Canadians Celebrate Mid-May Powder Days at Banff Sunshine Village, Resort Plans Summer Skiing

Today, May 18, 2026, is the final day of the ski season at Banff Sunshine, Alberta (technically).



Oftentimes, that means warm weather, slushy snow, and goggle tans. Instead, Sunshine locals have spent the past 24 hours riding fresh snow, getting a somewhat unseasonal final taste of winter.



Over the last week, over 12 inches (31cm) of snow has fallen on the ski resort. That's translated to first tracks at a time when most mountains out West are barren, having shut down weeks or months ago.



The 2026 POWDER Photo Annual is here! Look for a print copy on a newsstand near you, or click here to have a copy shipped directly to your front door.

For the May 18 send-off, nine lifts are open at Sunshine, with 128 named trails to choose from, an expansive offering given the time of year. While the latest storm certainly helped, the solid May conditions didn't emerge overnight: they were boosted by consistent snowfall at Sunshine all season, starting all the way back in December.



That month, 105 inches fell, marking Sunshine's fifth snowiest December on record. March delivered, too, with another 82 inches arriving. By that point, Sunshine had crossed a big threshold, having seen its snowiest season in more than a decade, according to a blog post published by the resort.



As of now, Sunshine is sitting on an upper mountain season total of about 33 feet, or around 400 inches (863cm). The upper mountain base also looks good, with roughly seven feet of snow on the ground.

If you think that's enough snow to keep the season going, you'd be right. Sunshine will wrap up ski operations on May 18, but only temporarily. The resort plans to reopen on June 20 and stay open for another 16 days.



The Strawberry Express, which accesses green and blue runs, will spin. Another lift might be open, too. After making the announcement, Sunshine told skiers and snowboarders to stay tuned for more updates.



It's not yet clear what other North American resorts will be open in the window.



Mammoth Mountain, California, plans to stay open until May 31, but hasn't confirmed a closing date yet. For Timberline Lodge in Oregon, staying open through June and beyond is par for the course.



Killington, Vermont, tends to keep its Superstar trail open into late May or early June and, per its latest update, has its "eyes firmly set on Memorial Day."

Related: The Floral Print Phenomenon: How Skida Traveled From Vermont to Everywhere

Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 11:29 AM.