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Sun Peaks gets an average annual snowfall of 220 in (or more than 18 ft) (559 cm / 5.5 m) The resort village is at an elevation of 4117 ft (1255 m) above sea level, and the top lift elevation is 6824 ft (2080 m). The yearly average temperature is 22F (-6C), with highs in the winter around the freezing mark and lows around 14F (-10C). In the summer, the high temperatures average around 67F (13C), but can reach up into the high 80’s (F) (20’s C). The resort is probably known as “Sun” Peaks because it averages over 2,000 hours of sunlight annually.
Sun Peaks is located on Tod Mountain Road, which is accessed from BC Highway 5 at Heffley Creek, north of Kamloops. The total driving distance from [wiki=b83494fc9fa0e45e8a880dbfe7eb8fe4]Kamloops[/wiki] is 50 km, or roughly 45 minutes. Other major centers nearby include [wiki=70cf0914e8f50ec0773df209436d137b]Kelowna[/wiki] (2 1/2 hours away, via Hwy 97 and Hwy 5), [wiki=38278119f2c41ca7aedcbc55eabf73cd]Vancouver[/wiki] (4 1/2 hours away, via Hwy 1 and Hwy 5), [wiki=dc0cc254de9d367b611cba6ea88f629d]Jasper[/wiki] (5 hours away, via Hwy 16 and Hwy 5) and [wiki=471d13668d93814d32004c7e3ed3c508]Banff[/wiki] (6 hours away, via Hwy 1 and Hwy 5).
It’s easy to get to and from Sun Peaks by bus from [wiki=b83494fc9fa0e45e8a880dbfe7eb8fe4]Kamloops[/wiki]. There’s a shuttle that runs every day of the year (except Christmas day and New Years day) that arrives at the resort by 9am and departs for Kamloops again at 4pm. The cost is only $10. There are no reservations available, and space on the bus is on a first come, first served basis.
There is also another shuttle that runs between [wiki=c9e633ecf2662e517f1d0fae1a6b5a48]Whistler[/wiki] and Sun Peaks.
*Rates: $99.00 per person Schedule: Wednesdays & Saturdays
**Departs Sun Peaks @ 7:30AM - Arrives at Whistler @ 12:30PM
**Departs Whistler @ 12:30PM - Arrives at Sun Peaks @ 6:30PM
Sun Peaks can be accessed easily from either of two airports:
*Kamloops Airport [url=http://www.kamloopsairport.com/]]is a 45 minute drive from Sun Peaks.
*Kelowna International Airport [http://www.kelownaairport.com/[/url] is a 2-1/2 hour drive from Sun Peaks.
As of December 2, 2008, VIA Rail (the major Canadian passenger rail service) made schedule changes that allowed people traveling to and from [wiki=38278119f2c41ca7aedcbc55eabf73cd]Vancouver[/wiki] or [wiki=dc0cc254de9d367b611cba6ea88f629d]Jasper[/wiki] to arrive in [wiki=b83494fc9fa0e45e8a880dbfe7eb8fe4]Kamloops[/wiki] late evening or early morning and then catch a shuttle to Sun Peaks Resort.
*Westbound
**[wiki=dc0cc254de9d367b611cba6ea88f629d]Jasper[/wiki] to [wiki=b83494fc9fa0e45e8a880dbfe7eb8fe4]Kamloops[/wiki]
**2:30PM-11:09PM (Departs: Fri/Sun/Tues)
**[wiki=b83494fc9fa0e45e8a880dbfe7eb8fe4]Kamloops[/wiki] to [wiki=38278119f2c41ca7aedcbc55eabf73cd]Vancouver[/wiki]
**8:30PM-6AM (Departs: Tues/Fri/Sun)
*Eastbound
**[wiki=38278119f2c41ca7aedcbc55eabf73cd]Vancouver[/wiki] to [wiki=b83494fc9fa0e45e8a880dbfe7eb8fe4]Kamloops[/wiki]
**11:44PM-9:42AM (Arrives: Sat/Mon/Sat)
**[wiki=b83494fc9fa0e45e8a880dbfe7eb8fe4]Kamloops[/wiki] to [wiki=dc0cc254de9d367b611cba6ea88f629d]Jasper[/wiki]
**06:35AM-4PM (Arrives: Mon/Wed/Sat)
*Vancouver - Kamloops is a night-time transfer
*Jasper - Kamloops is mostly daytime
The most popular winter activity at Sun Peaks is skiing and snowboarding at Sun Peaks Resort [http://www.sunpeaksresort.com]. The ski resort features 3,678 acres of ski runs and 2,891 vertical feet of downhill spread over three mountains. It has some of the best weather for skiing in Canada, with an average of over 2,000 hours of sunshine per year.
Aside from downhill and cross-country skiing and snowboarding, there are many other things to do. A short list includes:
*Backcountry Skiing and Snowboarding a guide will take you to the backside of Tod Mountain for a day trip to areas not generally open to the public. You would have to be an intermediate to expert skier to take advantage of such a trip.
*Groomer Rides Have you ever wanted to know what it’s like to ride in one of the ski run grooming machines? Or maybe take a tour of the mountain without being on your skis? You can take a 3/4 to 1 hour ride in one of the groomers and see just what it is they do.
*Dogsledding Just like you’ve seen on TV, you can pilot a team of sled dogs (called “mushing”) through the woods at Sun Peaks. This is another activity that requires a fair amount of physical stamina and strength, and shouldn’t be undertaken by anyone who isn’t prepared to occasionally have to run beside their dog teams through deep snow, uphill.
