One of the most popular and challenging hikes for a would-be hiker is Old Glory, the highest mountain of the Rossland Range.

To understand how impressive Old Glory is, and the effort required to hike it, one simply has to hear a story from Rossland’s early history.

Years ago, a new staff member was being escorted up to the Old Glory weather station. As the individual was escorted on snowshoes they topped Unnecessary Ridge.

Upon seeing Old Glory rising impressively above him, the new staff member quickly announced that he was quitting and he turned back to go home.

The Old Glory weather station was built in 1942. Rossland resident Bart Dudley was the first operator for the station that same year. Over the years, another Rossland resident, Wilf Gibbard, led his packhorses up and down the steep trails of the mountain to keep the station occupants supplied. Many hikers also enjoyed the benefits of the fully stocked station over the years.

The station burned down in January of 1968.

William Russell Raithby, the last operator of the station, fled the fire in light clothes and bare feet and spent 26 hours in an unheated forest hut. Three rescuers ventured up the hill in freezing temperatures, high winds and total darkness to save him. They spent five hours keeping him warm and bandaging his frostbitten feet before the weather cleared and a helicopter could be brought in to remove him.

RECREATION ON THE ROSSLAND RANGE

The Rossland Range provides an extensive number of recreational activities for all seasons. Snowboarding and snowshoeing are very popular in the winter, while hiking, horseback riding, berry picking and bear watching are popular in the summer.

The Rossland Range is also one of only three areas in the West Kootenays that is suitable for ski touring and snowshoeing, while being readily accessible from a maintained public highway in winter.

WILDLIFE OF THE ROSSLAND RANGE

Some of the rarest species of wildlife in B.C. call the Rossland Range home. The Old Glory area is also known to be in the territory of at least two grizzly bears.

Grizzlies in the area are a recovering population that lives at the very southern edge of the grizzly range for B.C.

The Rossland Range is considered to be one of the last undisturbed islands of high elevation grizzly bear year-round habitat in the southern region of B.C.

Bobcats have also been sighted in the forested areas around the Rossland Range.

Many believe that the motorized recreational use of the area is having a negative impact on the animals that live there, possibly causing them to seek other areas for their home.

Many outdoor enthusiasts are attracted to the area to view the animals that live there.

THE ECONOMIC SIDE OF THE ROSSLAND RANGE

Many people live and work in the region because of the opportunities for recreation in both winter and summer, which provides an economic windfall to the municipalities of the area.

The Red Mountain ski area uses a large part of the Rossland Range, as does the Black Jack ski club.

The Rossland Range is a key component in offering recreation activities to attract people to invest in the area.

FRIENDS OF THE ROSSLAND RANGE

The Friends of the Rossland Range (FORR) is a non-profit group, which promotes and fosters understanding, appreciation and stewardship of the Rossland Range among residents and visitors. FORR seeks to share the limited alpine lands in the Rossland Range with historical users, while considering wildlife and environmental values.

FORR hopes to establish the Old Glory Alpine area for non-motorized recreational activity to preserve the eco-system. Several programs are funded by the group including the collection and distribution of the history of the Rossland Range to residents. FORR also sponsors hikes for all community members and visitors to the Old Glory peak.

As well, the group runs interpretive programs to education people within the region about the economic and health benefits of retaining natural areas with their ecosystems intact.

For those who want to learn more about the Rossland Range and its history, join the 2007 community hikes to Old Glory peak. Hikers will learn about the history of the Old Glory Forest Service Lookout, the weather station and enjoy the hike to the highest peak in the Rossland Range. Those interested are asked to be prepared for a strenuous hike of five to eight hours. Bring water, food, be bear aware and dress in layers for the hike. Two dates are available, Aug. 11 and 25. Meet at the Old Glory Trailhead at 8:30 a.m. or call Suzanne Paquin for more details at 362-6809. ;

Taking time for yourself is possibly the most beneficially relaxing thing that should be on your to-do list.

We all need down-time and hiking or walking in the outdoors can be a fun way to create a healthy balance in your life and help you cope with stress.

