Reflecting
ON SUN PEAKS’ PAST Page 9
NEW WINTER CONCERT ANNOUNCEMENT Page 10
FEBRUARY 19—23 Snow, then flurries, cold
FEBRUARY 24—29 Flurries, cold
MARCH 1—8
Rain and snow showers
MARCH 9—12 Sunny, cool
MARCH 13—16 Sunny, cold
MARCH 17
Rain and snow showers
Volume 14 Issue 2
@sunpeaksnews
FEBUARY 19 — MARCH 17
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full up fourth consecutive year. Genevieve Pilotto, from Quebec, placed second and Angie Seeley, from Kamloops, placed third. Kareen Tyson won the women’s masters snowboard. “The greatest thing is the Bluebird (Banked Slalom) is progressing every single year,” Marchewka said. “It’s come so far in such a short amount of time that I can’t wait to see where it’s going to be in five more years.”
“It didn’t matter who you were. You were getting cheered for and people were excited down the course.”
by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
T
he fifth annual Bluebird Banked Slalom was the most successful in the event’s history with 101 skiers and snowboarders taking to the course on 5 Mile’s ‘Hully Gully’ on Feb. 14. It was the first time the race was at capacity and saw a sig-
Female racers show largest increase at fifth annual race nificant increase in female racers with 31 women registered, 27 of them snowboarders. Organizers focused on growing this segment and Burton included a gift to all female racers. They said they were overwhelmed with the results, as past events had far fewer female riders and skiers. “It was all smiles. Our women’s category was bigtime. There were some sick riders in our
women’s category. We had women all the way from Quebec that came to ride with us,” said Kent Thiessen, race organizer and owner of Oronge Boardshop in Kamloops. “I think this is the best one that we’ve done. Best course, ran smoothest, it was fantastic.” Marlie Marchewka of Sun Peaks won the women’s open snowboard category for the
Elizabeth Funk claimed the women’s open ski title with Anne Terwiel finishing second and Alli Wagorn placing third. Izzy Hampton-Stone won the women’s masters ski category.
The men’s o p e n snowboard category was won by Kamloops’ Ross Thompson, with Felix Dallaire in second and Joe Riegler of Sun Peaks in third. Yanik Charron claimed the men’s masters snowboard category with Trevor Bennett placing second and Dustin Ferris finishing third. Sun Peaks’ Kieran Nikula won the men’s open ski category followed by Graham Funk in second and James Mcleod in third. Jacob Hanson won the men’s masters ski category with Scott Whitecross in second. “The best part was just the friendship, the comradery, the soul of people up at the hill, the shredding and being a part of the start corral and cheering each other on,” Thiessen said. “There was no negativity up there at all. It didn’t matter who you were, you were getting cheered for and people were excited down the course. It’s just an event that makes you smile.”
Vol 14 Issue 2 February 19 — March 17
....Continued on Page 2
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local “Outstanding” start to Hockey Day in Canada STANLEY CUP AND HOCKEY GREATS VISIT SUN PEAKS by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
S
cotiabank Hockey Day in Canada 2016 kicked off in style with a celebration combining hockey and skiing at the opening ceremonies in Sun Peaks on Feb. 3. A large crowd gathered in front of a stage at the base of the mountain beside the Sundance chairlift as snow fell heavily from the night sky. Ron MacLean opened the night by telling stories of watching local Nancy Greene Raine claim the Olympic gold medal at Grenoble in 1968 and skiing on Tod Mountain in 1992. He introduced former NHL stars Darcy Tucker and Trevor Linden, who received the biggest cheer from the crowd. The two reminisced about playing junior hockey in Kamloops, Tucker as a threetime Memorial Cup champion with the Kamloops Blazers and Linden losing to Kamloops in the 1986 Western Hockey League final. “The fact it’s Sun Peaks and just the legend of Nancy Greene Raine. Before there was Tiger Woods, before there was Tiger Williams, there was Tiger Greene,” MacLean said. “She and Al have dedicated their lives to the sport of skiing. I just thought it was nice that we could share the Cup with that couple who have been such a collaboration of what I think is the best sport and we’re doing it with all these great NHL alumni.” “When I saw that we would be at Sun Peaks that was very special and make this one unique.” Kamloops band Shattered
Blue played a live outdoor concert and got the crowd dancing as they waited restlessly for the arrival of the Stanley Cup. Hockey’s most prized trophy made a grand entrance, leading a torchlight parade through the heavy snowfall down Sunbeam run before being carried on stage by Stanley Cup champions Mark Napier, Bryan Trottier and Lanny McDonald. “The kick off to Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada was out-
“The snow was falling, you couldn’t have got a better setting for it.” -DARCY TUCKER
standing up in Sun Peaks. The snow was falling, you couldn’t have got a better setting for it,” Tucker said. “I’ve never seen the Stanley Cup come skiing down the hill. You know what was cool about it was the lights. It made it illuminate in a way I’d never seen it before.” “It was just magical,” MacLean said. “Mike Bolt, the keeper of the Cup, has been such a loyal part of what we do. I wonder if Mike finds that one of the most amazing things he’s ever done with the Cup?” Hockey fans then had an opportunity to have their photo taken with the Stanley Cup and meet the NHL alumni in Masa’s Bar + Grill to wrap up the opening night of the four-day hockey celebration taking place in Kamloops. “I think the neatest thing is that we branched out from just doing a hockey deal to doing a ski and hockey deal, which was reflective of the area,” MacLean said.
Stanley returns: Stanley Cup champions Mark Napier, Bryan Trottier and Lanny McDonald display hockey’s most prized trophy to the crowd in Sun Peaks. | PHOTO JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
New rink to be built near existing Sports Centre >>NHL-SIZED SURFACE TO BE READY FOR 2016-17 WINTER SEASON by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
....Continued from Cover
The Banked Slalom is one of three main fundraisers for the Bluebird Day Fund, with $15 from each participant’s registration fees going to the fund. The Sun Peaksbased not-for-profit provides support through several programs in the region, including Big Brothers Big Sisters Sport Mentorship Program, Bluebird Park Sessions, and other athletic and community initiatives. Thiessen said the goal
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for this year was to reach capacity and now they will have to look at other ways to expand. The course can’t feasibly handle more riders and Thiessen does not anticipate expanding to a twoday event anytime soon. “We’re going to have to sit back and just evaluate everything,” he said. “You always need to improve. We obviously need to improve, but I don’t know what that next goal is going to be.”
Vol 14 Issue 2 February 19 — March 17
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location has been chosen for the new NHL-sized ice rink. On Feb. 16 the Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality (SPMRM) announced the arena will be built on a parcel of land previously slated for condominium development near the existing Sun Peaks Sports Centre. A previous report by an independent consultant labelled this area “Parcel R”. The open-air, refrigerated rink is now expected to be open for the 2016-17 season
after an unforeseen delay confirming the location. The municipality had previously planned to open it for the beginning of this winter season. The rink will serve as a centre for public skating and hockey, as well as other recreational activities. A small outdoor rink has operated in Sun Peaks for the past 15 years, but consistent ice quality has been a challenge without a refridgeration component. As part of the agreement in principle with Sun Peaks Resort LLP, SPMRM will also assume ownership of the Sun Peaks Sports Centre, which will be used as change rooms and washroom facilities for the rink.
“We are pleased that the Sun Peaks Resort ownership has agreed to transfer the Sports Centre to the municipality for a nominal fee,” said Mayor Al Raine in press release. SPMRM plans for the new rink to be built over the summer. The cost of the new facility is estimated to be $850,000. The municipality has received a $400,000 recreation facilities grant from the Province of B.C., a federal government grant of $95,000 which was approved last year and $50,000 was received from both the Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust and Area P of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District. SPMRM has already purchased the refrigeration unit from an arena in Fort Wayne, Indiana and the boards from the Rose Garden (now called the Moda Centre), home of the Western Hockey League’s Portland Winterhawks.
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Vol 14 Issue 2 February 19 — March 17
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local Family Day busier in 2016
SUN PEAKS INDEPENDENT NEWS INC. PO Box 1043 Sun Peaks BC V0E 5N0
>> SKIER VISITS UP 12 PER CENT FROM LAST YEAR
Phone: 250•578•0276 For comments, questions, concerns email: editor@sunpeaksnews.com Email your classifieds or ads to: editor@sunpeaksnews.com
by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
www.sunpeaksnews.com @sunpeaksnews /sunpeaksnews sunpeaksnews @sunpeaksnews
#sunpeaksnews
OUR TEAM EDITOR & PUBLISHER Brandi Schier
brandi@sunpeaksnews.com
GRAPHIC ARTIST
T
he B.C. Family Day weekend saw increased visitors coming to Sun Peaks. According to the tourism association and the resort company, accommodations were nearly full and skier visits also increased. Skier visits were up a combined 19 per cent on Friday, Saturday and Monday compared to the holiday weekend last year. Visits were up 12 per cent throughout the entire
weekend, with stagnant numbers on Sunday, which were likely a result of the Super Bowl, according to Aidan Kelly, sales and marketing director for Sun Peaks Resort LLP. “We’re really happy to have this long weekend for B.C. families on the calendar and hope to see it stick around in its current format for years to come,” Kelly said. “Restaurants, hotels and businesses throughout the village seemed to be pretty busy and happy.” Accommodators in Sun Peaks were nearly at capacity.
