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.
Avalanche gear can be rented from local shops in Banff. Went there a couple years ago,it was bad snow year (at least up to that point), if I remember Wild West was closed and the Dive was too. The south side chutes on Goats Eye where a blast. Lake Louise had a better options for single black.
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.
Totally agree on your comparison of sunshine and Lake Louise. My wife and I visited last year in mid December and both were fantastic given how early in the season it was. I generally like advanced and light expert terrain. I enjoyed LL more because they have much more advanced (non-expert) terrain and just more fall line on the front side. Sunshine kinda felt like you’re skiing sideways rather than fall line in a lot of spots. My wife, intermediate skier, preferred Sunshine due to layout providing more separation of beginner, intermediate, and advanced terrain and more intermediate runs that were shorter and less demanding than those at LL. Both are great spots to check out early season though, that cold weather helps the hill fill in much quicker than pretty much anywhere else.
It’s cool you had a similar perspective. Planning to check out the Big3 with laura this season and I have a feeling she will be very fond of sunshine for the same reasons as your wife!
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!
It's crazy how the snow can differ from mountain to mountain on a consistent basis. Different temps and weather systems and ways of storms. It's cool stuff!
Great review of one of the most underrated resorts out there. I main Sunshine and I gotta say, you are underestimating the tree runs. Off to the chairs right of the top of Wawa is an incredible hike that has some of the best snow in any resorts. It is technically out of bounds but so many people go there and it comes out at Wolverine chair. My buddies have seshed it like 4 times in a day and it gets super tiring hiking but it is worth it almost every time. Gotta follow the main path till you get to a split in the trees and then go right at the split but stay left when you do drop down. So much fun
I heard about back door after I left! I'd love to give it a go next time I visit. I love sunshine! Let me know if you got any more beta for my next visit. Appreciate it!
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!
@@riseandalpine Thanks for asking. Unfortunately I've not skiied since 2007 at Whistler Blackcomb. I had a birthday dinner with my younger brother who just turned 52 and he likes skiing Red Mountain and has done much more recently that I've skied anything. My 2 biggest bucket list ski areas are Revelstoke and Warm Springs side of Mt. Baldy in Ketchum Idaho, with Jackson Hole coming in at #3, but I'm willing to change my mind. Thanks for posting!
Awesome review! One good advice is that if you have a Costco membership, you can get tickets for way cheaper than the Ski Big 3. You can get 2 adult passes for 199 from any Costco in Calgary.
Also Sunshine does puddle jump better than anywhere I've been. The Slush Cup is a vibe and a half! Absolute party that day. If you need plans for may 24, Sunshine is where you want to be.
Home Resort, I just ride standish all day! The naturel terrain park, but after watching this video I feel i need to explore more this year, thanks for the upload!!
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 😁
The trick with sunshine for the best conditions is to follow the sun. Start at wawa and standish then by afternoon you can hit the dive and tee pee town chutes. On a pow day if it’s windy it’s best to follow this. If it’s calm well just straight up goats eye and send it. Also slack country at sunshine is unreal, back door and side door. Espescially along wawa ridge is just incredible
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.
It's fun how you can always learn something about your 'home' hill from another persons perspective. Every time I ski with someone new at Whistler I always learn about new lines and flows
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!
I was a paid patroller at Canyon in red deer for alot of years apart from not wanting to learn to ski and only snowboarding I would shit my pants having to run a toboggan down the dive for someone injured
Just picked up my first set of avy gear and stoked to try the dive and Wild West for the first time… Louise is my home resort and I still don’t think it can be beat for how much it offers (and they keep adding more!) but Sunshine also holds a special place in my heart…. I don’t enjoy snowboarding there as much, and if skiing with the kids I think Nakiska is the best, but skiing on my own I will be spending lots of time on all the resorts (season pass for kiska and Louise, got add ons for kicking horse and will do Costco for sunshine) Love all your vids, best ski tuber by a country mile, hope to see you on the hill one day
Sounds like you've got the Rockies ski pass system dialed! I'd for sure rip Louise the most too given the freeride zones at sunshine aren't open all that often!
