By Taryn Gerhardt
When people think of skiing, mountain biking or golfing in British Columbia, they often think of Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort, which has been rated as one of the top ski resorts in the world by industry magazines.
Several national publications have ranked Whistler’s hotels and resort as top in the nation. In 2005, Whistler earned a top ranking with USA Today, Ski Canada and Snowboarder’s Journal. In 2010, it will be home to the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Whistler is well known.
However, there are plenty of other good resorts for skiing, mountain biking or other outdoor pursuites — without the hype and international crowds that Whistler brings.
In fact, there is another British Columbia resort — Sun Peaks Resort, just outside of Kamloops. Sun Peaks is a favorite among Canadians, versus busloads of people from around the world.
Sun Peaks’ charm comes from three mountains and one village. It has 3,678 acres of skiable terrain and is the second largest ski area in B.C. The terrain is varied with vast alpine bowls, long cruising runs and a slope style course with tabletops, rails and slides. It has 117 runs, including 12 gladed areas, 11 lifts (including four quad chairlifts). Its village and resort also have won national accolades by several ski magazines.
There is so much terrain, that it doesn’t seem crowded, especially at the end of the season. In fact, a good end-of-the-season slope-side lodging and lift ticket package is easy to obtain and can make the experience a little sweeter.
While Sun Peaks winter recreation is closes for the season when the snow disappears, the golf course usually opens in mid-May, with the mountain bike park usually opening toward the end of June. Go to www.sunpeakresort.com for more information.
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