Brendan Howey rips through the Sun Peaks Bike Park.
Photo by Kaleb Trozzo
$1,495,000
PROPERTY FEATURES
BED: 2 BATH: 2 FUNIRSHED 1,908 SQ.FT.
ZONED SH-1 | BUILT IN 2015
PROPERTY OVERVIEW
This approximately 5-acre lot hosts a custom traditional Percell Timber Frame home strategically positioned to capture the picturesque scenery of the creek and aspen forest.
Situated between Little Heffley and Heffley Lake, the property offers a serene ambiance surrounded by wildlife, allowing residents to unwind to the melodies of loons, owls, and the gentle flow of the seasonal creek. Embrace family gatherings around the fire pit, children reveling in nature, starlit evenings on the deck, breathtaking vistas, the warmth of both indoor and outdoor fireplaces, and an outdoor flex-platform suitable for activities like yoga.
Additionally, the property is horse-friendly and conveniently located just a short drive away from Sun Peaks, where exciting mountain adventures await.
61 - 1240 Alpine Road,
BED: 3 BATH: 2.5 UNFUNIRSHED 1,627 SQ.FT. ZONED RC-1 | +GST Only 1 brand new townhouse remains available in the popular and vibrant Peaks West! $877,500
6593 Lower Heffley Lake Road, Heffley Creek, BC
Sun Peaks, BC
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213 - 1130 Sun Peaks Rd. Sun Peaks, B.C.
BRANDI SCHIER
Publisher brandi@sunpeaksnews.com
ANAM RAHMAN
Partnerships Specialist anam@sunpeaksnews.com
HOLLIE FERGUSON
Community Editor editor@sunpeaksnews.com
NICOLE PERRY
Community Journalist nicole@sunpeaksnews.com
MARS PENNER DIONNE PHILLIPS
Contributing Reporters
CHRIS PAYNE
Layout & Graphic Designer
05
NEWS BRIEFS
Learn about what’s happening in Sun Peaks.
07
A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-ATLARGE
Words from senior manager for Sun Peaks Bike Park and snowmaking, Barney Mouat.
08
SUN PEAKS BIKE PARK CELEBRATES 25 YEARS
In the past 25 years, Sun Peaks Bike Park grew from a collection of hand-built trails to 83 kilometres of varied terrain.
10
SUMMER BIKE EVENTS IN SUN PEAKS Join in on the fun at Sun Peaks Bike Park’s opening day June 15.
12
A LOOK BACK AT THE BIKE PARK FROM THOSE WHO BUILT IT
Three original trail designers share what inspired their early work, how the bike park has changed and what they still love about exploring the trails.
16
TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT ON THE SUMMER AGENDA FOR SUN PEAKS RECREATIONAL TRAIL ASSOCIATION
SPRTA is finalizing plans, perfecting trails and celebrating a first-time milestone this year.
MEET MELISSA DA SILVA, SUN PEAKS RECREATIONAL TRAIL ASSOCIATION’S FIRST EMPLOYEE
This is the first year the volunteer-run organization has been able to offer up a paid position.
17
THREE NEW PUMP TRACKS ARE COMING TO KAMLOOPS BIKE RANCH
Asphalt pump tracks and more are being added to Kamloops Bike Ranch with varying levels of difficulty for beginners and experts alike.
18
THE CANADIAN DOWNHILL MTB CHAMPIONSHIPS RETURN TO SUN PEAKS THIS SUMMER
From Aug. 10-11, Sun Peaks will see some of the best downhill mountain bike racers in Canada flock to the village.
WE ARE ONE CANADIAN ENDURO LEAGUE’S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE IS BACK
On the weekend of Sept. 22, racers will be taking on the Stumpwheed trail once more.
19
LOCAL MOUNTAIN BIKER BROCK HAWES FACES CHALLENGES FOR THE 2024 BIKE SEASON
Hawes is working to increase funding going into his first season in the elite category.
20
NEW TO MOUNTAIN BIKING? HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
From bike maintenance to community connections, these tips will help you break into mountain biking.
21
THE 2024 MOUNTAIN BIKING SEASON KICKS OFF WITH NEW AND RETURNING PROGRAMS
Try your hand at one of the many lessons and programs offered at the Sun Peaks Sports School.
22
DOCUMENTARY TELLS STORY OF YOUTH MOUNTAIN BIKE PROGRAM BLAZING TRAILS IN SIMPCW AND BEYOND
The recent film Dirt Relations showcases the work of a non-profit that works with Indigenous communities to build mountain bike trail networks.
24
PUZZLES
Can you tackle this month’s crossword? Plus, a new Sudoku and the answers to last month’s puzzles.
26 EVENTS
Check out local and regional events happening soon.
MAYOR AL RAINE WILL BE STEPPING DOWN AFTER RECEIVING A DIAGNOSIS OF BULBAR ALS
Raine will vacate his role as his symptoms progress.
Mayor Al Raine has recently been diagnosed with a rare and fatal disease at age 82: a form of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) called Bulbar ALS.
Due to his speech impairment from the illness, Raine shared more about his condition and plans over email.
A relatively rare form, Bulbar ALS only affects about 25 per cent of ALS patients Raine shared.
“It starts in the throat, neck and head and it spreads from there as opposed to starting in the extremities,” Raine said. “It will impact my speech, eating and eventually breathing.”
The acting mayor, currently councillor Julie Kimmel, will be running meetings in his place, and Raine said if he can no longer attend and contribute, he will step aside and there will be a by-election. There’s no official status on when this will occur.
Currently, Raine is focused on keeping busy, and asks for the community members to carry on with business as usual.
“I would rather wake up worrying about affordable housing, finding a way to fund infrastructure expansion or First Nation reconciliation solutions and not worry about what is coming next,” he said.
“I do consider myself very lucky, the average onset age for ALS is about 55 years old and some patients are still young adults,” he added. “It is easier to accept your fate at age 82 than age 42.”
Read more about Raine's plans in the full story on sunpeaksnews.com
Mayor Al Raine has been diagnosed with Bulbar ALS.
Photo by Liz McDonald
A NEW CHAIRLIFT IS COMING TO THE WEST BOWL
Construction for the West Bowl chairlift will be finishing up this summer, with the lift set to be operating by winter season’s opening day.
Sun Peaks residents and visitors can look forward to a new chairlift for the 2024/25 winter season, reaching the highest elevation of any current lift on the mountain.
“It's a very desirable spot of terrain in the upper Alpine that hasn't really been too accessible in the last couple of years,” said director of communications for Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR), Christina Antoniak about the expanse of skiable land the chair will open up.
Equipment for the chair has been arriving weekly according to senior director of mountain operations Erik Meertens.
“Ninety per cent of the station parts are here. All the carriers, also known as the chairs, are arriving on June 5.”
The construction crew will be putting components together from the P5 parking lot where parts are currently being stored. On June 10, they’ll be trucking it all up the mountain and putting it into place.
“There'll be some temporary closures through the hiking trails in that zone, just based on whatever phase in the project and what the construction needs are at the time,” Antoniak said about this summer.
The time frame for this stage of the project is June 15 to Sept. 15.
TOURISM SUN PEAKS IMPLEMENTS A NEW EVENT STRATEGY FOR OFF-SEASON GATHERINGS AND SHOWS
Tourism Sun Peaks is working on a plan to bring in more people during shoulder season with a new strategy centered around events.
