Revelstoke, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Revelstoke is a city in southeastern British Columbia
, Canada
. It is located 641 kilometres (398.3 mi) east of Vancouver
, and 415 kilometres (257.9 mi) west of Calgary
, Alberta
. The city is situated on the banks of the Columbia River
just south of the Revelstoke Dam
and near its confluence with the Illecillewaet River
. East of Revelstoke are the Selkirk Mountains and Glacier National Park
, penetrated by Rogers Pass
used by the Trans-Canada Highway and the Canadian Pacific Railway. South of the community down the Columbia River are the Arrow Lakes
and the Kootenays
. West of the city is Eagle Pass through the Monashee Mountains
and the route to Shuswap Lake
.
Revelstoke was founded in the 1880s when the Canadian Pacific Railway
(CPR) was built through the area; mining was an important early industry. The name was originally Farwell, after a local land owner and surveyor. In yet earlier days, the spot was called the Second Crossing, to differentiate it from the first crossing of the Columbia River by the Canadian Pacific Railway at Donald
. The city was named by the Canadian Pacific Railway in appreciation of Lord Revelstoke
, head of Baring Brothers & Co.
, the UK investment bank that, in partnership with Glyn, Mills & Co., saved the Canadian Pacific Railway from bankruptcy in the summer of 1885 by buying the company's unsold bonds, enabling the railway to reach completion.
The construction of the Trans-Canada Highway
in 1962 further eased access to the region, and since then tourism has been an important feature of the local economy, with skiing
having emerged as the most prominent attraction. Mount Revelstoke National Park
is just north of the town. Currently the construction of a major new ski resort is underway on Mount MacKenzie, just outside of town. Revelstoke is also the site of a railway museum.
It is also the site and namesake of the 1965 impact of a meteorite, which, though resulting in only a few small pieces that could be found, made a splendorous fireball track across the sky. This meteorite was a carbonaceous chondrite
, an especially primitive and friable type. That fact, plus the rather flat trajectory (allowing a long air path) accounts for the paucity of surviving fragments - most of the meteorite evaporated, burnt up, or broke into dust.
Revelstoke holds the Canadian record for snowiest single winter. 2447 cm of snow fell on Mt.Copeland outside town during the winter of 1971-72. That works out to just over 80 feet of snow. The townsite received 779 cm and snow levels were higher than many roofs around town by more than a few metres.
Revelstoke's economy has traditionally been tied to the Canadian Pacific Railway
(CPR) and it still maintains a strong connection to that industry. However, mining, forestry, government services and tourism now play an increasingly important role in Revelstoke's success.
Revelstoke is also the location of the Revelstoke Dam
which was constructed on the Columbia River
, and completed in 1984. In 1986, to offset the economic effects of the completed hydroelectric project and the temporary closure of the local sawmill, the City of Revelstoke undertook a downtown revitalization program and it was completed with marked success.
A small ski resort featuring a single short lift has operated on Mount MacKenzie since the 1960s, and cat skiing was offered for higher altitudes. It was recently decided to expand the entire mountain into a single resort, and construction started in the early 2000s. Revelstoke Mountain Resort
opened in the winter of 2007/8. The resort continues to develop in 2010, though economic conditions starting in late 2008 have deferred its initial plans. To date it boasts 3031 acres (1,226.6 ha) of lift- accessed terrain, and the highest lift-serviced vertical in North America at 1713 meters (5620 feet).
.
The former local BCJHL team, the Revelstoke Bruins, had a number of future NHLers on its roster in the 1970s and 80's, including Bruce Holloway, Ron E. Flockhart, and Rudy Poesc. The current Revelstoke Kootenay International Junior Hockey League
team is the Revelstoke Grizzlies
.
The Revelstoke Ski Club, founded in British Columbia
in 1891, appears to have been the first formal ski organization in Canada
, according to the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC).
In 2000, Revelstoke became part of a select group of communities to host Raid the North Extreme
, a televised 6-day multi-sport adventure race that visits incredible wilderness locations across Canada.
