2022/23 BC Southern Interior

[kootenayskier]

Sunshine, 100% coverage, predictable softening through the day, velvet on the groomers, fields of corn, cold chalk and remnant powder on the steep north. Loving the day after day perfect Spring conditions @ Red, but sad it’s all ending this weekend.

[DanoT]

Sun Peaks is a place I would want to go and ski with my 73 year old dad and my 10 and 8 year old kids. It has it's place in the ski resort realm, no question. Amazing for families - well designed village, and a LOT of easy to medium terrain to explore. But when it's time for me and my buddy to go and rip, we're not going there.

Ironically considering the DanoT fandom, the worst day I've ever experienced skiing was at Sun Peaks. We rolled in on a Sunday, and at a welcome reception with Nance and Al (free wine, of course), they explained how it rained all day and was "probably the worst skiing we've ever experienced here, and if the weather reports are accurate, tomorrow will be worse."
Well, it was worse. Temps dropped overnight and the next day was the ICIEST ice I've ever tried to change directions on skis. And I am from the east! We did one top-to-bottom and said screw it lets go in for a hot chocolate or coffee or something and hope things soften up. Came back out to try again and the lifts are not spinning - place is closed down for the day. Apparently there were too many people wiping out and hurting themselves that patrol couldn't keep up. The whole vacation was in jeopardy - the Paulster was losing it! "This place needs a foot of snow or something, this is nuts" I recall saying.
Well, anyway, around noon it starts snowing. 2pm it's dumping. Mood getting better. Overnight - 18" and bluebird the next morning. My tits were jacked!! We were on 2nd chair - an epic first run underneath with people cheering from above, I'll never forget it. Rest of the week was awesome. I've got pics on a broken laptop somewhere around here.

Hey Paulster2626, I'm older than your dad so I guess Sun Peaks is a good choice for my home mountain but I may not be there all that much next season as I turn 75y.o. next week which means free skiing next season at Castle, Red, Whitewater, Panorama. And Fernie will be $99 for the season if I can find time to get there.
At 75 I have been a ski bum, averaging 80 days/season, for longer than most TGR Maggots have been alive and next season you will find me in a Winnebago EKKO in one of the above resort's parking lots.

[LHutz Esq]

RMR has great kid/oldfart skiing! Just got to bring the right kids. Us tourons had a blast there- even tried out being lemmings

[paulster2626]

Hey Paulster2626, I'm older than your dad so I guess Sun Peaks is a good choice for my home mountain but I may not be there all that much next season as I turn 75y.o. next week which means free skiing next season at Castle, Red, Whitewater, Panorama. And Fernie will be $99 for the season if I can find time to get there.
At 75 I have been a ski bum, averaging 80 days/season, for longer than most TGR Maggots have been alive and next season you will find me in a Winnebago EKKO in one of the above resort's parking lots.

Well wouldn't you know it - next year during march break my dad wants to take his grandkids to... you guessed it... Sun Peaks.

You guys would get along well I bet!

[nortonwhis]

Hey Paulster2626, I'm older than your dad so I guess Sun Peaks is a good choice for my home mountain but I may not be there all that much next season as I turn 75y.o. next week which means free skiing next season at Castle, Red, Whitewater, Panorama. And Fernie will be $99 for the season if I can find time to get there.
At 75 I have been a ski bum, averaging 80 days/season, for longer than most TGR Maggots have been alive and next season you will find me in a Winnebago EKKO in one of the above resort's parking lots.

74! Much respect to still be skiing that much at that age. I don't know if my body will be walking at that age. let alone sliding on snow

[yeahman]

Hey Paulster2626, I'm older than your dad so I guess Sun Peaks is a good choice for my home mountain but I may not be there all that much next season as I turn 75y.o. next week which means free skiing next season at Castle, Red, Whitewater, Panorama. And Fernie will be $99 for the season if I can find time to get there.
At 75 I have been a ski bum, averaging 80 days/season, for longer than most TGR Maggots have been alive and next season you will find me in a Winnebago EKKO in one of the above resort's parking lots.

Keep on truckin' man!! This is inspiring.

[DanoT]

Keep on truckin' man!! This is inspiring.

I skied a run this morning with a lady who is 85y.o. It was a blue cruiser that I often do as a warm up run, called Grannie Greene's. (Guess who that is named after) I had to push it to keep up...Now THAT is inspiring.

[sparkletarte.]

Day 50 today! Achievement unlocked!

This was Day 49 beach party weekend... Team Descente, me in pink + green

[CnRzG]

Just gonna put this here. Sun Peaks is awesome. We spent a week up there in December. Low snow month, yet everything was open. There's plenty of single black bump runs, good advanced terrain and yes... lots of intermediate terrain. Agreed that there's not a lot of extreme stuff, nor does it get a lot of snow. But, the lack of lift lines, quality of snow and variety of intermediate and advanced terrain have us returning for Winter Solstice until Boxing Day.

