Sunshine Village Snow Conditions

Snow Reports at Sunshine Village - 'Best champagne powder in the Rockies'
Sunshine Village is located at the heart of the Canadian Rockies, in Banff National Park in British Columbia, and, together with Banff@Norquay and Lake Louise, makes up the vast ski area of Banff. The resort boasts more than three times more snow than the other B.C ski resorts, seeing up to 9m each season, and is set in a secluded wilderness. This region of Canada is known for its light and fluffy champagne snow, with the abundance of quality natural snow meaning Sunshine Village has no facilities for artificial snowmaking.

 

Sunshine Village straddles the Continental Divide (from the slopes it is possible to ski in both British Columbia and Alberta on one run) and it is this ideal geographical location that results in the heavy snowfall that the resort receives, due to the accumulation of clouds over the divide, as well as its high base altitude of 1,660m. The ski area is the oldest in the Banff region, but the resort has seen heavy expansion recently, including the introduction of the Goats Eye Gondola - the fastest eight-seater in the world. Skiing at Sunshine Village is spread over 3 mountains - Goats Eye, Lookout and Mount Standish - with terrain up to 2,730m for all levels and a total vertical of over 1,000m, from gentle wide slopes to steep chutes, and an impressive array of off-piste skiing in the powder bowls. The mountains offer two areas for skiing, above tree-line and below, appealing to both beginners and more adventurous skiers. Advanced skiers in Sunshine Village are well-served by the famous Delirium Drive, home to some of the toughest and incredibly steep terrain around.   

 

The ski season in Banff runs from mid-November to late May. It is the longest in the Rockies and one of the longest in the world. Upper slope averages for the Banff region reached 189cm during the 2007-2008 season, with the best month for snowfall being April. Temperatures during the ski season tend to vary, with January seeing lows of -25C but spring months seeing highs of up to 10C and plenty of sunshine.