KMC 42 – The Themeless Issue

Browse KMC Issues / Browsing Kootenay Mountain Culture Magazine

Last year, our art director, Chris Rowat, started advocating for us to stop using themes, which have been an integral framework of our magazine for 18 years. The gall of him.

The Power Issue. The Holy Issue. The Colour Issue. The Burl Issue. The Home Issue. The Obsession Issue. The Party Issue. Themes have been an essential editorial and design guide for our publication, particularly our features section. But after some good discussion, we decided to drop the themes. We’re not sure if it’s for good, but there’s something exciting about the strangeness of what’s unmapped. And, this is still a kick-ass issue, even without a theme. Enjoy #42.

Browse Articles

Read articles and editorial from "KMC 42 – The Themeless Issue"

What is it about high-spirited mountain life that encourages people to get high and drink spirits? Learning from her interview subjects and her own experiences, podcaster Emily Holland explains the physical and emotional ride of attaining sobriety in a culture awash with being sloshed.

A rebuilt trail in the Himalayas ensures walkers worldwide find their happy place.

The West Kootenay’s Dirt Floor has released a new album. Contributor Matt Coté lays down these words about it.

If a foreign army invaded Vancouver or Seattle, would you help defend your country? Ukrainians faced that choice when Russian troops attacked in early 2022. We reach out to skiers, bikers, climbers, and other mountain recreationalists to learn how their lives have been impacted by war.

We received a letter to the editor praising our “Cheerz To Sobriety” story in the Winter 2022/23 issue of KMC.

It’s the dream of many Kootenay kids: be discovered on the slopes, get air time in popular ski videos, and ride a wave of sponsorship dollars. Then what? Freeskiing star Sam Kuch contemplates it all after a brutal crash sidelined his ride.