Banff Sunshine Village, the Alberta ski resort west of Calgary, is set to reopen for a limited summer ski season this year, including on Canada Day, after a winter of record-breaking snowfall. The resort announced it will operate from June 20 to July 5, offering skiers and snowboarders a rare opportunity to hit the slopes in warm weather.
Record Snowfall Makes Summer Skiing Possible
Sunshine Village received nearly 1,000 centimetres of total snowfall this season, leaving a substantial base that will allow for summer operations. Kendra Scurfield, the resort's vice-president of brand and communications, described the season as a fairy-tale year. The resort opened early on November 2, its earliest opening in over 40 years, and the snow kept coming. December became the fifth-snowiest month in the resort's nearly hundred-year history, and March and April also delivered record snowfall.
A Unique Experience for Canada Day
This is not the first time Sunshine has offered summer skiing. In 2022, the resort opened for Canada Day for the first time since the 1990s, drawing thousands of visitors. Scurfield recalled the event as phenomenally well-received, with people skiing in jean shorts, cutoff overalls, and western attire. The conditions featured soft, slushy corn snow and warm sun, creating a high-vibe atmosphere. "It was not a deep and delicious powder day, but it was a high vibe: 'I can't believe we get to ski in July,'" she said.
The success of that event inspired the team to look for another opportunity. "It was in the back of our mind that if we ever have a snow year good enough to be able to open for summer skiing, we as a team, would do everything we could in our power to be able to offer that experience again, because it was so well received by our community," Scurfield said. "I mean, what's more Canadian than skiing in your shorts on Canada Day?"
Protecting the Snowpack
Although the resort cannot make additional snow if the weather turns warm, Scurfield expressed confidence in the remaining snowpack. "We still have roughly an eight-foot base," she said. "We are confident that we have enough snow to be able to open Strawberry Express for summer skiing." The resort plans to build snow wells and pile up snow to protect it from sunny or hot weather.
The regular season will close on May 18 with the annual Slush Cup event, where skiers attempt to skim across an icy pool of water. After that, regular lift maintenance will take place before the summer reopening. Updates will be posted closer to the date, with details on what to expect. "Because we are proudly Canadian, and Canadian owned and operated, you bet we will be celebrating Canada Day on the slopes of Sunshine in a spectacular way," Scurfield added.
