With unemployment rates rising across the continent, head West, young ski bum, to Vancouver Island’s Mount Washington Alpine Resort. The resort, one of Vancouver Island’s largest employers, is in a veritable hiring tizzy, looking to fill over 700 job vacancies by the beginning of the winter season– enough that even you mountain town couch slouches might be able to land a job.

“We’re definitely in the middle of a hiring blitz right now,” says the mountain’s  Human Resource Coordinator Owen Embree. “We’ve increased our exposure as an employer both internationally and nationally over the last couple of months, but now our focus is local. We hope to see lots of candidates show up at our job fairs in November.”

To land its talent, Mount Washington is hosting two hiring fairs Nov. 1 and 15, both offering job seekers the opportunity to speak directly to departmental supervisors. The mountain hopes to attract applicants who possess a passion for delivering exceptional customer service.  A great attitude, high energy level, and friendly demeanor are all qualities mountain representatives are looking for when screening candidates. Naturally, it also helps to have a pre-existing passion for the snowsports industry.

Positions are available in virtually every department, from Food and Beverage and Mountain Ops to Nordic Operations, Tubing Park, Snow School, and Retail.

Deep powder. Huge airs. World-class cinematography. It’s all part of Warren Miller’s Children of Winter, the world’s largest action sports film, which is set to music by Radiohead, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Beck, and others. Shown in crystal-clear high definition, the film tour crisscrosses the nation.

Warren Miller’s 2008 Film Tour showcases spectacular footage shot in Japan, Austria, British Columbia, Alaska, and Iceland with jaw-dropping performances by an impressive assembly of world-class athletes, including Derek Foose, Jonny Moseley, Daron Rahlves, Marco Sullivan, Seth Wescott, Gerry Lopez, and Wendy Fisher.

Timeless Warren Miller athlete Chris Anthony takes on Leadville, Colorado’s legendary skijoring competition. Pep Fujas explores Silverton Mountain, the only backcountry ski resort in the United States. Teenage snowboard pro Ben Watts chases surf legend Gerry Lopez on Mount Bachelor’s frozen waves. Skiing’s top female athletes meet up in Crested Butte for the deepest powder in decades. And Jeff Annetts, Drew Stoecklein, and Derek Foose sail Iceland, skiing mountains that end in the ocean. Stephan Lessard of The Dave Matthews Band, Eric Fawcett of N.E.R.D, Adam Gardner of Guster, and Ed Robertson of The Barenaked Ladies unite to form Yukon Kornelius—a supergroup who perform on and off the snow in Vermont and Colorado.

“When it’s cold and snowing, others run inside. But skiers and snowboarders do the opposite, no matter how old we are,” said Willi Vogl, Canadian producer. “We are all the Children of Winter, and if you ski or ride, this movie reaffirms what we all know, that we’re lucky to know the shortest, coldest days of the year.”

Warren Miller’s CHILDREN OF WINTER tours the country from November to December 2008 as a limited release with stops in more than 80 Canadian cities. Fernie’s showing is December 8th at the Community Center. For more information on show dates in your town, visit skitheworld.com.

Anchored by the return of three World Cup winners from last season, the largest Canadian Alpine Ski Team in history is focused on the 2009 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships and building momentum toward 2010.

The 46 ski racers introduced today at the Panasonic Theatre in Toronto, ON are led by 2007/08 World Cup winners Emily Brydon (Fernie, BC), Britt Janyk (Whistler, BC) and Jan Hudec (Calgary, AB).

“This is an important ‘pre-Olympic’ season. We want to show that we are peaking in February because that’s when the World Championships take place in ‘09, as well as the Winter Olympics in 2010,” said Alpine Canada Alpin Chief Athletics Officer Max Gartner.

The 2009 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships are scheduled for Feb. 3 to 15 in Val d’Isère, FRA.