By Nicole Perry
Tourism Sun Peaks (TSP) has been developing a plan to avoid economic dips when Sun Peaks’ tourist traffic tends to slow during the spring and fall.
TSP executive director Naomi Kerchinsky shared they’ll be rolling out a long-term event strategy, centered around using the Sun Peaks Skating Rink as an event venue during shoulder season.
After a successful event-filled summer in 2023, TSP saw some potential for a tourism boost, Kerchinsky said. When she was brought on as executive director in January, they developed a plan.
Making the rink multi-faceted so it can be used in the winter for skating and used by TSP for the rest of the year means making some changes in the design of the arena, and removing the boards was the first step. They’re looking at plexiglass board options that are much easier to store and getting curtains and sound rigging for when they have ownership of the space, Kerchinsky said.
“We also see great value in the Sun Peaks Centre,” she said, adding the use could be as a green room or welcome hall.
The goal is to be making use of the Sun Peaks Centre and the Sun Peaks Centre Stage from 2025 to 2029.
Construction on the West Bowl chairlift.
Photo provided by Christina Antoniak/SPR
Boards being removed at the rink to kickstart process of turning the venue into Sun Peaks Centre Stage.
Photo by Nicole Perry
A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Words from senior manager for Sun Peaks Bike Park and snowmaking, Barney Mouat.
It isn’t always clear where a trail will take you once you decide to point your front wheel in the same direction of the dirt and begin pedaling. Sometimes trail builders don’t exactly know where the trail will take you either—this applies whether you’re going up or down.
Trail builders will intuitively guide you to a rock feature, a viewpoint or something they’ve found in a forest and want to share with the rider. They know where their trail will begin and where it is supposed to end, and make adjustments to share all the neat things they’ve found along their journey.
In many ways, their work is a form of art and self-expression. Their creativity is on display and will allow countless mountain bikers to liberate their energy within the forests. Their altruistic work provides countless benefits to others both physically and mentally.
As I reflect on the many years I’ve spent working the ground and guiding teams in the Sun Peaks Bike Park, the trail builders, of which there are so many from over the years, have helped make our community such a special destination.
Twenty-five years of riding bikes in this community has been made possible by some unique misfits. I don’t say this in a derogatory sense; quite the opposite in fact. Without them, where would we be today? As all the years combine, they melt into a dream.
Back in the beginning, Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR) hired Kamloops local legend Trevor (Full Boar) Marshall to kickstart the trail menu with long-standing classics which are still staples in the Bike Park including Sugar, Sweet One and later, Honey Drop.
Jordan Petrovics, an original member of the bike park crew added the original Steam Shovel which was later modified to its modern-day form by Kamloops legends Ron Penney, Brad Stuart and the rest of the Landmark Trailworks crew. Landmark later added Super Nugget on Sundance Mountain, one of the finest freeride trails at SPR. Impossible to name all of the trail builders and their work, it would be a small crime to omit the impressive list of landscape artists who have left their mark on the mountain: Paddy Kaye,
the godfather of lift access bike parks, came to Sun Peaks in 2004 with his Biker Cross Course and Joyride event. Other notables include Chris Sheppard (Root Dog), Ricardo Paseri, Scott Wicks and James Jeffries who initiated a renaissance of machine-built trails to bring us out of the dark ages to modern day freeride trails.
More recently, Matt Hadley spearheaded a master plan that brought wisdom and experience and sparked a community to fully support the growth of mountain biking. Jeff Cook and Lifetime Trails did a significant amount of work on the mountain adding Canada Line, Bermalade and Stella Blue. Starr Trail Solutions too, which added signature trails on Mt. Morrisey with the group leading the charge on pedal access DH trails Sun Peaks Recreational Trail Association.
The list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Scotty Janzen, Keenan Kovacs, Riley Holowatiuk, Dan Whitford, Adam Galbraith, Jordan Proctor and Glen Martin.
Currently led by Shawn Melnechuk who has previously been the reigning Masters DH Champ, the Sun Peaks Bike Park has seen its share of talented individuals uphold the legacy of Kamloops mountain bike culture and trail building. On the backs of these individuals, we have a bike park unlike any other in B.C., with steep fall line single-tracks and ultra flowy freeride trails.
The romance of hopping on your bike and entering the forest to breathe deeply provides all kinds of new sights, sounds and scents. Whatever is weighing us down in our lives is quickly forgotten as we begin a long arduous climb or adrenaline-filled descent. We’re given the opportunity to see something that didn’t exist previously. Anyone who has bushwacked through a forest where no trail existed before knows the challenges of trail builders.
They not only feed the voracious mosquitoes and flies that dwell in the forest, they break shovels, bleed, destroy their favourite t-shirts and jeans while building trails, and give the dirt a temporary home underneath their fingernails for weeks at a time. They do it because the work satisfies their needs. They love being out in the forest and they help expand the universe
by creating new places for people to expel their energy.
The landscape and what it provides is changed thanks to these visionaries. Their work challenges us to overcome fears and obstacles. Without trying to teach us life lessons, their art reminds us that, sometimes in life we have to work hard. Sometimes we fall along the way and we have to dust off the dirt and forge ahead to reap the rewards.
The beauty of bike trails is that they never judge us. What may be a difficult section today is overcome more easily the next time you’re out for a ride. Sometimes we need the encouragement of others to make it to the top (or bottom) and this makes the trails even more rewarding.
Understanding the impact that local mountain bike trails have contributed to the global mountain bike culture is made a bit easier by opening any issue of Bike Magazine and seeing photos of the many great rider to have come from Kamloops and Sun Peaks.
In honour of the many great trail builders to have toiled at Sun Peaks, let’s acknowledge and tip the brims of our helmets to the oft-forgotten dirt farmers who have created so many iconic trails in this area. Like any good trail, it might be unclear how we’re getting to the destination, but the modern collective of trail curators at SPR are taking us to places we didn’t know existed.
With over 80 kilometres of lift accessed trails on two separate mountains and a dedicated area called the Progression Park for skills development serviced by conveyors, Sun Peaks Bike Park has come a long way. From what I see, it doesn’t appear to be slowing down and the culture of mountain biking has never been stronger in this community.
Be sure to let out a few woo-hoos as you enjoy the 25th anniversary. There’s a good chance that while you’re riding and having fun, that the trail crew will hear you as they are building something new. You won’t know they are there or see the smile spread across their faces as they imagine what trail or feature is bringing you happiness, but you will repay them with your outburst of joy.
Thank you all for a memorable 25 years.
Barney Mouat, Senior manager at Sun Peaks Bike Park and snowmaking
SUN PEAKS BIKE PARK CELEBRATES 25 YEARS
In the past 25 years, Sun Peaks Bike Park grew from a collection of hand-built trails to 83 kilometres of varied terrain.
By Hollie Ferguson
In 1999, the Sun Peaks Bike Park, operated by Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR), opened with a small crew and hand-built trails on Tod Mountain. Now, the park boasts 83 kilometres of terrain, offering locals and visitors space to grow their skills and progress, and professionals the opportunity to show their talent.
Sun Peaks Independent News chatted with Christina Antoniak, SPR’s director of communications, to gain a better understanding of where the bike park started and how it became the biker’s delight it is today.
Twenty-five years in the making
1999 - The first year of operation for the Sun Peaks Bike Park “kicked off with lift access to operations on Tod mountain,” Antoniak said. “Back then it was a small selection of trails, a small crew and hand-built trails.”
Steep and rugged, these hand-built, single-track, technical trails using the mountain’s natural terrain are what SPR’s bike park became known for in the mountain biking world, Antoniak explained.