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.
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.
Happy to hear I did an okay job. Always tricky trying to do mountains justice when I'm not a local. Y'all know best! Do you have a favourite or all conditions dependent?
@@riseandalpine I'm a comparatively weaker skier, and I like virtually guaranteed good snow over the boom/bust of LL, so it's generally sunshine for me!
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!
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.
The thing is, it's like a 30 minute extra drive but you have to factor in the gondola ride from the base at SSV to get to the mountain village, which is like 15 minutes. So the difference in travel time isn't that significant.
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.
Sick that you're living up at Sun Peaks! Such a wicked hill. If you've never been to Banff you will not regret the side quest. One of the most beautiful spots on earth in both winter and summer. Surely you've tried Revy already as well being so close to Kamloops?
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!).
Beautiful. It's just so beautiful there and European Alps looking even but I bet it's way better. Love these videos they can really help someone prep for ski season or just select a place to go this ski season if they are lucky enough to have a vacation. Sadly not me this year and not since 2001 but someday in the not too distant future it's coming and It will be like heaven! Even if I have no legs or something I'm still going skiing again at some point and I'll just slide on my belly if I have to people can just drag me to the lifts LOL
Unfortunately I won't be making a Big White guide. I've only had pow/tree skiing and no clear sky's there so I can't really make a reasonable review video with the footage I have
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.
@@riseandalpine It's horrible. Because at LL you need your pass scanned on the main chair lift, the lines up can be 30-40m easy each time you descend the front side. At SS, they only scan at the main gondola which is very fast and once you're at the top, the line ups are usually non-existent, though they do happen. Then again, I wanted your video showing Whistler lineups on a dump day and that looks much worse.
@@riseandalpine Not remotely close compared with W/B. Not even in the same stratosphere. A high traffic day at LL is like... 9,000 guests. At W/B it's what, 30,000+ at this point? Obviously spread across more acres, but it will always bottleneck at certain lifts, like 7th, and then you're just standing there forever. Having spent lots of time at both it's apples to oranges.
you have to think that your one of 70 people that are skiing things like you do I love the review thx for this.; Cheers. nope sunshine is better for snow overall of the places been sking both for 29 years. cheers
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.
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.
Hello I’ve recently discovered my love for all thing alpine hike,ice climbing snowboard/ski and plan my first ever trip to Banff to hit the big 3 and am just curious out of the 3 what one is more noob friendly and will all the slopes be good to ride in march ?
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.
Thank you for mentioning that. I'm not a local so really have no idea about those type of dates and openings. March/April is prime time in Alberta though, espcially because it trends warmer
@@riseandalpine oh one other thing, for this season Sunshine is replacing the Angel chair with a new chair that will be a heated bubble (and I think 6-pack)! The old Angel chair is actually being moved to Castle Mountain
Check out my first time skiing big White Video! I won't be making a Big White guide this season because I have not filmed up there without fog and the whole mountain open so I can't really make a fair review video.
Looking forward to more of these detail orientated resort reviews (if that's your plan). Love Sunshine, but I think I'm going to be at LL more this year just due to Tunnel Mountain II shower building still being under renovation for another year. Anyone know why this would take 2+ years and when it will open?
Stoked you like the reviews. Going to make them for the bigger hills and the places that had decent conditions. Tough to review a mountain with fog or if it has a much lower snowbase than average.
Okay i got it, "Avalanche Gear"😅😂 Not that i need it being intermediate - low advanced. Awsome ratings 👌. if i ever get out of Oz i will have to try some of these.
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.
I think the vast majority of people like Louise more! Sunshine is definitely a great hill for the friends, girlfriends and wives who might not be as confident of skiers!
Hey James, a bit off topic from this video but I've got a couple trips planned for Whistler this winter and was wondering if I could get a little local advice! I'm a midwest skier (rip) and I've only done a drop at my local mountain, Mount Bohemia, and was wondering if you know of any good beginner drops out in the promise land of BC.
