THIS SITE STARTS WITH MY FIRST TRIP UP IN NOVEMBER   2005 AND MOVES THRU THE  2006 SEASON..WATCH THE SNOW GET DEEPER!! it does..:)

I WILL KEEP ADDING STUFF TILL WE CLOSE IN MID APRIL!

then click the links at the bottom to go to 2006-2007 season..now in progress!!!
 


 
 

SUNPEAKS RESORT, KAMLOOPS BC! 2ND BIGGEST IN W.
CANADA!

THIS IS  A VIEW OF TOD MOUNTAIN,(BIG ONE) AND PART OF SUNDANCE TO THE RIGHT.....THE THIRD, MT MORRISEY  IS UNDER ME!! (old pic..doesnt show a fraction of the new buildings)

CLICK HERE FOR SUNPEAKS WEBCAMS, ETC...
 

OK.....A PIC  OF THE MAIN MOUNTAIN OF THE THREE!!   MT TODD
I GET MY FIRST RIDE ON THE MTN  AND CRAP! ITS STEEP!  THE PICS JUST DONT PICK UP HOW STEEP IT IS!! ANY SKIERS OUT THERE WILL KNOW WHAT I MEAN!! I HAVE SLEDDED IN THE MTNS, BUT ITS A WHOLE DIFFERENT  THING IN A 18,000LB MACHINE!!

THIS IS A BUSY PLACE, AROUND 500 EMPLOYEE'S, 120 RUNS, SOME 5 MILES LONG, one 7 miles, AND WAY UP IN THE SNOW!
 
 

AND YES LOTS OF THESE PICS ARE TAKEN WHILE MOVING, SO  I DONT ALWAYS GET THE BEST QUALITY!, BUT I DO GET THE PIC!!!


NOV 14TH 2005   REMEMBER ITS EARLY IN SEASON SO EXPECT THE SNOW TO BE A LOT DEEPER IN THE LATER PICS!!


FIRST NITE OUT AND WE ARE WARMING UP THE CATS....THEY HAVE  8 OR SO, AND THEY GO FULL TIME 2 SHIFTS A DAY!  MILES TO DO! 2 ARE WINCH CATS, THEY HOOK ON TO A TREE, ANCHOR, OR WHATEVER AND THEY PULL THEMSELFS UP THE REAL STEEP STUFF!! YOU CAN SEE THE WINCH BOOMS HANGING  ON THE BACK OF THE MACHINES.

THE SHOP IS 2/3 WAY UP THE MOUNTAIN..RIDING THE CHAIRLIFT UP  OR TAKING A SLED IS THE WAY TO WORK!!  :)
THE MECHANICS  BLAST AROUND ON SLEDS TO DO THE REPAIRS!
 


 

SOME OF THE BRAND NEW TOYS!!  NO SNOW IN THIS PIC..BUT IT CAME DOWN 2 FEET  THE NEXT DAY!!
 
 

HEADING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN..THIS WILL,BE THE RACE TRACK FOR THE AUSTRIAN OLYMPIC TEAM WHO ARE HERE TO TRAIN FOR THE OLYMPICS! THATS LIKE HAVING THE  STANLEY CUP CHAMPS PRACTICING IN YOUR LOCAL RINK..THEY ARE THE BEST!!  ABOUT 100 MEN AND WOMEN...AND DO THEY EVER ZOOOM!


 

STILL HEADING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN..THERE ARE 3  AND WE NEED TO GET TO THE FAR ONE
ONCE AGAIN. I AM GETTING A TOUR FROM KIRSTEN! SHE'S ON THE  SHIFT WITH CHRIS AND PETE AND LAURA, AND  A FEW  DRIVERS I HAVN'T MET YET!
 


 
 
 

HEADING FOR THE BIG MOUNTAIN!
 
 


MOVING SNOGUNS..PICK EM UP WITH THE BLADE AND GO!!

FIRST PLAN IS PACK THE RUNS, AS WE CANT GROOM UP THEM TILL THEY GET A BASE..
 


 

HMMMMMM...WHERE AM I  ??  SIGN SAYS IT ALL!!
 
 
 
 
 
 


ONE OF THE  VILLAGE  RESTAURANTS
 

DELTA HOTEL AND NANCY GREENS HOTEL IS TO THE LEFT OF IT OUT OF THE PIC. tons of places here, condo's houses, bars, etc...will get a decent pic of it all later!
 
 
 
 


TONIGHT I GO OUT WITH KILLER!!   HES A PRO IN THE  WINCH CAT, AND HE LOVES THE NEW RED ONE!
 