Erik Guay (Mont-Tremblant, QC) is another Canadian World Cup winner who returns this season along with Geneviève Simard (Val-Morin, QC), who is coming back after taking last season off to rehabilitate a left knee injury.

Thomas Grandi (Canmore, AB), the most successful Canadian ski racer of all-time in the technical disciplines with nine career World Cup combined podiums in giant slalom and slalom, also announced this past summer that he was returning to competitive ski racing.

“The addition of Thomas Grandi really adds to this team. The maturity and leadership that he brings is invaluable,” said Gartner.

“For the athletes returning after a lay off like Thomas and Gen, you want to know this year that they are in the game. You want them to be on target for medals next year, so at this point we are just looking to be heading in that direction,” he added.

The Bombardier Lake Louise Winterstart kicks off the World Cup speed season with men’s downhill and super G races Nov. 29 and 30 followed by ladies downhill races Dec. 5 and 6 and a super G on Dec. 7.

“Starting the World Cup speed season at home each year is obviously very important to us. The support that we receive in Canada really gets us started in the right direction each season and we’re looking forward to it once again,” Gartner said.

The team also has a total of 11 racers who have reached a World Cup podium and seven newcomers to the development teams.

“The team is good blend between veterans and young athletes who we will be asked to push the leaders, to have them show us that they are closing that gap. We know that the expectations for this team have been growing in recent years as we have built some positive momentum,” said Gartner.

The Canadian Alpine Ski Team earned 10 World Cup podiums last season, including three victories. The three World Cup wins were the most by the team since 1994.

Canada finished the 2007/08 season sixth in Nation’s Cup standings with 3637 points and has moved from 12th to sixth in the standings since 2003.

The Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team will be announced prior to the start of the IPC World Cup season.

CANADIAN ALPINE SKI TEAM
SENIOR MEN – RESIDENCE (SKI CLUBS)
Scott Barrett - Toronto, ON (Osler Bluff Ski Club)
Patrick Biggs - Orleans, ON (Ottawa Ski Club)
François Bourque - New Richmond, QC (Pin Rouge)
Julien Cousineau - Lachute, QC (Mont-Tremblant)
Robbie Dixon - Whistler, BC (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Jeffrey Frisch - Mont-Tremblant, QC (Mont Tremblant)
Thomas Grandi – Canmore, AB (Banff Alpine Racers)
Erik Guay - Mont-Tremblant, QC (Mont-Tremblant)
Stefan Guay - Mont-Tremblant, QC (Mont-Tremblant)
Louis-Pierre Hélie – Berthierville, QC (Mont-Ste-Anne)
Jan Hudec - Calgary, AB (Banff Alpine Racers)
Michael Janyk - Whistler, BC (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
John Kucera - Calgary, AB (Calgary Alpine Racing Club)
Manuel Osborne-Paradis - Vancouver, BC (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Jean-Philippe Roy - Ste-Flavie, QC / Gatineau, QC (Mont-Comi)
Gareth Sine - Calgary, AB (NATC - Kananaskis Alpine Ski Club)
Brad Spence - Calgary, AB (NATC - Team Panorama)
Paul Stutz - Banff, AB (Banff Alpine Racers)
Trevor White - Calgary, AB (NATC – Fortress Alpine Ski Team)

MEN’S DEVELOPMENT TEAM – RESIDENCE (SKI CLUBS)
Cameron Brewington – Calgary, AB (Calgary Alpine Racing Club)
Dustin Cook – Lac Sainte Marie, QC (Mont Ste-Marie)
Travis Dawson – Calgary, AB (NATC – Fernie)
Michael Mackie – Canmore, AB (Banff Alpine Racers)
Tyler Nella – Toronto, ON (Georgian Peaks)
Mathieu Routhier – Sherbrooke, QC (Mont Orford Ski Club)