This past week, after sitting at my desk for hours designing and developing content management systems for clients, I decided it was time to get out and hike.

So, I made some time and took the easy drive from Sunningdale, through Beaver Valley to the Champion Lakes Provincial Park to walk the trails connecting the three lakes.

These beautiful mountain lakes are surrounded by lush, green vegetation and moist interior cedar-hemlock, alpine fir and yellow pine. They form the headwaters of Landis Creek, which flows northward to join Champion Creek, a tributary of the Columbia River.

If you have never been to the Champion Lakes area, diversity is the word that best describes what awaits those seeking an early morning, daytime or evening adventure in the park.

The park’s largest lake lies at the centre of the provincial park and offers a wide variety of wildlife and birds, including nighthawks, owls, deer, coyotes, black bears, snowshoe hares, pikas and beavers. It also has excellent facilities for camping, two beaches, excellent fishing, swimming and a children’s playground.

The two smaller lakes are in the east and west portions and are accessible by walking trails. The second lake is accessible by vehicle as well.

By taking this early evening walk in the fresh air and making the time to enjoy the stunning geography of this wild and unpopulated space, it allowed me to make some slight shifts and beneficial adjustments in my daily routine.

The next day, I was thinking more clearly about my web development work and afterwards I was soon thinking about my next trip up to the Champion area to hike the Lookout trail.

The park also offers full camping facilities in case you wanted to stay for a few days or a week.

The backcountry trails and landscapes offer breathtaking beauty that will be sure to please anyone, even those in most need of some relaxing down-time.

The hiking trails start at the third lake and you can easily walk around the lake and back to the parking lot in just over an hour.

Each of the other two more remote lakes offer beautiful scenery and it is likely you may not encounter another human during your hike, unless it is the height of the summer.

Hiking in the outdoors can make an enormous difference in how well you feel.

If you are anything like me and have a busy schedule, hiking will allow you to become a more reflective person. After this trip into the outdoors, you will become a spiritually richer person.

If you engage in something like hiking in the outdoors every day, you’ll soon find that the physical benefits provide more mental clarity and better health.

I am sure if you venture to the Champion Lakes area it will almost guarantee that you will return again and again to learn more about this special place that is home to such immense beauty and enticing wildlife.

You will learn not only about this spectacular outdoor environment, but also a great deal about yourself and the meaning of taking the time to simply breathe the fresh mountain air. Doing so is great for reducing stress and providing immense health benefits.

Randy McCallum writes a bi-weekly column on hiking in Trail. For hiking tips, area photos and guides, visit www.wkunplugged.com ;

No longer do I see it as a majestic river that created the pacific northwest as we know it.

This changed after taking a trip with Columbia River Power Rafting.

The business, which offers rafting, fishing, site-seeing and day charter tours, brings the Columbia River alive through a totally different angle.

“I don’t think one-tenth of a per cent of Trail has been down the river like this,” Power Rafting owner Gary Crombie said.

After arriving at the Gyro boat launch our tour group was driven to Scotties Marina, just outside of Robson, to begin our wet and wild trip.

After leaving Scotties Marina, the tour goes into the Keenleyside Dam where the boat goes into the locks and descends 60 feet to match the water level of the Columbia River beyond Robson.

For those who have never been in a dam lock, the locks lower you to the level of the river on the other side of the dam.

It is truly an amazing experience. “It is like being in the bat cave,” Crombie said.

As the tour progressed past Castlegar, Crombie spreads his knowledge of the history of the Columbia River, pointing out several interesting facts.

An old boat launch for paddle-boats was pointed out by Crombie, along with several interesting tidbits about lands once used by natives in the area.

At one point, the group saw large amounts of rocks lying along the hillside. Crombie explained that this was due to the early settlers removing rocks from their orchard fields and rolling them down the hill.

Along the river, if you are lucky, you will be treated to several eddies that adds to the overall excitement of the experience.

After a four-hour trip, that goes by very fast, the tour ends back at the Gyro boat launch.

