Everyone we spoke to in Tagish told us we had to go to Dawson City. We hadn’t planned on going there, especially as it was an 8 hour drive away but they were very convincing!  And they gave us a list of must do’s whilst we were there. They’re a pretty wild bunch over in Tagish, so we knew we would be in for a good time. And a good time we did have!

We spent 24 hours there in June and highly recommend going in summer. Being so close to the artic circle at that time means that the days are super long – it’s seriously an amazing experience, it feels like the sun never sets.

Here’s our MUST DO list if you have 24 hours in Dawson City.

1. Take a picture at the welcome sign

We do like to do the tourist thing and take pictures at welcome signs, but the Dawson City sign is probably our favourite. I mean, look at it! It’s way cool. You have to agree, it’s not your average welcome sign.

2. Take a walk around town

When you enter the town of Dawson City, you will feel like you have stepped back in time. Remnants of the old Klondike gold rush era remain, along with dirt streets and historical buildings. It has a very chilled but authentic vibe going on. 

Dawson City was the centre of the Klondike gold rush following the discovery of gold back in 1896. In it’s peak, the population of the town was around 40,000 but today there are less than 2,000 permanent residents living there.

Take a guided or DIY walking tour – soak in the history and admire the detail that went into the old buildings.

3. Have an Espresso Martini at Bombay Peggies

I always worry about the quality of cocktails in a small town, but they made a mean Espresso Martini at Bombay Peggies. It’s a cool little spot with inside and outdoor seating AND it used to be a brothel!

4. Eat Up at The Drunken Goat

Delicious Greek food. Need I say more? No seriously, a really good feed and massive portion sizes!

5. The Sour Toe Cocktail

No, it’s not just a quirky name for a cocktail. It is actually a rotten toe in a shot of whiskey. And you drink it. And you pay to drink it! But you do get a certificate! We weren’t going to do this, but the locals of Tagish told us we HAD to, so we did. Find out more about the origins of the sour toe cocktail here along with why they’ve had to keep replacing the toe!

6. Diamond Tooth Gerties

Operating since 1971, Diamond Tooth Gerties is Canada’s first casino. Make sure you catch one of their shows, which is set during the Klondike era, complete with live piano and dancing girls! They have several shows a night and entry is a bargain at $12.

7. The Pit

The Westminister Hotel is known as ‘The Pit’ by the locals. This 1898 building is as authentic as they come – we were told it would give us a taste of the less touristy side of Dawson City and we were guaranteed to find some interesting characters there. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it in there but we got a photo out the front. It was a Tuesday night and there wasn’t much happening in there so we decided to skip it and head back to our hotel. That’s almost midnight by the way, that’s how bright it still is at night during summer! 

8. The Dome

And finally, the morning after – whether you are nursing a hangover or feeling fresh as a daisy, head up to the dome for some great views of Dawson City and all that surrounds it.

We stumbled upon this poem written on one of the old buildings which really sums up the life during the time of the gold rush. It’s called The Spell Of The Yukon by renown English poet Robert W. Service.

Have you been to Dawson City? Do you have any other must do’s to add to this list? Let me know in the comments below!

Jen

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Origins Of The Sourtoe Cocktail

Story has it, that in the 1920’s a rum-runner called Louie Linken ran into a blizzard during one of his cross-border deliveries with his brother Otto. After slipping off his sled, Louie’s big toe was frozen solid. To prevent gangrene, Otto amputated Louie’s toe with a woodcutting axe with plenty of rum for anaesthetic. They then decided to preserve the toe in a jar of alcohol. 

Many years later, Captain Dick Stevenson found the toe in what was now an abandoned cabin. He established the Sourtoe Cocktail Club in 1973 and it is now a time-honoured tradition in Dawson City. The club has over 100,000 members from all over the world, including us!

If all of that hasn’t gotten you wondering, ‘what the ….!’, then maybe this might. They are onto their 10th toe – at last count. Why? Because people have swallowed them! Gross right? The original toe lasted 7 years. Apparently, a miner was trying for the Sourtoe record and after his 13th drink, he fell off his chair and accidentally swallowed the toe. Since then, several toes have been donated following more accidental swallows and theft (??). There used to be a fine of $500 for swallowing the toe but in 2013, a man deliberately swallowed the toe and since then the fine has increased to $2,500. There are some crazy folk out there!

How To Become A Member

Here’s what you have to do to join The Sourtoe Cocktail Club:

• Go to The Downtown Hotel
• Head to the bar and ask for the Captain River Rat
• Purchase a shot for $5 (they’ll give you Yukon Jack)
• Line up – you’ll know where. You can’t miss it!
• Pledge the ‘Sourtoe Oath’
• Try not to pass out as an actual toe is dropped into your drink
• Drink your Sourtoe Cocktail (the toe must touch your lips) and wait for the cheers from spectators!

“You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow, but your lips have gotta touch the toe”

Here’s a video of us joining the club. The expression on the lady’s face behind us is just priceless!

accommodation Deals in Dawson City

Would you? Have you? Let me know in the comments below!