In 2011, Revelstoke local Michael Curran and North Vancouevr native Stephanie Ells formed Revelstoke Roller Derby Association. The league provides the only affordable, year round team sport option for adult women in town. The team will hold its debut bout in the summer of 2012.
It was not far from Revelstoke, on January 20, 2003 that Craig Kelly
, the renowned snowboarding champion, died in an avalanche while assisting a group of skiers and snowboarders through some rough terrain.
and Tommy Lee Jones
were filmed in Revelstoke, notably the historic courthouse.
The 1937 British movie The Great Barrier starring Lilli Palmer
depicted the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway
and featured location shooting from Revelstoke.
The Barber
(2001) starring Malcolm McDowell
was almost entirely filmed in Revelstoke and features the town name displaced as Revelstoke, Alaska.
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is located 641 kilometres (398.3 mi) east of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, and 415 kilometres (257.9 mi) west of Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. The city is situated on the banks of the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
just south of the Revelstoke Dam
Revelstoke Dam
The Revelstoke Dam, also known as Revelstoke Canyon Dam, is a hydroelectric dam spanning the Columbia River, 5 km north of Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. The powerhouse was completed in 1984 and has a generating capacity of 2480 MW. Four generating units were installed initially, with one...
and near its confluence with the Illecillewaet River
Illecillewaet River
The Illecillewaet River is a tributary of the Columbia River located in British Columbia, Canada. Fed by the Illecillewaet Glacier in Glacier National Park, the river flows approximately to the southwest, where it flows into the north end of Upper Arrow Lake at Revelstoke...
. East of Revelstoke are the Selkirk Mountains and Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park (Canada)
Glacier National Park is one of seven national parks in British Columbia, and is part of a system of 43 parks and park reserves across Canada. It protects a portion of the Columbia Mountains. It also contains the Rogers Pass National Historic Site, designated for its importance in the construction...
, penetrated by Rogers Pass
Rogers Pass
Rogers Pass is a high mountain pass through the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia used by the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Trans-Canada Highway. The pass is a shortcut across the "Big Bend" of the Columbia River from Revelstoke on the west to Donald, near Golden, on the east...
used by the Trans-Canada Highway and the Canadian Pacific Railway. South of the community down the Columbia River are the Arrow Lakes
Arrow Lakes
The Arrow Lakes in British Columbia, Canada, divided into Upper Arrow Lake and Lower Arrow Lake, are widenings of the Columbia River. The lakes are situated between the Selkirk Mountains to the east and the Monashee Mountains to the west. Beachland is fairly rare, and is interspersed with rocky...
and the Kootenays
Kootenays
The Kootenay Region comprises the southeastern portion of British Columbia. It takes its name from the Kootenay River, which in turn was named for the Ktunaxa First Nation first encountered by explorer David Thompson.-Boundaries:The Kootenays are more or less defined by the Kootenay Land...
. West of the city is Eagle Pass through the Monashee Mountains
Monashee Mountains
The Monashee Mountains are a mountain range mostly in British Columbia, Canada, extending into the U.S. state of Washington. They stretch from north to south and from east to west. They are a subrange of the Columbia Mountains...
and the route to Shuswap Lake
Shuswap Lake
Shuswap Lake is a lake located in south-central British Columbia, Canada that drains via the Little River into Little Shuswap Lake. Little Shuswap Lake is the source of the South Thompson River, a branch of the Thompson River, a tributary of the Fraser River...
.
History
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(CPR) was built through the area; mining was an important early industry. The name was originally Farwell, after a local land owner and surveyor. In yet earlier days, the spot was called the Second Crossing, to differentiate it from the first crossing of the Columbia River by the Canadian Pacific Railway at Donald
Donald, British Columbia
Donald, British Columbia is located on Highway 1, 28 kilometers west of Golden. In its heyday, Donald was a divisional point on the Canadian Pacific Railway...
. The city was named by the Canadian Pacific Railway in appreciation of Lord Revelstoke
Edward Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke
Edward Charles Baring, 1st Baron Revelstoke , was a British banker.-Biography:A member of the famous Baring banking family, "Ned" Baring was the second son of Henry Baring from his second marriage, to Cecilia Anne . Sir Francis Baring, 1st Baronet, was his grandfather and Evelyn Baring, 1st Earl of...
