Sun Peaks Resort : What's New?

Porsches Roll into the Sun Peaks Village

ESCAPE SHOW AND SHINE – SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

September 1, 2010 – Sun Peaks, BC – The Porsche Club of America is rolling into the Austrian-inspired village of Sun Peaks Resort next week for their Escape Show & Shine and National Gathering, September 9-12, 2010.

This is the first time that the Porsche Escape has been held in Canada, and only the second time the National event has been north of the border. Sun Peaks won the bid to host over New Orleans, New Mexico, and North Carolina. Club members will participate in a golf tournament and driving tours throughout the weekend, exploring the Thompson Valley in their finely tuned vehicles.

The public will have the best opportunity to view the amazing display of Porsches, from vintage to brand new, on Saturday, September 11, during the Escape Show and Shine. Over 120 Porsches will line the alpine village at Sun Peaks, including the New 2011 Porsche Cayenne, the New Porsche 911 Turbo S, the limited edition Porsche Boxster Spyder, the Porsche Cayman S PDK, and the New Porsche Panamera 4S.

“We are thrilled to bring the Porsche Escape to beautiful BC,” says Daniel Ilias, Vice President for the Canada West Region of the Porsche Club of America. “This is an opportunity to showcase our province and Sun Peaks Resort to Porsche aficionados, some of who are travelling to Sun Peaks from as far away as Texas and North Carolina.”

The Porsche Show and Shine will take place from 9:30am to 3:00pm and awards will be handed out based on popular vote from the public viewing the cars.

Film Premiere + Terrain Park Rail Demo

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, at TRU CLOCK TOWER THEATRE

September 1, 2010 – Sun Peaks, BC – Sun Peaks Resort and Oronge Boardshop are excited to collaborate together to bring you the Fourth Annual Sun Peaks Film Premiere featuring Veeco Productions 9191 and Poor Boyz Productions Revolver.

NEW FOR 2010! Oronge Boardshop Rail Demo, 6:00pm to 8:00pm
The Oronge Boardshop snowboard and ski team will showcase their skills in a rail demo in the courtyard between Old Main and the Clock Tower Theatre. This rail demo is going to be legit with truck loads of snow dropped into the courtyard, a drop in platform, rails being set up from the Rockstar Energy Terrain Park, and a DJ on the ones and twos.

Show Times and Films
Early Ski Show: Poor Boyz Productions Revolver, doors 6:30pm, show time 7:00pm
Late Snow Show: Veeco Productions 9191, doors 8:30pm, show time 9:00pm
Please note an additional snowboard film will be added to the Late Snow Show.

Tickets
$10.00 per person per show time
Tickets available at Oronge Board Shop, Sun Peaks Guest Services, Tourism Students Association, and at Kamloops Season Pass Sale Store at Sahali Mall after September 18th. If available, tickets will be for sale at the door.

All proceeds from the Sun Peaks Film Premiere will go to the Bluebird Day Society and the TRU Tourism Students Association.

Are you the King of the Mountain?

$4250 Cash Prize Purse

August 26, 2010 – Sun Peaks, BC – It's one thing to ride the Sun Peaks Bike Park with your friends on weekends. It's another to pin it for six straight hours and prove you are the King of the Mountain on Saturday, September 11.

Time is running out to register for the King of the Mountain Enduro DH, presented by Granville Island Brewing, where there is $4250.00 in cash on the line! It's all about skill, fitness, and stamina, as competitors race to see who can ride the most Bike Park laps in six hours. Beyond the amazing cash purse, there are thousands of dollars in prizes from Maxxis and Dakine for teams and individuals racing. The race begins with a Le Mans start, and the course is Sugar to Arm Pump and finishes on Home Run.

Registration
Riders will be capped at 100 entrants, so register early to ensure you have the chance to win the cash and be crowned the King of the Mountain. Registration is $150 for teams or $80 for individuals. Sign up by Friday, August 27, to save $15! Registration fees include Bike Park lift ticket, King of the Mountain tee shirt, and post race barbeque.

For more information click here or call 250-578-5474 for more information.