Jen

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The northern hemisphere season is still in full force and I’ve been sent a list of the top ski in, ski out vacation rentals in USA & Canada by HomeAway. We booked our 5 month Colorado vacation rental through HomeAway last season and had a great booking experience. 

Check out the list below of the most popular ski in, ski out vacation rentals in the USA and Canada. Most of them have hot tubs which is awesome after a day on the mountain. Some of these places are absolutely pimping but there are some seriously affordable ones too, coming in at around $30 per person, per night. Some hostels charge more than that!!

Salt Lake City, UT

Sleeps: 17 | Bedrooms: 4 | Bathrooms: 3

Average rate/night: $588

Park City, UT

Sleeps: 12 | Bedrooms: 5 | Bathrooms: 5 | Half Baths: 1

Average rate/night: $3,714

Taos Ski Valley, NM

Sleeps: 8 | Bedrooms: 3 | Bathrooms:3 | Half Baths: 1

Average rate/night: $815

Big Bear Lake, CA

Sleeps: 6 | Bedrooms: 3 | Bathrooms: 2

Average rate/night: $230

Truckee, CA

Sleeps: 12 | Bedrooms: 5 | Bathrooms: 4 | Half Baths: 1

Average rate/night: $1734

aspen, co

Sleeps: 6 | Bedrooms: 3 | Bathrooms: 2

Average rate/night: $720

Vail, Co

Sleeps: 12 | Bedrooms: 4 | Bathrooms: 4

Average rate/night: $6,214

Breckenridge, Co

Sleeps: 6 | Bedrooms: 2 | Bathrooms: 2
Special amenities: private ski locker, year-round heated pool, multiple hot tubs, on-site fitness facilities.

Average rate/night: $333

Avon, co

Sleeps: 9 | Bedrooms: 4 | Bathrooms: 4 | Half baths: 4

Average rate/night: $6,593

Telluride, co

Sleeps: 10 | Bedrooms: 2 | Bathrooms: 3

Average rate/night: $295

Copper Mountain, co

Sleeps: 6 | Bedrooms: 2 | Bathrooms: 2

Average rate/night: $403

Sleeps: 14 | Bedrooms: 4 | Bathrooms: 3 | Half baths: 1

Average rate/night: $875

Whitefish, mt

Sleeps: 9 | Bedrooms: 4 | Bathrooms: 3

Average rate/night: $500

Whistler, BC

Sleeps: 4 | Bedrooms: 2 | Bathrooms: 1 | Half Baths: 1

Average rate/night: $271

Golden, bc

Sleeps: 11 | Bedrooms: 3 | Bathrooms: 3

Average rate/night: $481

So what do you think? Grab your mates and head to the mountains!

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We returned to Sunshine Village, Banff, Canada for the first time in 8 years and it was so good to be back. We spent a full season here in 2007/08 which we absolutely loved so we thought it was about time we came back for a visit. This was a short visit of 2 days, which was tacked onto the end of our full season in Colorado, so it was only fleeting but it was an awesome trip reliving some of our fondest riding moments.

Since our season 8 years ago, a few things have been updated which has made a great ski resort even better.

1. The Updated Tee Pee Town LX Chair

One of things we dreaded back in 2008 was catching the slow 2-seater chair lift, Tee Pee Town. The ride to the top took so long that on a cold and windy day you were frozen through by the time you arrived at the top. It usually whacked you in the butt too when you rode off it, adding to the pain! It was a real shame because you could access some excellent and challenging terrain from the top of Tee Pee Town but you’d definitely think twice about jumping on it when the weather wasn’t great.

Thankfully things have changed with the new hooded and heated high-speed quad that is now Tee Pee Town LX. We loved the chair so much I think we probably rode it more in the 2 days we were there than we did for the whole 2007/08 season – it’s awesome! And we loved the orange hood – it adds an element of surrealism that makes the experience even more enjoyable. Who said riding a ski lift wasn’t fun?

2. The New Creekside Lodge

The updated base area now has a great little retail area and has very relaxed, modern feel where you can enjoy a coffee before jumping on the Gondola or an Apres drink before heading home. We don’t often buy new gear on the hill but Jen found an awesome new helmet at a great price so she had to get it!

3. The Skiable Terrain

Sunshine Village has some very long and wide open runs and it was great to get to experience some of our old favourites again. For my money, it’s almost impossible to wipe the grin off your face as you rip down South Divide or Bye Bye Bowl as fast as you dare. I looked in envy towards Goat’s Eye Mountain, another of my favourites, but unfortunately the unseasonably low snowfall and warm weather meant it was no longer open at this time of year.

If you get there a little earlier in the season, Delirium Dive cannot be overlooked. Grab some avalanche gear, a competent riding buddy and be prepared to ride some of the gnarliest terrain you’re likely to access from a ski resort!

4. The Friendly And Helpful Staff

Whether it was guest services, the retail shops or the food and beverage outlets, we were always welcomed with knowledgeable and friendly staff. Even a great place can leave you feeling frustrated if you have a negative experience with indifferent staff but we’re happy to say that at Sunshine Village you have the whole package!

