to making a really, really good curry? We stopped by Paramjit’s to find out. By Alex Cooper

alking into Paramjit’s Kitchen early one morning, the aroma of curry was palpable. It was that delicious smell you get every time you go in. I was there to try and figClockwise, from top: Chef and owner Goldie Sangure out some of the secrets to making a delicious curry. I can make hera in her kitchen.; Rows of spices adorns one of the kitchen walls; Many of the curries come in these a good red lentil soup, but it never matches what I get at Paramjit’s. Chef and owner Goldie Sanghera ran up from the basement classic bowls.; A pot of aloo gobi heats up on the stove. Alex Cooper/Revelstoke Times Review to meet me and lead me into the kitchen. Paramjit’s has been my favourite restaurant in Revelstoke since I moved here. It has a good variety of vegetarian dishes, the prices are reasonable, and – most importantly – the food is delicious. Tucked on the corner of First Street and Connaught Avenue, Paramjit’s, or Pam’s as its commonly known, is a small space, with only about 15 chairs. There is very little separation between the kitchen and eating area at Paramjit’s – just enough to block the Natasha Worby Joe Verbalis Managing Broker www.stokerealty.ca Brokerage Representative sight of the stove, but not enough so that the aroma’s coming forth Office: 837-6300 Office: 837-6300 stokerealty@telus.net Cell: 814-9764 Cell: 837-8987 don’t waft over the diners. The walls are painted yellow and the nworby@telus.net joeverbalis@telus.net decor is a mix of local and Indian art. Bollywood movies play on a television in the corner. “Your Local Real Estate Brokerage Alternative to Purchase or Sell Residential and Commercial Property” It was opened in 2008 by Sanghera, a chef by trade who previContact Joe or Natasha today! ously ran two fine dining restaurants in Calgary before moving to 200 Campbell Avenue Brokerage 250-837-6300 Revelstoke to work at her father’s business, City Furniture. “I quit three times and the third time I quit I said, ‘Dad, this is real. I’m not coming back.’ So we decided to open up some small place.” The restaurant Sanghera opened was named after her mother Paramjit, who has been selling popular curries at the weekly Saturday morning farmers market. The menu was a mix of Indian dishes and German cuisine, a product of her chef’s training in Austria. “It was my cooking experience and her knowledge, and we balanced it,” Goldie told me. The morning I visited, Goldie had three recipes on the go: Aloo gobi, a potato and cauliflower curry; a mango chicken curry soup; and cream of asparagus soup. In one pot a bunch of was brewing. In another, a In Beautiful Downtown Revelstoke. asparagus mix of leeks, onions and carrots were 201 Mackenzie Avenue. simmering – the start of the mango chicken curry soup. 250-837-4141

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“With Indian food you have to do a lots of preparation early,” she said. “It’s not done in just one day.” She started going into the multi-day process for making the butter chicken sauce that is made by her mother. Paramjit then took over and led me through the process. First, at least 25 pounds of onions are chopped and then roasted for several hours until their caramelized. Then she adds ginger and garlic – a good amount of both. Next she lets it simmer until the oil starts to separate. “You don’t have to tell him all the secrets,” interjected Goldie. Still, Paramjit continued. She adds crushed tomatoes, a bit of water, some corn starch to thicken it, and then the all spice – a mix of 17 different spices she blends herself. Finally, it’s finished off with a bit of salt and cayenne pepper. The sauce is cooked one day and served the next with fresh chicken breast and either whipping cream or coconut milk – depending on whether or not the customer wants it dairy-free. “Everything we cook has no butter in the base,” said Goldie. “If somebody asks for something gluten free or vegan, we are able to do it.” As we talked, Goldie added the chicken to the soup, and put on a pot of curried-water to boil; she uses it to blanche the cauliflower. “It gets a nice colour on there,” she said. “People are funny – if they don’t see yellow, they don’t think its curry.” The aloo gobi started with frying up asafoetida spice in oil. The spice is used both for flavouring and as a digestive aid and is very common in Indian cuisine. She then added potatoes and a sauce called turka – a mix of onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes. Finally, the golden yellow cauliflower is added. The turka is a sauce that’s used as a base in many curries; its ingredients vary but it generally contains onion, garlic and ginger. It was already prepared and left to stew – the better to soak up all the spices. “Curry, the more you let it be, it’s more tasty,” said Goldie. “Whatever I do, I have to make a day before.” When Goldie opened Paramjit’s she prepared for having to run it alone if it didn’t work out. “But when I opened it was really busy so I never had to run it by myself.” I spent an hour with Goldie and her mother in the kitchen before other work commitments came calling. Later that day, I went back for lunch where I enjoyed a vegetarian thali – a selection of dishes, including a bonus coconut curry. She said to expect a new menu soon, which will include some Thai coconut curry’s as more people ask for dairy and gluten free dishes. She also serves German cuisine, which I’ve never tried. Someone else can write about that – I’m sticking with the curries. Paramjit’s Kitchen is located at 116 First St. West. Find the menu online at www.paramjitskitchen.com.