[DanoT]

Just gonna put this here. Sun Peaks is awesome. We spent a week up there in December. Low snow month, yet everything was open. There's plenty of single black bump runs, good advanced terrain and yes... lots of intermediate terrain. Agreed that there's not a lot of extreme stuff, nor does it get a lot of snow. But, the lack of lift lines, quality of snow and variety of intermediate and advanced terrain have us returning for Winter Solstice until Boxing Day.

Sun Peaks is always one of the 1st to open in the B.C. interior. It is due to a small amount of snowmaking but mostly due to the on going 30+ years of summer grooming. All stumps on the mountain have been pulled, rocks picked, some runs reshaped with backhoes and grass planted. These days some runs are on a 5 year rotation for cutting weeds and small conifers, some on a 3 year rotation. Early season SP can have 30-40-cms thinner base than their competition but better coverage.

[SkiLyft]

Day 50 today! Achievement unlocked!

This was Day 49 beach party weekend... Team Descente, me in pink + green

Heck yeah!! Stunner of a pic!


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[kootenayskier]

The lifts might have stopped turning, but there’s still powder in them there hills.

[skuff]

The lifts might have stopped turning, but there’s still powder in them there hills.

Beautiful!

[CnRzG]

Sun Peaks is always one of the 1st to open in the B.C. interior. It is due to a small amount of snowmaking but mostly due to the on going 30+ years of summer grooming. All stumps on the mountain have been pulled, rocks picked, some runs reshaped with backhoes and grass planted. These days some runs are on a 5 year rotation for cutting weeds and small conifers, some on a 3 year rotation. Early season SP can have 30-40-cms thinner base than their competition but better coverage.

That's what we experienced in December. 3 days at SP had better coverage than much of even the upper mountain at revy... where we skied for two. The upper mountain was mostly filled in. But there were lots of stumps, rocks and exposed places still.

[the_teo]

Day 50 today! Achievement unlocked!

This was Day 49 beach party weekend... Team Descente, me in pink + green

Yeah, way to go!

I also passed day 50 some days ago - but in Sweden!

All the best,
Teo

[alive]

Yea, it’s water and bike season, but after a scorching hot spring, thought I would see what kind of snow was left up high. Snowpack definitely disappeared quick this spring, but what was left was actually super fun skiing. Perfect weather made for a summer ski trip where the skiing didn't suck!

[skaredshtles]

Yea, it’s water and bike season, but after a scorching hot spring, thought I would see what kind of snow was left up high. Snowpack definitely disappeared quick this spring, but what was left was actually super fun skiing. Perfect weather made for a summer ski trip where the skiing didn't suck!

Your dog looks unimpressed.

[el hefe]

Nice, saw these on insta. Where did you go?

[grinch]

Beauty sunset pic! Man do i miss those spring days

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[alive]

Your dog looks unimpressed.

Ha, pup was looking like that as he found a fresh. soft pile of cow shit in the parking lot and for the first time in his life, decided to roll around in in. Pic was taken shortly after forcing him under a waterfall.


Yea, that was Monashee lake area. Between pinnacles and Mt. Severide. Love it up there.

[BCMtnHound]

Very sweet stoke. I have been so neglectful attending my alpine haunts this spring and summer.

Funny to hear about about the pooch. Been there, more times that I can count. Given my hound’s age, unless the foulness is really ripe, I no longer subject her to the indignity of a wash. But then she almost never cares to come into the house anymore (unless there is thunder, fireworks, or it drops below -20C)

[El Kanone]

I did a complete remodel to my neighbor’s cabin and turned it into a really nice SkiBandB. It is in the perfect location for ski touring on Kootenay Pass located right at the base of the pass near the Nelway boarder crossing. It is also in reasonable striking distance to Whitewater 45 minutes and Red Mountain about an hour. But is great for touring on the pass. It will sleep six no problem and has parking room for RV and campers. I even put in a ski tuning bench with exhaust fan and a gear drying rack. I’m just helping them get the word out to skiers not spamming. If you tell her that you heard about it from Paul you will get a discount. Their Airbnb site is Rosebud Retreat or Rosebudlake It is a nice alternative to the hard to get Lightning Strike and Ripple Ridge cabins.

[UkBCyeti]

Looks sick! Have you toured in the terrain around Rosebud lake? Any Beta?

[El Kanone]

I would say too low elevation and impractical for ski touring around the lake but good for XC touring with scales. It is only 15 minutes to top of the pass so no reason not to just go up there for the real skiing. I have been building mountain bike trails around the lake though.
https://www.airbnb.ca/rooms/88550455...VcuSJZEhSiR30n

[nortonwhis]

Hows Rogers Pass looking? We are having a shocker over here on the coast and its not looking much better for xmas. Looking to make the trek out that way if things look good. Seems to be lots of hotel options still available in golden as well.