5. On-Hill Food And Beverage Options

Sunshine Village has great choices when it comes time to rest from riding and eat. We might be a bit biased as Jen worked at Chimney Corner when we did our season here but I have to say the food and service at this restaurant is awesome. We were served by friendly Australian and English staff and they made us feel at home straight away. An awesome Caesar to the start off our delicious lunch set the tone.

And I’m not one to frequent Starbucks often, but I have to admit the coffee made by the Melbourne lady at Java Lift (Sunshine Mountain Lodge) was one of the best I’ve sampled on mountain. She was very accommodating too – although she didn’t know what a Breve was (my favourite new coffee), I talked her through it and she smashed out an awesome cup!

Another great thing about Sunshine Village is that they offer a common ‘picnic’ area. Microwaves and hot water are available to use free-of-charge. If you want to save a few bucks it’s a good place to bring your own food and enjoy a hot lunch. You’ll find the picnic area in the day lodge.

We Miss You Sunshine

So there you have it. A quick blast down memory lane has confirmed our love for Sunshine Village – a great place is now even better! If you haven’t yet visited, you need to get yourself to this magnificent mountain – it should be on every skiers and snowboarders ‘places to ride’ bucket list.

Read our detailed review of Sunshine Village here.

Have you been to Sunshine Village lately? Or do you have any questions about this awesome ski resort? If so, please leave a comment below. 

Mick

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We were very lucky to be invited to stay at Sunset Ranch Bed & Breakfast in Sunset Prairie, which is located about 42kms East from Dawson Creek, BC, Canada.

TripAdvisor has a 5 star rating on Sunset Ranch B&B and you can see why the minute you enter the driveway. The privacy and serenity are immediately apparent before you even pull up to the main house. And then you’re greeted by the lovely hosts and owners, Barb and Rudi.

The drive out to Sunset Prairie is about 30 mins from Dawson Creek, with the majority of the trip on sealed road, with the last 2-3kms on a well maintained gravel road. There are a few signs along the way so you’ll be able to find it fairly easily.

The GPS can get a little confused by the address, so use this exact address: 6286, 261 Road, Sunset Prairie, BC, Canada. If you pop in Dawson Creek instead of Sunset Prairie you may have a little difficulty finding it.

The Property

Sunset Ranch B&B is set on 350 beautiful acres, with a combination of open fields, grassed lawn areas (for hanging out, playing games, or RV and trailer parking), and some wooded and forested areas. If you want to do some exploring, a 30 minute walk will take you to a creek where you can visit the local beaver residents!

Talking of wildlife, it’s not uncommon to see deer, moose, fox and coyotes wandering around the property. We’ve been told that the odd friendly black bear occasionally visits too! The animals give you a true taste of what Canadian wildlife is all about but without the stress of seeing them in a dangerous environment. And for those who’d like to hang out with some domestic animals, the 3 lovely horses and 2 amazing and affectionate dogs, Asco and Taky, will keep you entertained.

The Accommodation

There are 2 forms of accommodation at Sunset Ranch – 2 B&B bedrooms on the ground floor of the main house and 2 log cabins about 200 metres past the house.

B&B Bedrooms

The two bedrooms which are located on the ground floor, below the main residence, have their own private external access so there’s no need to enter through the main house. One bedroom is graced with a large king bed and the other with a queen, and each has its own private bathroom. As the ground floor is separated from the main house, the whole area is dedicated to guests, and the ample room makes for a relaxed environment. The overall area is nicely appointed and there is a freezer, fridge, kitchenette and a large living area. Cable TV and WiFi are also offered. Guests also have access to a sauna. 

A delicious breakfast is served for guests up stairs in the main dining area.

The main house has a welcoming newly completed sun room with large windows, just off the dining area. We spent a few hours chatting to Barb and Rudi over coffee and cake there and, although it was a little windy and cold outside, we were super comfortable and cozy.  

Log Cabins

On our visit we stayed in one of the cabins, which was already nicely heated on our arrival. The cabins are set in a beautiful, picturesque setting and we enjoyed the amazing view over the woods at sunset through the large front windows.

Each cabin can accommodate up to 4 guests. In our cabin there were 2 floors, with the top floor dedicated to the 2 queen beds (one bed on the mezzanine and one in a bedroom). Each cabin has a full kitchen and a large living area.

One thing Barb and Rudi ensure is that you don’t get cold – there’s plenty of excellent heating, including wood heating and a very effective heater dedicated to the bathroom. And an added convenience was a washer and dryer in the bathroom.

The cabins are very well appointed, offering cable TV as well as a large DVD library – we enjoyed a great movie from the collection over a glass of wine after we watched the magical sunset! And if the weather permits, enjoy the view from the balcony whilst swinging away in the comfortable rocking chairs.

The Hosts

If you want to hear some great stories, or just be inspired by some amazing people, sit down and have a long chat with Barb and Rudi. These guys immigrated to Canada from Germany in 2000, not speaking any English, just knowing that they wanted to live in beautiful Canada. Well, 16 years later they have a thriving business that was largely built by themselves. For example, Rudi built the cabins himself, between working full time and helping Barb run the B&B!

We spent quite a few hours chatting to this amazing couple and could have spent many more hours but we had to head off to our next destination.

