Sun Peaks is a four season resort community located in the interior of British Columbia. With the addition of two, new alpine ski zones for the 2014-15 winter season, it now ranks as the second largest ski area in Canada. Most recently declared the #2 Ski Destination in Canada by Canadian Living Magazine's Reader Poll and Best Overall Resort #2 by the Editors' Choice Awards in the SBC Resort Guide in 2013, Sun Peaks is continually rated one of the top ski experiences in North America. The award winning resort design features three mountains surrounding an intimate ski-in, ski-out village filled with shops, restaurants and hotels. In other seasons, Sun Peaks offers a diverse range of leisure activities including 18 holes of golf on B.C.'s highest golf course, both downhill and cross country mountain biking, lift accessed alpine hiking as well as numerous concert events and festivals. Sun Peaks Resort was the first ski resort in North America and still the only resort in Canada to receive the ISO 14001 designation recognizing the resort's environmental policies and practices.  Sun Peaks can be accessed by two airport gateways - Kamloops (45 minutes) and Kelowna (2.5 hours) and also by car; only a four hour drive separates Sun Peaks and Vancouver, B.C.       

New and Notable:

Snowbombing comes to Sun Peaks!

Europe's largest and most popular snow and music festival, Snowbombing, is coming to North America for the first time in 2017.  With the support of Coors Light, this exciting music festival will debut at Sun Peaks Resort, British Columbia from April 6 to 10. For over 17 years, the festival has drawn thousands of fans from across Europe and around the world to the Tyrollean Alps in Mayrhofen, Austria. The multi-award winning event is known as one of the world's most unique festival experiences, infusing a snow sports vacation with global headliners and DJs. To top it off, revelers will be able take part in exhilarating activities such as world-class ski and snowboard competitions, DJ battles and much, much more!

New heli ski prep program

Sun Peaks Resort is conveniently located amid some of the finest heli and cat-skiing destinations in the world! Get the most out of your heli or cat skiing trip in this three-day camp designed and instructed by a CSIA certified instructor and Canadian Ski and heli ski guide. Warm-up and fine tune your powder skiing technique in Sun Peaks legendary Gil's terrain while developing the necessary backcountry skills before your heli or cat skiing destination. Avalanche awareness, companion rescue, tree wells and backcountry hazard recognition are invaluable skills to take with you into the trip of your lifetime!

Sun Peaks set to open new NHL-sized rink

Sharpen up those skates, Sun Peaks has broken ground for its newest attraction, a regulation sized outdoor NHL skating rink! Slated to open its doors to the public this winter, the new rink will play host to a variety of activities and events. Stay tuned for progress updates and a calendar of events for the new surface as the date draws closer to cutting the ribbon on this brand new facility.

Grooming capabilities enhanced for winter season

Sun Peaks has long been recognized for its summer grooming practices, which allow the resort to open earlier with less snow than other resorts with similar elevation. The overall winter grooming capabilities will be at an all-time high next season thanks to an upgraded snow cat fleet and the introduction of new grooming professionals. Also assisting in the production of our world-renowned corduroy, will be the installation of several new winch anchors on West Morrisey. These winches will allow for greater access for the snow cats on many of the steeper pitches on the mountain. Grooming efforts have been increased for the 2016/17 winter season with work done to the area surrounding the Crystal Chair, allowing for an improved gladed skiing experience.

Inter-resort shuttle now 7 days a week!

Sun Peaks is now more connected than ever! New for the 2016/17 season, Sun Peaks Resort is proud to announce a new inter-resort shuttle seven days a week. With service to Silver Star and Big White and the Kelowna Airport (YLW), it's never been easier to plan a ski-safari to enjoy some of BC's best snow this winter! This new shuttle will complement the existing Whistler-Connection shuttle running all winter long.

