Sunshine Village Ski and Snowboard Resort in Banff is the first Canadian resort to open its doors to the public this winter season on Thursday, Nov. 3.
“With a current base of over 69 cm (27 in) of all-natural snow, Sunshine Village is poised for a solid start to the 2016-2017 season,” the company said.
Photos showed seven new centimetres of snow fell overnight Tuesday, to the delight of skiers and snowboarders.
November 3 is the Alberta facility’s earliest opening in more than 30 years, thanks to lots of precipitation starting early October. The resort opened on Nov. 14 last year, which has been a typical start time in the past.
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The Wawa, Strawberry, Jackrabbit and Wolverine chairlifts will open along with one magic carpet and one eight-person gondola.
Ski school programs (including Tiny Tiger and Kids Kampus programs) also start Thursday. Some on-mountain restaurants and shops will open, but the Sunshine Mountain Lodge won’t open until Nov. 11.
Skiers and riders are advised to use caution as early season conditions mean there may be unmarked natural hazards around the resort,” the company said.
“The Sunshine Village team has been working incredibly hard and we are thrilled to be the first resort in Canada to open its doors to our guests,” COO Dave Riley said in a statement.
Watch Sunshine’s progress on their mountain cams and check out the daily snow conditions at www.skibanff.com/conditions.