, head of Baring Brothers & Co.
Barings Bank
Barings Bank was the oldest merchant bank in London until its collapse in 1995 after one of the bank's employees, Nick Leeson, lost £827 million due to speculative investing, primarily in futures contracts, at the bank's Singapore office.-History:-1762–1890:Barings Bank was founded in 1762 as the...
, the UK investment bank that, in partnership with Glyn, Mills & Co., saved the Canadian Pacific Railway from bankruptcy in the summer of 1885 by buying the company's unsold bonds, enabling the railway to reach completion.
The construction of the Trans-Canada Highway
Trans-Canada Highway
The Trans-Canada Highway is a federal-provincial highway system that joins the ten provinces of Canada. It is, along with the Trans-Siberian Highway and Australia's Highway 1, one of the world's longest national highways, with the main route spanning 8,030 km...
in 1962 further eased access to the region, and since then tourism has been an important feature of the local economy, with skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
having emerged as the most prominent attraction. Mount Revelstoke National Park
Mount Revelstoke National Park
Mount Revelstoke National Park is located adjacent to the city of Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. The park is relatively small for a national park, covering 260 square kilometres. It is located in the Selkirk Mountains and was founded in 1914...
is just north of the town. Currently the construction of a major new ski resort is underway on Mount MacKenzie, just outside of town. Revelstoke is also the site of a railway museum.
It is also the site and namesake of the 1965 impact of a meteorite, which, though resulting in only a few small pieces that could be found, made a splendorous fireball track across the sky. This meteorite was a carbonaceous chondrite
Carbonaceous chondrite
Carbonaceous chondrites or C chondrites are a class of chondritic meteorites comprising at least 7 known groups and many ungrouped meteorites. They include some of the most primitive known meteorites...
, an especially primitive and friable type. That fact, plus the rather flat trajectory (allowing a long air path) accounts for the paucity of surviving fragments - most of the meteorite evaporated, burnt up, or broke into dust.
Revelstoke holds the Canadian record for snowiest single winter. 2447 cm of snow fell on Mt.Copeland outside town during the winter of 1971-72. That works out to just over 80 feet of snow. The townsite received 779 cm and snow levels were higher than many roofs around town by more than a few metres.
Economy
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
(CPR) and it still maintains a strong connection to that industry. However, mining, forestry, government services and tourism now play an increasingly important role in Revelstoke's success.
Revelstoke is also the location of the Revelstoke Dam
Revelstoke Dam
The Revelstoke Dam, also known as Revelstoke Canyon Dam, is a hydroelectric dam spanning the Columbia River, 5 km north of Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. The powerhouse was completed in 1984 and has a generating capacity of 2480 MW. Four generating units were installed initially, with one...
which was constructed on the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, and completed in 1984. In 1986, to offset the economic effects of the completed hydroelectric project and the temporary closure of the local sawmill, the City of Revelstoke undertook a downtown revitalization program and it was completed with marked success.
A small ski resort featuring a single short lift has operated on Mount MacKenzie since the 1960s, and cat skiing was offered for higher altitudes. It was recently decided to expand the entire mountain into a single resort, and construction started in the early 2000s. Revelstoke Mountain Resort
Revelstoke Mountain Resort
Revelstoke Mountain Resort is a ski resort on Mount Mackenzie, just outside Revelstoke, British Columbia in Canada.When complete, the resort will offer about 20 km² of skiable terrain and a vertical drop of 1,845 meters , with 21 lifts and 115 ski and snowboard trails. Revelstoke now offers...
opened in the winter of 2007/8. The resort continues to develop in 2010, though economic conditions starting in late 2008 have deferred its initial plans. To date it boasts 3031 acres (1,226.6 ha) of lift- accessed terrain, and the highest lift-serviced vertical in North America at 1713 meters (5620 feet).
Sports
Revelstoke has produced some talented athletes in winter sports, notably ice hockeyIce hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
.
