Pacific NW/AK/BC School Me On Sun Peaks

[Crank]

Heading out there late Feb. on a 4 night, 3 day FAM trip to look into possibly taking the ski club next winter. I would like to go armed with as much knowledge as possible.

What I know: It's in Canada. It's big.

 

[Sibhusky]

Paging @DanoT

 

[blah]

First time hearing of Sun Peaks, but, Wow, after some online investigation, looks pretty darn nice. Have a free weekend the last weekend of Jan, or a weekend in the middle of March. Hmmm, now I'm intrigued. Flights for me to Kelowna line up quite nicely to make a Fri night to Mon morning weekend out of it. Very limited flights to Kamloops, unfortunately.

 

[Started at 53]

Sun Peaks looks very nice and a good price, tough to get to from Florida tho.

Likes like a car is not needed once you get there, so does anyone know about food options in town or the Grand Hotel?

How long is the season? Is mid-March an option?

 

[Jilly]

Last time I was there, we flew from Toronto to Vancouver, then back to Kamloops. But it wasn't called Sun Peaks then, so things may have changed a bit!

 

[DanoT]

Check out the link below to my extensive unofficial guide.

Here is some additional proof that Sun Peaks is one of the best family resorts in North America:

 

[DanoT]

Sun Peaks looks very nice and a good price, tough to get to from Florida tho.

Likes like a car is not needed once you get there, so does anyone know about food options in town or the Grand Hotel?

How long is the season? Is mid-March an option?

All of the resorts in the B.C. interior shut down in early or mid April due to lack of skiers NOT lack of snow, so yeah mid March is an option. While it won't be a cluster, you still might want to avoid B.C.school spring break usually in mid or late March.

Counting places that are breakfast and lunch only there are about 20 places to eat.

Sun Peaks Grand hotel is the only hotel without kitchenettes but they do have room service. There is one grocery store.

 

[Started at 53]

@DanoT

Thanks for the info

Sounds like there are not many dining options

I did check out the hotel online, it looked very nice.

Thanks for the heads up on the school holidays.

Any other info you care to/can share?

 

[RNZ]

@DanoT

Thanks for the info

Sounds like there are not many dining options

I did check out the hotel online, it looked very nice.


Any other info you care to/can share?

We've been to Sun Peaks three times over about 15 years. The last time was about 8 years ago when our son was 6. We are going back this year for a week at New Year. We have flown in from New Zealand via Vancouver each time. In terms of ease of access compared to some of the other trips we have done, connections to Kamloops have been good. Plenty of options at a range of times. We've never had any weather issues at Kamloops either.

We have never hired a car and never had any problems with the shuttle service to Sun Peaks. We've always been met off the flight and left as soon as bags have arrived. once you get to Sun Peaks you don't need a car to get around if you are staying centrally.

Having read some of your posts I think you would love the terrain and snow quality at Sun Peaks. These were the reasons why we chose Sun Peaks as our first experiment for a ski holiday with our son who was six at the time. Sun Peaks is great for skiing in groups of mixed abilities. It has outstanding green runs that are wide, interesting and a really good consistent pitch - no nasty flat spots where you have to pole or skate. From all lifts, except the T Bar, there are good green options (7 mile) and Home Run are great super wide cruisers. When you want to mix it up a bit, add bumps, blue or black runs then a lot of these feed into 7 mile, so if people want to ski different things you can meet part way down a run.There are some great blue cruisers with fun rollers too.

The quality of the summer and winter grooming is also really high.

Our out of date experience with the dining at Sun Peaks is that it tends to more rustic than fine dining - but take that opinion with a grain of salt since there is probably a significant cultural difference in that perception. Good wine in the Okanagan though.

 

[Started at 53]

Thanks @RNZ

 

[DanoT]

One correction to RNZ's report: The run that he/she referred to as the 7MIle is actually the 5Mile and it actually is 5 miles long (8km) if skied from the top of the Burfield Chair to the bottom of the same chair. but there are options where you only ski for 2 or 3 miles on that run.

There is a run called the 7 Mile Road. It starts out as a flat trail through the woods and then ends up as a cat road with a series of switch backs.

 

[Started at 53]

@DanoT

Thanks again, I just watched your video, looks like a fun place for me and there would be challenges for @Mrs. 53 too.

I’ll have to check into the travel to get there part. A quick look showed me that it is not ONE WORLD (FF) accessible which is a bummer and means we would have to actually purchase tickets

But the cost of the stay and the exchange rate makes things look good. Now, when are the Canadian school holidays?

 

[Jilly]

Holy shit.....the couple on the left are old ski buddy's from Tremblant. They retired out there. Love watching Chris ski!! Joan was always smooth too. One of the reasons that Sun Peaks in on the list. I'd rather go there next than Whistler again!!

 

[DanoT]

A Google search reveals a one week local Kamloops school district spring break as March 19-23. Some other school districts get 2 weeks off (spreads out the visitations) which likely means March 19 to Easter.

 

[Jilly]

@Started at 53 - check out a company called SkiCan. They do trips and will help you with air from major US airports. One trip with them to Panorama we ended up on the bus with 1/2 the Mt Holly ski school. SkiCan arranged for them to fly from Detroit to Toronto, then the regular flight to Calgary that we were on.

 

[DanoT]

If you are flying anywhere in Canada and it involves a second connector flight it is best to avoid Air Canada if possible (WestJet is best). They have a bad habit of not getting your luggage (skis) on your flight with you and thus will sometimes arrive a day after you.

Regardless of who you fly with it is best to take your ski boots with you as walk on baggage. And I would also include ski clothing.

 

[Sibhusky]

If you are flying anywhere in Canada and it involves a second connector flight it is best to avoid Air Canada if possible (WestJet is best). They have a bad habit of not getting your luggage (skis) on your flight with you and thus will sometimes arrive a day after you.

Regardless of who you fly with it is best to take your ski boots with you as walk on baggage. And I would also include ski clothing.

Sounds like nothing's changed in the forty years since I last set foot on Air Canada. They permanently lost my luggage on the way TO Vienna. Then completed the horror with a 38 hour return trip where they refused to provide a hotel for a 15 hour layover in Boston that was due to their flight delays. Swore I'd never fly them again and have kept my word.

 

[Main Street]

Holy shit.....the couple on the left are old ski buddy's from Tremblant. They retired out there. Love watching Chris ski!! Joan was always smooth too. One of the reasons that Sun Peaks in on the list. I'd rather go there next than Whistler again!!

We know Chris & Joan very well,.... Joan is well known as the human dynamo or energizer bunny and Chris is a lot more laid back,.... Both are great fun to hang with.

 

[Main Street]

Heading out there late Feb. on a 4 night, 3 day FAM trip to look into possibly taking the ski club next winter. I would like to go armed with as much knowledge as possible.

What I know: It's in Canada. It's big.

Have a looky here......

https://pugski.com/media/users/main-street.1727/


400 odd more where those came from.....

 

[Sibhusky]

Have a looky here......

https://pugski.com/media/users/main-street.1727/


400 odd more where those came from.....

Link not working