SENIOR LADIES - RESIDENCE (SKI CLUBS)
Brigitte Acton - Mont-Tremblant, QC (Mont-Tremblant)
Emily Brydon - Fernie, BC (Fernie Snow Valley Racers)
Emilie Desforges - Montréal, QC (Mont-Tremblant)
Marie-Michèle Gagnon - Lac-Etchemin, QC (Mont Orignal)
Anna Goodman - Pointe Claire, QC (Mont-Tremblant)
Britt Janyk - Whistler, BC (Whistler Mountain Ski Club)
Sherry Lawrence - Calgary, AB (NATC – Kananaskis Alpine Ski Club)
Shona Rubens - Canmore, AB (Lake Louise / Sunshine Ski Club)
Megan Ryley - Toronto, ON (Craigleith Ski Club)
Geneviève Simard - Val-Morin, QC (Montcalm (Val-St-Côme)
Kelly VanderBeek - Kitchener, ON (Chicopee Ski Club)
Larisa Yurkiw - Owen Sound, ON (Georgian Peaks Ski Club)

LADIES DEVELOPMENT TEAM - RESIDENCE (SKI CLUBS)
Stephanie Irwin – Calgary, AB (Banff Alpine Racers)
Kelly McBroom – Canmore, AB (Banff Alpine Racers)
Erin Mielzynski – Guelph, ON (Georgian Peaks Ski Club)
Brittany Phelan – Mont Tremblant, QC (Mont-Tremblant Ski Club)
Marie-Pier Préfontaine - St-Sauveur, QC (Club Chantecler)
Eve Routhier – Sherbrooke, QC (Mont Orford)
Kate Ryley – Toronto, ON (Craigleith Ski Club)
Georgia Simmerling – West Vancouver, BC (Grouse Tyee Ski Club)
Elli Terwiel – Heffley Creek, BC (Sun Peaks Alpine Club)

Fernie Alpine Resort has been named #6 on the list of the Top 15 Ski Resorts in North America in the November issue of Outside Magazine.

The list was based on snow quality and terrain, and included the following ski resorts:

#1 - Alta/Snowbird, Utah
#2 – Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia
#3 – Vail, Colorado
#4 – Jackson Hole, Wyoming
#5 – Snowbasin, Utah
#6 – Fernie Alpine Resort, British Columbia
#7 – Silverton Mountain, Colorado
#8 – Aspen Highlands and Snowmass, Colorado
#9 – Squaw Valley, California
#10 - Steamboat, Colorado
#11 – Mammoth, California
#12 – Telluride, Colorado
#13 – Solitude, Utah
#14 – Alyeska Resort, Alaska
#15 – Taos, New Mexico

Says Matt Mosteller, Senior Director of Business Development for Fernie Alpine Resort, “We are thrilled to be part of this list, as Outside Magazine is one of the most recognized outdoor magazines in the world. Not only that, but we are one of only two Canadian resorts on the list. It’s a great way to kick off another season of powder, festivals, fun and events at Fernie Alpine Resort.”

Fernie Alpine Resort has made a number of capital improvements over the summer as it heads into the 2008-2009 winter season, and received an epic 37 feet (1,118cm) of snow during the 2007/08 ski season. The scheduled opening day is Saturday, December 6, 2008. Stay tuned to www.skifernie.com for more details.

The man who helped put Whistler on the world’s ski map is investing $75 million in upgrading the small ski area in northwestern British Columbia. Will Ski Smithers be British Columbia’s next Whistler?  That exact line echoed throughout Fernie in the 90’s following Charlie Locke’s purchase of  Fernie Snow Valley.

Lorne Borgal, former CEO of Whistler Mountain Corporation, is heading the area’s transformation into a massive, all-season resort, according to a report in Smithers Interior News. “Smithers is on the brink of elevating tourism opportunities and the mastermind behind Whistler’s success is stepping in to take it to the next level,” Lindsay Marett, a spokesperson told the newspaper. “This resort is anticipated to be the next Whistler.

Currently Borgal is president and COO of 20/20 Group of Companies, a developer of multi-family properties. Borgal once helped Ontario’s Horseshoe Resort launch its $250-million timeshare development.