The fishing and rafting tours run by appointment only. To book a trip down the Columbia River call 364-2922.;

From start to finish it was easy to see they have a real passion for the resort and all it entails, including the housing development.

I was amazed at how mature many of the holes have become in such a short time.

Beginning on number 10, this long par 4 offers five tee boxes. Three of them require a drive over the creek, while the other two start you on the other side of the creek. Some of the side hill has been taken out, creating a flat landing area for your drive. Between the tee boxes is an old log building that was a stopover cabin for travellers on the Dewdney Trail.

The trail runs through the course to Gopher Creek and you’ll see it again on some of the later holes. The plan is to incorporate the Trail’s history into the development. Soon, you will see a structure erected over the building to protect it from the elements and re-define the path as it makes its way through the course.

The cart paths are all tilted to aid the quick removal of excess water and double seeding has controlled erosion.

At the par 5 Number 11, which is a 620-yard for some, you’ll find five tee boxes. It all looks quite daunting from the championship tees, but is very different story from the forward boxes. The narrow appearance is deceiving as the fairway is quite wide. This hole has recently been seeded.

The par 3 12th hole was the last to be seeded last fall. It’s in remarkable shape and I felt like I could tee up and play the hole right now.

At the tee boxes for number 13 you’ll find a unique seating spot. A rock in the perfect shape of a bench was removed from one of the other fairways and placed there. Apparently, a few more of these rocks were found so you may find more of these seating arrangements by the time the new nine is open. This is a short par 4 with some strategically placed sand traps that will catch your sliced drive before it gets into the forest.

Speaking of the forest, the whole area has been selectively logged in such a way that it doesn’t look like it happened at all. One of my first observations was that there are no pine trees. So, the pine beetle will not be destroying the beauty surrounding the course. There are, however, lots of beautiful cedar trees. There is a pristine feel as you walk through.

There are a couple of holes where the walk is somewhat steep between the green and tee box. Having said that, I would not hesitate to walk the entire course.

On to number 14, the second par 5, the fairway is dished on both sides, giving those like me hope that our ball will end up in the middle of the fairway.

There are only a couple of holes where pin placement will be an issue and this is one of them.

Crossing the creek to number 15 you can again see the Dewdney Trail. It’s a short par 4 with a dogleg. There is a lot of nature here as we saw a huge number of Monarch butterflies at the tee boxes.

Number 16, is a short par 4, and the final hole to be seeded. The pond on the right shouldn’t come into play, but we all know it likely will.

On the par 3 number 17 your drive takes you over the pond. The Rubberhead walking/biking trail passes through here and takes you to the number 18 tee boxes.

Although most of the holes are deserving of the title, number 18 will likely be the signature hole of this course.

Another five tee boxes to a downhill dogleg, a pond and a creek all contribute to the beauty of this hole. It sounds formidable, but I convinced myself I could play this hole by the time we had completed the walk.

All fairways are seeded with Kentucky bluegrass and the greens with A4, which I’m told is the Ferrari of grasses. I do know that the more mature greens were in great shape.

The subdivision will see 17 homes built this year. At the time of my visit, there were two foundations completed; two had footings in place and another two were in the process of digging. This first development will consist of 85 homes and paving has just been completed in this area.

Heading towards the highway on the new entrance, which will be paved very soon, one passes through an area that will be developed with multi-family residences.

These residences will hold one to two bedroom 750 to 1,100 square foot homes and will be released for sale very soon.

All the homes will be near the golf course providing privacy and convenience.

Throughout the subdivision you’ll see beautiful rock-work, all built with native material.

I encourage you to visit Redstone Resort whether you’re a golfer or not. You’ll be amazed at the beauty of the whole development.;

Living to learn and to generate smiles, my eager, handsome new personal trainer is a loyal member of Pat and Sue Vlanich’s household, my good friends from Sunningdale. They appreciate it when I pick Hutch up for another day of hiking and exercise.

Today we’re heading up a clearly etched trail that can be seen when crossing the new or old bridge in East Trail.

This easy trail, or old roadbed, crosses through a clear green patch of grassy meadows heading south towards Casino road above Columbia Heights, and it is probably one of the easiest hiking trails in the area.

