Screenshot of Sun Peaks video showing removal of storage mats on Oct. 9, 2025
The mountain might still be quiet for now, but there’s already snow on the slopes at Sun Peaks Resort — snow that’s been sitting there since last spring.
On October 9th, crews at Sun Peaks began pulling back massive insulated mats that had been covering a giant pile of snow through the summer — the first project of its kind in Canada. Using Finnish snow storage technology, the resort preserved roughly 14,000 cubic metres of snow to ensure a reliable base for early-season training and an on-time opening this November.
“We can’t really compare this to past years because this is our first year storing snow,” said Christina Antoniak, Sun Peaks’ Director of Brand & Communications. “It’s been quite an exciting venture — we started last spring when we moved all the snow into this massive pile, and it is huge. We’re talking 14,000 cubic metres, which will cover a few acres of terrain by a foot or two.”
Mats Off, Snow Holding Strong
The snow pile, located on the OSV (Österreichischer Skiverband) ski run on Tod Mountain, was covered in early May with 18 insulated mats supplied by Finnish company Snow Secure. The mats protect the snow from sun, heat, and rain, allowing it to survive the summer months. “Seeing that snow covered over the summer — it looked like this little white speck on the mountain from a distance,” Antoniak said. “But once you get up close, you really see the scale of it.”
When the mats came off a few weeks ago, the team was thrilled with the results. “We were so pleased because we had about an 80 to 85 percent rate of snow stored,” Antoniak said. “Out of all the snow that was covered, we only had about a 15 percent loss on it, which is fantastic.”
With the mats now dried and stored for the winter, Sun Peaks’ grooming team will begin pushing the snow down the slope this week toward the Elevation lift base terminal, where it will form the foundation for the resort’s early-season training centre. “The groomers are going to get on top of the pile of snow and push it down the hill,” Antoniak explained. “This snow is meant as base snow — it’s not powder or pristine mid-season snow, but that’s not the intention. It’s to create a solid foundation so that when we make snow and Mother Nature delivers the good stuff, we already have a great base in place.”
Early Training and On-Time Opening
That stored snow will make a big difference in the coming weeks as over 1,000 young athletes from across Canada and abroad arrive for early-season training starting November 8. The resort’s public opening is scheduled for Saturday, November 22, and Antoniak says everything is on track. “The stored snow allows us to have that training facility open on time with good-quality snow,” she said. “It also means we don’t have to make snow in that area right now, so our snowmaking equipment can go lower on the mountain to support our public opening.”
Early-season weather can be unpredictable, but Antoniak said conditions so far have been encouraging. “We’ve been in the minus threshold for a while now — hovering around zero and dropping back down — so we’ve been able to start making snow,” she said. “We’re really kicking that into high gear now because we’re seeing a pattern of cooling and the right threshold to make snow.”
After last year’s record-breaking winter — which saw Sun Peaks’ busiest opening day and its highest-ever skier visits — expectations are high for another strong season. Antoniak says pass sales, bookings, and interest from international visitors are already ahead of last year. “Things are looking really optimistic for the winter ahead,” she said. “People are feeling excited and committing to the season — and with the snow storage project helping us get a head start, we’re feeling very confident about opening on time.”
As the mats are packed away and groomers begin spreading the stored snow, the mountain is once again coming to life. “It’s amazing to see the snow come out after being under cover all summer,” Antoniak said. “This was a bit of a trial year for us, but seeing how well it worked, we’re really excited about what this could mean for the future at Sun Peaks.”
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