THEN ITS UP TO THE TOP AND I AM ABOVE THE CLOUDS AND IN THE SUN!!

THESE TILLERS DO A GREAT JOB, WAY BETTER THAN THAT HUNK OF IRON I PULLED AT HOME!   BUT WOW..A LOT MORE INVOLVED THAN LEVELING OUT A DITCH!!


 

NICE!!!  BUT CHECK WHAT THAT HILL LOOKS LIKE 2 HRS LATER AS ITS OPENING DAY!!!! LOOK CLOSE..ITS THE SAME EXACT SPOT!  THEY USE THAT STEEP PART FOR THE VELOCITY CHALLENGE..A SPEED RACE....THEY GO 100 MPH+ DOWN THAT THING.....I WANNA WATCH!

WOW!!  THATS WHY IT HAS TO BE GROOMED!   PLUS IN MID WINTER THEY GET TONS OF SUN UP HERE, AND ITS WARM AND IT MELTS AND FREEZED ROCK HARD..SO WOULD BE UGLY WITHOUT GROOMING! THEY WILL WINCH THIS ONE!
 


 

THATS THE SUNBURST RESTAURANT ABOUT 2/3 WAY UP THE MTN..I HAVE JUST DELIVERED A LARGE BOX OF FOOD AS ITS THE ONLY WAY!  HOOK IT ON THE BLADE AND CARRY IT UP!
 


 

THIS IS A NORMAL NARROW TRAIL!!
 

THIS IS A SKI RUN I AM CUTTING ACROSS....WOW!!!!!  DONT LOOK DOWN!!
 
 


 

HEADING TO THE SHOP TO REFUEL! AWESOME  SCENERY!
 
 
 
 


 

SOME OF THE RUNS WE GROOMED LAST NIGHT!  opening day today(wed) and they got over 1000 kids out to play!!
 
 

DONE WORK AND HEADING TO THE CAR!!  COOL WAY TO GET TO THE PARKING LOT!!! cept for all the kids telling me I am going the wrong way!!


 
 
 
 
 
 
 


NOV 18.....

THIS IS HOW WE GET THE FOOD AND SUPPLIES TO THE  SUNBURST RESTAURANT 2/3 UP THE MOUNTAIN..THEY LOAD UP THE BOXS AND WE PICK THEM UP WITH THE BLADE AND DRIVE THE 45 MINUTES UP THE RUN! I SPENT THE LAST NIGHT GETTING A  LESSON FROM KILLER AND HERE I FOLLOW HIM UP 5 MILE RUN!

I THINK THE SKI PATROLLER ON THE SLED IS LOOKIN FOR BODIES!!
 


 

8 AM IN THE VILLAGE AND WE GOTTA GET IT SMOOTH BEFORE THE LIFTS OPEN AT 8:30

LOOK CLOSE, FIND THE AUSTRIAN OLYMPIC SKIER Herman Maier ON THE RACETRACK....YOU WILL SEE THIS GUY THIS WINTER!  I GET A GOOD VIEW ON THE WAY UP, BUT NO CRASH'S YET....:)
 


 

GROOMING UNDER THE CHAIRLIFT.......LOOKS CLOSE TO THE ROOF, BUT I'M JUST DROPPING OVER A CLIFF!


 

PIC OF THE VILLAGE... LOOKING  N EAST FROM 1/4 WAY UP TOD MTN ....MT MORRISEY starting just to the right.
 
 

NOV 19 TH....I GET MY FIRST TRIP TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD!!!  MY  BOSS  CARLY TAKES ME UP AND ITS A AWESOME VIEW!  FORGOT THE CAMERA, BUT I WILL BE BACK PLENTY!
 


 

SUNRISE STARTING AND IM LOOKING WEST AT TODD MTN FROM MIDDLE OF MT MORRISEY.....WE GO WAY UP ABOVE THE TREE'S!!
 

NOV  27
 


heading around the Morrisey connector back to the village!   Nice shacks up here!
 

NO WONDER THAY CAN SKI   LIKE MAD!  WE MADE IT SMOOOOOOTH!

I AM LEADING THE PACK!!!
 
 
 


 

THIS IS THE TOY BIN!!  $200GRAND AND UP PER TOY!!