Hutch is never too far ahead, checking out the trail that leads to what, I have since learned, is the old Elders farm. When I finally catch up, this well-balanced Golden Retriever is gazing out across the Columbia Valley.

I capture yet another digital imprint in time and notice Hutch is alert in that always self-confident disposition motioning that we still need to make it to the top for a final relaxing rest at a great vantage point that gives a view of the whole area.

When I finally make it to the first switchback, heading back towards Gorge Creek, I see Hutch’s eyes beaming at me with a deep gentle expression, showing a spark of intelligence.

Hutch’s strong well-fringed tail is always wagging. Soon I notice what must have been the Elder’s old farmhouse foundation and some rock walls that once routed the water table away.

After a short investigation, we continue up the trail. My friend’s fluid movement moves ahead of me, making it to the destination viewpoint just above the power lines that run from Warfield across Lookout Mountain.

I catch my breath and can see that Hutch is standing once again in that stunningly attractive pose, patiently waiting, his beautiful coat shining in the bright sunshine directly above downtown.

I can’t help but think that when we make the trip down to the arena parking lot, the temperature gauge will be hovering above 40.

The view of the valley past Teck Cominco and Tadanac towards Gyro is amazingly pleasant even though the full plant operations can be seen below.

After a short stay we make our way back down the trail and stop in for a cool down in the cold water of the Columbia River at Gyro Park.

I smile as I watch Hutch’s wonderful eager-to-please channel of enthusiasm make some young children smile.

After a quick wade, we walk to my open topped 4×4 and head to Pat and Sue’s to drop Hutch off for a nap.

I hug Hutch and beam a smile at my always cheery, golden haired personal trainer. It is time for me to head home for another afternoon of some software development.

Accessibility: Easy to Moderate

Randy McCallum writes a bi-weekly column on hiking in Trail. For hiking tips, area photos and guides, visit WKUnplugged.com ;

Nearly 100 years later, those who visit the Rossland Mining Museum can experience a bit of the life of a miner.

Before the Le Roi mine tour starts, visitors can view several exhibits that showcase Rossland’s early history.

One of the more impressive pieces is a 28-foot muralwhich depicts several of the individuals who have contributed to Rossland history. It has a copper and gold background to represent the mineral wealth upon which Rossland was founded.

Along with artifacts, including Nancy Greene’s skis, the Jeldness Cup and a room devoted to bottles collected over 100 years, there are displays that re-create some prominent Rossland landmarks. These exhibits include the old post office, Hunter Brothers’ General Store, the Teck Cominco wing and the newly created Chinese exhibit.

Once the Le Roi tour starts, the real magic of the museum comes alive. Allowing visitors to go deep inside the mine is a feature that makes the Rossland Mining Museum truly unique.

The tour starts on the mine grounds where your guide will show various buildings and devices used by the miners, including a century-old time clock made by IBM.

Once you have donned your hard hat and blanket, as it can be as cold as seven degrees in the mine, the descent begins.

When the mine door opens, a large gust of air will come through, giving the mine an eerie sense of wonder. It is not hard to understand why many early miners thought the Le Roi mine to be haunted.

Once in the mine ,visitors soon learn of the type of men who could work in such a dark, cold place through 128 kilometres of underground tunnels.

Miners worked long days in search of ore that averaged 0.5 ounces per tonne of gold, one per cent copper and 0.6 ounces per tonne of silver.

Near the mine entrance, the stalactites and stalagmites exhibit greets a visitor with their majestic wonder. The stalactites, which come from the ceiling, and the stalagmites, which rise from the ground, can take thousands of years to form into large columns.

One of the most impressive features of the mine are the stopes, which were used by miners to extract ore. One of the first stopes a visitor will see in the mine extends 500 feet down. The miners stood on a thin board, while extracting the ore above them. Without safety equipment, the miners had to be experts at balancing while working.

Due to the dangers of mining, life expectancy was low and most surviving miners were deaf by their late-20s as a result of the noise created by the machinery.