20/20 purchased Ski Smithers in 2005. According to reports, the company already has a signed master development agreement with the province of BC. Official plans were unveiled Friday for the expansion of Hudson Bay Mountain (Ski Smithers), in northwestern British Columbia. The 75-million investment into the community ski hill will add a new chair to Hudson Bay Mountain, cut at least 10 more runs and complete an eight-kilometre ski out into Smithers called the Trail To Town.

Located between BC’s Prince George and Prince Rupert and north of Kitimat on Highway 16, once developed the ski area will have a 3,700-foot vertical drop and one of the longest ski runs in British Columbia.

“Hudson Bay Mountain is the exact opposite experience to what Whistler is. It provides a rare opportunity to build a safe, secure cabin surrounded by nature in a four-season mountain resort,” Lorne Borgal, president of 20/20 Developments, told media at the project’s unveiling last Friday. “With world-class fishing and hunting along with an uncrowded and expanding ski operation, this is an amazing and unique opportunity.”

With Borgal, B.C.’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, Bill Bennett cut a ribbon to officially open the eight-kilometre-long “Trail to Town.”

“Smithers is one of British Columbia’s best kept secrets in tourism,” Bill Bennett, BC’s Minister of Tourism, added. “The local economy can only benefit from development of the mountain ski area right in town. Together with the planned expanded tarmac at the Smithers airport, and the natural beauty and recreation opportunities, the future of the Bulkley Valley is bright.”

“This expansion will attract serious skiers and snowboarders from around the province, country and world to experience all of the magnificent opportunities this region has to offer for sport and recreation,” Bulkley Valley-Stikine MLA Dennis MacKay said.

The Canadian alpine ski team will be led by three World Cup champions, as the 2007/08 World Cup season gets underway this weekend with giant slalom races in Sölden, AUT.

World Cup champion John Kucera (Calgary, AB), who had three top 10 finishes in GS last season, leads a group of seven Canadians into Sunday’s Men’s race.

Three-time World Cup giant slalom medallist François Bourque (New Richmond, QC) will also start along with World Cup champion Erik Guay (Mont-Tremblant, QC) and Erik’s younger brother Stefan Guay (Mont-Tremblant, QC), who was a FIS Alpine World Junior Ski Championships giant slalom champion in 2006.

Julien Cousineau (Lachute, QC), last season’s Coupe Nor-Am Cup overall champion, is also racing as well as Jean-Philippe Roy (Ste-Flavie, QC / Gatineau, QC) and Robbie Dixon (Whistler, BC).

“We have had a great training period. The guys have been pretty injury free all summer, which has been great,” said Men’s team head coach Paul Kristofic.

“We will have different expectations of different racers,” Kristofic added. “There are guys who are proven GS contenders, who are skiing quite well at the moment. There are also a couple younger guys who are in there who will be to gain experience and will be pushing for a top 30 position for the first time.”

On the Ladies side, Saturday in Sölden will mark the return of World Cup champion Geneviève Simard (Val-Morin, QC) to World Cup ski racing. Simard, who won a super G race in 2004, missed all of last season rehabilitating a left knee injury.

“We had an outstanding summer,” said Ladies Team Director Patrick Riml. “I am very pleased with how Gen is skiing. She has done a really great job coming back and is skiing really fast right now.”

Marie-Pier Préfontaine (St-Sauveur, QC), who was third in the Coupe Nor-Am Cup giant slalom standings last season, will also be racing.

“We will definitely have to come from behind this coming Saturday but I am confident that our girls are going to do a great job and if they ski what they are able to, they can have a really great result,” Riml said.

The World Cup speed season opens in late November with the Bombardier Lake Louise Winterstart. Men’s races kick things off with a downhill and super G Nov. 29th and 30th followed by Ladies downhill races on Dec. 5th and 6th and super G Dec. 7th.

