By David F. Rooney
Ah, winter! You can’t live in Revelstoke all year-round without being able to at least tolerate it. Sure, it doesn’t seem too bad this year. We haven’t had seven metres of snow — yet — and while it does seem cold it’s not a bone-chilling -30°.
So, how do people pass their time in winter?
Skiing at Revelstoke Mountain Resort seems to be one of the most popular things to do of late. But things were a little different in times gone by. How different? Well, thanks to the Revelstoke Museum & Archives we actually have a way to visually reference the past. Take a look…
Mechanized ‘Dogs’ Put Louie Ahead
Special to the Vancouver Sun
Revelstoke, February 21 — The hazards of winter motoring can’t stop Louie Berger. Louie, who runs the auto camp at Boat Encampment, 100 miles north on the snowed-in Big Bend Highway, couldn’t wait for reopening of the road this spring, so he started out Thursday on his new 25-horsepower motor toboggan.
Joe Findler, a logger, braved the journey with him on the 12-foot toboggan which gives no protection from the weather except a windshield.
Barring snowslides or unforeseen difficulties, they expected to reach Boat Encampment without trouble.
Berger bought the auto camp in 1946, and stayed there that winter with his wife.
During their sojourn in the winter wilderness they had an occasional visit from trappers, but saw more moose and caribou than humans, one day witnessing the killing of a moose by a wolf.
Now they have the toboggan for emergencies, they anticipate spending winters at the camp again.
Local trappers and prospectors have been viewing the mechanized toboggan critically.
Angus Beaton, who drove dog teams along the Skeena River near Hazelton during the Grand Trunk construction days, says he would rather ride behind a team of dogs.
