Have you ever ventured into the spirit world? Had an encounter with a ghost? Heard voices
from another realm? We take you to places very few understand, and where even fewer dare
to tread. Meet psychic intuitive Norm Pratt, whose unique gift allows him to communicate with
missing persons, helping families find closure. Along the way, we’ll go on a ghost walk with
Nelson’s Paranormal League and interview a writer and podcaster from Revelstoke who goes
deep into the “Strange Little Places” of the Kootenays.

It’s the fourth largest waterway in North America and the inspiration for this podcast. The Columbia River has a long, storied, and tumultuous history. We dive into all aspects of the river, from a bizarre idea in the late 1800s to join the Columbia to the Kootenay River to the Indigenous Peoples and their powerful relationship to this waterway that dates back thousands of years. We talk about dams, how they work, and who runs them. We also interview a man who swam the entire 2,000 kilometres of the Columbia to bring awareness to how industry is polluting rivers and its impact on communities and the larger environment.

Their stories are as diverse as their backgrounds: A family from war-torn Syria out for an afternoon of disc golf. Jamaican truckers learning new skills on snowy mountain roads. A Kootenay hot-sauce entrepreneur who escaped tyranny in Africa. Russian immigrants lured by the Columbia River’s abundant rainbow trout. In this podcast, we hear from people making a new life in the Basin and those who are helping them.

A young hockey player with a dream to play in the NHL. A teenage musician who serendipitously finds herself singing with a mega-star. A multi-disciplinary talent who plays concert piano and climbs competitively. Meet Columbia Basin youth who are dreaming big and living bigger.

Hang on to your toque! We take you on a highline adventure between mountain peaks; we dive deep into the Revelstoke backcountry with an all-female freeride camp; and we wax poetic on the labyrinth that is your local library. Featuring guest host Patricia Smuga.

A century ago, the Kootenays produced approximately 70 per cent of their food and imported the other 30 per cent. Today, that ratio has flipped. For a region blessed with bountiful water and rich soil, why aren’t we producing more of what we consume? We talk to creative people with their hands deep in the dirt of positive change.

We often talk about how technology is coming to the Kootenays — but it’s here, and it’s having a big impact. We meet the creators of a booming nutrition app based in Revelstoke, tour an internationally renowned particle-accelerator company, and introduce you to Nelson vending machines that talk. Join us on a journey through the region’s newest and most exciting business sector.

Climate change is upon us, and it’s more important than ever to do our part to make a difference. In this episode, we meet three Basin residents who are making an impact in very creative ways. We drop by a resourceful shop in Kimberley selling products that yield zero waste. We speak with the young and passionate climate activists behind Fridays for Future. And we learn how anyone can cut their carbon footprint by 50 percent by making subtle lifestyle tweaks.

A pacifist sect of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Doukhobors have had a profound impact on the Kootenay region. We meet the great-great-grandson of Peter Verigin, an influential Doukhobor leader killed in what is considered Canada’s first act of terrorism. We then tour a family-owned state-of-the-art sawmill that’s taking forestry into a more value-added future.

The invention of a new snow-sports industry. The first 3D-printed house in Canada. The birth of a craft-gear collective. Firefighting clothing designed for women. We introduce you to Columbia Basin residents who are growing big ideas from small places.