Final totals were not available at print time, but initial indications put resort occupancy over 95 per cent. “If you looked at where we are this year compared to where we were in 2012, which was the year before the B.C. family weekend started, the weekend occupancies would have been under 70 per cent and you’re looking at this year and it’s over 95 per cent,” said Christopher Nicolson, president of Tourism Sun Peaks. Walking through the village and in lift lines there was a noticeable increase in the number of people throughout the resort during the weekend. “It was crazy busy. It was probably the most busy we’ve been since we first opened
(in December),” said Bailey Hunt, staff representative at The Candy Vault. “It was person, after person, after person all day. It was a lot of kids and families, it was really cool.” The mountain resort industry throughout B.C. is working to establish a tradition of skiing and snowboarding on the newest holiday weekend. Twenty-six resorts throughout the province, including Sun Peaks, offered a 50 per cent discount on lift tickets on B.C. Family Day. “That’s an example of how the resort industry has embraced it,” Nicolson said. “When I was riding lifts (Monday) there were lots of locals that were up here and taking advantage of that.”
Jen Schier
jen@sunpeaksnews.com
REPORTER Jamie Shinkewski
Family of lost skiers airlifted to safety
jamie@sunpeaksnews.com
“They were reporting hearing ‘whoomping’ sounds when they walked on the snowpack, which of course is a warning sign of high avalanche risk.”
WRITERS Jean Strong Julia Thrift
CONTRIBUTORS Mel Rothenburger Bodie Shandro
Each issue reaches thousands of readers and one copy is available FREE to residents and visitors. Anyone taking papers in bulk will be prosecuted. The opinions expressed in the articles do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher, owners or writers. This publication may not be reproduced in any form without prior written consent from the publisher.
Police helicopter: The skiers were able to be located and reached by a
ON THE
helicopter used for the search. | PHOTO CREDIT KSAR FACEBOOK
COVER
by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
A Anne Terwiel flies out of the gate on her way to a second-place finish. Additonal photos: Aino Knuutila and Cameron Hiemstra PHOTOS JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
family of six from the Lower Mainland was safely rescued after leaving the ski area boundary on the afternoon of Feb. 8. Kamloops Search and Rescue (KSAR) received a call at 3:30 p.m. from two parents
and their four kids, between the ages of six and 13, who had knowingly skied out of bounds in Sun Peaks. “We knew the location. We had cellphone contact with the subject and he was able to give us a (latitude and longitude) off the GPS in his phone,” said Alan Hobler, search manager for KSAR. The rescue team had two
immediate concerns as daylight was running out and the family was in avalanche terrain. They had skied into the Henderson Creek area, ducking under the ropes near the West Bowl. “I’m not sure exactly specifically where they would have gone out but it would have been up in the West Bowl area,” said Aidan Kelly, director of sales and marketing for Sun Peaks Resort LLP. “We very clearly mark our ski area boundaries and they made a choice to go outside them.” “They were reporting hearing ‘whoomping’ sounds when they walked on the snowpack, which of course is a warning sign of high avalanche risk.” Hobler said. KSAR requested the use of the RCMP helicopter from Kamloops, but Hobler said they
did not think the aircraft could assist in the rescue because of the time of day and avalanche risk in the area. KSAR members were planning to try and hike the lost skiers to safety before dark, but the helicopter was able to land in the area and airlift the family to safety. It was the first time KSAR was called to the mountain this season, but Hobler said skiing into Henderson Creek is a common mistake and it’s an area where they do a lot of rescues and searches. “There is something about there that draws people in,” he said. “They think if they ski down there and skirt around to the left it will bring them back to the village but it doesn’t. It takes you the opposite direction away.” “They look at a similar slope adjacent to the ski hill and they think it’s safe, but in this case it definitely wasn’t.” The family made a large donation to KSAR, which Hobler said will cover the cost of the rescue as well as help purchase equipment to help in future searches. A letter accompanied the donation, which can be read on page 5.
YOUR OPINIONS, COMMENTS OR COMMENDATIONS ARE WELCOME Send your letters & opinions by mail to: Sun Peaks Independent News | Box 1043 Sun Peaks, B.C. V0E 5N0 or by e-mail: editor@sunpeaksnews.com All correspondence must contain a last name & a contact number for verification—phone numbers won’t be published. Writers are encouraged to keep letters to 250 or fewer words. Letters submitted without the writer’s name won’t be published. Sun Peaks Indpendent News reserves the right to edit letters for length, style, legality & taste. Letters not published in Sun Peaks Indpendent News may be published online at www.sunpeaksnews.com
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sunpeaksnews.com
Vol 14 Issue 2 February 19 — March 17
opinion PAGE LETTER TO THE
editor
KSAR RESPONDS TO DONATION The following was posted to Facebook by Alan Hobler, volunteer search manager for Kamloops Search and Rescue: Kamloops Search and Rescue has just received a very large donation from the family of six that was rescued at Sun Peaks on Family Day. With the donation came a letter (see below) cautioning others not to make the same mistake they did. This donation not only will cover the cost of the search but will also allow KSAR to purchase much needed equipment to help in future searches, making Kamloops and the surrounding communities a safer place. Sometimes good people make bad decisions. Often in the public and media
we see criticism of the subjects that we rescue without fully understanding the circumstance or the individuals involved. This often erodes the support for Search and Rescue in B.C. and makes people believe something similar will never happen to them. KSAR believes in treating all their subjects with compassion, understanding and respect. We attempt to learn from and educate the public about other’s experiences. Please take the time to read and share the letter below: “It is easy to stereotype “idiots” like me and think that this could never happen to you, but please learn from my story. It was not for the sake of adventure or fresh
powder that I decided to go out of bounds with my family and end up in such a serious situation. After skiing on what I mistook as a valid ski run headed to the village, I found myself having to choose between the six of us walking back uphill 400 meters or cross the out of bounds line for a short cut to another run. After consulting my GPS and seeing how close to the run we were, seeing fresh ski tracks and knowing trails fed into our intended route nearby, I chose to cross into the out of bounds area. At the time it didn’t seem so, but clearly this was a huge mistake and I hope that others can learn from it. The benefit seemed to greatly outweigh the risk. Even though we are all excellent skiers this fact didn’t
play into my decision as the terrain was gently sloped and the next run supposedly only a short ski away. After a bit of skiing in the trees brought us to steep terrain, it became clear that we had missed the run and were not tracking towards it, I fought the urge to continue, swallowed my pride and made the call for help. The big message I hope to pass on is that on the mountain, even small calculated risks can be quickly become very big mistakes. Please don’t let one mistake snowball into something terrible. I was wrong to go beyond boundary markers. I am very thankful for the skilled personnel who put their own lives at risk for our well-being. Thank you.”
DISTRIBUTED EVERY 4TH FRIDAY Classifieds cut off date for next issue (Vol. 13 Issue 10)
Monday March 14 Regular display advertisements cut off date for next issue (Vol. 14 Issue 3)
Friday March 11 Online classifieds ads are placed daily at:
SunPeaksNews.com
Holiday allows families to explore B.C. JAMIE SHINKEWSKI jamie@sunpeaksnews.com
Born and raised in Kamloops, Jamie grew up skiing Sun Peaks before heading east to earn his Bacherlor’s of Journalism from Carleton University. Before joining the SPIN team, he was a reporter for the Ottawa Sportspage and KamloopsBCNow.
F
resh off the Family Day weekend, one fact rings true about the newest provincial holiday: British Columbian families are using the long weekend to explore the natural playground in their own backyard. There’s an ongoing discussion to see the B.C. Family Day moved from the second to the third Monday in February. Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario celebrate Family Day on the third Monday, Manitoba celebrates Louis Riel Day and in the United States it’s Presidents’ Day.
An online petition, launched last year by Vancouver resident Andrew Johns, to see the provincial government bump the holiday by one week has over 18,000 digital signatures, so there’s clearly interest from the public to see Family Day moved. Many people advocate for the change as it would provide an added opportunity to visit family who live out-ofprovince between Christmas and Easter. However, moving the holiday will also limit the ability of British Columbians to explore their own province during the holidays. Yes, there’s certainly economic pressure on the government to have a separate holiday in B.C. as it gives backto-back weekends for dollars to filter into the tourism industry, but businesses should never dictate when holidays
“However, moving the holiday will also limit the ability of British Columbians to explore their own province during the holidays.” are scheduled. If the holiday were to be pushed one week ahead, the activities B.C. residents were able to enjoy would be taken away to a certain degree by out-of-province visitors. Riding the chairlifts at Sun Peaks during the weekend, I met people from across the province. People from the Lower Mainland, the Fraser Valley, the Nicola Valley, the Okanagan and the Cariboo chatted with me and were thrilled to be spending their holiday weekend at a ski re-
LETTER TO THE
sort within close proximity to their homes. Accommodations on the hill were nearly at capacity and Sun Peaks was not the only ski resort with an influx of local visitors. There were reports of lift line waits over an hour long in Whistler, Big White saw a record number of visitors, and 26 ski areas in B.C. offered half-priced lift tickets on Family Day. There’s clear evidence B.C. residents used the holiday to enjoy their home terrain. B.C. doesn’t celebrate Family Day like the rest of Canada, but conforming to how everyone else celebrates the holiday doesn’t necessarily mean it will improve it. Instead, British Columbia is the only province with its own holiday weekend during the winter. It’s another reason why the west is best.
