North America - Clean Breaks: 500 New Ways to See the World - page 200

of Nipika's estate, and so the cabins, and much
of the furniture inside them, is made from wood
that they own. The continuous supply of logs also
keeps the fires burning, and the cabins are well-
stocked with board games in case the weather
sets in. There are no televisions, and without
reception, your mobile phone won't be much
use. Internet is available for those desperate for
contact with the outside world.
Of course, not many people come to the
Canadian Rockies to stay indoors, surf the net or
play Scrabble. From the cabins, numerous hiking
and mountain-biking tracks branch out into the
hills, and in neighbouring Kootenay National
Park you can walk for hours through vast stands
of pine forest, or kayak on the glassy blue lakes,
and not see a soul.
Winter means snow, and lots of it, with nearly
2m falling on average each season. Nipika
maintains 50km of cross-country skiing trails
straight from its doorstep, and also offers snow-
shoeing treks - guided, if you wish, by their
resident naturalist. Afterwards you can take a
dip in the hot springs a short drive away, or even
try out the lodge's own wood-fired hot tub and
sauna. With so much on offer at Nipika, the life
of a lumberjack here seems more than just OK.

sun. A forest to hook up a hammock and swing
in by day, and to walk through at night between
the many psychedelic displays hung from the
branches.
Line-up? A diverse mix of seventy or so bands
combining rarely seen legends like bluesman
Taj Mahal and Frank Zappa's son Dweezil,
with cutting-edge hip-hop from the likes of
Diplo, blissed-out electronica from the Thievery
Corporation and Disco Biscuits, or a bluegrass
jam with Railroad Earth. Circus acts appear
from nowhere. Then there's the vaudeville
cabaret, fireworks at night and a fancy-dress
stall so that you can look as odd as you choose,
whenever you want.
Add an organic farmers' market, a zero-
waste policy and an innovative approach to
offsetting the bands' transport to the site (which
essentially involves buying and installing a
solar-panel system for a nearby school) and you'd
imagine that all boxes would be ticked for a
successful, environmentally responsible festival.
But rather than rest on their laurels, Rothbury
also saw the gathering
of over forty thousand
people as a chance for a
constructive meeting of
minds, and it now runs
a think-tank looking
at solutions to climate
change. It's a progressive
approach that should
hopefully see this festival
lasting long into the
future.

Taj Mahal at the Rothbury
Festival, Michigan

Need to know Nipika also runs several courses
throughout the year, such as a week of cross-
country skiing in the winter, or combined hiking and
kayaking in the summer. For directions to Nipika,
accommodation details, prices and bookings see
W www.nipika.com; T [phone].

266 pARTy wiTh A puRpoSe AT
RoThBuRy feSTiVAL, michigAn

Need to know Rothbury
Festival takes place in
July. As well as campsites
there are log cabins in
the woods for hire that
are within easy walk of
the lake's beach. For
details of the festival and
to buy tickets visit W www.
rothburyfestival.com.

Despite only starting in 2008, Michigan's
Rothbury Festival has got all the component
parts right. Location? A ranch around three
hours' drive from Chicago, with entry discounts
for people who buy a “green ticket” that comes
with public transport included. A lake to cool off
in with a diving platform to bask under the July