Earlier in 2011, the Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations (CCSO) voted the Byman family of Revelstoke to be the Outstanting Snowmobile Family of the Year. Members of the Revelstoke Snowmobile Club (RSC) accepted the award on behalf of Greg, Barb and Bryce Byman at the International Snowmobile Congress in Calgary in June.
However, this was not the first time the Bymans had won an award for their dedication to snowmobiling—they'd previously won the B.C. Snowmobile Family of the Year from the B.C. Snowmobile Federation.
"That was enough to make us think, 'What did we do to deserve this?' " said Greg.
The answer? A lot.
In the beginning
Greg joined the RSC in the mid-'70s. He's been heavily involved in club activities since the beginning, sitting on the executive and as a director, including a time as president in the '80s. Club activities, said Greg, are essentially a full-time volunteer job—there are many days when the Bymans will put in eight hours towards club commitments.
Even more impressive is the fact that Barb doesn't sled, yet is still very active in the RSC. Her involvement began in the 1980s as club treasurer; she took some time away from the club to raise children, but over the past few years has again become immersed in the RSC. Finally, the Bymans also own and operate their own business, Rough Country Marine, through which they sell the largest number of club memberships in Revelstoke.
The deciding point for their nomination for the CCSO award, said Greg, was the work the family put towards the construction of a cabin on Boulder Mountain. Simply referring to the resulting building as a cabin, though, downplays the impressiveness of the shelter. This is a $400,000, 140-square-metre haven with cedar siding and a finished basement. Having such a grand structure is a boon for any trail system, but as the Bymans will tell you, thousands of hours were required to raise its roof.
"We had an existing cabin on Boulder that was more than 30 years old and in need of repair or replacement," said Greg. "With my connections through the business and city, Barb and I were able to do some grant writing and source the money. The timing (worked) and everything fell into place—the money was there and we could make it happen."
The cabin was located more than 1,500 metres up Boulder Mountain, necessitating a helicopter and ATVs for transportation of building materials and work crews. Construction began in July of 2010, and within three months, the bulk of the work had been completed. Construction crews worked diligently to finish the cabin, even racing the snow to get the roof in place. From the beginning in 2009—when the Bymans sourced funds—to the near-completion of the cabin in 2010, approximately two years went into making the cabin a reality.
"Once they’re done and gone by, you forget about those hours and you just think about the rest of the work you have to put in," said Greg.
A full schedule
There is no time off for the Bymans when it comes to their involvement in the RSC. While many snowmobilers retire their machines for the summer, the RSC executive meets throughout the year, dealing with the government and organizing activities, including work parties that have put the finishing touches on the Boulder cabin.
"There has not been one day where we’ve done nothing for the snowmobile club," said Barb.
The Bymans are modest about their achievements though, crediting the core group of volunteers in the club who give their time to the sport—particularly in a club as large as Revelstoke's. The RSC's membership exceeds 600 sledders; many are from Alberta, with some coming from as far away as Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the United States. Behind the scenes, dedicated club members are going to snow shows, lobbying politicians to keep sledding areas accessible and maintaining infrastucture throughout the summer.
In the end, though, there is no doubt it is all worth it.
"I think for a winter sport it’s unbeatable," said Greg. "There’s something about sledding when you go out and you have a mountain to yourself and all you can see is miles and miles of fresh powder. It’s a bit more of an individual sport—you can go and explore the backcountry, and the next time it snows, the tracks are all covered and you start all over again."