2005 - Route 66 became an iconic trail that took machine-built trails in Sun Peaks to new heights. While this helped diversify the terrain at the bike park, Antoniak said the next few years were focused on competitions and races, with the Canadian Downhill Mountain Bike Championships hosted by SPR from 2014 to 2016.
2017 - This year saw record-breaking summer visitation and the expansion of the alpine crosscountry trail.
“That was the first time we had access for people to take bikes into the Alpine, being able to ride the chairlift with your bike and not do the downhill mountain biking trails, but actually go up into the Alpine, to the top of Tod Mountain and out to Tod Lake.”
2018 - Trail development kicks into high gear, with a nine-kilometre green progression trail from Sunburst down to the Village base.
“That was the first time we had a really nice, smooth, purpose-built trail for folks that were new to downhill mountain biking,” Antoniak said.
The progression park also opened in 2018, offering a small pod of trails intended to increase the use of the trail network for new mountain bikers.
“We use this progression park for a lot of our lesson programming — for new riders coming in and even for skill development for people who are
seasoned mountain bikers — to just be able to do quick laps, and go through different trails from green, blue and black.”
2019 - This year saw a $350,000 resort investment for three new machine-built trails off Sunburst lift.
“That really started to change the shape of Sun Peaks Bike Park now having machine-built flow trails in addition to all those technical, more advanced single-track trails,” Antoniak said. “It was a huge summer and really changed the image of the bike park in the marketplace. We started seeing a lot of new people come to Sun Peaks.”
2020 - Sunburst chairlift gets an upgrade with a 30 per cent increase in capacity.
“That was to meet the increase in demand,” Antoniak explained. “After opening those three new trails, we had an increase in demand of people coming in to ride the bike park.”
2022 - Sun Peaks Bike Park sees a $1.5 million investment in trail development, opening Sundance Mountain.
“For the first time ever, we had two mountains and two chair lifts operating for mountain biking,” Antoniak said. “With Sundance Mountain coming on board, that was an additional 31 kilometres of trails.
They are all machine-built, smooth-flow trails, and that took our trail count up to 83 kilometres in the downhill mountain bike park.”
What to expect this year
After the hard work from 1999 to today, this year is for celebrating the achievements of those whose hours went into building the bike park, including trail crews, volunteers, SPR and the community.
“This summer is all about inviting people up, experiencing the bike park and what it has truly become as a nod to mountain biking culture, and Sun Peaks,” Antoniak said.
The bike park trail crew, made up of 18 people according to Antoniak, will have the opportunity to polish and perfect the trails this summer.
“They're just really excited to get out there this season and perfect all these little areas on the trails that they haven't been able to get to in the past few years, and really make a product that's going to set us apart and elevate that experience for riders coming in.”
Bryanne Palmer on Sundance in Sun Peaks Bike Park. Photo by Reuben Krabbe
SUMMER BIKE EVENTS IN SUN PEAKS
Join in on the fun at Sun Peaks Bike Park’s opening day June 15.
By Hollie Ferguson
Dust off your bikes for the 2024 season at Sun Peaks Bike Park Saturday, June 15 at 10 a.m.
With 25th anniversary-branded swag for the first few guests on the lifts, Christina Antoniak, Sun Peaks Resort LLP’s (SPR) director of communications, told SPIN this year is all about inviting people to celebrate the hard work that goes into making the bike park thrive for a quarter of a century.
To do this, SPR is hosting events all season long. Here’s a rundown:
June 14 - June 16: Party like it’s 1999 patio series
Join Tourism Sun Peaks to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Sun Peaks Bike Park with dining specials and live music. Musical guests include Peter Ernts Live, Lance Reegan Diehl, Kelly Spencer and more. There will also be bingo and hip-hop brunch.
Learn more about this series at sunpeaksresort. com/events.
June 15: Opening Day at Sun Peaks Bike Park
Lift and a Lager, presented by Granville Island Brewing, at Masa’s Bar and Grill - From 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. “Anyone who comes up with their Bike Park season pass or their day ticket gets a beverage on us,” Antoniak said.
This event is limited to those 19 years and older, and participants must show two pieces of ID.
Once the lifts stop running for the day, join Tourism Sun Peaks as they present live music by the Whitecroft Irregulars at the Village Stage at 7 p.m.
June 25, July 16 and August 20: Progression Park Never Ever Days
A new program this year aimed at getting new mountain bikers into the sport, the Never Ever Days is an all-inclusive package for $50 that includes a bike rental, lift ticket for the progression park and a two-hour lesson with an instructor.
“It's just a really great affordable way to try out mountain biking with an instructor and really just get yourself set up on the right foot to have a good experience,” Antoniak said.
July 11, July 25 and Aug. 15: Locals Days
Twilight tickets from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. are reduced to $25 for locals, with all proceeds going to Kamloops Bike Riding Association, Kamloops Performance Cycling Club and Sun Peaks Recreational Trail Association (SPRTA). Locals tickets are limited, purchase in advance online.
“We're also asking people to bring a nonperishable food donation for the Kamloops Food Bank,” Antoniak said.
July 26, Aug. 30 and Sept. 20: Summer Stoke Series
Modeled off the Terrain Park Stoke Series this winter, the Summer Stoke Series is a head-to-head race on the pump track from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Entry fee for these races is $5 for those under 14 and $20 for everyone else and goes to the Sun Peaks Skate Foundation and SPRTA.
“We'll be giving away a ton of swag, fun prizes for everyone just for participating, plus the grand prize at the end of the season in September when someone will walk away with a new dirt jumper bike valued at $1,000,” Antoniak said.
Aug. 31 to Sept. 1: Peaks Pedal Fest
This year’s Peaks Pedal Fest will be a throwback in honour of the bike park’s 25th anniversary, offering a DJ and beer garden with music from the early 2000s and a mullet booth. The fun doesn’t stop for demo days featuring bike retailers and vendors.
On Saturday, look for the launch of the new Sun Peaks Junior DH Championships for under 13, which Antoniak said will replicate a downhill race event to help young riders prepare.
“It’s a really cool way to give them the lay of the land, what to expect for how a race is setup on the mountain, how the riders interact with each other, the practice runs, that sort of thing,” she explained. “They do a race, but the focus isn't on the competition side of it.”
There will also be a scavenger hunt in the bike park. Finishing off the weekend, there will be Sunday’s Foot Down Derby and Duel Grass Slalom right outside of the Village Day Lodge.
There’s more to come for this year’s Pedal Fest, so visit sunpeaksresort.com for more information closer to the date.
Jesse Munden and Jared Manchuk in Sun Peaks Bike Park. Photo by Reuben Krabbe
A LOOK BACK AT THE BIKE PARK FROM THOSE WHO BUILT IT
Three original trail designers share what inspired their early work, how the bike park has changed and what they still love about exploring the trails.
By Hollie Ferguson
In the past 25 years since Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR) opened the bike park, those instrumental in its beginning continue to see growth, enthusiasm for the sport and a culture that brings adventure, excitement and talent to the community.
While the hard work that went into building the very first, hand-built trails were done with a vision of creating a place for mountain biking in the Interior, the distinct growth of the park astounds even its creators.
“In 1999, if you had told me 25 years later we'd be doing this and talking about this, it probably wouldn't have resonated at all,” Barney Mouat told SPIN. “To watch it grow, it's been humbling.”