• groceries
• produce
Meat & Produce • Baked Goods Oso Negro Coffee • Pharmacy/Personal Items
WE’RE OPEN DAILY For all your grocery needs See you at the Bluebird Market
Open 8 am to 9 pm daily Located on the Ground Floor of the Residences at Sun Peaks Grand
Phone: 250-578-2414
WESTSYDE YDE VICE SERVICE Auto Repairs
editor
Diesel Repairs Air Conditioning Repairs
RE: FORBIDDING DOGS IN THE VILLAGE I can’t believe the letter regarding the doggie-do from Elie Grouchko complete with 36 photos (!) because I’ve been coming to Sun Peaks now for four years and I might
have seen the occasional dump but absolutely nothing like stated in the letter and one of the things I like most about Sun Peaks is seeing the various dogs enjoying
themselves and around the village.
walking
Helen Banks, Australia
Gov. Certified Inspection Facility
Editor’s note: For many more responses see Facebook. com/SunPeaksNews and www.SunPeaksNews.com.
BILL & MIKE LINDSAY Ph: 250-579-5532 Fax: 250-579-5852 3475 Westsyde Rd., Kamloops, BC V2B 8C5
Vol 14 Issue 2 February 19 — March 17
sunpeaksnews.com
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local news Coast Sundance Lodge threepeat employee award by BRANDI SCHIER
S
Going for gold: James Bingham poses with Pia Collins, Coast Hotels’ Executive Director of People and Culture. | PHOTO SUBMITTED
un Peaks’ Coast Sundance Lodge beat out over 35 other North American Coast hotels for ‘Best Property’ in their annual Ambassador Statistics Index for the third consecutive year. James Bingham, hotel manager, accepted the award at the Coast Hotels’ Annual General Meeting held in Portland in January.
“We received a score of 99 out of 100 this year,” he said. “Next year we’re shooting for 100.” Numbers are tallied from surveys completed by hotel staff, measuring fields such as employee engagement, compensation and environment. ‘It’s about more than just happy staff,” said Bingham. “The happier the staff, it feeds through to the guest experience.” The Sundance Lodge employs approximately 20 people and focuses on hir-
LOCAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES UP FOR AWARDS
TOURISM SUN PEAKS
Member Update TSP Central Reservations reports that Sun Peaks reached record breaking occupancy for the month of January, with a 2% increase over the previous record set in January 2008. The Adventure Centre has also seen growth across all tours this season! Guests visiting the resort are taking the opportunity to explore the area both on and off the slopes. With great conditions and strong support from our membership TSP and Sun Peaks continue to stand out against our competitors during large scale, provincially lead familiarization tours. Surveys indicate overall FAM itineraries, the diversity of activities experienced, and the genuine nature of resort hosts separate us and leave positive impressions for the agents on the FAMs. Sun Peaks Resort has recently received significant media coverage as a result of a media FAM brought in for last month’s wine festival. Kelowna Daily Courier staff writer Steve MacNaull was contracted to write a Sun Peaks Winter Okanagan Wine Festival/Nancy Greene-Raine story for the Toronto Sun. The article has since been picked up by media outlets across the country, including 24 Hours Toronto, Winnipeg Free Press, St. John’s Telegram, Charlottetown Guardian, Lethbridge Herald, Okanagan Sunday, Prince George Citizen, Medicine Hat News, Corner Brook Western Star, and the Prince Albert Daily Herald. With seven weeks remaining in the winter advertising campaign, TSP is injecting additional dollars into digital, social, and radio mediums. The advertising will focus on communicating spring break vacation options and an exceptional snow year to the Edmonton, Northern Alberta, BC, and Washington markets.
Sun Peaks will be wellrepresented at the 2016 Keystone Awards, held by the Central Interior branch of the Canadian Home Builders Association. Meranti Developments is a finalist 15 times over, sometimes twice in one category, and Powder Ventures Excavating is up for two awards.
TSP would like to welcome Val Cahill to the team as our new representative in Ontario. Val brings years of experience, as well as connections within the ski industry to ski clubs, resorts and shops throughout Ontario. Her efforts have already produced results including opportunities for group travel in 2017 and promotions through ski shops in the Toronto and Collingwood areas.
Call 250.578.5380 or visit www.SunPeaksResort.com/Tourism PHOTO: FLCKR
sunpeaksnews.com
Vol 14 Issue 2 February 19 — March 17
Builders must meet category requirements and criteria, then submit detailed floor plans and a write up on the project. Finalists are then judged by three awardwinning judges from across B.C. The 11th annual awards gala will be held at the Sun Peaks Grand on April 2.
SUN PEAKS KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION OPENS
March Music Madness is taking a different approach this year with a large outdoor concert on Saturday, March 26. SHRED KELLY will headline, supported by John Welsh Band and local musician Jeremy Kneeshaw. Summer event planning is well underway, with the calendar featuring the return of the annual favourites along with many new events such as Kids Fest (June 24–26).
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ing long-term, local staff along with some seasonal employees. “We try to hire people with the right attitudes. Skills can be learned,” said Bingham. “We want someone who is excited to be here and ready to learn.” In regards to the threepeat, Bingham said it’s one of the accomplishments he’s most proud of during his three years with the hotel. “We aim to be one of the best employers in Sun Peaks,” he said.
Parents of kindergarten-aged children in Sun Peaks are encouraged to register 2016 students from Feb. 22 to 26 at Rayleigh Elementary School from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. To be eligible for September 2016 attendance, a student must be five years of age by Dec. 31, 2016. For other information on eligibility go to www.sd73. bc.ca or inquire during registration.
news Rezoning continues through municipality 34 APPLICATIONS BEING PROCESSED by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
T
he Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality (SPMRM) is continuing to work through rezoning bylaws for single-family homes to legally allow short-term tourist accommodation. The municipality has received 34 applications since the process began last fall and
council adopted 14 properties’ new zoning on Feb. 1 after being approved by the provincial government. “The idea of this is to give us some ability to manage this stuff,” said chief administrative officer Rob Bremner. “We can control things like where they are putting their snow, these large parking lots appearing on people’s front lawns, we can start to monitor noise. It gives us actually some tools we
New TRU club hits the mountain NEXT NIGHT OF THE LIVING SHRED FEB. 27 AND 28 by JULIA THRIFT
T
Flying high: Event organizer Myles Williamson enjoyed the club’s first event | PHOTO SUBMITTED
here were hoots, hollers and singing coming from the lift lines as a new club, Out Here: Thompson Rivers University Ski & Snowboard Club, came out to the first overnight Sun Peaks trip on the last weekend in January. The new organization was started by five students as a school project. However, two of the founders quickly realized there was an opportunity for the club to exist beyond the classroom as a way
didn’t have before.” Council adopted a list of guidelines on Feb. 15, which can be used when issues around zoning bylaws arise. Of the rezoning applications that SPMRM has received, there has only been one minor issue, but the guidelines are in place to ensure all home owners receive the same treatment should further issues arise. “We haven’t really hit any issues. We just had a minor issue where someone had converted a crawlspace into a bedroom so it put them over their allowable square footage,
so council made him apply for a variation to the zoning bylaw,” Bremner said. “Council is not trying to throw up roadblocks, they’re trying to make this a legal entity but still control it to a point where it doesn’t become a nuisance in the neighbourhood.” SPMRM is also working toward fixing building code issues in relation to the zoning in place on Burfield Drive to permit legal tourist accommodations. “There’s some things that were probably done years ago that do not meet code and put peoples’ lives in danger and that’s council’s biggest issue,” he said. “How do we get those places that put people’s lives in danger out of here and make sure that the accommodation that is available out there is safe?” Safety of residents and vis-
itors is the primary concern of SPMRM during the rezoning process, according to Bremner. Information for Burfield Drive has been sent to the building code consultant and will also be sent to the Thompson-Nicola Regional District. SPMRM will merge the information from both sources to create a discussion paper, which Bremner said he hopes will be ready in early March. The municipality also plans to move onto tourist accommodation rezoning for townhomes once the single-family homes are properly rezoned. “We’re trying to deal with this in stages. There’s some other issues out there related around townhomes and things that don’t have (tourist accommodation) zoning, so we’re working on that aspect,” Bremner said.
to bring students up to the mountain. “Being my first year at TRU, I looked into joining a ski and snowboard club only to discover that there wasn’t one,” said co-founder Myles Williamson. “Planning trips up to Sun Peaks really made sense. I was stoked. I had confidence that the club was going to be successful.” The club’s mandate is to work on building the relationship between Sun Peaks and Thompson Rivers University while bringing students with a passion for winter together. Williamson designed Out Here to get students of all ability levels to experience what the local mountains have to offer while meeting new people, getting outdoors and possibly learning a new sport. So far Williamson and his counterparts have set up four overnight ski trips called Night
of the Living Shred. The trips consist of a one night stay, cover to The Club and two days of riding or skiing as well as transportation to and from the mountain, with a price range that works with students’ budgets. The first event sold out within a week and brought 30 TRU students to Sun Peaks. “Everything was on our side for the trip: great weather, fresh snow, a great hotel and a live DJ at The Club. The students who were fully involved on the trip had a good time,” said Williamson. The organizers said they hope the relationship with Sun Peaks will be ongoing and could possibly expand to events held on the mountain and as well as possibly on campus. After the success of the first trip Williamson said he sees an opportunity for the club to bring more students up on fu-
ture trips and offer other experiences for those who may want to come to Sun Peaks but don’t ski or snowboard. The next Night of the Living Shred trip is planned for Feb. 27 and 28 and is estimated to bring 60 students up to Sun Peaks.
