Sun Peaks
1,730 hectares, 138 runs across three mountains near Kamloops. Canada's second-largest resort, Ikon Pass.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
21 Nov 2026
Closes
4 Apr 2027
Days open
134
Annual snow
6m
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Sun Peaks' summit reaches 2,152 metres, dropping 897 vertical metres to a base at 1,255 metres across 138 runs spread over roughly 1,730 hectares near Kamloops, British Columbia. Terrain splits 58 per cent intermediate, 24 per cent advanced, 10 per cent beginner and 8 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 6.0 metres. The resort carries Ikon and Mountain Collective affiliation. Thirteen lifts, including seven quad chairs, serve the mountain alongside three surface lifts and three t-bars.
Sun Peaks holds the distinction of being Canada's second-largest ski area by terrain, spread across three connected mountains, Tod, Sundance and Morrisey, on Secwepemc territory in the BC interior. Its Japanese ownership, a genuinely unusual arrangement among major North American resorts, has supported decades of steady, well-funded development.
The area originated as Tod Mountain Ski Area, developed by local Kamloops entrepreneurs who installed the Burfield Lodge and Chairlift, opened to the public in 1961. Tokyo-based Nippon Cable Co, owned by Masayoshi Ohkubo, purchased the small ski centre in April 1992, establishing Sun Peaks Resort Corporation and renaming the area Sun Peaks Resort with the intention of building a year-round international destination.
Nippon Cable, Asia's largest ski lift manufacturer, signed a further Master Development Agreement with the Province of British Columbia in 1993 covering development on Secwepemc territory, and has invested more than 75 million Canadian dollars in resort infrastructure since taking ownership. Sun Peaks Resort LLP remains a wholly owned Canadian subsidiary of Nippon Cable. Adult daily tickets run from 119 to 139 Canadian dollars.
897m
Vertical
138
Runs
4,275 acres
Skiable
6m
Annual snow
Ikon / Mountain Collective
Pass
The Terrain
138 runs across 4,275 acres skiable
Sun Peaks is an intermediate-friendly interior resort, with 138 runs across roughly 1,730 hectares and a 897-metre vertical. Intermediate terrain makes up 58% of the mountain, with 24% advanced, 10% beginner and 8% expert, so cruising skiers get long, open runs in every direction. It sprawls across three mountains, Tod, Sundance and Morrisey, and seven quad chairs keep the network easy to navigate. About 6 metres of snow falls in an average season, and the dry interior climate keeps conditions crisp, with plenty of sunshine for long cruising days.
Tod Mountain holds the steeper terrain, including the Headwalls, Gil's and the Crystal Bowl, which is served by the Crystal chair. Sundance has mellow beginner and intermediate runs close to the village, while the north-facing Morrisey side features gladed runs like the Laundry Runs and some of the resort's few expert-rated lines. Orient Ridge offers quieter laps near the east village. It suits intermediates, families and groups of mixed ability, with advanced skiers finding enough steeps on Tod and Morrisey to stay busy for a few days, though true expert terrain is limited.
Terrain split
138
runs
138 runs across 4 grades
Beginner14 runs · 10%
Intermediate80 runs · 58%
Advanced33 runs · 24%
Expert11 runs · 8%
Time it right
When to visit Sun Peaks
The 2025-26 season at Sun Peaks ran from 22 November 2025 to 10 April 2026, a roughly twenty-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 6.0 metres. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather in the BC interior.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent conditions across Sun Peaks' three connected mountains. As an Ikon and Mountain Collective resort, Sun Peaks draws pass-holding visitors alongside destination travellers seeking the resort's award-recognised alpine village.
Sun Peaks' considerable terrain variety, spread evenly toward intermediate skiing, continues to support strong family and destination visitation throughout the season. School holiday periods bring substantial family visitation given the resort's broad terrain mix and dedicated village amenities.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since Nippon Cable's 1992 acquisition, Sun Peaks has continued building on more than six decades of history since Tod Mountain's 1961 founding. The resort's considerable scale as Canada's second-largest ski area and Japanese ownership remain central to its distinctive identity.
Season 2026 - 2027
21 Nov 2026
Opens
4 Apr 2027
Closes
134
Days open
6 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Sun Peaks, and where to stay
Sun Peaks sits near Kamloops, British Columbia, on Secwepemc territory, with a base elevation of 1,255 metres and a summit at 2,152 metres across an 897-metre vertical drop over roughly 1,730 hectares spanning three mountains. This setting places the resort in the BC interior, well away from the coastal Whistler corridor.
The purpose-built village at Sun Peaks offers extensive lodging, dining and shopping directly at the resort's base, while the city of Kamloops provides additional services within a manageable drive.
British Columbia Highway 5 and local roads provide direct access to the resort from Kamloops. Winter driving conditions on these routes can include snow and ice, though the well-travelled roads are regularly maintained given the resort's status as a major interior BC destination.