COCKPIT OF THE BOMBARDIER......WE USE EVERY SINGLE BUTTON AND CONTROL IN THERE, AND  LOTS AT THE SAME TIME....THE STEERING JOYSTICKS ARE  LEFT OF THE SEAT.. THE BIG ONE IS THE 12 WAY BLADE..THE ROCKER BUTTON ON THE TOP STEER THE TILLER LEFT OR RIGHT..SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO DO ALWAYS WHEN U TURN OR IT DOESNT COVER THE TRACK MARKS..AND VERY USEFULL  AT SLIDING  TILLER SIDWAYS OUT OF THE WAY OF TREES AT THE LAST SECOND!  THE OTHER 2 JOYSTICKS TO THE RIGHT CONTROL THE TILLER DEPTH, DEPTH OF CUT WITHIN THE FRAME , SNOW CHAMBER OPENING, SPEED OF TILLER, AND THE MAGIC YELLOW BUTTON IS THE  UP /DOWN PRESSURE ON THE WHOLE  TILLER PLATFORM.

THE BIG RED KNOB IS THE TROTTLE..SET IT AROUND 1700 RPM...USE THE SMALL DIAL JUST RIGHT OF THE BIG STICK BASE TO CONTROL ACTUALL SPEED, AND USE THE 2 JOYSTICKS IN THE LEFT ARMREST TO STEER, GO AHEAD, REVERSE. ETC..EACH CONTROLS A TRACK.  THEN  YOU STILL HAVE 400 RPM  YOU CAN USE WHEN NEED THE BOOST BY MASHING THE  PEDAL DOWN BELOW!
 
 

THIS IS THE  PISTEN-BULLY...ITS GOT A WHEEL!!   AND A BUNCH MORE KNOBS!!!  THE WINCH CATS  HAVE ANOTHER PILE OF  CONTROLS!
 
 
 


 
 

 TYPICAL.... WHICH WAY DO I GO!!!!!!

DEC 4 th!!!

WE ARE GOING FULL BLAST NOW..THE SHIFT (USUALLY 5 OF US) STARTS WITH A MEETING WITH THE PREVIOUS SHIFT..WE SORT OUT WHAT HAS TO BE DONE...ASSIGN THE CATS...GO OUT AND GO THRU THE ALL THE  MAINTENANCE CHECKS, FILL OUT THE CHECKLIST REPORT..GREASE THE TILLERS, WARM EM UP..AND HEAD OUT!

I GET OUT A FEW STRETCHS  THRU THE NIGHT, USUALLY A FUEL STOP or 2 AT THE ALPINE SHOP OR GOLF COURSE SHOP.. A DINNER BREAK AT MID SHIFT.THERE ARE HEATED ROOMS WITH  UTENSILS IN  THE CHAIRLIFTS AND THE SHOPS...WE WAVE AT THE SNOWMAKING CREW AS THEY BLAST BY US ALL NIGHT ON THEIR SNOWMOBILES, ALWAYS MOVING THE GUNS AND  HOOKING UP THE WATER AND ELECTRICS..THEY ARE USUALLY SOAKED!!  NICE GANG OF KIDS!!
WE CHECK IN WITH THE REST OF THE GANG EVERY FEW HOURS, AND ALWAYS  RADIO  WHEN STEPPING OUT OF THE MACHINE AS THEY HAVE  HAD ACCINDENTS AND NEED TO KNOW LOCATION ALL THE TIME..

AND THEN AS THE RESORT WAKES UP IT TOTALLY CHANGES TO BUSY BEEHIVE AS THE "LIFTY'S" APPEAR AND GO THRU ALL THEIR CHECKS ON THE LIFTS, SET UP ALL THE WARNING SIGNS...THE "SKI PATROLL" GUYS CHECK OUT ALL THE RUNS  BY SKING THEM AND MARKING ANY DANGERS..THE CROSS COUNTRY CREW  FINISHED GROOMING THE CC TRAILS....SO WITH 400 STAFF AROUND IT GETS BUSY!  WE CANT DO ANY WORK NEAR THE VILLAGE TILL 7 AS NOT TO WAKE UP THE GUESTS, SO ITS BUSY TIME FOR A HOUR AND IT GETS PRETY TIGHT WITH ALL THE CATS!!  I CAN SEE THE PARKING LOTS FILLING UP AND THE  LINEUPS GROWING AT THE "HEAD TRAPS", SO  ITS TIME TO CLEAR OUT!!

IF WE GET TRAPPED ON A RUN AND THE  LIFTS ARE OPEN, THEN WE NEED A SLED ESCORT UP HILL OF US , SO WE CALL DISPATCH AND THEY LOOK AFTER IT! ON SOME OF THE PLATTER AND T-BAR LIFTS WE MUST GROOM THE PATHWAY UNDER THEM, BUT THE LIFTY'S ALSO HAVE TO GET THEM "TURNING"   AND WE DONT ALWAYS FIT UNDER THEM !

THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM...SUNRISE!!

AGAIN!  HEADING ACROSS FROM SUNDANCE MT TO  THE BIG ONE!

DEC 6 TH

THEY NOW LET ME DO THE GOOD STUFF!!!  I HAVE A GREAT BUNCH OF  GROOMERS WHO ARE TOO HAPPY TO HELP WITH TIPS AND TECHNICS....REALLY SPED UP LEARNIG!   I GET TO DO  BIGGER RUNS NOW AND ITS DEFINATELY
"INTERESTING"  DRIVING!!    NOW I GET TO HAVE FUN ON THE REAL STEEP STUFF!  VERY INTERESTING SLIDING A FEW HUNDRED FEET DOWN THE HILL!!  GETTING TO BE NORMAL!  KEEP IT  STRAIGHT!!!

ALSO A MAZE TO FIND YOURSELF IN! 120 RUNS AND  LOTS OF THEM INTERSECT AND  SOME HAVE  ZILLIONS OF "TREE ISLANDS"  MORE MAZE!! I AM STARTING TO FIND MY WAY AROUND BETTER. I HAVE A MAP,  BUT ITS NOT TOOOO ACCURATE, SPECIALLY IN THE DARK!

GETTING UP IS A DIFERENT DEAL ALSO, WE ARE ALWAYS CARRYING A BLADE OF SNOW AS THE SKIERS DISH OUT THE RUNS AND WE HAVE TO BLADE IT BACK TO THE CENTER...SO ITS  A HARD CLIMB UP THE STEEP "PITCHS", SOME  TO NEARLY 50 DEG, PUSHING THE SNOW,  PULLING THE TILLER, AND NOW ITS TOO EASY TO "TRACK OUT" AND DIG A UGLY HOLE WHICH NOW HAS TO BE  FILLED AND LEVELED.....BY GOING BACK DOWNHILL, ONCE I  CAN GET  UPHILL!......BUT DOWNHILL IS JUST AS HARD AND WE CANT  KNOCK LOOSE SNOW ONTO THE GROOMED PATH, EVEN SMALL CHUNKS  THE SIZE OF A BALL ARE TOO BIG! AND THE TILLER WANTS TO CARRY A PILE OF SNOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE IN A SLIDE.....SO THEN IT PUSHES OFF A WINDROW OUT THE ENDS, WHICH IS ALSO A NO NO....SO ITS  A CONSTANT FIGHT TO POSTION THE TILLER  SO NOT TO SPILL OUT!  GETS BUSY VERY QUICK!!!   NEWEST  THING IS ROCK HARD SNOW AFTER ITS BEEN MELTED AND  FROZE HARD..NOW THE TILLER  WONT BITE, STARTS TO BOUNCE! MESS!!  MORE BLADE NEEDED TO SCARIFY THE SNOW ...DIFF TILLER SPEEDS AND PRESSURE..  MACHINE GETTING MORE FAMILIER... I DONT HAVE TO LOOK AT THE CONTROLS ANY MORE!! THATS HELPS!

YES ITS UPHILL!! THIS IS A EASY ONE...

I SUSPECT THE NEXT BIG THING IS GONNA BE THE BIG DUMP AND THE DRIFTS!!   OF COURSE THE REAL THRILL IS COMING...WIND AND HEAVY SNOW UP IN THE BOWLS ABOVE THE TREE LINE!!  I HAVE ALREADY BEEN  RUNNING TOTALLY BLIND DOWN ON THE EASY RUNS IN THE SNOW AND FOG......AT LEAST THERE ARE TREES AND YOU DO FIND THE  SIDES OF THE RUN EVENTUALLY!  UP TOP THEY HAVE POSTS STUCK IN THE SNOW..NO REFLECTORS!!!!!ONLY MISTAKE TO BE MADE IS  TO GO "DOWN"!!!!!  EEEK!

I MUST BE GETTING USED TO THE STEEPNESS A BIT!  THE GREEN RUNS NOW LOOK LIKE A  FLAT FIELD  TO ME..EVEN THE STEEP ONES SEEM  NO BIG DEAL..UNTILL I START TO SLIDE. OR THE MACHINE  PICKS UP SPEED FAST GOING DOWN, OR THE ENGINE DRAGS  DOWN FAST GOING UP.....AND THEN A QUICK LOOK AT THE ANGLE OF THE TREE'S BRINGS THE SENSES BACK!  ONCE ITS LIGHT THERE IS CERTAINLY NO PROBLEM THIS WAY!!WOW!! THINK ITS JUST THE  VISION IS JUST LIMITED TO THE LIGHTS AND YOU LOOSE PERSPECTIVE....HAVE TO BE CAREFULL HERE AS TOO EASY TO GET INTO TROUBLE!!

