Sunshine Village Ski Resort Review & Mountain Guide
A skiers review of Sunshine Village Ski Resort in Banff and a breakdown of everything you need to know ‘ski wise’ before planning a trip.
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Read the text version of Sunshine Village Ski Resort Review & Guide on the Blog: https://riseandalpine.com/2024/09/16/sunshine-village-ski-resort-review-mountain-guide/
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00:00 – intro
01:05 – skiable acres & vertical drop
01:32 – chairlifts & gondolas
02:05 – navigating Sunshine Village
02:25 – beginner terrain
02:56 – intermediate & carving runs
04:16 – advanced & expert terrain
05:27 – extreme terrain (delirium dive & wild west)
07:46 – tree skiing
08:16 – alpine bowls
08:26 – lift lines
08:54 – terrain parks
09:15 – snow conditions
10:05 – backcountry access
10:36 – family friendly
11:13 – views
11:41 – tickets & passes
12:25 – downsides
15:10 – Lake Louise vs Sunshine Village
16:52 – leave a comment
46 Comments
They are installing a heated/Bubble six pack to replace one of the high speed quads. It will be online before they open this season.
About the cold, in 20+ trips to Sunshine I've only encountered -25 during one trip. Not saying it doesn't happen, and it sucks, but on the other hand we had the entire resort to ourselves.
I love these review video!! I wanna check out one day for sure.
Louise and Sunshine both added heated lifts this summer, Pipestone at Louise (brand new) and Super Angel (replaces Angel) at Sunshine. The -30 days are going to be a lot more enjoyable this season! Your Sunshine vs Louise thoughts are pretty accurate in my experience, overall I'm a Louise skier (especially with the terrain expansions and new lifts they're building) but Think Again to Eagle Creek at Sunshine is easily my favourite lap at either resort.
I see you spotted Rocket Pocket!
James, that was pro level analysis. Great editing too! It’s funny getting your deeper thoughts on these places. They’re all kickass in their own way. Just a matter of skill, conditions at the time, and practical considerations like family.
You mentioned the difference between the type of snow between BC and Alberta. I’d never considered that. Interesting point!
Been to Sunshine tons and it's my favourite place. Views are killer and as you said, if there's snow and clear skies it's the best place to be. The only time I prefer Louise is during a huge dump and then I stick to the backside because the lineups are Louise are horrible. Just stay away from the frontside and you'll have a good time.
I skied both this year and I agree with your assessment. People have to ski both, interesting terrain and amazing views. Definitely more advanced terrain at Lake Louise if not incl Sunshine’s avy area. Lake Louise is a farther drive from Banff if people don’t like driving.
Hope you make many more! These guides are amazing
The lift accessible side country is also fantastic. Back door and side door are fun and usually have better snow conditions, easily accessible and not too dangerous (although all side country should be treated as though it's backcountry!).
You are the man!!!
Love your vids – great balance of insight, footage and humour
Love the use of FatMap in the vids!
Im too lazy to scroll and check if anyone mentioned but if you like the heated chair sunshine and lake louise both have a surprize for you this season 😁
i absolutly love sunshine, ive gone there for the past 4 years and the diversity and size is amazing. Would definitely recommend
Thanks for your review mate, I've had 2 seasons at Sun Peaks in Canada and looking to do a third there early next year (Feb/Mar). I've been thinking about a side quest to Banff, and your review has helped me make up my mind. Not sure about flying or taking the bus (from Kamloops), so interested in anyone's thoughts there. Aside from that, I'm not sure about what the demographic of your viewership is, but if most are like me – being a solid intermediate looking to advance – then your comments about the Village's accessible black runs to help progression was particularly useful, since that is about where I'm at. Again, thanks for your review and looking forward to a great forthcoming season up there in Canada.
I taught myself to snowboard at Sunshine village. There's a lot of amazing terrain but I agree it is definitely 0 to 100.. Worked my way up to Delirium Dive this past season. Stoked for winter 2025!
Do you think its worth it to do a one week banff trip next year?
This is sick ❤
This was one of our first ski destinations when we lived in Ont. I didn't get a good feel for any of it, as I was still basically noobing it, on noob skis. I'd love to go back when it's deep, and now that I can dangle a little more, and get at some of the more off-piste-ish stuff. Lake Louise, too.