Mouat was an original trail crew member in 1999 when the park first opened. He’s still with SPR as the senior manager of the bike park, a testament to the park’s growth in itself.
For Mouat, the evolution of the sport was the catalyst and motivator for the creativity and passion that inspired many of the trails.
“As the bikes and the technology of the bikes changed, what people could do changed, which then in turn changed the way people approached building trails,” he explained. “People constantly reimagined what was possible, and then we tried to deliver that.”
As the evolution of mountain biking brought more talent to the sport, Sun Peaks saw more interest in
racing and competitions, prompting events like the B.C. Cup and the Canadian Downhill Championships. It was during this time Mouat really saw the benefits of the trails he and many others were working so hard to craft.
During one of the competitions, a local rider named Dustin Adams once again inspired Mouat. In one of the most challenging sections of a trail, dubbed Twisted Sister, Mouat and the other locals who hiked up to watch the competition saw Adams gracefully handle the technical and steep terrain.
“We were just so amazed at the skill of [Adams], who went on to win,” Mouat recalled. “That's what made this memory so special. As I stood there and watched it, I'm like, man…I wish I could do that.”
He described the moment as one of collective emotion and amazement. In another story of grit and skill, he recalled the World Masters CrossCountry Championships when he saw rider MarieHélène Prémont make easy work of one of the most challenging sections of one of the trails built specifically for the competition.
”It was just kind of deflating to watch somebody do something so perfectly without looking like it even took much energy,” he laughed. “Those things are so motivating to see.”
It was moments like this that pushed Mouat and his team to do more, creating more technical and
Athletes in a 1999 downhill mountain bike race. Photo by Adam Stein
challenging terrain to entice the best of the best to Sun Peaks. It is to the team of dedicated trail builders that he attributes the bulk of the bike park’s success— people like Jordan Petrovics and Trevor Marshall.
Petrovics now lives in Golden, B.C., but was instrumental in the start of the bike park as one of the first mountain bike patrollers. He and Mouat worked together closely, ensuring the safety of riders and maintaining the trails.
“I just finished up an adventure tourism program, and at the time I think I was all of 19 and I landed my dream job,” Petrovics said of his time in the bike park. “It's been quite an evolution to see where the whole sector has gone now in terms of the downhill industry and the biking industry in general.”
To see some of his original visions come to life in the park is one of the more satisfying experiences as he looks back on the park’s 25 years. His ambitions of machine-built trails and developments that kept SPR on track with Whistler and SilverStar are primarily what stands out.
“Having these visions and now going back and seeing these trails that have been built fully in line with some of the ideas that people like Barney [Mouat] and myself were floating around 22, 23 years ago…it's really neat.”
Specifically seeing the development of Sundance
mountain, which Petrovics calls an “anchor” for the SPR in terms of mountain biking.
Taking in the new goes hand-in-hand with admiring the old. Giving him the warm and fuzzy of nostalgia, while enjoying the bike park, Petrovics has spotted areas of the trail he built around 25 years ago.
“There's still some stuff in there that has stood the test of time, specifically some on trails like Sweet One and Sugar and those areas,” he said. “It's one of those things that gives you a good feeling when you're out there seeing how it's evolved, but how some things have also kind of stayed the same.”
For him, some of the best memories are of camaraderie and the connection only a shared passion can bring. He recalled being one of the only patrollers on the mountain, trying to wrangle 15 or so local riders off the trails at the end of the day, and during that “cat-and-mouse game” all showing off and developing more skills as the sun set.
“Then obviously rolling onto a patio after shift and sitting around drinking jugs of beer and reminiscing,” he added. “There was always this cool vibe of excitement that this product was going to grow and become something big.”
That evolution is something Marshall, who was contracted to build some trails, including Honeydrop, spoke to.
“Sun Peaks has progressed as the sport has
progressed,” he said. “When we were doing the trail building, it was still a very aggressive cross-country, as well as downhill type, single-tracks with a lot of obstacles.”
While he contributed to the first trails, which he said were the product of “a lot of blood, sweat and tears…some hard work and young guys,” he’s inspired by the newer options in terrain.
“As far as Sun Peaks goes, I think it's definitely proving the ability of these riders,” he said. “I think a lot of high-end riders enjoy Sun Peaks because of its versatility.”
That versatility and quality of trails in the Sun Peaks Bike Park is the result of hard work and dedication of many, all three agree. As Mouat acknowledged the emotion of reminiscing on the past, he shared his appreciation for those people.
“The energy and the amount of people that care about this…” he said in wonderment. “It's just really an honor to be lumped in with these people, and it’s given me the chance to share how special it is – not just to me, but to a group of people.”
Sun Peaks Bike Park. Photo by Reuben Krabbe
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TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT ON THE SUMMER AGENDA FOR SUN PEAKS RECREATIONAL TRAIL ASSOCIATION
SPRTA is finalizing plans, perfecting trails and celebrating a first-time milestone this year.
By Hollie Ferguson
After quite a few years of trail development, Sun Peaks Recreational Trail Association (SPRTA) is focusing on maintaining and perfecting their vast trail networks in their 10th year.
As a volunteer-led organization, SPRTA is also finalizing their first-ever employee hire, president Sam Loxton told SPIN.
“This year, we're able to hire a paid trail crew lead position for the first time,” he said. “So SPRTA will be working full time, from May through October, as a paid trail maintainer.”
This will help boost the amount of maintenance and trail building days, creating more areas to explore. In addition to staffing, SPRTA is working on finalizing the consultation process to build a new trail between Morrisey and McGillivray.
MEET MELISSA DA SILVA, SUN PEAKS RECREATIONAL TRAIL ASSOCIATION’S FIRST EMPLOYEE
This is the first year the volunteerrun organization has been able to offer up a paid position.
By Nicole Perry
Melissa Da Silva, certified mountain bike coach, was chosen by the Sun Peaks Recreational Trail Association (SPRTA) to fill the brand new paid position of trail crew lead.
Da Silva has been working for Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR) in the winter as a snowboard instructor and spent last summer as the supervisor of the bike park. Now, she’s eager to spend more time on the trails.
“Even though these trails fall within the resort boundary, they don't get as much love as the bike park trails do,” she said about SPRTA’s network. She’s excited to provide them with some love and attention for the increasing number of riders.
“There's some existing trails there, but they’re more double-track, road styles,” Loxton explained. “We're hoping to add more of a single track, multi-use trail for people to get out there and enjoy.”
Other developments in planning include small projects on Morrisey, but for the most part this summer is focused on maintaining those trails already established.
Maintaining Trails
There are a few key stages in maintaining trials, with one of the busiest times being in May and June as the ground is drying up after the winter snow.
“That's the real key time or we're sort of assessing
How she got here
Before leaving her home in Ontario eight years ago, she did interior design but was drawn toward more outdoorsy activities and started teaching snowboarding, eventually moving to Sun Peaks to continue this work.
The small, close-knit community drew her to Sun Peaks, where she felt she could make connections. “I didn't want to just be a number,” she said. “I liked the idea of knowing my coworkers and stuff like that.”
if any damage has happened over the winter or during the spring and fall,” Loxton said.
Damage includes drainage, water erosion and downed trees.
“We like to give the trails a nice rake, first early in the spring to get rid of any leaves and other debris and make it a nice, smooth, fun, easy surface,” he added.
Next comes trying to keep people off wet trails, as Loxton said riding trails while they are wet increases ruts and causes other damage.
Once the trails are clean, dry and ready for tires it's open season, with ongoing general maintenance such as adjusting areas to work better, weed whacking and branch trimming.