Things to do in Dawson Creek

There’s so much to do around Dawson Creek so staying a while and using Sunset Ranch B&B as a base is a great idea. Dawson Creek is the start of the Alaska Highway. If you haven’t heard of the Alaska Highway, read up on it as it’s an amazing story. Built in 1942 by the US, predominantly by the US army, the 1700 mile highway was completed in a little over 9 months!

The US felt that Alaska was exposed to an attack from Japan or Russia, and after the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the US Army approved the Alaska Highway in February 1942 and construction started a month later in March, with completion in November 1942. Make sure you visit the Mile “0” marker in Dawson Creek.

Apart from Dawson Creek, there’s plenty of natural wonder to explore surrounding Sunset Ranch B&B. If you head about an hour to hour and a half south, you’ll get to experience some amazing waterfalls, including Bergeron and Kineso Falls at Tumbler Ridge.

There’s also great mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing, canoeing and hiking in summer, and in winter you can jump on your skis or snowboard for some downhill action at Bear Mountain Ski Hill or hit some trails for snow shoeing or Nordic Skiing.

Summary

If you want to get off the beaten track, relax in a serene environment but still have all the luxuries of home, you really should visit Sunset Ranch B&B. We had a little under 24 hours there but left relaxed and recharged after having travelled a considerable distance the day before.

And to make the stay even more enjoyable, was the company of 2 of the most hospitable people you’ll ever meet, Barb and Rudi. We’re determined to come back to this beautiful part of the world and next time we’ll be staying for an extended time!

If you’re thinking about heading to the Dawson Creek area, make sure you come and stay with Barb and Rudi for a few nights. Your stay at Sunset Ranch B&B will be one of the highlights of your trip! For more details and bookings go to: HomeAway – Sunset Ranch B&B

Do you have any questions about Sunset Ranch B&B? If so, please leave me a comment below!

Mick

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Banff welcomed us to 20C degrees of pure sunshine when we arrived early May after leaving a frigid Frisco, Colorado 4 days earlier. We were actually pretty lucky as we got to ride Sunshine Village for 2 days before I jumped on a mountain bike. Sunshine Village is one of our favourite places to ride and this was our first trip back since we did a full snow season there in Banff in 2007/08.  

After exploring as much of Sunshine Village as we could, satisfying our trip down memory lane, we decided to do some non-snow related activities on the 3rd day in town. This consisted of a morning where we both explored the Cave and Basin Historic Site and its surrounding boardwalks, and an afternoon where I decided to hit the local MTB trails for a few hours. 

Mountain Bike Rental in Banff 

I headed down to Snowtips-BacTrax on Bear St, where the Australian staff (surprise, surprise – I think 90% of the seasonal employment here in Banff consists of Aussies and Kiwis!) were super helpful getting me sorted on a bike and providing information on how best to spend 2 hours riding the local trails. I grabbed a 29 inch Norco dual suspension mountain bike with around 100mm of suspension. Not my preferred ride but definitely enough to give me an enjoyable 2 hours in the saddle.  

Mountain Bike trails in Banff 

From Bear St, I rode up Tunnel Mountain Rd and turned right into Tunnel Mountain Drive, before arriving at the start of my recommended loop, Star Wars – I was loving this place already! The ride up to the trailhead took me about 10 mins, with the climb being a nice way to warm up the legs which hadn’t turned pedals for about 3 months.

I rode to the top of Star Wars and dropped in. Immediately I was welcomed with an easy platform ride, that led into some amazing pine forest. The trail was nice and smooth, with wooden berms, plenty of gentle drop-offs and other easy features. The trail was single track but lots of room so if you did run wide, it wasn’t an issue. The downhill descent was flowing and I would classify it as a ‘blue’ run – steep enough to get some decent speed but not too steep that you felt you had to be always on the brakes. Overall a very enjoyable downhill blast that tested the limits of my skills, which had been in a winter hiatus for some time! 

Here are some POV pictures from my descent down Star Wars.

The return route up to the top was via Return of the Jedi. The climb had some challenging sections that got me off the bike to push (my unfit state had a lot to do with this – I’d say normally you could ride all the way up). For most part it was a pretty easy climb, with amazing views out to the Bow River Valley below. There were some technical areas, with gully and ridge riding, which made the return journey quite enjoyable. I did the Star Wars / Return of the Jedi loop 3 time before taking the plunge and doing a lap of Topp Notch. 

Topp Notch Mountain Bike Trail, Banff 

Well if you want to be challenged, look no further than Topp Notch. This ‘difficult’ rated trail is definitely that, and apart from lots of pushing and panting, I ate it once hard when I didn’t quite make it between some trees! You may think by that description, and by the blood running down my right shin, I didn’t really enjoy it but nothing was further from the truth! 

On this track the 29er and 100mm of travel were well and truly outclassed, and I really missed my 650B Trek Fuel EX9 that I had back home. In fact, I think something with a little more travel, say 140-160mm, would have been the ideal stead here. For example, a Trek Remedy, Rocky Mountain Altitude, Kona Process 153, or a Santa Cruz Bronson, to name a few, would have been great.  

With so many tight switchbacks on steep descents, Topp Notch had me working overtime, as did the narrow passes through rocks and trees – it really tested my skills and the limits of my rental bike! Topp Notch involves quite a lot of climbing so be prepared to get the legs burning.  

