When our son James turned 18 years old, (he’s now 36 years) and went off to university, I thought he would disappear into the sunset, never to be seen again. He would be too busy to holiday with his family, let alone his mother.
I was so devastated at the prospect, I planned a trip to Whistler Ski Resort in Vancouver before he started university. It was such a great success we did it again, and later had two magnificent ski trips to Niseko, Japan.
Fourteen years on, post university, career advancements, a wedding, a beautiful wife and three gorgeous children, I took the bull by the horns and suggested to James we go for another ski.
With a leave pass from his wife, the most capable mother and career gal, James and I set off to Sun Peaks.
Sun Peaks Resort
Sun Peaks is the second largest ski resort in Canada (after Whistler) although a much lower profile. The resort has a trio of mountains, Tod, Sundance, and Morrisey. They are all interconnected, with a magnificent web of ski runs. The trail network consists of 144 runs including 10% beginnner runs, 58% intermediate runs and 32% advanced, all immaculately groomed.
My two pet hates when skiing are poorly groomed and crowded slopes. Sun Peaks has neither. The lack of people made skiing at Sun Peaks so enjoyable. At 8.30 am when the ski lifts opened there could be as few as 50 people, but within minutes they were dispersed all over the mountain.
The snow groomer starts at 4.30pm when the lifts close for the day. They operate through the night to ensure the terrain and snow quality are perfect. On a couple of the days the visibilty was not great, so I skied close to the treeline for better clarity, and learnt to trust the snow as there were no bumps or surprises.
Getting There
From wherever you are in the world fly to Vancouver in British Columbia, and get a connecting domestic flight to Kamloops, which is less than an hour. Then, a 50 minute bus transfer to Sun Peaks Ski Resort.
Sun Peak Village
Sun Peaks is small, compact, pedestrian only village, making it easy to get around on foot. Restaurants, bars and retail are less than 100 metres from the ski lifts.
Accommodation
Grand Hotel
In the centre of this friendly village is the Grand Hotel. It’s a landmark as it dominates the village and is the only hotel in town.
The hotel has a selection of generously proportioned rooms and ‘residences’ which are like mini condos, with kitchen facilities.
My priority for the week was James and skiing, so the last thing I wanted to do was cook so we opted for the Grand Hotel.
Our room had two queen beds, bath, bathroom and plenty of storage room.
The hotels also has several hot tubs, overlooking the slopes. An absolute must at the end of the day to rejuvenate those tired muscles.
The hotel’s restaurant, Mantles, was open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Adjacent to the restaurant was a bar, also open in the morning for coffee and pastries for skiers wanting to get going.
Condos and apartments in the village
In addition to the Grand Hotel are a number condos and apartments. These typically are one and two bedrooms and are ski in, ski out.
Chalets
Further from the village centre is more accommodation options including larger chalets. A car may be necessary to access the lift and village.
Ski Hire
James hired his skis from a ski rental place adjacent to the Grand Hotel, called Elevations. They offer regular or high performance gear, all in good order.
Restaurants
The village is small, so the restaurants are busy and it’s necessary to book well in advance.
Here are my favourites:
Oya Japanese Cuisine – The restaurant is tiny, but the service is speedy and the food is excellent.
Mantles Restaurant – This restaurant is in the Grand Hotel. Their pizzas are very good, and there is a wide range of traditional fare.
Bottoms Bar and Grill – This popular bar is located at the bottom of the ski lifts and is great for drinks after skiing or lunch and dinner. Their chicken wings are legendary.
Dog Sledding
James turned 36 when we were in Sun Peaks, so to make the day memorable I organised dog sledding. The Alaskan Huskies gave us a great ride though the forrest. I was wedged between James legs and we set off with a hiss and a roar, being pulled by five very enthusiastic huskies. It was like being on a roller coaster as we swerved around trees at a great rate, laughing all the way.
We had the best time in every way and I can highly recommend Sun Peaks as a great resort for all levels of skiers. The beautifully groomed trails are all connect and it’s impossible to get lost, even for me. The village is small and compact making everything super accessible.
Note : all our arrangements, flights and land were organised by Ski Travel Specialist, Auckland. There are a number of ski specilaist travel agencies, providing comprehensive packages taking all the hassle out of planning a trip like this. Our package included flights, transfers, accommodation, breakfast, lift passes, ski rental and dog sledding.