The job
Along with trail work, she’s going to be helping with events, such as organizing volunteer trail nights, which are usually once a week during the season.
“People will come out and help do what I do,” she explained. “It’s more hands, which means we can get way more done.”
Working in the forest alone can be isolating, a stark contrast from a winter of teaching snowboarding and summer of managing in the bike park, which Da Silva said is more sociable work.
Being alone can lead to some challenges if there’s a problem she can’t solve herself, such as removing a big rock from a trail, but that’s where volunteer build nights come in.
“If you like biking and you like being in nature, just come out,” she urged. “It’s only two hours, you can learn a lot and you can feel really accomplished.”
When you’re walking a trail, you can see new lines that you may not have noticed on your rides, she added.
“You also get to ride a section of trail that you worked on, which is kind of a cool thing.”
While everything is still wet on the trails, she said it’s looking good.
“I'm stoked for people to get out and see the trails once they are open.”
She can’t say when the trails will be open, given the rainy weather recently, but once the sun dries the dirt out, they’ll be ready to ride. For now she’s content to prune and prepare for the summer rush of bikers.
“I love being out in the forest, I love being out in nature,” she said. “Even if it is snowing, it’s just nice to be out there walking around, getting exercise, breathing fresh air.”
Sun Peaks Recreational Trail Association hires first full-time employee.
Photo by Dylan Sherrard
Melissa Da Silva, SPRTA trail crew lead.
Photo by Sam Loxton
THREE NEW PUMP TRACKS ARE COMING TO KAMLOOPS BIKE RANCH
Asphalt pump tracks and more are being added to Kamloops Bike Ranch, with varying levels of difficulty for beginners and experts alike.
By Nicole Perry
The Kamloops All-Wheel Pump Track project is set to be completed by the first week of July, with the addition of three asphalt pump tracks for an all-inclusive facility.
Ted Morton, owner of the project’s manager All Mountain Productions and Consulting Inc., said the tracks will accommodate “anything with wheels, really.” This includes skateboards, scooters, rollerblades, mountain bikes and BMX bikes.
Of the three tracks that are being built, the most advanced will be geared toward bikes. Each track will be aimed at a different skill level, with the second being intermediate.
“The beginner track is the most inclusive track where off-road wheelchairs, adaptive mountain bikes, that kind of stuff are suitable,” he said.
Initially, the project started with Kamloops Sports Council,
which received provincial grant funding for the three pump tracks.
“The Kamloops Performance Cycling Centre is essentially the maintenance and management partner for the Kamloops Bike Ranch,” Morton explained. “They contributed significantly to the project as well and brought some matched funding to help make the project a reality.”
Tourism Kamloops also came in with support and funding, he added.
An update on the progress
After a site walk inspection, Morton observed the progress of the project from inside his work truck as the construction crew worked on landscaping.
“The asphalt is now complete on the largest track, that's the competition track, and there's a jump line along the northwest corner.”
This track has been designed to World Cup pump track racing standards, with the goal of hosting a World Cup of pump track racing, he added.
The second track is being roughed in and moving on from that, the beginner track will be built. The next steps will be finishing up the parking lot and working on signage, painting, final landscaping and installing the fence.
Benefits for the community
Once finished, Morton hopes the city will benefit from these tracks, especially with the draw of the high level track.
During talks with bike shops, Morton learned people have been asking what they need for a pump track and seeing what is in stock.
“I've been hearing so much positivity in the community about it,” he said. “We have a couple little dirt pump tracks in Kamloops but nothing to this scale or scope. This is a game changer.”
In addition to bringing new infrastructure for avid riders, Morton said the track will be a good way for people to progressively learn in a low-risk environment.
“I think it's a really cool project in the sense that these types of facilities and outdoor recreation infrastructure really help build social fabric and community,” he said. “They’re great connection places and points of meeting to create a friend group.”
Construction of pump tracks at the top of Kamloops Bike Ranch in early May.
Photo by Nicole Perry
THE CANADIAN DOWNHILL MTB CHAMPIONSHIPS RETURN TO SUN PEAKS THIS SUMMER
From Aug. 10-11, Sun Peaks will see some of the best downhill mountain bike racers in Canada flock to the village.
By Nicole Perry
Sun Peaks will be hosting the Canadian Downhill MTB Championships from Aug. 10-11 this year, bringing in the best racers in Canada to compete for World Championship qualifications.
This competition is the last stop of the Dunbar Summer Series and Dunbar Cycles is the title sponsor of these events.
What to know about the race
Only certain categories can qualify for the World Championships, race director and event specialist Stephen Exley said. These are junior men, junior women, pro men and pro women.
“If you win the National Championships, you automatically get an invitation to go to the World
The event in Sun Peaks
Championships,” he said. “If you place in the top three, you can be selected to go too.”
As a basis for race selection, he said a panel decides who to select based on race results from other competitions as well as Nationals.
Registration closes once 350 people have signed up.
There is a significant number of young racers this year, Exley noted, with over 65 racers in the male U17 category. Downhill racing among women has grown in popularity, he added.
Over 60 women have registered, with 10 or 11 of them in the pro category. On average anywhere from three to five pro women race, so having the number they do now is a good sign for the sport.
“For women to have a pro license, that's a lot of commitment and expertise,” he said.
WE ARE ONE CANADIAN ENDURO LEAGUE’S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE IS BACK
On the weekend of Sept. 22, racers will be taking on the Stumpwheed trail once more.
By Nicole Perry
The We Are One Canadian Enduro League is having its second annual Canadian National Enduro Championship in Sun Peaks on Sept. 22, featuring a weekend of events and festivities.
The Canadian Enduro Championship was started in 2016 and is part of the league’s brand identity, Ted Morton, owner of the Canadian Enduro League said. However, it is not sanctioned with Cycling Canada, he added.
This year’s race will be held in the same place as last year’s Enduro race: the Stumpwheed trail on Morrissey Mountain, purpose-built in conjunction with Sun Peaks Recreational Trail Association.
Anyone can register, but Morton said that the championship race is geared toward expert riders.
“We do offer a short course and we always say, it's not less difficult, but it is shorter,” he said.
Still for skilled riders, this can give people a chance to opt out of a full day of intensive biking.
Besides the chance of wildfires impacting events in Sun Peaks, he said the resort makes for an optimal race location.
“The course is phenomenal at Sun Peaks, it's one of the longest courses on the Canada Cup circuit and it's really well regarded as at the very top, a challenging but fun course,” he said.
Thursday Aug. 8 is the unofficial kick-off date to the event, as people will be arriving, walking the course and setting up pit tents. Friday and Saturday are practice and preparation days followed by races and awards on Sunday.
“Back in the day, we used to have Dual Slalom and games and different things happening, but with something like a Canadian Nationals, it's a very serious event,” he said.
This year’s event
Last year, part of the event schedule around the competition included bands and other activations in the village.
“This year, the festival vibe is going to be picked up and elevated.”
The league will be supported by Strait and Narrow and is working to collaborate with Tourism Sun Peaks to have a bigger expo area.
They’re also open to partnerships with other brands as well to add more to the festival.
“At other events, we've got brands like ion to come in and do suspension seminars and services.” Locals come out to other events to sell their wares as well, he added.
“If anyone in Sun Peaks wants to get in touch, they can just hit us up via email at info@ canadianenduro.com,” he said.
