Check out Revelstoke’s impressive new Land of Thundering Snow historical website

Need to know: Revelstoke residents were the driving force behind a new national virtual museum exhibit unveiled here on Mar. 4 that explores the history of avalanches, avalanche science and avalanche safety. The website is very engaging with lots of video, interactive elements and other design considerations that make it user-friendly and fun. Check it out at www.landofthunderingsnow.ca.

Back to back historical avalanche exhibit openings on Mar. 4 brought together the Revelstoke historical and avalanche communities to celebrate their big achievement: The Land of Thundering Snow website (www.landofthunderingsnow.com).

Visitors check out new Land of Thundering Snow kiosks at the Revelstoke Museum & Archives on Mar. 4. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

The events started at the Revelstoke Museum & Archives where their new physical exhibit opened. It’s well worth a visit to see the new avalanche history artifacts, educational displays and kiosks that feature interactive touchscreens that explore the history of avalanches and their impact on the people of Canada.

The event was hosted by museum curator (and Land of Thundering Snow project leader) Cathy English, and the guest of honour was Peter Schaerer, an avalanche science and management pioneer who managed the development of avalanche control programs at Rogers Pass.

Avalanche field tools and transceivers from past to present. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

The museum exhibit features lots of early avalanche rescue gear, and avalanche equipment used to monitor and assess snow.

The daytime exhibit showed off the design skills of Kathryn Whiteside, the research and text of Dr. John Woods, in a project managed by Revelstoke’s Hayley Johnson.

Mayor Mark McKee (left) helped curator Cathy English and guest of honour Peter Schaerer with the cake duties. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

The big event on Mar. 4 was the unveiling of the www.landofthunderingsnow.ca website, a bilingual ‘site that will serve as a permanent virtual exhibit that probes, “the history of snow avalanches and their impact on people and nature in Canada. Through historic records, photographs, recordings and artifacts, we will explore stories of both technical success and tearful sorrow.”

Canadian Armed Forces artillery were on hand to at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

Outside the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre, Canadian Armed Forces artillery greeted the roughly 200 who attended the event. Of course, they’re stationed at Rogers Pass for avalanche control as part of Operation PALACI, the longstanding avalanche control program.

Inside, Parks Canada had a cool green screen where you could get your picture instantly transformed with a Parks scene. People were happy to grab a prop and mug for the camera. Other organizations, like Avalanche Canada, also had displays.

After an introduction by Cathy English and Lisa Moore from the Aboriginal Education Committee in the auditorium, Dr. John Woods hosted the unveiling of the website.

There were over 200 people at the Land of Thundering Snow opening. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

Woods, a retired Parks Canada biologist and author, toured the auditorium through its features. It includes some pretty awesome video of big slides ripping through forests, touching news pieces on recent avalanche tragedies, explanatory videos showing how complex avalanche control is conducted, historical anecdotes about people’s experiences with avalanches, avalanche safety sections, lessons from history and more.

Woods explained the team effort, which included design by Kathryn Whiteside, web development by Calgary’s Sland Studios, translation by Sarra Dupuis, great video by Francois Desrosiers, research by Tomo Fujimura, education components by Kendra Von Bremen and support from Daria Cater.

The Land of Thundering Snow opening included speakers (from left) Louis Deschamps, retired machinery operator and avalanche survivor; Johann Schleiss, senior avalanche technician with Parks Canada; Peter Schaerer, avalanche professional; Grant Helgeson, Avalanche Canada; Cathy English, Revelstoke Museum & Archives Curator; and Dr. John Woods, researcher and writer. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

The website features an interactive map that documents 870 avalanche-related deaths in Canada over the past 150 years.

After the unveiling, Louis Dechamps, Johann Schleiss and Peter Schaerer shared stories about their experiences working with avalanches. (Schaerer is a pioneer of the control program at Rogers Pass, and had a good one about what happened when government bureaucrats opted for the low-bidder and built a tin avalanche shed.)

Partners on the project include Avalanche Canada, Okanagan College, Parks Canada and the Revelstoke Railway Museum, and it received support from the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, Canadian Pacific; and the Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation, HeliCat Canada, Canadian Armed Forces, and the Revelstoke Credit Union.

Bill and Helen Shuttleworth pose for a green screen shot at the Parks Canada display. Photo: Aaron Orlando/Revelstoke Mountaineer

In a statement, curator Cathy English encapsulated what they tried to achieve with the website, which was supported by a $235,000 grant from the Virtual Exhibits Investment Program of the Virtual Museum of Canada.

“Living in the mountains, one is constantly reminded that we are living in avalanche country. From the “boom” of avalanche control to highway closures and accidents, we all know someone who has been caught in an avalanche,” English said.

“This project brought to light that, throughout history, Canadians across the country have been impacted and the story of avalanches and snow science is one that affects all Canadians. I am overwhelmed by and grateful for the support we received on this project, and the enthusiasm of everyone involved. We now have a legacy of snow research and avalanche safety in Canada available to everyone.”