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GET out there Going the distance SKIING YOUR AGE A GROWING TREND by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
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ne man’s birthday tradition has turned into a new challenge for local Nordic skiers. Seventy-three-year-old Gunner Rasmussen celebrated his birthday on Jan. 24 by hitting the cross country trails and skiing his age in kilometres. It’s a tradition he began on his 65th birthday and has continued for the past nine years. “I decided to do something special every time on my birthday and of course my birthday is, lucky enough for me, in January. Most of the time we’re at Sun Peaks so I said why not go out and ski my age every birthday and that’s what I’ve been doing since,” Rasmussen said. This year’s birthday celebration took Rasmussen, accompanied by Tourism Sun Peaks (TSP) president Christopher Nicolson, seven hours and three minutes of total ski time. Including breaks for food and waxing
73 kilometres for 73 years: Gunner Rasmussen celebrated his birthday by skiing the same distance as his age. | PHOTO SUBMITTED
skis, they were active for nearly eight hours. “Christopher and I found around the 35-km mark we would feel a little bit of fatigue but after that we picked it up and I would say the last piece back home I could’ve went out again and done another loop of the top no problem,” Rasmussen said. “Even at 73 I can do the same
I did 20 years ago. As you get older it just takes a little longer time,” he added with a laugh.
“I TELL MY WIFE WHEN I TURN 100 IT’S GOING TO BE A LONG DAY.”
The two men started from the village and made their way to McGillivray Lake where they skied five laps of a 12.4 kilometre loop Rasmussen mapped out. The highlight for the birthday boy was when a group gathered to help him celebrate. “He (Nicolson) was skiing ahead at one time. Halfway down one trail system he assembled four or five people and started singing happy birthday when I was passing by, so that was quite a highlight,” Rasmussen said. “Word kind of spread that Gunner was skiing 73 km so everybody after awhile knew and everyone was cheering him on ‘go Gunner go,’” Nicolson said. The Sun Peaks Nordic Club has now challenged its members to follow Rasmussen’s example. Cross country skiers of all ages are encouraged to ski their age in kilometres, although the challenge can be completed over the course of a week instead of a single day. “It’s a great challenge out there and other Nordic skiers in Sun Peaks are starting to rise up to the challenge,” said Phil Youwe, Nordic operations co-ordinator for Sun Peaks Resort LLP. “Some of them have
already skied their age on the day, some of them are skiing it over a week’s time, so that’s encouraging the adult skiers to get out and ski more and keep track of their kilometres.” It is one of two challenges promoted by the Nordic club this ski season. Groups of eight skiers are tasked with skiing the distance from Sun Peaks to San Francisco before the end of the season. Each week skiers track their kilometres with the goal of compiling over 18,000. “There are a lot of people skiing a whole lot of (kilometres) right now. Within the Nordic Club there’s a whole energy, it’s a lot of fun,” Nicolson said. “It’s a conversation piece and it’s motivating. “If you have a goal, it’s just like going skiing, but at least you have a goal to go for and you push yourself a little bit more and put more kilometres in. It’s a good way to be more ambitious,” Rasmussen said. Rasmussen said he hoped to see his tradition catch on with more skiers and he expects to continue as long as his body will allow him. “I tell my wife when I turn 100 it’s going to be a long day,” he said.
Weekly Events Friday Race Series For everyone! February 26, March 4, 11, 18 First Tracks Breakfast Mondays, Wednesdays & Saturdays till March 26 Fondue Dinner & Evening Descent Thursdays till March 24
Events Calendar February 27
MOUNTAIN EVENTS FOR AN ACTION-PACKED
LATE WINTER SMORGASBORD
March 1–5 March 12 March 19–20 March 26 March 26–28 April 2 April 3 April 9–10 April 10
Holy Cow Nordic Loppet The North Face Dirty Feet Snowshoe Fun Run & Walk Velocity Challenge & FIS Speed Ski World Cup The Duff Open (Slopestyle) Hub International Nancy Greene Festival Bikinis for Breast Cancer Easter Extravaganza Coors Light Thrill of the Hill Party in the Park Tod Mountain Days Spring Festival Last Day of Winter Lift Operations
Save on lift tickets when you buy online in advance Discounted tickets are date specific and prices fluctuate based on time of season and consumer demand. A limited number of tickets are available at each price point, so purchase early for best bargains! Shop for tickets online 24/7 at SunPeaksResort.com
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Vol 14 Issue 2 February 19 — March 17
GET out there Reflecting on Sun Peaks’ first years TOD MOUNTAIN’S FIRST PATROLLER REMEMBERS by JEAN STRONG
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t the end of another day of patrolling, Ralph Nelson takes the last Burfield chair to the top of the mountain. When the lift shuts down for the night, he makes his way into the small living area attached to the bullwheel. After lighting the single propane heater, he crawls into bed. The lift operator dozes in a bed across the room, both exhausted after a long day on the mountain. In the morning, Nelson will wake up before the skiers arrive, skiing the lift line with a
backpack-sized radio strapped to his back, radioing at each tower to confirm the lift is safe to run. Nelson was 30 years old at the time and Tod Mountain’s first ski patroller when the ski area opened in 1961. Today he lives in an apartment in Kamloops with his wife, Sheila. The walls are filled with ski photos and paintings. Ski books dot the shelves and ski trophies grace the walls, exactly what you would expect from a family who loves the mountains. This is where they shared what it was like patrolling in the first years of Sun Peaks, then known as Tod Mountain.
While Sheila cared for their three children at home in Rayleigh, Ralph took the couple’s Volkswagen Beetle on the long journey up the mountain, where he would stay for six days at a time. He was apprehensive when first offered the job but said eventually the idea of getting paid to do something he loved brought him around. His name was the first on payroll at Tod Mountain, before the chair had even been finished. One of his first projects was to build the ramp at mid-station so skiers could load or unload part way through their trip to the top. “We loaded lumber across two chairs placed close together on the line to get it up the mountain,” he recounted. “Sometimes the lumber or barrels of fuel would bump you in the head as they went by and that certainly annoyed me somewhat.” When the time came to clear trees for more runs, Nelson was there moving flagging tape to ensure the run was cut for the best route possible, despite
Learning the ropes: A young Ralph Nelson (second from the right) poses with his family during an early age ski day. | PHOTO SUBMITTED
the objections of engineers and tree fellers. “Those guys aren’t skiers like I am, and we have to make adjustments here and there,” he explained. When the chair was opened and skiers flocked to the slopes, Ralph ensured the snow was well packed. Free lift tickets were offered to anyone who volunteered to take small steps up the mountain compacting the snow. Once he had to call in 12 army men to pack runs before a big race on the mountain, walking across the slope in a long line. He said he feels something similar would get strange looks from mountain-goers today. When that wasn’t enough, he made his own packing machine. Made with a drum that previously held electric wire, with wooden slats and a crossbar attached, he would pull it down behind him while skiing to compact the snow. When he reached the bottom, he would hook it to the T-bar to be dragged to the top for another pass. “It was not really a safe operation,” Nelson said. “I am sure the safety board wouldn’t have approved of it.” As far as safety was concerned, Nelson said there were very few serious injuries during his three years on the mountain. He said in that time very few skiers needed a ride off the mountain in the rescue toboggan. While much has changed since it first opened, much has stayed the same. While patrollers won’t be found living in bullwheels or pulling homemade groomers down the mountain, that same pioneering spirit remains. Nelson said freeskiing and his love of being in the mountains were the reasons he was attracted to the job and why he stayed as long as he did. It’s a sentiment found in staff across the mountain today who share a passion for the outdoors.
FILE PHOTO
Peaks Aquatics is sponsoring the event with a steaming hot tub at the bottom of the mountain for a slopeside warm up. Entrants will pay a $35 entry fee and raise a minimum of $150 in pledges for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and
Major Sponsors • • • • • • • •
will receive gift bags from the event sponsors. Prizes will be awarded for most creative bikini top and for highest fundraisers. For more information email karen@onetwothreedone. com or register on www.sunpeaksresort.com.