Downhill mountain biking in Sun Peaks. Photo provided by Stephen Exley
We Are One Canadian National Enduro Championships in Sun Peaks, 2023. Photo by Canadian Enduro League
LOCAL MOUNTAIN BIKER BROCK HAWES FACES CHALLENGES FOR THE 2024 BIKE SEASON
Hawes is working to increase funding going into his first season in the elite category.
By Nicole Perry
After a successful season last year, winning the 2023 Canadian Downhill MTB Championship and finishing in seventh at the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) mountain bike world series, local mountain biker Brock Hawes hasn’t gotten the level of support for this season that he was hoping for.
Now stepping into the elite category, he’s up against the best in the world. His number one goal: to join a factory team.
On factory teams, there are around nine people working with two to three riders, Hawes explained. They help with a lot, including providing mechanics, physiotherapists and nutritionists to help keep your body and bike in tip-top shape. As a rider, you don’t have to worry about flights, accommodations, food or money.
Factory team riders also have backup in situations where parts go missing or a bike breaks down.
After he had the opportunity to ride on a prototype bike from Forbidden last year, he marked their factory team, Forbidden Synthesis, as the number one team he’s looking at.
“After the season I had last year and especially that nationals run, where I beat all the elites, pro riders that I looked up to [and] reigning World Cup points leader Bodhi Kuhn, that was pretty special,” he said. “I really thought that there would be more teams reaching out to me.”
However, a lot of bike companies have been struggling with their budget since the pandemic and
they've had to cut ridership down, he said.
He’s reached out to bike companies and has been successful in getting some help there, however.
Magura sent him a couple brakes, he said. Plus, he receives support from the clothing and gear company Leatt.
What the season looks like
Hawes budgeted out the season, trying to include parts breaking and more and said it came to about $20,000.
“I want to go to every [race] I can but if the funding isn't there I might have to skip a few,” he said about this year’s races.
He’s done fundraising and has a GoFundMe set up
to help reach his goals as a privateer, but there’s still a ways to go with only $495 raised so far.
“We held an ice bath challenge fundraiser a little bit ago,” he said. “A couple people came out, it was really fun.”
As a first-year elite he expects this year will have faster and harder competition.
“Coming into the season, the goal is just to maintain podiums, cross the races and try and keep my riding consistent,” he said.
A main goal that sees within his reach is to get the overall, which he’s had two years in a row now.
“The overall, basically it says you're the best mountain biker in that category,” he explained.
“Coming into elite, it's going to be harder, but I think it can be done.”
Mountain biker Brock Hawes and his bike. Photo provided by Brock Hawes
NEW TO MOUNTAIN BIKING?
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
From bike maintenance to community connections, these tips will help you break into mountain biking.
By Mars Penner
When breaking into any new sport, safety is paramount. Dave McInnes, owner of District Bikes stressed the importance of investing in essential gear to help prevent injuries. Ash Kelly, a mechanic and service writer at Steed Cycle, encouraged the purchase of mountain bike-specific shoes, adding that feedback from your bike is made a lot smoother when you have good, stiff, well-fitting and grippy mountain bike-specific shoes. Safety gear has an expiry date, so be sure to check and replace it as necessary.
The grips, stem, handlebars, seat and pedals are crucial connection points with your mountain bike. Before every ride, inspect these contact points and ensure all bolts are tightened securely, and everything is properly adjusted to fit you.
Start with a rental
Renting a mountain bike before you buy is an economical way to test before committing, and allows you to find a bike that suits your riding style. District Bicycles promises if you rent a bike and decide you can’t live without it, they will put up to a week of your rental fees towards the purchase. Buying second-hand bikes and gear can significantly reduce costs. Ensure the bike is in good condition and have a bike shop help you set it up so that it fits and offers maximum performance. As your skills improve, consider gradually upgrading components like customizing the saddle, pedals and grips to suit your preferences, enhance your riding experience and reduce fatigue.
Choose the right bike
Understanding the different types of mountain bikes is essential. The idea of a "quiver killer" mountain bike – a single bike ideal for all types of trails – is more of a myth than reality. While some bikes are designed to be versatile, the diverse nature of mountain biking trails means no one bike can excel in every situation. Here’s why:
Trail variety: Trails can range from smooth, flowy paths to technical, rooty and rocky descents, to huge drops and jumps. Different trails demand different bike geometries, suspension systems, brakes and tire and wheel choices.
Bike types: Mountain bikes are categorized into various types such as cross-country, trail, enduro and downhill. Cross-country bikes are light and efficient for climbing but might struggle on rough, technical
various
descents where an enduro bike would shine.
Rider preference: Some riders prioritize climbing efficiency, while others seek maximum downhill stability. A bike that suits one rider’s style might not work for another.
Maintain your ride
Your tires are where the rubber meets the trail, so it’s essential to keep them in top shape, McInnes emphasized. Inspections are important, as the front tire controls much of your downhill maneuvering, while the rear tire affects braking.
Check the tire pressure regularly and adjust it based on your riding conditions to improve your ride quality and reduce the risk of damage to your rims. Inspect the tire knobs for signs of wear and tear and replace worn rubber to avoid mishaps on the trail. If you are running tubeless, our experts recommend new sealant annually.
Brakes are your lifeline on the trails. Carolyn Berry from Spoke Bike and Ski recommended regularly checking brake pads for wear and replacing worn pads to prevent damage to your rotors, which will compromise braking performance and safety. Our experts emphasized the importance of yearly brake bleeds to maintain optimal performance and safety. Keeping your bike’s drivetrain clean and properly lubricated is essential for smooth riding. Use a good brush and degreaser to clean your bike regularly and lubricate all moving parts, including pedals, cranks, chainrings, chain, cassette and derailleur. Opt for a dry lube, Berry suggested, especially in dusty conditions to minimize dirt buildup and ensure optimal performance.
Your bike’s suspension plays a crucial role in providing control and traction on the trails. It responds to slippery roots, jump and drop landings, ruts and potholes and helps you hold speed through corners. Checking all bearing and pivot points, McInnes advised. If your rear shock is working perfectly but the bearings are seized, the ride down the mountain won’t feel too good.
A bike’s suspension is good for 50-70 hours of riding. Proper maintenance not only enhances safety, but also prolongs the lifespan of your mountain bike, allowing you to conquer trails with confidence.
Engage with the community and progress gradually
Attend mountain bike lessons, races, festivals and demo days to gain skill development.
Both Kelly and McInnes reiterated that a big part of being skilled at this sport is taking care of your bike maintenance. Community connections help you learn how to keep your gear running smooth and clean to get the most value out of your bike.
Start with green trails to build confidence and basic skills, and use the progression park at Sun Peaks Bike Park to practice specific skills like jumps and technical riding.
“When you ride with experienced bikers, get coaching and gain diverse insights, you grow your bubble and expand who you are learning from and what you are learning,” Kelly said. “It's about learning from others and improving together.”
There are
mountain bike styles for each rider's preferences. Be sure to get the right one for you!
Photo by Mars Penner
There are many lessons available this summer, including programs for youth
THE 2024 MOUNTAIN BIKING SEASON KICKS OFF WITH NEW AND RETURNING PROGRAMS
Try your hand at one of the many lessons and programs offered at the Sun Peaks Sports School.
By Hollie Ferguson
As Sun Peaks readies for another season full of mountain biking, hiking and warm-weather fun, SPIN chatted with Sun Peaks Sports School to learn more about the programs available this summer.