Euro skiers…LoL Babies…But vhere is zee Beer Gartens? But vhere iz zee heat? But vhere is zee fondue?? Check out some of the resorts in Finland bro, Sauna gondola…True story.
The transition at 5:12 was clean
I wasn't really a Sunshine fan. Other then the one lift, the others all have minimal vertical feet.
New Nordica's?
you do justice to what I'd call my home resort (hundred+ at sunshine, couple dozen at LL). I agree with your notes about accessibility of SSV vs LL. The snow quality does tend to be better at SSV, which also makes it more accessible for intermediates. The runs are shorter and I agree, there are fewer advanced or advanced-expert (e.g. tough blacks/doubles) at SSV than LL, and what there are tend to be shorter.
Sunshine is my favorite ski resort. I'm not an expert skiier more intermediate/advanced, so I stay away from delirium dive but I enjoy the rest of the mountains. One thing I'd have to disagree with, having taken my kids to both sunsine and louise, is that sunshine is 1000% better for beginners/kids. Even the greens at louise are more like the blues at sunshine. Every chair at sunshine except for goats eye has not just one but many runs that are suitable for beginner skiiers.
I've been to Sunshine Village and Lake Louise, but it was almost 40 years ago in 1987. I preferred Lake Louise better then, and I can testify that Sunshine had the easiest runs labeled black I'd ever seen. Then again: Teepee town chutes was one of the most challenging on the mountain, but was the most fun for me at age 17 and my then 14 year old brother at time. Thanks for posting this review!
Great review, one thing that might be good to mention is that Wild West normally doesn't open until quite late in the season, like in March. At least in what I recall from seeing it on their social media when they announce it opening. It's way too wild for me, anyway.
You gotta tell me. How excited are you for snow season? LOVE YOUR STUFF BUDDY!!!!!
can you please try to make a guide on marmot basin? its the only resort ive been to my whole life
1:53 – bad timing… Louise is building a heated bubble chair for this coming season.
Love these videos, and would love to see an updated ski gear video for the 2025 season!
"sometimes people aren't as nice in Whistler"
thas racisssss
Been travelling over to Sunshine for over 20 years now from Europe with a group of friends, we all now have kids and they learnt to ski up there, Tiny Tigers took them fed them taught them to ski, great family resort.
Lake Louise all day every day. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye open for the wild west in Banff this winter though. I have never done it in the two years that I’ve lived in Calgary.
Really like this kind of Guide content🔥
You can spend an entire season of 90+ days at Sunshine and still beg for more. It's that good. Trust me. I've done it!!
Great video. The snow and lift lines are what puts Sunshine ahead of Louise. I ski at Sunshine most Sundays with my son and we hardly ever wait in lines. Christmas excluded. Louise on the weekends can be a nightmare and the front side can be icy. Lots of people don’t like Sunshine because of the gondola as well. Both Louise and Sunshine are adding 6 pack bubble chairs this year! Angel is being replaced and Louise is installing a brand new chair called Upper Juniper. I can’t wait.
if i were to go to lake louis instead of sunshine, looking for mogul tree skiing, would lake louis be my best bet, or still sunshine. im the type of park skiier who does tricks jumps and is on the lower extreme side. would sunshine be better??
Thanks for doing this! We’re going to big white on Christmas for the first time, really hope you’re going to create a guide on it too🎉
also for anyone to know there's a sign on goat's eye chair that says no beginner runs at the top. (they're lying to you). Sunshine coast is considered a blue run but I'd consider it more of a harder green. I skied that run on my second day skiing ever and its what made me fell in love with skiing. Even took some of my beginner friends up there this year (never skied blue runs in their life) and they enjoyed it.
Would love one of these guides on big white – we are going in Jan 😊
By far the best ski resort reviews, I appreciate it! You need to make a trip to jackson hole! (If you haven't already)
Sunshine Village was awesome! I think I personally prefer Lake Louise (both are awesome) but Sunshine did have more beginner level runs so I was able to ski more with the wife.
Ive been told not to go past the door leading to delirium dive with anyone, get someone that is knowlegeable, accidents happen every year, so i've been told.
Sunshine does make a little snow on the ski out.
Yo! Must watch if you’re coming out. I learned lots about sunshine and lake from these vids, and they’ve been my locals for two years 🤙