135 runs and counting…

Recognized as Canada's second largest ski area, Sun Peaks has enjoyed significant growth in recent years and is showing no signs of slowing down. With the opening of new advanced trails last winter, in the “Laundromat” section of West Morrisey, the total number of runs increased to 135. Additional work will continue in this area for the winter 2016/17 season, specifically the completion of the “In Tatters” run. Also new for next season is the addition of a new run connection between 'Spillway' and 'The Other Way' on Mt. Tod. The new junction will create an easy and enjoyable skiing experience between the two long-time favourite runs of locals and guests alike.

New Sun Peaks Health Centre set to open for winter 16/17

Following a recent $100, 000 grant from the Ministry of Health, the Sun Peaks Health Centre is a go! Ground has been broken, floor plans have been laid and technical criteria has been finalized for a new, two story, 10,000 square foot health centre to be constructed near Bento's Day Lodge. The new building will house a doctor's office, examination rooms and a triage area. The centre will feature family doctor services for the communities of Sun Peaks, Whitecroft and the Upper Louis Creek Valley. The upper floor will also house the Sun Peaks ski patrol staff and will be paid for by the Sun Peaks Resort LLP. The Sun Peaks Resort Municipality expects construction to be completed by Nov. 1, with the goal to have the new facility open to the public by Dec. 1.

Sun Peaks Secondary Academy sees significant growth

Established in 2010, the Sun Peaks Education Society (SPES) set a goal to offer the most stimulating educational experience in B.C. to children in a spectacular mountainside community. The unique education facility has seen significant growth in recent years. Nearly 90 students are registered for the 2016-17 academic year. Sixty-seven students are registered for kindergarten to grade six at Sun Peaks Elementary, up from 54 last year, and around 20 students are registered for grades seven through 12 at the Sun Peaks Secondary Academy.

With the assistance of Sun Peaks Resort LLP, and the Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality, a school site for the Discovery Centre for Balanced Education (DCBE) was secured at the top of the Village Platter lift. In its inaugural year the DCBE passed 18 students, from kindergarten to grade five, through its doors with exceptional results. Six years later, SPES is working with The Kamloops-Thompson School District 73 to offer a blended schooling model. With perks such as “Friday's off” for Ski Club training and enjoying the slopes during lunch breaks, this mountainside school is quickly gaining in popularity and showing no signs of slowing down.

New housing development in the works amidst heavy demand

As the destination grows so do the needs for additional accommodation options. A new townhouse development will add selection to the ever-growing demand of prospective homebuyers in Sun Peaks. A&T Ventures of Kamloops has acquired the site next to the Kookaburra Lodge to build a 26-unit townhouse complex. Real estate sales are soaring in Sun Peaks in 2016. As of June 27, the year to date sales have doubled from the same period last year and nearly matches the total amount of sales for the entirety of 2015.

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MOUNTAIN STATS

Skiable Area: 4,270 acres
Summit Elevation: 2,080 m (6,824')
Terrain Type*: 10% novice (green) 58% intermediate (blue) 32% expert (black)
Rockstar Energy Terrain Park: 10 acres; 3 zones for beginner, intermediate, and advanced
Village Base Elevation: 1,255 m (4,117')
Skiable Vertical: 882 m (2894')
Lift Capacity: 12,000 riders per hour
Bowls: 2 alpine bowls
Longest Run: 8 km (5 miles long!)
Annual Snowfall: 6 m (237”)
Types of Lifts: 11, including: 5 quad chairlifts, 1 triple chairlift and 5 surface lifts
Trails*: 135, including: 14 gladed areas and 2 alpine bowls
Nordic/ Snowshoe Trails: 34.9 km groomed/track-set, 14.3 km backcountry, 16km snowshoe 
Sunshine: On average, over 2,000 hours of sunshine a year!

For more information on any of the above story ideas or to access high resolution photos and video, please contact the media team at Tourism Sun Peaks or go to www.SunPeaksResort.com/Media-Centre

For more information, please contact:

Colin Brost

Director, Market Development

Direct: 250-578-5383

Cell: 1-250-819-4000

Email: colin@sunpeakstourism.com