MY NEW PIT STOP  AFTER WE PARK THE CATS AT THE ALPINE SHOP...ITS A 300 M WALK TO THE CHAIRLIFT AND THE SUNBURST RESTAURANT...

 

HERES  SOME OF THE GANG WAITING FOR ME TO FINISH MY BUN!!
 SCOTT MY YOUNG CO PILOT COMMUTER, AND EVIL TOM!!
 
 
 

THIS IS AT THE RESTAURANT  AT  ABOUT 2/3 UP THE MOUNTAIN... THAT LIFT  WAY UP BEHIND MY BACK TAKES YOU UP TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD AND THE BOWLS!!
 
 

.THEN A PIT STOP  FOR A DRINK AND  ONE OF THOSE GIANT CINNAMON BUNS THE GIRLS GIVE ME!!
 
 

HERE'S SOME OF THE  GIRLS WHO RUN THE SUNBURST REST....


DEC 7 TH
 

I NOW DECIDE ITS TIME !!!  I'M AT A SKI HILL..ITS FREE FOR ME  AND I OWN A BOARD..SO TODAY I TAKE IT UP IN THE CAT....OFF I GO TO THE NEAREST RUN FROM THE SHOP..CRAP!  I HAVE MY SNOW BOOTS WITH ME...I TIE EM TO A TREE..HOPE THEY ARE THERE  IN 4 DAYS WHEN I GO BACK!!  I  HAVE BOARDED A FEW NIGHTS AT  LARIVIERE,AND NOT TO SUCCESSFULLY... SO OFF I GO...YAHOO..I MAKE IT AND NOTHING HURTS!!!  I DO ABOUT 3 MILES OF A GREEN RUN AND  THATS ENOUGH FOR NOW!!

I AM ABOUT TO GO DOWN A BLACK DIAMOND RUN for my first lesson THANKS TO THE ADVICE OF MY "LEAD HAND"  KILLER!!! !!  I JUST GO SLOOOOW AND  GET ONTO ANOTHER!  THANKS GUYS!!!


 
 

NICE TOUQUE   EH?     I JUST LIKE IT CAUSE ITS SOOO WARM!! NOT TOO STYLISH  I GUESS....:)
 
 

THE ROAD HOME!!! SOME OF THE STRAIGHTER STUFF.....THIS IS  FUN  IN A REAL CAR!!   ( NO ICE!)  STILL SIDEWAYS A FAIR BIT EITHER WAY...:)
 DROPS ABOUT MILE ELEVATION DOWN FROM THE RESORT.


 
 


OH YEA...BOUGHT A HOUSE IN KAMLOOPS..UP ON A MOUNTAIN..I LIKE IT!! and yes its still GREEN!!!!!   (PICS TAKEN  FROM MTN ABOVE HOUSE) dec  30TH

and NO @#&^MOSQUITO'S,  SEMI'S OR JAKE BRAKES UP HERE! :)

THATS IT WITH THE ARROW....EVERYTHING IS ON A ANGLE..THAT SCHOOL OUT FRONT IS 50' BELOW US AND WE LOOK CLEAR OVER IT, THE FOOTBALL FIELD IS 25' LOWER..THE RIVER IS 800 feet LOWER!!!(WE ARE ABOUT EVEN WITH HALF WAY UP OPPOSITE SIDE)
 

THIS IS THE VIEW LOOKING EAST DOWN THR  THOMPSON RIVER VALLEY
 


 

THIS IS THE VIEW LOOKING WEST INTO KAMLOOPS AND THE FORKS OF THE 2 THOMPSON RIVERS..THATS THE RINK JUST LEFT OF THE FORKS.MOST EVERYTHING GREEN  ALONG THE RIVER IS PARKS, BROWN IS BEACHS.
30km long kamloops lake is just west of town. ( not my pic, as I was behind trees 0n my mtn climb  but I am about a mile and a half further away from this point of pic and same view)
 
 

THE ROAD DOWN TO TOWN FROM OUR HOUSE.....

LOWER PART OF ROAD  ..  I'M IN THE DESERT DOWN HERE! THIS IS FUN ON THE BIKE!!!
 
 

SEE THE SNOW LINE???? WINTER IS UP THERE!!
 
 
 
 


CLICK HERE FOR PAGE 2...........SNOCAT