Sun Peaks Resort Sun Peaks Grand Hotel & Conference Centre Bottoms Bar & Grill UnderWraps Advertising Solutions Terry Trophy & Awards Sport Chek Aberdeen Mall Cahilty Creek The Burger Joint
Other Contributors • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
BIKINIS IN THE SNOW Registration is now open for the annual awareness and fundraiser, Bikinis for Breast Cancer, taking place on March 26. It’s open to women (and men) of all ages who will ski, snowboard, or telemark down the mountain in bikini tops and snow pants. Sun
On behalf of everyone who participated in the league, the Sun Peaks Hockey League would like to recognize:
• • • • • • • • • •
5-Forty Deli AAMCO Alpine Images Photography Hearthstone Lodge Bolacco Cafe Canadian Tire The Candy Vault Sun Peaks Cineplex Odeon Coast Sundance Lodge Sun Peaks Consignor Sports Creekside Critter Outfitter Discover Sun Peaks Adventures Dolson’s Source for Sports Fall Line Repair Center Heffley Boutique Inn Inka’s World Jardine’s Sun Peaks Kamloops Blazers McSporties Meranti Developments Mountain Man Adventures Nancy Greene’s Cahilty Lodge Players Bench Kamloops Powder Hounds Restaurant Princess Auto Re/Max Alpine Realty Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Ryan Oevermann Save On Foods Sotheby’s Sun Peaks Spoke N’ Motion Sun Peaks Snowmobile Tours Sun Peaks Aquatics Sun Peaks Lodge Sun Peaks Spa Sun Peaks Stables Sundance Liquor Store The Sign Cellar True Outdoors Tylair Aviation Ltd Vertical Cafe Zimmer Wheaton-GM
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arts ENTERTAINMENT
EVENT > listings FRIDAY & SATURDAY
info@velocitychallenge.com
FEBRUARY 19 & 20
TELUS NANCY GREENE ALPINE CLASSIC Join us at Sun Peaks for a memorable weekend with proceeds going to the Sun Peaks Health Association, the RIH Foundation and Sun Peaks junior ski racing. It’s a fun team race on an easy dual course, with each racer’s best time counting towards the team total. Every team must include at least one member of each sex to be eligible for prizes. melanie.smith@telus.net
SATURDAY
ICEMAKER FILM FESTIVAL
Catch the third and final film of the first annual Icemaker Festival at 8 p.m. in Morrisey Pub’s M Room. Meru, a documentary about climbing the “Shark’s Fin” on Mount Meru in Peru, will be screening on the final night. Admission is $10. www.greenartfestival.org
SATURDAY
FEBRUARY 27
HOLY COW NORDIC LOPPET
Fernie-based folk band set to rock the day away in Sun Peaks | PHOTO SUBMITTED
>>Shred Kelly to headline show by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
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he March Music Madness festival has been replaced by a one-night outdoor concert on March 26 headlined by Fernie folk-rock band Shred Kelly. In previous years, March was a month filled with live music throughout Sun Peaks with outdoor concerts performed each Saturday and smaller shows happening in indoor venues throughout the village. “Weather being unpredictable in March, at least two of those weekends it would end up being in a restaurant, so it limits who is able to see them and enjoy them,” said Janice Hoppenreys, events manager for Tourism Sun Peaks. “Instead of spreading it out over the whole month, we’ve chosen one weekend to put on a bigger show that everyone can enjoy.” Shred Kelly was a part of the Dew Tour AM Series in
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Sun Peaks last year. They performed as a special guest with Tokyo Police Club on March 27. “Shred Kelly does have a really good following within ski resort towns and mountain com-
“Instead of spreading it out over the whole month, we’ve chosen one weekend to put on a bigger show that everyone can enjoy.”
munities so we were looking for a band that would be a good fit for both families and younger people coming up for the weekend. Shred Kelly seemed like a good fit,” Hoppenreys said. They will play the closing set of the night from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Kamloops talent Jeremy Kneeshaw will open at 3:30 p.m. followed by John Welsh Band, who also performed in Sun
Vol 14 Issue 2 February 19 — March 17
Peaks last March, at 5:30 p.m. “(John Welsh Band) were a good hit, they were very well received. Their type of music really fits with Shred Kelly, kind of that folk-rock type of sound,” Hoppenreys said. “(Jeremy) is very talented and I think his style also fits in with John Welsh Band and Shred Kelly. Being able to include someone local is always something that we like to try and do.” The concert will take place at an accessible area of the village, but will depend on the weather. Hoppenreys said the ideal location is the bottom of the Sundance chairlift, but a decision will be made closer to the date. Although the month-long music festival will not take place in 2016, there are still a variety of bands scheduled to play throughout Sun Peaks in March. More information is available on the resort’s online events calendar. “There’s definitely live music around the village for the month of March but people are kind of doing their own thing a little bit separate to it,” Hoppenreys said.
MARCH 2 — MARCH 5 VELOCITY CHALLENGE & FIS SPEED SKIING WORLD CUP
For over a decade Sun Peaks has held the distinction of hosting the only speed skiing event held in North America. Renowned for its crazy rolls and sheer drop, the Headwalls Speed Track is one of the most difficult tracks on the FIS Speed Ski World Cup tour, challenging the world’s fastest skiers as they accelerate from 0 to 175 km/h in a mere 8 seconds. www.velocitychallenge.com
FEBRUARY 20
One-day concert replaces Music Madness
WEDNESDAY — SATURDAY
This fun and unique Loppet returns for another winter! New last year was our 2km and 5km courses on the valley trails, for our younger and beginner skiers. The longer 12km and 24km courses start from the Top of the Morrisey Express chairlift – the 12km course is the direct route down to the finish, with the 24km course going back up to McGillivray Lake for another 12km on our scenic trails. www.sunpeaksresort.com/holy-cow
WEDNESDAY
MARCH 3
TNRD BOOKMOBILE
The TNRD Bookmobile visits the Bento’s Day Lodge parking lot every third Thursday from 3 to 4:15 p.m. Loan periods for books, large print books, audiobooks, magazines, video games, DVDs and CDs is six weeks. The Bookmobile is also wheelchair accessible. Library cards are free to all TNRD residents and cards are welcome at any TNRD branch or Bookmobile stop. bookmobile@tnrd.ca
MONDAY
MARCH 7
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
7 p.m. at the Sun Peaks Municipal office located in the Kookaburra Lodge. www.sunpeaksmunicipality.ca
SATURDAY
MARCH 12
SATURDAY
THE DUFF OPEN
FEBRUARY 27
THE NORTH FACE DIRTY FEET SNOWSHOE FUN RUN & WALK
The Dirty Feet Snowshoe Fun Run will be a fun running and walking event! The event will be held at Sun Peaks and will consist of 2 distances – Approximately 5km and 10km in distance for all ages. info@dirtyfeet.ca
SATURDAY
FEBRUARY 27
HEFFLEY CREEK COFFEE HOUSE
Come join us for a great night of live entertainment with the best variety in town. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the show starts at 6:30 p.m. Supper and snacks will be available at the concession. Admission is $2 (entertainers and children under 12 get in free of charge). 250-578-7525
TUESDAY
MARCH 1
SO YOU THINK YOU’RE FAST, EH?
First-time speed skiers will get the opportunity to experience speed skiing in a low pressure pre-race training day event where they will get the chance to start at the low and mid starting points of the course to test their mettle against the track and get free pointers from the world’s best before deciding on registering for the main FIS World Cup Speed Skiing event in the following days.
Throw down for Brain Injury Awareness at the premier slopestyle event at Sun Peaks Resort, in the Rockstar Energy Terrain Park with living shred legend Chris Dufficy and friends! Snowboarders and skiers will compete in three categories; Junior (13-15), Men’s Open and Women’s Open. There will be a cash prize for the winners of Men’s and Women’s Open and tons of sweet prizes thanks to Billabong, Oronge Boardshop and Rockstar Energy. Entrants must be able to ride the advanced terrain park with confidence. Helmets are mandatory, so don’t forget your lid! Cash only registration is $10 per person with all proceeds going to the Kamloops Brain Injury Association. events@sunpeaksresort.com
SATURDAY & SUNDAY
MARCH 19 & 20
HUB INTERNATIONAL NANCY GREENE FESTIVAL
The 14th Annual Hub International Nancy Greene Festival is the biggest NGSL ski festival in Canada. Playing host to over 500 kids, Sun Peaks Resort sees about 2,000 people come to enjoy all the fun events the festival has to offer. A speed trap, Dual GS, Jump contest, Skier X style Kombi course, Moguls and other fun events for kids, make this one of the best weekends of the year. Nancy Greene herself is on hand to cheer racers on, sign helmets, and hand out awards. Uncle Chris the clown breaks out his skis for this event, and if you’re lucky you may see him race down the course or bust through the speed trap! hubngfestival@gmail.com
@sunpeaksnews /sunpeaksnews
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arts ENTERTAINMENT Interacting through art >>17 artists confirmed for new Art Zone event by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
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what they do.” “I think there are a lot of people that want to try something but just don’t know where to start, and this is a safe comfortable way to see what’s out there.” For example, Derksen said one of the potters will be bringing a wheel for people
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Mexican Cuisine made from the finest, freshest ingredients. All prepared by our Chef to be healthy, tasty and fresh. Early Bird Special + $12 Pitchers from 4 to 6 pm daily Located at the Heffley Boutique Inn
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new event will offer people a chance to try various styles of art and interact with local artists. The Sun Peaks Art Zone will host A Taste of Art, an interactive art exhibition, in the Sun Peaks Grand ballroom from 3 to 8 p.m. on March 18. Seventeen local artists will set up displays of their work with an interactive component to teach participants about
the medium. Photographers, painters, potters, wood carvers, fiber artists and stained glass artists from Sun Peaks and Kamloops will be on hand to showcase and share their talents. “This is a first event like this,” said Liz Derksen, Sun Peaks Art Zone board member. “Last year we did a show and it was good, but I think there are a lot of artists up here that aren’t comfortable with a show but are fairly involved in art. This is a chance for them to share
“I think there are a lot of people that want to try something but just don’t know where to start, and this is a safe comfortable way to see what’s out there.”
to try and people will be able to try calligraphy and painting as well. “Six of those 17 (artists) are doing demos because it’s hard to do an interactive thing with stained glass or with wood carving,” Derksen said. “People will be able to try stuff and take something home with them.” The Art Zone will also have a corner of the ballroom available for busking and they’re seeking acoustic musicians to play for up to an hour. Interested musicians can contact Pam at pamdalgleish@gmail.com for more information. Admission will be by donation at the door.