The tour continues through several tunnels where a short history on the progression of mining tools is shown.

The tools range from rocks for rock-on-rock mining to the Ingersoll-Rand drill, often called the little giant or widow-maker. The drill released dust in the air that accumulated in a miner’s lungs, eventually killing him with a disease called ‘miner’s consumption’.

To really get a sense of the conditions miners worked in, the tour guide takes time on the tour to turn off the lights. The only illumination comes from a small candle. Candles cost miners five cents and they had to buy them from the company store. Each miner would usually burn eight candles in a day.

The lack of sunlight also caused many miners to be chemically-depressed. The large number of saloons in Rossland during the Rossland’s early history attest to this fact.

At the completion of the tour, everyone in the group has a better appreciation for the men who worked the mines and helped put Rossland on the map. ;

While the gold helped Rossland boom, another activity was taking shape that would eventually put Rossland on the map years down the road.

When Olaus Jeldness came to Rossland in 1896, the fate of the city was forever changed. Through his ski races, the legendary ‘tea party’, and ski jumping awards, Jeldness took advantage of the Rossland winter and brought about a new spirit to the city and its future inhabitants. Skiing became the rage in Rossland, and with it came the annual Winter Carnival, to celebrate the winter spirit of Rossland. Olaus Jeldness would eventually leave in 1909 for Spokane, but his mark had been left on the city.

Rossland would boast many different characters as part of its population; one of the most remembered to this day is Father Pat. Reverend Henry Irwin, or Father Pat, was an Anglican minister who came to Rossland at the turn of the century. He was always on hand to help the miners and anyone else who needed his help. Living in a small shack, he was always able to use his fists if the need arose, which it often did in a mining town. He became such a beloved member of the community that after his death the town came together to build a monument to him, which stands to this day on Columbia Ave.

With eccentric Norwegians like Jeldness, and fighting priests like Father Pat, it is little surprise that Rossland also had someone in its early history who would attempt to invent a helicopter, years ahead of its time.

The “Flying Steamshovel”, as it was called by residents due to its resemblance, flew for the first and only time in 1902 with inventor Lou Gagnon piloting it.

Out of the shed in the back of a hotel, Gagnon, a pumpman at the Nickel plate mine, spent years designing his invention in his spare time. Nights in the shed were filled with the noises of blacksmithing, boiler-making and carpentry, much to the annoyance of his neighbours.

Eventually, the big day came and Gagnon was ready to test his invention. After lurching up to the height of the hotel disaster struck. The tail suddenly dropped and the machine corkscrewed downward into a spin, barely missing the edge of the hotel. It crashed upside down, erupting in an explosion of smoke and cinders that ballooned in the winter air and scattered the onlookers in all directions. After the device was lifted off of Gagnon by two men, they found he had a broken leg and was in a state of shock. Soon after, the shack was boarded up and Gagnon began his recovery from the accident with the early helicopter. Gagnon would eventually go to Spokane, before passing away in Toronto years later.

The subsequent years saw hardship hit Rossland as the mines slowly shut down. Central School burned down in 1916, followed in 1927 by a fire that burned all the buildings on Columbia Avenue between Queen Street and Washington Street.

Two years later, the buildings on the north side of Columbia between the Post Office and the old Bank of Montreal burned.

In 1951, Rossland Senior Secondary officially opened its doors as things began to improve in the city. Dial telephones and natural gas would make their appearance in 1956 and 1958, modernizing Rossland.

The sports, specifically skiing, erupted in the 1960s with April Don Bertoia winning a gold medal at the Pan-American Games in 1963.

Four years later, Nancy Greene won the World Women’s Downhill ski championship, becoming the first North American skier to win the World Cup. That same year she won seven of the 16 events she participated in, earning Canadian Athlete of the Year honours for 1967. She repeated in 1968 as World Cup champion, as well as earning a gold and a silver in giant slalom and slalom at the 1968 Winter Olympic games in Grenoble, France. She would repeat as Canada’s Athlete of the Year due to her sporting achievements.