ABOUT ALPINE CANADA ALPIN
Alpine Canada Alpin (ACA) is the governing body for alpine ski racing in Canada with more than 50,000 athletes, coaches, officials and volunteer members and over 200,000 supporting members. ACA manages the high performance programs for the athletes of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team and the Canadian Para-Alpine Ski Team who represent Canada throughout the world. For more information on Alpine Canada Alpin, visit www.canski.org

Edgar B. Stern Jr., chairman of Royal Street Corporation, founder of WDSU Television, New Orleans, Deer Valley Resort, Park City, Utah, the Stanford Court Hotel, San Francisco, California, and a long-time director of Sears Roebuck and Company, died Sunday, October 12 in Seattle, WA at 86.

He was a true visionary, a pioneer in television and an innovator in the ski and hotel industries. In all his endeavors he had a deep commitment to excellence and a philosophy of unstinting service to his community.

He was born in New York City on September 1, 1922, and was raised in New Orleans, where he attended Metairie Park Country Day School. He was a graduate of the Hotchkiss School and Harvard University.

During World War II he served as a Signal Corps officer in the Pacific Theatre and at the Pentagon during the Korean War.

In 1948, along with his father, he founded WDSU-TV, Channel 6, in New Orleans, the first commercial television station in the Gulf Coast region. WDSU was the recipient of a Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting. He served on local civic and social services boards and served nationally as Public Relations Chairman of the United Fund.
Among his many New Orleans projects was participation in the creation of the Royal Orleans Hotel and the Royal Sonesta Hotel. Oakwood Shopping Center, another of his developments, was the first air-conditioned shopping center in the region.

In 1968 he moved to Aspen, Colorado where he developed the Starwood residential subdivision and Red Mountain Ranch. There he served for many years as chairman of the Music Associates of Aspen, the governing body of the Aspen Music Festival & School.  He took the leadership position in establishing the Aspen Valley Improvement Association and served on the Aspen Valley Hospital Board of Directors.

His continuing interest in hospitality led in the 70’s to the nearly simultaneous development of The Stanford Court Hotel and the Deer Valley Resort. Stanford Court Hotel was continuously awarded the prestigious Mobile Five Star rating. A new standard for the ski industry was set at Deer Valley when Edgar Stern achieved his dream of combining the sport of skiing with the service, food and amenities of a five star hotel.

Mr. Stern relocated to San Juan Island, Washington in 1986 where he served as president of the board of the San Juan Community Theatre and contributed to numerous community endeavors.

In 2007, he retired his position as Chairman of the Board of Royal Street Corporation.

In addition to his wife of sixty-one years, Pauline (Polly), Mr. Stern is survived by his daughter Sandra McIver, sons Eric, Monte and Lessing, seven grandchildren, and one great granddaughter. 

More than 70 people turned out this Saturday to help build the coolest bike park in the Kootenays.  These pictures were taken Sunday morning and help tell the story of the tremendous effort that took place:

Well done Fernie Mopuntain Bike Club!!

The Fernie Mountain Bike Skills park will be hosting a volunteer building day with park designer Jay Hoots on Saturday October 18th from 10AM-4PM at the sitelocation behind the Aquatic Centre. They will host a BBQ lunch for all volunteers.

Come out with your shovels, rakes and wheelbarrows plus a willingness to shovelsome dirt and shape YOUR jumps.

If you can help out on the 16th, 17th or 19th just come to the site and they will put you to work.

If you have any machinery that you can lend or operate please contact them at www.bikefernie.ca

“It is the responsibility of all people to work together to resolve their conflicting interests so that living lakes can continue to provide the cultural landscape values and ecosystem services on which the future of human life depends. This situation has become critical, and action must be taken now.”

With these words, more than 100 delegates from around the world nailed down an approach to maintaining healthy communities and healthy lakes. It’s what Wildsight has been working towards for many years with its Lake Windermere Project and Upper Columbia program.

