 Poster: A snowHead
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Help whistler or sun peaks? After 40 odd years of tearing around the Alps , last year my son and I broke the habit and did eleven nights in Banff. - loved it !! Great powder , no queuing, very friendly especially the lliftys, ice hockey- well worth a trip out , good food , so not sure where next . I'm advanced skier - big 60 this year , son 21 boarder of course but I can still keep up with him , but not for much longer .!!😠😦 so looking for advice . Thanks in advance 🤔
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Kimh, Sun Peaks is mellow and few folks there, bit out of the way, sits close to a dessert and is quite dry. Enjoyed the couple of days we had there but wouldn't want much more TBH.
You either stay at resort ( small area ) its nothing like Banff, or in Kamloops and drive.
Whistler is like Disney on snow, totally corporate - large vertical, biggish ski area with two different linked mountains. Sometimes great snow sometimes not. Often wet in town being close to the coast. Theres plenty of threads about it on here.
Now owned by Vail resorts so no idea how that's going to pan out long term.
Happy choosing, even happier skiing 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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They are very different places, delivering different things. Fancy an apple or an orange?
I usually end up riding at both, if the snow's good when I'm in the area, but they're not particularly similar. You can see what you get from their websites.
I'd probably get bored at either in 11 days. Either will likely work fine and both are different from each other and from Banff, so should be good from a variety perspective.
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Fernie?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Go completely different, go to Yuzawa Japan - 20 odd ski resorts within 35 drive, some as big or bigger than Lake Louise or Sunshine Village. Cost the same or less than a big name resort in the alps or Canada, including the flight!
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They are very different Sun Peaks is quiet both on and off the slopes, Whistler is much more lively.
We ski in both of the resorts and have for a while now. Sun Peaks requires a second flight or a long drive from Vancouver or Calgary. (We are driving from Calgary this year) . Whistler shortish 2hr bus transfer from Vancouver you just book and pay on line.
Skiing is good at both Whistler is coastal with a range of conditions form powder to slush you can rarely ski top to bottom and when it snows some areas are closed and then it gets crowded in the open areas.
Sun Peaks its dry most of the time when it snows its not as much snow but so much lighter and not so wet. You can go out on snowmobile or dog sledding or skating look on the resort web sites they tell you what's available. Busy week in Sun Peaks is the wine festival, wine master dinners in restaurants so booking for dinner is required in the other restaurants. The progressive wine tasting is recommended ( ticket exchanged for a glass and a map a wristband and a list of wineries to try and 3hrs ) The village is busy that night!! but the slopes will be quiet the next day......
There are guides available in both resorts to help you get around on the slopes.
Enjoy which ever one you pick you can book via tour op or diy.
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Agree it's an odd either/or. Whistler is well Whistler - it's a megaresort with a lot of hill easily accessible from YVR which means it draws big crowds all seaon. Sun Peaks more isolated (& even Kamloops isn't a huge town) more complex transfer, tamer reputation and probably quieter (though if you are in a Canadian school hol week all bets off).
One other difference if you are expecting a town like Banff, Sun Peaks will seem very small and sleepy in terms of off slope options and entertainment. Whistler is easily comparable.
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Why just 2 to choose from?
Relevstoke? Or a road trip on the "powder highway"?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Fernie ........
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I love Whistler even as an oldie and it would certainly be more fun for a 21 year old than Sun Peaks which is very quiet. I too think Fernie would be worth a a look or even a ski safari (by car) taking in at a minimum Fernie and Red Mountain.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If you've 11 nights and are prepared to drive after skiing/in the dark you could do
4 days Fernie - drive to Nelson
1 day Whitewater - drive to Rossland
2 days Red Mtn - drive to Revelstoke
2 days Revy - drive to Golden
1 day Kicking Horse - drive to Louise
Last day Sunshine/Louise - drive to Calgary for evening flight
Pushing it a bit in 11 days and you might want to take a day to drive e.g. Fernie to Nelson but it shows what's possible if you road trip.
Of course it would be a lot easier just driving one way to say Kelowna and flying out of there.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Idris, thanks for that nudge in a different direction , always thought Japan would be a lot more ££ s so never really looked at it . Do you do tour op or d i y .? 🤔
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| If you've 11 nights and are prepared to drive after skiing/in the dark ........ |
That's what we did, 19 days, off the hill by about three on day of transfer, in the digs by evening.
Pano > BW > Revvy > KH > SSV
The first transfer was the longest, the rest a doddle, but obviously weather permitting.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Why go to Kimberley rather than the Ferndog?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Dave of the Marmottes, Did Fernie last time we did that route so a change.
Also had a disagreement with their oppo manager, regarding a liftie. So vowed never to return. Fernie town though is fun 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Bones wrote: |
BCjohnny, Light weight
We usually left about 4 - 4.30, for the evening drive LL > Revvy > SP > SS > BW >Red > WW > Kim > Castle, 18 days.
But have done it before so knew what to expect Couple of long haul drives but ok really. |
Each to their own I guess, be a boring old world if we all wanted the same thing, but a few thoughts on this ........
If you've been to some/most of the areas before, fair does, but if you're going for the first time it often takes at least a day or two to get your bearings, and if you have a few stops, by the time you've an handle on one place it's time to move to the next. So three or four days at each place is a nice taster.