Once you get to the bottom, you’ll hit a single-track T-junction on top of a ridge – apparently going right will take you back to Banff but with quite a bit of climbing. One of the locals I met on the trail suggested the best route was to go left, which takes you back to the base of Return of the Jedi, which is the route I took. So I climbed Return of the Jedi, jumped on Tunnel Mountain Drive and headed back to town. 

Below is a video of some sections of the Topp Notch Mountain Bike Trail, finishing off with my little excursion over the ‘bars when I clipped a tree!

A little advice on what time of the day to go – I went at around 3:00pm and Topp Notch was quite dark as it was sun sheltered from the surrounding mountain. The temperature was good but I had visibility issues in some sections. I’d suggest a mid-morning ride at that time of the year (early May) might be better. 

I returned my bike after about 2.25 hours but was only charged for 2 hours – bike and helmet for $33 CAD. You can’t get better bang-for-buck than that! 

It was great to get my mountain bike fix after having had 6 months off the dirt trails (I did a fat bike snow ride 3 months earlier in Frisco but no dirt trails since leaving the Gold Coast 6 months earlier). And there was no better place to satisfy the fix than to ride in one of the most picturesque parts of the world, Banff!

Ever ridden in Banff and want to share your experience? Or do have some questions about the trails that I rode? If so, please leave a comment below!

Mike

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Sunshine Village is a very popular ski resort and for good reason. It has one of the longest snow seasons in the North American continent, boasting champagne powder which is renowned in the Rocky Mountains. It is located mainly in Alberta, Canada, but if you ride the Great Divide Express chair, you’ll cross into British Columbia for part of the run! It is easily accessible via Calgary International airport which is less than a two hour drive away and there are many shuttle companies that run from Calgary to Banff, which is the closest town to Sunshine Village. Jen and I spent our first full snow season here from Nov 2007 through to May 2008. Sunshine Village has many, many great memories for us and this is the place where we really learnt to ride. Up until our time at Sunshine, we snowboarded on weekends and holidays that lasted for about a week, so to string 6 months together really pushed us to another level.

Located on the Eastern side of the Canadian Rockies, Sunshine Village has excellent snow quality and quantity averaging around 10 metres a year. That’s some serious snow! Combine that with a season that runs from mid November thru to late May, and you’ve got a mountain that you can do a whole lot of riding. Elevation ranges from 1660m at the base of the gondola to 2730m at the top of Divide / Lookout Mountain. If you hike it’s a little higher but we’re not talking extreme altitudes here so you shouldn’t have too much of an issue adapting when you arrive. As you would expect in the Canadian Rockies, temperatures are pretty low in winter so the snow that falls is well preserved. Dec and Jan are the coldest months with an average maximum of around -9 to -10 C but often you’ll get days in the -20’s C. From Feb onwards it gets pretty pleasant. I’ve read reviews that the weather is terrible but you’re in the Rocky Mountains and you want snow so it can’t be a bluebird everyday! Having spent six months there, I did not leave thinking the weather was bad. Rug up and deal with it – the powder is worth it!

Accommodation

You can either stay on the mountain or in the closest town which is Banff, about 20 minutes away. Banff has many accommodation options including hotels of all levels, backpackers and private accommodation (source through places like Airbnb, HomeStay, etc). Banff itself is a beautiful little town and a tourist attraction in its own right. It’s a great place to hang on your cloudy-down days, enjoying the local hospitality, scenery and restaurants.  

Canmore is also an option but it’s about 40 minutes away. 

Getting There

As mentioned, Sunshine Village is about a 20 minute drive from Banff. Shuttles run from Banff regularly so if you don’t have a car, it’s not a problem. At the time of writing the bus costs $15 return or it’s complimentary if you get a tri-area ski pass. The bus schedule can be found here. If you decide to drive, be aware that winter tyres or snow chains are strongly advised. Parking is free at the base of Sunshine Village but the parking lot gets busy during weekends or public holidays so arrive early if you want a good spot close to the gondola.

Please see our separate post for more detailed information on transport and accommodation options.

Tickets

Depending on your length of stay there are quite a few options available for ski tickets (prices accurate for 2015/16 season):

• Daily tickets at the ticket window $105.
• Pre-purchase online $95 but must be booked 48 hours prior to using.
• More savings if you purchase multiple days.
• Purchasing the Marmot Card for $99 allows you to get the 1st, 4th and 7th day free and $25 off the regular ticket price on the days that aren’t free. Excellent value if you plan to ride for 7 days or more. It also offers other discounts on food and rental equipment. See the Ski Marmot page for more info. Must be purchased before 31st December for the current season.
• Season passes are $1247. However, you can save quite a lot if you pick up an early bird season pass, usually before August/September. In 2007/08 the early bird pass was around $650. Season passes make sense if you plan to spend more than 12 days on the mountain.
• Ski Big 3 offers tickets if you plan to also ride at Lake Louise and Norquay. Prices depend on number of days purchased.