The declaration comes from ‘The Trasimeno Statement.’ It was set forth by the group of international delegates at the 12th Living Lakes Network Conference at Lake Trasimeno, Italy, on September 21 to 27, 2008.

The Living Lakes Network was founded in 1998 by Global Nature Fund. It’s made up of more than 70 environmental organizations representing 55 lakes worldwide, including Wildsight, the only Canadian member, representing the Columbia Wetlands.

The Lake Windermere Project (LWP) was there.

Program manager Heather Leschied attended the conference (her trip was paid for by the Living Lakes Network) and came back with lots to report.

“The conference was an incredible experience,” Leschied said. “It was so fitting that a conference focused on linking cultural landscapes to lake protection be held in a 16th Century Castle. The historic murals covering the ceiling inspired a connection to the area’s historical values.

Leschied learned that numerous lakes worldwide face similar challenges to those faced by the Columbia Wetlands, Lake Windermere and Columbia Lake.

“Development and recreational challenges to lake ecosystems are very common,” Leschied said. “We are still fortunate to have functioning ecosystems—but ecosystem degradation is happening at an alarming rate around the world. We don’t want it to happen in the Columbia Headwaters.”

Leschied learned that degraded lake ecosystems have costs that go beyond the environment—“There are measurable economic losses being noted,” she said. “The host lake, Trasimeno, can no longer be used by local residents for swimming or household purposes. The cost to restore this lake will be tremendous.

On a more satisfying note was the positive contribution Wildsight made during the conference.

“International eyes are looking to the Columbia Valley as a positive example of water stewardship,” Leschied said. “Wildsight’s LWP and Columbia River Headwaters programs are being used as case studies in capacity building by other Living Lakes partners.

“We really brought something to the table at this conference,” Leschied added. “Even though we’re the only members from Canada, our programs are being used as templates around the world.

“That’s why we’re so grateful to all our partners—everyone from LWP Ambassadors to volunteers to corporate funders and local government. They are the capacity we’ve been helping build! Together, we’re protecting the lakes and waterways of our beautiful valley.

“I have to say I was so happy to be able to share how strongly our communities are supporting good stewardship practices from Golden all the way down to Canal Flats. So many other places are so far behind,” Leschied said.

The conference, entitled “Linking Cultural Landscapes to Lake Protection”, was hosted by the Province of Perugia and the Global Nature Fund, among other government bodies and organizations. Delegates came from 30 countries.

In 2004, Wildsight, the District of Invermere and Global Nature Fund hosted the 9th Living Lakes Conference in Invermere. More than 200 international delegates attended.

The Fernie Alpine Resort Community Summit Fund has recently provided support to another six projects this fall, bringing the total donation amount to $39,550 since the Fund’s inception in the spring of 2007.

The Fernie Alpine Resort Community Summit Fund is a $150,000, 5-year initiative that aims to enhance the community of Fernie by supporting sustainable local projects.

“We can really see the positive effect this Fund is having on the local community,” says Matt Mosteller, Senior Director of Business Development for Fernie Alpine Resort, “We have been thrilled with the continued response and look forward to continuing to build partnerships with local groups and organizations.”

The most recent Community Summit Fund recipients include:
·         The Bear Aware Program
·         A Taste of Fernie
·         Fernie Secondary School “Challenge Day”
·         Fernie Ghostriders Junior Hockey Club
·         College of the Rockies
·         Emily Brydon Youth Foundation Golf Tournament

The Fernie Alpine Resort Community Summit Fund has funded over 30 local projects, including a $20,000 commitment towards the new playground at Isabella Dicken Elementary School.

All local organizations, groups and charities are eligible for the program. Grant applications are typically reviewed by the Community Summit Fund committee approximately every three months. To be eligible, a written application must be completed, outlining the following: the background / history of the beneficiary organization; a description of the Project receiving the grant; and date / timeline of the project in question. Applications are available for download at www.skifernie.com/summitfund .