Dear Revy Followers
Spring has arrived and we hope you have been enjoying this season as much as we have! Early season powder made way for mid season drought. For many riders that meant hunting in new zones, pushing in new lines and getting creative out in the dry snow and frigid temperatures. Let’s hope we get a little more fresh snow in spring and ride safe in the warming conditions!
This season we have had a fantastic turn out at club events, including Avalanche Awareness and Mountain Safety Day, Youth Day and Vintage Ride. Keep an eye on our website and social media pages for dates of events at our cabins and welcome centre. Our volunteers love working with club members to ensure a fun and safe time in the backcountry for everyone!
This year your membership has reached an all time record of 1024 members, making us by far the largest in Western Canada. The main reason that has been given by new members for joining has been to help us protect our areas from Wildlife Closures.
CARIBOU CLOSURES
The Caribou issue has been one that is almost as old as the Club itself, with the decline in animal population stretching back over 30 years. Our General Manager, Teena Rumak, and our volunteer board members have been attending meetings and working tirelessly to better inform and prepare for tough times ahead. Some of our board members have decades of experience in this endeavour.
https://www.revelstokereview.com/opinion/letter-to-the-editor-revelstoke-speak-now/
The Revelstoke Snowmobile Patrol, a crew of local volunteer riders, maintain and survey the border of the Frisby closure area and report findings to government. It only takes one snowmobile or snow bike track in a closed area to further endanger our areas to closure. Please respect these boundaries and the space of the animals of you do see them in the backcountry. We do not wish to provoke the ire of the government and hope to see the caribou flourish in their habitat with our efforts.
Recent developments:
March 21, 2019 the Federal Government released the Draft Section 11 Agreement.
B.C. and Canada have been developing a bilateral conservation agreement under Section 11 of the Species at Risk Act (referred to as the “Section 11 Agreement”). The draft Section 11 Agreement contains overarching commitments, measures and strategies for the recovery of Southern Mountain Caribou in B.C.
https://engage.gov.bc.ca/caribou/section11agreement/
Important Dates:
- Revelstoke public consultation is April 15, 2019, location and time to be determined.
- Complete the Section 11 feedback survey by May 3, 2019 at 4pm.
https://feedback.engage.gov.bc.ca/193557?lang=en
CARIBOU RECOVERY HERD PLANS
There are three herds that will have significant impact the Snowmobile Tourism Industry in Revelstoke.
| Caribou Herd | Riding Areas | Recovery Herd Plan |
| Frisby-Boulder-Queest | Frisby, Boulder, Turtle
Eagle Pass, Queest |
Frisby-Boulder-Queest Herd Plan
|
| Columbia South | Keystone, Sale | Columbia South Herd Plan |
| Columbia North | Caribou Basin, Groundhog
Bourne Glacier |
Columbia North Herd Plan |
Recommendations:
Close snowmobiling in all delineated core areas. Maintain current standard operating procedures for heli- and cat-ski operators.
BCSF FUNDING IS NEEDED TO LOBBY THE GOVERNMENT
Donegal Wilson, the Executive Director for the BCSF, is the snowmobile community’s political voice both provincially and federally. Donations can be sent directly to the BCSF or through the BCSF Go-Fund-Me campaign.
https://www.gofundme.com/manage/bcsf-land-access-for-public-snowmobiling
REVELSTOKE SNOWMOBILE ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY
In collaboration with BC Snowmobile Federation (BCSF) and MNP , the Revelstoke Snowmobile Club has committed to completing a microeconomic impact study quantifying the value of snowmobile tourism to Revelstoke. Please fill out the survey if you haven’t yet done so. Click here for the survey.
A REMINDER TO OUR MEMBERS
We would also like to encourage the use and care of our cabins for all. Our safety shelters on Boulder and Frisby are for all riders and are family friendly facilities, so please no alcohol, drug use or swearing. The cabins are our sanctuaries in the backcountry and often used in emergencies, so please leave them in a clean condition and ready for the next user with wood boxes stocked and entries cleared of snow. It may be you who needs it in a hurry next time. After all, we are a club of members and not a resort.
If you ever have any questions or concerns, or wish to be more involved as a member, please come and see us in the Boulder Mountain Welcome Centre.
Sincerely,
Revelstoke Snowmobile Club