Regardless TBH, it's probably best suited to adults, or at least older, non-fractious kids, as even amongst reasoning people there can be a certain amount of 'discussion'.
Even with less stops it can feel like you're on the road constantly, with all the attendant moving and packing, even if you live 'out of your bag', there's always a lot of kit in tow.
So sometimes packing a lot in might not be the best option, less is more and all that ......
Also, apart from the first hill, there was only a very general plan, booking on the hoof, so we stayed/moved as conditions and predilections advised, rather than just tick boxes.
Anyway, a road trip is thoroughly recommended, and JMO.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Yes, I would ......... I'd go for at least two months ........
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just to go left field, what about Utah? Base yourself Park City or even SLC and you have oodles of day trips to more expansive stations.
Kicking Horse is great but there's like, 1 lift. Revelstoke has 3. I realise that's not the point exactly (and I have skied both) but still...
Given the choice, I'd hit UT.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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under a new name,
agree with some of your comments ...... lapping the gondola at KH gets old quick, as I've said on here before, and at Revvy you frequently end up lapping the Stoke & Ripper chairs there too.
That's why three or so days at each location, IMO unless it's belting down, is often enough .......
Bones ...... ok six weeks then, c'mon you know it makes sense ......
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@BCjohnny, still struggling with why a road trip beats easy "commutes" to arguably more interesting areas...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| under a new name wrote: |
| ...... still struggling with why a road trip beats easy "commutes" to arguably more interesting areas... |
TBH not quite sure what your getting at ........ either works, depending on what you're looking for, and budget .......
And 'more interesting' is a subjective assessment based on aspiration and ability mainly, and again budget, so could be meaningless when comparing disparate groups of people.
Frinstance someone is is cash rich and time poor, maybe progressing and enjoying bashing the trails is probably going to want a totally different 'experience' from someone with opposite resources who's first priority isn't the groomers.
No need to struggle with it, there's no 'right' or 'wrong' so no need to debate it, you've expressed your views and me mine, as is usually the case in these things ....... 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@BCjohnny, not looking to argue 
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| under a new name wrote: |
Just to go left field, what about Utah? Base yourself Park City or even SLC and you have oodles of day trips to more expansive stations.
Kicking Horse is great but there's like, 1 lift. Revelstoke has 3. I realise that's not the point exactly (and I have skied both) but still...
Given the choice, I'd hit UT. |
Don't go to Japan then.
All about lapping the lift.
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You know it makes sense.
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| under a new name wrote: |
| @BCjohnny, still struggling with why a road trip beats easy "commutes" to arguably more interesting areas... |
Personally I think the "powder highway" is more interesting than SLC.
For one thing, Park City is insane busy by N America standard.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Japan is way more reasonable than I thought it'd be. We're doing 13 nights self catering apartment flights and lift pass for 1600 quid.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Mike Pow, nothing at all wrong with lapping the lift (I mostly ski Chamonix - which is pretty North American in its logistics) but from OP (despite mention of powder) I am not getting a strong message that a single lift accessing a massive and marvellous more or less completely off piste bowl was what was (between the lines) being asked for.
@Kimh, more detail would help more.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| under a new name wrote: |
@Mike Pow, nothing at all wrong with lapping the lift (I mostly ski Chamonix - which is pretty North American in its logistics) but from OP (despite mention of powder) I am not getting a strong message that a single lift accessing a massive and marvellous more or less completely off piste bowl was what was (between the lines) being asked for.
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Reading back I think you're right.
Whistler.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Mike Pow, that would be my immediate thought.
If you liked Banff, you'll love Whistler.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| abc wrote: |
| Personally I think the "powder highway" is more interesting than SLC. |
Yeah, well, me too ........
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| BCjohnny wrote: |
| abc wrote: |
| Personally I think the "powder highway" is more interesting than SLC. |
Yeah, well, me too ........ |
I would agree too - but they are different so cant really compare. Both good in their individual ways and reasons. Which is why we tend to do a mixture of both
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| abc wrote: |
Personally I think the "powder highway" is more interesting than SLC.
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Why?
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| under a new name wrote: |
| abc wrote: |
Personally I think the "powder highway" is more interesting than SLC.
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Why? |
The scenery better. Less crowd.
Though the REAL reason is I've been to SLC umpteenth times. Only been to Banff twice. Not been to the other mountains between Banff and Whistler yet.
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@abc, ok, that's valid
I found UT very quiet. But I've only been very early season and quite late season.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Holidayed in Sun Peaks this year - adored the place. Yes it is quiet, but what's not to love about that - if you ski first lift to last then you probably don't want to be out at a club until the small hours - though perhaps your son would? We were there during the Wine Festival, which was fun and created a buzz around the village.
My preference is for a one base holiday, not spending time trudging across country (getting to Canada from the UK was enough travelling for me, though the short second plane journey to Sun Peaks wasn't a chore) so I can get to know a resort inside and out, doing runs many times if I like them, exploring routes through the trees etc., and Sun Peaks had lots to like.
Super friendly place, we were able to ski out of the back of the hotel - Cahilty Lodge (which while a little dated was comfortable, clean and well run) - down to the lifts. Rarely queued more than a minute or two for a lift, often straight up and on.
I haven't skied Whistler, may do one day......but I think I would like another trip to Sun Peaks before then. Enjoy whichever resort/s you decide on.
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