Brandi Schier is the Editor and Publisher of Sun Peaks Independent News and has her mittens on the town pulse since moving to the region in 2007.
We asked her for some Insider Tips on what to do and where to ski and snowboard.
What makes you stay?
Sun Peaks is the best of both community and resort life for me. I can live ski in, ski out, and still pursue a rewarding career and other interests while contributing to an amazing and growing mountain town.
The optimal weather and snow we receive and our central location in the province allows us to travel to other resorts easily or even to Vancouver in about 4 hours.
Plus, the airport is only 40 minutes away and with one connection I can be in so many cool places all over the world.
What is your favourite run at Sun Peaks and why?
My favourite run is “The Other Way” because I never get tired of it. It has great flow and there are so many natural features on the way down. After an epic powder run in Gil’s or some fun in the trees on Last Chance or Pink Flamingos it’s the perfect way to get back to the village.
What run do you recommend for beginners?
I Dunno on Morrisey is so fun for all abilities. There are small islands of trees on the run you can weave around without much difficulty as it’s not steep at all. There’s a lot of room between the trees, plus it’s always groomed. I Dunno is a great place to build confidence and it’s more interesting than just a wide open run.
What run do you recommend for intermediates?
On powder days, head over to Orient Ridge. It’s a great place to work on your powder turns as there’s never anyone over there!
Usually only on or two of the runs is groomed, leaving the others as untouched powder trails down a nice incline. If you’re looking to ski in the trees, Last Chance trees has a nice pitch and the trees are trimmed and nicely spaced.
What run do you recommend for advanced skiers/boarders?
Any run in Gil’s is great!
What is your favourite tree run?
There are so many gladed areas I can’t pick just one… my top three right now (because they change all the time!) are Coquihalla Trees (skiers right of OSV), Bluff Trees and Spillway trees.
Which terrain is best for experts?
There’s actually so many overlooked places in Sun Peaks for advanced riders. There’s so much terrain on the backside of Top of the World with lines through the trees or more open spaces with drop in points all along the backside of the ridge. You can get in quite a few laps by using the mid-mountain loading station on the Burfield.
On huge powder days, Challenger and Freddy’s Nightmare are always an adventure and well worth the longer ride back up. For quicker laps Chute and Green door off Crystal chair are always loaded after storms and are super fun!
What is the best family activity at Sun Peaks?
Any of the evening tours are great for quality family time. There’s just something different about speeding along on a snowmobile through the darkness or taking in the glowing East Village from the snowshoe trail.
By taking in an evening event you’re taking full advantage of every moment of your holiday time, instead of letting the kids default to their favourite screens.
Who is your favourite local character and why? Where would we find them?
Definitely mayor Al Raine. After an amazing career in coaching and tourism, he’s is now helping our fledging municipality evolve into amazing mountain town.
You can find him skiing on the mountain almost every morning with so many different kinds of people. He’s also known to take a mid-morning break at Boloccos café before heading into the office.
What winter activity do you like to do when not skiing/boarding?
I love getting together with some girlfriends and heading out on the Nordic trails. It’s beautiful, plus it’s an amazing cardio workout. Out to the lake and back is about 10 km and is a perfect amount of time to catch up. Everyone is so busy during the season so it’s the perfect excuse to get together.
What’s the best adventure within 90 minutes’ drive of Sun Peaks?
Kamloops is only about 40 minutes away and is B.C’s newest wine region. Two of my favourite wineries’ tasting rooms are open during the winter and are both beautiful in summer and winter.
Want more? Visit www.sunpeaksresort.com
