Skiers at Sun Peaks Resort on Jan. 15, 2026. (Image Credit: Curtis Goodrum/CFJC Today)

By Victor Kaisar

Ski Season

Warm Kamloops-area weather hampering but not wreaking havoc at Sun Peaks Resort

Jan 17, 2026 | 10:28 AM

SUN PEAKS, B.C. — While the recent spell of warm winter weather hasn’t exactly wreaked havoc at Sun Peaks, resort officials say it has been having an impact on conditions.

Sun Peaks Resort is the only winter recreation destination currently open in the Kamloops region, as both Harper Mountain and the Stake Lake ski trails have had to temporarily close because of challenging weather conditions.

Christina Antoniak, the director of communications at Sun Peaks Resort, says while the high elevation is helping the resort weather the milder temperatures, there hasn’t been a lot of snow this month. As of publishing, Sun Peaks is reporting 12 centimetres of new snow over the past seven days, but nothing in the last 48 hours.

“We never quite know what Mother Nature is going to do, despite some of the longer range forecasts that we look at,” Antoniak said Friday (Jan. 16). “I don’t think we necessarily expected the first two weeks of January to look quite like this, but we always remain optimistic.”

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“We know the weather can change at a moment’s notice, especially at the higher elevations up in the mountains.”

There were two big powder days earlier in early January and Antoniak says resort officials are hoping for more, given the cooler temperatures and snow that is expected later this month. She also notes people are likely flocking to the resort these days in part because Sun Peaks is the only game in town.

“We certainly hope those other ski areas are able to open as they’re so important to the local market,” Antoniak added. “I was up on the hill this past weekend and it was full parking lot, tons of people around. We’re still poised at this point in time to have a good rest of the winter.”

Resort officials are suggesting that people stick to groomed trails for now, and avoid the off-piste and the gladed areas until there is a dump of fresh snow.

“With some of the milder temperatures and with things cooling down a little, there is a bit of a harder surface on the snow so we recommend taking your time,” Antoniak added, noting that while the Sun Peaks Nordic trail network and other private operators are open, the resort’s tube park is not.

The tube park at Harper Mountain is open on weekends.

Antoniak added the milder weather hasn’t yet had an impact on visitor numbers at Sun Peaks Resort this season.

“We’re where we hoped we would be in terms of our forecasting and budgeting that we do, from a skier visitor perspective and on accommodations,” Antoniak said. “I think once the snow returns – hopefully next weekend – we’ll pick up the volume in reservations for the rest of the winter.”

“We had some strong days at the end of December and on weekends in January so far, so I think if anything because of the lack of the snow at the lower elevation people know that we have snow here and they just want to be in the winter environment.”