INSIDE - 2
‘SPORTS MENU C2

- SKEENA. ANGLER
ROB BROWN

What a gas (not)
HIRTY-EIGHT YEARS ago I
stepped off one of the shiny new
gas driven buses the B.C. govern-
meat had then only recently bought

to service Vancouver’s municipalities and took
a blast of acrid exhaust full in face as the
vehicle roared off to its next stop, For a eight
year old school boy the event was an epiphany.
I'd only recently learned that the atmosphere
was gaseous and finite, and that whatever we
put into it didn’t escape into space,

As I waved the offensive fumes away from
my face, I wondered where the effluent went
after it left my eyes and nostrils. As I walked
home I thought troubled thoughts about
armadas of gas driven buses al] pumping
noxious fumes into the air,

Years later, when I found out that the distance
from the surface of the earth to the outer Limits
of our lift sustaining atmosphere was a scant 12
miles, and learned something about the volume

of effluent man has pumped and continues to

pump into that confined space, I was troubled
once again,

Articles suggesting that this fossil fuel bura-
ing extravaganza was erecting an atmospheric
greenhouse of Carbon Dioxide started appearing
about the time the long snowy winters in this
country began disappearing. Other strange
phenomena began occurring too. There were the
fifty-ycar floods that tore the rivers apart every
couple of years. Algae bloomed on the bottoms
of rivers that were once. cold and. bare,. Where

béferé théré “had: been: ‘only one’ breakup, there © [~

were now numerous periods of meltdown over

the course of a single winter. This seemed to ©

lend credence to the global warming theory, but
when I mentioned this to scientifically minded
friends they talked of long cycles and the lack
of unanimity in the scientific community on the
Matter. -

In ‘The Heat is On’, an article in this
month’s issue of Harper’s magazine, Pulitzer
Prize winning reporter Ross Gelbspan writes of
the current scientific consensus, and it’s worri-
some. . ;

The IPCC is the Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change consisting of 2,500 climate
scientists from all over the globe. This year they
stated that the earth has entered a period of
climatic instability likely to cause ‘widespread
economic, social and environmental dislocation
over the next century.”’ Some of the evidence
feeding the unrest of the scientists follows.

The Larsen Ice Shelf calved last March drop-
ping a 48-by-22-mile hunk of ice into the ocean,
exposing rocks that have been buried under ice
for 20,000 years. Off the coast of southern Cali-
fornia scientists discovered a70 per cent decline
in the population of zooplankton which they at-
tribute to a two degree increase in the surface
temperature of the ocean. Mosquitoes normally
confined to coastal regions in places like
Columbia and Costa Rice are allaining new
heights thanks to warmer temperatures, and tak-
_ ing dengue fever with them.

Unfortunately the energy industries are now
the single largest enterprise known to man. The
economic fate of the word's largest countries
and many smaller nations is inextricably bound
up in — and dependent upon — the consump-
tion of fossil fuels. To counter solid scientific

opinion the industry has used some of the two |
billion dollars it makes each day to support pub- —

lic relations campaigns at the center of which
stand a few prominent scientists willing to com-
promise their cthics and disinform for big fees
from the industry.

At international conventions to deal with

global warming China which, thanks to the im- -

,ages of First World opulence beamed them via
' Rupert Murdoch’s satellites, thirsis to, acquire
wealth through rapid industrialization fucled by
its immense deposits of coal. So does India.
Neither of these countries will move to reduce
energy consumption. before the U.S. does,
Despite calls from western Europe to reduce
emissions, the U.S, refuses to so, calling the
dire warnings of scientists premature,
Gelbspan’s suggests that the only way to stop
this runaway bus is to let the energy industrics

.themselves preside over the development and

transition from fossil fucls to altemate energy
resources, like sun and wind, under the supervi-
sion of an intemational body. Guarantee the in-
dustry giants the same profit margins for renew-

able energy technologies they now enjoy ;

through licensing, he suggests,

Dr, James McCarthy of Harvard who has sv-
pervised the work of climate scientists from 60
nations says, “If the last 150 years had been

~ marked by the kind of climate instability we ate |
now sceing, the world-would never have been -

able to support it’s present population." a

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, November 22, 1995 -

C1

no RF

‘BY CRIS LEYKAUF
HERE’S some-
_thing primitive
about it — the urge
to be the first per-
son to make thos? graceful
swooping tums ‘' through
pristine powder. —

But to get to that powder you
have to get off the ski hill and
into the backcountry. .

