Banff Sunshine Village Ski and Snowboard Resort is capitalizing on one of its snowiest winters in a century to offer rare summer skiing and snowboarding, with eight slopes remaining open until July 5. The resort, located at an elevation of 2,200 metres in the Canadian Rockies, received 1,025 centimetres of snow this past winter, significantly above the typical 800 centimetres, according to spokeswoman Kendra Scurfield.
Record Snowfall Extends Season
“It’s very rare that we break 1,000 centimetres and it’s also been cooler than average recently, which has preserved the quality of the snow,” said Scurfield. The snowpack in some skiable areas across three terrain zones, serviced by two lifts, remains nearly two metres deep, she added.
On Thursday, June 25, 2026, skiers and snowboarders were seen in shorts and T-shirts, enjoying the unusual opportunity. Kade Coyle, 22, who had just moved from Biggar, Saskatchewan, to Calgary, said, “Today’s my first full 24 hours living here and it’s perfect. I’m loving it.”
Visitors and Locals Express Amazement
Layne Miller, 21, also clad in a T-shirt, expressed disbelief: “To be snowboarding at the end of June is insane.” British tourists Rebecca and Andrew Collier from Leeds, England, stumbled upon the scene after a hiking trip. “We might come back to ski — it’s cool. We never expected it,” said Rebecca. Andrew noted the latest they had previously skied was in April in the French Alps. “It’s quite unusual — we’ve been to Vancouver Island, to Whistler and now we’re able to ski here,” he said.
Local snowboarder Grayson Stelck, 17, was surprised by the snow depth. “To be learning new tricks at the end of the season, it’s amazing — there’s a lot more snow than I thought there’d be,” he said. His friend Callum Vettergreen described conditions as slushy but still enjoyable. Grace Huffman, another snowboarder, said temperatures near 20 C had her shedding layers even at the top of the runs. “The snow is sticky but at the end of June, I’ll take it. It’s as busy up here as a regular Thursday,” she said.
Unpredictable Weather and Canada Day Plans
The fair weather was fleeting, as skies darkened and rain fell on thinly clad skiers, a reminder of the unpredictable Rocky Mountain climate. Sunshine Village is planning a Canada Day celebration on July 1 featuring a DJ, free birthday cake while supplies last, face painting, and an attempt to set a record for the most Canadian tuxedos — jean jackets paired with jeans — carving the slopes.