After retiring, Greene would be made an Officer of the Order of Canada, and would be inducted into the British Columbia and Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, as well as have her star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.

In 1999, Greene was chosen as Canada’s Female Athlete of the 20th Century.

In 1973, the Rossland Miner building would burn down followed by the White Wolf Hotel in 1975, the Allen Hotel in 1978, the Masonic Hall in 1976, and MacLean Elementary in 1981.

In the 1980s, Rossland would welcome its first female mayor, Jackie Drysdale, and the 1990s would see the continuing development of Rossland as a resort town where one could come for skiing and snowshoeing in the winter, and mountain-biking, golf and hiking in the summer.

Despite being located on top of a mountain, with a small population, Rossland has continued to put itself on the map, either through its athletes, mining, or community spirit. ;

Olaus Jeldness was a Norwegian mining engineer who had set up successful mining operations in the United States and his native Norway before emigrating to Rossland in 1896.

Upon arriving, Jeldness immediately became known for his eccentric personality and his skill and love for skiing.

One such example occured on Feb. 15, 1896, when Jeldness challenged Rossland resident John Peterson to a race from the top of Red Mountain to the Catholic Church on Columbia Avenue. Jeldness won the two kilometre, 2000-foot drop in less than eight minutes.

Jeldness was well-known as an excellent skier, from the time he set a ski jump world record of 92 feet at the age of 15 to the day he retired in 1898. During his skiing years, he won the first downhill race on Red Mountain on March 6, 1897, created the first ski club in Canada, and won three consecutive Canadian Ski Jump Championships.

Jeldness has since been inducted into the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame, and is called the “Father of competitive skiing in Canada” for his efforts to introduce skiing to Canadians.

No story of Jeldness would be complete without the tale of his legendary tea party.

The Jeldness Tea Party was thrown by Jeldness to celebrate an important $75,000 mining deal he had recently put through with Velvet Mine.

To commemorate the deal, Jeldness invited 25 guests to the top of Red Mountain for a party. The guests, who were supplied with guides and liquid refreshments, went through chest deep snow to reach the top of Red.

Upon reaching the peak, the guests found Jeldness preparing food and cooking a course fit for a king over a roaring fire.

The guests and Jeldness spent the better part of the evening eating, drinking, and celebrating until the wee hours of the morning.

As was expected, most of the guests were drunk and would not be able to trek back down the mountain. Jeldness had planned for this.

He outfitted all of his drunken guests with skis and pointed them down the hill towards Rossland.

Anticipating the many injuries that would occur with drunk guests flying down the mountain on skis, Jeldness had Dr. Bowes’ ambulance waiting at the bottom. A smart precaution considering the number of injuries reported that night. Several guests in fact carried the scars of that night for the rest of their lives. Jeldness on the other hand, as reported by witnesses, skied to the bottom in perfect control despite the amount of alcohol he had drank.

Jeldness eventually left Rossland and retired to Spokane in 1909, however he would always make his way back to the city for the Carnival and other skiing events. Upon his death, Jeldness willed that his ashes be scattered on top of Red Mountain.;

The event was the first of its kind and has gone on to become a huge success, and operating for many years as the location for Canadian ski jump and race championship competitions.

The first event began like no other, with the storming of a fort.

A large square, built from cordwood and soaked in coal oil, was designated as the “Fort”. The opening of the carnival featured the taking and firing of the fort, noisily defended by the reserve militia with guns and blank cartridges.

The first Winter Carnival had 200 men in snowshoes lined up for the preliminary parade.

Prospector N.F. Townsend won the first Novice snowshoe race, while Fred Wells won the cross-country snowshoe race along a course laid out by Father Pat.

The inaugural Winter Carnival proved to be a huge success and it was decided the event would become a yearly celebration of the Rossland winter spirit.

Jeldness dominated ski racing and ski jumping at the carnival for several years before retiring.

Since all Canadian Ski Jump Championships were held at the Winter Carnival, the Canadian jump distances were noticeably smaller than that of their American counterparts.

