Mountain Life
  • Daily Content
    • Trips & Expeditions
    • Climbing
    • Mountain Biking
    • Mountain Lifer
    • Multiplicity
    • On The Trail
    • Paddling
    • Photography
    • Skiing
    • Snowboarding
    • Stay & Play
    • Surfing
    • The Great Outdoors
    • The ML Interview
    • Travel
  • GEAR
  • VIDEOS
  • STORE
  • Magazines
    • ML Coast Mountains
    • ML Rocky Mountains
    • Vie En Montagne
    • ML Blue Mountains
    • ML Annual
    • ML Subscriptions
  • ABOUT
    • What is ML?
    • Our Team
    • Newsletter
    • Adventure Grant
    • Distribution
  • Podcast
  • Contests
  • CONTACT
    • ML Agency
    • Advertising
    • Contribute
Subscription Form

Get notified of the best News

Social Links
Instagram 22K Followers
Facebook 25K Likes
Twitter 5K Followers
Pinterest 1K Followers
Vimeo 34 Followers
LinkedIn
22K Followers
25K Likes
5K Followers
1K Followers
Mountain Life
Mountain Life
  • Daily Content
    • Trips & Expeditions
    • Climbing
    • Mountain Biking
    • Mountain Lifer
    • Multiplicity
    • On The Trail
    • Paddling
    • Photography
    • Skiing
    • Snowboarding
    • Stay & Play
    • Surfing
    • The Great Outdoors
    • The ML Interview
    • Travel
  • GEAR
  • VIDEOS
  • STORE
  • Magazines
    • ML Coast Mountains
    • ML Rocky Mountains
    • Vie En Montagne
    • ML Blue Mountains
    • ML Annual
    • ML Subscriptions
  • ABOUT
    • What is ML?
    • Our Team
    • Newsletter
    • Adventure Grant
    • Distribution
  • Podcast
  • Contests
  • CONTACT
    • ML Agency
    • Advertising
    • Contribute
  • Mountain Biking

The Sun Peaks Bike Park Has Everything you Need, and More

  • July 29, 2019
  • Ben Osborne
Total
55
Shares
55
0
0
0
0
0
Total
55
Shares
Share 55
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Share 0
Share 0
Share 0

words:: Ben Osborne // photos:: Jordy Norris/Courtesy Of Sun Peaks

“There’s a mountain around here?”

No matter how you cut it, the flat, desert-like terrain leaves any visitor to Kamloops bewildered that a year-round resort, revered for its biking and skiing, lies just forty-five minutes out of the arid lowlands of Kamloops, British Columbia.

Sure, I had driven through Kamloops many times before and heard of Sun Peaks through friends, but I never had the chance to visit. British Columbia is fortunately blessed with a lifetime worth of ski resorts to visit—a good problem to have. Alas, after 4 years of Whistler Bike Park’s brake bumps and lineups began to wear on my psyche, and my wrists, I had to give it a chance. Just a short 4-hour drive from Whistler and our group of four curious road-trippers arrived late Friday evening not knowing what to expect.

As we arrived into town, the darkness shrouded our judgement, but by all accounts, the Sun Peaks Village reminded us all of Whistler. However, there was something different—no late-night antics, no bright lights—the “big city” of Whistler behind us, Sun Peaks seemed like more of a safe haven, akin to the small town ski-resort feel we had each grown up with.

After arriving we studied our wall-mounted resort map, trying to figure out how close to lift we were before we went to bed, but that exercise proved to be fruitless. We woke to discover our patio had a perfect view of the mountain—no need for maps, village guides, or calls to the front desk. We quickly realized we could put away the car keys, and no public transit would be necessary for the weekend—everything we needed was no more than a few pedal strokes away.

Dropping into the first lap of the day. Photo: Jordy Norris

Riding our bikes into town we were greeted by a small but bustling farmers market, live painting, and a quaint village with everything you needed for a weekend in the mountains, and more. While it would have been easy to be distracted, it was an unspoken group decision to leave the amenities for now in exchange for what we really came for: the bike park.

The best part? Compared to the rough tracks of Whistler, it was like nobody had even ridden them.

By no means am I an experienced bike park rider—the opposite actually. For many years I’ve lightly used bike parks, driven away by crowds, dusty conditions, and the intimidating world that is the Whistler Bike Park. But, I knew immediately the experience at Sun Peaks would be different. With a non-existent lineup on a Saturday morning, the day was already off to an epic start.