The art of skis

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Business

Darryl Ross launched Bigbend Skis less than two years ago. Since then, he’s built up a stable business helping people realize their dream skis – from the shape to the graphics. By Alex Cooper

s making skis an art? Certainly, the top sheets are these days, with more and more creative designs emerging. But what about the rest of the construction? It might seem more like manufacturing, but at Bigbend Skis, with the ability to design your ski from tip to tail – certainly you can get creative. Bigbend Skis is a Revelstoke-based custom ski manufacturer started by Darryl Ross. His workshop is located at the Revelstoke Visual Arts Centre, hence me wondering about the artistic element. I met Ross late one morning at the centre. He was just getting started on a new production run after some time recovering from sickness. Punk music was streaming over Internet radio as I entered his pristine shop. The process of making a pair of skis starts with someone filling out a build form on the Bigbend Skis website. That entails entering your height, weight, skiing style and more. You can specify the exact measurement of your skis, or you can ask Ross for advice. Once he gets your build form, he’ll come up with a couple of possible designs for you to choose from. Then you can choose the graphics – either use a wood veneer, one of the stock graphics, or create your own. You can even take part in the Graphics that Give program – proceeds from sales of two designs go to support the Revelstoke Museum & Archives or Canadian Avalanche Centre. “Really, anything the individual wants, I can get printed on a top sheet for them,” Ross said. Once that’s done, he’ll crunch the design through AutoCAD to come out with a template that includes the width at various points along the ski, the amount of rocker in the tip and tail, the camber, and any other measurements needed to cut the ski. Then, the manufacturing starts. First, the wood core is milled. Ross uses a cross-laminated Baltic birch product for his skis; it’s used for skateboards and more, is readily available, and helps make for a more reliable end product. “It takes a lot of the unpredictability out of the milling process,” he said. Up next, he’ll cut the base, which is made from DuraSurf – the same material used for most skis and snowboards. The edges then get attached to the base. A fiberglass layer is placed over the core and varying amounts of carbon and kevlar are added to dial in