The reason for this was that all ski jumping for the early carnivals was done on Monte Cristo Street rather than at Red Mountain. Jeldness believed jump competitions should be held where the public and press could easily watch without having to comb mountains in waist-deep snow.

Once he had retired Jeldness donated the Jeldness Cup, which was given to anyone who won the ski championship three times.

With Jeldness out of competition, it did not take long for a new skier to fill the void at the Winter Carnival.

Torgel Noren, a 17-year-old from Norway, moved to Rossland in 1903 and immediately cemented his reputation as an excellent skier.

From 1904 to 1909, Noren won every Canadian Ski Jump Championship. Noren was also the ski race champion from 1904-05 and 1907-09.

The Winter Carnival was not always a friendly experience for the participants.

In 1909, a conflict erupted between hockey teams from Rossland and Nelson.

Nelson accused Rossland of playing too rough, and they would not play unless a “judge of play” was appointed in addition to the referee.

Rossland agreed to the condition, but no judge could be found and the game was in turn, cancelled.

Due to the allegations and subsequent cancellation, the Rossland Miner suggested that gambling interests were behind Nelson’s refusal to play because Rossland had beaten Nelson before and most likely would again. Tickets were refunded for the game at a considerable loss to the Winter Carnival committee.

Over the following years, the carnival grew in popularity and size. In 1917, the Winter Carnival reached record numbers of attendance.

Unfortunately, the Spanish Flu in 1918, and difficult times in Rossland would curtail the carnival for over a quarter-century.

It was not until Rossland’s 50th anniversary of incorporation that the Winter Carnival made a triumphant return to the city.

It was said that where the old carnival was famous for skiing, the new one was famous for hockey and curling. Since then, the Carnival has become one of the biggest events of the year for Rossland, bringing together the community in a celebration of snow, winter, and community spirit.;

Royal treatment begins in the Ymir Palace Inn, affectionately referred to by area residents as the “palace”.

The hotel name was changed from the Grand Silver Palace Inn when Belinda and Ross White purchased the building in 1998.

At the time, several hotels in the area had the name “Grand” in their titles. The Whites shortened the name and added ‘Ymir’ to the title. The official hotel name had to be researched as no sign decorated the hotel when they bought it.

From 1993 to 1998, Tom and Melody Schilling owned the hotel and used it mostly for storage.

Records show ten people have owned the famous old building since it was built in 1896. Records also show that while it was created to house the miners, it competed with other hotels that did not survive.

The only three remaining historical buildings are the palace, the Ymir Hotel and the old church, which has since been bought and converted it into a home.

When the Whites took over, they realized this project required more than a little TLC. Both husband and wife had a hand in renovations and proceeded to unmask the building’s regal and rustic beauty.

“I love to work with wood and crafts. I am good with my hands,” Belinda White said.

Ross White, a millwright, has a family background in carpentry. He and his father built hunting and fishing lodges in Ontario.

It was important to them to keep the original appearance. Even the ornamental brackets for the extensive front porches and central staircase remain the same.

Keeping up to code took some doing, but persistence paid off and now they have three floors to offer to the general public and tourists alike.

On the first floor there are two suites, with bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and a lounge.

The second floor has a washroom, office, commercial kitchen, dining room and lounge plus living quarters for Ross and Belinda.

The third floor has three bathrooms shared by five bedrooms with another bedroom that has ensuite facilities.

A business called Essensia Spa also occupies the third floor offering visitors a relaxing massage.

The renovations to the building have not stopped the couple from doing hotel operations over the years. Visitors take it all in stride and word-of-mouth has brought many family reunions to their doorstep.

Winter season is their busiest presently when they partner-up with Wildhorse Cat Skiing offering visitors a seasonal package deal. Many Italians, Germans and Americans have discovered them and have been delighted with the local history.

Belinda has big plans for the future including opening for retreats. Her past waitressing and catering experiences introduced her to other caterers she plans to use.

This means upgrading the kitchen to commercial status, which is next along with landscaping and a roof over the entrance.

“Our palace is where adventures begin and relaxation sets in,” Belinda White said.;