And that’s where «an increas-
ing number of skiers and
snowboarders are heading.

Steve Brushey has been skiing
the backcountry around Terrace
for six. years and he says more
and more people are heading for

the powder.

‘Even now before the hill
opens you'll see: eight or ten
people up there that you've never
seen before,” says Brushey.

‘But that doesn’t mean its get-"
ting crowded up there. One of the
attractions of backcountry or al-
pine skiing is the feeling of isola-
tion and serenity. ;

And of course there’s all those
mountains to look at “The
scenery is spectacular,” says
Brushey.

One of his favourile back-
country experiences was a three
day New Year’s trip to Mt. Clore,
at the headwaters of Williams
Creek.

‘We rang in the New Year by
skiing within 600 feet of the top
of Mt. Clore. It was very cold,

PRISTINE POWDER: On a good day, nothing matches tha Su-
perNatural B.C, look of the sea of peaks. surrounding Shames backcounty skis. . :

Mountain. Nowhere is the view better than high in the. alpine; on.
- PHOTO: WENDY SHYMANSKI-GEE/ROD GEE .

More and more skiers are

going off the beaten track

clear and windy — a neat way to
Start off the New Year,”

The Terrace area is a favourite
with backcountry skiers because
of an abundance of snow in the
high country, and a long season
whicl can range from mid Octo-
ber to late May.

Tt’s also fairly easy to get to the

alpine, either from the. top of ©

Shames, or from one of many

logging roads. In Smithers, for:

example, it’s harder to get to the
high country because of the farm-
land. ~

The great scenery is attracting
more people to ‘explore the alpine,
but Brushey is concerned that
many who are new to the ‘sport
may not be well enough prepared,’

For starters, you should be an:
solid intermediate skier before

you venture into the alpine, and
be relatively fit,

There are no lifts in the back
country, “Once you ski. down
something, you have to get back
up,” says Brushey. Telemarkers
and alpine skiers use ‘skins’
which they. stick onto the boitom
of their skis to help them walk up
the snowy mountain slopes.

The powder which lures skiers
to higher slopes is also deeper
than seme people anticipate. Al-
ready there is at least eight feet of

INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY

Russians to land in

THE RUSSIANS are coming!

International hockey i is return-
ing to Kitimat in a big way
Dec. 14 when the Russian Na-
tional under-18 hockey team
hits the aluminum city Dec. 14

_ for.an exhibition game against |

the Whitehorse Knights.

And joining the Knights for
the game will be some of
Kitimat’s own hottest Junior A:
league prospects,

Prince’ George Spruce Kings’

— 19-year-old winger Colin Camp.
‘~ bell, Spruce King defenceman

Danny Ennis, 18, Quesnel Mil-
Hionalres 17-year-old centre Craig
Hewltson, and 16yeat-old rookie
defenceman Sean Finn, of | the
Fort St, Jobn: Huskies will be

among the home-grown additions —

“* to the Knights’ lineup...
~The ‘Whitehorse Knights were

Bs C. Intermediate Champions and.

1993 Allan Cup Winners as the
Whitehorse Huskies.

The strong Russian team will be -
playing 2 series of games in Al-

berta and B.C, before: participa-

ting in the Viking Cup, an inter.
national tournament at Augustana
University College in- Camrose,
Alberta, over the New Year.
holiday week, The Russian
Under-18 team were winners of
the Viking Cup in 1994, .

The exhibition game is being
sponsored as a special fund raiser
by the Kitimat Minor Hockey As-.
sociation, in co-operation with
the committee that organized the
last spring’s international . BC.
Cup Tournament.

Whitehorse is captained by for-
mer Kitimat and University of
British. Columbia player, Jay.

‘Glass and also features Robbie
 Pfoh of Kitimat who. has: played.

Huskies,
_Bight embers. of the team will begin its-B.C. tour-in Fort.