the stiffness of the ski. A specialized rubber helps the various materials bond and reduces internal shear stress within the skis. Then, everything is laid out and put together using an epoxy and the ski is placed in a long plastic bag, which is vacuumed sealed. The pressure created by the vacuum presses everything together. Next, the skis are placed in a heatcontrolled machine Ross calls the hotbox. They’re placed in a series of clamps that can be adjusted to create the rocker and camber in the skis. He’ll let them cook for three hours under pressure, and “at that point they’re essentially done,” he said. All that’s left is shaping the tip and tail and removing any extra material. “It’s been interesting the last two years, I’m still finding efficiencies in the process,” said Ross. “For this production year, I think probably 10 pairs a month is the goal. The plan is to hit 100 pairs per year, per season.” Ross learned how to make skis during an apprenticeship with Matt Neumann of Idaho-based Ullr Skis. The process he learned was developed by Michael Lish, who created an opensource manufacturing system that encouraged other builders to adopt his systems and, in turn, teach others how to make his skis. Since launching in the spring of 2011, Ross has seen his business grow, creating skis for many locals and entering into partnerships with several cat, heli and backcountry skiing operations, including Selkirk-Tangiers Heli Skiing, for whom he’s creating custom skis for long-time clients. “There’s been a steady increase in interest,” he said. “The proof is always in sales realized but I can track the number of individuals that are accessing the website and the build form and there’s definitely been a marked and steady increase, especially this year.” Ross said he’s looking to introduce some stock models for next year for people who aren’t looking for full customization but still want to buy local. He also said to expect the price on custom skis to go up for next year – so get your orders in soon. “I think I’ve done a really good job of maintaining some of the core philosophies that got me into this in the first place,” he said. “It was really important for me to offer a customized product at an affordable price.” For more information and to place an order, visit www.bigbendskis.com.

Visit www.flickr.com/photos/revelstoketimesreviewcom for photo galleries from all of the article’s in this issue of The View

Top: Darryl Ross in his work shop.; Bottom: A pair of cross-laminated Baltic birch cores. Alex Cooper/Revelstoke Times Review

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This winter in Revelstoke

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10

didates for Revelstoke’s Top Bloke and Top Chick competitions. At the Last Drop. 9 p.m.

tants strut their stuff and display their talents. At the Last Drop.

produce, baked goods, and more at the winter market. At the community centre from 12-5 p.m.

FRI, FEB. 1 AND SAT, FEB. 2

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9

RETRO MOVIE NIGHT: FEATURING SKI PATROL Put on your best retro ski gear,

catch the classic ski movie Ski Patrol and show your support for RMR patrol and avalanche dog handlers. At the Roxy Theatre. 6:30 p.m. $10, with proceeds going to Revelstoke Canine Search & Rescue Dogs.

dance and theatre company Red Sky presents an eco-adventure story in the guise of an actionpacked play that entertains and empowers the imaginations of children and parents alike. At the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre. 11 a.m. Tickets are $2 for children, $4 for adults, or $10 for a family of four.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 12

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1

gan Knights. At the Revelstoke Forum. 7 p.m. $10.

Border Bruins. At the Revelstoke Forum. 7 p.m. $10. TOP CHICK NIGHT Come for round two of the Revelstoke’s Top Chick competition as the finalists strut their stuff and display their talents. At the Last Drop.

FARM & CRAFT MARKET Find crafts,

THE GREAT MOUNTAIN The Indigenous

REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES vs. Grand Forks

REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES vs. North Okana-

THURSDAY, JANUARY 17

THE BREAKMEN Canadiana music mixed

with indie folk, from Vancouver. Live at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre. 7:30 p.m. $15.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 18

A CAROUSEL OF NATIONS is a Revelstoke

REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES vs. Kamloops

SATURDAY, JANUARY 19

REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES vs. Summerland Steam. At the Revelstoke Forum. 7 p.m. $10.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3

SPIRIT DAY AT REVELSTOKE MOUNTAIN RESORT Featuring a day of old-school

TUESDAY, JANUARY 22

Arj Barker, Pete Johansson, Dan Quinn and Craig Campbell come together to go snowboarding during the day and do comedy shows at night. At the River City Pub at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $25.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 24

FARMER’S MARKET Find crafts, produce,

baked goods, and more at the winter market. At the community centre from 12-5 p.m.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26

REVY STOMP COUNTRY WESTERN DANCE Come try out your best country dance

moves at this annual fundraiser for the Selkirk Saddle Club. All country, all night. At the community centre. 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. $10.