Hey Brian! There are lot's of drops everwyhere. Almost every advanced run has some sort of cliff or rock to jump off. The Harmony chair is a great place to find some drops. Theres a great small rock drop right underneath the chair which is great. There are also some good beginner sized drops left of the t-bar on Blackcomb.
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.
That is a great thing to mention! I agree that Sunshine is awesome for beginners and family. I don't spend too much time on mellow terrain so it's always tough to give a really solid review for beginner riders.
@@riseandalpineBrand new as of last year. The new Adventure 8 replaced the older six pack, which is moving to Lakeridge in Ontario. Sommet Saint Sauveur in Quebec also has a heated seat six-pack chair
two questions: 1- is there a lot of snow in early/mid january 2-is it mandatory to have the avalanche training to ski in the wild west and the delerium dive thanks for the video :)
Snow totally depends on the year. I would absolutely advise to have the training if you carry the gear. They wouldn't make you carry it if they didn't think there was a slim possibility of avalanche. Always important to be as safe as possible in the mountains. Good thing though, if you don't have training and gear, Louise had lots of steep skiing that can keep ya stoked if you are in the area.
This intermediate skier from Ontario is heading to Banff for a week in January to ski the Big3. First time skiing out west. Scared shitless and super excited all at once.
Sunshine - the dive (especially bre x, milky way, fat boy), wild west, South side chutes, the shoulder on a powder day... These are so awesome... But if they aren't open and you are an advanced-expert skier and like to ski steeps, there aren't that many options... Also other than the dive and south side chutes, there aren't really any sustained vertical runs, as the vertical is broken up with flats.... And the gondola line on the weekend and the parking situation post covid have just become insane... If I'm going to go, always try to make it a week day 😬
Yup! I totally agree. Without the dive and all the other freeride zones, stepp skiers are kind of left out to dry at Sunshine. I'd rate it a lot lower without those wicked zones.
@riseandalpine I guess it's just a technicality. It's a small section, and they probably hardly use any water for the couple cannons they sporadically run.
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??
@@riseandalpineactually, mount St. Louis in Ontario of all places has a heated 8 pack chair they just installed last season. 2 minute warm butt ride haha
Tree skiing and steep skiing Big White wins.... If you want overall experience, great groomers and varied terrain I'd do sun peaks. You also get more sun.
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.
Yup - I wouldn't recommend going with a random. If an avalanche happens, you want to be with a partner who cares about you and who you trust to do their all to dig you out
@@riseandalpine I would go Revy, Whistler, Lake Louise, Apex, Panorama, Silver Star, Fernie, Kicking Horse....love Red as well but wish they had high speed quads. When you're on a 3 day trip with teen boys, getting tons of vertical is important, they hate the slow lifts :). They want to be on the double blacks all day long.
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.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
i’m so happy your making these guides
So happy you’re enjoying them 🤟
Sunshine is one of my new locals, I’m stoked for this guide 🤙
You're so happy his making these guides what?
i absolutly love sunshine, ive gone there for the past 4 years and the diversity and size is amazing. Would definitely recommend
I'm gonna make it an annual trip too!
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.
Amazing you've been coming back to ski with friends for 2 decades. That's what it's all about Tony!
Avalanche gear can be rented from local shops in Banff. Went there a couple years ago,it was bad snow year (at least up to that point), if I remember Wild West was closed and the Dive was too. The south side chutes on Goats Eye where a blast. Lake Louise had a better options for single black.
Thanks! Great to mention for those visiting and flying in without it. Loved southside too, could spend a whole day there!
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.
The expansion should be super cool!
Totally agree on your comparison of sunshine and Lake Louise. My wife and I visited last year in mid December and both were fantastic given how early in the season it was. I generally like advanced and light expert terrain. I enjoyed LL more because they have much more advanced (non-expert) terrain and just more fall line on the front side. Sunshine kinda felt like you’re skiing sideways rather than fall line in a lot of spots. My wife, intermediate skier, preferred Sunshine due to layout providing more separation of beginner, intermediate, and advanced terrain and more intermediate runs that were shorter and less demanding than those at LL. Both are great spots to check out early season though, that cold weather helps the hill fill in much quicker than pretty much anywhere else.
