PlanetSKI Hits the Steeps of Sunshine Village in Canada

Avalanche transceivers, shovels & probes are compulsory in the first and second, while the South Side Chutes only have double black diamond options.

This is advanced terrain and what the resort is known for.

Alongside its largely intermediate terrain, Sunshine Village offers some of the steepest and most difficult in-bounds resort skiing in Canada.

We started with the signature extreme run of Sunshine Village – Delirium Dive.

It’s an extreme, expert-only freeride ski zone known for its steep terrain, cliffs, and powder that  requires mandatory avalanche safety gear (transceiver, probe, shovel) and a partner for entry through a guarded gate.

It’s a challenging, big-mountain experience where skiers take responsibility for their own safety in a vast, uncontrolled-but-patrolled terrain, offering a unique backcountry feel within resort boundaries.

Nerves begin to jangle as one heads up the Great Divide chair to access the terrain.

You can only reach it through this gate and it opens remotely once it recognises the signal from your transceiver.

No transceiver, no entrance.

Then it’s a short boot up.

With some truly stunning views across the Canadian Rockies.

Peering over the edge of The Dive is a taste of what’s in store.

To reach it there is a route to skiers left with a couple of no-fall turns required, or an ‘easier’ metal staircase.

We opted for the staircase (with safety rope at the bottom).

Then there is a short traverse (where you do not want to fall) at the top, and into The Dive itself that soon opens up into a wide powder bowl.

The wind blows much snow into The Dive, often tripling or quadrupling the depth of fresh snow found elsewhere in the resort.

This is proper Canadian powder.

It’s worth pausing to catch your breath on the way down and soak up the views over the rest of the ski area.

It looked so gentle from our vantage point.

The best snow we found was actually at the bottom in an area called ‘Fat Man’ .

No comment.

It is accessed by a rather long and rocky traverse, then powder awaits.

It was sublime with just a few other tracks in it.

The exit is a run through the trees back towards Goat’s Eye.

Time to pat oneself on the back on a gentle green route.

Then it’s up the chair to Wild West – the area is often shut due to insufficient snow to fill the chutes, but this winter has been a bumper one and it opened in December.

We had a view back over The Dive and the powder field of Fat Man at the bottom of the picture.

Again avalanche gear is a must in Wild West, and it is gate-controlled.

The areas opened in 2003.

Unlike the Dive the start is fairly benign and the steep stuff comes half way down.

There are four unique lines threading through the cliffs.

Wheeler’s is the least intimidating: a steep, powder-filled bowl with a few ice waterfalls and rocky chokes thrown in for good measure.

Next is a steep, rock-walled couloir named after Wild Bill Peyto.

Engler’s ends with a rock-filled crux which committed skiers and boarders must huck in order to exit the chute.

The gnarliest line in the Wild West is Luxton’s.

Little more than a sliver of snow in between narrow cliff walls.

We took Wheeler’s and the snow was deep and grippy – perfect.

It ends beneath the mid-station so the only way back to the ski area is to head all the way down to the base lift.

Or call it a day.

Best to ride up to the mid-station and back up the Goat’s Eye chair.

Head right off the top of the lift and you’re heading to the South Side Chutes – double black diamond territory.

The entrance was a bit rocky but nothing too tricky, and then it was steeps, before the moguls appeared.

The cold temperatures had kept the snow grippy and though there were a few rocks in places there was, thankfully, no ice.

Ice and steep moguls do not go so well together in my book.

The chutes all funnel into the same exit run which ends up half way down one of my favourite piste runs in the whole of Sunshine Village – Sunshine Coast.

It is a beautifully undulating blue run that rarely has many people on it.

After the steeps, the adrenalin, the concentration, the increased heartbeat and some concerns, this was a run to blast down at maximum speed – park & ride – and reflect on the fabulous steeps on offer in Sunshine.

In comparison to some of the difficult runs in the Alps it measures up in Sunshine.

Some think the resort makes a bit much of the terrain and the difficulty of The Dive and Wild West are somewhat exaggerated.

I can see their point as many such routes exist in the Alps in multiple resorts and they are considerable longer.

Often more technical and challenging.

But when standing at the top of The Dive looking into its terrain,  it is not a point that pops immediately into my mind.

In a week’s time, PlanetSKI takes to the road.

We’re heading to the legendary and extreme resorts of Revelstoke and Kicking Horse which have some similar terrain.

We’re also taking in Marmot Basin near Jasper before we come back to our base in Canmore near Banff to ski  Sunshine, Lake Louise and Mt Norquay again.

We’re also looking to visit other resorts in Alberta: Nakiska and maybe Castle Mountain.

We’ll also be back in The Dive, Wild West and the South Side Chutes of Sunshine Village, if conditions allow.

Our plan is to knock them all off in a single day – taking the gnarlier routes…

Related Canada Articles:

• PlanetSKI’s Canadian Adventures – Part One
• PlanetSKI’s Canadian Adventures – Part Two 

PlanetSKI: Number 1 for digital ski news

Your digital platform for ski news, resort information, travel, equipment rental, sport, money saving deals and everything connected with snowsports – web site, social media & more.

The post PlanetSKI Hits the Steeps of Sunshine Village in Canada appeared first on PlanetSKI.