Sunshine Village Ski and Snowboard Resort

It is located within Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies region in the southern part of Alberta province. The resort's name was probably derived from Sunshine Meadows, an area near the resort at that used to be buried in glaciers but is now rich in wild plant life. The region is blessed with a large amount of snowfall every year making it a great place for skiers. The resort is renowned to people who are into glade skiing and snowboarding. Skiing season in Sunshine Village is usually from November to May.

The resort officially began serving paying guests in the 1930s and was based mainly on a cabin that the Canadian Pacific Railways built on the area. The site and the nearby Sunshine Meadows, however, has long been a favorite spot for skiers. In the years following the resort's opening, more accommodations were built and mountaineering guides who were hired during the summer were employed to serve as ski instructors during the winter. Ski lifts were installed in the next decades and continuously upgraded so skiers will spend less time in going up the mountains and more time skiing down. The resort has changed management through the years, each of them making sure that the resort has the right amenities to serve the needs of skiers and other winter visitors in the resort.

The resort covers 3,360 acres or 13.6 square kilometers of skiable terrain. The highest accessible point in the resort is 1,070 meters or 3,510 feet up. It also experiences 360 inches or 914.4 centimeters of snowfall every year. The resort has a total 107 runs suitable for all types of skiers. More than half of the runs, however, are described as difficult and are more appropriate to experienced skiers with only about 20 percent of the trails are marked for novice skiers. The resort's terrain is vast, so gentle slopes for beginners really accounts for a lot of acres.

Most of the resort's guests are intermediate skiers. The terrain is excellent with many steep inclines although it can get very windy in the slopes because of the resort's elevation. It is especially enjoyable to snowboarders where many of the runs are suitable for boarding, although they might like to stick to the black runs because the blue ones have a lot of flat areas they might find inconvenient. Most of the resort's terrains are gradual and are more suited for beginners and intermediate skiers who want to improve their skills. The resort's snow park is also a hit among intermediates and novices where there are many gradual jumps that they can try out.

The resort enjoys visitors of all ages, from singles, travelers bringing their families, to older people who want to mingle with the young ones. There are various activities and programs for young people who are new at skiing. It also has a snowboarding and skiing school and day care facilities for beginner skiers or those traveling with one. You should know that the lodgings in the resort are mostly ski in/out accommodations, however. The restaurants and shops are good but not great. Some of the guests do not like the fact that the resort does not have any apres ski options.

If you plan to improve on your skiing and snowboarding skills this winter, go on a ski trip to Sunshine Village. The terrain there is excellent with many gentle slopes for beginners and intermediates. If you believe your skills and self-confidence are more advanced, head on straight to the steeper runs. The lift lines in the resort can be very short, especially during weekdays. You should know that the resort is a favorite destination of families living nearby so you might see a big crowd there during school holidays.