St. John, on ‘Dee, 13, against the

Fort.’ St: John Huskies” of the.

snow on top of Shames,

‘T’ve gone out with a lot of
newer skiers and some get quite
frustrated. because they’re not

"able to ski the powder runs,””
Brushey recommends skiing the
powder run onthe left of the tee-
Dar at Shames as good way to
build up skills. Skiing intermedi-
ate runs on Shames or other local

mountains in a variety of weather.

“conditions is also good practice,

and helps: you: get used to your:

equipment. .

It’s important to have the right
_ kind ‘of equipment before you:
_ Venture out back, However, that

‘equipment isn’t cheap.
A touring package: of alpine or

tele: skis, boots, poles, skins and:

bindings’ costs. a. minimum of

$800 and ‘can: easily cost much

_ More. Skiers should also carry an
avalanche beacon, shovel and

probes — another "$300 at least.

Then. there’s warm, waterproof
clothing, a backpack, emergency
gear and more.

It ‘sounds ‘like a lot of prepart

tion for a ski trip, but. remember
having the right equipment. will
save your-life if you get lost, are

trapped by bad weather, or get :

caught in an avalanche.
‘T once saw a cross-country

skier in the backcountry w with n no.

for the Erie ‘Blades, and Steve:

Nelson of Kitiinat who has been
performing for the ‘Whitchorse

which capture the Allan Cup for“

Whitehorse in 1993. will lineup -
in Kitimat against the Russian

juniors... They include. Darryl
Stucko, Jay Glass, Randy: Merkel,’

former National Hockey League ~:
centre, Ron Areshenkoff, who:
played for the Buffalo Sabres and.

the Edmonton .. Oilers, Dwayne
~ Levac, Seny ¥ Watscn and Kea
Kinny.

Also expected to! “jon the:
Kitimat juniors in the line up will -

be 16-year-old :Willie Mason, a. '
Jecent cut from. the Calgary Hit-
‘meh, the new’ ‘entry’ in the West-
ém. Hockey League, in’ Major Te Jan

Call of the backcountry _

skins, no backpack, no emer-
gency gear. He was crawling on:
his. hands ‘and knees. up ‘the’ trail |
we had made earlier that day.’ ee |
_ The skier. madé’ it back; but. ite"

was getting late and “he” ‘Was: €X-
hausted.,

The danger of: avalanches. is:
also real, and Brushey recom: .
mends ‘people: “should” take: an.
avalanche: course ‘before ventur- .
ing outback, ‘Locally, Weather-. _
tech Services offers this course, © ~

‘Brushéy has ‘never. been ‘in on
avalanche that.was too large: to
ski out of, but ‘he always carries

an avalanche beacon just in case;

He even has one for his German -
Shepherd. Cain, who occasionally.

comes ski’ touring with him: The -

beacons give out a signal, ‘allow-

ing’ the ‘other people in’ your —
, ‘skiing: group to find you quickly, :

“if you are buried in snow.:.
“It's avery, helpless ‘feeling

watching someone be. caught in -
an-avalanche,’’ he says. None of

his friends have been seriously
hurt, but one came close once. °.

seem very pristine and serene and
within seconds all hell-can break

loose,”’ he says. ‘‘And you can’t”

rely on Search ‘arid Rescue to find

you — by the time they come it

will likely be too late, Me
The “beauty which beckons
skiers to the high country can

hide many real dangers,
‘Awareness and prevention are.

the Idea,” says + Bushey

ior. “ a eae
Behind = the bench». for
Whitehorse w wil be Jobin Glass. of...
Kitimat 2,

The.’ Russian: “Under-18 team

Rocky Mountain League,.

“They will charter to Kitimat’ the: | .

Ron Serventius, who also- played. : following. morning

"for the Nashville Knights,” and”

and play.

Whitehorse. They will then board ©. .
‘a bus for a game in Prince George
‘the’ following ‘night, Dee. 15). ;
against the. Junior A. “Spruce
“Kings of the: ‘Rocky’ Mountain eo

league.

Their tour coutlaues in Female, -
Dec. 17,

against. the. Rocky.

Mountaiti leagite Ghostriders and
pene in Cranbrook, Dec.

“One. minute: conditions, can . °

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