Sun Peaks is a great place to do some Alpine hikin...

Sun Peaks is a great place to do some Alpine hiking in the summer. The chair lift runs from 10:00 to 19:00 and for about $20, you skip the walk up to the alpine meadows. Otherwise, walking from the base, it's 3.4 km long and a 600 metre elevation gain. In the alpine area, the trail's are well marked and well trodden. On the weekends it's rather busy, but once past the first 1.0 km, the trail's branch out and the crowds peter out. The weekend of June 28/29 there were plenty of alpine flowers in bloom, though the best are further out, along the trails to Mt Todd and Todd Lake, both of which make for great hiking destinations to enjoy a picnic or packed lunch. Some of the wildflowers in bloom included paintbrushes, lupines, larkspur, stonecrop, cow parsnip, forget-me-nots, tiger lilies, white and pink heather, asters, and several others. Ample parking was available within a short walk from the visitors centre where one can purchase or pick up tickets although note that there is often a discount for lift tickets purchased online. Also they sell bottled drinks, as hikers will need to bring refreshments with them for their hike. Overall great spot for enjoying alpine meadows in the summer without too much effort.