250-578-8343
Sun Peaks’ smallest Hotel with the greatest Rooms.
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GET out there
PHOTO: LEO POULIOT
Sun Peaks’ groomers share visual perks of the job PHOTO: BRENDA CARTER
by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
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eo Pouliot sits in one of Sun Peaks’ eight snowcats, driving up the mountainslope partway through another evening shift. “This is my office,” he says with an ear-to-ear grin. He makes a pass up Blazer, then up the Crystal Bowl and pauses for a quick moment to take in the breathtaking view. “Whenever you’re at the Top of the World or out in the West Bowl at this time of the year, it’s amazing the view you get over there,” he said. The operators have made a habit of bidding good morning to Sun Peaks residents with stunning sunrise photos on social media this winter. “I used to make sure I was at the Top of the World for my lunch break, which would be around 6 a.m. when the sun comes up. You just time your routes so you’re in the right areas to watch those magnificent sunrises,” said Seth Worthen, slopes manager for Sun Peaks Resort LLP. Sun Peaks employs 21 groomer operators who work
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to maintain run conditions. Each machine sees nearly 20 hours of grooming every night, split between two 10-hour shifts. Runs are groomed on a priority system with the green runs at the top, followed by the blue runs and then the blacks. Some very challenging runs will only be groomed once or twice per year. “Intimidator is a good example of that,” Worthen said. “We try to leave Intimidator as a bump run, but you have to go on at least once or twice a year just to maintain it.” The operators have incredible terrain knowledge and are able to work despite varying conditions, including poor visibility caused by heavy snowfall or fog. Pouliot said he uses landmarks, including distinct tree lines, boulders and the backs of signs to navigate in poor conditions. “You really have to know the mountain,” he said. “The visibility is the scariest thing. These machines will go, they’re workhorses, and so it’s not so much the machines as much as the operator having no visibility.” Pouliot said his mountain knowledge has translated into
Vol 14 Issue 2 February 19 — March 17
his ski days. Not only does he notice more landmarks, but he also has an increased awareness of the people around him. He pays attention to how others are going down the hill and takes that information to help him do his job that night. “I think as a groomer the more you do of it, the more you get obsessed with it,” he said. “How is a person going to ski this run and where are they going to exit this run onto the next run? You can just look at a run and it can dictate how you groom just by looking at the tracks, the skiers will tell you how you should groom.” A big difference this season is also the increased amount of snow compared to last year, but Worthen said it’s important to remain vigilant because bare spots will show up no matter the conditions. “We’re renowned for our grooming here,” Worthen said. “People come here for vacation based on the product that we put down here and I think that has a lot to do with the dry, powdery snow we get here that is perfect for tilling and making that perfect corduroy that is out there.”
“Whenever you’re at the Top of the World or out in the West Bowl at this time of the year, it’s amazing the view you get over there.”
PHOTO: LINDSEY HEISNER
PHOTO: BRENDA CARTER
SEND US YOUR PHOTOS TO BE FEATURED IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF SUN PEAKS INDEPENDENT NEWS EDITOR@SUNPEAKSNEWS.COM
Nathan Cross and the crew at Bottoms Bar & Grill celebrated their 10 year anniversary in January. Time flies when you’re having fun!
Koolwala and Kanga (aka Jeff Taylor and Glenys Ambe) pose with their Aussie mates Cathy Ferguson and Gerrie Harkley on Jan. 26 during Australia Day celebrations.
BRYX hit the decks making for a great night for TRU’s ski and snowboard club.
in PHOTOS
OR POST YOUR PHOTOS USING #SUNPEAKSNEWS @SUNPEAKSNEWS
Peter and Tina Ernst performed alongside other local musicians who helped to raise $1,000 for the elementary school’s music program at Cahilty Creek Bar & Grill on Jan. 29.
Local volunteers worked hard for weeks shaping the Bluebird Banked Slalom course into the best shape!
A young Kamloops visitor took advantage of the Riglet Park set up as part of the Burton Mountain Festival on Feb. 13.
Local ladies joined forces with others from near and far for Burton Girls Ride Day on Feb. 13 as part of the Burton Mountain Festival.
Jacob Hanson took to the mic to entertain and inform during the 5th Annual Banked Slalom on Feb. 14.
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opinion Yellowhead should be at top of Vision Zero list MEL ROTHENBURGER TNRD REPORT director.mrothenburger@tnrd.ca
Mel Rothenburger is the TNRD Director for Electoral Area P, including Whitecroft and Heffley Creek. He was the mayor of Kamloops from 1999-2005 and a former newspaper editor.
I
sometimes hear people say the Yellowhead Highway hasn’t changed since Phil Gaglardi built it 60 years ago. It’s a challenging drive and has taken a terrible toll in human lives. A new road-safety report from the provincial government isn’t specific about which B.C. highways are the worst for accidents, but the Yellowhead certainly comes to mind as one of them. The report is called Moving to Vision Zero: Road
Safety Strategy Update and Showcase of Innovation in British Columbia. “Vision Zero” started in Sweden in 1997 with the objective of improving highway systems to the point there are no fatalities or serious injuries. Of course, that’s impossible, but it recognizes that while human factors play a major role in crashes, highways can be designed to reduce the impact of driving error. The province says more than 40 road safety experts, including police, health officials, non-profits, road safety groups and others combined their expertise to come up with B.C.’s version of Vision Zero. As the statement accompanying the B.C. report says, “The strategy highlights the application of the safe sys-
tems approach – understanding that road safety developments must account for the inevitability of human error, limitations of the human body in withstanding force, and the responsibility of road and vehicle designers, policy makers and road users for road safety.” The Yellowhead is in the news much too often for the wrong reasons. Last month, a Clearwater man was killed when he lost control on slushy roads and collided with a semi. In December, a multi-vehicle accident injured several people, one critically. Last summer, a two-vehicle crash near Blackpool sent several people to hospital. The previous year, two pickup trucks collided just north of
Rayleigh. One driver was killed and several people were taken to Royal Inland Hospital. I saw that one, and it was terrible. Through the years, there have been many such tragedies. Who will ever forget the loss of two popular Clearwater teachers in December 2012 when their car slid off the road and plunged into the North Thompson River? According to one report, there were 261 accidents on the stretch from Kamloops to just south of Heffley Creek between 2009 and 2013. Province-wide, there were 83 fatal accidents and 2,631 serious injuries in 2014. Last October, I attended an open house in Barriere that unveiled plans for new passing lanes at Vinsulla and Darfield.
The two kilometre Vinsulla piece is expected to go to tender later this year. It’s relatively straight, but busy, with an average of 5,300 vehicles a day and up to 7,000 during summer. Between 2010 and 2014 there were five collisions there. It’s not practical to expect an entire highway to be reconstructed at once but the Yellowhead should be a priority, and the addition of passing lanes is a good step. The objective of the province’s Vision Zero is to make B.C.’s highways the safest in North America. It will take some doing to bring the Yellowhead into that category but reducing accidents on that highway is a must. Let’s put the Yellowhead at the top of the Vision Zero list.
Seeing through the right lense BODIE SHANDRO BACKCOUNTRY PERSPECTIVE Canadian Ski Guide, Mike Wiegele Heli Skiing, Sun Peaks Off-Piste Camp Coordinator
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hen we consider the possible uncertainties that one may encounter during a typical day of off-piste skiing, we rarely consider the effect our goggle choice may have as a
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potential hazard. That being said, many incidents can be attributed to poor visibility or impaired vision. Tripping up in variable snow conditions, slabs or wind drifts, hitting unexpected rollers or failing to recognize micro features or terrain traps may result from wearing the wrong lenses in our goggles. Lenses in today’s goggles are either cylindrical or spherical. Cylindrical lenses curve left to right across your eyes, but the lens surface is vertically flat. Spherical lenses, in addition to curving across your face, also curve vertically from top to bottom
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providing better peripheral vision and less distortion and glare. Your lens color determines the amount of light that reaches your eyes, also referred to as visible light transmission (VLT). Lenses with a higher VLT, pink or rose colored, allow more natural light to pass through and are thus are better suited for low light. Yellow or gold lenses also provide a higher VLT but work best in flat light as they enhance details in variable off-piste terrain. They also sharpen vision while filtering out the brightness of snow, making them a safe choice for those big snow days. Making the right choice in goggle lenses may not only enhance your day off-piste, but will also make it a much safer one!
NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING Saturday, March 12, 2016 3:00 p.m. Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipal Council gives notice that it will hold a Public meeting in the Hearthstone Lodge at 3160 Creekside Way, Sun Peaks, BC, to review the 2016 5 Year Financial Plan. Questions, comments and feedback can be forwarded to Nicky Braithwaite at admin@sunpeaksmunicipality.ca
www.sunpeaksmunicipality.ca
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Answers in the next issue
SUDOKU ANSWERS V14 I1
CROSSWORD ANSWERS V14 I1
FOR RENT Older 2 bedroom house private 2km south of Whitecroft. Electric and wood heat. $650/mo no pets (because of coyotes). Contact s435@yahoo.com.