The former local BCJHL team, the Revelstoke Bruins, had a number of future NHLers on its roster in the 1970s and 80's, including Bruce Holloway, Ron E. Flockhart, and Rudy Poesc. The current Revelstoke Kootenay International Junior Hockey League
Kootenay International Junior Hockey League
The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League is a Junior "B" Ice Hockey league in British Columbia, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada. The winner of the KIJHL playoffs competes with the champions of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League and the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League...
team is the Revelstoke Grizzlies
Revelstoke Grizzlies
The Revelstoke Grizzlies are a Junior "B" Ice Hockey team based in Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Doug Birks Division of the Okanagan/Shuswap Conference of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League . They play their home games at Revelstoke Forum.-History:The...
.
The Revelstoke Ski Club, founded in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
in 1891, appears to have been the first formal ski organization in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, according to the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC).
In 2000, Revelstoke became part of a select group of communities to host Raid the North Extreme
Frontier Adventure Sports & Training
Frontier Adventure Sports and Training is the most establishedneeds citation Adventure Race organizer in Canada, in operation since 1997. Frontier Adventure Sports has established an international reputation for solid logistics and challenging racecourses...
, a televised 6-day multi-sport adventure race that visits incredible wilderness locations across Canada.
In 2011, Revelstoke local Michael Curran and North Vancouevr native Stephanie Ells formed Revelstoke Roller Derby Association. The league provides the only affordable, year round team sport option for adult women in town. The team will hold its debut bout in the summer of 2012.
It was not far from Revelstoke, on January 20, 2003 that Craig Kelly
Craig Kelly (snowboarder)
Craig Kelly was a professional snowboarder. He attended the University of Washington where he was a member of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity and studied Chemical Engineering....
, the renowned snowboarding champion, died in an avalanche while assisting a group of skiers and snowboarders through some rough terrain.
| Club | League | Sport | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revelstoke Grizzlies Revelstoke Grizzlies The Revelstoke Grizzlies are a Junior "B" Ice Hockey team based in Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Doug Birks Division of the Okanagan/Shuswap Conference of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League . They play their home games at Revelstoke Forum.-History:The... |
KIJHL Kootenay International Junior Hockey League The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League is a Junior "B" Ice Hockey league in British Columbia, Canada, sanctioned by Hockey Canada. The winner of the KIJHL playoffs competes with the champions of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League and the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League... |
Ice Hockey Ice hockey Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take... |
Revelstoke Forum | 1993 | 4 |
Films
Some scenes in the 1999 thriller Double Jeopardy starring Ashley JuddAshley Judd
Ashley Judd is an American television and film actress, who has played lead roles in films including Ruby in Paradise, Kiss the Girls, Double Jeopardy, Where the Heart Is and High Crimes...
and Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones is an American actor and film director. He has received three Academy Award nominations, winning one as Best Supporting Actor for the 1993 thriller film The Fugitive....
were filmed in Revelstoke, notably the historic courthouse.
The 1937 British movie The Great Barrier starring Lilli Palmer
Lilli Palmer
Lilli Palmer , born Lilli Marie Peiser, was a German actress. She won the Volpi Cup, the Deutscher Filmpreis three times, and was nominated twice for a Golden Globe Award.-Life and career:...
depicted the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway
Canadian Pacific Railway
The Canadian Pacific Railway , formerly also known as CP Rail between 1968 and 1996, is a historic Canadian Class I railway founded in 1881 and now operated by Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, which began operations as legal owner in a corporate restructuring in 2001...
and featured location shooting from Revelstoke.
The Barber
The Barber
The Barber is a 2001 film that examines the interaction between the mind of a psychopath and the minds of ordinary people who are fascinated by them. It tells the story of local barber Dexter Miles in a town in Alaska...
(2001) starring Malcolm McDowell
Malcolm McDowell
Malcolm McDowell is an English actor with a career spanning over forty years.McDowell is principally known for his roles in the controversial films If...., O Lucky Man!, A Clockwork Orange and Caligula...
was almost entirely filmed in Revelstoke and features the town name displaced as Revelstoke, Alaska.
Climate
Notable residents
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