Snowboarding

Back from Banff and Sunshine Village

I apologize for my absense, but being the last person I know that doesn’t own a laptop or smartphone, it is difficult for me to get online when I am away from home. But I am indeed back now.

Before I left I didn’t know where I would end up riding. It came down to Sunshine Village, Lake Louise, Panorama and Kicking Horse. We decided that Kicking Horse and Panorama were too far away and could wait until March. Sunshine Village and Lake Louise were not too far away from either Edmonton (where I landed) and Calgary (where I departed). It all came down to weather and snow conditions and Sunshine Village won hands down. It was warmer there and there was more fresh snow. Also, it’s possible to purchase a Marmot Sunshine card which gives you great discounts at those two resorts. And so, myself and three buddies crammed ourselves and our stuff into another friend’s Dodge Magnum. I don’t think I have ever seen a car packed so fully.

Day One

We arrived at Sunshine at around 10am and rode until closing at 4pm. It was a good day of riding but it was also quite challenging. The weather was tolerably cold and my body was not too tired after the first day. I rode Sunshine for a few days last December, but not that many of the runs seemed familiar. That’s likely because of my terrible memory. It’s a curse.

After riding, we arrived at The Inns of Bannf. This is a fairly nice hotel that includes an outdoor heated pool, a restaurant, and shops. The place is a bit of a labyrinth, but I liked it there. The service was good and the rates were very reasonable. My friend Paul even managed to flirt us into an upgraded room with bigger beds and a mini fridge. We had dinner at the hotel that first night. The food was good but it took about an hour to arrive at our table.

Day Two

LOTS of fresh powder on the ground and more coming down all day long. All in all, it was a good full day of riding and it isn’t often I get to ride pow while it’s still coming down. I felt quite sick that evening, so I didn’t go out with the guys for dinner. I tried to rest but being a very light sleeper, it didn’t work out. The burger they brought back for me lifted my spirits and we played Euchre until bedtime.

Day Three

We couldn’t get out of bed, so at 7am we decided to stay in bed and make it a half day of riding. While it wasn’t a long day out, it was a great one. It was sunny, there was still lots of snow on the ground and I felt better. I rode hard and fast. The only problem on this day was the crowds. Many lift lines took a long time to get through and some runs felt like a shopping mall in December. Sometimes it felt like I was dodging instead of riding. Still, it was a nice four hours of riding.

Day Four

We decided to get up earlier and be one of the first ones on the hill. We also needed to leave by 1pm to make it to the airport with time to spare. Showing up early is definitely the way to go. No line ups at all and lots of space on the runs. My body was thoroughly exhausted, but it was a great day of riding. One of the most fun runs at Sunshine is the ski out run you take to get to the base of the three mountains that make up the resort. Doing the ski out three hours before closing time was the highlight of the trip. It was so much fun and completely empty. I took my time and relished the ride.

I like Sunshine Village. Conditions are consistently good, the runs are well maintained, the crowds are usually managable, and there’s planty of places to relax and warm up. My biggest criticism is how much criss-crossing you have to do to get around the mountains. It gets confusing a bit annoying after a while. If you get separated, you’re lucky if you see your friends again – thank goodness for cell phones. There should also be more blue runs or black ones that are not covered in moguls and boulders. I guess it’s a skiers mountain first and a snowboarders second.

To find out more about Sunshine Village, click here.

In march, I think I’ll go to Jasper and then maybe Panorama. Time will tell.

Other Highlights

I had the chance to spend time with old friends and experience what a cold Edmonton winter really feels like. I also got to go to the shooting range in the West Edmonton Mall which was fun. I shot a 9mm Luger and I have to admit, it’s a lot of fun. With that said and I am very much pro gun control! Honest!

Thanks to Nick, Sean, and Paul for their help in making it an amazing trip!!!

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