It’s cool you had a similar perspective. Planning to check out the Big3 with laura this season and I have a feeling she will be very fond of sunshine for the same reasons as your wife!
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!
It's crazy how the snow can differ from mountain to mountain on a consistent basis. Different temps and weather systems and ways of storms. It's cool stuff!
Great review of one of the most underrated resorts out there. I main Sunshine and I gotta say, you are underestimating the tree runs. Off to the chairs right of the top of Wawa is an incredible hike that has some of the best snow in any resorts. It is technically out of bounds but so many people go there and it comes out at Wolverine chair. My buddies have seshed it like 4 times in a day and it gets super tiring hiking but it is worth it almost every time. Gotta follow the main path till you get to a split in the trees and then go right at the split but stay left when you do drop down. So much fun
I heard about back door after I left! I'd love to give it a go next time I visit. I love sunshine! Let me know if you got any more beta for my next visit. Appreciate it!
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!
Such awesome memories! Where you skiing at these days?
@@riseandalpine Thanks for asking. Unfortunately I've not skiied since 2007 at Whistler Blackcomb. I had a birthday dinner with my younger brother who just turned 52 and he likes skiing Red Mountain and has done much more recently that I've skied anything. My 2 biggest bucket list ski areas are Revelstoke and Warm Springs side of Mt. Baldy in Ketchum Idaho, with Jackson Hole coming in at #3, but I'm willing to change my mind. Thanks for posting!
Awesome review! One good advice is that if you have a Costco membership, you can get tickets for way cheaper than the Ski Big 3. You can get 2 adult passes for 199 from any Costco in Calgary.
What a wicked tip & great price!
Also Sunshine does puddle jump better than anywhere I've been. The Slush Cup is a vibe and a half! Absolute party that day. If you need plans for may 24, Sunshine is where you want to be.
I would love to hit it this season!
Home Resort, I just ride standish all day! The naturel terrain park, but after watching this video I feel i need to explore more this year, thanks for the upload!!
Standish is beauty! Def do some exploring in Dive, wild west and the wawa trees and pillow lines
@@riseandalpine Will do this year! lets hope for a deep winter!
Get out there. You can't call it your home resort if you don't know it.
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 😁
Right on. The boys are going to have happy butts!
The transition at 5:12 was clean
Thx bro
Love your vids - great balance of insight, footage and humour
Really kind of you, thanks for commenting!
The trick with sunshine for the best conditions is to follow the sun. Start at wawa and standish then by afternoon you can hit the dive and tee pee town chutes. On a pow day if it’s windy it’s best to follow this. If it’s calm well just straight up goats eye and send it.
Also slack country at sunshine is unreal, back door and side door. Espescially along wawa ridge is just incredible
Insanely good locals intel! Need to try back door and side door!
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.
Great tip for those less experienced who might be afraid to explore!
Hope you make many more! These guides are amazing
Glad you're digging them! Planning to make more for all the resorts that I had decent conditions at
Love the use of FatMap in the vids!
Glad you like it. Sad that it's going to be getting shut down in a month :(
I love these review video!! I wanna check out one day for sure.
Thanks Sam! Totally worth checking 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 🤙
It's fun how you can always learn something about your 'home' hill from another persons perspective. Every time I ski with someone new at Whistler I always learn about new lines and flows
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!
So sick that you've worked up to the Dive! Gonna be a sick season!
I was a paid patroller at Canyon in red deer for alot of years apart from not wanting to learn to ski and only snowboarding I would shit my pants having to run a toboggan down the dive for someone injured
Just picked up my first set of avy gear and stoked to try the dive and Wild West for the first time… Louise is my home resort and I still don’t think it can be beat for how much it offers (and they keep adding more!) but Sunshine also holds a special place in my heart…. I don’t enjoy snowboarding there as much, and if skiing with the kids I think Nakiska is the best, but skiing on my own I will be spending lots of time on all the resorts (season pass for kiska and Louise, got add ons for kicking horse and will do Costco for sunshine)
Love all your vids, best ski tuber by a country mile, hope to see you on the hill one day
Sounds like you've got the Rockies ski pass system dialed! I'd for sure rip Louise the most too given the freeride zones at sunshine aren't open all that often!