ACCOMM WANTED Retired couple, non-smokers, no pets, want long term rental of a house, townhouse, or duplex in Sun Peaks or surrounding area. Prefer unfurnished. Excellent references. 1-780-435-9182 or email len.fullen@gmail.com.
SERVICES Sun Peaks Hair Studio “Style For Everyone” located on Burfield Dr. Cuts, Colours, Formals. Professional Service at Low Cost. www.styleforeveryone.ca.
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BUSINESS listings BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION
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Delicious berry scones, croissants, muffins, and more, baked fresh every day. • Fresh homemade sandwiches
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SUN PEAKS ONLY DEDICATED PROFESSIONAL HOT TUB COMPANY LOCATED IN THE LITTLE SHUSWAP LODGE 250 578 8669 24HR EMERGENCY CALL OUT 250 214 0464
Physiotherapy Services SUN PEAKS HEALTH CENTRE Serving Sun Peaks and Area
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>> sports The course is going to mix all of the classic Sun Peaks runs with a few that are only going to be able to be ridden in this Enduro Series.
FIRST CHAMPION TO BE CROWNED New Race Series: The 2016 OSPREY Canadian National Enduro Champion will be crowned in Sun Peaks. | PHOTO SUBMITTED
by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
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he first champion of a new bike racing series will be crowned in Sun Peaks in September. The 2016 OSPREY Canadian National Enduro Championships, presented by NOBL Wheels, announced Sun Peaks will host the finale of the three-event series on Sept. 17 and 18. The new Canadian series is an expansion from the BC Enduro Series and will be running for the first time in 2016. It will be a private two-day event as the mountain will be
“I was really looking for a venue that had the terrain that really suited our style of riding and Sun Peaks’ mountain biking terrain is the perfect setup.” open only to racers. The bike park will close to the public as per usual in early September prior to the race, but trail maintenance will continue on select runs specifically for the enduro event. “We love to give riders really cool new, rare experiences,”
said Ted Morton, event and marketing director for the Enduro Series. “We just thought it would be a really interesting way to experience Sun Peaks. It’s a very intimate setting to have everyone up there riding by themselves.” To be eligible for an overall position riders will need to compete in two of the three events, which also includes stops in Rossland on July 31 and Revelstoke on Sept. 3 and 4. The men’s and women’s riders with the most points at the end of the three events will be crowned Canadian champions. As the Sun Peaks race will feature 15 per cent bonus
ALPINE CLASSIC CELEBRATES 20 YEARS Nearly $500,000 raised for Health Association The TELUS Nancy Greene Alpine Classic will celebrate 20 years when racers take to the course on Feb. 19 and 20. The event has raised nearly $500,000 for the Sun Peaks Health Association over two decades, according to event co-ordinator Melanie Smith. The Alpine Classic began as a fundraiser to help replace the roof on the Sun Peaks Alpine Club building, and it helped raise funds for Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops before financially supporting the health centre. “It’s been an important fundraiser and the goal has always been to support the community in any way that we could, locals as well as guests who come in for the race,” Smith said. “The need for a proper
health facility has been the driving force behind it because of how the resort has grown in terms of permanent residents and the increase in visitors.” The 2016 race will once again see teams of four skiers compete on the Sun Catcher run. Each team must include at least one male and one female racer and participants must be over 19 years of age. “We’ve had people come in from all over B.C. and some come in from Alberta as well,” Smith said. “It’s become fairly well known. We have a lot of repeat participants that come back every year because they love the event and meeting up with people they race against every year.” The Alpine Classic has averaged around 28 teams
each year, and Smith said she hoped to see the event grow to 40 teams. Registration is $700 per team and participants receive a racers’ breakfast, lunch and a chance to test their times against former Olympic medallists Nancy Greene Raine, Kathy Kreiner and Steve Podborski. Skiers, telemarkers, snowboarders and adaptive ski program members are encouraged to participate. “There’s room for everybody,” Smith said. “There’s no pressure to be an expert racer and folks just like to come out and try their hand at racing.” “It’s fun for them to race with the Olympic champions that we have supporting the event as well.”
Enduro championship comes to Sun Peaks
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points for competitors, the best men and women bikers in the nation are expected to be present. “The way we positioned it, it doesn’t overlap with the Enduro World Series and so we’ll see the best enduro riders in Canada,” Morton said. Professional riders from as far away as Ontario have confirmed their participation and the local riders have shown a lot of interest, according to Morton. “Other locations that we visit, they’re somewhat unknown sometimes so riders don’t really know what to expect, but with Sun Peaks it’s a bike park that’s well publicized. Lots of riders have ridden there before,” he explained. “We don’t normally operate in
bike parks and that just brings a different feel to it.” It will also mark the first time an event will allow riders to pedal up sections of trails that are typically used only for downhill riding. “I was really looking for a venue that had the terrain that really suited our style of riding and Sun Peaks’ mountain biking terrain is the perfect setup,” Morton said. The organizers have created a rough draft of the race course, but the details of the track will be kept secret until race weekend.
A TRUE SKI HILL ATMOSPHERE AT BOTTOMS BAR & GRILL
Bottoms presents our next
SILENT PARTY February 26 th Visit Bottoms for our
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@BottomsSunPeaks
Vol 14 Issue 2 February 19 — March 17
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>> sports Off to the BC Winter Games >>Six Sun Peaks skiiers to compete in Apex games by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
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ix skiers will represent Sun Peaks at the BC Winter Games at Apex Mountain from Feb. 26 to 28. All the skiers are under the age of 14 and it will be their first and only chance to compete at the event which takes place every two years. Luc Dallaire is the lone freestyle skier from Sun Peaks who will compete. Dallaire represents the newly formed Sun Peaks Freestyle Club and has been a presence on the podium this season. He won a silver medal in slopestyle and a bronze medal in big air at the season’s first competition at Apex in January. He won
the grom division at the Garden Rail Jam in Sun Peaks on Jan. 24. “I heard that my friends were going and I wanted to go because it sounded fun, just the experience and being with my friends,” Dallaire said. “I’m not yet, but when I’m about to do my runs I’ll be nervous.” Five members of the Sun Peaks Alpine Club are also set to compete in the slalom and giant slalom races in Apex. Brynn Applegath, Clayton Dent, Noa Hooton, Ben Jacoby and Rio Shatzko qualified for the Winter Games following the Okanagan Zone race in Sun Peaks at the beginning of January, where they each had at least one top 15 finish. Hooton watched her broth-
Winter Games bound: (Left to right) Luc Dallaire, Ben Jacoby, Rio Shatzko, Brynn Applegath, Noa Hooton and Clayton Dent (missing) will represent Sun Peaks at the 2016 BC Winter Games. | PHOTO JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
er, Beckett, compete at the BC Winter Games two years ago and she said she wants to beat her brother’s results. “It’s pretty special because my brother went so I get to do it too, so it’s cool,” Hooton said. “I’ll just try really hard and try to do well.” It will mark the first race at the provincial level for the U14 rac-
SPORTS LEGACY FUND BENEFITS SUN PEAKS GROUPS
ers. The Sun Peaks skiers are striving to finish in the top 10. “I’m really excited for more competition and getting to know more people that I ski with,” Applegath said. “My goal is to try my best, work hard and hopefully if possible get top 10.” “It’s going to be lots of fun,” Shatzko said. “I want to get top 10. (It will) probably take my
best run.” Wherever they finish, the Sun Peaks skiers are all excited to share the experience with their teammates. “(I’m looking forward to) staying together as a group and bonding even more than with all of our teammates that we already have,” Hooton said.
STEAKHOUSE AT SUN PEAKS LODGE E
“Enjoy your evening with great steaks and daily specials in a casual family atmosphere.”
The Kamloops Blazers Sports Society members and Board of Directors announced on Feb. 9 the allocation of the 2016 grants from the Sports Legacy Fund (SLF) to the Kamloops and regional sport community. Thirty organizations received a total of $334,000 in funding, including several contributions to Sun Peaks organizations. Adaptive Sports at Sun
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Peaks received $2,500 for coaching development. The First Nations Snowboard Team received $5,000 for equipment and clothing. The Sun Peaks alpine and Nordic clubs also received funding; $4,500 for wireless timing equipment and $5,023 for biathlon rifles and coaching development. Since the fund’s inception, 91 sport organizations have received $2.475 million in
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grants. A significant portion of these funds have been leveraged by the community groups to extend the value of the investments in equipment purchases, capital improvements, scholarships or coaching development. The annual application period extends from Oct. 1 to Nov. 30 of each year and the allocation by the nine board members occurs following the review process.
Ph: 250 578 7878
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Reservations Recommended
Visitevening SunPeaksLodge.com “Enjoy your with great steaks to view our menu and daily specials in a casual family atmosphere.”
