SKI RESORTS GUIDE – SUN PEAKS, CANADA

For those of you really looking to clock some mileage on your board, Sun Peaks longest single run is a leg burning 8km long and, thanks to it’s exposed height, even when there’s been a dry spell in the weather, we were able to find plenty of wind blown powder at the resorts summit (over 2,000m high).

The town itself does, admittedly share some of the “Cruise Ship” vibes of Whistler, with everything feeling purpose built around the resort compared to many European resorts that are based out of 500-year-old villages.

So yes, you are in a bit of a bubble staying up at the hill, but the town planners have created a really functional village up here, with plenty of bars, restaurants & shops, and you’re even able to ride right down the main street to your hotel / apres bar of choice which is pretty damn sweet. 

“Sun Peaks longest single run is a leg burning 8km long”

THE PARKS 5/5

When looking at snow parks there are so many things to consider – size, variety of features, accessibility, progression, maintenance etc. It’s not simply “Who has the biggest / most features”. 

And one thing we immediately noticed was that, similarly to their excellent town planning, Sun Peaks had also laid out their terrain parks in a really efficient & productive way that is conducive to both rider progression and park traffic.

After stepping off the the Sundance Express Quad you’ll find four distinct zones of different park features that follow a natural progression from beginner through to some serious pro-level jumps and features including their notorious “50-foot” booter. 

Boasting almost 50 different features, there’s something for everyone here, and each distinct zone is separated by an easy exit to a groomer. This allows beginners to dip out at an appropriate time, and means pros don’t need to worry about congestion while flowing from top to bottom. 

Alongside all of this, the park crew work like a finely tuned military outfit. We spied them from the lift keeping every in-run and landing pristinely setup and were on hand to repair or close anything as and when needed.

“Known for its super light, dry powder the resort averages around six metres of fresh snow each winter”

POWDER 4/5

Known for its super light, dry powder the resort averages around six metres of fresh snow each winter and, with two bowls and 16 gladed areas you’ll be finding stashes of untracked goodness for days after each snowfall if you search even slightly off the beaten track. 

And that’s all before you account for any wind blown top ups like we found from the “Top of the World”. After taking the Crystal Chair up to 2,080m we took a short bootpack and found an epic backdrop of frozen trees and about 5 inches of redistributed powder, lovely stuff!

THE PISTES 4/5

Groomer hooners fear not: it’s not all terrain parks and pow laps, there are 144 trails on offer and the grooming team do a better job of creating the perfect crispy corduroy than your nan fluffing up the top of your sunday cottage pie.

Runs vary from enormously wide open blues that are perfect for both beginners and riders looking to work on new skills like carving and butters, right through to steep and tight blacks that offer challenges for folk more vertically inclined.

“$13 for a jug of PBR during happy hour is cheaper than a Wetherspoons pint circa 2010”

THE PARTIES 3/5

It’s fair to say that Sun Peaks is not a destination for the hardcore party goers out there looking to drink themselves into a stupor and miss half a day’s snowboarding. That being said, there is a bustling scene of over 20 bars and restaurants tucked away in the resort village. 

As far as apres-ski goes, we found ourselves rounding out most days at Bottoms. Described as “the locals living room” you’ll find a lively bar scene, friendly staff, good pub grub and the cheapest beer we’ve ever drunk… Seriously, $13 for a jug of PBR during happy hour is cheaper than a Wetherspoons pint circa 2010 .

As far as dinner plans go, Oya Sushi should sit at the top of everyone’s culinary checklist for a visit to Sun Peaks. Serving some of the best sushi you’ll find this far from Japan, and all hosted within a very authentic feeling restaurant.

To dust off the hangovers, we found two great little breakfast spots that are right next to each other. The Vertical Cafe offers a range of breakfast burritos, cakes and bakes and is clearly a popular spot with queues forming as soon as they open. 

But if you don’t fancy waiting, check next door at Bolacco Café – A quaint spot with some amazing freshly baked treats, sandwiches and snacks. It’s still a popular spot, but we found the queues moved a little faster! 

OTHER ACTIVITIES 5/5

There’s a host of fun things to do after a day of riding, we rested our legs with a quick hot tub at our hotel the Sundance Lodge, and then headed back out for the night riding at the bottom terrain park. Running until 7pm and with a cool variety of small to medium rails, boxes and a jump this was a great way to spend an hour or two lapping the Village Platter lift! 

If you need a complete rest from the snowboard life, then there is also a wealth of other activities that are fun for individuals, friends, couples and families alike. These include: axe throwing, dog sledding, snowmobiling tours, fat biking, murder mystery games, snowshoe tours, yoga, tobogganing, tubing, ice skating and even “Alpine Fondue & Ski Experience” which, quite frankly sounds delightful.

Our last hot tip – make reservations for restaurants in advance of arrival as places book up fast and it would be a shame to miss out on your favourite cuisine! 

Header Image: Reuben Krabbe