Great breakdown brother.....love this content.
Thanks Chris! Really glad you enjoy this format
This is sick ❤
Thx Bruce!
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.
Stoked to have a warm bottom this season!
By far the best ski resort reviews, I appreciate it! You need to make a trip to jackson hole! (If you haven't already)
I've never really skied in the United States so Jackson is absolutely on my bucket list!
As much as you love the gnarly lines Jackson would be a perfect place you! I’m excited to finally get to try out BC this winter
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.
Sounds like the vast majority of the locals play more at the Lake. Definitely one of the greats!
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.
Happy to hear I did an okay job. Always tricky trying to do mountains justice when I'm not a local. Y'all know best! Do you have a favourite or all conditions dependent?
@@riseandalpine I'm a comparatively weaker skier, and I like virtually guaranteed good snow over the boom/bust of LL, so it's generally sunshine for me!
Really like this kind of Guide content🔥
It's a little more labour intensive and boring for me to make so I'm really glad people are actually liking it!
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!
Pocket Rocket looks legend! Before some of the classic lines became closed, some of those lines people were sending up there were nuts eh!
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.
Yup - if you go you gotta try both!
The thing is, it's like a 30 minute extra drive but you have to factor in the gondola ride from the base at SSV to get to the mountain village, which is like 15 minutes. So the difference in travel time isn't that significant.
@@johnmay9598 good point!
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.
Sick that you're living up at Sun Peaks! Such a wicked hill. If you've never been to Banff you will not regret the side quest. One of the most beautiful spots on earth in both winter and summer. Surely you've tried Revy already as well being so close to Kamloops?
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!).
Sick!! I figured there are lots of sneaky slack routes kicking around.
Beautiful. It's just so beautiful there and European Alps looking even but I bet it's way better. Love these videos they can really help someone prep for ski season or just select a place to go this ski season if they are lucky enough to have a vacation. Sadly not me this year and not since 2001 but someday in the not too distant future it's coming and It will be like heaven! Even if I have no legs or something I'm still going skiing again at some point and I'll just slide on my belly if I have to people can just drag me to the lifts LOL
I hope you can get out soon too brother. You’ve got the best attitude 🤟
@@riseandalpine Back at you brother. For now I'm just gonna live thru you until I can do it for real and not my aeroski LOL
thanks for putting this together man
So glad you liked it and hope it is helpful intel for lots of people.
Lake Louise also has tons and tons more tree skiing, if that’s your thing
100%
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🎉
Unfortunately I won't be making a Big White guide. I've only had pow/tree skiing and no clear sky's there so I can't really make a reasonable review video with the footage I have
You are the man!!!
Thx Dave!
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.
The lineups get bad on a pow day at LL eh? That's good to know!
@@riseandalpine It's horrible. Because at LL you need your pass scanned on the main chair lift, the lines up can be 30-40m easy each time you descend the front side. At SS, they only scan at the main gondola which is very fast and once you're at the top, the line ups are usually non-existent, though they do happen. Then again, I wanted your video showing Whistler lineups on a dump day and that looks much worse.
@@riseandalpine Not remotely close compared with W/B. Not even in the same stratosphere. A high traffic day at LL is like... 9,000 guests. At W/B it's what, 30,000+ at this point? Obviously spread across more acres, but it will always bottleneck at certain lifts, like 7th, and then you're just standing there forever. Having spent lots of time at both it's apples to oranges.
CANADA Skiing Ambassador 🤗
you have to think that your one of 70 people that are skiing things like you do I love the review thx for this.; Cheers. nope sunshine is better for snow overall of the places been sking both for 29 years. cheers
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.
