‘Canada’s Napa Valley’ Is a Best-kept Winter Secret—How to Visit

It’s a bluebird day at Sun Peaks Resort, and the sun is illuminating the now drooping snow ghosts that line the blue runs I’ve been skiing all morning. I’ve just caught the West Bowl Express, newly opened this year, and I’m about to plunge into the pillowy powder that has fallen over the weekend. The best part? I didn’t even have to wait in line.

This under-the-radar ski hamlet is tucked into a corner of the Okanagan, easily accessible from Kelowna in British Columbia, with new direct flights from Seattle and Los Angeles and additional connections to Kamloops and Penticton airports. It’s here that I begin my sojourn through this lesser-known western Canadian winter wonderland, wandering through a ski-in/ski-out village so charming it looks as though it was plucked from the slopes of northern Italy, learning to huck an axe at Cleavage Axe Co. while sipping locally brewed beer, and salivating over fresh, crusty bread slathered in creamy fondue at Sun Peaks’ restaurant Fondue Stube.

With more than 4,000 acres of skiable terrain, 2,900 feet of skiable vertical descent, and a 10-acre terrain park, there’s something for every level here, with 13 lifts spread across three peaks (the region receives 23 feet of snowfall annually). The accessibility of the terrain also makes it a perfect place for families to enjoy a winter vacation on the slopes. And, after a day of skiing, a plethora of other frosty activities await, from snow tubing to horse-drawn sleigh rides to watching the sunset from the warmth of a hot tub.

I choose to snowshoe under the stars with Discover Sun Peaks Adventures, the chill warded off by me and my local guide’s brisk strides through stiff snow, our breath emerging in steamy puffs that shimmer in the frigid air. I sip hot cider next to a pine-scented bonfire in the shadow of the forest and admire how the town lights cast a soft glow on the beckoning ski hill before leaping off trail to test out my snowshoes in a deep drift of snow.

The next morning, a 2.5-hour drive brings me to Sovereign Lake for a lesson in Nordic skiing. The 65 miles of freshly groomed cross-country ski tracks—the largest daily groomed cross-country trail network in Canada—crisply cut their way across the bleached landscape, while a variety of snowshoe trails wind their way through powder puff trees. The day is warm and the only sound to break up the satisfying swish of my kick-stride-glide technique is the occasional whoomph of a chunk of snow falling off a branch.

A ski trail connects the Sovereign Lake Nordic Club to SilverStar Mountain Resort, another one of British Columbia’s largest downhill ski areas, offering 3,000-plus acres of skiable terrain, a 2,500-feet vertical drop, and more than 275 inches of annual snowfall. And, if Sun Peaks feels like a small slice of northern Italy, the village here will make you feel as though you’ve been transported back to the gold rush. There’s no need to don a corset under your ski gear, however, as the amenities are slick and modern, with 10 lifts, including an eight-seat gondola and a six-pack express chairlift.

The hill, renowned for its “mellow frontside and hairy backside” receives several inches of fresh snow in the morning. The resort’s friendly and knowledgeable Snow Hosts give me a grand tour of the resort, and while I may not be able to find my way around just yet, I dive into the fresh powder that leaves me literally—and figuratively—floating.

If skiing isn’t your thing, the resort is still a haven for winter activity: ice skate across Brewer’s Pond, located in the heart of the village, go tubing at Tube Town, or fat bike or snowshoe on a variety of trails and loops that skirt the edge of the ski hill.

In the evening, instead of a taxi, catch the Paradise Express snowcat to Paradise Camp, located directly on the ski hill, for a three-course gourmet dinner served next to a crackling fire. Or, jive to live music at Long John’s Pub. Canada’s highest art gallery, Gallery Odin—a private contemporary collection that features Western Canadian artists—can also be found here.

I complete my Okanagan winter explorations with a return to the urban bustle in Kelowna. While the area, also known as “Canada’s Napa Valley,” is renowned for its award-winning wineries, be sure to wake up first with a coffee tasting at Craft 42 Roasters. Breathe in the scent of freshly roasted, ethically sourced coffee beans before immersing yourself in stories of the land from the people who were here first at the Sncewips Heritage Museum. Then, sip wine without the summer crowds at the sweeping Mission Hill Family Estate winery, recently awarded 100 points for their 2020 Oculus red, the first in Canada.

My thirst slaked, I know more world-class skiing awaits me at Big White Ski Resort, but first, I find myself at the steely gray edge of Okanagan Lake. It’s not quite 7 a.m. and dawn is only just beginning to break over the sugar-dusted hills surrounding the lake. The only sound to be heard this early in the morning is the gentle lap of water as it caresses the side of the dock where the Finnish-style Löyly Floating Sauna lies.

It’s the perfect place to reset my weary muscles after a week of skiing, fat biking, and snowshoeing. I immerse my body for two minutes in a cold plunge pool, fed directly by the lake, before relaxing in the heat of the dry sauna. Just the look of the obsidian water of the cold plunge pool makes me shiver, the negative temperature nipping at my exposed skin.

I take a deep breath and jump in.