18th January 2026 | James Cove, Sunshine Village.
We’ve been making some turns in Delirium Dive, Wild West & the South Aspect Chutes. Some describe it as essentially the most excessive in-bounds terrain in Canada. NEW
Avalanche transceivers, shovels & probes are obligatory within the first and second, whereas the South Aspect Chutes solely have double black diamond choices.
That is superior terrain and what the resort is thought for.
Alongside its largely intermediate terrain, Sunshine Village affords among the steepest and most troublesome in-bounds resort snowboarding in Canada.
We began with the signature excessive run of Sunshine Village – Delirium Dive.
It’s an excessive, expert-only freeride ski zone recognized for its steep terrain, cliffs, and powder that requires obligatory avalanche security gear (transceiver, probe, shovel) and a companion for entry by means of a guarded gate.
It’s a difficult, big-mountain expertise the place skiers take accountability for their very own security in an enormous, uncontrolled-but-patrolled terrain, providing a singular backcountry really feel inside resort boundaries.
Nerves start to jangle as one heads up the Nice Divide chair to entry the terrain.
You’ll be able to solely attain it by means of this gate and it opens remotely as soon as it recognises the sign out of your transceiver.
No transceiver, no entrance.
Delirium Dive, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
Then it’s a brief boot up.
Delirium Dive, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
With some actually gorgeous views throughout the Canadian Rockies.
Delirium Dive, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
Peering over the sting of The Dive is a style of what’s in retailer.
Delirium Dive, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
To achieve it there’s a path to skiers left with a few no-fall turns required, or an ‘simpler’ steel staircase.
We opted for the staircase (with security rope on the backside).
Delirium Dive, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
Then there’s a quick traverse (the place you don’t want to fall) on the high, and into The Dive itself that quickly opens up into a large powder bowl.
Delirium Dive, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
The wind blows a lot snow into The Dive, typically tripling or quadrupling the depth of contemporary snow discovered elsewhere within the resort.
That is correct Canadian powder.
It’s price pausing to catch your breath on the way in which down and take in the views over the remainder of the ski space.
It regarded so light from our vantage level.
Delirium Dive, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
Delirium Dive, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
The perfect snow we discovered was truly on the backside in an space referred to as ‘Fats Man’ .
No remark.
Delirium Dive, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
It’s accessed by a slightly lengthy and rocky traverse, then powder awaits.
It was elegant with only a few different tracks in it.
Delirium Dive, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
Delirium Dive, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
The exit is a run by means of the bushes again in direction of Goat’s Eye.
Time to pat oneself on the again on a delicate inexperienced route.
Delirium Dive, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
Then it’s up the chair to Wild West – the world is commonly shut because of inadequate snow to fill the chutes, however this winter has been a bumper one and it opened in December.
We had a view again over The Dive and the powder area of Fats Man on the backside of the image.
Heading to Wild West, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
Once more avalanche gear is a should in Wild West, and it’s gate-controlled.
Wild West, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
The areas opened in 2003.
Not like the Dive the beginning is pretty benign and the steep stuff comes half approach down.
There are 4 distinctive traces threading by means of the cliffs.
Wheeler’s is the least intimidating: a steep, powder-filled bowl with a couple of ice waterfalls and rocky chokes thrown in for good measure.
Subsequent is a steep, rock-walled couloir named after Wild Invoice Peyto.
Engler’s ends with a rock-filled crux which dedicated skiers and boarders should huck as a way to exit the chute.
The gnarliest line within the Wild West is Luxton’s.
Little greater than a sliver of snow in between slim cliff partitions.
The Wild West, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
We took Wheeler’s and the snow was deep and grippy – excellent.
The Wild West, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
The Wild West, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
The Wild West, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
The Wild West, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
It ends beneath the mid-station so the one approach again to the ski space is to go all the way in which all the way down to the bottom carry.
Or name it a day.
Greatest to journey as much as the mid-station and again up the Goat’s Eye chair.
Head proper off the highest of the carry and also you’re heading to the South Aspect Chutes – double black diamond territory.
South Aspect Chutes, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
The doorway was a bit rocky however nothing too tough, after which it was steeps, earlier than the moguls appeared.
South Aspect Chutes, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
The chilly temperatures had saved the snow grippy and although there have been a couple of rocks in locations there was, fortunately, no ice.
Ice and steep moguls don’t go so nicely collectively in my ebook.
South Aspect Chutes, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
The chutes all funnel into the identical exit run which finally ends up half approach down considered one of my favorite piste runs in the entire of Sunshine Village – Sunshine Coast.
It’s a superbly undulating blue run that hardly ever has many individuals on it.
After the steeps, the adrenalin, the focus, the elevated heartbeat and a few considerations, this was a run to blast down at most velocity – park & journey – and mirror on the fabulous steeps on provide in Sunshine.
Compared to among the troublesome runs within the Alps it measures up in Sunshine.
Some suppose the resort makes a bit a lot of the terrain and the problem of The Dive and Wild West are considerably exaggerated.
I can see their level as many such routes exist within the Alps in a number of resorts and they’re appreciable longer.
Usually extra technical and difficult.
However when standing on the high of The Dive wanting into its terrain, it isn’t some extent that pops instantly into my thoughts.
Delirium Dive, Sunshine Village, Canada. Picture © PlanetSKI
In per week’s time, PlanetSKI takes to the street.
We’re heading to the legendary and excessive resorts of Revelstoke and Kicking Horse which have some comparable terrain.
We’re additionally taking in Marmot Basin close to Jasper earlier than we come again to our base in Canmore close to Banff to ski Sunshine, Lake Louise and Mt Norquay once more.
We’re additionally trying to go to different resorts in Alberta: Nakiska and possibly Citadel Mountain.
We’ll even be again in The Dive, Wild West and the South Aspect Chutes of Sunshine Village, if situations permit.
Our plan is to knock all of them off in a single day – taking the gnarlier routes…
Associated Canada Articles:
PlanetSKI: #1 for digital ski information
Your digital platform for ski information, resort data, journey, tools rental, sport, cash saving offers and every part linked with snowsports – web page, social media & extra.