I feel like you'd really dig that stuff off the dive!
Love these videos, and would love to see an updated ski gear video for the 2025 season!
Thanks Jack! Gear video will be incoming once the review videos are a wrap!
@@riseandalpine Rad! Love the videos man, been following for over a year and always stoked to see a new upload!
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.
Glass half full!
Hello I’ve recently discovered my love for all thing alpine hike,ice climbing snowboard/ski and plan my first ever trip to Banff to hit the big 3 and am just curious out of the 3 what one is more noob friendly and will all the slopes be good to ride in march ?
Sunshine is 100% the best bet for you if you are beginner/intermediate
You gotta tell me. How excited are you for snow season? LOVE YOUR STUFF BUDDY!!!!!
Like drink 4 bottles of hot sauce on an empty stomach excited
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.
Thank you for mentioning that. I'm not a local so really have no idea about those type of dates and openings. March/April is prime time in Alberta though, espcially because it trends warmer
@@riseandalpine I was skiing a few cm of fresh pow at sunshine on May 2 this year! Too bad Jan/Feb was so dry. Looking forward to La Nina this year!
@@riseandalpine oh one other thing, for this season Sunshine is replacing the Angel chair with a new chair that will be a heated bubble (and I think 6-pack)! The old Angel chair is actually being moved to Castle Mountain
Would love one of these guides on big white - we are going in Jan 😊
Check out my first time skiing big White Video! I won't be making a Big White guide this season because I have not filmed up there without fog and the whole mountain open so I can't really make a fair review video.
Looking forward to more of these detail orientated resort reviews (if that's your plan). Love Sunshine, but I think I'm going to be at LL more this year just due to Tunnel Mountain II shower building still being under renovation for another year. Anyone know why this would take 2+ years and when it will open?
Stoked you like the reviews. Going to make them for the bigger hills and the places that had decent conditions. Tough to review a mountain with fog or if it has a much lower snowbase than average.
Want to make sure every review shows mountains in their full glory
Okay i got it, "Avalanche Gear"😅😂
Not that i need it being intermediate - low advanced.
Awsome ratings 👌. if i ever get out of Oz i will have to try some of these.
Love it! You'd have a blast at the Big3!
Also - somewhat icy days wouldn't even phase you coming from Oz
@@riseandalpine 😂 Our Skis come with built in Ice Skates.
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.
I think the vast majority of people like Louise more! Sunshine is definitely a great hill for the friends, girlfriends and wives who might not be as confident of skiers!
Did a tomahawk on delirium dive 2 winters ago. Skied the rest of the day and then visited the knee specialist 😅
No way! Love that you skied the day out. What happened to the knee?
@@riseandalpine slight minicus tear. Skied on adrenaline
Hey James, a bit off topic from this video but I've got a couple trips planned for Whistler this winter and was wondering if I could get a little local advice! I'm a midwest skier (rip) and I've only done a drop at my local mountain, Mount Bohemia, and was wondering if you know of any good beginner drops out in the promise land of BC.
Bohemia isn’t “Midwest” skiing. If someone doesn’t know about it they have no clue it’s legit.
Hey Brian! There are lot's of drops everwyhere. Almost every advanced run has some sort of cliff or rock to jump off. The Harmony chair is a great place to find some drops. Theres a great small rock drop right underneath the chair which is great. There are also some good beginner sized drops left of the t-bar on Blackcomb.
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.
That is a great thing to mention! I agree that Sunshine is awesome for beginners and family. I don't spend too much time on mellow terrain so it's always tough to give a really solid review for beginner riders.
It’s not the only heated seat in canada. Mount st louis of ontario also has it 😂
Unreal! Is that new? I dont remember a fancy chair like that when I used to ride park there
@@riseandalpineBrand new as of last year. The new Adventure 8 replaced the older six pack, which is moving to Lakeridge in Ontario.