We were able to warm up with one of the most enjoyable green runs any of us had ever ridden in Level Up, a winding track full of berms and rolls that anyone from an expert level rider to a beginner can enjoy. As the day went on, the park offered an easy progression with technical blue trails and mellow jumping trails to warm up on, and by the end of the day the stronger riders were stepping up to the large jump tracks, impressed with the quality and flow of each trail. The best part? Compared to the rough tracks of Whistler, it was like nobody had even ridden them.

After tiring ourselves out with lap after lap (it’s easy when there are no lineups to wait in) we had our eyes set on one of the most recent additions to the bike park. From the top of the lifts, pedal just a few strokes and the show begins: wildflowers engulf the sides of the road which quickly turns to single-track, and views of the lush, rolling green hills surrounding Sun Peaks, and even a touch of wildlife as we encountered two deer on our ride. The ride rates as a moderate blue, which was inviting to our tired crew of varied skill sets.

The trail brought us through the sub-alpine and into the beautiful rolling meadows beyond the sight of the top lift, acting as an escape from the now-metropolitan feeling trails of the bike park—funny how relativity has a way of making things happen like that. Just a few hours ago, the very trails of the lower mountain seemed like an escape, and now we were truly feeling disconnected up in the alpine. Besides the flowers, the epic views, and the world class single track—the best part? As we hooted and hollered down our final descent, roosting berms and popping rollers, we took advantage of every last bit of energy we had left, and the feeling was mutual—there was no better trail perhaps and no better ride from alpine to the base of the resort  to personify our relaxing, yet adventurous trip to the little village of Sun Peaks. No doubt between any of us, we all left with one lasting thought: we’ll be back.—ML

For more information on how to book or buy lift tickets, check out the website https://www.sunpeaksresort.com/

Total
55
Shares
Share 55
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Share 0
Share 0
Share 0
Related Topics
  • Mountain Biking
  • Sun Peaks
Ben Osborne

Previous Article
  • CLIMBING

The Solo of El Cap you Probably Haven’t Heard of

  • July 24, 2019
  • Ben Osborne
View Post
Next Article
SUP Toronto by Mountain Life Media
  • Paddling

The City of SUP? Toronto Might be the Place

  • July 29, 2019
  • Mountain Life Media
View Post
You May Also Like
Nick-Gottlieb-Pereval-Dzhuku-pass
View Post
  • Mountain Biking
  • Travel
  • Trips & Expeditions

Touching the Mountains of Heaven

  • Mountain Life Media
  • May 12, 2022
North-Shore-Betty-rummel_t_0110_BP
View Post
  • Mountain Biking
  • Videos
  • Women

Friday Flick: North Shore Betty

  • Mountain Life Media
  • May 6, 2022
Pursuits-Film-Fest-Three-Waters-MORNING_COFFEE_misery_bay-Scott-Parent
View Post
  • Mountain Biking
  • Mountain Lifer
  • Ontario
  • Paddling

Pursuits Film Fest Returns

  • Mountain Life Media
  • March 27, 2022
Simcoe-County-Tourism-winter-Ontario-snowshoe-women
View Post
  • Mountain Biking
  • On The Trail
  • Ontario
  • Skiing
  • Snowboarding
  • Stay & Play

Five Reasons to Visit Simcoe County this Winter

  • Mountain Life Media
  • January 6, 2022
View Post
  • Mountain Biking
  • Videos

Friday Flick: Athlete Feature – Manda Freyman

  • Sarah Bulford
  • December 10, 2021
Bike-Town-Ontarios-New-MTB-Hub-Colin-Field-Photo-HOUSE-ROCK-The-Soo
View Post
  • Mountain Biking
  • On The Trail
  • Ontario

Bike Town: Ontario’s New MTB Hub

  • Mountain Life Media
  • October 18, 2021
Coffee-Ride-A-Rite-of-Passage-bike-cycling-Quebec-Alex-Godbout-Simard-sitting-at-table
View Post
  • Mountain Biking
  • Mountain Lifer

#CoffeeRide: A Rite of Passage/Rituel de passage

  • Mountain Life Media
  • October 4, 2021
Bombtrack-bike-mountains-valley-Gear-Shed
View Post
  • Mountain Biking
  • MTB GEAR
  • On The Trail
  • THE GEAR SHED

