Opening Day Update: Which Trails Are Ready to Roll?

Posted June 20, 2019

It’s go time! Tomorrow, Friday June 21, at 10:00am we’re firing up the Sunburst chairlift and Progression Park carpets to kick off the 20th anniversary season of the Sun Peaks Bike Park. Of course, it's also a big day for hikers, who will be stoked to snag a first chair of their own. 

Want to know exactly what trails will be ready tomorrow? We've got all the details below.

Winter ended with a bit of a whimper, but a smaller end of season snow pack and warm spring were a blessing in disguise for bikers. Our trails emerged from the snow faster than normal and in great condition, so most of them were quickly tuned up into riding shape by our hard-working trail crew. This means we’re in for an awesome opening day tomorrow with almost all of our existing trails open and ready to shred!

The only hold outs are Altitude (too wet for bikes at this point) and Behind Bars. We’ll post updates as soon as these trails are ready to open in the coming weeks.

No doubt you’re stoked to hear all your favourites are good to go, but we’re sure everyone is also anxious for news about all the new stuff we’ve been building. The team from Lifetime Outdoor has been working tirelessly over the past several weeks on Canada Line and Bermalade, with both trails looking like they are going to provide plenty of amazing laps this summer.

Here’s a taste of how the work’s been going:

So, now that we’ve got you fired up with some pretty photos, when can you hit them? The top of Canada Line is still under construction, but we were hoping to have some of the lower sections ready for opening day. Unfortunately heavy rain throughout today has thrown a spanner in the works, so it won't be open quite yet. Same thing goes for Bermalade. Our team worked through the downpour all day to try and make it happen, but Mother Nature won this round.

Both trails are packed to the brim with berms, tables, and other features shaped to perfection and are sure to be a big hit this summer, so we'll keep working to get them open as soon as possible. As always, we ask that you respect trail closures/closed signs for your safety and the safety of our teams.

Despite this set back, there will still be other new stuff to sample this weekend. Trail crew have been working on various smaller projects on existing trails, including Biker Cross and Zazel track, in the park over spring, so a bit of opening weekend exploring is likely to lead to some fun surprises. 

The Bike Park trail status page on our website is the best spot to find live information on trail openings, so check it out and start planning your dream first lap for tomorrow! 

The Valley XC network trails are also starting to dry up nicely, with local favourites Vista, McGillivray Lake Trail, Snowshoe, and Dogsled our picks for a scenic pedal out to McGillivray Lake.

Don’t forget, tomorrow is opening day for lift-access hiking too! Those who prefer two feet to two wheels will be excited to hear that every single hiking trail is open tomorrow, with the exception of Lone Fir trail on Sundance. Don’t miss your first chance of the year to summit Mt Tod or check out the soaring views on Juniper Ridge. Check the hiking trail status page for details. 

As usual we'll have plenty of events over opening weekend to add to the celebrations, including the Shred Hard Scavenger Hunt (stay tuned to the Sun Peaks Bike Park Instagram story Friday night for hints on where to find prizes hidden on the bike trails), our annual Lift and a Lager party (every lift ticket/season pass comes with a complimentary beer courtesy of Granville Island Brewing), and our new Shred Hard Progression Park Open House (kids 12 and under get to ride the Progression Park all day for FREE). The Mountain Spirit Festival is also running all weekend long, bringing yoga sessions, a market, and inspirational speakers to the village.

Bike Park and hike season passes, bike Peaks Cards, and summer lift tickets are all on sale now. New this year, a Sun Peaks Bike Park season pass now gets you one FREE day of shredding with our friends at SilverStar Bike Park (and vice versa), plus you'll also get five buddy passes so you can bring your mates for 25% off. As always, the best deal on lift tickets is on our online store, where you can get big discounts when you buy your biking or hiking tickets in advance.

See you tomorrow!