SKI AND SNOWBOARD RENTAL AND PURCHASE

Sunshine Village offers Ski and Snowboard rentals on the mountain. You can get savings with the Marmot Card. There are many operators in Banff and Canmore so take a walk around for the best deals and best equipment.

If you’re interested in lining up new gear while you’re at Sunshine, there are plenty of retail stores in Banff that will be able to sort you out. Keep in mind we’re talking a small resort town so you might not get the best bargain but the range in town is pretty good.

If you want to get off the beaten track, you’ll need avalanche gear. If you don’t have your own, there are a couple of places in Banff where you can hire a beacon, shovel, probe and backpack.

For second-hand gear, check out the Crag and Canyon or Craigslist – you might just pick up a bargain!

Lifts and Runs

Below is a list of lifts at Sunshine Village and a brief description of each.

• Gondola – runs from the carpark up to Goat’s Eye as the first stop (accessing Goat’s Eye and Wolverine chairs) and then continues to the day lodge area where you can access Angel, Strawberry, Mount Standish and Wawa chairs. It is the only way up the mountain and the ride takes around 18 minutes from the bottom to the top.
• Wolverine – high speed quad servicing mainly blue runs which are relatively short.
• Goat’s Eye Express – high speed quad servicing Goat’s Eye Mountain.
• Jack Rabbit – short fixed quad that gets you to the top of Wolverine (after riding down from the day lodge area). 
• Tee Pee Town – updated lift since our time at Sunshine. This is now a covered and heated high speed quad! 
• Wawa Quad – fixed quad servicing the north eastern section of Mount Standish.
• Mount Standish Express – high speed quad servicing the main part of Mount Standish.
• Strawberry High Speed Quad – servicing the beginners area.
• Angel Express – high speed quad servicing the lower half of Lookout Mountain and gets you to the base of The Great Divide Express.
• The Great Divide Express – high speed quad that gets you to the top of Lookout Mountain. You will need to use this chair to access Delirium Dive.

If you’re willing to search a little, Sunshine Village has a number of runs that the average person doesn’t get to ride, albeit the ‘main’ runs are pretty awesome too. Apart from the groomers, don’t be scared to venture into one of the many glades as the trees are mostly spaced pretty nicely to make for fun riding with many powder stashes to be found long after a storm has passed. Standouts in the main areas for us were:

Easy

• Sunshine Coast off Goat’s Eye – nice wide open run where you can really carve.
• Bye Bye Bowl off the Great Divide Express.
• World Cup Downhill / North Divide off Great Divide Express.
• Ski-out to the base at the end of the day is always good fun. It can get rather busy at the end of the day, so be extra careful as everyone is usually a little tired by then!

More Difficult (suggested only on a recent snow day / powder day)

• The Shoulder off Tee Pee Town.
• Hells Kitchen, Goat Glades (if you like trees) and the Glades (skiers left off Goat’s Eye Express, which include Farside, Wildside, Renegade, etc.). 
• Eagle Creek is pretty good fun too – nice gully with plenty of features but just watch out for the drop off that is a waterfall during summer!
• Paris Basin to the Waterfall off Wawa.

Off the beaten track – avalanche gear required or strongly recommended for these areas. And please always ride with a buddy if you want to do any of the following runs. 

• Delirium Dive – voted 15th out of the top 100 ski runs in the world and that says it all! Avalanche gear compulsory (ski patrol won’t let you enter the gates without it).
• Back Door – out the back of Wawa, thru the lower gates. Will pop you out at the bottom of Wolverine Express. Fun little run consisting of gullies and glades. Not too steep but some challenging sections.
• Bowls at the back of Wawa. Avalanches have occurred here and this is not controlled by ski patrol. A little hike gives some very rewarding terrain but please adhere to the avalanche warnings. Check Avalanche Canada before any backcountry or side-country outing.
• The Wild West – great fun and very challenging but takes quite a lot of snow before it opens. Ski patrol do avi control but you’ll still need your beacon, probe and shovel before exiting the gates as it’s compulsory.
• Healy Creek – a little known route down to the base (carpark). You’ll need to exit the gates at Wawa, hike the ridge and drop the backside (North) of Sunshine Village. Very rewarding but the ski out is a little flat so snowboarders are advised to take a collapsable ski pole to help with the traverse. Un-patrolled and no avi control so it’s imperative you ride this with a buddy. I’d strongly recommend going with someone who knows the way the first time you head out. Talk to the lifties or ski patrol and I’m sure you’ll find a willing riding buddy.

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Hiking to Delirium Dive

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Healy Creek

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Hiking out of Wawa

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The Wild West

Terrain Park

In 2008 the Terrain Park at Sunshine was very progressive, allowing you to build confidence on smaller features before tackling the more challenging ones. The boxes and rails offered lots of variety and the small, medium and large jumps offered nice ramps and landings. As with all parks over the years, the features and jumps have become bigger and more challenging.

Food

There are a few options eating on the mountain. Keep in mind you’re away from town so unlike many other North American or European resorts, you’re not going to get a plethora of choices. Having said that there are still enough options to find a decent meal on the mountain.

