Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Sun Peaks Resort

Skiers looking to get in line for the first chair in BC this year won't find it at Sun Peaks.

The resort just north of Kamloops backed off plans to open this coming Saturday because of warm weather, pushing opening day to Nov. 23. That puts it a day after Whistler, but still a week ahead of Big White Resort near Kelowna.

Originally set for Nov. 16, Sun Peaks Resort would have been the first in BC to turn on its lifts.

Temperatures are hovering above 0 Celsius at the village, but it's cooler around mid-mountain where it's holding a 45-centimetre snow base, according to an update from the resort. The past week brought nine centimetres of snow and more is expected by the weekend, while snow making will start again as temperatures dip.

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Despite the delayed opening, Sun Peaks expects a fantastic season ahead with La Nina conditions expected to bring a cooler winter.

Environment Canada meteorologist Lisa Erven said La Nina conditions won't guarantee more snowfall, but it does mean December through March should be colder than normal.

“If it's -15 Celsius as the snowflakes fall from clouds towards the ground, you don't have any chance for there to be any sort of melting occurring along the outer edges of the snowflake,” Erven previously told iNFOnews.ca. “There's more air pockets within the snowpack itself. And that's your sort of low density, fluffy powder that you would be skiing through... your champagne powder.”

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The snow base at Sun Peaks is currently deeper than many southern Interior neighbours, with 34 cm at Big White and 29 cm at Apex Mountain Resort near Penticton. SilverStar Mountain Resort hasn't yet updated its website with a snow base due to a technical problem. Whistler Blackcomb, however, is at 53 centimetres.

Big White is still planning to open Nov. 28 and SilverStar on Nov. 29. Apex will be another week, aiming for Dec. 7.

It's not clear which chairs will be turning on opening day at Sun Peaks, but skiers and snowboarders shouldn't expect the new West Bowl lift to be open yet. That will likely open later alongside the Burfield and Crystal chairlifts.

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