Volunteers Needed for the King of the Mountain Enduro DH

August 16, 2010 – Sun Peaks, BC – On Saturday, September 11, Sun Peaks Resort will host the King of the Mountain Enduro DH mountain bike race. This will be our biggest bike event of the 2010 season. Volunteers are needed to assist with course marshalling, and monitoring the DH race pit area. If you or someone you know is interested in supporting and growing the local mountain bike community please contact eventsassistant@sunpeaksresort.com or call 250-578-5408. No previous mountain bike race knowledge is required to participate.

Volunteer Perks:
King of the Mountain Enduro DH tee shirt
Free lunch and post race barbeque

For more information on the King of the Mountain Enduro DH, click here.

New 2 for 1 Special Pricing on Select Activities!

August 16, 2010 – Sun Peaks, BC – Save on Canoe Rentals, Geocaching Packs, and the 2 hour Village Loop Horseback Trail Rides, which are now all priced 2 for 1. Offer available Monday to Thursday only, other restrictions may apply.

Call the Sun Peaks Adventure Centre at 250-578-5542 to book your activity.

CANOE RENTALS
Discover the beauty of McGillivray Lake by canoe, located 6km from the Sun Peaks village. McGillvray Lake is accessible by vehicle on a marked, dirt service road. This pristine lake provides a fantastic canoe experience. Canoes come equipped with all the necessary equipment, so you can relax and enjoy your day. Participants must have prior canoe experience to rent canoes. Canoes are located at McGillivray Lake, so transporting them is not required.

Full day, 8 hours, $70
Half day, 4 hours, $35

GEOCACHING
Explore Sun Peaks and experience the fun, high tech sport of geocaching. Each geocaching pack contains a hand held GPS unit, a map, pencil, and pad plus your instruction and information booklet. This is a fun activity for all ages.

Available from 9:00am to 4:30pm
$52 per geocaching pack

VILLAGE LOOP GUIDED HORSEBACK TRAIL RIDE
Saddle up and head out on our guided horseback trail rides. This is a relatively easy ride that circles around the outer edges of the village.

Departs at 10:00am, 1:00pm and 3:00pm
$70 per person

For more information on all Sun Peaks summer activities, click here.

Kamloops Season Pass Sales Location

August 9, 2010 – Sun Peaks, BC – Visit our Kamloops sales location to purchase your 2010-11 Fall Buy Season Pass, 3D Card, or Value Card.

KAMLOOPS SALES LOCATION
Sahali Mall, 945 Columbia Street West, Kamloops, BC
For directions, click here
Open Saturday, September 18, to Thursday, September 30
Monday to Thursday 9:30am to 5:30pm
Friday 9:30am to 9:00pm
Saturday 9:30am to 5:30pm
Sunday 12:00pm to 5:00pm

FALL BUY SEASON PASS
Rates available until September 30, 2010
Adult (19–64) $659
Senior (65+) $559
Young Adult (16-18) $509
Youth (13–15) $449
Child (6–12) $319
University Student* $509
Family $2010**

3D CARD - BEST MULTI-DAY DEAL!
Purchase the all-new 3D Card and get 3 days of skiing and riding for 10% less than the regular lift ticket rate (adult rate). The best feature of the 3D Card is those 3 days don’t have to be used consecutively… you have the entire 2010–11 winter season to pick and choose your powder days. ADDED BONUS: Once you ski or ride 3 days you can then purchase full-day lift tickets at discounted rates all season long.

Rates available until September 30, 2010
ADULT (19-64) $209
SENIOR (65+) $159
YOUTH (13-18) $159
CHILD (6-12) $99

VALUE CARD
Your first day is FREE and every lift ticket thereafter is discounted! Not sure how many days you’ll get in this winter? Then our flexible Value Card is the right choice for you. When you purchase a Value Card, your first day of skiing or riding is free and every full day lift ticket purchased thereafter is discounted by as much as 25%.

Rates available until September 30, 2010
ADULT (19-64) $89
SENIOR (65+) $69
YOUTH (13-18) $69
CHILD (6-12) $59

All prices quoted in Canadian funds. 12% HST added to all prices. Dates and prices subject to change without notice. Optional tot season pass can be purchased for $30 plus applicable taxes. Government issued photo identification and proof of residency must be presented when picking up your Best Buy Season Pass or 3D Card. 3D Cards are one time only purchases per season, per person, and non-transferable. Value Cards and 3D Card discounts are valid for all area full-day lift tickets only. *University students must present proof of full time student status at time of purchase. Students must be taking a minimum of three classes per semester to be considered a full-time student. **Family defined as parents and dependent children under the age of 19 living in the same principal residence.