THU, JAN. 31 TO MON, FEB. 11

REVELSTOKE SPIRIT FEST Twelve days of events and activities for everyone as Revelstoke celebrates its winter spirit.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 31

TOP BLOCK AND TOP CHICK SPEED DATING Come for a speed date with the can-

The Sled Shed from page 3 Williams worked in all sorts of careers. He owned a sled dealership. He welded. He worked for Ford, but spent way too much time doing paperwork instead of actual mechanical work. “Being privateers we have the freedom to do that,” Williams said. “We build things.” Williams works with partners Peter Hermansen and Cathy Scott – and other employees. He’s come up with several power adapters for sleds and has modified just about everything on them. His “Frankensled” out front isn’t recognizable from the the six-year-old floor model it started out as. He designed, built and sold power adapters that boost power and compensate for oxygen and pressure losses at high altitude using “wave amplification physics” – coaxing some up to 260 horsepower.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17

the Revelstoke Forum. 7 p.m. $10.

Posse. At the Revelstoke Forum. 2 p.m. $10.

REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES vs. Penticton

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21

baked goods, and more at the winter market. At the community centre from 12-5 p.m. ABBA AGAIN Tribute to the legendary pop band Abba. Beautiful blended harmonized vocals, exciting eye-catching choreography, glittering costumes with platform shoes... and a touch of humour. 7:30 p.m. $15.

baked goods, and more at the winter market. At the community centre from 12-5 p.m.

FARMER’S MARKET Find crafts, produce,

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8

YOUTH BATTLE OF THE BANDS Come

Sadly, Williams thinks the jig is almost up for people like him. He saw the same thing happen with motorcycles over his lifetime. Growing up, he used to modify them for racing. Over time, the manufacturers caught on to the mods that enthusiasts were making and incorporated them into their factory designs. Nowadays, the racing motorbikes at the dealership are pretty close to as good as you can do. Sleds are going in the same direction. He’s convinced he’s seen some of his earlier mods and retrofits on production sleds. “You’d swear they had cameras in a lot of these shops,” he said. Williams and his partners have built the business from the ground up over the past 10 years, living frugally and avoiding bank financing. Seeing what they’ve accomplished through mental willpower and hard work, I’m not concerned they’ll be unable to adapt to the changes. Oh, by the way, what’s the best sled out there for Revelstoke conditions? “SkiDoo Summit X,” Williams said.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23

ROD AND GUN CLUB BANQUET The biggest feast in town. Come enjoy this wild game banquet, dance and silent auction put on as a fundraiser for the Revelstoke Rod and Gun Club.

THU, FEB. 28 TO SAT, MAR. 2

watch Revelstoke’s best young bands compete for some great prizes and accolades. At the community centre at 8 p.m. TOP BLOKE NIGHT Come for round two of the Revelstoke’s Top Block competition as the contes-

SAT, MAR. 2 & SUN, MAR. 3

TECK MIDGET CROSS COUNTRY SKIING CHAMPIONSHIPS The Revelstoke

Nordic Ski Club plays host to several hundred cross-country ski racers in grades four to seven. At the Mt. Macpherson Nordic Centre.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6

RITA CHIARELLI Canada’s most highly ac-

claimed female roots and blues artists. Live at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre. 7:30 p.m. $20.

Humprey’s wedding and her parents Gerald and Daphne are expecting their daughter’s future mother-in-law for dinner. However, with infidelity, illegitimate children and a case of mistaken identity, all Daphne really wants to know is whether it’s on or it’s off. Presented by the Revelstoke Theatre Company at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre. $15.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6

FARMER’S MARKET Find crafts, produce,

take part in this race around Revelstoke. Starts at 11 a.m. SPIRIT FEST WRAP-UP PARTY Come for a free spaghetti dinner as Spirit Fest finishes up at the community centre. From 6-8 p.m.

REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES vs. Kamloops Storm. At the Revelstoke Forum. 7 p.m. $10.

REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES vs. Chase Heat. At

MEN’S 61ST ANNIVERSARY CASHSPIEL The premier curling event of the year.

