At Sun Peaks, Locals Bring the Best of the Mountain to You

Travel professionals will often recommend enlisting in a walking tour of your destination soon after arrival. You get a lay of the land, along with the education about its history, culture, and attractions you want to check out later. Such insight from a resident can be invaluable in maximizing your stay. It’s the same idea when you participate in a guided mountain tour during your ski vacation.

While many mountains in British Columbia offer free ski and snowboard tours, Sun Peaks Resort has been one of the leaders in orientation experiences for its guests. The Sun Hosts program includes more than 60 volunteers who lead registrants through the terrain of Canada’s second-largest ski resort. Volunteer hosts will take a total of 10 to 50 guests on a tour each day, the resort says.

“Knowledge and understanding of the terrain and the area can ensure that guests have the best possible experience because they can learn how to use the mountains to their advantage. Not to mention that this being a free product makes it accessible for all visitors, ages, and abilities. And as an added bonus guests will likely make a new friend because the hosts are all amazingly welcoming and are volunteers simply to share their love for our home with the people who come to visit,” the Sun Peaks communications team commented in an email.

The Sun Hosts program also hints at one of the most beloved attributes of the resort village: A refreshing lack of crowds. In larger resorts, skiers and snowboarders have to tolerate the wait for everything from a chairlift to a dinner table to an elevator up to their room. The number of Sun Hosts tours nods to the space available for snow-sports enthusiasts when they’re on the mountain. And when they’re off of it, they can move about Sun Peaks’ village, which is known for its intimate vibes and comfortable places.

MORE SKIING: Massive Fun at Le Massif

The guests include many families who benefit from the approximately 140 ski and snowboard instructors. Adults can take lessons for themselves and enroll their kids in Sun Peaks’ Sports School. Children’s lessons can be as short as two hours or last the full day as part of a camp or a private lesson. The Sports School includes daycare services, too.

Teaching kids is a core aspect of the Sun Peaks’ program. The children who live in the area take ski and snowboard lessons at the Sports School as part of their physical education curriculum. So visiting families can have confidence that education is well planned at Sun Peaks.

The mountain also has a local hero: Nancy Greene Raine. The 1968 Olympic gold medallist in women’s giant slalom has been an integral part of Sun Peaks for decades. A former Canadian senator, Greene Raine continues to live in the resort at the Cahilty Lodge, one of six accommodation properties within the village. The lodge’s lobby features shelves filled with Greene Raine’s astounding collection of athletic accolades — a trophy case that makes it clear why she was named the best female athlete in the country for the 20th century.

Her legacy of welcoming guests and advocating for her home mountain is influenced by the Sun Hosts. The program, which includes free hiking tours in the summer, offers a guided exploration of the trails for skiers and snowboarders of any skill level.

For 2024-25, Sun Peaks guests will have four new trails to experience, raising the total number of trails to 144 across 4,270 acres of terrain, second only to Whistler Blackcomb in the nation. The most exciting new feature for the coming season is the West Bowl Express, which will reach 2,093 metres (6,867 feet) atop Tod Mountain, one of the resort’s three primary peaks. That creates a skiing vertical of 896 metres (2,940 feet).

There’s also a new loading carpet for the existing Elevation chairlift. Powder Ventures Ski and Snowboard Cross Course debuts after having been built from dirt in the summer. Its addition means a reliable early opening — scheduled for November 16 for the 2024-25 season — and opportunities for athlete development and event hosting. Another winter sport that is growing in popularity is snowmobiling and for the first time Sun Peaks will be offering a “Date Night Tour” through Mountain Man Adventure (MMA). The outfitter has added a new fleet of vehicles, including electric snowmobiles for guides.

Off-Mountain Fun at Sun Peaks

Cleavage Axe Co.: Axe throwing is one of the fastest-growing sports in North America, with more than 360 businesses registered in the United States and Canada that focus on promoting the activity. Among the newest is Cleavage Axe Co., an amiable spot where staff members offer lessons on how to throw an axe and keep score. There’s also a kids’ lane that uses Velcro axes and target boards that add to the family appeal of the venue. Craft beer and other beverages are on the menu, which makes Cleavage Axe. Co. an attractive après–ski spot.

It was the second time I tried axe throwing and I preferred Cleavage’s set-up. The axes are lighter — and also the same weight as those used in official competitions — and that makes them easier to throw and allows you to play longer before fatigue sets in. The space is gleaming and is a spot for socializing as much as it is for hosting axe-throwing competitions.

The starting cost for axe throwing is $32-$39 per person for one hour.

Fat Biking: Sun Peaks has a designated fat-biking loop that takes cyclists through the Nordic trail amid pine trees and alongside lakes. The new Family Man Loop is more challenging while the easiest route gives guests the chance to cycle through the village. The cost to rent a fat bike is $45 for two hours or $60 for a full day.

Ice Fishing: A guided tour with Elevated Fishing takes a maximum of five guests onto a frozen lake to participate in one of Canada’s most iconic winter activities. Equipment is provided and an underwater GoPro camera captures the action to show anglers what fish — mostly rainbow trout — are attracted to their bait. The fish can be cleaned and packaged and brought home. The fishing takes place inside a heated hut with the surrounding forests and mountains as a backdrop.

Dining: Sun Peaks has 22 eating establishments that range from grab-and-go options to fine-dining choices. The two I tried were Bottoms Bar and Grill, which serves pub favourites like tacos and burgers, and is the favourite spot in the village for après vibes, and Oya, a Japanese restaurant with 18 of its own signature rolls and a variety of oshi options.

MORE ABOUT SUN PEAKS

Getting There: Sun Peaks is about 400 kilometres (250 miles) east of Vancouver, or a 4 1/2-hour drive, and about one hour from Kamloops Airport. (See map below.)

Where to Stay: Nancy Greene’s Cahilty Lodge features one-, two-, and three-bedroom units with full kitchens, and has a hot tub and full-service restaurant. Room Rates: A weekend stay in December starts at $372 per night based on a recent search of the property’s booking engine.

Epic Pass Deals in November

Ski resorts across British Columbia are preparing for what could be a stellar winter on the mountains. Snowfall has been accumulating steadily and La Niña, the weather system that influences temperatures, is predicted to benefit ski resorts in the Pacific Northwest for the 2024-25 season.

Epic Pass is ideal for those avid skiers and snowboarders who love to venture to different resorts. The pass includes four ski resorts in B.C., including Whistler Blackcomb, and dozens of others around the world. Epic Pass-holders receive access to a number of deals and exclusive offers. Until November 17, there is an Epic Pass Cyber Sale that features savings on lift tickets while lodging deals for pass-holders are available on November 25, a day before the public receives access. The lodging sale offers up to 30% off room rates for stays between November 25, 2024 and November 24, 2025 at Vail Resorts, which owns Whistler Blackcomb.

The Epic Pass has a multitude of options to explore on its website.