Extreme Heart pounding can finally begin with the official opening of Delirium Dive.

Serious heart pounding officially began with the opening of Delirium Dive at Sunshine Village this past week. Arguably the most challenging run at the Canadian Rocky ski resort west of Banff finally greeted thrill seekers last Tuesday.
Continue reading ‘Heart pounding Delirium Dive opens and Sunshine employee suit goes ahead’

Tourist Office

Sunshine Village
Sunshine Village, Box 1510
Banff, Alberta
Canada, TIL 1J5

Telephone: (403) 762 6500
Website: www.skibanff.com

Description

With slopes facing in all directions, Sunshine is one of North America’s oldest resorts, dating back to 1928. Yet it has recently invested heavily in massive infrastructure improvements and renovations. It’s even added a third mountain, Goat’s Eye, served by some of the continent’s fastest high-speed detachable quad chairlifts. The resort also boasts Banff’s largest ski rental shop and the only ski-in, ski-out hotel. The snow record is so impressive that snow-making would be regarded as throwing money away. The resort has terrain to suit all abilities. For advanced skiers and snowboarders the Delirium Drive, is the ultimate front-country adventure, with pitches of 40 degrees and vertical footage of 1919 feet. Delirium will be located on the north face of Lookout Mountain.

Review

There are few true ‘ski towns’ around the world, especially those with a choice of top ski areas on their doorstep, each with independent ownership. Austria’s Innsbruck, Utah’s Park City, New Zealand’s Queenstown and Argentina’s Bariloche are some of the few examples, Aspen grew up that way but with all the ski areas nearby now owned by one company some feel the character there has gone. Not so in Banff, where the Mount Norquay is the nearest to town and offers flexible skiing by the hour if you just have a little time to spare for a few turns. If you are planning a full day of skiing or riding there is much more terrain available at Sunshine Village and Lake Louise – generally regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful ski areas. Banff came in to being in 1883 when three railway workers building Canada’s first trans-Continental railway staked a claim on the hot springs area that bubbled up there. It was named by a Canadian Pacific employee after his home area of Banffshire in North Eastern Scotland, although it doesn’t look much like it! Two years later the railway was competed and soon afterwards the Canadian Pacific railway Company built the incredible Banff Springs hotel and Canada’s first national park was established, “the rest is history”. The town has a reputation also for being extremely good value and having genuinely friendly inhabitants. It’s particularly impressive that they manage to keep cheerful when you consider the 7600 ‘Banffites’ have to keep smiling at more than three million visitors a year. The snow on the surrounding mountains is known for its quality and abundance which help Sunshine and Lake Louise to open from early November to late May every year – one of the worlds longest ski seasons. The experience of being able to spend the day in true wilderness terrain or modern ski areas and then the evenings in a lively resort also appeals to many. The success of Banff as a world leading ski destination was laid out more than a century ago when Swiss mountain guides led parties of climbers on first ascents of the surrounding peaks and traversed prehistoric glaciers. In leather bindings and wooden skis they discovered untracked snow in wide-open bowls and meadows, laying the groundwork for what was to become a viable ski industry. Settling in Banff and Lake Louise the pioneers helped build trails then roads through the raw, rugged and largely uninhabited landscape and eventually they established hotels and businesses.

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Banff, Goat’s Eye, Lookout, Standish, Bow Valley, Sunshine Village, BC, British Columbia, Canada, Rockies, Rockys, The Rocky Mountains

Out with the old and in with the new. Strawberry triple chair is being replace at Sunshine.

Mere weeks after the end of the ski season, Sunshine Village, near Banff has started installing a new high-speed chairlift to replace the aging Strawberry fixed-grip triple chair. The chair was put in place to ferry up spectators, racers and officials to up Whistler’s racing flats during the Olympics.

Continue reading ‘Sunshine Village to receive Whistler’s Olympic quad’

Bikinis for Breast Cancer in Banff.

Sunshine Village’s first-ever breast cancer fundraising event was a great success.

The clothing-challenged Bikinis for Breast Cancer raised more than CAD $6,000 (£3,800) in donations.

More than 30 women of all levels and abilities dressed in snow pants and bikini tops, and skied and snowboarded down Strawberry Face this spring to raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

“It was great to see so many women participate and show their support for breast cancer research,” says Karen Guidos, Events Coordinator for Sunshine Village. “In fact, Bikinis for Breast Cancer was so well received, we will be hosting this event next year.”

Continue reading ‘Banff boasts Bikinis for Breast Cancer success’

The European based website site ski info reports that as mid-May approaches the number of northern hemisphere ski areas still open has dropped below 50 – less than the number of indoor snow centres to choose from! But more heavy snow in New Zealand means that Mt Hutt is hoping to open two weeks ahead of schedule, and for the first time in a decade this would mean a May opening in just a few weeks.

Continue reading ‘Weekly snow report: Early snow heralds first may opening in a decade’

The ultimate big mountain experience is back at Sunshine Village near Banff in Alberta, Canada. The Wild West, Sunshine’s second extreme skiing terrain opened on Tuesday, following Friday’s opening of the world-famous Delirium Dive.
The Wild West is the second of Sunshine’s free ride zones to open this season, featuring some of the most extreme in-bounds terrain available in North America. Located on Goat’s Eye Mountain, the Wild West can be seen from the gondola after leaving the mid-point curve station.
Not for the faint-hearted, the Wild West features three major rock-walled couloirs, steep crevices, and a series of cliffs – some reaching more than 30 metres.
Features of the Wild West were named after many of Banff National Park’s pioneers, providing a glimpse into the region’s colourful history. They include “Wild” Bill Peyto, a trapper and one of Banff’s first wardens; Norman “Mr. Banff” Luxton, an early publisher of the Crag and Canyon newspaper; and Bruno Engler, an explorer and renowned photographer.
Delirium Dive features more than 600 acres of steep and deep terrain that remains a favourite with enthusiasts. Last year, a writer for the Sydney Morning Herald named it one of the world’s 10 best off-piste destinations.
Natural features include 20-metre cornices, frozen waterfalls, stepped pillow drops, jagged rock spines, and 25-metre cliffs. These natural hazards are unmarked and exist throughout Delirium Dive.
Skiers and boarders need to use good judgment, know their skill level, and understand that mountain conditions may change quickly. Entry is only permitted for those with a shovel, transceiver and buddy.
Delirium Dive and the Wild West is open, weather permitting. Patrol reserves the right to refuse anyone who they deem ill-equipped or ill-prepared.
Newcomers without previous big mountain experience are recommended to join Sunshine Village’s Ski and Snowboard School for their Delirium Sundays program. Instructors help to navigate the difficult terrain and provide various route options.
Sunshine attracts more than 500,000 skiers and riders during Canada’s longest season, stretching from November to May 18.
www.skibanff.com.

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