Weyburn, Saskatchewan is probably one of the last places to develop a passion for downhill winter sports, but Devin Moldenhauer didn’t let the prairie lifestyle stop him.
As someone who “always skateboarded,” Moldenhauer jumped at one of the first opportunities to head to Lake Louise.
The owner (along with his wife Kimberly) of the Avalanche Bar & Grill in Courtenay credits his uncle for getting him started in the ski industry with a connection for a job in Alberta.
It was at Lake Louise where he met Kimberly as well.
From there, the pair moved to Sun Valley, Idaho to work for one ski season (“a really small place with lots of wealth and celebrities,”) and then to Kimberly’s home country - Australia - for four years.
The couple wanted to move back to Canada, and Moldenhauer explained he had two requirements: close to the ocean and a ski hill.
“I had been here once before because my grandparents lived in Crofton.”
After purchasing the bar & grill, which also includes the Avalanche Hotel and City Centre Spirits, the couple set a goal to turn the location into a “community spot.”
Following his years of experience working at various ski hills, Moldenhauer wanted to create a place where skiers, snowboarders and staff from Mount Washington could gather after a day on the hill.
“I had this idea in my head, and I also wanted to become more involved with the community. I wanted the pub to be a place for people to come, but also to make it event-oriented.”
They’ve certainly reached that goal: every night of the week, there is either an organized event or special, and Moldenhauer added he wanted to ensure there is a broad appeal, from jazz night to music bingo and UFC.
Additionally, he uses the space to host fundraisers, and noted he has raised $16,000 in just three events.
Now that he and Kimberly (and their three kids) have settled in the Valley, Moldenhauer tries to escape to the mountain as often as he can - last season he was able to make it up “one or twice a week and once on the weekends.”
When he’s not skiing, Moldenhauer is making time for another interest: fly fishing. Now that he’s back on the coast, he finds time “to get out on the water a lot more,” particularly when friends from Saskatchewan come to visit.