• Base – Creekside and First Tracks Cafe.
• Goat’s Eye – Goat’s Eye Grill.
• Day Lodge – Java Express, The Alpine Grill, The Lookout Kitchen and Bar and The Sunshine Burger Company.
• Base of Strawberry Lift – Mad Trappers Grill and BBQ.
• Sunshine Mountain Lodge – Java Lift, The Chimney Corner and Eagle’s Nest.

Generally speaking the most affordable food was in the Day Lodge and Goat’s Eye Grill and in my opinion The Chimney Corner offered the nicest / best value food (a full sit down restaurant).

Luckily Sunshine Village also accommodates people who want to bring their own food. We did 90% of the time as we had to make the pennies stretch to do the entire season! The Day Lodge has lockers or if you’re feeling trustworthy, areas to place your backpack. We had a little cooler bag that I’d place in the day lodge and never had any issues. Sunshine also supplies hot water and microwaves so you can still have a hot lunch on a budget!

One Mountain Offers So Much

If you have the luxury, the best times to ride Sunshine are Mon-Fri (weekends attract more crowds, mainly from Calgary) and try to avoid the Christmas/NY week. Otherwise Sunshine Village is pretty quiet when you compare it to resorts in Europe. Conditions really start to come into their own from around January. Prior to that the mountain opens in stages – Goat’s Eye and the top of Lookout Mountain generally open about a month later than the rest of the mountain. Delirium Dive and the Wild West can take a further month or two but of course it all depends on the particular season. And if you’re lucky enough to hang around until the end of the season, make sure you check out (or participate in!) the annual Slush Cup.

Our time at Sunshine Village provides some of our fondest memories. Awesome snow conditions, excellent terrain, friendly people and a season-long riding experience made it very difficult not to have the best time. If you find yourself in Canada in winter, make sure Sunshine Village is on your itinerary.

Please leave a comment below if you’d like to know more or have an experience at Sunshine you’d like to share. Happy riding! 

Mick

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A Snow Season in Banff, Canada

The Early Days

Nov 2007 – May 2008

We were very fortunate to have lived in Banff, AB, Canada for six months with the sole purpose of doing a snow season, primarily at Sunshine Village. We also got to visit Norquay, Lake Louise,  Kicking Horse, Revelstoke, Panorama and Fernie.

If you’ve never visited Canada, do yourself a favour as it’s possibly the most breathtakingly beautiful country we’ve visited. And we’ve only done the West Coast! We’re planning to see more of this amazing place in May 2016 so we’ll keep you posted. Our base in 2007/08 was Banff, within the Banff National Park, and this little town wouldn’t look out of place in a fairy-tale. It was such a great place to call home for six months as it provided an excellent base to access all the above mentioned snow resorts.

Living and Working in Canada

As an Australian, and many other nationalities, you can enter Canada as tourist and you’re allowed to stay for six months. You don’t need to apply for a visa beforehand unless you plan to stay for longer or work. As of the 1st March 2016, you will need to apply for an electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) if you plan to enter Canada via air (an eTA is not required if you enter via land or sea).

Jen applied for a working holiday visa as she wanted to work on the hill at Sunshine Village but the rules have changed a little since 2007. Take a look at the Government of Canada website and in particular the ‘Applying for a Work Permit outside Canada‘  page. If you intend to work during your snow season, then look to choose the, ‘International Experience Canada (Working Holiday)’ option from the list, ‘Details of Intended Work in Canada’. All this information is on the Work Permit page. If you end up getting a work permit, you’ll need to apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) at a Service Canada office as you won’t be able to work without one. Applying was really easy and our closest Service Canada office was in Canmore (about 25 mins from Banff).

Employment

Just prior to the start of our Canadian adventure, we were living in Las Vegas (that’s a whole other story to follow!) and Jen flew up to Banff in October 2007 to secure work and accommodation. She managed to secure a job with Sunshine Village at their premium restaurant, Chimney Corner. Working in hospitality on the mountain was probably one of the preferred jobs. Pros – working in an environment out of the elements and receiving good tips (well Jen got great tips!). Cons – pressured and stressful environment, especially in peak periods, and often no time for lunch breaks. One of the advantages of working for Sunshine Village is that you get a season pass included (and as Jen’s spouse I got a heavily reduced pass too). Additionally, you’re on the mountain so if you start late or finish early, you can get some riding in. In fact the lifties get ride breaks during the day which is awesome! Check out available jobs here.

Many of the local businesses in town also offer season passes as part of their employment contract. So if you can’t secure a job on the hill, there’s usually plenty of other opportunities available.

Opening a Bank Account

Maybe it was just the easy going, laid-back attitude in Banff, but opening a bank account at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) in Banff was a breeze! You’ll need a Canadian bank account if you’re working there as employers will pay your wages directly into your account. The bank does suggest you close the account when you leave Canada as it’s almost impossible to close from overseas.

Accommodation

The most challenging aspect of our time in Banff was securing suitable accommodation for the six months. At the time there wasn’t as many online resources available as there are now so Jen used the local paper, The Crag and Canyon, and also looked at physical postings on boards around town (Safeway had a pretty big notice board).  As above, Jen arrived in Banff in October 2007 and only found our cool little one bedroom place on the last day she was in town! Many of our friends opted for shared accommodation, which was definitely more affordable and much more social. As we were a little older than most of our friends, we decided to stay on our own – who wants an older couple telling you to, “be quiet”!

