Sun Peaks, British Columbia — Sun Peaks Resort has had an interesting history.
Like many famous ski resorts, Sun Peaks was originally known by something else. Originally known as Tod Mountain, the ski resort opened in 1961 and started as a modest operation. However, it has grown ever so slightly since, now being the second-largest ski resort in the country and with an expansive base village. However, that growth may have been due to a name change.
In a recent episode of the Selling Snow podcast, Sun Peaks CEO Darcy Alexander discussed how the ski resort has evolved over the years. Included in this discussion was how they changed their name from Tod Mountain to Sun Peaks Resort.
The Name Change
Perhaps the most interesting thing discussed was how it was originally known as Tod Mountain. The mountain the ski resort sits on was named after John Tod, a key leader at the Hudson’s Bay Company.
Canadian ski resorts get a lot of their visitors from Europe. In Germany, the word Tod means “death.” With this negative connotation, they decided to change it. One of the old ownership groups tried to change it, but was unsuccessful. After it was sold to Nippon Capital in 1992, it was renamed. The new owners held a naming contest with guests, with the consensus giving them the name they’re known by today.
The situation reminds me a bit of the renaming process behind Suicide Six ski area in Vermont, now known as Saskadena Six. The original name dates back to the early days of skiing, when dropping down The Face’s steep pitch seemed suicidal. Ski technology has advanced quite a bit since then. While it’s still a steep run, it’s less daunting than it was decades ago. To remove the negative connotation and make it more family-friendly, the ski area announced a rebrand in 2022.
Other Topics
The podcast also covers other topics, including implementing a master plan, future developments, how the foreign buying ban has stunted real estate growth, adapting to climate change, and why some proposed British Columbia ski resorts haven’t come to fruition.
For Selling Snow host Andrew Zwicker’s takeaways from the episode, you can read them here.
Image/Video Credits: Sun Peaks Resort, Selling Snow