Ph: 250 578 7878
Reservations Recommended Visit SunPeaksLodge.com to view our menu
>> sports Hockey league wraps up shortest season ‘Is Your Motherwell’ and ‘Mid Ice Crisis’ win championships by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
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wo undefeated teams were upset in the finals as the Sun Peaks Hockey League (SPHL) crowned its 2016 champions on Feb. 4. ‘Is Your Motherwell’ claimed the novice division title with a 2-1 win over the undefeated ‘Sticks ‘N Cyder’. The winning team, comprised of one player from New Zealand and the remainder from Germany, used tactics more commonly found in soccer to outscore their opponents, and celebrated each goal with a belly slide down
the ice. “It was amazing. I never expected it,” said novice champion Sebastian Hecke, who scored one of his team’s two goals in the final. “I thought we would be the worst players here when we started and it was a great feeling.” The advanced division championship went down to the wire with ‘Mid Ice Crisis’ edging the undefeated ‘Skateful Dead’ 3-2 in a shootout. The final was highly contested with each team being stopped on a penalty shot in regulation time before ‘Mid Ice Crisis’ scored twice in the shootout to claim the championship.
Fun on the trails >>NORDIC LOPPET AND SNOWSHOE RACE MAKE FOR EXCITING DAY by JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
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rail enthusiasts will have a fun opportunity to enjoy the outdoors on Feb. 27 with two races taking place in Sun Peaks. Cross country skiers will head out on McGillivray Lake Trail in the annual Holy Cow Nordic Loppet fun race. Participants completing the 12 or 24 kilometre distances start from the top of the Morrisey Express chairlift and racers doing two or five kms will start near the Nordic Centre at 11 a.m. “The uniqueness is that the event starts at the top of the Mt. Morrisey lift,” said Phil Youwe, Nordic operations co-ordinator for Sun Peaks
Resort LLP. “We’re just encouraging people that haven’t skied before that might want to do an event, but they don’t want to start at the top of Mt. Morrisey, to come in and do our 5 km course.” The Holy Cow Loppet has increased in popularity over the recent years and Youwe said he hoped to see over 125 participants this year. “We’re getting a lot of people inquiring already. I’ve got people that are emailing us from Ontario that want to come out and do the event,” Youwe said. “We find that Sun Peaks is getting better known as a destination Nordic venue and so we’re seeing people come from elsewhere to ski our Loppet.” “We probably doubled or tripled our numbers last year
The SPHL also presented individual awards for the season following the final games. Riley Durrington won the most improved player, Jake Barton won the most valuable player, Brandon Cyncora was named the goaltender of the year, Tyler Flieger won the Jess Hough Enthusiast Award and on-ice volunteer of the year, Joe Cornwell won the sportsmanship award and Vicky Rutherford was named off-ice volunteer of the year. Despite being the shortest season in league history, it was more popular than ever. Rosters were full with a total of 118 players, six goaltenders and 17 volunteers. Warm weather forced the first two weeks and last week of the regular season to be cancelled, leading to the first time the SPHL played only five weeks.
so we’re just hoping that our numbers are similar to last year and we’ll consider it a very successful event.” Later in the day, it will be time to trade skis for snowshoes for the Dirty Feet Snowshoe Fun Run & Walk. The snowshoe race starts near the clock tower at 5:30 p.m. and will feature five and 10 km distances. “Everyone is having a good time. It’s not very serious. You’ve got a few people at the front that are running for the win, but it’s funny. Racing on snowshoes it’s a very slow race,” said organizer Phil Hiom. “It’s not technically difficult, it’s just physically hard so you just end up being a lot slower than you are regular running. You can’t just suddenly sprint.” Participants will head down the snowshoe trail towards the Burfield chairlift, returning up alpine trails before descending back into the village. “It’s just a fun snowshoe run and walk so we encourage everyone to come out and have fun,” Hiom said.
Sweet victory: ‘Is Your Motherwell’ celebrates their novice division championship. | PHOTO JAMIE SHINKEWSKI
An NHL-sized, refrigerated rink could be ready in Sun Peaks for the next SPHL season, which would increase the length of the season and create an opportunity to increase the size of the league. “I’m always looking for the
next opportunity. The next big advancement will be when we move to a new ice surface,” said league co-ordinator Mike Billheimer. “That is a goal we look to make at some point is an extended season with more reliable ice.”
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Vol 14 Issue 2 February 19 — March 17
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ALPINE RESORT REALTY
EACH OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED & OPERATED
Serving Sun Peaks and area since 1995 OPEN DAILY - LOCATED IN THE KOOKABURRA LODGE T: 250 578 8222 TF: 1 800 663 2838 E: info@sunpeaksrealty.com
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High quality custom built mountain home in fantastic ski-in, ski-out location. Spectacular window package provides exceptional panoramic views. The Great Room is open & expansive featuring a stunning floor to ceiling natural ledger stone fireplace. The cabinetry & finishing detail is impressive throughout. Comfortable hot water radiant heat on basement & main floor levels. Features a large self contained legal suite with 10’ ceilings, 2 car garage plus toy garage. This home is low maintenance & is offered fully furnished with GST paid.
#39 Stone’s Throw - $384,900
#59 Crystal Forest - $269,000
Great opportunity for your family to have the perfect 2 bedroom, 3 bathroom townhouse in the growing community of Sun Peaks. Fantastic location with views of Mt. Morrisey & just steps away from the ski lifts, nordic trails & village. This home is being offered fully furnished with beautiful decor, cozy river rock fireplace and warm pine finishing. Features secure heated underground parking, ski storage locker, private hot tub, sunny southern exposure & GST paid.
Stylish 4 bedroom plus spacious family room, ski-in, ski-out townhouse with exceptional finishing details. This 3 level mountain home features a private single car garage, dramatic vaulted ceiling in the open living area with floor to ceiling windows, beautiful views, heated tile floors, 2 sundecks & a private patio. This home is situated next to the golf course and is being sold fully furnished with hot tub. GST paid.
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#41 Crystal Forest - $349,900
Spectacular mountain views from every room of this beautiful 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom townhouse located in magical Crystal Forest. This corner location has it all... beneath the bell tower, close to lifts and village with great ski-in access, designed to capture the ambiance of a Tyrolean ski village. Extensive use of knotty pine for added warmth, newer flooring & paint, cozy rock fireplace, offered fully furnished with private hot tub and two underground parking spaces. GST paid.
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This charming 1 bdrm condo is located only minutes from all village services which makes this an attractive home to visit anytime of the year, or live year round. Cozy wood burning fireplace, natural finishes & open floor plan w/ vaulted ceiling add to the warm feeling this condo offers. This property backs onto the golf course & valley trail w/ great mountain views & if offered furnished with GST paid.
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This expansive custom built resort home sits among some of the most prestigious sought after properties in Sundance Estates. This remarkable home features high end finishing & deluxe appliances that compliment the gourmet kitchen with solid maple cabinetry, granite countertops & stunning floor to ceiling windows. The home also features a 2 car garage with additional parking available plus a bright self contained 2 bedroom legal suite offered furnished with private hot tub and sauna. GST paid.
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1371 Burfield Drive - $369,900
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Stunning mountain views with easy ski-out access to the Burfield Chairlift and convenient ski-in access to your private backyard off Mt. Morrisey. This bright and open duplex has over 2900 square feet on three levels with a self contained in-law suite, features a total of 5 large bedrooms, walk-in pantry and laundry room, spacious open kitchen with eating bar, large dining & living area with impressive rock fireplace and sundeck. Price includes all appliances and window coverings. GST paid.
Fireside Lodge starting at: $103,900 Nancy Greene’s Cahilty Lodge starting at: $71,900 Sundance Lodge starting at: $18,000 The Residences at Sun Peaks Grand starting at: $49,000 Kookaburra Lodge starting at: $169,000 Hearthstone Lodge starting at: $23,900
#46 Woodhaven - $419,900
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Ski to your doorstep of this level entry 2 bedroom plus family room furnished mountain townhome. Ski-in, ski-out location just steps away from the downhill & nordic trails with incredible views of Mt. Morrisey & Mt. Tod from the 2 sundecks. Open concept main floor with heated tile flooring & a river rock gas fireplace. This is a cozy & inviting space with sunny southern exposure in a peaceful location. This home has plenty of extra storage space & a private garage. GST paid.
#6 Bridge Gate - $889,000
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This prestigious townhome features 4 bedrooms plus spacious family room, separate ski room, impressive dining & living area with post & beam features, picture windows, beautiful reclaimed fir flooring & stunning rock fireplace. Exquisite attention to finishing and detail with custom designed gourmet kitchen with granite & superior commercial appliances, 2 car garage & large sundeck to enjoy the amazing sunsets & commanding views. Hot tub and furnishings included. GST is paid.
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#14 Crystal Forest - $244,000
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Sunny courtyard location w/ south facing exposure &ski hill views of Mt. Morrisey compliment this beautiful 2 storey, 2 bedroom townhouse. This home is being offered fully furnished & has 2 secure underground parking spaces, additional storage, cozy gas fireplace, heated tile floors in kitchen & baths. Crystal Forest has the ambiance of a Tyrolean Ski Village. With easy ski-in access this location offers the best of both worlds that is convenient to all resort amenities. GST paid.
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4106 Sundance Drive - $1,379,000
#45 Woodhaven - $529,900
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Exceptional ski-in, ski-out property sitting on the 16th Fairway of the Sun Peaks Golf Course. The front window elevation facing the golf course & Tod Mountain is 2 stories high provides a dramatic sense of space in the living area and the views are unsurpassed. There is a large bright kitchen with granite eating bar. The master bedroom has a private door to the front deck and features a spacious ensuite with separate tub and shower. Offered fully furnished with quality furnishings throughout. GST paid.
#4 Alpine Greens - $189,900
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4206 Bella Vista Drive - $1,569,000
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