If you end up working for Sunshine Village, they have a limited amount of staff housing options available. The advantage of staff housing is that it is on the hill – on your days off you’re right there for first tracks. It’s also very affordable. The disadvantage is that if you want to go shopping or out in Banff (15 minutes away), you’re restricted by the gondola hours and you have to work around the bus timetable if you don’t have a car.

These days you have many more resources available for finding accommodation – check out Jen’s article on Short Term Accommodation.

Food

Groceries – there are two small supermarkets in the town of Banff – Safeway and Nesters Market. There’s no doubt you can survive by doing your grocery shopping in Banff but if you can make it to Canmore, the Safeway there has a greater range (well at least it did when we were there). There are also a couple of other options in Canmore – Save on Foods and Mountain Mercato.

Eating Out – due to budgetary constraints, we limited our eating out experiences to special occasions or when there were specials on. We ate at the following places:

• Tommy’s Neighbourhood Pub. We had their Steak Sandwich special which I think was $6.95 at the time (it looks like it’s gone up to $8.95). Great sandwich and still great value at $8.95.
• The Maple Leaf. This is one of Banff’s premium fine dining establishments. We waited for the annual lobster fest to eat there and were not disappointed. Great value – I recall it being $25-30 per head at the time.
• Wild Bill’s Legendary Saloon. Great atmosphere and a menu best described as casual American dining.

Receiving Mail

As there is no home delivery in Banff, if you need to receive mail or parcels you can open a PO Box at the post office. When we were there, you could just use c/- Banff post office, which is what we did. Funny story – we received a wedding invite where the only address on the card was, ‘Jen & Mick, Banff, Alberta TL1 1B8, Canada’. Banff post office had the card in a glass cabinet at the front counter and one of our friends noticed it and told us about it!

Transportation

For employees of Sunshine Village, there are free buses that run between Banff and the snow resort. If you have a tri-area ski pass (Lake Louise, Norquay and Sunshine Village) the bus is also complimentary. Otherwise the return adult fare from Banff to one of the three resorts listed above in the tri-area is $15. The bus schedule can be found here.

We were luckily enough to have a car so depending on Jen’s start times (if she started really early she’d catch the staff bus), we’d drive to the hill everyday. All parking is free but you need to arrive early if you want to secure parking close to the gondola, especially on weekends and public holidays. The other advantage of a car is that you can drive to Canmore to do your grocery shopping, as listed above. And of course exploring further afield, such as Fernie or Revelstoke, is a much easier option with a car. I’ll be writing a separate article soon about owning a car in North America (USA and Canada), which will highlight the pros and cons of ownership (and provide other options), and how to set-up your car, and adapt your driving, for snow conditions.

Skiing and Snowboarding

We spent the majority of our time at Sunshine Village but we got to ride some other snow resorts as well. I’ll be writing reviews on all the resorts we visited, so please stay turned for these articles. I also snagged a brand new gopro for snowboarding, so stay tuned for some awesome footage. 

In conclusion, living in Banff was one of the best times of our lives. It’s such a beautiful town, with friendly, laid-back locals, and close to some of the best snow resorts in the world. And doing a whole snow season opened up many other aspects of the resorts that we may not have discovered if we were just visiting for a short period of time.

If you have any questions or would like to share some of your experiences about Banff, please add your comments below. Go spend some time in Banff – you won’t regret it! 

Mike

We’ve all gone through it, that question we ask ourselves when we’re first starting out – is it worth it? Your butt is bruised, your wrists hurt, you’ve seen stars at least 3 times in the last hour because you’ve caught your heel edge and your head slams hard against the ice…

But something inside you knows that this is possibly the best sport in the world and you know it’s going to pay dividends if you can just hang in there. You know one day you’ll be as good as those pesky little kids who carve past you like they’ve been born on a snowboard and have no care in the world. One day you swear you’ll be the one doing the carving and then bang, you catch your toe edge and face plant. Well that day may come but it’s not today!

Fast forward a couple of seasons and those early days are long forgotten and you’re only reminded when you ride past a beginner who’s leafing down a blue run with a look of terror on their face. And you smile for two reasons, 1. You know how much fun awaits that beginner; and 2. You’re so happy you pushed through those days and now you get to explore the mountains via the funnest way possible.

And each time you strap in it feels so good to know that you’re going to ride some new terrain, take in some breathtaking views, breathe some clear alpine air or try a new trick or technique you’ve been youtubing the hell out of.

Whether you’re a skier (downhill or telemark), snowboarder, sledder or snowshoe walker, nothing beats that feeling of being in the mountains.

Welcome to my first blog! I started skiing in the mid 90’s in Australia and changed to snowboarding by the late 90’s. I loved skiing but something about ‘boarding had me intrigued and I’ve been riding ever since (I really want to become a competent skier too so I’m hoping that before too long I’ll be jumping on skis again). I’m guessing you’ve visited our blog because you share the same passion for snow and travel so we hope we can keep you entertained and inspired as we share our adventures and stories.

Enjoy the journey!

Mike

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