Bombtrack: Amazing Adventure Bikes / Vélos d’aventure détonnants

  • Mountain Life Media
  • September 21, 2021
Featured Posts
  • Jamie-Mocrazy-portrait 1
    Jamie MoCrazy: Thriving after Traumatic Brain Injury
    • May 17, 2022
  • Relic-The-Beachcombers-Ben-Tour-illustration 2
    Requiem for a Relic
    • May 16, 2022
  • 3
    Helly Hansen Presents: Adventure Planning 101 with Squamish SAR
    • May 16, 2022
  • Dynafit-Sea-to-Summit-Delphi-harbor-revised 4
    Friday Flick: Skiing with the Gods of Delphi
    • May 13, 2022
  • 5
    For the Love of SUP
    • May 10, 2022
RECENT POSTS
  • Nick-Gottlieb-Pereval-Dzhuku-pass
    Touching the Mountains of Heaven
    • May 12, 2022
  • Full-Circle-Everest-The-North-Face-Nepal-prayer-flags
    Full Circle: First All-Black Team Attempts to Summit Everest
    • May 9, 2022
  • North-Shore-Betty-rummel_t_0110_BP
    Friday Flick: North Shore Betty
    • May 6, 2022
Social Links
Instagram 22K Followers
Facebook 25K Likes
Twitter 5K Followers
Pinterest 1K Followers
Vimeo 34 Followers
LinkedIn
INSTAGRAM
mountainlifemedia
22K Followers
Reel Rock 16 is coming to #Squamish! There are two showings 👉 May 20th and June 1st at the Eagle Eye Theatre, Howe Sound Secondary School, in beautiful Squamish supported by @climbonsquamish! #Linkinbio to get your tickets! #climbing #film #filmfest #climbers #adventure #climbon #adventure #squamishbc #tickets
Finding that picture perfect moment with @sweenyj #mountainlifer
The winter that just keeps on given-er! 🤘#mountainlifer
FRIDAY FLICK 💥 This past March, speed mountaineer Benedikt Böhm @benediktboehm rocked a five-hour sea-to-summit expedition up Mount Parnassus in central Greece. Starting at sea level on his road bike at the village of Itea on the Gulf of Corinth, he climbed up to an altitude of 2.414 metres. #linkinbio to watch the film!
I had no idea what to expect from this trip, neither from bikepacking, a fancy term for cycle touring and a sport I’d never done before, nor from Kyrgyzstan, a country most people cannot find on a map. Carl, who I’d only just met recently after moving to Canada—I’d flagged him down after backcountry skiing after seeing his Montana license plate—had invited me on this trip while on a mountain bike ride. I said no. A few weeks later I figured, “Why not?”
The @rab.equipment  dynamic Cirrus Flex is a soft, lightweight hybrid synthetic insulation for mountain-friendly layering. Keeping you warm and perfectly suited to journey in the mountains. #TheMountainPeople #WeAreRab
"@normhann and I lashed paddleboards to the roof of his truck and headed north along the Island Highway, towards Telegraph Cove. Norm had invited me to tag along on a commercial paddleboard group he would be guiding in the Broughton Archipelago. Despite a long history of SUP expeditions, I harboured some reservations."
To date, more than 6,000 people have summitted Everest, the highest point on Earth at 8,848.86 metres of elevation above sea level. And only a tiny handful of those climbers have been Black.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the rad moms out there! Here’s our Art Director & Head Designer @calypsodesign getting cozy with some sharks. #mountainlifer #mothersday
Making core memories on the trails ✨ #mountainlifer
Follow

Subscribe

Subscribe now to our newsletter

Reel Rock 16 is coming to #Squamish! There are two showings 👉 May 20th and June 1st at the Eagle Eye Theatre, Howe Sound Secondary School, in beautiful Squamish supported by @climbonsquamish! #Linkinbio to get your tickets! #climbing #film #filmfest #climbers #adventure #climbon #adventure #squamishbc #tickets
Finding that picture perfect moment with @sweenyj #mountainlifer
The winter that just keeps on given-er! 🤘#mountainlifer
FRIDAY FLICK 💥 This past March, speed mountaineer Benedikt Böhm @benediktboehm rocked a five-hour sea-to-summit expedition up Mount Parnassus in central Greece. Starting at sea level on his road bike at the village of Itea on the Gulf of Corinth, he climbed up to an altitude of 2.414 metres. #linkinbio to watch the film!
I had no idea what to expect from this trip, neither from bikepacking, a fancy term for cycle touring and a sport I’d never done before, nor from Kyrgyzstan, a country most people cannot find on a map. Carl, who I’d only just met recently after moving to Canada—I’d flagged him down after backcountry skiing after seeing his Montana license plate—had invited me on this trip while on a mountain bike ride. I said no. A few weeks later I figured, “Why not?”
The @rab.equipment  dynamic Cirrus Flex is a soft, lightweight hybrid synthetic insulation for mountain-friendly layering. Keeping you warm and perfectly suited to journey in the mountains. #TheMountainPeople #WeAreRab
Mountain Life
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Advertising

Input your search keywords and press Enter.