For more information on rates, or to purchase online, click here.

RETAIL SALE!
If you looking to get geared up for the 2010-11 winter season take advantage of huge savings on ski and snowboard equipment, outerwear, and accessories. Brands on sale include Billabong, Burton, DC, Elan, Head, Helly Hansen, Line, North Face, Orage, Rossignol, Salomon, Sessions, and Westbeach.

June 28, 2010 – Sun Peaks, BC – The Sun Peaks Alpine Club will be offering Nancy Greene Ski League programs for skiers aged 5 to 11 years old for the 2010-11 ski season. These programs deliver customized free-skiing and introduce young skiers to alpine ski racing. The philosophy of the Nancy Greene Ski League is to encourage participation, interaction, and the development of technical skiing skills in an exciting and motivating atmosphere. For more information please visit www.sunpeaksracers.ca.

Ski Industry Leader to be First Mayor of Sun Peaks, BC

June 22, 2010 – Sun Peaks, BC – On June 28, Sun Peaks, the BC Interior’s largest ski resort, north of Kamloops, BC, will become Canada’s newest municipality and - under special new Provincial legislation - it will be the country’s first “mountain resort” municipality. It is only fitting that the man who will be leading the first municipal council is Al Raine. Raine, a former National Ski Team coach and husband to Senator (and Olympian) Nancy Greene Raine, has played an integral role in the development of the BC ski industry since the mid 70s and was on the first municipal council in Whistler, BC in the early 80s.

"To be a great resort," says Raine, who is also the former Chair of Tourism Sun Peaks, "you need to be a great community. With Sun Peaks’ new status as a municipality we will be in a better position to lobby for essential community services like a school and healthcare. Of course, there are also financial advantages, in addition to Municipal tax revenues, Sun Peaks will be eligible for a Provincial grant for small communities and as a mountain resort municipality, the local government will receive a portion of the hotel HST levied in the resort.”

Discussions leading up to the establishment of the new municipality began four years ago. A consultation and planning process was implemented by the Province of British Columbia, and at the end of the process, a referendum was held. 73% of the community voted in favour of becoming a municipality.

“The community is excited that Sun Peaks will finally govern many of the services it needs from within and the electorate has spoken clearly that local issues should be dealt with by local government. This community is unique in many ways and it was only a matter of time before self governance came to fruition,” says Adam Earle, Publisher of Sun Peaks Independent News. “We have a world class resort, an engaged community population and business sector, and a huge tax base, so it only makes sense that decisions regarding the future of this community are made in this community.”

On June 12, two mayoral candidates and six council candidates vied for seats in the municipality’s first election. The council consists of a mayor and four councillors. Three of the councillors are elected, but under the mountain resort municipality legislation one of the councillors is appointed by the Provincial Government to represent the interests of Sun Peaks Resort Corporation.

After tallying up the 323 ballots that were cast, Raine was elected as mayor and he is joined by elected councillors Mike Forster, Ines Popig and Mario Pozza. The appointed councillor is Darcy Alexander, Vice President and General Manager of Sun Peaks Resort Corporation, the company that operates the ski resort and is the largest local employer.

At 68, Raine, who has lived in Sun Peaks since 1994, might be expected to be taking it easy and spending more time golfing and skiing, but he says he couldn’t resist the opportunity to be part of building Sun Peaks into a vibrant, thriving community.

“We want to make Sun Peaks a great place to live,” says Raine. “We have some similar issues to those faced in Whistler. We need to look at providing affordable housing and employee housing. We also want to develop more community facilities and services. Eventually, we would like to see an Eastern access road to the resort, so that visitors travelling the Trans Canada to and from Banff, will have better access to the resort.”

The inauguration of mayor and council will take place on Monday, June 28, at 2:30pm at Delta Sun Peaks, Sun Peaks, BC.