While there are a number of lessons, clinics and camps for everyone from those discovering biking to seasoned cyclists, Zoey Lopez, Sun Peaks Sports School senior coordinator is most looking forward to the locals programs.
“We have a really awesome community up here of people who want to ride together and hang out together and learn together,” Lopez said.
Two programs to facilitate that connection are the weekly kids program, which kicks off July 2, and the Connect Four program for riders 50 years old and up, starting July 4.
The kids program on Tuesdays is split into two groups, minis for riders ages six and seven and kids, riders ages eight to 12. These succession programs are a great way for youth to get to know their coaches, who can track their progress through the summer, Lopez said.
New this year, the Connect Four program on Thursdays offers mature riders the opportunity to practice safe riding practices, Lopez explained, adding both programs help connect locals with others taking up or progressing in biking.
“It's nice because we get to actually see people progress and see them on their journey,” Lopez said. “A lot of the time with private lessons, you see someone for two hours and then you don't see them again versus the local program, it’s actually a really nice time to build community.”
Back again this year are the popular women’s nights on Mondays starting July 1, which offer six sessions with two hours of instruction from coaches, many of whom are women, Lopez said.
“I'm really excited because we have mostly the same coaches again this year, which is going to be really positive for a lot of the women, we have a lot of female coaches that love participating in it.”
Bonus! This lesson includes one complimentary Granville Island beverage at Masa's Bar + Grill.
The weekly men’s nights are also back on Wednesdays starting July 3. Both women’s and men’s nights are available for riders 16 and up, from beginners to advanced.
It’s not just downhill mountain bikers who get all the fun. Two cross-country tours also offer scenic daily trips to McGillivray and Tod Lake.
The three-hour guided tour on the Altitude trail takes intermediate and advanced riders over challenging terrain with climbs through wildflower meadows to Tod Lake. For first timers to advanced riders, there is the 10 kilometre round-trip tour to McGillivray which offers a low-grade climb.
The Sun Peaks Bike Park opens for the season on June 15, operating daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. until Sept. 3 to 30 when it closes at 5 p.m. To explore the full list of lessons, camps and clinics offered at the sports school, visit sunpeaksresort. com.
SUN PEAKS SCHOOL (Near P5): 10:30am - 1:30pm
WHITECROFT VILLAGE: 2:30pm - 3:15pm
at the Sun Peaks Sports School. Photo by Sam Loxton
DOCUMENTARY TELLS STORY OF YOUTH MOUNTAIN BIKE PROGRAM BLAZING
TRAILS IN SIMPCW AND BEYOND
The recent film Dirt Relations showcases the work of a non-profit that works with Indigenous communities to build mountain bike trail networks.
By Dionne Phillips
For Simpcw First Nation member Tom Eustache, mountain biking has been a way for his family to connect to the land.
He taught his children to ride bikes and envisioned building a network of trails around his First Nation’s main village, Chu Chua, located north of Tk̓emlúps (Kamloops).
With the Indigenous Youth Mountain Bike Program (IYMBP), Eustache has seen this goal become a reality.
“I hope other people can feel that connection when they get out there,” said Eustache, who is a director of the IYMBP.
Over the past decade, the IYMBP has blazed trails in various Indigenous communities across the province. The compelling narrative of this journey is captured in the recent documentary Dirt Relations
Dirt Relations unfolds through exhilarating biking sequences, glimpses of community participation, and candid interviews, revealing a narrative of solidarity and teamwork with Indigenous communities to develop these new trail networks.
Eustache’s partnership with the IYMBP began as he invited founder Patrick Lucas and program partner Thomas Schoen to Chu Chua to help create the trail networks in the community.
‘It reinvented the person i was turning into’
The IYMBP comprises bicyclists, trail architects, community activists and more, all united in their dedication to working collectively to build trails.
The film documents Eustache’s efforts to create a safe area where his community can engage in physical activity and his partnerships with Lucas, Schoen, and the burgeoning IYMBP team.
In one scene, a group is busy making new trails — which include multiple jumps — as people of all ages come out to lend a hand. They work together to help build and create a new activity for everyone to enjoy, and the smiles on the children’s faces illuminate the screen.
Eustache advised his cousin Jules Philip to engage in trail work within their community after encountering challenges with his band. Philip now attributes his improved mental and spiritual health to the solitude of tending to the trails.
“It reinvented the person I was turning into,” Jules said in the documentary.
“I related a lot of what I did to what Mother Earth is and how and why she provides what she does and how we use it today.”
Lucas grew the program through perseverance as he travelled throughout “B.C.” to inform communities of the possibilities that trails and bike riding could have for the people. Soon, he met Schoen, now IYMBP’s director of trails and park development.
Schoen helped open the Xats̓úll Heritage Village years before, so he has experience working with Indigenous communities. They now have a team that showcases the program to communities and helps plan and build the trails.
Connecting with nature
Being an enthusiastic bike rider, Eustache recognized the significance of introducing more outdoor activities to his community. That’s why he ensured Chu Chua was one of the first communities to work with the IYMBP.
In the documentary, he discussed how Lucas and Schoen garnered trust in Chu
Screen still from Dirt Relations mountain bike documentary. Photo by the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival
Chua by diligently following through on their plans to host workshops and apply learned skills to construct trails.
Eustache expressed that his role in the program is to advocate for mountain biking and inspire people to reconnect with nature. He highlighted the mental health challenges and disconnection from their ancestral lands that many young people face as a result of colonialism.
“That’s what I want, people to get out there and experience what I experience … and to be able to get back out there and be healthy,” he said.
Eustache and his family, who are passionate trail builders and riders, perceive mountain biking not as a form of exercise but rather as a natural outcome of their enjoyment of nature. He noted how biking brings peace, as you can’t worry about anything while riding or you’ll crash, so it’s just about having fun on the trails while feeling the adrenaline.
When contemplating the integration of trails into Chu Chua, he underscored the hazards of the existing pathways, consisting of narrow roads utilized by vehicles and pedestrians. He noted that abundant land is available for developing trail systems across not only his community but also neighbouring ones.
Creating the trails was an organic process, according to Eustache. He and his son would explore the designated areas on foot, identifying routes and mapping out trail layouts.
He is grateful that trail building has given opportunities to his family and enjoys it when he sees other families utilizing the trails together.
“[It’s] pretty awesome that they get out there and connect and get out and walk,” he said.
‘They’re everybody’s trails’
The level of group involvement varies within each community, as depicted in the documentary, showcasing communities that organize numerous workshops and volunteering days to engage a wide range of individuals in the trail-building process. They are involved in the entire process, assisting with digging and clearing paths to then enjoying the completed courses and riding on them.
In Chu Chua, trail meetings are held to update the community on ongoing builds and plans. Eustache emphasizes the importance of ensuring that everyone feels welcome on the trails.
“This is something that we built, and they’re everybody’s trails,” he said.
To foster unity, IYMBP holds the Allies Mountain Bike Festival, where people come together to celebrate the program, show support, and forge new friendships while exploring the trails in Chu Chua.
“The Allies event really reached a lot of people, and I was surprised how many people from all over the world came to it,” said Eustache.
Setting intentions
Eustache stressed the significance of setting intentions during trail construction to ensure the right energy surrounds the project. Additionally, he highlights the importance of respecting the land and evoking individuals’ natural stewardship tendencies.
“We try to make the trails as narrow as we can and keep everything, as you know, as pristine as we can,” he said.
Each aspect of the process is considered, and natural resources workers are also kept nearby in case any artifacts are found.
