Description

Sunshine village is one of the largest ski areas in the Bow Valley and it is also one of the only resorts which allows uphill skinning.

The best way up the ski hill is via the ski out and it's ideal to skin up it before the downhill traffic gets heavy, which is usually about 2pm.

The bottom of the hill to the gondola top/day lodge has long been a popular ski tour for ski mountaineer racer training and fitness enthusiasts.

You do not need any avalanche gear to go from the bottom of the gondola to the top so this makes it very user friendly for beginners.

For this route I added a quick lap in the Sunshine slack country as this is something many people like to add to their day tour.

Please note that once you go above the Wawa chairlift you are out of the ski hill boundary and in avalanche terrain so you will need the proper gear and training.

It is advisable to check on the Sunshine Village website to see what uphill routes are open before you go and also ski uphill on the edge of the runs to avoid uphill/downhill collisions.

You do not need a pass to skin uphill at the resort and travel is free but you are not permitted to take any lifts - this is enforced so it is important to respect the rules so that recreational users continue to be permitted to ski tour at the resort.

A great day with friends can look like a nice 600 meter tour to the day lodge, followed by a warmup coffee and snack with a nice mellow groomed run back to your car.

An enjoyable tour for those looking for fitness or are risk adverse in avalanche terrain.