Sommet Saint Sauveur in Quebec also has a heated seat six-pack chair
two questions:
1- is there a lot of snow in early/mid january
2-is it mandatory to have the avalanche training to ski in the wild west and the delerium dive
thanks for the video :)
Snow totally depends on the year. I would absolutely advise to have the training if you carry the gear. They wouldn't make you carry it if they didn't think there was a slim possibility of avalanche. Always important to be as safe as possible in the mountains. Good thing though, if you don't have training and gear, Louise had lots of steep skiing that can keep ya stoked if you are in the area.
Do you think its worth it to do a one week banff trip next year?
100% - It's a ton of fun. Or a full powder highway trip is also a great option and a little less cold.
This intermediate skier from Ontario is heading to Banff for a week in January to ski the Big3. First time skiing out west. Scared shitless and super excited all at once.
Sunshine, the most ironic resort name ever. Its damned freezing there 🥶🥶🥶
So funny!
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!!
I'd love to do 90 days there!
Sunshine - the dive (especially bre x, milky way, fat boy), wild west, South side chutes, the shoulder on a powder day... These are so awesome... But if they aren't open and you are an advanced-expert skier and like to ski steeps, there aren't that many options... Also other than the dive and south side chutes, there aren't really any sustained vertical runs, as the vertical is broken up with flats.... And the gondola line on the weekend and the parking situation post covid have just become insane... If I'm going to go, always try to make it a week day 😬
Yup! I totally agree. Without the dive and all the other freeride zones, stepp skiers are kind of left out to dry at Sunshine. I'd rate it a lot lower without those wicked zones.
can you please try to make a guide on marmot basin? its the only resort ive been to my whole life
I have to ski there first! I absolutely will once I finally get to go.
@@riseandalpine it isn't the best resort i've heard but i'd love to see your opinion
Sunshine does make a little snow on the ski out.
Do they? That makes sense! I was just going off what they said on their website LOL
@riseandalpine I guess it's just a technicality. It's a small section, and they probably hardly use any water for the couple cannons they sporadically run.
oh faaaak my knees hurting already! bwaaahahhaha sic stuff..
Thanks dude!
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??
Louise would be your favourite for sure, but you can't go wrong with either
@@riseandalpine are there any runs that you think I should try, on Louis? Or are you gunna make a whole vid about it b4 the season starts?
you have to come shred with me. I'm a Whistler kid too...
Maybe I'll see ya up there this season!
When I went to banff everyone was australian for some reason???
Almost every worker at a Canadian ski hill is from Aus. They just love doing ski seasons out here. I don't blame em'
1:53 - bad timing... Louise is building a heated bubble chair for this coming season.
Wonderful, warm butts for all
@@riseandalpineactually, mount St. Louis in Ontario of all places has a heated 8 pack chair they just installed last season. 2 minute warm butt ride haha
sunshine in the spring lake louise in the winter
That seems like a sound strategy!
how much/
? europe is
let me work this out,. 8hr flight. then this.
For anyone who lives close enough to ski in Europe, it is way more affordable! Or even for anyone who lives far from the rockies.
Big white vs Sun peaks???
Tree skiing and steep skiing Big White wins.... If you want overall experience, great groomers and varied terrain I'd do sun peaks. You also get more sun.
New Nordica's?
In the background? Those are the old cracked ones!
"sometimes people aren't as nice in Whistler"
thas racisssss
If you forgot to turn the mic off why would you have to turn it back on?😜
Because after I peed I sat back down and pressed the record button thinking I was recording but it stopped the recording hahahaha
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.
Yup - I wouldn't recommend going with a random. If an avalanche happens, you want to be with a partner who cares about you and who you trust to do their all to dig you out
I wasn't really a Sunshine fan. Other then the one lift, the others all have minimal vertical feet.
Fair enough. What's your fav spot?
@@riseandalpine I would go Revy, Whistler, Lake Louise, Apex, Panorama, Silver Star, Fernie, Kicking Horse....love Red as well but wish they had high speed quads. When you're on a 3 day trip with teen boys, getting tons of vertical is important, they hate the slow lifts :). They want to be on the double blacks all day long.
First pls pin
awesome video
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.