*Snowshoeing One of the quietest and most relaxing ways to get around the mountains in winter, snowshoeing is also probably one of the oldest methods of winter transportation in this part of the world. On snowshoes, you can see parts of the mountains that are inaccessible in any other way, and see the beauty and wildlife of the Rockies up close.
*Snowmobiling The exact opposite of snowshoeing, snowmobiling is neither quiet, nor relaxing. It is, however a very exciting and exhilarating way to take a tour around the mountainside.
*Sleigh Rides Another old-fashioned way to enjoy the countryside is in a horse-drawn sleigh. Again, we’re back to the quiet and relaxing type of transportation through the mountains.
*Snow Tubing Much like the inflatable tubes that can be pulled behind a motor boat on a lake, you can also ride one of these types of tubes down a snow-covered hill. Sun Peaks has a large Snow Tubing park where tub riders of all ages can slide as much as they want.
*Ice Skating There is a full-sized skating rink at Sun Peaks where anyone who enjoys skating can take part in public skates or drop-in ice hockey games. Check the schedules to see which type of skating is going on at a particular time.
Golf As with many ski resorts, there are plenty of golf courses in and around Sun Peaks. Rather than list them all here, I’d suggest you just Google “golf at Sun Peaks”, which will get you a great list of golf courses in the area.
*Canoeing and Kayaking There are numerous lakes and rivers nearby, all worthy of a canoe or kayak trip. It’s also easy to find guides to take you on a trip of this kind. If you’re staying at one of the major hotels, they will provide access to such a service.
*Fishing As noted above, there are many lakes and rivers, and therefore, opportunities to go fishing very close by Sun Peaks.
*Hiking Since Sun Peaks is in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, it is one of the nicest places for a summer mountain hike. There are numerous trails within and around Sun Peaks, just waiting for you to take a leisurely stroll or a strenuous hike.
*Mountain Biking As with Hiking, above, there are many mountain biking trails in and around Sun Peaks. Mountain biking has become a very popular summer sport at most ski resorts in the summertime.
*Horseback Riding Again, as with mountain biking, horseback trail riding is a very popular thing to do in the mountains in the summer. You can join a trail riding tour with ‘’’Sun Peaks Trail Rides [url=http://www.sunpeakstrailrides.ca/]’’’]or close by at Tod Mountain Ranch [http://www.todmountainranch.com/[/url]
Swimming Sun Peaks has no shortage of heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools. This makes swimming available to everyone, all year round.
*Photography Clinics The Rockies are spectacular in any season, and there are several professional photographers at Sun Peaks who run photography clinics year-round. This can be a great addition to your trip. Whether you’re a novice or a “serious amateur”, you’ll be able to build on the skills you will learn at these clinics. Be prepared to get up really early in the mornings, as some of the best photographs and the most spectacular views happen at sunrise.
There is no shortage of places to stay at Sun Peaks. Being a ski resort, there are plenty of hotels and lodges in the vicinity. Here's a short list of hotels and lodges:
*Nancy Greene's Cahilty Lodge
*Delta Sun Peaks Resort
*Coast Sundance Lodge
*Sun Peaks Lodge
*Heffley Boutique Inn
*Hearthstone Lodge
*Fireside Lodge
If you're really on a budget, or prefer more of a rustic type of vacation, hostels are a good alternative place to stay.
*Sun Peaks International Hostel, [http://www.sunpeakshostel.com/].
If you're looking for something a little different, Tod Mountain Guest Ranch is only 15 mins drive from Sun Peaks Resort. Accommodation is in luxuriously furnished cabins and the guest lodge has superb guest facilities including fireside lounge, games room, TV lounge, internet access, guest laundry facilties etc. The ranch can accommodate up to 16 guest and for groups of 10 or more can be booked for your groups exclusive use.
*Tod Mountain Ranch, [http://www.todmountainranch.com/].
Vacation Rentals at Sun Peaks are another alternative to staying at a hotel. The price is almost the same, but the place you'll be staying at is more than just a room at a hotel, it can be a single-family home, or a condo or an apartment. Vacation rentals are a great alternative because you can generally find something to fit almost any budget.
10-digit dialling is mandatory in British Columbia, and the area code for Sun Peaks is 250, which is the same as [wiki=ea999edb8c9e67914e81ebedf1ccf862]Vancouver Island[/wiki]. The Greater [wiki=38278119f2c41ca7aedcbc55eabf73cd]Vancouver[/wiki] area uses the area code 604. Recently, the area code 778 was added to all regions of the province to make up for a looming shortage of phone numbers in the area.
Sun Peaks has a local newspaper called “SPIN” (for Sun Peaks Independent News). It is available in paper form as well as online [http://www.sunpeaksnews.com/]. Otherwise, you can also find many other national and international newspapers at local stores and hotels at Sun Peaks.
91.5 - CKBZ-FM
*90.1 - CIFM-FM
**Both stations from Kamloops have transmitters in Sun Peaks.
There are elements of risk that common sense and personal awareness can help reduce. Regardless of how you use the slopes, always show courtesy to others. Please adhere to the code listed below and share with others the responsibility for a safe outdoor experience.
* Always stay in control. You must be able to stop, or avoid other people or objects.
* People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.
* Do not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above.
* Before starting downhill or merging onto a trail, look uphill and yield to others.
* If you are involved in or witness a collision/accident you must remain at the scene and identify yourself to the Ski Patrol.
* Always use proper devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
* Observe and obey all posted signs and warnings.
* Keep off closed trails, and closed areas.
* You must not use lifts or terrain if your ability is impaired through the use of alcohol or drugs.
* You must have sufficient physical dexterity, ability, and knowledge to safely load, ride, and unload lifts. If in doubt, ask the lift attendant.