Kamloops Airport, roughly a 45-minute drive away, offers the most convenient regional air access, while Kelowna International Airport, a longer drive away, provides an alternative gateway with more extensive flight connections.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Sun Peaks, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Alps Snow Forecast: Up to 64 cm Headed for the High Glaciers as the Snow Line Drops
The Alps are about to swap mild, sunny October weather for something far more wintry. A cold front arrives Tuesday, and SnowStash forecasts have Monterosa Ski out in front with 64 cm over 14 days, ahead of Blatten Belalp (55 cm) and Verbier (43 cm). The snow line should fall below 2000 metres by Wednesday night, and glaciers across Switzerland, Italy and Austria are in line for the best of it. The wind will have a say too.
20 Oct 2026
Four Dead After Avalanche Near Ski Portillo in Chile
A large avalanche struck near Laguna del Inca adjacent to Ski Portillo on Saturday afternoon, killing four people and injuring four others. The group were day visitors mountaineering in the backcountry after reportedly being warned about elevated avalanche risk by resort staff.
18 Oct 2026
Europe Ski Resorts Open Now: What Is Skiable in Mid-October 2026
Europe’s ski season is open, technically. After a record-warm summer, glaciers in Austria, Switzerland and Italy are running a few pistes apiece, Sölden, Stubai and Kitzsteinhorn started late, Titlis has pushed back to 24 October, and Zermatt reopens a few lifts on 14 October after more than two months shut. Finland’s Levi and Ruka are skiing on stored snow. Here is what is open, and what you actually get at each.
14 Oct 2026
Zermatt Plans World Cup Downhill Return on the Gornergrat for 2028
Zermatt is having another crack at a World Cup downhill, and this time nobody has to cross a border. Around 13 million Swiss francs is going into rebuilding the Gornergrat piste, including a jump fed by a roughly 300-metre in-run across the roof of the Gornergrat Railway gallery, with the Matterhorn lined up behind it for the TV cameras. First men’s race is pencilled in for March 2028, pending FIS homologation.
14 Oct 2026
Mt. Rose Begins Snowmaking for the 2026-27 Season at Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe’s highest base elevation is paying off early: Mt. Rose has started making snow for 2026-27 after the first flurries and a cold snap. The Nevada resort is backing it with nearly US$2 million in upgrades, including a replacement snowmaking main line, a new PistenBully groomer and restraint bars on every lift. Opening day is yet to be confirmed, though Heavenly and Northstar are already eyeing 20 November.
13 Oct 2026
Utah Ski Resorts 2026-27: What’s New at Alta, Deer Valley, Powder Mountain and More
Utah is still building flat out. For 2026-27, Powder Mountain opens a steep new Skytrac chair into more than 1,000 acres of advanced terrain, Deer Valley adds 200 acres on Hail Peak, Sundance gets a new quad and Park City adds a gondola from its new parking structure. Snowmaking is expanding almost everywhere, Eagle Point stays closed after the Cottonwood Fire, and the 2034 Games are setting the pace. Here’s what’s new, resort by resort.
13 Oct 2026
Mt Hutt Invests NZ$12 Million in Base Area, Tripling Its Sun Deck
Mt Hutt is getting busier, and its base lodge is about to catch up. NZ$12 million goes into a heated sun deck roughly three times the current size (430 m² to 1,300 m²), plus a new toilet block, heated steps down to snow level, extra storage and a new food and beverage outlet. Building starts after the 2026 season, with everything due for winter 2027.
11 Oct 2026
Vermont Ski Resort Opening Dates 2026-27: Few Dates Set, Killington Waits on the Cold
Vermont's season is slow to take shape. Stratton is tentatively targeting 18 November and Sugarbush 21 November, while Pico has Friday 11 December on the calendar. Killington never sets a date and opens when the snowmaking allows, and Vail Resorts has yet to name days for Stowe, Okemo and Mount Snow. The forecasts disagree about snow, and the main El Niño worry for the Green Mountains is warmth.
9 Oct 2026
Sun Peaks Lift System
Sun Peaks runs thirteen lifts: seven quad chairs, serving 138 runs across roughly 1,730 hectares spanning three mountains, alongside three surface lifts and three t-bars. This substantial network has developed considerably since the original Burfield Lodge and Chairlift opened to the public in 1961.
That early single-lift operation, known then as Tod Mountain Ski Area, has grown into a considerably more extensive network under Nippon Cable's ownership since 1992, supported by more than 75 million Canadian dollars in infrastructure investment.
The seven quad chairs now distribute skiers efficiently across Sun Peaks' three connected mountains, Tod, Sundance and Morrisey, supporting the resort's status as Canada's second-largest ski area by terrain.
Under ongoing Nippon Cable ownership, continued substantial investment has supported this thirteen-lift network as part of the Ikon and Mountain Collective systems. Specific recent individual lift replacement projects are not confirmed in available resort information. Sun Peaks' three-mountain lift configuration remains among the more extensive networks in the BC interior.
13lifts across 3 types
7
Quad Chairs
3
T-Bars
3
Surface Lifts
Sun Peaks lift system
Sun Peaks is served by 13 lifts, listed here by type. Check which lifts are turning against the live conditions before you plan your first laps - early lifts and high-speed chairs get you to the best snow fastest.
More Sun Peaks intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.