THU, MAR. 7 TO SAT, MAR. 9

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15

ski and snowboarding contests taken from the pages of First Tracks: A History of Skiing in Revelstoke.

FRI, MAR. 1 TO SAT, MAR. 2

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10

THE AMAZING RACE Find a teammate and

celebration of our community diversity featuring ethnic song, dance, food, children’s stories and crafts. At the community centre from 4-7 p.m.

Storm. At the Revelstoke Forum. 7 p.m. $10.

SNOWED IN COMEDY TOUR Comedians

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2

AVALANCHE AWARENESS DAY Learn about avalanche safety at the Boulder Mountain Cabin, and then head to the Last Drop at night for some presentations and more. TEAM SCREAM RELAY RACE Come out for a fun cross-country ski race at Mt. Macpherson. Wear a costume if you want. CHILI COOK OFF Who makes the best chili in Revelstoke? Decide for yourself as local restaurants cook up their best and serve it for all to enjoy downtown. From 2-5 p.m. DOWNTOWN RAIL JAM Check out Revelstoke and beyond’s hottest ski and snowboard jibbers as they tackle this rail jam right on Mackenzie Avenue. 4-9 p.m. REVELSTOKE GRIZZLIES vs. Nelson Leafs. At the Revelstoke Forum. 7 p.m. $10.

whether it’s on or it’s off. Presented by the Revelstoke Theatre Company at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre. $15.

IT’S ON, IT’S OFF It’s two days before Tina

Mica Heli Skiing from page 5 In the pantheon of heliskiing operations, Mica distinguishes itself on two key points. Some heli operations maximize heli time by shuttling between several parties through the day. Mica is focused on a higher-end product and tailor their packages to accommodate small groups. “It’s a high-end boutique niche that we’re in.” Shewchuk said. “They want small-group, individualized packages. You’re going to pay a lot of money, but you’re going to get exactly what you want.” Their packages vary, you can mix with others in their A-Star helicopters, or head out with your private group in a big Bell 407 – depending on how many (tens of) thousands you want to spend. There’s also a cat on hand just in case, though Mica claims an average of 1.5 down days on average per season. Their second main selling point is the terrain in their tenure, which ranges over eight

IT’S ON, IT’S OFF It’s two days before Tina

THURSDAY, MARCH 7

FARMER’S MARKET Find crafts, produce,

baked goods, and more at the winter market. At the community centre from 12-5 p.m.

SUNDAY, MARCH 10

COMEDY NIGHT IN REVELSTOKE with

comedian Phil Hanley. His style can best be described as unpredictably reflective, delivered with sharp accuracy and rooted in the grand tradition of joke-telling. At the community centre.

THURSDAY, MARCH 21

FARMER’S MARKET Find crafts, produce,

baked goods, and more at the winter market. At the community centre from 12-5 p.m.

THURSDAY, MARCH 28

CARLOS DEL JUNCO Come witness this gold

medal winning harmonica player and his amazing blues band. Live at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre. 7:30 p.m.

valleys and 72,000 hectares of alpine, fall-line runs, bowls and glaciers. The snow caps it off – it’s the same cold stream from the north hitting the wet air from the Pacific, but it’s colder 150 kilometres north of Revelstoke. “We always joke that now we have a lodge that’s as good as the skiing,” Shewchuk said. “We’ve always said that our geographic area is quite a unique microclimate. We have some of the best quality snow you’ll find anywhere because it’s a little bit cooler and lower temperature – drier snow than you’ll find in Revelstoke. When it’s raining in Revelstoke, it’s snowing at Mica.” Shewchuk said Mica boasts a rebooking rate over 80 per cent, which was due to the location and the lodge, but, “the biggest, most important thing is the staff,” he said of the 16-20 people who run the operation. They include about six guides, three pilots with Arrow Helicopters, housekeepers, a chef, massage therapists, engineers and operations managers. “It’s not a high-growth industry,” he said. “[but] we never had a problem selling.” Find Mica Heliskiing at micaheli.com.