Some trails follow the natural paths of animals like bears and moose, so children are taught to leave the land undisturbed, mirroring its natural state. They learn the importance of not littering and picking up previous litter when possible. This lesson is crucial, as the children begin using the trails at a young age, with schools now incorporating outdoor classrooms along the trails.
He explained that multiple groups use the trails for different purposes.
“It turned into a bigger thing with the community using it, not only for running but also for walking,” he said.
Eustache said the language department utilizes the trails to identify plants and animals in Secwepemctsín.
“So you go out there, and you’re more likely to remember what type of plant or tree is called in Secwepemctsín than you would be if you’re just looking at that on a board,” he said.
When asked about his hopes for the future of the trails in his community, Eustache looks outside and sees children walking to the trails and expresses a simple desire: for the trails to remain in use.
“I want to see people still getting out there whether it’s here or anywhere in our territory.”
14 Snore-blocking inserts 16 An "F" in BFF 18 Ears, nose and throat, e.g.
Marsh 20 Power up 22 Toddler's train, when doubled
23 Puts the squeeze on, in a way
1 "___-a-Lympics" (HannaBarbera cartoon)
2 Ireland, poetically
3 Costner's "Robin Hood"
4 French season in the sun
5 Chinese soup dumplings 6 Gofers and grunts 7 Dear, to Domingo
8 Cameron Diaz's "Shrek" role
Coppertone bottle letters
Puréed spuds baked golden
"The ___ Aquarius" 12 PetroCan rivals
Legally legit 25 Fire station bosses
Won all the awards, with "up"
Carnivore's buys
Stir, as suspicion
Facebook blurb
Vernal equinox season: Abbr.
Lenient, as on crime
Light festival city in France
Prefix meaning "vision"
Rock blaster
Late quizmaster Trebek
Like some last words
It may be picked up, then kicked
Actress Alley of "Cheers"
Nobly nicknamed jazz legend
Like Manhattan clam chowder
High, to Henri
Aid on a
EVENTS
JUNE 14 - JULY 11
JUNE
JUNE 9-OCT. 13
Pick up products from local farmers, ranchers and artisans at the Sunday markets starting June 9 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
JUNE 14-16
Kicking off celebrations for the 25th anniversary of the bike park, Sun Peaks is throwing it back to the 90s for a patio series with entertainment and dining specials. Check out the list of establishments participating and live music options online at sunpeaksresort.com on their events page.
JUNE 15-16
Get ready for the lifts to start spinning everybody! Opening weekend is upon us and June 15 at 10 a.m. marks the official start to the summer season in the resort. Bikers and hikers show up and get excited to get moving.
JUNE 15
At Masa’s Bar + Grill from 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., bring your lift ticket or season passes to the patio and get a complimentary lager to sip in the sunshine. Non-alcoholic cold treats are available for underage guests.
JUNE 15
If you’re in the mood for free live music, come down to the village stage to listen to the Whitecroft Irregulars, presented by Tourism Sun Peaks. This is for the rock-androllers, featuring songs from the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. You can find more information on the events page at sunpeaksresort.com.
JUNE 16
Dads throw free at Cleavage Axe Co. this Fathers’ Day, so bring your dad with you for some axe-throwing fun at this Sun Peaks staple.
JUNE 21
Cahilty Creek Kitchen & Taproom presents their third annual Dirty Birds & Whites Dinner Event. Tickets are $89 and include a five course dinner from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Don’t forget to wear all white (don’t worry about stains, the wine will be white too!). Email cahiltycreek1@gmail.com to book your tickets.
JUNE 29
Sun Peaks will be welcoming the Kelowna rock band, Lucky Monkey, to the village stage from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This is the first time this band will perform here, so don’t miss it!
JUNE 29-JULY 1
Presented by Tourism Sun Peaks, Canada Day in Sun Peaks is to be filled with fun and free family-friendly activities. Starting off strong on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Sun Peaks Centre Stage will host a community celebration with carnival games, bounce houses, face painting and more. There will be much more going on this weekend so make sure to check out sunpeaksresort.com and go to their events page for a full itinerary.
JULY
JULY 1
More live music is coming to Sun Peaks, with the B.C.-based band Maritime Kitchen Party featuring Shamma Sabir performing from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on the Village Stage. Later that night at the clock tower stage, Five Alarm Funk will be performing from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
JULY 1-4
From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sun Peaks Golf Course will be hosting a golf tournament for women 50 years of age or older. This 2024 BC Senior Women's Golf Championship will be running concurrently with a Super Senior for 60 years of age and older and a Super-Super Senior Division for those 70 and up. Go online at sunpeaksresort.com to register.
JULY 1-7
Bring your kids to the Sun Peaks Golf Course for no extra charge after 12 p.m. from July 2 through July 7 and before 1 p.m. on July 1. This deal applies to kids ages six to 16.
JULY 5
For First Fridays, Tourism Sun Peaks is presenting a variety of events including an artisan market, a circus show and live music by Soul Patch. Many restaurants will have specials as well for when you need to sit down and refuel from all the excitement. The First Fridays event schedule will go from 4 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
JULY 11
At 9 p.m. at Bottoms Bar and Grill, singers can come by for shoulder season karaoke night! Just show up and bring your voice.
312 Fireside Lodge, Sun Peaks, BC
$449,000 GST N/A
1 Bed | 1 Bath, 519 sq.ft., Zoned CC-1
Ski-in, ski-out with desirable village location. Communal hot tub, secure heated underground parking. Furnished. Unlimited owner use & zoned for short term rentals.
The Residences, Sun Peaks, BC
From $88,000 +GST
Quarter-share Condo-Hotel, Zoned CC-1
Ski-in, ski-out with slopeside heated outdoor swimming pool, hot tubs, fitness center, ski/bike valet & room service.
47 Settler's Crossing, Sun Peaks, BC
$754,000 +GST
2 Bed | 2 Bath, 897 sq.ft., Zoned TA-1
Ski-in, ski-out with private hot tub, cozy gas fireplace, hardwood upgrade, owner's ski locker & large storage cage. Furnished. Zoned for nightly rentals.
Sundance Lodge, Sun Peaks, BC
From $137,000 +GST
Condo-Hotel units with 180 days owner use, Zoned CC-1 Ski-in, ski-out with desirable village location. Outdoor hot tub, exercise room, laundry, underground parking, with in-house management team. Furnished.
$549,000 LOTS STARTING AT ALDER ESTATES
Welcome To The Building Site Of Your Dreams
2556 Golden Horn Road, Heffley, BC
$1,559,000 GST N/A
5 Bed | 3 Bath, 1712 sq.ft., Zoned AF-1
Cottage on Heffley Lake with detached garage, workshop & studio suite. Private dock, large mulit-level sundeck with hot tub & outdoor shower.
4119 Sundance Drive, Sun Peaks, BC
$3,399,000 GST N/A
4 Bed | 5 Bath, 4059 sq.ft., Zoned RS-1
Ski-in, ski-out slopeside home with self-contained 2-bedroom legal suite. Soaring windows, radiant in-floor heat, HRV, hot tub, & oversized double car garage.
Discover the perfect blend of mountain living and outdoor adventures at Alder Estates! Adjacent to Sun Peaks Golf Course, these 16 lots offer prime access to skiing and biking. Zoned for short-term rentals, they provide a unique opportunity for investors or dream-home builders. Don't miss out on this one-of-a-kind mountain retreat. GST applies. Visit alder-estates.ca for more information.
